Nestled in the lap of Garhwal Himalayas, the picturesque Nag Tibba village is now gaining prominence among the local farming community.

From horse gram, amaranth to different types of millets, the crops grown in Nag Tibba (which translates to Serpent Peak) are power packed with nutrients.

You can check out organic produce by Bakri Chap here at The Better India Shop. 

The village, which is now bustling with energy and several agricultural activities, was once an abandoned and neglected area.  

In 2013, dust and cobwebs smothered the village, Rupesh Rai, the Founder & Managing Director of Green People tells The Better India.

Likewise, most of the inhabitants of more than 1,800 remote villages situated in the heart of Himalayas migrated to urban areas either in search of livelihoods or due to natural disasters like the Kedarnath catastrophe in 2013.

Disturbed at this deplorable plight of villages that are rich in natural resources, Rupesh took it upon himself to help revive the livelihoods of the people who had stayed behind.

He launched his social enterprise, Green People in 2015. It comprises of a community that works toward ecologically responsible agro-tourism movement.

We wish to make the Land of the Gods the heaven it was. We work toward letting the people of the hills stay and take up occupations that are gradually becoming redundant. We desire to promote the development of the people and the ecology too, he says.

Green People works with more than 500 farmers and functions in four regions of the three districts of in Uttarakhand, Tehri, Uttarkashi & Nainital. 

How It All Started

Few months after the Kedarnath disaster in 2013, Rupesh visited the region to help a friend in the restoration and rehabilitation work. “It was one of the biggest calamities in India in terms of scale and magnitude that affected the entire Himalayan region,” he says.  

Rupesh saw the degree of devastation in the number of dead bodies, collapsed buildings and a tremendous amount of debris that had killed thousands of people.

The expedition shook him from within, and for days the memories haunted him. It made him contemplate his every action and the greed of people in their overconsumption and its impact on ecology.

It was during the same time when Rupesh met a decorated army officer (Retd) Col. Ajay Kothiyal. For nearly six months, the duo studied the Himalayan villages to identify the most cherished resources.

In 2015, he officially launched Green People with the financial support of Col Kothiyal and some of his own savings, “We decided to purchase goats and sell milk and cheese to attract the youth from the villages.”

However, the project did not work out as expected due to the undernourished goats in the region; however, this setback later translated into a unique event called Bakri Swayamvar, launched with the intent of gene pool diversification of goats.

He also started a homestay initiative called ‘Pay At Your Own Will’ to bring visibility to the lesser known Himalayan regions. The homestays are attracting hordes of new age eco-conscious responsible travellers. One lot among the tourists were a set of well-known chefs who happened to be Rupesh’s friends and acquaintances.

The chefs helped him understand that the indigenous millets, pulses, cereals and honey produced by the marginalised high altitude farmers are now considered super foods and are most sought after in the urban areas.

“However, the farmers did not get a fair price for their produce due to middlemen and the absence of the right kind of market linkage,” tells Rupesh.

And to mitigate the problem, he launched his farming project.

42-year-old Rupesh is firmly committed to increasing local productivity by engaging youth and farmers. His wife Vandana, lives in Greater Noida along with their 16-year-old daughter and looks after the financial management and distribution of Green People.

The Bakri Chap Project

As a tribute to the failed goat’s milk project, Rupesh christened the farming project as ‘Bakri Chaap’. With Green People’s guidance and training, the farmers not only enhanced their output but also started assisting the team in the packaging process.

The Project grows several pulses, grains, cereals, fruits, mono flora, wild honey, different types of millets and high yielding vegetables across 15 villages. The customer base of their naturally grown produce range from luxury hotels like Taj, JW Marriott to chefs and customers in big cities including Kolkata, Chandigarh, Rishikesh, Mumbai and Delhi.

Some of the renowned culinary experts, a few celebrity chefs and bloggers from the metropolitan cities also vouch for it [the produce]. As a support to the marginalised Himalayan farmers, some of them volunteer as brand ambassadors of Bakri Chhap, Mani Mahesh, Head of Bakri Chap tells TBI.

The mobile collection centre of Green People gives on-spot payments to the farmers for their produce. The pay is 20 per cent higher than the local mandi (market) rates.

Confirming the same to TBI, 51-year-old Surendra Bhandari who has been farming for the last 20 years, says,

I live in Pantwari village and used to send my produce to the city markets. Then I started selling in my village but it fetched minimal prices. My income has increased by 15-20 per cent after I started selling it to Green People.

Since the inception of Bakri Chhap, around 25 families, who had left the villages in search of better opportunities, have come back.

As soon as the traditional farming resumed, and revenue came back, we saw reverse migration. To keep the momentum going, we constantly engaged the farmers in skill development workshops, says Mani who quit his thriving job in Delhi a few years ago to help out the local farmers.

26-year-old Mani has also seen a massive transformation among the farmer’s community, “Earlier the farmers were very skeptical about what they produced. But now, with Bakri Chhap, they have realised that their produce is profitable.”

Echoing his words, Rupesh says, “Higher the altitude lower was the self-esteem of the farmers. But now they know that the produce of financially weak people in the higher altitude region is the medicine for the emotionally bankrupt but financially strong people.”

Reviving Rural Tourism With an Eco-Friendly Twist

Pay As You Like is another project run by the Green People. This initiative owns traditional houses in far-flung areas, and some of them are managed by the local youth who are first trained at five-star hotels.

With a zero tolerance policy towards plastic items and littering, the homestay cottages are entirely environment-friendly. Instead of electricity, they use solar power, and due to adverse road connectivity, the visitors have to leave their vehicles outside the respective villages.

It promotes farm retreats/ homestays and helps revive abandoned villages by leveraging their tourism potential.

More than 100 community-run homestays and 300 mule owners are foreclosing their loans, and getting free insurance. The homestays also provide free computer education to village kids in Jaunpur region of Tehri.

Poor mobile network often urges tourists to interact with the farmers and learn about their agricultural activities.

Running amok is just fine with us. So is a good laugh but try and maintain harmony with nature without disrupting the rhythm we are trying to preserve. With all those thoughts and promises in place, have a pleasant stay, reads the policy.

The Way Forward

Green People hopes to develop homestays in rural India with a pro-people and pro-planet approach. They want village stays to act as a mini collection and retail outlet for the marginalised farmer’s brand, Bakri Chhap thus bringing value addition and integrated development approach in the rural ecosystems of India.

There are around 6,50,000 villages in India, with a huge amount of unutilised inventory – each having a unique untold tale to tell. The revenue coming from urban space to rural space will act as a catalyst to protect and promote more sustainable and traditional ways of green living, he signs off.

You can check out organic produce by Bakri Chap here at The Better India Shop. 

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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When faced with rejection, different people react differently. While most of us curl up in the darkness to escape the sadness and pain, only a few take a step back to contemplate and come out stronger than ever before.

Saswati Singh is one of those few.

A teacher, a mother and a fighter, Saswati has had to face rejections several times in her life, but each time she took it as an opportunity to pick up the pieces and create something beautiful and substantial. The pièce de résistance of her creation is the Dehradun-based Centre and Group Home for Children & Young Adults with Autism or other developmental challenges.

Run under a trust, called the Nav Prerna Foundation, the centre not only provides a safe space for these individuals but also gives them an opportunity to tackle the challenges they face to help them lead fulfilling lives.

“The awareness about Autism and other learning disorders is still very scarce in several parts of the country, even in metro cities. In the case of children, parents and schools often confuse it with a speech problem, pushing them into numerous speech therapy sessions. But, a person with Autism has the potential to learn all the words in the dictionary, but might face difficulty in engaging in a proper conversation,” says Saswati, while speaking to The Better India (TBI).

This is a woman of grit, who dedicated 24 years of her life to the cause, working with more than 2,000 children and young adults with developmental issues. Additionally, by spreading awareness and training programmes, she has left a positive mark on more than 15,000 individuals. And, her journey so far has been nothing short of inspiring!

A tumultuous journey for a rewarding cause

Known for her stern yet loving persona, Saswati shared one of the most significant setbacks of her life, which she, with her efforts, has now transformed into a victory!

“During the delivery of my first child, there were a few complications. My son had suffered from asphyxiation, and I was scared that we both might not survive. For the next 15 days after delivery, he was kept in the ICU. Slowly I regained hope when he got better after five months, and we decided to move him to Delhi. But the weather change made him worse, and on the very next day of reaching the city, he had to be hospitalised. Even after he got better a few years later, at the age of four, he contracted fever and had to be hospitalised where he suffered two massive attacks of epilepsy in one month.” she shares.

These two massive traumas to the brain and body, pushed him into Autism, causing him to forget even his name for some time, tells Saswati. Although, before this, he was attending a regular school as a neurotypical child and had successfully developed his speech, Saswati would often be worried about the fact that he was extremely hyperactive.

“I could sense that something else was also wrong. He was extremely hyperactive, and despite telling the people around me of his hyperactivity, no one would take it seriously. Due to this, schools and teachers would complain, but I had no help recognising my son’s problem,” adds Saswati.

Also Read: What My Autism Heroes Taught Me: A Paediatric Occupational Therapist’s View

Owing to her son’s hyperactive nature and severe behavioural issues, schools began to reject his admission. Saswati recalls how 42 schools in Delhi rejected her son.

However, after a lot of struggle, a special educator came forward to help and suggested her to check for Autism in her son. It was then, at the age of eight, that her son was diagnosed with Atypical Autism by Dr Reeta Peshawaria from the National Institute of Mental Handicap, Secunderabad (NIEPID).

“I was pregnant with my daughter, when my son was diagnosed with ADHD. For the next 4 years or so, no doctor even mentioned the possibility of Autism, so when I heard this, it shattered me. I remember crying uncontrollably for the next few days, but I was not ready to let that fail me. Instead, I was stubborn and changed my problems into my strength! And my daughter, Prerna was instrumental in this,” she shares.

With this knowledge, she then decided to quit her job of a senior biology teacher, and dedicated her time to home-school her son, while educating the city about Autism.

“I remember meeting the principals of prominent schools and explaining and sensitising them about Autism. It was alarming to see how low the awareness was even among top educators and how this had hindered the right to education for so many children. I knew I had to do something,” says the 63-year-old.

Taking notice of the situation, she then decided to change it by starting a school of her own. “This school was to allow these children to grow up among peers while overcoming their respective conditions,” she adds.

A school for ‘Inspiration.’

Saswati’s strides to spread awareness about Autism revealed a grim reality. Every time she met an institution head, she would ask them to share the data of all the students rejected due to various behavioural issues of developmental disorders.

“I began the school in 1995, at my flat in Delhi. As the awareness about such schools was still very low, I started reaching out to the parents of students who had been rejected like my son. Initially, the response was really low. I started with just three students, but with the help of friends, the number increased to 12 in a year with a long waiting list. I realised that the school could not function in the confines of my apartment anymore and that I had to move,” shares Saswati.

It was then that she registered a social organisation, Inspiration, in 1996, and approached Kiran Bedi, the then Special Secretary to Lieutenant Governor of Delhi for help. Looking at the promising work Saswati was doing; she was finally allotted space at the Community Centre in Tilaknagar in 1998.

The school now has 80 students receiving education and being taken care of by mothers just like her.

Meanwhile, her work back in Delhi had received wide appreciation, owing to which Maneka Gandhi, the then Minister of Women & Child Development selected her to visit various welfare organisations in Japan as the General Secretary of PARIVAAR – National Confederation of Parents Organisations (NCPO). This was followed by a visit to Washington DC in 2001 to represent 13 countries of Asia-Pacific for Special Olympics.

In the same year, she also enrolled for the Son-Rise Program at the Option Institute, Massachusetts, where she first learnt about the Gluten Free and Casein Free Diet (GFCF), an essential aspect of her later work.

This international exposure was an eye-opener. Not only did it show the awareness in the West, but also opened up her mind to expanding Inspiration’s scope of work. This was one of the reasons paving the way for Inspiration’s journey into becoming Nav Prerna Foundation in 2010.

