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BlogBook
2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
Contents
1 2015
1.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.1.1
1.1.2
International Migrants Day 2015 (2015-12-18 06:08) . . . . . . . . . . .
9
9
COP21 Impact of climate change on health in tribal communities of Odisha

(2015-12-07 14:52) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
Barrier free environment in Smart city Planning (2015-12-03 09:40) . .
11
1.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13
1.1.3
1.2.1
Smart city Bhubaneswar and Safety for Women (2015-11-25 06:40) . .
13
1.2.2
World Town Planning Day 2015 (2015-11-09 09:56) . . . . . . . . . . . .
15
1.3 October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16
1.3.1
India a Low-income food deficit country (2015-10-16 16:05) . . . . . . .
16
1.3.2
Public space in Urban Planning (2015-10-06 08:57) . . . . . . . . . . . .
18
1.4 August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
1.4.1
Tribal settlements and impact on health (2015-08-09 05:54) . . . . . . .
20
1.5 July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21
1.5.1
1.5.2
Disaster response planning (2015-07-11 08:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21
CHARLES CORREA: MASTER OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE

(2015-07-02 15:32) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
23
1.6 June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24
1.6.1
Climate change and Food security (2015-06-05 05:07) . . . . . . . . . .
24
1.7 May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
1.7.1
BHUBANESWAR:
HIGHER-INTENSITY
QUAKE
NOT
UNLIKELY
(2015-05-22 00:45) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
1.8 April
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
1.8.1
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS (2015-04-28 14:11) . . . .
28
1.8.2
CLIMATE
CHANGE
MITIGATION
RESPONSES
IN
URBAN
SEAS
(2015-04-22 04:44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30
1.8.3
TOURISM AND HERITAGE MANAGEMENT (2015-04-18 09:28) . . . . .
32
1.8.4
KOENIGSBERGERS BHUBANESWAR WITNESSES MANY TRANSFORMATIONS (2015-04-13 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
34
1.9 March
1.9.1
1.9.2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
INCLUSIVE,
CONVENIENT
AND
SAFE
CITIES
FOR
36
WOMEN
(2015-03-09 18:31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36
SMART CITIES (2015-03-02 08:05) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
38
BlogBook
CONTENTS
2 2014
41
2.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.1.1
Inclusive Access for Disabled (2014-12-03 00:07) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
41
2.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
43
2.2.1
Safe Neighbourhood Design to prevent Crimes (2014-11-25 06:11) . . .
43
2.2.2
Bio-Toilet for Eco-friendly sanitation (2014-11-19 09:30) . . . . . . . . .
44
2.2.3
Climate change: Challenge to Urban Planning (2014-11-08 04:53) . . .
47
2.3 October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
48
2.3.1
Family Farming to prevent Hunger and Poverty (2014-10-16 06:56) . . .
48
2.3.2
Rights of Slum Populations in the City (2014-10-06 06:02) . . . . . . . .
50
2.3.3
Gandhian concept of Rural-Urban Interdependence (2014-10-03 09:55)
52
2.4 September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
2.4.1
Odisha Nature Tourism (2014-09-29 16:22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54
2.4.2
Ozone Layer Protection (2014-09-16 09:44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
56
2.4.3
Urban Flooding in capital city Bhubaneswar (2014-09-06 06:23) . . . .
57
2.5 August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
59
2.5.1
Architectural Photography of Monuments (2014-08-19 09:41) . . . . . .
59
2.5.2
Vernacular Architecture and Indigenous Technology (2014-08-11 09:55)
61
2.6 July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
63
2.6.1
Growing Population and Sustainable Housing (2014-07-11 09:44) . . .
63
2.6.2
Effective Drug Rehabilitation Centre (2014-07-03 15:38) . . . . . . . . .
65
2.6.3
Role of Family against Elder Abuse (2014-07-03 15:27) . . . . . . . . . .
66
2.7 June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
66
2.7.1
Poverty Elleviation and Child Labour (2014-06-13 23:05) . . . . . . . . .
66
2.7.2
Odishas coastal ecosystems under increasing threat (2014-06-08 05:57)
68
2.7.3
BHUBANESWAR ENVIRONMENT DEGRADED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES

(2014-06-05 15:33) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
70
2.8 May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.8.1
2.8.2
2.8.3
2.8.4
41
TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGE CAMPUSES (2014-05-31 16:12) . . . . . . .

EARTHQUAKE
RESISTANT
MEASURES
IN
72
72
BHUBANESWAR
(2014-05-28 10:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
74
WORLDS FINEST CULTURAL HERITAGES (2014-05-21 10:05) . . . . .
76
LIVING INSTITUTIONS THAT BOND VISITORS WITH CULTURES

(2014-05-19 09:27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
78
2.8.5
ECOTOURISM IN CHILIKA (2014-05-12 09:38) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
80
2.9 April
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
82
2.9.1
Bio- Medical Waste Management in Bhubaneswar (2014-04-28 10:01) .
82
2.9.2
Odisha tops Malaria states in India (2014-04-25 09:20) . . . . . . . . . .
84
2.9.3
Green Vision for City Planning (2014-04-23 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
86
BlogBook
CONTENTS
2.9.4
Konark temple conservation demands urgent attention (2014-04-20 10:32)
88
2.9.5
Bhubaneswar to become World Heritage City (2014-04-15 11:49) . . . .
90
2.9.6
Vector-borne diseases in Slums (2014-04-07 10:10) . . . . . . . . . . . .
92
2.9.7
Friendly houses for Autistics (2014-04-03 12:40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
94
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
95
2.10.1 Role of Youth to fight climate change (2014-03-23 11:19) . . . . . . . . .
95
2.10.2 City urban forests and Climate change (2014-03-21 09:15) . . . . . . . .
96
2.10.3 Community safety for Women (2014-03-10 13:49) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
98
2.11February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
99
2.11.1 Astronomical Architecture (2014-02-28 09:40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
99
2.10March
3 2013
103
3.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
103
3.1.1
Safe Public Space Design for Women (2013-12-23 10:08) . . . . . . . . .
103
3.1.2
Regional Planning to reduce Rural-Urban migration (2013-12-18 10:19)
103
3.1.3
Barrier free Design (2013-12-03 14:30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
105
3.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
106
3.2.1
Urban transport governance reform in India (2013-11-21 13:25)
. . . .
106
3.2.2
Traffic Demand Management Strategy (2013-11-19 10:50) . . . . . . . .
107
3.2.3
ODISHA TOWN PLANNING DAY TO REMEMBER KOENIGSBERGER

(2013-11-08 07:02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
107
3.3 October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
109
3.3.1
NEEDED:Use
of
Disaster
risk
info
on
Land
use
Planning
(2013-10-29 13:47) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.2
3.3.3
RURAL-URBAN GROWTH LINKAGES IMPORTANT FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION (2013-10-17 08:34) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

109
BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL DEPENDS ON WOMENS EDUCATION
(2013-10-11 14:24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.4
109
111
NEEDED: MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORT THAN PERSONAL VEHICLES

(2013-10-07 06:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
113
3.4 September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
115
3.4.1
TIME FOR ECO TOURISM PLANNING,ANSUPA (2013-09-27 08:36) . . .
3.4.2
INDIAN
PERSPECTIVE FOR PROTECTION OF OZONE LAYER

(2013-09-21 22:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
117
3.4.3
PROTECT OZONE LAYER (2013-09-16 20:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
118
3.5 August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
121
3.5.1
TRIBALS ROLE IN CONSERVING MEDICINAL PLANTS NEEDS GREATER

RECOGNITION (2013-08-10 06:18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
121
3.6 July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.6.1
115
Sustainable Human Settlement Planning (2013-07-11 22:59) . . . . . .
122
122
5
BlogBook
CONTENTS
3.7 June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.7.1
Drug against Sustainable Livelihood (2013-06-26 06:20) . . . . . . . . .
124
3.7.2
Sustainable Land Management against Desertification (2013-06-17 00:10)
126
3.7.3
Age-friendly cities (2013-06-15 03:53) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
128
3.7.4
Help Elders live happily (2013-06-15 03:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
128
3.7.5
End Child Labour (2013-06-12 07:11) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
131
3.7.6
Heritage Conservation: Odisha (2013-06-05 14:17) . . . . . . . . . . . .
133
3.7.7
Urban Agriculture (2013-06-05 05:03) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
133
3.8 May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
135
3.8.1
Tobacco-free cities (2013-05-31 04:32) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
135
3.8.2
Smoking between Poverty and Mortality (2013-05-31 04:27) . . . . . . .
135
3.8.3
Biodiversity: Bhitarkanika (2013-05-22 01:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
137
3.8.4
Biodiversity: Similipal (2013-05-22 00:22)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
138
3.8.5
Water birds in India (2013-05-11 13:37) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
140
3.8.6
Wetland degradation (2013-05-11 13:33) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
140
3.9 April
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
142
3.9.1
Rescue of Child Ragpickers (2013-04-28 05:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
142
3.9.2
Environmental health risk of slum-dwellers (2013-04-25 18:40) . . . . .
143
3.9.3
Global action Plan: Malaria (2013-04-25 05:09) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
146
3.9.4
Urbanisation adds to growing levels of greenhouse gas (2013-04-24 06:41)
146
3.9.5
GREEN URBANISM (2013-04-24 06:36) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
148
3.9.6
Bhubaneswar Vision-2030 (2013-04-17 15:37) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
149
3.9.7
Koenigsbergers Bhubaneswar Planning (2013-04-17 15:34) . . . . . . .
149
3.9.8
Health and Housing (2013-04-17 15:26) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
151
3.9.9
Fighting High Blood Pressure (2013-04-17 15:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
152
3.9.10 Creating right environment (2013-04-04 20:04)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
152
3.9.11 Autism friendly environment (2013-04-04 20:02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
153
3.10March
124
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
155
3.10.1 Weather Watch (2013-03-26 10:19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
155
3.10.2 Water Scarcity (2013-03-26 10:18) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
155
3.10.3 Pollution problems (2013-03-26 10:16)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
157
3.10.4 Womans Safety (2013-03-11 16:04) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
158
3.10.5 Safety Initiatives (2013-03-11 16:00) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
158
3.10.6 Urban Heat Island Effects (2013-03-11 15:58) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
158
3.10.7 Intelligent Buildings (2013-03-11 15:56) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
158
3.11February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
159
3.11.1 Air pollution cause of Cancer (2013-02-08 13:42) . . . . . . . . . . . . .
159
3.11.2 Indoor Air pollution (2013-02-08 13:41) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
159
BlogBook
CONTENTS
4 2012
161
4.1 December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
161
4.1.1
Migration and Climate Change (2012-12-18 14:10) . . . . . . . . . . . .
161
4.1.2
Migration and Poverty (2012-12-18 14:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
161
4.1.3
Sustainable Energy for All (2012-12-11 14:49) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
161
4.1.4
COP18 Doha : Womens Voices in Climate Change (2012-12-11 14:39) .
162
4.1.5
Remember Persons with Disabilities (2012-12-11 13:29) . . . . . . . . .
162
4.1.6
Barrier free Environment (2012-12-11 13:28) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
162
4.1.7
Traffic Travails (2012-12-11 13:27) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
163
4.1.8
Traffic calming Measures (2012-12-11 13:23) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
163
4.1.9
Green Renewable Energy (2012-12-11 13:19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
163
4.2 November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
163
4.2.1
Cities must create jobs (2012-11-03 10:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
163
4.2.2
Disaster Reduction (2012-11-03 10:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
164
4.2.3
Cyclone Management (2012-11-03 10:05) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
164
4.2.4
Urban sprawl Bhubaneswar (2012-11-03 09:55) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
164
4.2.5
Eco-cities (2012-11-03 09:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
165
4.2.6
Spatially managed Cities (2012-11-03 09:44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
165
4.2.7
Save Planet (2012-11-03 09:41) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
165
4.2.8
Quake proof Buildings (2012-11-03 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
165
4.2.9
Planning & Realities (2012-11-03 09:24) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
166
4.2.10 Indigenous Knowledge (2012-11-03 09:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
166
4.2.11 Tribal Architecture (2012-11-03 09:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
166
4.2.12 Population & Environment (2012-11-03 08:59) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
166
4.2.13 City without Slums (2012-11-03 08:48) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
167
4.2.14 Hottest Titilagarh (2012-11-03 08:35) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
167
4.2.15 Forest & Environment (2012-11-03 08:19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
167
4.2.16 Green Cities (2012-11-03 08:17) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
167
4.2.17 Green Buildings (2012-11-03 08:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
168
4.2.18 Bhubaneswar cultural identity (2012-11-03 07:58) . . . . . . . . . . . .
168
4.2.19 World Habitat Day 2005 (2012-11-03 07:51) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
168
BlogBook
CONTENTS
1. 2015
1.1 December
1.1.1
International
Migrants
2015 (2015-12-18 06:08)
numbers of migrant workers. The major sub

