Mission Green Earth - Coimbatore

BRAI Bill curtails fundamental right of expression

2010-03-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

Sri Sri said that the commendable work done by Shri Jairam Ramesh in putting moratorium
on the introduction of BT Brinjal is going to be negated with the enactment of ‘The
Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill 2009’ (BRAI) in the current session of
Parliament. The bill proposes to gag the media (Section 63) since it infringes upon the

Fundamental Right of Freedom of Speech. The penalty for creating awareness (misleading
the public) about the ill effects of Genetically Modified issues may lead to an imprisonment
of minimum six months & upto one year with a maximum fine of 2 lacs. The clauses of this
bill are draconian and more stringent than even the repealed acts like POTA, TADA etc.

He added that there is no provision for action against the company for concealment of facts
(ill-effects) as it happened in case of tobacco in USA where the court fined heavily to the
tune of US dollars 250 billion after several years.

Furthermore, the entire process & working of the companies would be veiled under the clause of 'Confidential Commercial Information' (Section 2 (h) and Section 27) which keeps the entire operation outside the purview of RTI Act.

Unfortunately, the Gene terminator is used to terminate the germination quality of the seeds so that the farmers have to buy new seeds every year. The terminated seeds of the GM crops are dumped into the soil for destruction. In the process gene terminator poisons the soil whose side effects may be known after a few years only. We have not learnt from such examples and BT cotton is a pertinent case to study.

Few years back, BT Cotton was introduced in India without thorough research and experimentation. Its negative fallouts are now being revealed in many places in Punjab,Maharashtra and Gujarat. Farm labors who work as cotton pickers develop allergy and rashes on their skin. It is high time to conduct thorough investigation and contain the problem.

GM crops should be introduced in our country only after proven tests and experiments. Its side effects may be known after a few decades. European countries have denied USA companies to introduce GM crops. This is a fight between USA and Europe being fought on the land of India. Top scientists in India, USA and Europe have spoken against the chronic effects of GM crops on human health and urged to conduct full and thorough investigations.

Sri Sri said that through public hearings on the issue of BRAI BILL, opinions of scientistsand various groups should be sought, like it was done in the case of Bt Brinjal.

Save River Ganga - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar urges people to care for the environment

2010-03-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

Guruji speaks on GM Foods

2010-02-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Guruji has announced a three-month campaign to clean river Yamuna.

2010-02-06T20:33:00.000-08:00

The campaign -- 'My Yamuna, My Dilli' -- to be launched here Sunday, is being organised in view of the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) latest report that the faecal content in the water of the Yamuna is so high that the river resembles a drain.

"We are responsible for the present condition of the Yamuna. Therefore, if we all get together to clean the river, the efforts will definitely bear fruit. Keeping this in mind, we are launching the 'My Yamuna, My Dilli' campaign here on Sunday," Shankar, who is the founder of the Art of Living movement, told reporters at a press conference here.

According to the CPCB's 10-month-long monitoring of the Yamuna river at Nizamuddin, the water is unfit not just for drinking but even for bathing.

According to stipulated standards, water can be made potable with treatment if faecal coliform is less than 500 per 100ml. It is fit for bathing if the number is less than 5,000 per 100ml.

However, the lowest level of faecal coliform in the Yamuna, measured May 4, 2009, was 4.4 lakh per 100ml -- almost 100 times above the level considered safe for bathing.

Originating in the lower Himalayas, the Yamuna is 1,376 km long. The 22-km-long stretch that passes through Delhi is one of the most polluted.

"Besides raising awareness on the Yamuna getting polluted and the need to save it, we will also launch cleanliness drives on the banks of the river all along its stretch. Several NGOs have promised their support in this campaign and we hope that the Delhi government will also join us in this effort," Shankar said.

Mobilisation drives in school and colleges are also a part of the agenda, he said

Forbes India - Guru Speak

2009-11-24T19:55:00.000-08:00

Forbes India - Guru Speak

Guruji on Tree Planting -Tamil

2009-11-24T19:40:00.000-08:00

Take action on climate change Now!