After running the school for some ten years in 2005, she decided to move to Dehradun. “It’s just a few hours from Delhi and its overwhelming pollution and population, but it made a huge difference, especially in helping my son, who was around 16. Since then, I have noticed how the surroundings here help in making considerable improvement in persons with Autism,” says Saswati.

So, finally, five years after setting up the centre in Dehradun, under Inspiration, she expanded the scope of the institute by setting up the trust, Nav Prerna Foundation.

Unique therapeutic methods to manage Autism

The main focus of the home is to facilitate a holistic approach toward Autism through behavioural therapies and a GFCF diet. And, she adds that her methods have not only helped individuals overcome their behavioural challenges, but has also been able to empower them into learning various vocational and self-help skills for an independent future.

“I make no claims of treating Autism. As of now, there is no known cure for Autism, but with my knowledge and research, I have been able to help them have quality lives. Their conditions should not dictate their futures,” she adds.

Also Read: These Delhi Youngsters Develop Affordable Coping Products to Help People With Autism

Elaborating one of the primary methods she follows, the GFCF diet, Saswati, who is a microbiologist, says, “The GFCF diet is very strict and forbids the consumption of dairy or gluten products found in many foods including wheat. It might be a problem initially for many parents to envision this, but I have seen how this can help. Most of the individuals with Autism have gastrointestinal issues, and intake of foods like wheat, junk food, kidney beans, etc. that are difficult to digest, often remain in the body in semi-digested forms. This causes a haze or fog in their brain making the symptoms of Autism even more difficult, thus increasing episodes of hyperactivity, aggression and emotional meltdown,” explains Saswati, whose diet plan instead includes healthy foods like millet, controlled quantities of rice and greens. She adds that the diet needs to be followed for at least a year for significant results.

However, apart from this, another significant aspect of the therapy is also to include families, especially mothers and siblings.

“It’s important for mothers to take charge of the well-being of their children. I learnt it the hard way, and so I make sure all parents coming to me for help, especially mothers, are well informed about their role in the process. They cannot be isolated or be away while their children are undergoing these therapies. It’s a huge effort to help these individuals be the best of themselves, and like in any other family, each member, including siblings, have to be fully invested in the process,” says Saswati.

Today her son, at 31, and her daughter have grown up to be strong individuals who support her at every step of the way. With these two by her side and the thousands of children she has helped, Saswati’s life is an ode to motherhood!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, India’s first woman Director General of Police, the second Indian Police Service officer after Kiran Bedi and a true trailblazer, passed away last night in Mumbai after a prolonged illness. She was 72. A 1973-batch IPS officer, she was appointed DGP of Uttarakhand in 2004, before retiring from service on 31 October 2007.

We mourn the demise of one of our icons, the first lady DGP and second lady IPS officer of India, Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya. An officer with sterling qualities of head and heart, she had an illustrious career, adorned with many firsts and awards. #RIPKanchanChaudharyMaam pic.twitter.com/uslR2Lj6dT

— IPS Association (@IPS_Association) August 27, 2019

She lived a life of service. Born in Himachal Pradesh, she grew up under very difficult circumstances. Kanchan’s parents were thrown out of their grandfather’s house over a domestic dispute when she was just seven years old. Her parents, however, dusted themselves and worked hard to cultivate a fallow piece of farmland, which was their ancestral property. But, it wasn’t easy and her parents struggled to make ends meet.

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Once the land had begun to yield an income, her grandfather’s family sold it to notorious local smugglers. “These thugs came armed to the land and threw dad and his helpers out. My father almost lost his life to these thugs. Dad went to court against it. From then on, I remember my father going to different courts to follow up on his increasing number of legal cases. I too started going from office to office, trying to get the police to register a case against my father’s aggressors. I appealed to senior police officers, the governor of the state and also the then PM – Mrs. Indira Gandhi,” she tells Life Beyond Numbers.

Following this experience, she had a burning desire to join the Indian Police Service to serve justice. She did her schooling from Amritsar and college from Delhi. Nonetheless, working in a heavily male-dominated profession had its real share of challenges.

She was the only woman amongst 90 men during her training, and her instructors thought she would quit the service. However, she was made of sterner stuff and made it through. In fact, she believed that being a woman and possessing the qualities of patience and empathy helped her police better because people trusted her more.

Her first posting came in 1975, when she took over as Additional Superintendent of Police at Malihabad in Lucknow district, an area famous for its Dasheri mangoes and dacoits. Within a year, 13 of them were nabbed by the police, including a certain Makhan Singh who had evaded the police for over a decade.

“Yes, one has to respond to situations in a professional manner but they are not important when you see what you can do for people. We are in the service sector and I try really hard to cater to the policing needs of the people. The police and the people have to see each other as people and respond accordingly,” she once told The Tribune.

One of the major cases that she handled included the brutal murder of seven-time national badminton champion Syed Modi, who was gunned down by unknown assailants in 1987 in Lucknow. As the Superintendent of Police at the Crime Branch, CBI, she investigated the case. Kanchan would go onto investigate other high-profile cases like the Reliance-Bombay Dyeing case, besides other white-collar crimes. For her efforts, she was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Services in 1989.

However, what really gave her satisfaction was helping other women in distress, particularly those suffering from domestic violence and sexual assault. Speaking to The Tribune, she talks about one particular case in Meerut when she was posted as DIG.

One day, a badly beaten up Muslim woman came to me. She told me that her husband had been assaulting her. I looked into the matter and followed it up for several weeks. A few months later, I saw a good-looking woman breeze into my office with a smile on her lips. She was the same woman. It gave me so much of joy. It gives me goosebumps whenever I think about it. So, there have been a number of such cases and my joy has been that I have been able to contribute towards improving other people’s lives, she says.

Also Read: Yamin Hazarika: Assam’s First Lady cop, A Single Mom, & Icon to Millions

Subsequently, as the first woman DGP of a state i.e Uttarakhand, she battled the bias against women in service. She took the initiative of giving women home guards the responsibility of manning traffic points in cities. Kanchan’s parents supported their daughter throughout and also helped her in raising her two daughters. She recalls the one time when she was appointed as DIG on a field posting.

“My father said to me, ‘Don’t worry about these two, we will look after them, but there are many children waiting for you out there. Go look after them’,” she recalls.

In 1989, her sister Kavita made a very popular television series called ‘Udaan’ which was loosely based on Kavita’s life. The show aired for a few years on Doordarshan. For an entire generation of women, she became an icon for thriving in a male-dominated profession.

Post retirement, she briefly dabbled in politics, contesting the 2014 Lok Sabha election on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket, which she lost. But yet again, her motive here was to serve.

In losing Kanchan, the country has lost an icon of the Indian Police Service. In the words of the IPS Association, she was an officer with “sterling qualities of head and heart” who never felt the need to impose physical violence upon suspects to get answers. One can say this for very few police officers in this country.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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In all probability, all your household appliances and gadgets run on the electricity that you get from the state run electricity grid which can be unreliable and also a cause of pollution and environmental damage. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could have your own source of generating electricity, with the added bonus of reducing your carbon footprint?

Solar power can provide you with those benefits, and now it is possible for you as a household to harness the power of the sun.

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Given India’s geographical location, there is ample sunlight all year long. According to this report, about 5,000 trillion kWh per year energy is experienced over India’s land area with most parts receiving 4-7 kWh per sq. m per day.

Tapping into this potential, India has earned itself the title of being the fastest developing solar power industry globally, while also boasting of being the lowest cost producer of solar power in the world. With the government is working towards establishing solar power as a primary source of energy, there are various schemes that have been launched to encourage the domestic use of solar power.

Rooftop Scheme

Installing solar rooftop systems can help people generate electricity and use it for different purposes—residential, commercial and even industrial. While this is a great option, there are not many takers for rooftop solar panels due to their huge installation costs.

To make it easier, central and state governments have launched various schemes to encourage the implementation of rooftop solar panels.

What are these schemes?

Those who plan to install rooftop panels can avail priority sector loans of upto 10 lakhs from nationalised banks. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the central government pays 30 per cent of the benchmarked installation cost for the rooftop Photovoltaic system.

This is for the states in the general category, while the states and UTs in the special category i.e Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Lakshadweep, get upto 70 per cent of the predetermined installation cost.

Besides this, you can also sell surplus solar power generated in your household solar unit to the grid at Rs 2 per unit. This will be done through the concept of ‘net metering’.

What is net metering?

Net metering is a process in which the electricity board keeps track of the energy consumed as well as generated by a solar-powered house. It allows consumers to feed surplus solar power into the state’s power grid when they don’t need it, and receive a credit on their electricity bill.

For example, if you live in a state that has implemented the net metering policy, then you get credited for the electricity you give to the grid at the same retail price that you pay for the electricity you take from the grid. For more details on how this works, you can read this article here.

Does this really work?

As this report highlights, Retired IAF officers residing in Trishul Cooperative Housing Society in Mumbai spent Rs 8.38 lakh to install 40 solar panels atop their 14-storey building in November 2016. The electricity generated from these panels is powering the common areas of the housing society (lights, fans, elevators and motors) and has helped reduce the monthly electricity bill from Rs 20,000 to Rs 350 — a drop of almost 98 per cent.

A look at some state policies:

Tamil Nadu

As of January 2017, Tamil Nadu has the highest amount of solar power commissioned at 1590.97 MW. The Tamil Nadu government has taken several steps to promote renewable energy and its adoption. In 2013, the government issued an order offering a capital subsidy of Rs 20,000 for each 1 kW solar rooftop system installed.

Tamil Nadu’s draft policy on solar power mandates that 30 per cent of the energy requirements for street lights, water supply and even public buildings is to be met from solar energy by 2022.

I-SMART – Gujarat

This programme launched by the state government is likely to directly benefit more than 2 lakh families to adopt solar in the financial year 2019-20. Under this scheme,  a subsidy of 40 per cent will be applicable to those who install systems upto 3 kilowatts (kW) and a subsidy of 20 per cent for a system of 3 kW to 10kW. To implement this rooftop solar policy, the state government has made a provision of Rs 1,000 crores. This scheme will only be available for residential customers.

Key points about rooftop PV systems under the subsidy schemes

· Approximately 100 square feet of space is required for the installation of the rooftop PV system.
· The average cost of installation of rooftop PV system without subsidy is around Rs 60,000 – 70,000.
· After availing 30 per cent subsidy, people just have to pay Rs 42,000 – 49,000 for installing a rooftop PV system.
· In order to avail generation-based incentive, the customer should generate 1100 kWh – 1500 kWh per year.
· Under the scheme, a customer can earn up to Rs 2000 to 3000 per annum as generation-based incentive.

Application process for the scheme

· Interested people should contact their electricity provider to express their interest. Next, officials concerned will visit the installation site, assess it and give approval.
· They will also explain the necessary details for installation along with fee structure.
· Users can also seek approval for the installation of monitoring systems from the inspection officers during their visit.
· The customer needs to call the electricity provider for inspection after completion of the installation process as well.
· Next, the officer will inspect the installation and give their approval for availing the subsidy.
· Then, customers can avail the subsidy amount. They can also get tariff details of the excessive units that will be sold to the government.

While there are success stories, there are still many states who continue to be hesitant in providing a conducive environment for the robust growth of rooftop solar. DISCOMS are weary of sacrificing premium customers who pay a rather high tariff for electricity. According to this report, the approval process is yet another challenge for net metering policies in many states. In Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, for example, developers face lengthy approval processes which can last anywhere between three to six months. In contrast, the approval process in Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Rajasthan are more streamlined and takes anywhere between 25 days to 30 days.

With solar energy being the energy of the present for a better future, India should be leading the way in moving from fossil fuel based energy to solar. It is definitely beneficial from multiple perspectives – including the environment (reduces pollution), economy (creates local jobs in installation, maintenance), and also helps reduce India’s foreign currency burden by reducing imports. Eurpoean countries have demonstrated that large-scale domestic solar energy generation is viable, and it is only a matter of time that India also becomes a domestic solar powerhouse. Solar Energy is a clear winner and literally provides more power to you!

