Living without refrigerator in India

During our stay in the US, we moved about 3 times. Each of the apartments we moved into had a refrigerator. In my eagerness to shop ALL I needed for the week, I would buy lot of food stuff in bulk. I am guilty of using the refrigerator as a cupboard or storage space for fruits, vegetables, and condiments. Anything and everything including, flour was kept in the fridge. I would review the contents of our fridge about once in a month (or 2 months, depending on my work) and would throw expired food away. My excuse invariably was that I did not have time.

It has been nearly 3 years since we moved to India, and we have not had a refrigerator for these years. The transition to our current life without a refrigerator was easier than anticipated.  I learned how many things need not be refrigerated.  The peak summer temperature in Bangalore at 36.7 degrees Centigrade (Approximately 98 degrees Fahrenheit) was never a hindrance this year. We use the natural coolness of our home in summers and the warmth of sunshine during the winters to get a majority of our work done.

When we visit villages as part of our work we notice that in some homes, they do not have a fridge. Our grandparents’ generation did just fine without the refrigerator. So much of what the average city dweller in India possesses is a result of culture and convenience. Often, we don’t have a need, but advertising and society (read media, friends, colleagues, relatives) have convinced us what we should have. Over the past fifty years or so, in our quest to become “modern”, we have lost a lot of our traditional knowledge.

It would be unfair to say that everyone can do without a fridge but the urban dweller in India definitely has an edge over his rural counterpart.  In majority of urban India, vegetable markets and local stores are within walking distance of one’s home. It is surprisingly easy to live without a fridge once you realize that most foods don’t really need refrigeration. ( In fact they would last longer if not refrigerated.) We do not need to have a refrigerator just to prove that we are modern! I often hear a gasp from people when I tell them we do not have a fridge. I strongly believe that we must stop following the main stream opinions and start questioning conventional wisdom. We should pay more attention to what works for us, instead of what needs to work for us.

In the process of writing this blog, I have been fortunate to read many thought provoking articles on agricultural and ecological issues,  and consumerism.  It has influenced me to rethink my cavalier attitude towards the environment – be it energy and water  consumption, or food wastage.  Living without refrigerator has helped me examine my own relationship with food consumption, preservation, and wastage.

Groundwater crisis in India

Can you pinpoint the biggest challenge facing India today? Corruption, Overpopulation or Illiteracy may be your top answers. Think again.  The greatest threat may well be lack of access to clean water.

Ground water refers to all water below the surface of the ground. Ground water is a major source of fresh water critical for sustaining life. However, it is nature’s buried treasure, since much of it is stored underground. Underground water is the only source of water in many dry areas. Water is brought to the surface using pumps and used in various sectors. Groundwater is used to irrigate India’s farmland. Beneath the “growing economy, and development facade” of our towns and cities, is the gripping water crisis.The Central Ground Water Board has reported that in the 10 years to 2011, there has been a more than 4m decline in aquifers that supply six major cities, including New Delhi, and Mumbai.

Fluid Situation: Image source: http://www.hindustantimes.com

A number of factors affect the depleting groundwater levels in India. Groundwater is used for irrigating our agricultural lands, used by industries, and for human consumption. Apart from gross misuse especially by the first two sectors, the government by virtue of its poor distribution system, adds to the woes. In cities like Delhi and Pune , nearly 40% of the water supply is lost due to leakages.

Quality of groundwater is also major concern where ground water resources are used for human consumption.  Urban development, sewage contamination, run-off from  landfills, and widespread application of fertilizers and pesticides are the major contributors polluting our ground water.

Effects of Arsenic and Flouride. Image source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com

Fluoride is another natural contaminant that threatens millions in India. Aquifers in the drier regions of  India are  rich in fluoride deposits. Fluoride is an essential nutrient for bone and dental health, but when consumed in high concentrations,  can lead to crippling damage to the neck and back, and to a range of dental problems. The WHO estimates 30 million in northwestern India are drinking water with high fluoride levels. The reason for this is that water has been pumped from deeper aquifers that contain high concentrations of arsenic. Recent reports suggest that groundwater in parts of Delhi is highly polluted.

