Saturday, July 28, 2012

MOTHER WHO LOST 4 YEAR SON TO CANCER TO FIGHT MONSANTO, GMOs



After losing her 4 year old son to cancer and seeing her two daughters struggle with their own health problems, Diana Reeves turned her attention to the relationship between food and health. She started GMO Free USA to spread awareness and lead a campaign to label genetically-modified foods.

Reeves watched as her home state of Connecticut caved to Monsanto’s demands not to pass a GMO labeling law after the public had voiced their support for it. Afterwards, Reeves decided to become active in the fight against GMOs and is finding that her activism is a positive way to deal with the loss of her child. “This is one of those things that act as a catalyst, that bring people together,” Reeves said. “You learn to live with it, to try to make some good come of it, to find better ways to channel the grief.”

GMO Free USA is now a national campaign, aiming to pressure food manufacturers to reveal which of their products contain GMOs. Having already reached its goal of attracting at least 5,000 members, the group now aims to take on one company per week, asking it about GMOs and where it sources its ingredients from. If companies are unwilling to reveal and/or remove GMOs from its products, GMO Free USA intends to start a boycott of the brand.

“We’re going to hit them from every angle,” Reeves said. “It’s going to be thousands of people speaking directly to food manufacturers.”

The campaign has a Facebook page with over 6,000 members and also maintains a Yahoo group for anyone not on Facebook. I just joined the FB group; you should do the same and support the fight against GMOs and Monsanto.

Friday, July 27, 2012

THE TENTH BEAUTIFUL ANGEL PREFERS TO BE ANONYMOUS


Angels are visibly invisible !

Some of the Beautiful Angels are so-so beautiful and kind that they just don’t stop by doing just one kind act... they are eager to be part of the movement in more ways and are always there, asking for more... One such beautiful angel is Ankit Tulsyan... Yes! You all have heard this name before last year as well as this year... he is the Second Beautiful Angel this year, continuing his kind and strong support from last year.

We often discuss things about the movement’s progress every month over phone... And during one such conversation, he asked me if I had got all my TEN BEAUTIFUL ANGELS... and when I said one is left... he said, “Can I help you? I want to...” Such was his kindness that he wanted more challenges thrown at him... and he demanded it... I smiled to look at Sai Baba’s picture in my room... I said, “Now this is a challenge to find my Tenth Beautiful Angel.” He was so happy at the opportunity given to him to strengthen the movement... he said, “I may call you within an hour or may be after two days... but I will send you the Tenth Beautiful Angel.”

A day passed and he said, “One of my friend wish to talk to you and he will call you after a while.” The call came... and from the other side my Tenth Beautiful Angel said, “It is my privilege to be a part of such a noble venture. Please send me the details of the bank account and I will deposit the amount.” Truly, I have no words to thank Ankit and this noble soul to come at the right time. We talked for over an hour over phone and he tried to understand everything related to the movement. He requested that his small help and support should remain anonymous. And I respect his wishes...

Ankit Tulsyan graduated from the reputed VNIT Nagpur... the reputed Engineering College of Vidarbha and even the Tenth Beautiful Angel completed his Engineering from VNIT... let me tell you all that VNIT is a highly esteem College of Engineering and only the best of best students get admission here. I feel very blessed and thank my Sai Baba to send me so many beautiful angels to help & support me in the “Journey of Destiny”. People I have never known, met or interacted with, have come forward to help me and the farmers of the nation.

The Tenth Beautiful Angel is very eager to understand various ground realities of the situation and often interact with me over phone for hours... he clarifies his doubts with some beautiful questions as a good student... and I am truly very happy to see his passion. He assured me with all his help and strong support. Imagine, only one call it needed from Ankit to tell him, he needs to support me... and without asking anything from Ankit, he agreed! Very rare are such kind hearted people, who without knowing who I am, what I am doing and why I am doing and who will benefit out of the whole thing... he just came forward with no questions asked... truly-truly commendable indeed!

Through this post, I wish to thank you my Tenth Beautiful Angel and you too Ankit Tulsyan for supporting and helping me to pursue the movement... Sai Baba bless you both always & forever !!!