Also Read: Sun-Powered Superfoods: Meet the Hyderabad Entrepreneur Behind This Win-Win Idea

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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The quaint little houses in Nainital’s Seem village, appear to be an uncanny depiction of ‘Little boxes on the hillside,’ the iconic Pete Seeger song. Home to barely 362 residents, literacy is quite a recent concept in this serene mountain hamlet. Schools exist, as per government policy mandates, but as is the case in most remote areas, student attendance and the quality of education are both inadequate. But thanks to Jaya and Atul Shah, there is a a silent literary revolution brewing in Seem, today.

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A Makeshift Library

While the little ones and their elder siblings trek for hours along the winding mountain paths to attend school, they have little exposure to the bigger world beyond the towering hills where knowledge and experience are now transmitted in digital codes and algorithms.

It was, therefore, serendipitous that Jaya Shah, a social worker from Mumbai, chose to retire in Seem along with her husband, Atul, in early 2016.

Within a few months, she started noticing how the children were deprived of a wholesome learning experience. Their education was limited to the pages of hand-me-down textbooks and outdated curriculum.

Jaya decided to collect a few children’s storybooks and start a makeshift library in one spare room of their bungalow.

“The idea was to create a cosy space for the kids where they can come and learn while having fun,” shares Jaya.

With help from their family and friends, the couple arranged a bookshelf, a soft board and 17 donated books; and opened the doors of the ‘library’ that very day. Word spread fast. One by one, curious faces started peeping through the doors of this ‘alien’ place, where they could find colourful books outside their syllabus, read them, and even take a few home!

On the first day, the tiny library welcomed 35 kids, who did not take long to tell their friends about this fantastic new place. The following day, 50 children turned up at Jaya’s doorstep, all thrilled to explore the library.

Jaya entrusted the children with the task of choosing the perfect name for their dreamland.

“At first, I thought they would come up with a Kumaoni name, but to my utter surprise, they decided to christen their library as ‘Happy Children’s Library’, simply because this place made them incredibly happy,” she recounts.

The resources now seemed insufficient, so Jaya reached out to Angelique Foundation, a non-profit foundation known for their immensely popular ‘Pustakalaya’ or community library project.

With their support, Happy Children’s Library was furnished with multiple racks of crisp, new books as well as educational games and puzzles.

Happy Children’s Library has found a source of support in Angelique, while funds and book donations from Jaya’s friends and acquaintances have kept pouring in.

Acknowledging the steady relationship, Jaishree, an employee with the Angelique Foundation, says, “The locals were so fascinated by Jaya’s library that people would visit from miles away. Taking a cue from this, we have built four more community libraries in adjoining village schools.”

An Endeavour Which Revived a Community

When Jaya started the library in June 2016, little did she know that her small initiative would stand out as a community development endeavour, infusing new life into Seem. The library grew organically as more and more children thronged the site.

“In these sparsely populated villages, it takes little time for word to travel. The children acted as messengers, bringing in their friends from over seven surrounding villages like Dhon, Byasi, Siltona, Jogyari and others. When the older kids came, their younger siblings tagged along. So we had to start including books and games for all ages.”

Fast forward today, Jaya’s library records an attendance of around 40 kids every day, often surpassing the schools they study in. On special days, when the library hosts any creative workshops or interactive activities, the footfall crosses 60 for sure. Her present book tally stands at a whopping 1400.

“We had to build their interest in reading. So, we ensured that most of the books are in Hindi. It would have been pointless to fill our racks with English fairy tales, which they would hardly relate to.”

Although, after a while, Jaya herself decided to take the onus of teaching them English. She had years of experience and could design a unique learning system to captivate the children’s minds, rather than resorting to dreary textbooks.

The library has now doubled up as a centre for additional learning as well as extra-academic activities. Tuition classes in English and Maths are conducted daily at the library premises, for students from Classes 4-10. While Jaya takes care of the English lessons, Kripal Singh Bisht, a teacher at Garampani government school which is around 13 kilometres from Seem, teaches Maths.

“I teach at the school in the mornings and the library in the evenings,” says Bisht. He spoke to The Better India during his commute.

Pausing for breath while hiking along the hilly trails, he adds, “The library has been an extraordinary initiative, madam. Earlier, these village kids had no access to proper education. Now they are learning so many new things, like those big-city schools.”

Bisht clarifies what he refers to as ‘many new things’. Besides books and tuition classes, Happy Children’s Library also organises frequent workshops on diverse subjects⁠—from science, painting to theatre. Experts come from different parts of India and spend a day or two with the children, training them in the nitty-gritty of their crafts. “Adventure camps and excursions are also conducted,” he shares.

Jaya’s husband, Atul, has set up a digital literacy lab in an adjacent room, where he teaches fundamental computer skills to these kids. Often the local youth and even adult women join in for learning.

In the past one year, Ashutosh Upadhyay from Pratham has organised three science workshops at the library.

“It’s heartening to see the enthusiasm of the kids. I try to give them hands-on learning about basic scientific concepts. They often surprise me by making different science models.”

The Tables Have Turned, Thanks to a Library

Life in the mountains involves intense physical labour from daybreak to dusk. The struggle is tougher, especially for the farming families, who have little time to pursue even elementary learning.

One can find two, even three generations of a family who are unlettered. When the children started reading storybooks, they would borrow a book or two for home and read out stories to their mothers and grandparents. Slowly, a culture of literary awareness started sprouting inside these humble homes.

Once it was the grandparents, who would narrate folk-lores and mythical tales to the children. Now the children are explaining scientific concepts to their ‘Amu’ (grandma) and ‘Bubu’ (grandpa).

“Before Didi and Dadda came here, we didn’t even know what a library was. Now, we can read a lot of different kinds of books and learn about new games. We sometimes take our books to school, and even our classmates and teachers are glad to see these books,” shares Abhilasha, a student of Class 8.

Last week, on International Literacy Day, the young members of Happy Children’s Library went door to door spreading awareness about literacy. “They even read out stories and gave speeches to the people,” Jaya shares proudly.

In sync with The Better India’s principle, Jaya believes no effort is small as long as it creates an impact. And as for Happy Children’s Library, in just three years, the library has kindled the love for learning among children and adults in these nondescript villages. They have a long, long way ahead of them.

Also Read: How a Sexagenarian Couple is Providing Education to Rajasthan’s Underprivileged Girls

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Even at the age of 76, Prabha Devi’s tremendous energy is a matter of mystery for the entire village. Her son, Manish, 44, is left spellbound every time he visits his parents’ hill cottage in the remote Palasat village of Rudraprayag. Prabha Devi Semwal’s picture-perfect home is a scene set in tranquility, nestling in the midst of a dense forest.

The most astonishing part? 

The entire forest is the result of Prabha Devi’s lifelong pursuit of protecting the ecosystem around her village. 

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Home to rare fruit trees, alpine flowers and evergreen conifers, the forest she has planted is home to singing birds and sprightly mountain squirrels, among other animals. “They would cut down tree after tree for houses, offices or other projects. Nobody cared to plant a single tree. The soil was eroding and lands were turning sterile. I realised if I don’t step up and save my land, it was in great peril. I just kept on planting, wherever I found a little barren land,” the septuagenarian grandmother shares with a hearty chuckle, in a conversation with The Better India (TBI).

She unabashedly speaks of her inability to read or write or remember her birth year, but she recognises every tree in her forest. 

Over decades, Prabha Devi has planted more than 500 trees which stand as tall guardians of the village of Palasat. And her efforts are still continuing with indomitable zeal. She has even raised a small shrine next to her house, surrounded by rose shrubs. 

“We have never seen mother rest for a single moment during the daytime.  As children, we used to crib and complain why Ma is always planting trees? What is the need? But now when I stay in the city, I realise how significant her endeavour is,” admits Manish, adding that not a single one of his mother’s trees has failed to grow. “There is some magic in her ‘green’ hands.”

Prabha Devi and her journey to the Village of Palasat

Married to the family’s eldest son, Prabha Devi arrived at Palasat as a child bride of 16 or 17 years. As the rural societal norms in those days mandated, young Prabha was assigned the daunting task of taking care of the entire household, which she did with elan.

Life in the mountains is no cakewalk. Something as simple as bringing water from the nearest stream or river often involves a strenuous trek for hours. Needless to mention, as a young woman, Prabha Devi’s day would be preoccupied with scores of such arduous chores. 

Since her husband’s family were farmers and cattle-herders, Prabha had to often scour through the wilderness gathering grass for the cows, sheep and goats. When the wild grass started running out, she decided to grow fodder grass in the streaks of fallow land between farming plots. 

Planting trees became a hobby, and each day she managed to find time to plant grass, floral shrubs and many saplings of fruit trees. Her spontaneous plantation drive that started with a fruit orchard around her house, ended up afforesting the whole of Palasat village. 

“This is my father-in-law’s house and land. If I don’t save these lands then who will?” she reiterates throughout the conversation, while inviting us to visit her quaint, little forest and enjoy the fresh fruits of autumn. 

The gritty Garhwali woman’s love for trees is supplemented with a firm resolution to make everything possible. Once her son had casually mentioned about Kaphal (bayberry) and Burans (rhododendron), which are delicious and healthy, but unavailable in their area. 

The next time he visited home, he found the outdoor garden filled with bayberry and rhododendron trees, bearing vibrant red Burans and plump Kaphal in their branches. She has also planted the sole Rudraksha tree in the area which is quite rare to find and equally difficult to grow.  

“My mother has never cut a single tree in her life,” son Manish shares with pride. “I have never uprooted even a small plant,” Prabha Devi cuts in. 

Manish often takes his children to visit their grandparents and join in Prabha Devi’s amazing initiative. For the children born and bred in the confines of concrete jungle, their grandmother’s forest is a wonderland. 

“It still fails my wife how my mother manages to do so much even at this age without a single shred of exhaustion,” Manish heartily mentions. 

Like Manish, all of Prabha Devi’s children stay in other cities of the country. But Prabha Devi refuses to set foot outside the serene paradise she has raised all by herself. Her trees, her forest, are her life. At present, she resides with her octogenarian husband, who used to be a local reporter in his youth. 

“Visit my forest next time you come to Rudraprayag. The fruits are delicious. It’s just me and your uncle (her husband) in the house. You will like it a lot,” she extends her heartfelt invitation to a stranger on the other side of the phone. 

Today, Prabha Devi’s forest enables the local community to procure firewood for their daily needs as well as fodder for their cattle. But the staunch eco-warrior makes sure to keep her forest safe from the hands of corporate greed. She understands little about global warming or climate change; all she understands is that the forests need to be saved, and the responsibility lies with each one of us. 

Also Read: Accidental Environmentalist: Ladakhi Farmer Escaped Poverty by Planting 4000 Trees!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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We often make declarations on social media platforms about how we should work to protect the environment, give up using single-use plastic products, harvest rainwater and basically lead a sustainable life. For many of us, these are merely declarations. Deepti Sharma and Abhishek Anand believe in action against environmental degradation. To this end, the couple residing in Greater Noida has created a homestay using 26,500 plastic bottles!

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In this conversation with Deepti, a school teacher, we find out why they decided to build the homestay, how they plan to take this forward and all the changes they have made to lead a sustainable life.

Post marriage, I found myself in the mountains every two to three months. Both of us are nature lovers, and see the mountains as our recharging point. On one such trip, my husband and I had trekked for almost 2 hours to reach a particular spot, but instead of pristine nature, we got the shock of our lives when we came across a mound of plastic waste,” begins Deepti.

She informs that this had happened because a nearby naala (drain) had flushed out all the plastic waste from the surrounding villages and it had all accumulated at the spot.

“It was such a disappointing sight, to say the least. This was the trigger for us – the sight we saw pushed us and we wanted to make a difference and help keep the mountains clean. All the more since there is no waste disposal system that the mountain areas follow,” says Deepti.