Some studies from the Central Pollution Control Board paint a dire picture. After half a century of spraying in the eastern Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar, for example, the Central Pollution Control Board found DDT in groundwater at levels as high as 4,500 micrograms per liter which is several thousand times higher than what is considered a safe dose.

Groundwater depletion has forced cities to seek out alternate supplies of water, either because the groundwater has become unusable as is the case with Jaipur  or groundwater will cease to exist by 2015 in the case of  Hyderabad.

Perhaps the largest misconception being exploded by the spreading water crisis is the assumption that the ground we stand on and what lies beneath it is solid, unchanging, and inert. Just as the advent of climate change has awakened us to the fact that the air over our heads is an arena of enormous forces in the midst of titanic shifts, the water crisis has revealed that slow-moving though it may be, groundwater is part of a system of powerful hydrological interactions between earth, surface water, sky, and sea that we ignore at our peril. http://www.worldwatch.org

Access to Tap Water in rural homes. Image source: http://www.savethewater.org

Access to clean groundwater is linked to our health, and food security.   India’s water crisis is predominately a man-made problem. We not only need to acknowledge the severity of the ground water crisis, but also look at a more holistic approach towards resolving it. There have been some solutions initiated by institutes and ngos. Conserving water, reducing our water footprint, using rain-water to recharge our aquifers are some of the solutions prescribed by scientists and experts. Adequate rainfall can recharge our groundwater.  On an individual level, we need to be more responsible in water usage, and urge policy makers for an effective, sustainable solution.

Further references:

State-wise ground water pollution scenario in India

Ground Water Quality Problems due to Industries

India Groundwater Governance

Manual on Artificial Recharge of Groundwater – Central Ground Water Board

Simple Living

Since I started this blog a few years back, I have been thinking how to reduce my ecological footprint. In my opinion, it is not acceptable to ask others to make behavioral changes to improve the environment unless I am doing it myself.

In the process of writing this blog, I have read and learnt a considerable amount about the world around us, and how we can help make changes for its betterment. During my stay in the US, I had the opportunity to interact with immigrants from Somalia, and Ethiopia, and hear stories about drought and famine prevalent there. It made we value what we have in the US and India  and how much of our natural resources we take for granted.

Through my journey so far, many events/individuals  have influenced  and reiterated the faith in the path we have taken. Watching the documentary “Nero’s Guest” at Rangashankara,  “Story of Stuff” and the interactions with like-minded people such as Dr. Narayan Reddy, the organic farmer, helped us become more aware of how our choices matter.

Cultural expectations proclaiming bigger is better are prevalent in our society. As a society, material wealth seems to be the prime indicator of an individual’s success.

Living a simple life may conjure images of sacrifice and deprivation. Far from it, I believe it is more about understanding and accepting what is sufficient to live well.

Watching Nero’s Guests and following the changing rural and urban landscape has made me more aware of the consequences of each of my actions. Be it in energy and food consumption, transport and technology usage, or mindfulness and my attitude towards life. Beyond a point, my conscience does not permit me to go to shopping malls, purchase groceries from bazaars, or  waste food and other resources.

The more I read about the various issues facing our world; I am convinced that we need to make a transition towards a more sustainable world. And the transition stems from making changes in our life at the fundamental level.

Birds need water in summer

Birds need you this summer.  With summer temperatures increasing and water resources scarce, birds find it tough to survive.

Image source: http://www.tinypic.com

Keep a medium-sized bowl of water in your balconies, or terraces. Ensure the water is clean, to avoid birds from catching diseases.

Enjoy the visit of winged creatures!

Image source: http://sphotos.fbcdn.net

Image source: http://www.hgtv.com

Image source: http://www.birdfeeders.com

Please do!

The story of cucumber

Cucumber. Botanical Name: Cucumis sativus; Family : Cucurbitaceae. Image source: http://www.vegetablegardener.com

Do you know the best remedy to beat the scorching summer heat? The humble cucumber of course! The phrase “as cool as a cucumber” conjures up an image of a person who remains cool, calm, and collected in a difficult situation just as a cucumber’s inner flesh remains cool even if it’s just been plucked from a hot garden. It is one of the oldest cultivated vegetable.