sectors using migrant labourers are textiles,
Day construction, stone quarries and mines, brick
kilns, small-scale industry and street vending.
There are 106 urban local bodies (ULBs)
in Odisha and every urban body in the
State has more or less migrant populations.
Bhubaneswar as the capital city has attracted
migrants from both rural and urban areas for
better opportunity for business and employment. There is not enough provision for the
housing and other infrastructural facility for
the migrant people in the city. They suffer
from poor living and working conditions, social isolation, poor access to basic amenities,
while most of them settled down in slum pockets.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/rural-urban-div
ides-inindia-impact-on-migration.html
RURAL-URBAN DIVIDES IN INDIA: IMPACT
ON MIGRATION
The United Nations International Migrants
Day is observed on December 18 to recognise the efforts, contributions and rights of
migrants worldwide. The day is celebrated
to identify and curb all kinds of violence and
abuse faced by the migrants and their family
members and advocate respect for their primary human rights.
UN member States and intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations observe the
day through the dissemination of information
on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, and through the sharing of
experiences and the design of actions to ensure their protection.
A majority of the worlds people live in urban

areas, yet in India, the majority of the population is still rural. There are gaps in key development indicators between urban and rural dwellers in many low- and middle-income
cities in India. The gap has started since Indias independence in 1947 and the countrys
growth was based to develop urban areas more
than the rural areas by introducing industrialisation and urban infrastructure. This has
caused an imbalance between urban and rural areas. There is a linkage between the rural
and urban development. These linkages matter because rural and urban livelihoods are interconnected economically and socially. From
a rural perspective, most farmers depend on
urban markets to secure their livelihoods. Rural households also depend on urban centers
or small towns for various services as hospitals, banks, and Government offices etc. Likewise, urban areas are linked to the rural sector through several channels. For example,
various urban businesses and enterprises depend on rural area for their goods and services.
They also rely on rural areas for the supply of
raw materials. Urban consumers, on the other
hand, benefit from cheap and sustained food
supply from rural areas.
Migrants constitute about one third of Indias

urban population and the share has been increasing. The share of migrants in the urban
population has increased from 31.6 per cent
in 1983 to 33 per cent in 1999-2000 and to 35
per cent in 2007-2008 (NSSO 2007-2008). All Rural urban disparities in development influthree sectors of the Indian economy, agricul- ence migration pattern in Indian cities. This is
ture, industry and services employ very large due to imbalance in the level of development
BlogBook
between rural and urban area. Opportunities
in urban areas for employment and education
etc have been a pull factor attracting migration
from rural to urban areas and from smaller
towns and cities to larger urban areas. The
main reason for rural migrants to urban areas
is high rates of unemployment, poverty, small
size of land holdings and lack of infrastructural development. It leads to overpopulation
of urban areas.
The global plan of action outlined in the Habitat Agenda emphasises the interdependence
between urban and rural areas and the need
to promote their balanced development. So,
rural and urban areas should be connected
by infrastructure, principally transport, electricity and telecommunication networks. Public policies and urban and regional plans can
help support economic growth while protecting natural and agricultural land uses.
1.1. DECEMBER
of the study was to arrive at a methodology of plan preparation that would not only
help to prepare better master plans but also
help in achieving integrated development of
rural-urban areas.
The UDPFI guidelines
suggest various institutional support mechanisms that would help in achieving ruralurban integration.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
Committee on Socio-Economic Measures to Alleviate Poverty in Rural and Urban Areas, at
its meeting in December 2001, recommended
that, Governments pay more attention to
the development of small and medium-sized
towns and build the capacity for poverty alleviation of local Governments in those towns
in order to reduce the pressure on megacities .The United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNECOSOC) High Level Segment
in Geneva in 2003 urged Governments to Promote rural-urban linkages by developing and
strengthening a system of intermediate-size
secondary and tertiary settlements (towns) to
stimulate rural development as well as to minimize the negative impacts of rural-urban migration.
A majority of the villages in the country still

face constraints such as access to education,
health facilities, drinking water, power, roads
etc. A Village Development Plans (VDPs) can
be adopted to integrate development of the villages in an integrated manner. This would include economic development, infrastructural
development and other aspects of human de- Despite these developments, there is a wide
velopment i.e., education, health, drinking wa- gap between rural and urban India with respect to technology, living condition and ecoter supply etc.
nomic empowerment etc. Rural India mostly
The Constitution of India (under Article 19, depends on agricultural sector.
which is a fundamental right of citizens) gives
The growth rate in primary sector (agriculture)
the right to citizens to travel, reside and carry
is 2-3 per cent when compared to secondary
out any trade, profession or business in any
and tertiary sector which are growing at the
part of the country. The 73rd and 74th amendrate of 8-12 per cent. Due to this there is a
ments initiated the processes for introducing
large scale migration of labour forces from ruinstitutional arrangements for seeking interal to urban in search of employment.
grated development of settlements, areas and
regions. For this purpose these amendments Urban-rural integration of the Yanliang disprovide for two types of committees namely trict in China is a good example of this imDistrict Planning Committee and Metropoli- plementation mechanism. The integration
tan Planning Committee. These committees strategy was designed to encompass urbanwould ensure that the plans prepared by local rural economic restructuring, coordination of
bodies at village and town levels are integrated urban-rural economic ties, unified planning
and accommodated within the framework of of the urban-rural ecosystem, computerized
20 to 25 years perspective plans and 5 years management of the infrastructure in an ateconomic development plans prepared at the tempt to develop urban and rural relationship.
national and State levels.
This type of city model can be followed in India
Institute of Town Planners, India in the year for rural-urban integration.
1995 conducted a study to detail out urban 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
development plan formulation and implemen- eswar/rural-urban-divides-in-india-impact-on-migra
tation (UDPFI) guidelines. The basic purpose tion.html
10
BlogBook
1.1. DECEMBER
1.1.3 Barrier
free
environment
in
Smart
city
Planning
(2015-12-03 09:40)
1.1.2
COP21 Impact of climate change

on health in tribal communities
of Odisha (2015-12-07 14:52)
[1]http://outreach.stakeholderforum.org/index.php/previous-editions/cop-2 1-paris/11894-impacts-of-climate-change-on-health-intribal-communities-of- odisha-india

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/smart-city-plan ning-mustsuit-needs-of-the-disabled.html
The United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed on December 3 to focus on issues that affect people with
disabilities worldwide.
This years theme is Inclusion matters: Access
and empowerment for people of all abilities
that seeks to reduce inequalities and remove
barriers to equal participation for persons with
disabilities in society. The United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) stipulates the importance of
interventions to improve access to different domains of the environment including buildings,
transportation, information, and communication.
The UN General Assembly in the recent years
has repeatedly emphasised that the genuine
achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) and other internationally agreed
development goals requires the inclusion and
integration of the rights, and well-being, as
1. http://outreach.stakeholderforum.org/index.php/pr well as the perspective of persons with disabilities in development efforts at national, reevious-editions/cop-21-paris/11894-impacts-of-clim
gional and international levels.
ate-change-on-health-in-tribal-communities-of-odis
ha-india
The World Health Organization (WHO) in a

2011 study estimated that 15.3 per cent of
the worlds population deals with some or the
other kind of disability. In India the disabled
11
BlogBook
1.1. DECEMBER
population has increased by 22.4 per cent be- essary to give instructions accessible through
tween 2001 and 2011. The number of dis- the sense of touch (hands, fingers or legs).
abled, which was 2.19 crore in 2001, rose in
Design requirements include, use of guiding
2011 to 2.68 crore.
blocks for persons with impaired vision to
As per the 2001 Census, there were 10, 21,335 guide them within the buildings and outside
disabled persons in Odisha. As per the 2011 the building, installation of information board
Census, the total disabled population is 12, in Braille, installation of audible signage (an44,402, registering a growth of 21.84 per cent nouncements) and sufficient walking space for
during the decade. The percentage of the safe walking. Hearing Disabilities Persons in
States disabled population to total population this category are totally deaf or have difficulty
has increased from 2.78 in the 2001 Census in hearing. They generally use their sight to
gather information in public places. Design
to 2.96 in the 2011 Census.
requirements include provision of information
Disabled people face many obstacles in their board in an easily understandable manner,
day-to-day activities in public places. In some layout diagrams to help the persons easily
areas there is no proper access to move for a reach the desired place. Barrier Free Environwheelchair user. This becomes a major hur- ment may be applied for residential buildings,
dle for disabled people to move freely. Dis- commercial buildings, hospitals, educational
abled friendly toilets are mostly absent in rail- institutions, religious centers etc.
way station, bus stand, Government offices,
schools, colleges and hospitals. There are Today information and communication techmany housing issues which individuals with nologies in particular have impacted a lot of
disabilities confront when trying to live in the peoples daily lives. However, not all people
community. In any new housing development have access to technology and the higher stanin a city, most of the units are designed for dards of living it allows. A number of cities
general needs. However, among them 2 to 5 and metropolitan areas around the world are
implementing the Smart City concept. The
per cent are disabled people.
smart city mission in India is to improve the
Disabled persons encounter many obstacles quality of life in 100 fast growing urban centhat prevent them from moving about freely ters, including Bhubaneswar. The aim is to
and safely. Therefore, while designing the increase all citizens quality of life and to imbuilt environment, adequate space should be prove the efficiency and quality of the serallocated for persons using mobility devices, vices provided by city planning authorities.
e.g. wheelchairs, crutches and walkers, as Smart cities can be a place where the diswell as those walking with the assistance of abled feel free to move in public places. But in
other persons. Attention should be given to di- Bhubaneswar the majority of the public places
mensions of wheelchairs used locally. This de- are not barrier free.
cides the width of entrances and exits, width
Most of the early considerations around smart
of the passage / corridor, lift size and toicities have been about better use of energy,
let size. A wheelchair may be operated by
more efficient traffic flow and smart services.
the user alone or with a helpers assistance
Besides, the smart city should provide more
for Non-Ambulatory. Design requirements for
inclusive environment for the disabled people
Semi-Ambulatory include, width of passage
to participate in the smart environment. For
for crutch users, finishes of floor surface with
example, a wheelchair user going to the shopnon slip floor material, installation of handrail
ping, public places, railway stations and airto support the body weight at the critical
ports should be able to identify the ideal route
places such as staircase, toilet, ramp, passage
to the particular area. The open spaces are
with a change of level, extension of handrail
designed in such a manner that they can be
on the flat landing at the top and bottom of the
used by everyone.
stairs to prevent slipping off the cane or crutch
from the side of the stairs or ramps. Persons This approach to the smart city planning prowith totally blind or with impaired vision make cess will benefit the disabled persons. At least
use of other senses such as hearing or touch 2-5 per cent of the residential buildings in
to compensate for the lack of vision. It is nec- the city should be made accessible to persons
12
BlogBook
1.2. NOVEMBER
with disabilities by providing disabled-friendly
lifts, toilets as well as signage. In order to
meet the need of particularly disabled people
in housing, the house should be as barrierfree as possible. Before building any apartment house for the handicapped, it is advisable to note street conditions and access to
transportation. Besides, small-scale modifications within the housing complexes like provision of ramps for wheel chair may be required
to get in and out of their homes. For the convenience of wheelchair-bound persons the authority should provide lifts and widen the doorway for them as far as practicable.
Cities across the world are increasingly becoming unsafe for women. There is no city or
country in the world where women and girls
live free of the fear of violence. Whether walking in streets, using public transport, going to
school, college or workplace or selling goods
at the market, women and girls are subject to
the threat of sexual harassment and violence.
To raise awareness and trigger action to end
violence against women, the United Nations
observes the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25. The theme for this year is Prevent
violence against women.
Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1996 enacted by the Government of
India on January 1, 1996 is to create barrier
free environment for persons with disabilities
and to make special provisions for the integration of persons with disabilities into the social
mainstream.
Womens safety involves strategies, practices

and policies which aim to reduce genderbased violence. According to National Crime
Records Bureau (NCRB) data, there is a gradual increase in the number of rapes reported
in India from 24,923 in 2012 to 33,707 in
2013. The report says a total of 33,707 rape
cases were filed across the country in 2014.
Odisha Government has enacted Persons with