Birth of an idea

The couple did not want to join the ranks of people who rant and complain. Instead, they wanted to find a real solution to the problem. Deepti says that her US-based sister, helped them connect with people in Rwanda, Africa, who had used discarded plastic waste to make cottages. This was how the idea of the homestay came into being.

“It helped to be connected with people who had actually done some work in this area. We got a lot of insights from them and thus began our own journey.”

The couple says that they had already been planning to buy a plot of land near Nanital, and this accelerated the process for them. They saw this as a means to make a real difference.

The journey

Three years ago, in 2016, the journey to creating a homestay began for the duo.

“Procuring the land and getting it registered was an easy process. The uphill task began when the construction started. The plot of land that we procured is about an 8 to 10 minute walk from the closest parking spot, so transporting bottles after collecting them for the scrap dealer was very challenging.”

By using discarded plastic bottles, the couple wanted to show the local authorities and the people what all can be done with discarded plastic bottles and waste.

“From public toilets to bus shelters; so much can be done using this waste,” says Deepti.

Since they did not get much support from the local authorities immediately, they decided to build it as an example to convince them.

The Homestay

In their 4-bedroom homestay, one room and two bathrooms have been constructed completely out of discarded plastic bottles and a few walls in the other rooms also have been made with this waste. “So it’s a mix and match of discarded plastic waste and regular construction material,” she says.

When asked how much of plastic waste was used to make the walls together, Deepti answers, “I would say that for one patch of wall, we used approximately 100 bottles. These were tied together and then covered with a mesh wire to keep them together.”

Besides using plastic, the couple also utilised about 200 old tyres for the flooring and stairs and made beautiful lamps with discarded whiskey bottles.

Deepti adds, “While we did not count the exact number of bottles that were used for this purpose, an estimate says that more than 26,500 bottles were used in construction.”

Since the couple was embarking on a completely alien venture, the local contractors and workers had no knowledge or idea about what was to be done. Research helped them get the end result that they had envisaged. With both of them holding regular full time positions, supervising the homestay construction was a weekend thing and on days, that they could take off from their work.

While the homestay is already welcoming guests, the couple are waiting for the registration process to get done. “Since we are not willing to do this for a commercial purpose, we will not be listing the homestay on any online portal. We want this to be exclusive for people who value the environment and are willing to work at preserving it. We are happy to welcome guests who come via recommendation and word of mouth alone,” says Deepti.

One interesting thing that Abhishek shared with me was about the discounts they will offer to their guests who bring back plastic waste after their trek. He says, “My wife and I have decided to offer discounts to guests who go out plogging and bring back plastic bottles or whatever waste they can from the jungles. The discounts will range between 10 to 20 per cent.”

To facilitate this, they also have specialised plogging sticks for their guests. The couple themselves do this often and want to encourage every guest who stays with them.

It is not just the construction materials that make this home a sustainable one. The home is 100 per cent rainwater harvesting enabled, and Deepti says that they are now working towards getting their solar panelling done as well. “The aim is to be completely self-reliant as soon as our finances allow for it.”

If you feel that this homestay in Hartola can be your next getaway, connect with this couple via their Facebook page.

Also Read: Plastic Bottles to Discarded Tyres: Forest Officer Upcycles Waste Into Stunning Garden!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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The Forbidden Kheer:

Cultivated in the rich Manipur soil and irrigated by the unadulterated Himalayan streams, the Black Rice is yet another gem from the land of jewels. This fragrant and heart-friendly variety of rice is a staple of the state and the kheer made from it is a must in every Manipuri celebration. The next time you are expecting guests at home, step away from the usual delicacies and try the aromatic Chak Hao Amubi (As the black rice is called in Manipur) kheer recipe instead.

Keep this Black Rice ready:

The Forbidden rice is not out of reach anymore. Keep this hero ingredient ready before you begin preparations for the kheer. The brand—For8, promises that their rice is rich in fibre and nutrients as the grain retains its outer layer, unlike the polished white rice. Straight from the laps of the pristine Manipur, once you taste this rice, you will keep craving for more.

Buy a pack of 500 gm black rice at just Rs 260 by clicking on this link.

Ingredients:

• 150 gm Manipuri black rice
• 2 cups of milk
• 6 tablespoon coconut sugar (click on this link to buy it)
• 1 tablespoon cardamom powder
• Dry fruits and nuts (as per taste and requirement)

Method:

• Soak the rice overnight. When you are ready to prepare the recipe, drain the water and keep the rice aside.
• In a vessel, boil the milk. Turn down the heat to low. Continue boiling it on a low flame.
• Add the soaked rice to the boiling milk and cook it on a low flame.
• Make sure you keep stirring the mixture. Do this until the milk has reduced to about half the quantity and the rice is completely cooked. The rice should be firm on the outside but soft on the inside.
• Once you attain this texture, turn off the heat.
• Add sugar and cardamom powder, mix the kheer well.
• Garnish with your favourite nuts and dry fruits. Serve the “forbidden” rice kheer warm or chilled.

Ghadwali red rice:

If you haven’t tried the Himalayan red rice recipe yet, you are missing out on its wonderful flavour. Ditch your Sona masuri and Basmati for once and check out the unique and nutritious varieties that the Himalayas have to offer. This sweet red rice recipe is much loved in Uttarakhand and this time. Now it’s time for you to get a taste of the Himalayas.

Keep this ready:

With its outer bran layer intact, the Red Rice is highly nutritious and a healthy alternative to the polished rice. If you cook with Basmati regularly, this variety may look familiar. It is long and slender, just red in colour. Buy a 900 gm of this Himalayan variety at just Rs 320. Click on this link to get your pack.

Ingredients:

• 100 gm Himalayan Red Rice
• 500 ml water
• 30 gm dry coconut
• 30 gm jaggery
• 10 ml bilona ghee

Method:

• Add the water in a saucepan (preferably with a lid) and bring to boil. Add the red rice and salt to it.
• When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid.
• After the rice is half cooked, add grated jaggery into the mixture. Continue boiling the water.
• Once the rice has absorbed all the water and becomes tender, turn off the heat.
• Take off the saucepan and let it cool at room temperature. Add the dry coconut, mix well and cover the saucepan. Once it has cooled further, add ghee to the rice. Serve warm.

Also Read: 4 Easy to Make Diwali Millet Recipes to Make Your Sweets Healthy!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

Recipe sources: Black rice kheer: ãhãram

Red rice: The Indian Express.

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A staple dish in every Indian household, rice comes in many colours, each with its unique flavour.. While white rice is the most commonly used variety in our country, there are interesting varieties such as brown, black even red rice that you must try once in a while to cut the mundanity.

Red rice, particularly, is grown and harvested by the farmers in both North East India and Uttarakhand. Rich in antioxidants, dietary fibre, and complex carbohydrates, it helps keep the body healthy inside out. Since it’s minimally processed, it retains most of the essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus that help in strengthening bones, prevent osteoporosis and increase immunity.

Heading off to red rice? Why not click on this link and get it at the click of a button?

Here are some lip-smacking recipes you can try using red rice:

1. Red Rice Kheer

Red rice makes for a great alternative for white rice in making kheer. It’s beautiful red pigment and unique nutty flavour really does take the experience a couple notches higher.

Ingredients

60 gms soaked red rice
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp chopped almonds
2 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
8-10 saffron strands
3 tbsp sugar

Method

• Heat butter in a non-stick pan and sauté the almonds.
• On medium flame, add the soaked red rice and sauté some more.
• Add milk to it and cook until the rice becomes nice and tender.
• Add cardamom powder, saffron strands, sugar and stir until completely cooked
• Garnish with some chopped almonds and saffron before serving hot.

2. Red Rice Salad

In case you’re too tired to put together a proper meal, this recipe can make for a great lunch or dinner. While you don’t have to work hard on the meal, you still get all your essential nutrients.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked red rice
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup cooked red kidney beans
1 chopped apricot
50 gms blanched cluster beans
Few stalks of chives
Few basil leaves

For dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 orange (juiced)
1 Lemon (juiced)
Cracked black pepper to season
Salt to season
Thyme leaves

Method

• Chop all the ingredients and put in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl mix the orange juice, lime juice, salt, pepper, thyme and olive oil.
• Pour over the salad.
• Garnish with basil.

3. Red Rice Vada

Treat yourself to some deep-fried vadas if you must, but do it using healthy ingredients such as red rice. The best way to do it is to use the leftover cooked rice from the previous day and turn it into a lip-smacking breakfast.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked red rice
1tbsp Rice flour (optional)
1 finely chopped onion
2 chopped green chillies
1/2tsp fennel seed powder
1/2tsp grated ginger
Salt to taste
Some curry leaves
Oil for deep frying

Method

• Mash the cooked red rice nicely with your hands. In case it’s too mushy, add rice flour to it.
• Add onions, green chillies, fennel seed powder, ginger, salt, and curry leaves to the mix.
• Mix well and make medium sized vadas.
• Once the oil is hot, drop the vadas and fry until golden brown.
• Serve hot with chutney.

4. Red Rice Khichdi

On days when you need your comfort food, try making it with a red rice variant. Who says you can’t be experimental with khichdi?

Ingredients

3/4 cup red rice
3 tablespoons split skinless green gram(dhuli moong dal)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
5-6 black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon
3-4 cloves
2 whole dry red chillies
A pinch of asafoetida
Some curry leaves
2 green chillies
Salt to taste
2 diced potatoes
Yogurt

Method

• Add ghee in a pressure cooker and stir it with cumin seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, dry red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves.
• Then add red rice and mix well.
• Add two and a half cups of water, green chillies and salt.
• Once the water comes to a boil, add the potatoes and moong dal and stir.
• Cover the cooker with the lid and cook for fifteen minutes.
• Wait for ten minutes to open the lid.
• Serve hot with yogurt.

5. Mushroom & Red Rice Soup

After a super long day at work, this soup will take you to paradise, we promise. It’s a non-fuss recipe, so you can actually make it regularly for yourself and your dear ones.

Ingredients

2 cups sliced mushroom
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped sage
1 tsp chopped thyme
1/4 cup rinsed red rice
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Salt to taste

Method

• Add mushrooms in a non-stick pan, cover it for a few minutes and let it cook until it releases its juice.
• Then add the onion, sage, thyme, rice and vegetable broth in. Mix well.
• Cover and cook for 30 minutes until the rice is soft and chewy.
• Then add the coconut milk and salt and cook some more.
• Serve hot.

Also Read: Give Refined Flour a Break: 5 Simple Gluten-Free Recipes Using Coconut Flour

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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We often receive emails from our readers, asking doubts about their experiments with sustainable living. So, here’s a section dedicated to you – TBI’s ‘Green Influencers’ where we reach out to influencers and ask them about their sustainable journey.

It’s not often that you hear of people uprooting their city life to become bakers living in simple, rustic Himalayan villages. Namita Tewary, 48, however, is a delightful anomaly. Four years ago, she packed her bags, left Haldwani, and moved to a quaint village called Sasbani near Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand. And she has successfully managed to carve out an eco-conscious and sustainable life there.

“At 44, adapting to life in the hills, being a part of the village community, and learning to grow the crops is adventurous. Nature is calming, nature is healing, nature inspires and motivates. We are attempting to live a life more sustainable and less wasteful. I believe that reverence for nature leads to a peaceful, balanced and fulfilling existence,” says Tewary when we asked her what inspired her to move to the hills.

Tewary has been baking for 20 years now. She says she inherited the love for baking from her father. However, the choice of substituting regular ingredients with healthy ones in her baking was hers alone. It was the infinite possibilities of creating healthy bakes with just a few basic ingredients, the play of tastes and textures, and the happiness of creating edible goodness that spurred her on.

Tell us about your favourite healthy flours for baking and the nutritional value they add to the bakes?

“I love baking with local flours,” answers Tewary.

She says Madua (the local term for Ragi or finger millet) is a staple of the people of the hills. And that their robust health and longevity can be attributed to this super grain, without a doubt. She says Madua is highly nutritious; it is rich in calcium, iron, and protein. It is gluten-free and a non acid-forming food. It is also the least allergenic and most digestible grains available. “I add it to cakes, bread, cookies, brownies and crackers,” she shares.

