Checking -waste news article in HT

Hindustan Times

CHECKING WASTE - Rainwater harvesting is their mission

Harpreet Kaur harpreetpc@yahoo.com

HOSHIARPUR(27-4-10)

A group of motivated people in the city is zeal- ously trying to awaken the eco- consciousness of residents by not simply holding seminars or distributing pamphlets but by helping them set up rain- water harvesting systems.

Taking inspiration from them, a new colony spread over 16 acres on the Bharwain road has installed a huge water harvesting system that saves 4.5 crore litre of water from going waste annually. Dr Rajinder Sharma and his team formed Bhoomi in 2006 to create awareness about environmental hazards.

The foremost project they took up was that of conserv- ing water. So far, the organi- sation has set up water har- vesting systems in two schools and a factory and work is on in the swimming pool at the Services Club here.

“We noticed that more than 5 lakh litre of water was get- ting wasted during cleaning and refilling of the pool every week. We put forth a propos- al of a water recharge system to the district administration and the District Swimming Association, which was promptly accepted.

Swimming association pres- ident Paramjit Singh Sachdeva even offered all financial help.
We have dug a well near the pool where discharged water will be collected. The same will percolate down and recharge groundwater,“ Bhoomi project director Manoj Sharma said.

The organisation carries out tree plantation in schools where students and teachers whose birthdays fall in that particular month, are made to plant saplings and given the responsibility to take care of them. Each member of Bhoomi celebrates his birthday in a similar manner.

They use platforms of social, religious and academic functions to convey their mes- sage.

Occasionally, they canvass through the city, turning off public taps that people leave running all day.

“All of us observe self-dis- cipline and ensure that every- day we save a few litres of water,“ Sharma added.

Welcome to Mr Vishal Datta ,our new member of Bhoomi Parivar .

Best wishes from

Bhoomi Parivar

On 14-6-09,members of Bhoomi led by Dr Rajender Sharma , President Bhoomi met Mr Avinash Rai Khanna , member of Punjab Human Rights Commission and handed over a memorandum to him ,expressing its concern over depleting ground water level in Punjab. The delgation urged Mr Khanna to impress upon the Govt to make suitable legislation and its strict implementation in rain water harvesting and to devolpe traditional sources of natural ground water recharging by water bodies like ponds , wells and small check dams. Mr Khanna assured the
delegation that necessay actionwill be taken . The matter was taken up in commission's meeting on 16th July 2009 and commission asked for report from concerned departments like - Chief secretary ,local govt, Chief secretary irrigation ,secretary of department of public health Punjab,and MD Punjab State Tubewell Corporation. They all have been asked to send report regarding action taken in this connection by 28th Oct 2009.

On Earth Day , the 22nd April , Bhoomi members rededicate themselves to the protection and enrichment of our planet the Earth. Let us continue to make sincere efforts to bring about a change . Change in the mindsets of people , change in our daily routine to make it more enviornment friendly and change in our attitude towards changing.

Rajender Sharma

भूमि के जल सरंक्षण कार्यक्रम को अबऔर समर्थन मिल रहा है । होशिअरपुर के सांसद श्री अविनाश राय खन्ना ने इसे एक जन आन्दोलन की शकल दे दी है। हम उनके आभारी हैं
धन्यवाद
डॉ राजेंदर शर्मा
अध्यक्ष
भूमि

Bhoomi in Action-Pixs

Rajat Kuthiala honouring Panchyat member

Pardeep Prashar,R Sharma & Sham Ji ,project Incharge

Learnig how to make Rumaali Rotis

Geeta Prashar & Reeta Modgil

Geeta Prashar reliving her childhood days

PANCHVATI PROJECT

Bhoomi has now taken up a unique concept of 'Panchvati' . Under this project five useful trees with medicinal values and fruit bearing trees are planted on the common land in the villages and the volunteers from the village are entrusted with the job of aftercare of the plants.The idea is to inculcate the feeling of closeness to nature and its protection in the young minds and to promote the culture of sitting together at a common platform under the trees to discuss the village problems .Thus increasing the cohesion between diffrent sections of the society and to create a bond between elders and the young . At the same time promoting the efforts to save and nurture the nature .

The first such programme was held at village Ghukkarwal near Mahilpur in Distt Hoshiarpur ,Punjab on 15-3-09. The response of the villagers was very encouraging . An awareness seminar about depleting ground water table and methods to improve it was also held.

The Bhoomi members along with their families took an active part in this programme. It was quite a learnig exercise for the young kids who have never been to the villages.

The efforts of Bhoomi which has been engaged in such programmes have been lauded by Mr Avinash Khanna ,MP from Hoshiarpur who himself has taken up the issue of depleting water table in a big way. Bhoomi parivar commits itself to whole heartedly work for envirnmental issues

Dr Rajender Sharma

President , BHOOMI