Disabilities (Equal opportunities, Protection
of right and full participation) Odisha Rules,
2003. As per the rules the buildings, places,
transportation systems for public use will be
made barrier free.
In 2014, 14,606 cases of crimes against

women were registered in Odisha. There is
also a gradual increase in the number of rapes
reported in Odisha from 1,458 in 2012 to
1,832 in 2013 and 2,011 in 2014.
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
eswar/smart-city-planning-must-suit-needs-of-the-d
isabled.html
1.2 November
1.2.1
Smart
city
and
Safety
(2015-11-25 06:40)
Women in Bhubaneswar are not safe in public

and workplaces. In Bhubaneswar, the number of rapes reported was 56 in 2012, 81 in
2013 and 138 in 2014. Besides, gender-based
violence is present at various levels, beginning with discrimination in education, nutrition, employment and wages.
It is well-accepted that in cities, womens

sense of security in public places varies depending on their own personal experiences of
Bhubaneswar the place, or based on the experiences of other
for
Women women. At times, they are unable to carry out
their daily activities, to participate in the life
in the city, move around freely, study, work or
even enjoy leisurely activities.
In an ambitious plan to upgrade urban India, the Government of India is planning

to build 100 Smart Cities which would be
equipped with high-tech communication capabilities. Odisha capital Bhubaneswar leads in
the Smart City race. A city cannot be smart
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio- and sustainable if women are not safe and
ns/bhubaneswar/smart-city-bhub aneswar- live in fear. International cities have either
implemented or are experimenting with smart
needs-to-be-safe-for-women.html
13
BlogBook
1.2. NOVEMBER
technologies in the areas of intelligent transport management systems and public safety.
Countries like China have already built smart
cities that have building with sensor monitoring traffic flows and security cameras. The
data can be directly sent to the city administrators.
build smart communities. WSA is a participatory tool that is used for collecting and assessing information about perceptions of safety in
public spaces. It is a process that brings people together to walk through a physical environment, evaluate how safe it feels and identify ways to make it safer. A womens safety
audit is a simple and effective way to find out
In February 2015, Bhubaneswar has taken from women about aspects and places in the
the initiative to instal CCTV cameras at differ- community that pose obstacles to safety and
ent locations. It is being utilised as a tool to access.
control crimes and enhance traffic movement.
Bhubaneswar is one of the first cities in India
that has empowered its citizens by setting up a Violence against women is one of the most
state-of-the-art online grievance redressal sys- widespread violations of human rights. The
tem. This system, popularly known as My city Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
My pride (MCMP), was launched with an ob- (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act,
jective of providing a citizen-centric approach 2013 provide protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for preventowards online service delivery.
tion and redressal of complaints of sexual haA Smart City should be inclusiveness and equi- rassment and matters connected therewith or
table. It is important for the policymakers to incidental thereto has been enacted by the
adopt a gender-inclusive urban plan so that Parliament. The principle of gender equality
we can ensure better participation of women is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its
in urban planning process. It is expected Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental
that a Smart City will generate options for all Duties and Directive Principles. Articles 14
residents to pursue their livelihoods and in- and 15 not only grant equality to women but
terests meaningfully. This refers to a citys also empower the State to adopt measures
ability to create employment opportunities, so- of positive discrimination in favour of women
cial sustainability, environmental sustainabil- and protect their rights. Articles 16, 39, 42
ity, safety and security, inclusiveness, ease and 51 favours gender mainstreaming .There
of seeking and obtaining public services, cost- are also several sections of the Indian Penal
efficient healthcare, quality education, trans- Code that deal with sexual harassment. Deparency, accountability and opportunities for spite legal measures, violence against women
participation in governance. Smart cities use is not yet eliminated. The issue can be admultiple intelligence systems to gather public dressed through implementation of effective lesafety information effectively and respond to gal measures and change in attitude.
events efficiently. In the approach document
of the Smart Cities Mission by the Government
of India, it is clearly laid down that one of the Urban planners can take up responsibilities
key objectives is to promote cities that provide and play a role in improving the situation of
smart solutions for safety and security of cit- women by designing Safe Public Spaces for
izens, particularly women, children and the Women and Girls. Besides, They have a role
elderly. Safer city programmes can be organ- in helping women enter the decision-making
ised to contribute to a better understanding process. Equal representation is certainly a
of gender-based violence and development of way to ensure that the needs of men and
adequate tools to prevent it. Local authori- women are addressed in a Smart City planning
ties can improve the citys physical environ- and management.
ment, for example, through better street lighting, building alternatives to dark and secluded 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
walkways or even by positioning bus-stops in eswar/smart-city-bhubaneswar-needs-to-be-safe-forsafer areas.
women.html
Safe cities are the stepping stones to smart
cities. Womens Safety Audits (WSA) can help
14
1.2. NOVEMBER
1.2.2
BlogBook
World Town Planning Day 2015 of housing in Bhubaneswar. It has been ob(2015-11-09 09:56)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/vision-for-affo rdable-housing-and-regeneration.html
VISION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
REGENERATION
The World Town Planning Day (WTPD) is held
on November 8 in 30 countries, including India, to recognise and promote the role of planning in creating livable communities and sustainable urbanisation. An international organisation for the WTPD was founded in 1949 by
late Prof Carlos Maria della Paolera of the University of Buenos Aires.
Urbanisation has created a number of problems like shortage of dwelling units, unauthorised residential colonies, encroachment of
public land, etc. By 2030, about 3 billion people, or about 40 per cent of the worlds population, will need proper housing and access to
basic infrastructure and services.
Some Indian cities are planned ones and some
have grown up haphazardly. Almost all towns
have substandard houses and slums. In India,
the housing shortage is estimated to be 18.78
million at the end of the 11th Five-Year Plan.
A recent State-wide estimate by a technical
group on urban housing shortage says there
is a shortfall of about 4.10 lakh housing units
in Odisha. It is further estimated that approximately 3.60 lakh affordable dwelling units
would have to be added in the BhubaneswarCuttack region exclusively to accommodate
the growth during next 10 years. The LIG
and EWS sections count more than 90 % of
the total housing shortage. Now, over 30 % of
Bhubaneswars population lives in slums. According to a BMC report, the total slum population is 3,08,614 and total household units
are 60,612. Increase in land value, cost of
construction and lack of affordability for the
people are the major reasons for the shortage
served that there are more numbers of HIG

and MIG housing in the central part of the city
and also in the periphery. Compared to this,
LIG and EWS housings are very few.
Housing regeneration is an essential part of
the process of urbanisation. It helps in effective land use, rejuvenates decaying housing
stock and infrastructure and brings in fresh
investments and new development. In high
density areas of the cities, regeneration offers
an alternative way to rebuild the inner core
areas by replacing old and obsolete housing
stock with fresh stock and improved physical environment. Cities like Delhi and Mumbai face constraints on the availability of open
land. And they have virtually no developable
land available in the core areas, which remain densely populated. With no developable
land in the core area, redeveloping existing
real estate properties seems to be the logical
solution. The transformation brought about
by successful redevelopment of properties has
reinforced the belief that repositioning of existing dilapidated areas can help create new
space and modern infrastructure. Even Government agencies and development authorities are now expanding the use of redevelopment process for facilitating efficient land use
and for redesigning urban spaces to offer sustainable housing. After the owner agrees to
put his property for redevelopment, the developer pays an amount of consideration to him
for permitting redevelopment of the building
or the open plot. The redevelopment trend is
catching on in Indian cities. A number of housing societies and independent property owners
in other cities have started coming forward to
reinvent their property by choosing redevelopment.
There are several schemes introduced by the
Government of India to provide housing for all.
The schemes include Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana (PMAY), along with its long-planned
Smart Cities mission, and the Atal Mission
for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation
(AMRUT). The PMAY is an ambitious scheme
aimed to develop two crore affordable housing
units for the urban poor. Besides, the Housing
for All schemes would ensure every urban poor
to own a house. Odisha has been included in
the Housing-for-All scheme under the PMAY.
Odishas 42cities have been included in the
15
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1.3. OCTOBER
list of over 305 cities and towns across nine 1.3

States for implementing the scheme. The Central Government also has two other major ini1.3.1
tiatives. First, under the Jawaharlal Nehru
National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM),
there is a component for Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) and the Rajiv Awas Yojana
(RAY), which aims at creating slum-free cities.
October
India a Low-income food deficit
country (2015-10-16 16:05)
Housing has a significant role to play in urban regeneration because, firstly, it is an important part of the social/cultural dimension
of regeneration, and secondly, it is directly related to the welfare of communities. Housing
can play a significant role in achieving environmental sustainability.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/india-still-a-l ow-income-food-deficit-country.html
Housing shortage would not be a major problem if there is no mismatch between the people for whom the houses are being built and
those who need them. Within the urban population, there is a rapidly growing informal sector whose ability to borrow from the formal
market is not adequately recognised. This is
also posing a new challenge to architects, planners and policymakers to provide housing for
all. The reason is that affordable housing is a
critical concern for low-income groups. An experimental housing model can meet the challenge through a set of policies and incentives
that will bridge the gap between price and affordability. This will enable a sustainable and
economically viable affordable housing model
for both government housing agencies and as
well as private developers.
INDIA STILL A LOW-INCOME FOOD-DEFICIT

COUNTRY
World Food Day is celebrated on October 16
in honour of the date of the founding of the
Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of
the United Nations in 1954. This is a day of
action against hunger. The theme for this year
is Social protection and agriculture: Breaking
the cycle of rural poverty. Social protection,
defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, is concerned with
preventing, managing and overcoming situations that adversely affect peoples wellbeing.
Social protection consists of policies and programmes to reduce poverty and vulnerability
by promoting efficient labour markets and diminishing peoples exposure to risks and enhancing their capacity to manage economic
and social risks.
The worlds population is likely to reach 9.1

1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban billion by 2050. The FAO estimates that by
2050, global food demand will increase by 70
eswar/vision-for-affordable-housing-and-regenerati
per cent. This is going to put tremendous
on.html
pressure on already scarce land and water resources implying an urgent need for an alternative way to combat food shortages.
About 73 per cent of the world populations
have no access to adequate social protection.
16
1.3. OCTOBER
BlogBook
A majority of them live in the rural areas of developing countries and many of them depend
on agriculture for a living. Poor rural households are already constrained by limited access to resources, low agricultural productivity and poorly functioning markets.
the States populations are dependent on agriculture, fisheries and forestry. The State Government should facilitate agriculture through
various schemes to achieve food security. Economic policies should be reoriented to provide
adequate support for agriculture and its vast
Hunger is a global problem. The cost of food rural population. Besides, agriculture can
is rising. Despite a substantial increase in provide the largest source of employment to
food grain production since Independence, In- the rural poor.
dia is still classified as a low-income foodThe Institute of Town Planners, India in the
deficit country. A recent United Nations anyear 1995 conducted a study to detail out urnual hunger report says India is placed at top
ban development plans formulation and imin the world hunger list, surpassing China. Inplementation (UDPFI) guidelines.
The badia ranks 135th out of 187 countries in the
sic purpose of the study was to arrive at a
2014 UNDP Human Development Index and
methodology of plan preparation that would
55th out of 76 countries in the Global Hunger
not only help prepare better master plans
Index.
but also achieve an integrated development
*Odisha has been put in the category of of rural-urban areas. The UDPFI guidelines
severely food-insecure regions. It has been suggest various institutional support mechpointed out that severe food insecurity in anisms that would help in achieving ruralOdisha is primarily due to the presence of urban integration. Adequate infrastructure
vulnerable rural population who are basically such as transportation, communication, enScheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe with poor ergy and basic services is the backbone of the
and marginal livelihood assets or livelihood urban-rural development linkage approach.
susceptible to natural disasters. The average
tribal have less than two acres of land, from Adequate investments in infrastructure, parwhere they produce food for five to six months. ticularly transportation infrastructure, also
For rest of the period, they depend on forest improve rural productivity. Development poliproducts and the Public Distribution System cies that facilitate these rural-urban linkages
(PDS) rice. With incomes insufficient to buy can promote economic growth and poverty
food, many of the households are in debts and reduction. Policies that increase growth in
in the food-insecure category. In many ar- agriculture and promote rural-urban linkages
eas the poor tribals migrate to neighbouring have the potential to reduce poverty. Small
States for work.
urban centres, on the one hand, are market
Agriculture is the main driver of economic towns that offer markets and services for lodevelopment. Higher agriculture productiv- cal agricultural producers and retail and serity can positively impact poverty reduction by vice provision for their populations and the
increasing rural incomes and reducing food surrounding populations. The areas can be
prices. Most of Indias poor live in rural ar- well-positioned to positively influence rural deeas and are engaged in agriculture. Agricul- velopment and agricultural productivity. Reture contributes nearly one-fifth of the gross gional food systems should be strengthened
domestic product (GDP). To improve the rural through inclusion of efficient and accessible
economy, the Government has planned sev- markets and distribution systems in urban
planning and design. The National Food Secueral programmes.
rity Act, 2013 aims to provide subsidised food
As per the 2011 Census, 83.3 crore Indians grains to approximately two-thirds of Indias
live in rural areas and 37.7 crore in urban ar- people. The Act is a milestone in the history of
eas. Rural development has great significance Indias fight against hunger and malnutrition
for India as 69 per cent of the people live in as it empowers more than 800 million Indians
rural areas.
(75 % of the rural and 50 % of the urban popu*Of the total population of Odisha, around lation living below and just above the poverty
83.32 per cent live in rural areas and 16.68 line) to legally claim their right to highly subper cent in urban areas. As much as 85 % of sidised staple foods.
17
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The land is the basic need for food security.
City planners have a unique opportunity to facilitate and lead food security initiatives at a
regional level through the decisions about the
use of land. In many regions productive agricultural land has been converted to other uses.
During the planning stage, planners could be
involved in collection of data on regional food
demand and assessment on the impact of current planning on the regional food system. Integration of agriculture with regional development can provide food to both rural and urban
residents. It is imperative to adopt development control measures to safeguard agricultural land from urban sprawl. At the same
time, provision of more income security and
investment in rural livelihoods can improve local economic development and promote social
protection.
1.3. OCTOBER
Sustainable Development Goals provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces, in particular for
women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities. It is in this regard that
UN-Habitat together with the main partner for
World Habitat Day 2015, UN Women, are honoured to celebrate and launch this theme during October 2015.
A public space is a social space that is generally open and accessible to all citizens. Roads
(including the pavement), sidewalks, markets,
playgrounds, public squares and parks are
typically considered public space. To create
inclusive cities that respect the rights of everyone, we need to create conditions and physical
environments where women, men, girls and
boys can live, work, go to school, move around,
and socialise without fear of harm. We also
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban need to change attitudes and policies that pereswar/india-still-a-low-income-food-deficit-countr
petuate violence against women. This is esy.html
sential for economic and social development
and for meeting the Millennium Development
Goal commitments entered into by the international community in 2000.
1.3.2
Public space in Urban Planning The public open space is a significant contribu-
tor to urban sustainability at both neighbourhood and city scales. It provides environmental, health, social services and economic benefits. Public spaces reduce stress and provide peacefulness. Its social service includes
social interaction among neighbours and the
economic benefit is clean air for good health.
However, in the present context the idea of
public space has been modified, as the notion
of neighbourhood has changed gradually with
urbanization. The present neighbourhoods
display a very different environment than tra[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateditional neighbourhoods both physically and
editions/bhubaneswar/public-space-vi
talsocially.
component-of-modern-urban-planning.html
The nieghbourhood unit concept developed by
PUBLIC SPACE VITAL COMPONENT OF MODCA Perry aimed at creating a sense of beERN URBAN PLANNING
longing among local residents. He defined a
The United Nations has designated the first neighourhood unit with an elementary school,
Monday of October every year as World Habi- which is at a walkable distance for the children
tat Day since 1986. This year, the UN has cho- of that particular neighbourhood. Adjacent to
sen the days theme Public Spaces for All. The the school there is a park for both children
day will raise awareness about the need for and residents of the neighbourhood to relax
well designed and managed public spaces and and socialize in their leisure time. Developed
streets. This will enhance community cohe- as a low density dwelling unit with a populasion and safety for all citizens through activity tion of 10 families per acre, the neighbourhood
and events held in public spaces and streets. unit would occupy around 160 acres and has a
(2015-10-06 08:57)
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1.3. OCTOBER
BlogBook
shape which would render it necessary for any