2009-11-04T23:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singhji,

The threat of climate change is now so grave that it requires radical action. I am aware of what a climate catastrophe can mean for India and am keen to ensure that at Copenhagen, world leaders like yourself, ensure that the summit reaches a fair, ambitious and binding deal that saves us all from climate change. If we don't change the politics and take real action - both internationally and in India - we will lose our chance to save the climate.

You have a unique responsibility because you exercise political power at a time when humanity is faced with its greatest ever challenge. For leaders after you, it will be too late to act. It is our generation that must take charge and save our climate. And we can, but the clock is ticking.

The Copenhagen climate summit is just weeks away. The international negotiations are deadlocked and we're running out of time to get the global deal that the planet needs. We hope that you will ensure that India is a "deal maker", and ensure that the developed world too doesn't back out of the commitments they must make.

By engaging the big levers of the economy - private capital, taxation, public spending and industrial strategy - politicians can encourage green jobs and deliver a sustainable and equitable economy. Building a low-carbon economy is an investment in India's interest. Our future prosperity, innovation, industry and security - and our environment - depend on it. We want you to take leadership and step up to the challenge of climate change. We need politicians that look to the next generation, and not just the next election.

We need politicians with long term vision. I hope – and believe – that you can be a politician of the calibre that India so desperately needs.

Yours sincerely,

M.Gopalakrishnan

read more :

Joint initiative of UN, Art of Living

2009-10-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Devaswom Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran inaugurated ‘Millennium Goal,’ a joint initiative of UN and Art of Living, in the city on Sunday.

Voluntary organisations that have a spiritual base alone can bring the fruits of development projects to the needy, the Minister said. He also lauded the efforts made by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Art of Living to help the poor.

Art of Living founder chairman in Kerala Gopalakrishnan (Tandem) presided.

trivandrum@epmltd.com Read Report from Indian Express

People get thinking on their feet

2009-10-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

More than 2,700 staff from Dubai Customs stood shoulder to shoulder yesterday as part of the global Stand Up and Take Action campaign.

Customs’ director general Ahmed Butti Ahmed said his department will also be collecting food donations throughout the week.

A photography exhibition depicting poverty across the world will be on display in the department’s head office at Port Rashid. Read More

Work shop on The Right to Information

2009-10-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

As part of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Campaign 2009 and also for our Art of Living Volunteers to become conversant with the Right to Information Act, an orientation workshop was organised on 10th October 2009 at the Samarpan Hall, Coimbatore

The programme was intended for throwing light on the methodology of getting the right and accurate information on unutilized funds in the MLA and MP constituency budgets as well as to find out the funds allocated to various State Government departments for implementing welfare programs on poverty alleviation, primary education and sustainable environment.

The Right to Information Act is a mandate for the Government Departments to furnish the information requested by the citizens within the stipulated time. In every Government Department a Public Information Officer is designated and he has to provide the requested information within 30 days of application, failing which the applicant can take up the matter with the higher authorities to get it redressed and the erring official could also be booked for non-compliance.
Shri. K. Kathirmathiyon, Secretary of the Coimbatore Consumer Cause (CCC) who has more than two decades of experience as a consumer activist shared his vast knowledge on the subject. He made us all feel an unfathomable admiration for the service he has been doing. Hundreds of cases have been taken up on behalf of the common man and justice has prevailed.

According to Shri.Kathirmathiyon most of us believe that we neither have the time nor the inclination to represent our grievance and virtually land up begging for our rights rather than fighting for them. He said “First learn what your rights are”. There is no weapon like information. Once you are armoured with the right information you can emphasize your rights with dynamism.” He also added “Never give up half way. If you know your rights, and you have all the evidence with you, nobody can prevent you from accomplishing your due.”

He narrated some interesting incidents in his life wherein as a consumer activist he won many cases including the Railway Tatkal quota. He narrated with humour the clarification he received from the Railway authority about the difference between Super fast Trains and Express Trains. So also the Maximum Retail Price dispute with a leading Departmental store and how he won every single paise in that case. The State Transport Department was also taken to task for charging abnormal fares in the name of LSS service. The three hour session was interactive and interesting many of the participants had very interesting queries for which Shri. Kathirmathiyon gave clarifications.