She also uses amaranth flour – an ancient grain and a pseudocereal that is rich in fibre, protein, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron as well as truckloads antioxidants. “Amaranth flour, again, is excellent for gluten-free bakes,” she quips.

Another nutrient-dense gluten-free flour that she uses regularly is cornmeal. It is a good source of protein and essential amino acids. It is also a rich source of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B-6 and Vitamin K. She says it lends a great texture to bread, cookies and cakes.

For brownies, pie crusts and cakes, Tewary likes to use buckwheat flour since it is also a nutrient-rich, gluten-free flour with a high fibre content. In case she wants a low fat variant, she opts for water chestnut flour.

Apart from healthy flours, Tewary uses local fruits, berries, herbs, greens, nuts and seeds in her bakes. “I have baked bread with nettle (a kind of herb), cakes with hisaalu (Golden Himalayan Raspberry), crackers with homegrown herbs, brownies with chestnut puree, crackers with seeds and herbs, marmalade and jams with local fruits such as the Himalayan lime, plum, apricot, pear, kiwi and apples. The fresh, seasonal and local ingredients literally create magic without compromising on health,” she shares.

How do people respond to the fact that your products are made of healthy alternatives?

She says that at first they aren’t able to believe how good they taste and then can’t stop applauding and admiring the freshness of the bakes. The fact that what they’re eating is healthy makes a lot of difference. They indulge without an iota of guilt.

Tewary closes the conversation on the note: “To know that a bake is free of additives, artificial flavours, preservatives, and processed ingredients and is made using only pure, fresh and healthy ingredients, is an unrivalled feeling.”

Also Read: 7 Flours That Can Replace Wheat for Gluten-Free Cooking & Baking

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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Henk Bekedam, the WHO Representative to India on #Coronavirus, has applauded India’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, saying, “The commitment from Indian Govt., the Prime Minister’s Office has been enormous, very impressive. It is one of the reasons why India is still doing quite well. I am very impressed that everyone has been mobilised.”

Here are some steps that various Indian states have taken.

1. Sealing borders

• Invoking Clause 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Epidemic Disease Regulation, 2020, the state government of Himachal Pradesh has banned the entry of domestic and foreign tourists till further orders.
• This blanket ban to tourists has also been issued by the state governments of Nagaland and Uttarakhand. With eight positive cases of COVID-19 infection, Ladakh has prohibited the entry of labourers from other states until 31 March 2020.
• Manipur has gone one step ahead by barring the entry of anyone who is not a resident of the state. Notably, there has been no reported case of infection in the region so far.

2. Public Welfare Schemes

• The Odisha government has decided that the beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) will be given rice, wheat, and kerosene for three months in advance. A window of 45 days has been given to the beneficiaries to ensure that the same is distributed smoothly.
• West Bengal has also announced that rice distributed via Public Distribution System (PDS) at Rs 2 per kg will be free for the next six months.
• At a press conference, the Kerala Chief Minister announced, “Two months of pension will be deposited together, and an amount of Rs 1,320 crore will be allotted for this purpose. Rs 1,000 will be given to the families with financial difficulties who do not avail of the social security pension.”
• Punjab government has also decided to allow beneficiaries to collect ration of up to six months in advance.

3. Law and Order

• The Public Health Department of Maharashtra stated that consuming more garlic, curry leaves or cow urine would neither treat nor prevent the coronavirus infection. Instead, they urged people to practice good hygiene, contain coughs and sneezes, and eat nutritious food.
• In an attempt to act against fear mongers and rumours on social media, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation chief Praveen Pardesh, quoted action under Section 54. According to this, “whoever makes or circulates a false alarm or warning as to disaster or its severity or magnitude, leading to panic, shall on conviction, be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one year or with fine.”
• Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of five or more persons, has been imposed in Nashik and Nagpur in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Noida, Raipur in Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, several districts of Odisha, and Haryana.
• The Delhi government, along with the state governments of Haryana and Maharashtra, have also ordered that all malls, schools, educational institutions, cinema halls remain shut until 31 March 2020. Kerala and Karnataka have also issued strict advisories urging companies to allow employees to work from home and avoid coming to the office unless absolutely mandatory.

Also Read: Nipah to Coronavirus: IAS Officer Explains Why Kerala Is Better Prepared Than Most

While the central and state governments are doing their bit to curtail the spread of COVID-19, it is also upon us to follow these guidelines. Do not give in to fear and stay updated by visiting only authorised government sites.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

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Thirty two year old Ganesh Bhat, a resident of Devprayag of Tehri district, Uttarakhand, has been extremely busy since the lockdown was imposed in India. With 108 medical emergency number not responding at times, Bhat has been using his car as an ambulance to ferry patients to nearby hospitals for treatment.

“The non-functioning of this service is causing a lot of problems, especially to pregnant women and senior citizens who have heart problems and other serious ailments,” he says.

In this telephonic interview with The Better India, Bhat speaks about how he has been extending help during this COVID-19 lockdown period.

“Since the NH-58 was shut down, what we call as the lifeline for our district, it was becoming increasingly difficult for the residents to function. From getting their regular supply of ration to visiting a hospital everything was becoming a problem,” he says.

Speaking about the 108 helpline, Bhat says, “Many times, even when we would get through, we were being told that the vehicle is not available or is very far away so it would take time to reach the person.”

This prompted Bhat to use his vehicle to carry those in need to and from the hospital. On an average, he gets four emergency cases each day and so far, he has lend a helping hand to 20 emergency, non-covid patients.

As Devprayag is a hilly region, it makes it even more difficult for rescue vehicles to reach in time. “Even before the lockdown life was tough for us and with this happening, it has become even more difficult,” he says.

Thus, armed with his blue Tata Nano, Bhat decided to help as many people as he could. The good samaritan even printed his contact details and stuck them on the front and back windshield of his car. All done with the aim to be accessible 24/7 to the people of his district.

Modus Operandi

On 21 March 2020, Bhat put out a message on his Facebook page with his contact details and urged people to call him in case of any medical emergency. “The first call I got was to take a pregnant woman to the hospital and just after that I got a call to take a child who had broken his arm,” he informs.

So how does he manage to get around given the lockdown situation?

“Madam, I have lived here long enough now. People, including police personnel know me well. All I am doing is providing an essential service. I stand to gain absolutely nothing from this,” laughs the man who runs computer training institutes in various parts of the district, mostly in places that have not seen much development.

Additionally, as Bhat makes a few trips daily to the hospital, he gets medicines and essential supplies to people who ask for them.

Speaking about how some people from his hometown are afraid of stepping out despite the need to go to the hospital, he says, “Tomorrow, I will take a woman to the hospital who has been unwell for almost a week and has been surviving by trying home remedies and medicines that she had readily available.”

Since the distress calls have increased, Bhat has put together a team of volunteers who help him. “I ensure that one or the other volunteer is always with me in the car to handle any situation that might crop up.”

Ganesh Bhat is available on +91 94105 30387 and in case you or anyone you know is in need of medical assistance in Uttarakhand, do reach out to him.

Also Read: This Lawyer’s Powerful PIL Helped 132 Orphaned Girls in Uttarakhand Get Free Education!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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This article has been published in partnership with Castrol India

What happens when more than a billion people in a country are asked to stay at home to practise ‘social distancing’? India has been witnessing this time of distress over the past few weeks — with loss of jobs, loss of livelihoods, loss of homes, loss of access to food and so much more for lakhs of people.

However, in these troubled times, there has been something extremely overwhelming that the country has witnessed – the response of citizens from all quarters of society. A response that showed people putting humanity before all else to help out and fight their crisis in their own ways.

From raising funds for the underprivileged, arranging for daily essentials for the elderly, setting up virtual classes for kids, helping people with mental health issues manoeuvre these times and more — people are setting unique examples of compassion without stepping out of their homes and while maintaining social distance.

A Wrong Call Gone Right

Take for instance Aarti Madhusudan, a Chennai resident who is ensuring that migrant labourers and daily wage earners do not starve.

Her work began on 1 April with a wrong number from a labourer stuck almost 300 kilometres away in Hosur.

“The person on the other side spoke in a desperate voice. He told me that he got my number as a government helpline number and that he is a labourer from Jharkhand. He hadn’t eaten in two days and didn’t know what to do. Though surprised at the call, the tremor in his voice made me take a call for action,” Aarti told The Better India (TBI).

The anonymous calls continued and Aarti decided to help them with food essentials. She banked on her social media presence and asked people to help the workers. It has been less than a week and she has already supplied food to more than 217 labourers in and around Chennai.

Farmers to the Rescue

Likewise, around 40 families of wage earners are able to have a square meal, thanks to the generous efforts of Yadhu S Babu, a resident of Anakkara village in Kerala’s Idukki district.

The 25-year-old farmer donated the entire organic produce of his 1.5-acre plot to the families who are gravely affected by the lockdown.

Aarti and Yadhu’s prompt actions are now feeding workers, who otherwise would have starved for days.

As a means to applaud and appreciate such efforts, Castrol Activ recently launched a consumer awareness campaign called #HangUpyourkeys. Apart from thanking the essential services and the unsung heroes like Aarti and Yadhu, the campaign appeals to people to stay at home. The message puts emphasis on how individuals are helping other people and communities even while staying indoors.

Stepping Out Only In Emergencies

Another such example of people helping out in such ways is that of Ganesh Bhat, a resident of Devprayag of Tehri district, Uttarakhand, who is seen driving in his car every day. But why?

With emergency services not active nowadays, the 32-year-old is using his car as an ambulance to ferry people (on average, four people a day) with health problems to nearby hospitals or clinics.

In a similar move, a Facebook community called ‘Caremongering India’ is going out of its way to help senior citizens, who stay alone and are unable to go out for food essentials.

Started by Bengaluru-based Mahita Nagaraj, members of the group are sending groceries and medicines to the elderly, children, pregnant women and new mothers.

Over time, the number of volunteers has touched 500 and the initiative was expanded to other cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi and Noida and states including Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Odisha.

While the protocol of social distancing is making a significant difference to flatten the curve, it is also disrupting our day-to-day lives.

In such a scenario, channelling your inner humanity toward such compassionate acts will only make all our lives easier, and that’s the message that Castrol is spreading with this inspiring campaign.

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There have been two definitive moments in the nascent cricketing career of Techi Doria, the diminutive and dreadlocked opening batsman from Arunachal Pradesh. The first arrived on 21 September 2018, in Vadodara’s Moti Baug cricket stadium, where he became the first player from the state to score a century at any level.

The celebrations that ensued included performing a series of acrobatic jumps and a moment where he almost hugged the umpire in sheer delight. He went onto score a sensational 122 against Sikkim in a Vijay Hazare Trophy league match, and Arunachal went on to win the match by 49 runs. “I danced like a crazy man that day,” he says.

The second moment arrived nearly two months later on 20 November 2018, in Goalpara, Assam, during a Ranji Trophy match against Uttarakhand.

Scoring 60 runs in 246 balls in a hard-fought second innings performance, he played in a manner that went completely against his instinct as an aggressive T20 batsman. Although Arunachal lost that match by an innings and 73 runs, he insists that it was an innings that he will never forget.

Here’s the reason why.

After a protracted legal battle, in July 2018, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) granted the Arunachal Pradesh Cricket Association full member status. This meant the state could also now have their own team in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic tournaments organised by the BCCI. Consequently, the team made its senior-level debut in the 2018–19 season.

“Since we were new entrants into the Ranji Trophy tournament, the Uttarakhand team was confident of winning the game in less than three days. The team had even booked their return tickets before noon on the third day of a four-day match. I was furious when I got to know this, as it was a blatant show of disrespect. How could they underestimate us in such a manner,” he recalls.

So, once Doria got into bat on the morning of Day 3, he vowed to play a long innings and only got out very late in the day.