Thursday, July 19, 2012

ORGANIC FARMING NEEDS SIMULTANEOUS REVOLUTION - PART III

In India, in the States that I have visited, namely, Maharastra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana... I have noted that there are very less number of trees around the farmlands... it is very mandatory that farmlands should plant more trees around their farmlands to reap multiple benefits from them. More trees mean more birds will flock and these birds will help eliminate harmful insects to protect the crops & vegetables, bird droppings or their faeces will provide the soil free ready-made manure. More trees will attract more clouds for a good rainfall (what we all have been taught in school in class IV th or V th) and also the trees will protect soil erosion during monsoon while CREATING WIND BARRIERS to protect the crops. Apart from creating wind barriers, if fruit trees like Mango, Jamun, Karvanda etc are planted, they will also give seasonal fruits to farmers' families. If rich wood trees like Teak, Oak & others are planted around the farmlands, they will fetch high returns to farmers after many years...


Organic Farming is certainly not a new thing but an ancient practice of the human civilization from eras... in fact, ever since humans learned farming. It is so simple by using nature’s elements to enhance productivity and that too free of extra cost to get healthy produce to serve and build a healthy nation. The development of Science, if it has advantages, there are also more disadvantages, that has harmed our lives... to make us more lazy and dependent on unwanted things at extra cost. More trees mean, farmers can collect Neem fruits (Nimboli) to make Organic Pesticides and all the dried leaves act as natural manure... just like in the jungles...




We all know jungles doesn’t need any chemical spraying to grow more trees... they grow and multiply on their own in the most natural way, that science has to understand. Everything is a simple cycle of interdependency... the revolution of PLANTING MORE TREES AROUND FARMLAND to create Wind Barriers will reap multiple benefits to every farmer in the world.

CREATING BUNDS ALL AROUND THE FIELDS can be seen in most of the areas, where farming has flourished to fetch farmers better results in protecting soil erosion and build good ground water table, so that water for irrigation and drinking is in plenty during summer seasons. Here, I would like to mention about the 84-year-young Premji Bhai Patel from Upleta, Rajkot district of Gujarat... who dedicated his life to harvest rain water by creating check dams, underground water tanks and planting trees... since the last two and a half decades. One man’s devotion saw Rajkot district’s salty ground water table turning into sweet water table... to make Rajkot district the only district in the whole of India, where farming is done all 12 months of the year.


If one goes around Nashik – the Vegetable Basket of Maharastra – one can see bunds being created in almost 99 % of the farms... no wonder, Nashik produces vegetables in plenty, while on my first visit to Vidarbha in April 2010, I was shocked to see farmlands without any bunds... as a kid, my mother and father was very fond of gardening... we had a large compound and plenty of space to have a beautiful garden with as many as 25 to 30 varieties of flowers... and also we had near about 15 to 20 varieties of vegetables & fruits... I used to help them in giving water to the plants and vegetables... we used to grow Corn, Groundnuts, Brinjal, Tomatoes, Chillies, Ladyfingers, Bitter Gourd, French Beans, Peas, Sugarcane, Tapioca, Sugarbeet and we had lovely Guavas, Custard Apples, Papayas... all these were for family consumption only... I never realized in life that my childhood experience will ultimately help me to understand better about farming and that my destiny will take me to Vidarbha to serve the farmers’ community.

I have interacted with farmers from various villages in Vidarbha and when I ask them why they have not build bunds around their fields, they just shrug their shoulders. Not that they don’t know the age-old practice... but they are lazy to work hard to build bunds... I am surprised at their careless attitude and mindset... a few have listened to my advice but it is really very-very difficult to change the mindset of the Vidarbha farmers... my efforts will not be lessened and I will continue to educate them the benefits of creating bunds around their fields. A big revolution has to start by everyone who is connected to farming, to teach and guide farmers to build bunds around their farmlands to harvest rain water to increase the ground water table and save soil erosion of the fertile upper layers.



... to be continued...

GOVERNMENT is MISLEADING the Nation with STATISTICS:

 
Use simple common sense & simple logic...
With billions of Hectares of FERTILE LANDS being ACQUIRED by the Government and the Corporate Companies allover the nation for various Infrastructure Projects, Thermal Power Projects, Nuclear Power Projects, SEZ, Educational Institutions, Malls, Houses & Apartments and various Industries... how can Productivity of the Food grains INCREASE?

With 58,000 crores worth of food grains are allowed to rot in the Open FCI Godowns annually (the figure is once again misleading)...

And, If we really have the SURPLUS, then WHY is the NATION importing food grains from other countries???

Saturday, July 14, 2012

MEET THE NINTH BEAUTIFUL ANGEL : A LONG TIME FRIEND


Angels are visibly invisible !