The Right to Information is a great boon to the common man and awareness about it should reach everyone. The volunteers who had attended the workshop have decided to spread awareness of RTI in different parts of Coimbatore as well as make the most of it for the benefit of the society. The workshop was arranged by Shri. Uthamraj Tamil nadu State Co-ordinator Speedup Millenium Development goals Campaign ,2009.

M.Gopalakrishnan

Stand up and Take Action -

2009-10-11T08:07:00.001-07:00

Stand up and Take Action -

2009-10-11T01:14:00.000-07:00

Stand up and Take Action - Educate an underprivilaged Child

2009-10-10T21:17:00.000-07:00

2009-10-09T10:31:00.001-07:00

2009-10-05T19:21:00.001-07:00

Poison on the Platter

2009-10-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Poison on the Platter from Jeffrey Smith on Vimeo.

Speedup Millenium Development goals Campaign ,2009

2009-09-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Art of living Tamilnadu has been performing very well in the last two years in the Standup and Speak out and Standup and Take Action with your invaluable support..This year we are focusing on the the following initiative to Speedup Millenium Development goals Campaign ,2009
We are sure the team Tamilnadu will give 100%to make this campaign a memorable and successful one.As we all know it is a wonderful opportunity to serve our Gurudev’s Vision of Vasudaiva kudumbakam..

PROJECTS TO BE TAKENUP

!) Conduct free lunch program

Free lunch programmes can be conducted in the following places.

• Tribal areas
• Government Hospitals
• Schools for poor
• Slums
• Orphanages
• Relief camps etc. We Suggest that Nava chetana shivir can be conducted to people in these areas and arrange for free lunch on the last day.

2)Eachone Teach one program

Each Art of Living volunteer is requested to teach one uneducated person to read Tamil alphabets,basic numbers up to Ten and write their own names.the people targeted can be
• Labourers
• Labourers children
• Any uneducated adult
You can do this in a smaller way teaching a few individuals or in a larger way along with nava chetana shivir.

3)Tree plantation

Plant as many trees as possible in your area.It will be good if you take initiative to grow your own saplings in addition to the saplings you get from other sources

4)Reading the Pledge

As we did in the last two years you are requested to Read the UN Pledge against poverty

5)SMS Campaign

You can plan sms Stand up campaignwith thelocal mobile serviceproviders/Radio Stations any day between 16-18 October 2009

6)Reporting

Start the activities at the earlist and make it a point to record through photographs and vcds and post the results of your team work by 18th October 2009. positively.

Click here to know more

Year 2055

2009-09-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

The Age of Stupid Global Premiere Trailer from Age of Stupid on Vimeo.

can you be the SAVIOUR!!??!!

2008-11-07T03:54:00.000-08:00

The Mission green earth activity is set to take all new shape for further reach to the AOL family and the public at large.

Shortly look out for teams of your choice to gather and start working on the way you feel comfortable. Most expected is the “Youth Club” to be formed for boys and girls below the age of 25. They would be the THINK TANK and CREATIVE POOL for the whole activity.

The senior organisers have opted for taking the back seat for this activity. Please mail to cbeaol@gmail.com to join the Saviours of the nature.

Please remember everyone in this world is longing or dreaming of “Pollution free” world, but only WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO BRING IT ALIVE…

JOIN US

Students of G.R.Damodaran Matriculation Higher Secondary School Coimbatore takes pledge

2008-10-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

JATROPHA AND ITS BENEFITS

2008-10-16T00:32:00.001-07:00

Kiwis take a stand to mark ‘World Poverty Day’

2008-10-15T00:48:00.000-07:00

The Art of Living (AOL) Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Millennium Campaign, is hosting a free public event in Wellington’s Civic Square to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (Friday, October 17th).
Read More

2008-10-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Visit Our Main site

2008-10-12T18:16:00.000-07:00

To visit our Main Site for more information and happenings.Click here

Letter From Tamil Nadu Government

2008-10-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

The letter to Schools by the Tamilnadu Government through Chief Educational Officers asking the Schools to Join Mgesuta 2008 and be part of the Mission.

Tree Planting in Palladam near Coimbatore

2008-10-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

2008-10-10T08:52:00.000-07:00