“During my innings, I could see the Uttarakhand team getting visibly frustrated. Rajat Bhatia, a veteran of the domestic cricket circuit and captain even hurled abuses at everyone. I eventually lost my wicket through a run-out. Although the game finished by the very end of Day 3, my innings played a part in ensuring they missed their return trip back on that day,” he says.

Bob Marley of Indian Cricket

Search the name ‘Techi Doria’ on Google, and the first results will make references to the ‘Bob Marley of Indian cricket’.

The only link between the cricketer and the legendary Jamaican artist are the lush dreadlocks that flow well below the shoulder. It was during a local match a couple of years ago, when someone in the crowd started chanting ‘Bob Marley’ when he entered to bat.

The name had initially irritated him, but upon researching more about the singer-songwriter, he understood about the respect it garnered.

Doria is a hip-hop fan with a special affinity to a dance form associated with this urban musical genre called breakdancing or b-boying. Before he dedicated his life to the game of cricket full time in 2014-15, he was part of a dance group that won many competitions locally and performed in front of thousands of people. He had even featured in a couple of local movies.

“But cricket is my true passion, and I gave up everything else to truly focus on the game,” he asserts.

“I will play till I die.”

Growing up in Naharlagun, a town situated on the foothills of the Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh’s Papum Pare district, the 26-year-old batting all-rounder learnt the game by watching his heroes on television. And like millions before him, Doria grew up idolising Sachin Tendulkar.

“My first inspiration to play the game of cricket was Sachin Tendulkar. He inspired me for two specific reasons—his style of batting and his humble, yet confident nature. I want to emulate his game and personality off the field,” says Doria.

However, it was only in Class 8 as a 13-year-old when he started playing the game with greater seriousness. Before, he would watch others play, particularly his elder brother Techi Tahim, who also played in the state Ranji Trophy side for one season (2018/19).

“My elder brother inspired me to take up the game. He would play big tournaments in the state. Seeing him, I thought if he could play at that level, so could I. For the most part, however, I learnt the game on television,” he recalls.

Doria began playing only in Class 8 because until then he couldn’t get into the school team. His undeniable talent soon caught the eyes of local cricketing aficionados, playing across all age groups in the state before finally making his way into the senior state team. For those who haven’t seen him play, Doria is an athletic batting all-rounder who bowls leg-spin.

“I am a naturally aggressive batsman who likes playing the big shots because of my greater exposure to T20 cricket, but over time I have learnt how to play in a game-sensitive manner. If the situation demands I play big shots, but if my team needs me to hold onto my wicket I can play cautiously as well. My bowling also follows the same instinct. Nonetheless, my focus is more on batting. My favourite format of the game is T20, although my love for ODI cricket is growing. The transition from playing T20 to ODI is easier than playing the 4-day Test match format of Ranji Trophy games,” he says.

Former Indian team fast bowler, Sanjeev Sharma, who has coached different teams in the last 15 years and is the current coach of the Arunachal team, is all praises for his player.

“I was the Sikkim coach, when he scored that wonderful century. Doria is a very promising player, although this year, his performances with the bat have dropped a little. But a few umpiring decisions on the field have gone against him as well. We have seen great improvement in his bowling. Doria’s biggest strength is his temperament. If he starts confidently by defending a few deliveries, he can occupy the crease for a couple of hours. He has taken some absolutely brilliant catches and is a fantastic fielder. His biggest weakness is against spinners, particularly left arm spinners, which will improve by working on defense and footwork. If you’re a good four-day player, you can survive all formats.”

Even Doria acknowledges that playing four-day matches is a tricky proposition, particularly when he plays against quality spin bowling. However, even though the Arunachal team is new to the test match format, under Sharma’s tutelage, it has witnessed some improvement since the 2018-19 season, particularly in the longer formats.

“Our focus is on strengthening the technical foundations of our game. There are very few players in the state with genuinely good technique whether it comes to batting, bowling or fielding. In the next two-three years, we hope to develop our technical skills significantly. Meanwhile, there is a greater emphasis on developing talent in the state across various age groups, and women’s cricket is receiving real encouragement as well,” mentions Doria.

In addition to team meetings and practice sessions, the Arunachal coach believes that his players should at least be involved in camps lasting 10-15 days before tournaments. This includes both conditioning and technical camps.

“For these boys to play tournaments like Vijay Hazare, Syed Mushtaq and Ranji Trophy is not going to be easy. They need proper summer camps before the season begins, playing in conditions like Chennai, Delhi and Bengaluru to get their requisite exposure. Our last camp in Dibrugarh, Assam, lasted only seven days, of which three were lost to rain. Following the camp, we straightaway competed in a challenging Vijay Hazare Trophy in Dehradun, where we finished above Sikkim, Manipur and Mizoram,” mentions Sharma.

“Ideally, there should be a two-week camp, followed by a short break where they go home, and then another two-week camp before the start of a major tournament. It would be very good for these boys so that they are better prepared for the upcoming season,” he adds.

Nonetheless, he compliments the management for fulfilling their financial obligations to the players and support staff in a professional and timely manner.

For the 26-year-old son of a farmer, the ultimate objective is to play in the Indian Premier League. At no point in his life have his parents told him to stop pursuing his dreams of playing cricket under the bright lights.

But merely playing domestic cricket for Arunachal Pradesh has its limitations financially, although that doesn’t seem to bother Doria too much.

Unlike other athletes in the Northeast who support their sporting ambition by getting a government job, he wants to constantly remain in touch with the game whether it’s in a playing or coaching capacity.

“There is enough money. I don’t want to do another job to supplement my income despite tensions that I may not be able to play sports all my life. But I want to play cricket till the day I die because that is where my happiness comes from. After attending a Northeast coaches training camp in 2017, I started my cricket academy, which trains players from all junior age groups. At present, there are nearly 100 players enrolled in my academy,” he says.

Pre-lockdown, he was up at 5 am every day, spending a couple of hours at his academy in Naharlagun before setting off to Itanagar 13 km away to coach at another batch of youngsters. Although the coaching gig only pays him around Rs 8,000 per month, his passion for nurturing the next batch of talented youngsters is unmatched.

“There is a lot of talent in Arunachal, and we must harness it,” he says.

There is still some way to go before the diminutive Doria fulfils his professional goals. Maybe, he fulfils them, maybe he doesn’t. But what we can say for certain is that his dedication to the game and desire to nurture it in the state will never diminish.

Also Read: Born Into Poverty, Lost His Sight at 7: India’s Blind Cricket Captain is All About Guts

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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With The Positive Collective, The Better India’s COVID-19 coverage is available to regional language publications for free. Write to editorial@thebetterindia.com for more details.

For patients of diabetes, hypertension and other lifestyle diseases living in Uttarakhand, there is one reliable source of medicines – Maneesh Pant.

A fireman with the Uttarakhand police, living in the town Pauri, Maneesh has delivered emergency medicines to at least 100 patients in Dehradun, Almora, Chamoli, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi and other cities in the state, since 22 March. Performing his duty during the day and then arranging for medicines for patients at night, the first response officer has rightly earned the tag, ‘Medicine Man’.

The Better India (TBI) got in touch with Maneesh to find out more about this initiative which he calls ‘Operation Sanjeevani’.

Hero From Uttarakhand: “I should help out as much as I can”

It started on the day of the Janata Curfew when stepping out of the house had been restricted. Maneesh’s neighbour, a 65-year-old woman (name withheld upon request), suffered from a sudden spike in her blood pressure. Her family called up Maneesh since he works in the police force and asked if her medicine could be arranged.

“No pharmacy in the neighbourhood was open so I had to go to a hospital to purchase the medicines for her. On my way back, I started thinking – if she needs medicines on such an urgent basis, many others may need them too. And not everyone will have police personnel or someone from the government departments to help out. I should help out as much as I can,” Maneesh tells TBI.

Within 24 hours, he had devised a plan to reach out to as many people as possible. He put up a post on Facebook asking people to reach out in case they need any medicines delivered. “If you are a senior citizen living away from your children or if you can’t get essential medicines, send me a message with your location and a picture of your doctor’s prescription,” said the post.

So far, the post has been shared over 500 times. Soon enough, requests started flooding in – some from Dehradun and others from Almora, Chamoli, Nainital. Maneesh got to work on every request and helped out senior citizens, pregnant women and even children.

Making Deliveries Across Uttarakhand

For Maneesh, no distance is too long when it comes to delivering medicines to the needy. “I once got a request from a patient living some 90 km from my home. The weather was terrible that day and riding my bike through the Himalayan hills was too risky. So I asked my seniors if I could take the official police vehicle. Since they knew about my ‘Operation Sanjeevani’, they happily gave it. Where there is a will there’s a way and I make sure I find a way for every patient,” the 30-year-old shares.

So how does Operation Sanjeevani work?

“I contact the doctor who prescribed the medicines or the pharmacy that the bill belongs to. If they are open, I go there. I carry snacks in case I find someone who needs it en route. I click a photo at the pharmacy, send it to the person who made the request and then go to their place,” he explains.

One of such people who reached out to Maneesh, is Dinesh Jakh, another resident of Pauri. “My 13-year-old daughter undergoes treatment at the city hospital for fits. During the lockdown, the delivery of her medicines was uncertain. I saw Maneesh’s post on Facebook and requested him to get us medicines for a month. He was kind enough to get them delivered,” he shares with TBI.

Delivering Medicines, Delivering Happiness:

In cases where the patient cannot pay for the medicines, Maneesh pays from his own pocket. “A family of daily wage labourers had called me for medicines for their toddler. They requested a week’s dose. I was puzzled since the lockdown was obviously going to last for a couple of more weeks. When they explained their financial situation, I had no doubt in my mind. I purchased a month’s dose of medicines as well as ration and gave them for free. How could I accept money from them when they were in such a tight situation?” he tells TBI.

Some deliveries take a couple of days to be completed. Since intercity travel is highly restricted, Maneesh takes the help of his friends in Uttarkashi, Nainital and even remote villages where he cannot reach. “I get the medicines from Dehradun and ask my friends who are transporting essential goods to other districts to carry them. A police officer, also a friend, collects this parcel in the right district and sends it to the family. At every step, we update the patient with photos so as to keep them in the loop,” he shares.

Maneesh has spent Rs 35,000 from his own pocket for ‘Operation Sanjeevani’ of which he says he has recovered about Rs 23,000. The rest is his contribution to people who cannot afford to buy essential supplies during these difficult times.

Today we are nearly two months into the lockdown. It has been difficult for all of us, especially for those who cannot access essentials including life-saving medicines. Maneesh’s voluntary work is ensuring continued good health to people during the restrictions of the current times. Kudos to the fireman with a big heart!

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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With The Positive Collective, The Better India’s COVID-19 coverage is available to regional language publications for free. Write to editorial@thebetterindia.com for more details.

In my 36 years of existence, the term ‘existential crisis’ only evoked a sense of curiosity. I am grappling to make more sense of the pandemic and its eventual resolution. Yardsticks change every day; definitions, counter-measures, mortality rates, zonal demarcations, economic plight, clinical trials, possible cure, the curve and death, and more death. It is impossible to keep up with all this.

The great lockdown manifests globally, changing in shape and dictum. The freedom to be alone is replaced by coping strategies to combat isolation, food shortage, fear, violence, and the sheer will to survive.

The walls have closed in on us with time to reflect alone and delve into memories. In the past, my mechanism to combat the demands of urban life was escaping–to the mountains for solitude, adventure, love, energy, strength. Such a quest is impossible now. Our collective irresponsibility has led us to this crisis.The unabated tampering with our host is the inescapable reality we must confront. Ironically, I continue to draw inspiration from my rendezvouses with nature.

I hope to be a tourist again; in memory, I continue to be one. I have the past to fall back on; the memory of vast landscapes and meandering rivers nestled under the singular, daunting, inhospitable Himalayas.

The Approach

I was on the trail to Goecha la in 2014. A high-altitude pass, accessible by traversing the mountains in Sikkim. Before approaching the pass, one must cross the Samiti Lake. Then the climb begins. From a vantage point, a few souls can be seen approaching the lake.