child to walk a distance of not more than onequarter mile to school. About 10 per cent of
the area would be allocated to recreation, and
thorough traffic arteries would be confined to
the surrounding streets, internal streets being limited to service access for residents of
the neighbourhood. The unit would be served
by shopping facilities, churches, and a library
and a community center. Those sections or
neighbourhoods have some particular physical or social characteristics that distinguish
them from the rest of the settlement. The clustering of these neighbourhoods has formed
towns and cities.
In Bhubaneswar each neighbourhood covers

an area of 150 to 160 acres and comprises
about 850 families. In each neighbourhood
there are schools, shopping centres, open
field and recreation ground and several open
spaces evenly distributed, with houses around
them to form courts, instead of one central
large open space. This pattern exists even today in most of the core areas of the city. Most
of the neighbourhoods in the city are compact
with low-rise housing and small open spaces
left apart for parks and playgrounds. These
spaces are surrounded by a cluster of dwelling
units. There are also organised recreational
parks and playgrounds in the city.
Bhubaneswar was originally planned on

neighbourhood concept. There are more public spaces in Koenigsbergers neighbourhood
plan for children and adults for different recreation activities. The city transformed in a variety of ways. The public spaces have declined.
Now, neighbourhood unit concept has evolved
in a variety of ways with the impact of socioeconomic processes as well as technological
advancements. The concept of neighbourhood
has been transformed with the transformation
of cities. Apartment typology and gated communities are now regarded as new types of
neighbourhoods. Commercial areas and public spaces are designed simultaneously. But
these are not sufficient for the present population. In Bhubaneswar, people who witnessed
those years in early 1950s, describe the relationship within nieghbourhood with social
bonding and proximity. They gather in different public spaces and share their feelings and
develop a social relationship with each other.
Public spaces prove to be a vital component
of the neighbourhood for the establishment of
the sense of place and belonging. The public
space is also used for different functions and
festivals. A number of events that could attract children and families are performed in
the festival. This gives an opportunity to escape from daily routines and allow socialising
with other people. The festival is an opportunity for them to know and interact with the
neighbours. In addition to this, people go to
the public space for walking in the morning
and evening. This contributes to the neighborhood image, community pride and identity of
people and it gives a symbolic value to the city
neighbourhood.
Post independence Neighbourhood (1950) developed on Government land has more public
spaces than areas developed on private land.
In planned residential neighbourhoods under
Government schemes, there is allocation of
land for recreational use whereas, sufficient
space for recreation is not available in private
ownership land. Some of the new residential
areas developed after 1970 do not have the required provisions of public spaces like parks
and playgrounds.
According to the Urban Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (UDPFI) guidelines, the overall city level open space requirement is 10-12 m per person. Hence the open
space requirement in the city as per 2011 population status is more than 800 hectares (ha).
However, the existing facility of parks in the
city is about 154 ha.
As per the Town and Country Planning Organisation (TCPO) guidelines, 1.25 acres of
parks as recreation space should be provided
per 1,000 population in the town level, and 1
acre per 1,000 population in the neighbourhood level. But the record on the city level
open space shows a deficit in the provision
of recreational open space. There is an additional requirement of 3,000 ha for parks
and playgrounds in the BDPA region projected
for the year 2030. This requirement is to
cater to the future population projected for the
year 2030. There is a need for renovation of
the existing neighbourhoods with more public open spaces. Therefore, the role of public
space has to be strengthened through planning, especially in areas designed after 1990
in Bhubaneswar.
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The city should offer different types of public
places throughout. There will be no congestion, pollution and traffic injuries. If it is difficult to design a large public space, smaller
plazas may be designed. People can simply
walk from their homes to the public space.
This will reduce traffic and pollution. Besides,
they enjoy the health benefits of physical activity.
1.4. AUGUST
the rights of the worlds indigenous inhabitants and recognises their achievements and
contributions to improve world issues such as
environmental protection. This years theme
Ensuring indigenous peoples health and wellbeing puts spotlight on the issue of their access to healthcare services as improving indigenous peoples health remains a critical
challenge. .
There are an estimated 370 million indigenous peoples living in more than 70 countries
-planning.html
worldwide. In India, about 50 % of the tribal
population of the country is concentrated in
the States of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha. Odisha has
been the homeland of 62 tribes. All the dis1.4 August
tricts of Odisha have a tribal population in it.
The States major tribes are Kondhas, Koyas,
1.4.1 Tribal settlements and impact Gadabas, Juangs and Santals. They live in
on health (2015-08-09 05:54)
houses made of mud walls and thatched roofs.
Many houses are old, in poor condition and
may pose risks to the occupants. The indigenous people most depend on forest resources
for their livelihoods. Those who live independent lives on their own lands, eating traditional foods, continue to be healthy and strong.
Dislocation from their land is almost always
coupled with rising illness. In general, the
most devastating situations seem to have been
associated with land scarcity.
eswar/public-space-vital-component-of-modern-urban
No society can flourish without culture and no

development can be sustainable without it. Indigenous peoples know this better than most,
as custodians to rich linguistic and cultural
diversity. The lifestyle and tradition of each
indigenous community is unique. The land
occupied by them for dwelling is limited, thus
posing no harm to landforms. Besides forest
resources, they used to do some cultivation in
forest land. Industrialisation and rising population became major threats for these communities. This compelled them to look for alternatives. Therefore they have engaged themselves
in various non-agriculture sectors.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/change-of-triba
l- A majority of the traditional villages have undergone changes due to the changing needs
settlements-has-its-impact-on-health.html
of the society. Around the world, indigenous
CHANGE OF TRIBAL SETTLEMENTS HAS ITS
people have their land taken from them for ecoIMPACT ON HEALTH
nomic development projects. Displacement in
August 9 is commemorated as the Interna- tribal areas pave the way for distress migrational Day of the Worlds Indigenous People. tion and change of ancestral land and extinct
The day is observed to promote and protect of culture. There is no scope of revival in the
20
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1.5. JULY
new settlements and thousands of families are
migrating to slums and roadside squatter settlements. The shift towards higher density living among mixed communities, often with domestic animals and usually in conditions of
improper sanitation leads to diseases and epidemics.
housing and health-related education. International, national and local action is urgently
needed to enable indigenous peoples to reconnect with their lands, rebuild their shattered
lives and gain control over their futures.
eswar/change-of-tribal-settlements-has-its-impact-
The tribals of Odisha have been preserving on-health.html

a rich heritage of information on medicinal
plants and their usage.
Such traditional
knowledge system is important for modern societies and should be protected for the sake of 1.5 July
sustainable use of forests, ecosystem services.
They should be allowed to exercise their landresponse
rights ownerships. The state has to prevent 1.5.1 Disaster
(2015-07-11 08:21)
occurrence of human rights violations so as
to uphold the rights over their ancestral lands
and natural resources and preserve their cultural identity.
planning
To improve the living standard of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), the
Odisha Government plans to provide better
housing and livelihood programmes. The 73rd
Amendment Act, 1992 intends to empower the
Gram Sabha and Gram Panchayat in tribal
societies to preserve their customs and val- [1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateues and ensure their rights over natural re- editions/bhubaneswar/disaster-respon
se-planning-needed-for-vulnerablesources.
populations.html
The tribal communities consider three factors
for selection of a particular site for habitation, DISASTER RESPONSE PLANNING NEEDED
such as perennial source of water; the place FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
must be auspicious and should be free from Todays society becomes more vulnerable to
evil effects. Tribals are still following the in- natural disasters due to the concentration of
digenous vernacular style for their settlements populations in cities. Vulnerability has inand housing. The eco-friendly structures are creased owing to growing populations, envieasily built with the indigenous people with- ronmental degradation and lack of planning
out the help of any technical personnel. The and land management. Environmental disbuildings like Indira Awash Yojana and An- asters in many cases are the result of misganbadi are some new developments in tribal usage of natural resources by human being.
settlements. These houses are completely dif- To raise awareness of global population issues,
ferent in terms of material, design and con- the World Population Day is observed on July
struction from the traditional building type. 11. The day was commemorated on July 11,
The course of development has impact on tra- 1987 when the worlds population surpassed
ditional buildings and the natural harmony the five-billion mark. The days theme this
with the surroundings. These practices can year is Vulnerable Populations in Emergenbe effectively adopted and integrated into the cies.
present building design keeping in view their
Rapid population growth exacerbates vulnerasocial need and function.
bility to the negative consequences of climate
With improved information on indigenous peo- change and exposes growing numbers of peoples health, action can be taken to ensure ac- ple to climate risk. As per the United Nacess to culturally appropriate health care as tions report on The World Population Situawell as to safe and potable water, adequate tion in 2014, the global population reached
21
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7.2 billion in 2014 and is expected to increase
by more than 2 billion by 2050. A world of
7.2 billion is both a challenge and an opportunity with implications on urbanisation and
sustainable development.
Losses due to disasters have shown a growing trend in terms of lives and property. The
latest UN figures estimate that 60 million people around the world have been displaced from
their homes. Today, more than half of the
world population lives in urban areas making
it essential to focus on urban areas for disaster
risk reduction. Vulnerable populations make
up a large percentage of a communitys population. Vulnerable populations are defined as
a range of residents who may not be able to
comfortably or safely access and use the standard resources offered in disaster preparedness, relief and recovery.
1.5. JULY
sharply, from 35 to 53 during 20012011.
The technological development of India has led
to an increase in the number of factories. That
has led to air and water pollution. More energy
needs to be produced to power these factories.
When fossil fuels are burnt, gases are added to
the atmosphere. Many cities have crossed the
limits of suspended particulate matter, sulfur
dioxide and other pollutants due to vehicular
and industrial emissions. As the population
grows, more and more forests are cleared. The
trees that help reduce air pollution are not
able to do so any more. Nowadays, water pollution is also an increasing problem. Due to the
increase in pollution, especially due to carbon
dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons, the ozone
layer is getting depleted. This layer plays the
major role in controlling the temperature of
earth.Numerous agencies in India along with
Government are trying to make cities more
climate-responsive. After the Government of
Indias initiative to strengthen municipal governance by the enactment of the Constitution
(74th Amendment) Act in 1992, cities today
are quite well-placed to make decisions and
to initiate innovative and replicable responses
to climate change.
Recent disasters in different parts of the world