Bottle Gourd. Family: Cucurbitaceae. Image source: http://www.medindia.net

Cucumber belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and includes  many of our favourite vegetables such as pumpkins, melon, cucumber, watermelon, bottle gourds, and bitter gourds. The botanical genus Cucumis, to which cucumber (Cucumis sativus) belongs, was long thought to have originated and diversified in Africa, since many wild species of Cucumis are found there. However, recently obtained molecular data have shown that cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) and melon (Cucumis melo L) are indigenous to India and likely to have originated from the foothills of the Himalayas.

Pumpkin. Family: Cucurbitaceae. Image source: http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk

Botanists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have now  shown that both plants origniated in Asia. The cucumber traces its ancestry to the slopes of the Himalayas. Researcher Arun Pandey from the University of Delhi and Susanne Renner from the University of Munich, Germany, created a new checklist of the Cucurbitaceae so as to update the data about the Cucurbitaceae family.

Ridge Gourd. Family: Cucurbitaceae. Image source: http://www.indosungod.blogspot.com

The study was published in the open access journal PhytoKeys.

Bitter Gourd. Family: Cucurbitaceae. Image source: http://www.webindia123.com

The list has 400 names and gives details about the location from where the specimens were collected. The list also includes 94 species from 31 genera. Of the 94 species, 10 are endemic to India. Besides giving details about the location of the samples, the list gives information about the publicly available DNA sequences. DNA sequences of at least 79 percent of the 94 species are available in GenBank – National Institute of Health (NIH) genetic sequence database in the United States, which has a collection of all publicly available DNA sequences.

In a statement, Ms. Renner said

“Updating and summarising the available information on Indian Cucurbitaceae and linking it to molecular data and images may help to focus phylogenetic and floristic research on poorly known species, and potentially strengthen conservation efforts. It may also provide vital genetic information to improve the current varieties of pumpkins, cucumbers, and their relatives.”

Biodiversity of India is truly amazing. The published research paper along with the list can be accessed at The Cucurbitaceae of India: Accepted names, synonyms, geographic distribution, and information on images and DNA sequences.

Project “worth its salt” for the Agariyas

Salt March by Gandhi. Image source:www.wikipedia.org

On March 12, 1930, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi began the Salt March. Along with a few followers, he set out from Sabarmati and walked to the coastal village of Dandi. A journey of nearly 400 kilometers lasting 23 days. He had decided to make the Salt Tax imposed by the British as a focal point of nonviolent political arrest. The British monopoly on the salt trade in India dictated that the sale or production of salt by anyone but the British government was a criminal offense.

On reaching the coast he picked up a clump of mud and salt and said, “With this, I am shaking the foundations of the British Empire.” He then boiled it in seawater to make the salt which no Indian could legally produce.

Inspired by Gandhi’s salt march, a social enterprise called SABRAS, seeks to create a second salt march, attempting to bring dignity to the impoverished salt workers of the Kutch region.

Salt Cultivation. Image source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com

Between 70-75% of India’s salt comes from the state of Gujarat. Little Rann of Kutch is famous for its unique salt-pans where salt is harvested by  tribes  called Agariyas. Producing salt is highly labour intensive, requiring water to be pumped out of the ground to create salt lakes that require constant raking to form crystals. Workers incur the highest costs when they borrow money to buy diesel to pump water into the salt lakes.

• Since Agariyas have to go deep inside the desert to get salt, the nearest village is 25-35 km far.  Agariyas can bath only once in 8-10 days leading to health ailments. For last two years government tankers have stopped supplying water forcing the families to spend as much as Rs 2000 a month to procure water from private operators.

• Agariyas work relentlessly in severe heat conditions (nearly 50 degree Centigrade temperatures ) without any protective gear to protect their feet from absorbing too much salt. The condition is so serious that upon cremation, while rest of the body burns naturally, the feet stay undestroyed to the high levels of salt.