She has been helping the movement in her own special ways since the last year in a very silent manner... very promptly sharing certain important posts / status as and when help were needed for the movement... and I must thank her from the bottom of my heart because she introduced to me, some of the most amazing angels, who were her friends. Friends, who came forward without really knowing me... but help they did at the right moment with medicines for villagers... and assuring me of future help as and when required.

I have known her since the early 2002 as a journalist. She was at Magna and I used to cover celebrity homes for Society Interiors, while I was freelancing with many publication houses simultaneously. How time has flown by and when we met recently at her office in Bombay after many years, we realized a decade has simply gone by... it surely seemed like yesterday, when we used to go for gup chup or paani puri and share a hearty laugh... Over the years, I have been happy for her progress as the Assistant Editor of Better Interiors...


When I approached her... she said, “Sure JD!” Deepa Nair has really strengthened the movement in her own special ways and I wish there are more beautiful angels like her, who will come forward to provide help and support kindly, with whatever possible... it may be medicines for villagers, baby clothes for infants in villages or raise funds... so we can help more affected farmers’ families of our nation.

I am truly grateful for everything you have done and doing for the movement D! Deepa Sai Baba bless you and your families always and forever.









... to be continued...

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

IN THE NAME OF VIDARBHA FARMERS, THE LOOT IS ON...


From the "Land of the Saints" Maharastra has become the "Land of the Corrupt"

  
VIDARBHA FARMERS have still not been paid the "CROP DAMAGE AID" declared by the CHIEF MINISTER Prithviraj Chavan in December 2010... while the CM has already earned 90 % Interest (@ 5 % per month since Dec 2010) on the Principal Amount of Rs. 1,088 Crore...
At the same time, he had declared another "CROP DAMAGE AID" of Rs. 2,000 Crore in December 2011 (already earned 35 % interest on the amount)...

Rs. 1,088 Crore + Rs. 979 Crore = Rs. 2,067 Crore
 
+

Rs. 2,000 Crore + Rs. 700 Crore = Rs. 2,700 Crore
 
=

Rs. 4,767 Crores GULPED in the name of FARMERS' AID :(
And the Nation and the Prime Minister keep MUM !!!
 

Saturday, July 7, 2012

THE EIGHTH BEAUTIFUL ANGEL PREFERS TO BE ANONYMOUS


Angels are visibly invisible !

Even though you see them every day, many angels are still elusive for you to meet them due to destiny. The Eighth Beautiful Angel is one such angel... we see each other on Facebook almost daily but so far, I have not been able to meet this beautiful kind soul. When he entered to become the part of the “Journey of Destiny” through another Facebook friend, there was something very special about his commitment to lend help and support... I remember each face who have played the beautiful role to come forward to support the movement from day one... and in the last two plus years, I have met, interacted and spend some precious moments with most of the angels in India. There are many beautiful angels all across the globe, who have been a great support to strengthen the movement. And, I am truly-truly very-very grateful to all of them.

Last year, the Eighth Beautiful Angel was one among the many, who helped the villagers with medicines during the monsoon... and he always tells me that whenever I require any help, I should approach him without any hesitation. I have known him for nearly two years now and we do interact over phone regarding the progress of the movement. When I was wondering to get TEN BEAUTIFUL ANGELS for the third year, I approached him when I was stuck with just Seven Beautiful Angels... he messaged me and then called me, “I will send you a cheque right away. Only request is to keep it confidential. Please let me know to whom cheque needs to be addressed to. And place where I can courier it. Also please let me know if I can contribute for any specific project.” 

Some of the Beautiful Angels wish to do more than I am requesting them for the movement. Right from the beginning, I had made up my mind that I will raise only that much help and assistance that is required to support the villagers in an effective manner. I don’t wish to possess more than required because I have realized this aspect when I started the “Journey of Destiny”. It is such a waste of money, space and time when you keep accumulating things that you will just keep and do nothing... and after few months or years, you will throw them as wastes... Want not, Waste not! Such a simple and powerful sentence, which we humans have forgotten.

The Eighth Beautiful Angel very promptly deposited the full year’s support... Sai Baba bless your families always and forever! I am grateful for everything you have done and will do in future, from the bottom of my heart.








... to be continued...