show some individuals have little or no ability
to address their own preparedness, response
and recovery. These may include seniors, people with disabilities, people living in poverty,
etc. So, it is important to plan how officials
and responders will reach out to these groups
to help them. Working with the community
is important while planning for the vulnerable Odisha is Indias eleventh most populous
populations to utilise the knowledge, experi- State as per the 2011 Census with about
ence and resources the community offers.
42 million people contributing 3.47 per cent
to the countrys total population. Odisha is
India has cities with high urban densities,
prone to tropical cyclones, storm surges and
and this can increase vulnerability and risk
heat waves. The State is also susceptible to
to these populations. Many of the highestearthquakes as a large part of it comes undensity areas are informal settlements lackder Earthquake Risk Zone-II. Approximately
ing proper housing, infrastructure and ser70 per cent to 80 per cent of the States popvices.
Urbanisation and rapid population
ulation depends on natural resources to surgrowth lead to concentration of population in
vive. This makes Odisha further vulnerable to
hazard and risk-prone areas, both in mega
climate change impacts.
cities and small and medium-size urban centres.
Disaster response planning involves identifying, strengthening and organising resources
In India, population explosion is detrimental
and capacities so as to reach a level of preto the countrys development. Indian cities
paredness for timely and effective response to
are facing multiple challenges: rapid urbania possible disaster. A well-coordinated plan is
sation, inadequate urban services and infrasessential for efficient and successful disaster
tructure, migration, ecological degradation,
response. During an actual emergency, rapid
etc., which make them all the more vulnerand effective action is required. For this to
able. The urban population has increased
happen, disaster response planning must be
from 17.97 per cent in 1961 to 31.16 per cent
in place before a calamity strikes.
in 2011. The Indian urban population has
increased from 28.5 million in 1901 to 377 Proper disaster response and planning must
million in 2011 (Census, 2011). The num- be based on an analysis of the risks faced by
ber of cities (million-plus residents) has risen a country or a region. This involves identify22
1.5. JULY
BlogBook
ing hazards and assessing vulnerabilities and 1.5.2 CHARLES CORREA: MASTER
capacities at local, national or regional levels.
OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITo estimate the risk of possible disasters, it is
TECTURE (2015-07-02 15:32)
necessary to define the vulnerability of a population exposed to particular threats. Planners can establish vulnerability levels by considering a variety of factors. During an emergency, there is often a lack of safe drinking
water, appropriate sanitation facilities and hygiene commodities. Sanitation and hygiene
promotion also play a crucial role in the reduction of environmental health risks. In some
cases, emergency shelter provision is needed
for those whose homes have been destroyed or
are unsafe. Delays in providing services can
result in needless suffering of those affected
by a disaster.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/charles-correa- master-ofcontemporary-architecture.html
Community-based
disaster
management
plans should be undertaken to ensure better
preparedness.
The role of the local selfgovernment institutions assumes greater
importance in disaster management. They
will be the first responders in emergencies.
Work done in advance of possible emergencies
and disasters is an essential aspect of disaster
management. It enables a reduction in the
number and severity of disasters through prevention and mitigation, through preparation
and planning.
CHARLES CORREA: MASTER OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE

Charles Mark Correa (September 1, 1930 June 16, 2015) was an Indian architect and
urban planner. He was born in Secunderabad.
Correa after his education at St. Xaviers College, Mumbai, studied Architecture at the University of Michigan and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.He has been credited with
creation of contemporary architecture in postindependence India and was noted for his sensitivity to the needs of the urban poor and
use of traditional methods and materials. He
started his architectural practice in Mumbai
in 1958. He designed many housing complexes, museums, offices, etc. His early works
include the Pavilion for the All India Handloom
Board in New Delhi (1958) and the Gandhi
Smarak Sangrahalaya (1963), a museum and
archive at Mahatma Gandhis ashram on the
banks of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad.
One of the most important components of disaster mitigation is protection of the eco system. Efforts should be made to preserve and
protect these systems with peoples cooperation. Land use planning and management provide various tools to prevent natural hazards.
Therefore, a more active role of planning and
land management is necessary, and it has to
Tube house in Ahmedabad designed by Corsupport a sustainable settlement development
rea is a model of contemporary and energy
for vulnerable populations.
efficient design, arranged in such ways that
cool air is naturally drawn through it through
a vent close to the apex of the roof. The
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban Ramkrishna House (1962) and the Parekh
House (1967) in Ahmedabad remain some of
eswar/disaster-response-planning-needed-for-vulner
the finest examples of tube house designed
able-populations.html
by Correa.The most important buildings after
these were his Kanchanjunga high-rise apartments (1970 1983) in Mumbai, Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal (1975-81), Vidhan Bhavan in
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Bhopal (1980-87), Jawahar Kala Kendra in
Jaipur (1986), Research and Diagnostic Center in Lisbon (2004). His recent projects include the Ismaili Centre in Toronto, the Brain
Science Center at MIT, Boston and the Champalimaud Centre in Lisbon.
1.6. JUNE
he founded the prestigious Urban Design Research Institute in Bombay.Correa taught in
many universities in India and abroad. He
won several national and international awards
during his life time. He has received Royal Institute of British Architect (RIBA) Royal Gold
Medal (1984), Chicago Architecture Award
(1986), IIA Gold Medal (1987). UIA Gold
Medal by the International Union of Architects
(1990), Master Architect Award, J K industries, India (1991), Aga Khan Award for Achitecture (1998), Padma Shri (1972), Padma Vibhushan (2006).
The Kanchanjunga apartment is a high- rise

condominium of thirty-two luxury apartments.
An interesting design feature of the apartment
is the conversion of verandah into a doubleheight garden. Such a space protects the living room from the sun and rain. The Vidhan
Bhavan, Bhopal (1980) Plan is a series of gardens within gardens.Administrative offices are 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
used to define a pattern of nine compartments. eswar/charles-correa-master-of-contemporary-archit
The five central ones are halls with courtyards ecture.html
creating a micro climate of shade and running
water and the four corners are occupied by
specialised function: the Vidhan Parishad, the
Vidhan Sabha, a combined hall and a library.
1.6 June
In the realm of urban planning, he is noted for

his sensitivity to fulfill the needs of the urban 1.6.1 Climate change and Food secupoor by using locally available material and
rity (2015-06-05 05:07)
techniques. His planning for satellite town
New Bombay (transference from the mother
city of Bombay) provided housing for many
people.He designed several low-cost housing
schemes (Belapur housing, 1986). In Belapur,
each unit is on its own individual site to allow
for expansion. The scheme caters for a wide
range of income groups, from the lowest up to
the upper income levels. The bathroom and
WC is on the courtyard while the kitchen is
adjacent to the living spaces. All the buildings
have their own courtyard. Though the housing typologies cover the entire range of income
groups, the plot sizes differ only marginally
thus introducing the principle of equity. His
housing bill of rights included concepts such
as incrementality, pluralism, identity, income
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editiogeneration, and equity.
ns/bhubaneswar/climate-changefoodHe has successfully used paintings and sculp- security-closely-related-issues.html
tures (often in collaboration with well-known
CLIMATE
CHANGE,
FOOD
SECURITY
artists) to enhance the spatial architectonCLOSELY-RELATED ISSUES
ics (for example, in the Kala Academy in
Panaji, Goa, 1984; the British Council in New The World Environment Day is celebrated on
Delhi, 1992; and the Inter-University Cen- June 5 to raise awareness on positive enviter of Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune, ronmental action to protect nature and planet
1992).From 1970-75, he was Chief Architect Earth. The 2015 theme for the say is Sustainfor New Bombay. In 1985, Prime Minister Ra- able consumption and production. The slojiv Gandhi appointed him Chairman of the Na- gan for the theme is Seven Billion Dreams,
tional Commission on Urbanization. In 1984, One Planet; Consume with Care. The theme
24
1.6. JUNE
BlogBook
asks everyone to evaluate his or her consumer households during times of crisis. The threats
habits.
to biodiversity could be specified in terms of
natural and anthropogenic activities. Out of
The earth currently is approaching the point
the numerous threats, human activity is rewhere its physical and biological systems may
sponsible for most of them.
not be able to meet human demands for environmental goods and services, threatening the Food security is both directly and indirectly
ability of nations to meet their populations ba- linked with climate change. Any alteration in
sic needs for adequate food, clean water, en- the climatic parameters such as temperature
ergy, shelter and a healthy environment.
and humidity which govern crop growth will
Since the beginning, man has been affected by have a direct impact on quantity of food proclimate and its influence over the Earth. Many duced. Besides, catastrophic events like flood
of the Earths ecosystems are nearing criti- and drought which are projected to multiply
cal tipping points of depletion or irreversible as a consequence of climate change leading
change, pushed by high population growth to huge crop loss and leaving large patches
and economic development. By 2050, the pop- of arable land unfit for cultivation and hence
ulation is expected to reach 9.6 billion. Living threatening food security. On a global level,
well within planetary boundaries is the most increasingly unpredictable weather patterns
promising strategy for ensuring a healthy fu- will lead to fall in agricultural production and
ture. Therefore, sustainable patterns of con- higher food prices, leading to food insecurity
sumption and production in a world of lim- Biodiversity, climate change and food secuited resources are an essential requirement for rity are very closely related issues. Agriculsustainable development.
tural activities which are also responsible for
The Earths physical and biological systems reduction in biodiversity include indiscrimisuch as land, atmosphere and oceans provide nate and massive use of pesticides, fungihumans with goods and services essential for cides and chemical fertilisers in the crop field.
survival and good health. Nowadays, a num- These activities are responsible for extinction
ber of global environmental problems are grow- of many pests, predators, parasites, birds,
ing more severe and are beginning to threaten butterflies, pollinators and other animals in
the ability of nations to meet the development aquatic ecosystem. Some of these species play
goals of a growing population. These envi- an important role in agricultural production
ronmental problems include climate change, by associating them with pollination, improvloss of biological diversity, land degradation ing soil condition, fixing atmospheric nitrogen,
and desertification, deforestation and forest improving soil physical properties and decomdegradation, pollution, etc. A change in the position of organic matter. Thus, there is a neEarths climate would likely to affect biodiver- cessity to use eco-friendly techniques in agrisity, change of distribution and productivity culture and minimise use of pesticides and
of land and forests. Similarly, conversion of other chemicals and resorting to organic culforests and other green areas to other types tivation, crop rotation to check reduction in
of land cover can increase greenhouse gas biodiversity.
emission into the atmosphere and, thus, conBesides, sustainable consumption and protribute to climate change, and can reduce bioduction is highly needed for proper managelogical diversity and affect water resources.
ment of natural resources. Sustainable conBiodiversity is the foundation of life on Earth. sumption is not necessarily about consumIt is crucial for the functioning of ecosystems ing less; it is about consuming better, i.e.,
which provide us with products and services more efficiently with less risk to our health
without which we cannot live. Oxygen, food, and environment. It recognises that current
fresh water, fertile soil, medicines, shelter, consumption patterns are drivers for unsusprotection from storms and floods, stable cli- tainable production and resource degradation.
mate and recreation all have their source in Sustainable consumption requires a convernature and healthy ecosystems. Our food and gence of current consumption patterns and a
energy security strongly depends on biodiver- need for all to consume responsibly. It can be
sity, which also serves as a safety-net to poor promoted through a mix of policy, economic
25
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1.7. MAY
and voluntary instruments, including formal duction suffers during severe droughts. Furand informal education.
ther, rice and grain grown in the flood-prone
coastal areas are prone to frequent erosion,
Sustainable, clean and efficient production of
inundation and other problems such as pest
goods and services is central to sustainable deand disease outbreaks due to climate varivelopment. More emphasis is required on reability. Community mobilisation on sustainsource efficiency in Government policies, pubable production and consumption for food selic and private sector management practices,
curity is a must. Food security can be attechnology choices and investments to deliver
tained by improved land and water managemore output per unit of input as well as less
ment, adopting eco-friendly technologies and
associated environmental damage.
initiating good agricultural practices in differIndia is both a major greenhouse gas emitter ent agro-ecosystems.
and a country most vulnerable to projected
Climate is the primary determinant of agriclimate change. India is already experienccultural productivity which directly impacts
ing changes in climate and its impacts inon food production across the globe. Agriculcluding water stress, heat waves and drought,
ture is the most sensitive sector to the climate
severe storms and flooding, and associated
changes because the climate of a region deternegative consequences on agricultural producmines the nature and characteristics of vegetions. Indias agricultural production and contation and crops. Therefore, there is a need to
sequently its Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
develop a long-term land use plan to ensure
show a strong link with the year-to-year varifood security and climatic resilience.
ations of summer, monsoon rainfall. India
must work towards achieving a sustainable 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
agricultural system. However, many chal- eswar/climate-change-food-security-closely-related
lenges exist in trying to achieve this goal. The -issues.html
degradation and scarcity of natural resources,
pollution resulting from agricultural production, food loss and waste and food safety,
both in terms of production and post-harvest
handling, are critical issues that must be ad- 1.7 May
dressed to achieve sustainable agricultural
growth.
1.7.1 BHUBANESWAR:
HIGHERRegarding land degradation, it is estimated
that nearly half of all land in India suffers
from degradation due to various factors, including water and wind erosion, salinity and
soil acidity resulting from waterlogging. The
majority of this degradation is the result of improper land use practices, including such factors as deforestation, increasing cultivation in
areas of low potential or high hazard, improper
soil conservation tactics and crop rotation, improper intensification of agro-chemicals like
fertiliser and pesticides, and poorly planned
irrigation systems.
In Odessa, agriculture holds a predominant
position in the States economy. About 85
per cent of the States population depends
on agriculture. Almost 60 % of land is devoted to rain-fed agriculture and with waterdependant rice as its main crop. However,
agriculture is vulnerable to the vagaries of climate induced by weather changes. Rice pro26
INTENSITY QUAKE NOT