Salt Pan workers feet. Image source: http://www.thehindu.com

Around 50,000 Agariyas ‘cultivate’ salt every year. Often the Agariyas are engulfed in huge debts at the hands of traders and middlemen.

“Since they do not have cash and access to institutional credit, they have to borrow money from traders who provide credit, with the condition that the price of salt is fixed at 100 rupees/1,000kg. The market cost of processed salt is substantially more at 14,000/1,000kg,” says Rajesh Shah, 62, an entrepreneur who established a social enterprise company called Sabras in 2007 with the aim of increasing profits for small-scale producers.

SABRAS uses commerce to improve the lives of the Agariyas by (1) committing to fair trade practices, (2) offering innovative solar powered water pumps through a lease to own financing program and (3) providing salt workers the opportunity to become owners in SABRAS; all of which increase the overall profitability and productivity of the salt workers.

Read more:

http://aidindia.org/main/images/Projects/salt_panworkers.pdf

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Bendakaluru, Bangalore to Bengaluru

As citizens of Bangalore, the city we see around has evolved with different custodians of its governance. Revisiting the city’s topographical history provides a fascinating glimpse of the city.

The 1791 map of Bangalore shows an area called Petta adjoining the Bangalore fort. It consists of areas representing present day Avenue Road, Chikpete, and surrounding areas. The outer walls of the Petta are surrounded by agricultural fields.

Bangalore Map of 1791. Image Source: http://www.deeplythinking.wordpress.com

A city is shaped by social and political events of its time and Bangalore is no exception. The city’s governance changed hands between its founding in 1537 and 1831, when the British took over the city’s administration.

In 1809, the Cantonment was established by the British which resulted in building administration and residential areas for the British military. 1881 saw roads named after military conventions – Infantry Road, Brigade Road and Artillery Road. (The city even today retains the names of these streets!) The city thus expanded beyond the surroundings of Bangalore fort.  In 1893, 1898, plague broke out in Bangalore, which necessitated a plague quarantine area and hence a ‘Plague Camp’ was created south of Richmond town (see map below.) The epidemic took a large toll in Bangalore especially in populated places, but provided an impetus to the development of civilian areas of Bangalore. While telephone lines were laid to assist anti-plague operations, regulations for building new houses with proper sanitation facilities came into effect. The Victoria Hospital was inaugurated in 1900 by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy. Residential areas such as present day Malleshwaram and Basavanagudi were also formed.

The map of Bangalore in 1924 shows a town dotted with lakes and exhibiting civil and military station boundaries.

Bangalore Map of 1924. Image source: http://www.deeplythinking.wordpress.com

In 2013, it is not surprising to see significant changes in the configuration of the city. The changes have been driven by the social and economic forces at work in Bangalore. The growth of Bangalore as a city for employment has brought large scale migration and with it changes in land use patterns. An obvious change in the city’s land use is the elimination of nearly all water bodies. Dharmambudi tank is the present day’s Kempegowda (Majestic) bus stand where as Sampangi tank is the Kanteerava stadium. Numerous lakes have been drained or left to die for use as residential or industrial areas. Agricultural land has been converted into apartment and shopping complexes.

Year	Area (Sq Km)
1949	69
1963-64	112
1969	134
1979	161
1995	226
2006	696

Bangalore City Corporation Limits over the years. Source: Urbanisation in Bangalore

With an increase in city limits, Bangalore faces the growing problems of urban sprawl, loss of natural vegetation and open space, and decline in wet-lands and wildlife habitat.

Understanding the land use patterns in Bangalore is the key to future urban planning. The Bangalore Mahanagar Palika master plan for Bangalore needs to be understood by its citizens to enable participation from the people most affected by the proposed changes. Urban planning of Bangalore is in the hands of multiple agencies (Bangalore Development Authority, Bangalore Mahanagar Palika, Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation) and coordination among these agencies is crucial to developing and implementing a cohesive plan.

As city authorities and agencies take on the challenge of city planning, the role of citizens in determining the design of city spaces will become more important.  Perhaps this will be the next force dictating the growth of Bangalore.