The Fury Road

Jump back to the vast plains of Ladakh in October 2013. The Fury Road challenges riders across the world. Many wish to experience and conquer the cold dessert. In truth, there is no conquest here, only camaraderie.

The Break

Fast forward to a sunset in Spiti in 2017. The lesser-known cousin of Ladakh is by no means lesser. Here, on the approach to Tabo, one of the many distant villages, a break as evening dawns.

The Collective

We are in this together. The trek to the peak of Kedarkantha, Uttarakhand brought strangers from across India together as a team. They became friends, helped each other, and trekked through the snowfields to reach the top. A point where a collective is well and truly by itself, a community. January 2018.

The Comparison

Under the universe. One of the unique experiences of the Himalayas is the night sky. The Milky Way is only a term confined to textbooks nowadays, but not quite. By banks of River Baspa in Chhitkul, Himachal Pradesh. Solitary and miniscule in comparison. The year 2019.

The Beginning

A lot must happen. Organisational transition coupled with individual commitment is the path to redemption. The goal cannot be of survival alone but to rectify and build. We must learn to challenge ourselves. This is the path which can lead us back; not to the past but to a responsible future. Shimla 2016.

I wish to go back to Nature with respect. I wish to go back with more responsibility and shed prejudice. I wish to reclaim an iota of innocence.

(Written by Anirban Saha and Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Anirban Saha is a hobby photographer based out of Noida. He has been travelling to the Indian Himalayas since 2005. He doubles up as an IT professional and a father of two toddlers. He has already seen the great mountains and hopes to return to travel in a post-corona world.

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With the Panchachuli peaks, a group of five snow-capped Himalayan mountains, situated at the eastern end of the Kumaon region providing the ideal backdrop, the picturesque township of Munsiyari in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district feels like heaven on earth.

These days, the hill township and its adjoining villages are in the spotlight because of the tulip garden situated along the Thal-Munsiyari state highway.

Envisioned by Dr Vinay Bhargav, Divisional Forest Officer, Pithoragarh, this tulip garden is expected to stretch over 50 hectares. It is part of a larger Munsiyari Nature Education and Eco Park Center, which seeks to attract a plethora of tourists, students and nature lovers who want to witness the various flowers of this scenic region in all its beauty.

Although designed by Dr Bhargav, the real workforce behind this garden are the members of Munsiyari Eco-Development Committee (EDC) comprising largely unemployed local community youth involved in the development of the facility from inception to completion and its maintenance. Local residents are involved right from soil work, site preparation, planting and irrigation to the nurturing process, protection and monitoring of this garden.

The same set of people is also involved in knowledge dissemination, and now act as resource persons for local villagers and tourists who want to engage in a similar endeavour. Presently, the carrying capacity of the site is fixed at 300±50 persons per day and one day of the week it is closed to all visitors. Although the COVID-19 epidemic has put a dampener on proceeding this season, the Munsiyari EDC hopes that next year tourists can grace this site.

Why was this particular site chosen?

The region witnesses massive snowfall and frost during winters followed by long cool springs and occasional rain in summers. Everything from the physio-graphical features viz. elevation (2760 mts. above msl), moisture availability, well drained soil conditions and gentle slopes to ideal ambient temperatures (18 to 25 degree Celsius) and soil pH levels found to be between 6.0 to 7.0, are perfect for growing tulips.

“Meanwhile, the topography of the area is such that north-east facing slopes of the landscape, where the tulips have been planted, will ensure relatively better moisture availability. Complete sunshine from all sides made the site suitable and perfect for tulip growth,” informs Dr. Bhargav.

Early Struggle, Challenges & In Bloom

“The site selected for this pilot project was initially infested with a weed commonly referred to as jangli paalak (Rumex nepalensis). It has a deep root system and can regenerate itself from the slightest of leftover parts that remain in the soil. In fact, it has been creating massive problems in almost all of the Himalayan sub-alpine and alpine areas by encroaching upon the native herbaceous and shrub species,” says Dr Bhargav, in an interaction over email with The Better India, earlier this week.

Consequently, a massive exercise was undertaken in October 2018 by the Munsiyari EDC to completely eradicate this weed using basic garden implements. Certain landscaping and improvement in the aesthetics like paths and trails development were also done.

For the purpose of developing demonstration blocks at Munsiyari, 7000 high quality tulip bulbs, in five colors across seven varieties — Carola (Pink colour), Crystal Star (Yellow colour), Denmark (Yellow-Red colour), Jumbo Pink (Pink colour), Parade (Red colour), Strong Gold (Yellow colour) and White Proud (White colour) were imported from the Netherlands for planting on the pilot site.

However, due to multiple reasons, there was an apparent delay in getting the bulbs, and they only arrived in the last week of March 2019. Although it was not the appropriate time to plant them, the EDC went ahead and did that.

After the snow melted on the pilot site by March end, the next step was to augment soil fertility and prepare the demonstrative blocks made up of raised soil beds to plant tulips and other native species in the first week of April.

“For this, we used a mixture of oak forest soil, farmyard manure and cocopeat in a 1:1:1 ratio, The bulbs and other native species were planted by the members of the Munsiyari EDC. Vegetative growth took around 45 days, after which the site had witnessed intermittent blooms,” he says.

These bulbs went through several stresses during the past year of planting, particularly after the monsoon season. By this time, the bulbs remained in soil and the foliage had started to wither away with the onset of winter in November 2019. The bulbs remained in the soil and witnessed the severe winter of 2019. Although the pilot site remained under snow for more than three months, Dr Bhargav and the EDC were convinced that the Tulip bulbs still had life in them, and proceeded to protect them from field rats, wild boars and Langurs with fencing work around it.

“After the snow melted in March 2020, foliage started to develop back in April 2020. These tulips did bloom intermittently, but they were still at a premature stage. This wasn’t the end of their troubles. Despite the onset of spring, there was a sudden spurt of hail storms, but the Tulips somehow managed to withstand them. As the foliage grew back in strength, we began to witness the sparkling bloom of these tulips in a variety of pink, white, red and yellow. Other wild species of Irises, Ranunculi, Fox gloves also went into bloom around the same time, but bloom of the tulips stole the show,” says Dr. Bhargav.

All the planted bulbs fared well. The site enjoyed 100% success in germination and yielded the desired results. Besides these, they had also planted with them other native wild ornamental flowering species including Irises, Fox Gloves, Rhododendrons, Wild Roses, Liliums, Daffodils, Dogtails, Ranunculi etc., but tulips were the most attractive species of them.

“The core idea was to strengthen the eco-restoration work of previously invaded weed sites in Himalayan subalpine areas, and improve the biodiversity wealth of the area,” he adds.

Thanks to these ideal climatic conditions and the successful planting process, each mature bulb of a tulip has now produced 6-8 daughter bulbs. In order to cut down on repetitive buying expenses on import, the Project has also envisaged developing a technology with due technical support from Dutch partners to process and develop mature bulbs from these daughter bulbs.

Economic Potential

The larger objective behind developing the tulip garden is to boost the sylviculture, horticulture and tourism sector in the state that would provide additional opportunities for sustained rural self-employment. The government believes that landmark projects like these could go in some way to concurrently mitigate the challenges of outward migration from these hills.

How is this happening? What’s the potential?

1. The development of the facility from inception to completion and its maintenance can be credited to the local community. They were thoroughly involved right from soil work, site preparation, planting, irrigation, nurture and care, protection, monitoring activities, etc.

2. Under the aegis of the State forest department and active consent of the EDC, large scale cultivation of tulip bulbs will be undertaken on community lands and on fallow lands of people who have migrated from hill regions of Munsiyari. In other words, all land left barren or uncultivated will receive a new lease of life. Also, the farmers are encouraged to practice floriculture/ horticulture based farming to enhance their earnings.

3. These people are also involved in knowledge dissemination, and now act as resource persons for local villagers and visitors who wish to emulate this initiative. Local residents have even helped execute the work of thermal insulated and disaster proof state of the art alpine Eco-huts near this site. This is a one of a kind structure.

4. “The site also hosts a wide variety of birds of different species (approximately 250), which also opens the potential for Bird tourism. The site also reflects the remarkable effect of ecotones on the flora and fauna diversity in the region. As regard to beneficiaries, upon full scale implementation of the Project, around 1,500 to 2,000 people from the surrounding villages will be engaged in direct/in-direct employment for cultivation, maintenance, eco fee collection and other ancillary activities,” claims Dr. Bhargav.

5. “Furthermore, as upscaling of the project is envisaged, it will demand many direct and indirect support systems like local and distant transportation facilities, promotion of home stays, village tourism, bird tourism, comfortable accommodation in terms of hotels, resorts, paying guest houses, local market to meet out different needs of the tourists, traditional commodities and culture besides Tulip garden management needs (in terms of manpower and inputs),” he says

The success of projects like these can ensure border districts like Pithoragarh can offer the necessary economic incentives for people not to migrate and strengthen their own region. It may not completely stop the migration process, but it can go some way towards at least mitigating it. Admittedly, the Coronavirus pandemic this year has put a dampener on proceedings, but its potential for the future is great.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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Nirmala Sawant, the gram pradhan of Gaindakhali, a village in Uttarakhand’s Champawat district, has long held severe concerns about the growing incidence of human-animal conflict in the area.

Her fears aren’t unfounded. Gaindakhali is on the periphery of the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary, which falls under the Haldwani Forest Division of the biodiversity-rich Terai region. In the last 10 years, this place has witnessed over 100 cases of human-animal conflicts, particularly with elephants, resulting in serious crop damage, injury and death.

“Due to the repeated damage and loss of lives, farming and all allied activities had come to a standstill in the village. Our forest officer took cognisance of the problem and reached out to his seniors, who got in touch with Kundan Kumar sir, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO). After visiting our village, DFO Sir took a survey of the area and installed a kilometre-long tentacle (hanging) solar fence. Thanks to this, we have started farming again. I sincerely feel that the fencing should extend to other villages on the periphery of the forests,” she says.

Mahesh Singh Bisht, the forest officer of the Sharda range, who first took cognisance of the problem, concurs with Nirmala. “As a result of this fence, no big animals cross onto their land anymore,” he says.

Preventing Human-Animal Conflict

Kundan Kumar, a 2017-batch Indian Forest Service officer, took over as the DFO of Haldwani Forest Division in the last week of November 2019. On his first visit to Gaindakhali, he was alarmed by the severity of the human-elephant conflict in the village.

“The villagers said that they hadn’t planted any crops on their lands for the past six years fearing damage and monetary loss. So, I came up with the plan to install a tentacle solar fence. The initial plan was to install it across 3.5 km, but we began with a 1 km stretch,” says Kundan Kumar, speaking to The Better India.

Following various representations, he decided to survey the village along with his fellow officers. During the survey, his team had first contemplated going with conventional solar fencing consisting of small poles measuring 4-5 feet and between them three-four layers of horizontal wires powered by solar energy.

They found that this method was unsuitable and carried a lot of constraints.

“In setting up a traditional solar fence, you block access to lands beyond the forest. Instead of focussing on our target species (the animal), which in this case is elephants, Nilgai or Sambar deer, these conventional solar fences also block smaller animals like rodents from passing through,” notes Kundan Kumar.

And that’s how they zeroed in on tentacle solar fencing. Construction began in January 2020, and it was completed within the month.

The fence is a robust curtain-like arrangement which has stainless steel wires hanging down vertically from a height of over 15 feet. The wires are suspended from a horizontal steel wire hung from posts planted at a distance. The solar-powered energiser (solar panels) connected to the fence delivers a non-lethal shock to the elephants. These wires are flexible and remain three feet above the ground, allowing forest officers to obstruct their target species, while allowing smaller species to pass through seamlessly.

“Also, if an elephant crashes into a conventional solar fencing structure, and the wire breaks, the entire stretch becomes dysfunctional. Since our hanging wires are very flexible, there is little damage even if the mighty elephant crashed into it. The 12-volt current that passes through these wires is non-lethal, but once an elephant comes into contact with it, they don’t walk past the same area again,” adds Kundan Kumar.