Thursday, July 5, 2012

ORGANIC FARMING REQUIRES SIMULTANEOUS REVOLUTION -- PART II --

More cattle means the farmers need cattle feed, which is in short supply and highly priced nowadays because Jowar / Sorghum cultivation has taken a backseat since the last few decades... Whatever Sorghum is being cultivated are being exported to the Western Countries for their large cattle houses, while Indian farmers struggle to pay a high price for cattle feed. The third REVOLUTION that is the need of the hour is the increasing JOWAR / SORGHUM CULTIVATION in the nation. Sorghum is highly nutritious with great health benefits... and the plants are good cattle feed... increasing Sorghum cultivation is the need of the hour, so as to supplement well with cattle feed for the  increasing cattle bank. But the farmers have been lured and misguided by the nation’s government policies to grow cash crops... Yes, a nation needs cash crops but at what cost? At the cost of farmers succumbing to suicide year after year? The policies of the governemnt is more corporate friendly rather than being farmers’ friendly. 


I had interacted with farmers from villages in Rajasthan in Jaipur district last year... one farmer revealed an amazing hard-to-believe facts: The State of Rajasthan as everyone knows is a dry state with minimum rainfall. Drought is very common with farmers in Rajasthan and they usually have only one crop season because of scanty rainfall. In 2010 – 11, Rajasthan received good rainfall and farmers were very happy because they had two crop season and almost every farmer had a bountiful of crops... happy faces all around, crops were being harvested under supervision of the old guards... it was a lovely sight ! I even shared some lovely daal-batti at one of the farmer’s house, when he invited us in joy... it was al-fresco in the village with moonlit and curious village folks gathered all around us. The farmer revealed when there was acute drought situation in Rajasthan for three years, saving the cattle became such a crisis because cattle feed was not available in the state. But the Rajasthan farmers are known warriors, who never give up so easily. Villagers gathered together and whatever gold the women had were gathered and sold to buy cattle feed at a high price from Punjab and Haryana, to save the cattle. Even now, when I am writing this, my hair has raised on its own for the sheer sacrifice the farmers did to save their cattle...

The farmers were shocked and asked me – ‘why do farmers in Vidarbha succumbed to suicide? They have good rainfall unlike us.’ Truly so, the farmers revealed that for six months, they migrate to cities to work as labourers to earn their livelihood, ‘but we don’t commit suicide.’ I had no answer to their question... it also showed that at extreme conditions, Indian farmers have adapted their geographical state without compromising on hard labour.The reason why I shared this particular experience here is, that for farmers, their land and cattle are God like... so how can farmers today are losing their Gods on their own to adapt modern comforts? I am not against comforts by any means... every farmer is entitled to enjoy life of comforts after a hard day’s work in the fields year after year.

Here I also wish to share with one and all, what one can achieve if one is determined and willing to work hard... a wonderful success of 32 Women Farmers of Pastapur Village in Medak district of Andhra Pradesh (I read about them in newspapers), who were guided by Deccan Development Society. Their organisation is named SANGHAM... These women took reigns from their husbands to start cultivation of Sorghum when they faced with drought for couple of years... they worked hard to reap the benefits and with the success of their respective farms productivity, they started dairy farming simultaneously. Today, they are running successfully dairy farming and are exporting Sorghum to US and is one of the leading exporter of Sorghum in the nation. The village has become prosperous because of the hard labour of these 32 women, who are controlling and supervising both the units without any support from their male counter parts. Women power can achieve great feats and these village women showed it to the world.


The myth that Organic Farming produce are pest-free produce is also misleading... because even Organic Farming faces local pest attacks... the best Organic Pesticides is one that is made by crushing dried Neem seeds... Neem Fruits are collected when they are ripe to fall on the ground early morning... however, one must make sure that these Neem Fruits doesn’t come in contact with the soil, if you wish to get more effective results. This means, farmers have to put huge pieces of cloth / bed covers / bedsheets under the Neem trees at night and collect the fruits in the morning. Once these fruits are collected, they are dried and then crushed into powder form... the powder is then sprayed on the farm to prevent pests’ attack. This process once again needs hard labour and unless and until you have enough trees, how will you get your Organic Pesticides for your farms? So the fourth REVOLUTION needed is to increase PLANTATION OF NEEM TREES in the villages and all around the farms in large numbers. Yes, this will take years but a start has to be made now, before it is too late. These trees have great health benefits... while providing super cool pure breeze to prevent diseases in the surroundings, the tender branches are used for cleaning teeth (even now in Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand states,it is used) as DATOON... a very ancient practice by Indians for healthy teeth and gums free of cost; the tender leaves are used in preserving seeds and food grains and the dried leaves also act as an effective manure in the fields.

PART - I :

... to be continued...