LIKELY (2015-05-22 00:45)
UN-
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/bhubaneswar-hig
her-intensity-quake-not-unlikely.html
BHUBANESWAR:
HIGHER-INTENSITY
QUAKE NOT UNLIKELY
Bhubaneswar has been facing mild earthquakes from time to time. People feel the
1.7. MAY
BlogBook
shock and run out of the buildings. Then

they forget about it till another shock comes.
While constructing or booking houses people
hardly think about the structural safety of the
building against earthquake. People should
pay attention to earthquake zone maps of the
area and make sure that the building is safe
enough for the particular zone. The recent
earthquake was indeed a lesson, and a slight
increase in its magnitude would have wrecked
devastation in the city.
(BIS) based on the data provided by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), India Meteorological Department (IMD) and several other organisations forms the basis for macro level planning. The increased seismic activity during
the last two decades required the reclassification into four seismic zones as per IS 1893
(Part I): 2002. Zone II being the region of lowest activity and Zone V is seismically most active, where earthquakes of magnitude 8.0 or
more could occur.
Earthquakes are common phenomena, which

occur most often irrespective of time and place.
Earthquake is most feared among all natural
disasters as it strikes suddenly without any
prior indication and creates devastation to life
and property. Earthquake is not predictable
even with todays advanced technologies.
The Himalayan region where the Eurasian tectonic plate is constantly being pushed by the
Indian plate, coastal States like Odisha may
suffer from large-scale earthquakes. Besides,
in Odisha the Mahanadi basin can be vulnerable and can cause earthquakes. As per
Seismotectonic Atlas of India, several deepseated faults are situated beneath the Mahanadi delta. A fault line is a fracture along
which the crust has moved. Since faults do
not usually consist of a single, clean fracture,
geologists use the term fault zone when referring to the zone of complex deformation associated with the fault plane.
Odisha lies in a stable continental region,

which is not seismically active. However, minor to moderate earthquakes have occurred
now and then at the States different localities which are not damaging. Rarely a building has collapsed or any human casualty reported ever. The maximum magnitudes of
these earthquakes have been reported around
4.5 to 5.3 in the Richters scale. These earthquakes have occurred either due to local tectonic causes or due to external tectonic forces,
e.g., high intensity earthquakes in the Himalayas, Sumatra or Gujarat regions, etc.,
which have an impact in Odisha. Despite the
moderate quakes so far in Odisha, it cannot be
confidently said that a higher-intensity earthquake is not unlikely in future.
Odisha can be divided into two seismic zones:

Zone II (Low Damage Risk Zone) and Zone III
(Moderate Damage Risk Zone). Regions lying
in the valleys of rivers Mahanadi and Brahmani lie in Zone III, which stretch from Jharsuguda along the border with Chhattisgarh in
a south-easterly direction towards the urban
centres of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on the
Mahanadi delta.
As per the recent seismic Zoning Map of India
(IS: 1893, 2002), Bhubaneswar city is located
in Zone-III. Damage starts with Zone-III with
intensity VII in the MSK scale. The city may
be prone to quakes that can reach 6.5 on the
Richter scale. However, none of the past earthquakes represented intensity of the order of
VII. All quakes in Odisha recorded a maximum
intensity of VI. However as a factor of safety,
intensity VII is desired to be taken for design
of structures in Odisha, located in Zone-III.
The possible magnitude of an earthquake that

is likely to occur in an area may be predicted.
Earthquake zoning map of a country or region
gives an idea of possible earthquake to occur
in an area. Zoning maps are made basing
on earthquake history and the geological condition of the region. Zones indicate possible
magnitude, intensity of ground vibration for
an earthquake in the region. This will help
in the design of structures. However, a zone
is not permanent always. It could change if a
Nobody can assure earthquake safety unless
major quake hits the area in future.
everybody gets prepared. A massive awareIndian subcontinent was classified into five ness programme for making prepared individseismic zones as per IS 1893-1984. After the uals from all communities and stakeholders
Latur earthquake of 1993, this map was fur- is required. The Bureau of Indian Standards
ther revised. In India, the seismic zoning map (BIS) has laid down codes to start about the
prepared by the Bureau of Indian Standards earthquake resistance of buildings. If these
27
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1.8. APRIL
codes are followed, it gives sufficient resistance to building against earthquake. There
should be a proper mechanism to ensure implementation of the codes for structural safety
of the buildings during earthquake.
hind building damages. Buildings with rigid

layout (box like structure) with strong joints
between different components are generally
earthquake-proof because rigid buildings react as a single unit to earthquake forces.
Existing buildings that are highly unsafe must

be declared unfit for occupation, demolished
or retrofitted appropriately. Safe building construction practices can certainly reduce the
extent of damages. It is mandatory for every
citizen to have elementary knowledge about
earthquake, forces acting on structures, remedial measures to be taken for structural safety.
Seismic-resistant structures are designed in
such a way that they might face partial damage but will not totally collapse.
The BIS has formulated guidelines which

cover selection of materials and techniques to
be used for repair and seismic strengthening
of damaged buildings during earthquakes and
retrofitting for upgrading of seismic
The primary objective of earthquake-resistant

design is to prevent building collapse, thus
minimising the risk of death or injury to people
in or around those buildings. Reinforced concrete buildings have become common. A typical RCC building is made of horizontal members (beams and slabs) and vertical members
(columns and walls) and supported by foundations that rest on the ground. The system consisting of RC columns and connecting beams
is called a RC frame. When earthquake occurs, it transmits seismic waves which in turn
cause ground motion of the earths surface.
As structures rests on the earth surface, this
ground motion is also passed onto them.
The base of the structure moves with the
ground, but the roof tends to retain its position. But the roof is also forced to move as the
walls and columns of the structure are connected. So, the structures generally tend to
collapse. This can be prevented if the structure is ductile. Ductility is defined as an ability of a structure to face huge plastic deformation without loss in ultimate strength. The
ductility of a structure enables to predict the
amount of seismic energy that may be dissipated through plastic deformations, which is
a very important factor for structural design
under seismic loads.
resistance of existing buildings.

The BIS
codes are not mandatory and are only guidelines. The construction as such is governed
by the municipal and development authoritys
byelaws which is within the jurisdiction of
State Governments.
Structural measures would reduce the impact of disasters and non-structural measures
would enhance the management skills and improve capacities of the community, local selfgovernments, urban bodies and the State authorities to prepare, prevent and respond effectively to disasters. The city authorities may
use earthquake risk maps to control land use
to minimise earthquake hazards. Besides, local authorities can implement guidelines for
earthquake-resistant structures and set limits
on the heights of the buildings. The buildings
should be specially-designed as per the code
to withstand strong tremors.
eswar/bhubaneswar-higher-intensity-quake-not-unlik
ely.html
1.8 April
1.8.1 OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO
ASBESTOS (2015-04-28 14:11)
More the ductility, strength and deformation

capacity of a structure better is its seismic
resistance whereas lesser the amount of deflection, lesser will be the vulnerability of the
structure. Besides, greater the mass of building, more lateral force is exerted on buildings,
and this alone is the major component be28
1.8. APRIL
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/beware-of-occup
ational-exposure-to-asbestos.html
BEWARE OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO
ASBESTOS
BlogBook
bestos, according to the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics. Asbestos mining and
milling activity is concentrated in the small
scale sector in India, whereas asbestos products are manufactured in small, medium and
large scale sectors. About 2,500 tonnes of
chrysotile and 35,000 tonnes of tremolite asbestos are annually mined in India. Andhra
Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are major asbestos mining belts with 20,000 tonnes being
mined from these three States yearly.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO)

celebrates the World Day for Safety and Health
at Work on April 28 to promote prevention of
occupational accidents and diseases globally.
It is an awareness-raising campaign intended
to focus international attention on emerging
Asbestos fibers can be moulded or worn into
trends in the field of occupational safety and
fabrics, nonflammable and a good heat insulahealth and on the magnitude of work-related
tor. Asbestos is strong and resistant to heated
injuries, diseases and fatalities worldwide.
chemicals. They are used in India as fireproof
The theme of the day for 2015 is Join in products such as safety clothing for firefightbuilding a culture of prevention on Occupa- ers and insulation such as hot water piping.
tional Safety and Health. A national safety Besides, asbestos is widely used as floor tiles,
and health culture is one in which the right ceiling tiles and roof materials. Usually asto a safe and healthy working environment bestos is mixed with other materials to form
is respected at all levels, where governments, the products. Floor tiles, for example, may
employers and workers actively participate in contain only a small percentage of asbestos.
securing a safe and healthy working environ- Depending on what the product is, the amount
ment.
of asbestos in asbestos containing materials
(ACM) may vary from 1 per cent-100 per cent.
The fundamental nature of occupational
safety and health (OSH) is the management Millions of workers in developing countries
of occupational risks. Its application can be continue to be unnecessarily exposed to asadapted to a range of situations, from the sim- bestos despite the fact that it is a carcinogen.
ple needs of a small scale enterprise to the mul- Chrysotile asbestos, which accounts for 95 per
tiple needs of hazardous and complex indus- cent of todays asbestos production and use, is
tries such as mining, chemical manufacturing classified as a carcinogen by the WHO Internaor manufacture of building materials.
tional Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The manufacture of some building materials for construction industry creates occupational hazards and environmental hazards.
Asbestos use is considered as an environmental and public health concern. According to an
ILO estimate, there are about 1,00,000 deaths
every year from lung cancer and mesothelioma caused by previous exposures to asbestos. This is due to lack of education of
workers, unaware of the hazards of their occupations at their workplaces.
Continuous use of asbestos is a cause of great
concern today. Despite a reduction in asbestos production, asbestos use is growing in
developing countries. Preventive safety and
health facilities in these countries are largely
underdeveloped while exposure levels are high.
India is emerging as the major user of asbestos where the developed world phasing out
its use. India is the largest importer of as2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
There are significant public health concerns as

members of workers families and people who
live near production sites are at risk. There
are cases of asbestos-related diseases being diagnosed among family members who were exposed to clothes contaminated with asbestos.
In general, workers knowledge about health
risks due to asbestos exposure is low.
Asbestos in general does not pose any health
risk. When it is broken during processing,
it may release the asbestos fibre dust. For
example, if an asbestos ceiling tile is drilled
or broken, it may release fibres into the air.
When left intact and undisturbed, asbestoscontaining materials do not pose a health risk.
Asbestos pipe and boiler insulation does not
present a hazard unless the protective canvas
covering is cut or damaged in such a way that
the asbestos underneath is actually exposed
to the air.
29
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1.8. APRIL
Therefore, control of asbestos dust should be 1.8.2

achieved as near the source as possible. This
increases the efficiency of the control process,
minimises costs and prevents the spread of
dust into adjacent areas. Manufacturers and
vendors should ensure that equipments are
provided with devices to collect asbestos dust
where it is produced and has settled. They
should provide purchasers with instructions
concerning safety in their use and should
draw their attention to the hazards which
may occur when these instructions are not followed.
In many parts of India, asbestos is sold without statutory warning symbol in the market, and in a majority cases the workers do
not wear the protection gear. In order to
address the continuing burden of diseases
caused by exposure to asbestos, the ILO has
developed international standards and guidelines for elimination of asbestos-related diseases (ARD) worldwide.
CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION

RESPONSES IN URBAN SEAS
(2015-04-22 04:44)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/needed-climatechangemitigation-responses-in-urban-seas.html
NEEDED: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION
RESPONSES IN URBAN SEAS
The Earth is the source of life. It is a system that coordinates physical, chemical, biological and ecological elements in a manner
that makes life possible. Any substantive alteration of one of its components can affect
The ILO provides legislative and practical other areas and the entire system.
bases for worker protection against harmful To create awareness for protection of the
asbestos exposures by prescribing compre- planet earth, Earth Day is observed on 22nd
hensive preventive measures at national and April. The first Earth Day was observed in
enterprise levels. Among other measures, the 1970. This year is Earth Days 45th anniverILO Convention on Safety in the Use of As- sary. The theme for Earth Day 2015 is Its
bestos provides for replacement of asbestos or Our Turn to Lead.
certain types of asbestos or products containClimate change is now one of the greatest
ing asbestos by other materials or products.
environmental issues. The global warming
is largely attributed to the increase of greenWorkers whose jobs involve exposure to ashouse gases. The increase in carbon dioxide
bestos dust should be provided with health
concentration, which is gathered in the atmosupervision. All asbestos-containing prodsphere due to burning of fossil fuel and indusucts should have an internationally recogtrial activities, has been impacting the global
nised warning symbol designating the product
warming to a big extent.
as asbestos-containing and warning the user
that inhalation of asbestos dust may cause se- The human population on the earth is growing,
rious damage to health. All workers should resulting in the expansion of human settlebe provided with education and training in re- ments and an increase in a wide range of probgard to sources of asbestos dust exposure, po- lems. Urban areas seem to be a threat to the
tential health effects, risks associated with as- environment since they generate more than
bestos dust exposure and smoking, and meth- three-quarters of carbon emissions globally.
For the first time ever, more people live in the
ods of prevention.
worlds cities than in rural regions. Presently,
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban 31 % of Indias population lives in urban areas
as per Census of India report, 2011.
eswar/beware-of-occupational-exposure-to-asbestos.
html
30
Odisha, with 41 million people, is the eleventhmost populous State in India. Over the last
decade, Odisha has witnessed a 14.1-per cent
1.8. APRIL
BlogBook
growth in its population, while the urban pop- The environment of the city of Bhubaneswar
ulation increased at a rate of 27.2 %.
has been degraded due to high population
growth and different manmade activities. The
Cities are the key to sustainability. As the
effects of climate change have been observed
city grows in size and population, harmony
since last few years in the city. The temperaamong the spatial, social and environmenture in summer is ranging in most of the days
tal aspects of a city and between its inhabiaround 400 degree C, which is not only affecttants becomes of paramount importance. This
ing the health and comfort of the people but
trend points to the need for urban sustainabilalso demands more energy.
ity which uses green building practices and
creative city planning to reduce environmental In rapidly developing cities, urban planning
damage. Low carbon society scenarios visu- and its effective implementation requires landalise social, economic and technological tran- use planning that creates land-use patterns
sitions through which societies respond to cli- within cities that can provide services withmate change. Planning of sustainable region out the loss or degradation of natural habineeds to incorporate the idea of low carbon tats. Local governments can proactively carry
society and low carbon economy in urban ar- out integrated land-use planning to address
eas. As cities spread out, work-related trip adverse impacts from urban sprawl, including
distances and other travel activities increase. increased private motorised transport, air polThis often leads to a higher reliance on per- lution and urban heat island effect.
sonal motorised transport. It is observed that
Carbon sequestration can reduce the amount
compact cities emit less CO2 emissions, on a
of GHG emissions that are produced in the
per capita basis, from passenger transportacity. It involves removing GHG emissions
tion than sprawled cities.
from the atmosphere, either through enhancIndias cities are the largest and fastest- ing natural carbon sinks by conserving forest
growing consumers of materials and energy, areas, the development of new carbon sinks
producers of waste and emitters of greenhouse (reforestation or afforestation) or through the
gases. A low carbon approach to the plan- capture and storage of GHG produced within
ning and management of cities can contribute the city. Importance should be given to plant
towards meeting the Government of Indias more trees and develop green belts that can
target of reducing the carbon intensity. The reduce a citys carbon emissions significantly.
Energy Conservation Act, 2001 empowered Many buildings are designed in the city withthe Central and State Governments to: Spec- out considering climatic conditions of the area.
ify energy consumption standards for notified These buildings need air-conditioning to keep
equipment and appliances; Establish and pre- them cool. Using air-conditioning leads to
scribe energy consumption norms and stan- more energy use, which results in more cardards for designated consumers; Prescribe en- bon dioxide emission. Architects should keep
ergy conservation building codes for efficient climatic conditions in mind and design builduse of energy and its conservation in new coming that will cut down energy consumption.
mercial buildings having a connected load of
Climate change will go on forever. To re500 kW ; Get an energy audit conducted by
duce its impacts on settlements and infrasan accredited energy auditor in the specified
tructure, it is critical to develop appropriate
manner and interval of time. Under the promitigation and adaptation responses. Climatevisions of the Act, the Bureau of Energy Effiresponsive buildings have minimal adverse imciency (BEE) was established with effect from
pacts on the natural environment. They also
1st March, 2002. The BEE in India has enseek to maximise opportunities for indoor enacted an energy conservation building code
vironmental quality and performance, saving
(ECBC), which has been mandatory for large
money, reducing waste, increasing worker procommercial buildings in some areas. The code
ductivity and creating healthier environment
enforcement falls in the jurisdictions of States
for people to live and work.
and local municipal authorities. ECBC compliant buildings save 30 % of energy. Even To decrease urban CO2 emission and energy
partial compliance can save 18 % to 20 % of consumption, a lot of cities over the world have
energy.
adopted Low Carbon Economy as a new devel2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
31
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1.8. APRIL
opment philosophy, and to create Low Carbon 1.8.3

City has become a common goal. The same
philosophy can be applied in India.
TOURISM AND HERITAGE MANAGEMENT (2015-04-18 09:28)
Developing climate-responsible master plan

will protect the environment. Master Plans
and Comprehensive Development Plans
(CDPs) need to incorporate climate change
considerations. Components of land-use plan
including zoning, FAR, setback, etc., should
be implemented properly for sustainable
development.
Sustainability is not only about city planning

and energy conservation in building design;
it is not only about environmental protection
and management systems. Sustainability is
about the way people live and work in the city.
Every individual has a key role for protection
of the earth. Everything individuals do in their
lives has an impact on the environment. To
protect the earth, communities should develop
sustainable solutions to meet the basic needs
in every sphere of their life.
eswar/needed-climate-change-mitigation-responses-i
n-urban-seas.html
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/importance-of-t
ourismand-heritage-management.html
IMPORTANCE OF TOURISM AND HERITAGE
MANAGEMENT
Jefferson Collen (2015-05-27 09:15:33)

I love to contribute in our mother earth by means
of saving Energy. Im totally agree with this
kind of program to save our environment issues
like global warming. To know more tips on how
to save more energy for our mother earth, talk
to our [1]Accredited Energy Auditors with this
matter. Thank you!
1. http://adelaidesparky.net.au/
32
The World Heritage Day is celebrated on April

18 to create awareness among the people to
conserve and protect the valuable assets and
cultural heritage across the world. Heritage
is something which is specific and typical of
a place or region. Buildings of historic and
architectural significance become part of the
cultural heritage of a city and the society. Cultural heritage is the creation of human beings,
who have created it by virtue of their innovative power, creativity and artistic ability.
Odisha is known for its fascinating cultural
1.8. APRIL
heritage, amazing temples and monuments.
These heritages are well-appreciated by both
national and international tourists. Heritagerelated events have tremendous potential.
Fairs and festivals all around the year have
attracted tourists to the State. Further, they
also create employment opportunities and
support the socioeconomic development of areas.
The monuments and the cultural activities associated with the monuments play a very important role in the lifestyle of the people of
Odisha and give a special identity to them. It
is necessary to improve awareness of cultural
heritage due to its historical, social, aesthetic
and scientific significance. Historical significance refers to the relationship to era, person
or event. Social significance refers to the social, spiritual and other community-oriented
values attributed to a place.Aesthetic significance refers to the special sense of importance
of a place with reference to architecture, scale
and designs. Scientific significance refers to
the scope or possibility of scientific findings
from a site, monument or place.
Odisha has more than 3,000 monuments and
archaeological sites. They include Hindu temples built in the Kalinga style of temple architecture that flourished from 7th to the 13th
century AD. The most important monuments
of this period can be seen in and around
Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark. The Sun
Temple at Konark, Hindu temples, the Sisupalgarh and Jain caves at Khandagiri and Udayagiri in Bhubaneswar, Buddhist monasteries
at Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri-Udayagiri, ancient forts,
palaces, etc., are the rich heritage of.Odisha,
which hosts some vibrant events such as
the Konark Dance Festival, the Car Festival,
the Puri Beach Festival and the Mukteswara
Dance Festival.
BlogBook
built heritage and delineation of special zones
for tourism promotion and development. Heritage management for promotion of tourism
may be emphasised in the CDP (Cultural Development Plan).
There are national and State laws for preservation of archaeological heritage.Seventy-eight
monuments in Odisha have been recognised
by the Archaeological Survey of India as Monuments of National Importance. A total of 218
monuments are protected by the State. However, there are a large number of monuments
which are not protected by any agency.
Planning and managing heritage tourism requires a number of issues to be dealt with.
The management system includes cycles of
planning, implementation and monitoring. A
heritage management system is a framework,
made up of three important elements as a legal
framework which defines the reasons for its
existence, an institution which gives form to
its organisational needs and decision-making
and resources which are used to make it operative. The State authorities should provide
a suitable legal framework to support cultural
heritage conservation, such as a ban on new
construction, demolition, renovation and any
changes in the immediate vicinity of a protected site that might affect the appearance
of heritage, restrictions on advertisements and
various infrastructures.
After the guidelines are framed, buildings
within heritage precincts or in the vicinity of
heritage sites shall maintain the skyline in the
precinct and follow the architectural style of
the particular area as may be existing in the
surrounding area so as not to diminish or destroy the value and beauty of or the view from
the heritage sites.
Heritage tourism management is concerned
with the identification, interpretation, maintenance and preservation of significant cultural
sites and physical heritage assets and tourist
inflow and providing them adequate facilities
to understand the heritage. Tourism is vital
for every State due to the income generated by
consumption of goods and services by tourists
and the opportunity for employment and economic advancement by working in the industry.
The rapid urbanisation has become a great

concern for heritage conservation.There are
many threats to cultural heritage sites. Due
to development pressures, archaeological
sites are neglected or surrounded by poorlyplanned commercial development. The fine
architectural elements are gradually losing
their importance. In many areas, there are
encroachments and narrow heritage routes.
This creates problems for the visiting tourists. The Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area
Efforts should be made for conservation of (BDPA) offers a rich cultural heritage with
33
BlogBook
the Ekamra Kshetra being the heart of the
cultural capital over the centuries and offers great potential for tourism development.
There is a need for augmentation of the existing cultural facilities in distributed urban
centres throughout the planning area. There
are proposals in the CDP for propagation and
development of culture in a Cultural Diversity
Plan. This includes promotion of traditional
fairs and festivals through Government and
NGOs to generate awareness among people towards cultural heritage. With appropriate policy guidelines and heritage management, the
cultural resources of the BDPA can promote
tourism and play a meaningful role in projecting Bhubaneswars cultural identity.
Since tourism is nowadays used to stimulate regional development, cultural heritage
tourism is used for both preservation and
economic development of the regions. Recently, the concept of heritage corridor has
gained much popularity in heritage tourism.
Heritage corridors are innovative entities designed to encourage grassroot efforts to protect and enhance a regions unique natural,
historical, cultural resources while simultaneously promoting appropriate economic development and redevelopment. A heritage corridor can be delineated on the historical context with the inter-relationships among events
and sites, the natural set up of the place,
and the cultural pattern. The Departments of
Tourism and Culture have decided to create a
heritage corridor comprising tourism sites between Bhubaneswar and the nearby heritage
area. Apart from visiting the heritage sites,
the tour would enable visitors to experience
communal harmony, rural lifestyle, and ageold practices of the traditional art and craft of
the region.
1.8. APRIL
tural heritages are important drivers of development. National and local authorities should
allocate funds for maintaining and conserving cultural heritage as well as for innovative
projects that promote the development of cultural heritage in a sustainable way. Public
participation can bring many benefits to a cultural heritage site. Due to the close relationship between cultural heritage and lifestyle of
the local communities, it is important to share
the benefits with local communities. This way,
people develop a stronger attachment to the
heritage site and take care of the rich heritage
of the State.
eswar/importance-of-tourism-and-heritage-managemen
t.html
1.8.4 KOENIGSBERGERS
BHUBANESWAR
WITNESSES
MANY
TRANSFORMATIONS
(2015-04-13 09:29)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/koenigsbergersbhubaneswar-witnesses-manytransformations.html
KOENIGSBERGERS BHUBANESWAR WITThe comprehensive planning proposal for NESSES MANY TRANSFORMATIONS
tourism and recreation development aims The Foundation Day of Bhubaneswar is celto strengthen tourist attraction through im- ebrated on 13th April. It was on this day
proved publicity and facility upgradation. in 1948 that Indias first Prime Minister PanMore tourists mean more business for local dit Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the foundationpeople in retail and service sectors. Thus, stone for the new city. The city has now unit will also create a strong economic base dergone various transformations and constant
through various types of outdoor recreation.
changes of the neighbourhood and the buildFormulation of guidelines for regular augmentation and upgradation of tourist infrastructure and services of public and private agencies are required on a regular timeframe. Cul34
ings it contains.
Urban transformation is a habitual process in
the evolution of cities. It is based on the relations between the cities physical, social and
1.8. APRIL
BlogBook
economic processes. Bhubaneswars transformation from an ancient temple town to a modern city was executed by German architect
Dr Otto H Kenigsberger in 1948. The initial
planning was done on neighbourhood planning concept. In each neighbourhood, rows of
Government quarters were built. Large Government buildings and a marketplace are at
the town centre. The architects visualisation
was of a horizontal plan in consideration with
budget and general characteristics of the living style of the people.
Independence inner city (Old Town, postIndependence (New Town - 1950), neighbourhood designed during 1970s and neighbourhood designed after 1990s.
Koenigsbergers
overall
design
for
Bhubaneswar was based on the simple
device of one main traffic artery, to which
the neighbourhood units were attached. The
town was divided into six units (residential
neighbourhoods). Initially, emphsis was given
to meet housing requirements of Ministers
and gazetted officers, ministerial staff and
Class IV employees with public utilities like
market, hospital, etc. Unit-1 is the first of
the six units which caters to the daily market,
first public bank and police station along with
different types of quarters for Government
employees. Unit V is earmarked for administrative functions. Other units were planned
as residential neighbourhoods. Each unit
was designed to house a population of 5,000
to 6,000.
type of houses. There are unauthorised constructions and conversion of residential zone
to commercial. The examples are corner grocery shops, betel and cigarette shops, vegetable outlets and other shops. This has led
to deterioration in the architectural character
of the buildings.
The new Bhubaneswar town is experiencing