To come up with the ideal length of the wires (tentacles) protruding from the posts to prevent elephants from breaking through, forest officials even took mitigating factors like the size of their tusks and girth into account. They have also developed a fence monitoring system to keep tabs on the voltage discharged by the solar panels, battery and ground conductivity.

Moreover, in traditional solar fencing structures, it’s a real challenge to push elephants back into the forest when they get tangled up with the hard wiring. In this curtain-like structure, however, all forest staff need to do is switch off the electricity and the elephant can comfortably get itself out of it. This system is even more cost-effective.

“The per-unit cost as compared to normal solar fencing, where concrete work is required at the bottom to ensure there is no growth of herbs or shrubs that can damage or short circuit the wires, is also lower. In hanging solar fencing, there is no concrete work. The per km cost of installing a hanging solar fence is 30-40% less than the conventional ones,” he notes.

Before The Fence: Inspiration from Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Kundan Kumar was an officer in training back in 2017 when he went on a tour to national parks and sanctuaries in South India. It was at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka when he first saw the effectiveness of tentacle solar fencing.

“Tentacle solar fencing was established in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in 2017-18. Initially, we had set it up on a trial basis, across 3 km. Today, out of 220 km of our periphery borderline, the fencing stretches around 20 km. It has proven to be very successful and is more than 70% effective in preventing elephants from travelling outside their core area into human habitations on the periphery of the reserve. To an extent, herbivores like spotted deer, sambar and even peacocks are also obstructed. This year, we are going to extend it a further 3 km,” says K Paramesh, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), Bandipur, speaking to The Better India.

The fencing was a result of the human-animal conflict on the periphery of the forest reserve. The locals put forward the demand as they didn’t want elephants or wild boars to enter their fields.

“While most aren’t concerned about the type of fencing, some farmers demand railway barricades to fence the border areas. We were among the first to start this fencing system as well. In Bandipur, these railway barricades stretch to about 40 km. For railway barricading, officials at the reserve utilise rails from the railway tracks and procure it from the railway department. It’s quite expensive compared to a hanging solar fence. However, it is permanent, stable, long-lasting and low maintenance. In hanging solar fences, the wires coated with aluminium will deteriorate after five years and require some degree of maintenance. We may have to replace the wires after 5-6 years,” says Paramesh.

“The cost differential is significant. Railway barricading costs around Rs 1-2 crore per km, while for hanging solar fences, it’s at about Rs 3-3.5 lakh per km. But the problem with these railway barricades is also that they result in a permanent hindrance for wildlife movement,” says Kundan Kumar, explaining why he chose hanging solar fences.

According to a report in The Hindu, “the cost of laying [a] fence for 1 km is Rs 1.25 crore” at the Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka. Although farmers in the periphery of the forest area have reported a steep fall in crop damage as a result of this structure, in December 2018, a male elephant tragically passed away while trying to cross a fence.

Nonetheless, DFO Kundan Kumar took inspiration from Bandipur to start work on the hanging solar fence just weeks after his arrival. Since this was the first time such an installation was envisioned in Uttarakhand, he found out that local vendors did not have the technical know-how to construct this type of fence.

“So, I reached out to vendors in Mysore, obtained some drawings of the structure and its technical details. Then, I called some local vendors and asked them whether they could construct it. I had drawn the structure, explained how this could be made and offered them all the technical specifications for it. After this meeting, I floated a tender with all the necessary specifications, and we awarded the vendor offering the best price,” he says.

Taking Ownership

Over the years, critical elephant corridors, which are not officially notified, have shrunk in the Terai region of Uttarakhand. This has brought elephants closer to human habitats. Therefore, no conservation effort is successful unless the local community doesn’t issue its support.

“The villages on our forest fringe, for example, have suffered from crop raids by elephants crossing over into their land that sometimes results in human deaths. This results in animosity against the elephants. Locals start seeing animals as their enemy. Our job is also to create a narrative and make them realise that these animals are not their enemies. Unless we can make them feel safe, we can’t seek their participation in conservation and protection,” says Kundan.

The fencing they have created is on the border of the reserve forest area. Also, Gaindakhali village isn’t a new habitation. This village has been around for years.

To address the situation at hand, however, forest officials are developing bamboo plantations and grasslands to provide a better habitat for elephants in the reserve forest area. In their plantation, they have grown plant species that elephants like to consume. They also create water holes inside the jungles and thus contain them inside so that they don’t have to venture out.

“We are also creating installations like tentacle solar fencing to protect local communities, who have long demanded it. In the event, wild animals kill someone or destroy their crops or kill their cattle, we give them monetary compensation as well,” says Kundan Kumar.

If maintained properly, this structure can prove to be a long term measure to prevent human-animal conflicts. The one issue is maintenance, but forest officials have collaborated with representatives of the local Panchayat, and given them the responsibility to ensure that there is no wire theft or cutting. “They are willing to take ownership of this facility because they understand that this fence will protect their lives and crops,” he adds.

It has been more than five months since this solar fence was set up and the results have been very positive even though forest officials are conducting on-ground studies to contextualise the results they’re seeing now.

“We are conducting a study on how much compensation we have paid to villagers in the past years for crop damage, injury, and deaths as a result of human-animal conflict. But based on the first-hand feedback, locals feel safer,” says Kundan Kumar. Gaindakhali villagers had not sown paddy or wheat in the past six years. Now, they have got back to their agricultural activities thanks to the work of this forest officer.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

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A couple of years ago, a group of travellers wanted to travel across the Bangapani region in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district. However, due to heavy rains, a bridge over the stream that connected other villages had been washed away.

That’s when a villager informed them about Yamraj, the only man who could help them. The group was confused — Yamraj, in Hindu mythology, is the god of death — but decided to approach him anyway

Since it was late in the night, he refused to cross the stream and promised that he would help them begin their journey in the early hours of the morning. Since the travellers had no place to stay, he took them to a nearby government school and arranged for blankets and snacks. 

Next morning, as promised, he carried each person, by turn, on his shoulder in waist-deep waters and helped them reach a pakka road. Moved by his heartfelt assistance, the travellers generously paid him Rs 8,000. 

As Yamraj a.k.a Diwani Ram narrates this incident, I cannot help but marvel at his courage, willingness and kindness towards strangers. 

“For a family like ours, earning Rs 8,000 in a day is a huge deal but my reward was seeing the happiness on their faces. The group had travelled all the way from another state to visit different temples in our state. Of course, I had to show Uttarakhand’s hospitality so I did whatever I could,” says Diwani, who received the nickname after he was spotted going to school on a buffalo as a kid. 

Due to the absence of a proper bridge, nearby areas including Munsiyari, Bangapani and Dharchula experience flooding; the connecting bridges often get washed. It becomes difficult for villagers to visit markets and government offices. This is where the 49-year-old farmer comes in.

“For three generations we have been helping people including villagers, travellers and officers to cross flooded regions. My father taught me how to walk in deep waters when I turned 14, and since then I have been doing this work every season. Now my son has also joined me,” he says. 

Crossing a flooded region might seem like a task that can be undertaken by anyone, but maintaining balance and taking responsibility for another human being’s life is something that can only be mastered over time.

“Sometimes, the winds and the water currents are so strong, that they uproot trees or cause bikes to lose their balance. Once, I was helping a lady when I lost balance and both of us fell. Some of her belongings drowned but due to my alertness and knowledge of the stream, I was able to save her life,” he recalls. 

To appreciate Diwani’s exemplary work, people voted him to be the Gram Pradhan (village head) of Siling village between 2015-2019 and even as he occupied that post, he continued helping people.

Diwani says he has ferried thousands of people over the years, and prefers to offer his help for free. On most occasions, people, out of their goodwill, end up paying him. “My dad believed that offering help without expecting anything in return is the biggest service you can give for the nation. His words have stayed with me till today, and I have even passed them on to my kids.” 

While Diwani is not averse to accepting money for this work, there are times when he happily forgoes payment. “There are a couple of soldiers who are posted in different regions so if they have to get across the village during monsoons I help them. It feels wrong to take money from them, so they pay for my services with sweets.” 

While Diwani enjoys his work, there is a chance that he will have to discontinue it once the bridge — which is currently being constructed over the Jauligarh river — will be ready. 

“We have already finished working on small bridges in the area and two big bridges are under construction so this problem of flooding will soon be solved by the administration,” Anil Kumar Shukla, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Dharchula area of Pithoragarh, told The Better India

Till then Diwani can continue spreading a little cheer and kindness. 

Edited by Gayatri Mishra

Originally from Bengaluru, Retired Col Nandu Kumar was posted in several regions across the country while he was serving in the Indian Army for over 25 years, where he was well recognised for his bravery. But, in his own way, this patriot continues to serve the nation even to this day, thanks to his water-saving ideas. 

His innovative Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) technique has helped close to 400 spots in and around the Jammu valley and Uttarakhand exponentially recharge otherwise depleting groundwater tables while reducing the risk of floods.

“I realised the inevitable problem of flooding while serving as the commanding officer in Pithoragarh and Samba district in Uttarakhand and Jammu respectively. The ironic part was these same flooded regions also faced water scarcity and groundwater depletion, as a result of which the survival rates of plants were very low. With an effective RWH structure, we were able to solve all these problems in one go,” Col Kumar, who commanded the 129 Infantry Battalion (TA) Ecological JAKLI in 2019 tells The Better India. 

For each structure, he spent close to Rs 1000, that can save up to 5,000 litres of water per hour.

He spent the money on purchasing drums and pipe fittings. The labour costs were zero as his officers helped in digging the unit and he found sands and pebbles in abundance in the hilly areas. 

However, for someone planning to build the structure in urban areas, he/she will have to spend extra on labour and purchasing sand/pebbles. Col Kumar, who presently lives in Bengaluru, points out that the total cost, which is a one-time investment can go up to Rs 5000 depending upon the size. 

Steps For the Cost-Effective Solution

Materials required: a plastic drum, sufficient pipe, pebbles, sand, and a gully trap. 

• Dig a pit in the ground to a depth of 8-10 feet, with a diameter of 4 feet
• Make tiny holes in the bottom and around the drum
• Make the pipe fittings and add the gully trap to collect solid waste (as shown in the image). Insert the pipe from the top in the drum in a way that 2 inches of the pipe peep out of the ground, to let the water penetrate 
• Make the first layer in the ground with pebbles and sand and place the drum on top
• Fill the space around the drum with pebbles up to the brim.
• Cover the drum with one feet of mud and place an iron grill to prevent any kind of damage. 

This structure was constructed by Col Kumar and his battalion in four areas of Pithoragarh and Samba, “A visible change was noted in the campus of our Samba sector where our lawn would turn yellow due to humidity and the staff would have to water it every day. A few months after we installed the structure, he started watering the lawn on alternate days.” 

Seeing the exemplary results, other battalions learnt Col Kumar’s method and replicated it in their respective regions Almora and Pithoragarh. 

“As far as my knowledge is concerned, at least 400 such structures were created during my tenure from 2014-2019,” he says. 

For those wanting to install the same model, he says a minimum area, about 3×3 foot in diameter, is necessary. 

“Dig a 3.5×3.5-foot pit that is 8 feet deep. Sandwich the drum between the sand and pebbles. Make the perforated hole and connect your rooftop pipes with it. This hole will allow thousands of litres of rainwater to percolate underground. This will recharge the groundwater tables,” Col Kumar explains. 

Besides the RWH structures, Col Kumar was also instrumental in creating other water 4000 conservation systems like bunds and canals during his tenure. 

The eco-warrior is also credited for organising a massive plantation drive in 2015 that secured a place in the Limca Book of records. The force along with the participation of the community and local panchayats planted one lakh saplings (15 varieties) in just 19 minutes around the Almora and Pithoragarh districts of the Kumaon region. 

“Such a noble cause can only be accomplished if it is supported by one and all in the society. We intend to involve the social fabric of Pithoragarh so that they develop their concern towards nature and the ecological system,” he said. 

All the images are sourced from Retd Col Nandu Kumar

(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)