changing dynamics in residential areas. Commercial areas in some patches of roadside
plots in the neighbourhood are characterised
by problems relating to limitation of space,
storage, on-street loading/unloading, heterogeneous traffic and idle parking. A number
of incompatible land-use is found within the
The layout of housing was designed with par- neighbourhoods.
allel rows to admit sunlight and fresh air. Con- Until 1990, most of the neighbourhoods were
temporary neighbourhoods facilitate pleasant designed with horizontal development with a
and comfortable environment. However, the few G+3 flats for Government employees. Due
present-day neighbourhoods offer more em- to high population growth after 1990, a numphasis on housing design.
ber of private owners constructed apartment-
Koenigsberger suggested seven types of roads,

footpaths, parkways, cycle paths, minor housing streets, major housing streets, main roads
and main arteries, for seven groups of users
for seven different functions. The overall
widths of land earmarked for roads and streets
were not determined by traffic alone but by requirements for storm water drainage services
like overhead electric lines, telephone, water
and the need of adequate light and air to adjoining houses. An important consideration
was space for avenue trees on roads, and necessary provisions were made early in the land
allotment scheme and in the estimates.
At Bhauma Nagar, residential layout was designed in 1950. The location of the area is at
the citys central part. The plot sizes vary from
8x12m to 12x18m. The numbers of houses
in this neighbourhood have increased due to
construction of flats for Government employees. The roads designed at that time were wide
enough to sustain the then traffic movement
and parking facilities. It is served by shopping
facilities, schools, a hospital and a community
centre.
The existing Government quarters are of courtyard type of houses and common wall typologies. The houses were designed with rear
and front courtyards. The buildings have retained their architectural expressions. However, there are modifications in the built structure to accommodate changes in family structure. A number of people constructed additional houses in the back and front yards. And
the added garages for four-wheelers which
were not provided during the initial phase of
design. New market complex has already been
added to the existing market.
The blocks of houses have conservancy lanes

In Bhubaneswar, neighbourhoods are gener- (gaps between two rows of houses) behind the
ally classified under four categories - pre- house that serve a dual purpose. The lanes
35
BlogBook
are used for sewerage line also to facilitate
cleaning and repair work. The lanes are also
used for movement of domestic animals and
servants. The house owner purchased vegetables and other items from venders on these
lanes. But nowadays, many such conservancy lanes remain unclean and create problems. Conservancy lanes are only found in
the citys old neighbourhoods planned during
1950s. The Madhusudan Nagar area designed
during 1970s, and the area is close to Bhauma
Nagar. There are Government flats, Government lease plots and private plots. In this
area, transformations include demolition of
old structures and construction of new buildings.
1.9. MARCH
ment land have more open space than the areas developed on private land. In planned residential neighbourhoods under Government
schemes, there is allocation of land for recreational use. Sufficient space for recreation is
not available in private ownership land.
The planning for Bhubaneswars future requires a keen look at the existing ground realities. Besides, the present building regulations play an important role in determining
the character of the neighbourhood. There is a
need to understand neighbourhood dynamics
by identifying stages in the process of neighbourhood change. Neighbourhood is intended
to fulfil social, community as well as retail
functions. A proper balance between all the
The Nayapalli area was developed after 1970. facilities should be maintained for the conveThe neighbourhood layout varies with the pe- nience of residents.
riod of development, land ownership status
and land distribution scheme. This is a res- Care needs to be taken for physical, infrasidential neighbourhood for VIPs and hence a tructure, city transport planning and environposh area. A majority of land is under private mental considerations of the whole region to
ownership. The area also has multistoried prevent haphazard growth and scattered setapartments. However, the areas proximity to tlements. Open spaces, parks, recreational
the main road shows predominantly commer- areas, green belts and plantation should be
cial land use. A large number of houses con- properly organised to provide environmental
verted their ground floor for commercial use functions such as control of microclimate and
environmental pollution.
with upper floors being residential.
Chandrasekharpur was developed after 1990. 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
It is characterised by an irregular road pattern. eswar/koenigsbergers-bhubaneswar-witnesses-many-tr
The lands are under the GA Department and ansformations.html
also under private ownership.
In a neighbourhood, mixed land use has
positive and negative environmental impacts.
Only selective nonresidential activity in res- 1.9
idential premises should be permitted selectively, taking into consideration the commu1.9.1
nity needs, environmental impact and provision for safe and easy traffic circulation and
adequate parking.
March
INCLUSIVE, CONVENIENT AND
SAFE CITIES FOR WOMEN
(2015-03-09 18:31)
The observations of various stages of development of the neighbourhood can help to draw
many lessons, which can be used in the modification process of the neighbourhood planning. Bhubaneswar is experiencing transformation in residential neighbourhoods. The integration of residential units with schools and
markets has become difficult in the past few
years. The lack of connections between new
developments is a common problem in recent [1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editiourban expansions.
ns/bhubaneswar/how-to-have-inc
lusiveThe neighbourhoods developed on Govern- convenient-and-safe-cities-for-women.html
36
1.9. MARCH
BlogBook
HOW TO HAVE INCLUSIVE, CONVENIENT cent of women in Odisha experience physical

AND SAFE CITIES FOR WOMEN
violence.
There is no city or country in the world where
women and girls live free of the fear of violence.
Walt Whitman (1819-1892), American poet,
essayist and journalist, said, Where women
walk in public processions in the streets the
same as the men, where they enter the public assembly and take places the same as the
men; there the great city stands.
Womens fear of violence and crime affects

their lifestyle and routines and the way they
experience urban areas and the public realm
in particular. They are more likely to be pedestrians and require access to public transport.
So, the design of neighbourhoods for safety in
and around the home and from the home to
transit stops and facilities is paramount.
The International Womens Day is celebrated

on March 8 to ensure that policy makers recognise the importance of equality to end all
forms of violence and discrimination against
women through good laws. This years theme
Empowering Women - Empowering Humanity: Picture It! envisions a world where each
woman and girl can exercise her choices such
as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income, and living in societies
free from violence and discrimination.
When a designers design a house, neighbourhood or a town, they must make many decisions about how to solve problems of women.
Women safety in public spaces is a major issue in todays world as most women do not
find public places safe. Womens experience
of safety in urban areas is different to that of
men. Urban settings and the way they are
designed affect levels of fear which are higher
among women.
The designs of our cities and neighbourhoods

as well as the various urban functions reflect
our culture, values, lifestyle and relationships.
Long confined to domestic activities, women
have gradually moved into public arena. The
urban setting must adapt to this cultural and
social change, and cities must now deal with
the realities of women.
Communities can take up responsibilities and

play a role in improving the situation of women
by designing safe public spaces for women.
Besides, Municipal governments have a role
to play in helping women enter the decisionmaking process. Equal representation is certainly one way to ensure that the needs of
men and women will be addressed in municipal planning and management.
The city is important for both working and

nonworking women. So, development of new
policies and revisions of the policymaking process are crucial to meet womens needs and
ensure their full participation in the process of
development as a complete citizen. Planners
and architects have developed design guidelines and rules to build women-friendly communities. But, often these guidelines are overlooked or just ignored during the planning process.
All cities should be inclusive, convenient and

safe cities for women. Inclusive by helping
women fully access and participate in the social, cultural, economic and political life of the
city. Convenient by adapting the urban infrastructures and services to womens needs in a
fashion that embraces their nature, social role
and schedule. Safe by creating a safe urban
environment for women to allow them regain
their right to the city.
Women-friendly cities are defined as: An Inclusion, convenience and safety place where
women can grow, prosper, and participate effectively in developing their city. Therefore,
the participation of women in the planning
process is crucial.
The condition of women in India has always
been a matter of grave concern. Since the
past several centuries, Indian women were
never given equal status and opportunities
as compared to men. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 34 per
There are specific planning and design requirements for land uses and settings to reduce
womens higher levels of fear. Such requirements include residential areas, public open
space, public toilets and telephones, hospitals
and other large institutions. The particular
requirement for residential uses is to ensure
safety of women who are more likely to live
alone and occupy the house during the day
when others are not around by designing for
maximum surveillance of the street, providing
adequate privacy and discouraging access by
intruder.
37
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1.9. MARCH
Womens Safety Audits (WSAs) can help build

safer communities. A womens safety audit
is a simple and effective way to find out from
women about aspects and places in the community that pose obstacles to safety and access.
The National Science Day was celebrated with

great enthusiasm on February 28 to commemorate the invention of the Raman Effect in India by Indian physicist Sir Chandrasekhara
Venkata Raman the same day in 1928. The
day offers an opportunity to bring issues of
The WSAs are a participatory method of as- science for humanity. The theme for the day
sessing the safety and accessibility of a city 2015 was Science for Nation Building.
and its public spaces for women. It is a sim- Science and technology is a key driver for susple process of walking through a space and tainable and economic growth of a city. Smart
assessing factors that lead to unsafety/safety. Cities in the developed world are formulating
The safety walks are conducted before and af- technology master plans and then using these
ter dark to see how public spaces are trans- plans to develop a citywide command and conformed at night. Essentially participatory in trol network that monitors and optimises decharacter, they identify spaces that are unsafe livery of services like power, water, traffic and
and the factors causing lack of safety or exclu- healthcare. The concept of a Smart City is a
sion. The WSAs build upon the notion that relatively new one.
the users of a space are the experts and, thus, People migrate to cities primarily in search
have the knowledge to find solutions to the of employment and economic activities beproblems they face.
side better quality of life. Therefore, a Smart
City for its sustainability needs to offer economic activities and employment opportunities to residents, regardless of their level of
education, skills or income levels. Besides,
it would have to provide affordable housing,
cost-efficient physical infrastructure such as
24-hour water and electric supply, proper sanitation facility, clean air, quality education,
healthcare, security, entertainment, fast and
efficient urban mobility, etc.
In fact, 90 per cent of the worlds urban popeswar/how-to-have-inclusive-convenient-and-safe-ci
ulation growth will take place in developing
ties-for-women.html
countries. India is currently experiencing a
high pace of urbanisation and movement of
its citizens from smaller towns and villages to
1.9.2 SMART CITIES (2015-03-02 08:05) cities.
The right to the city refers to a rights-based

approach to building inclusive cities. The inclusive city has four dimensions economic,
social, political and cultural. The fundamental principle of the right to the city is that human rights are interdependent and indivisible.
Women have a right to the city. Womens active participation will make an inclusive, convenient and safe city for them.
To create a more livable and healthy environment, Smart Cities have been planned. The
Smart City concept emerged during the last
decade as a fusion of ideas about how information and communications technologies (ICTs)
might improve the functioning of cities, enhancing their efficiency, improving their competitiveness and providing new ways in which
problems of poverty, social deprivation and environment might be addressed.
For a smart city the key elements are institu[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio- tional (including governance), physical, social
ns/bhubaneswar/smart-cities-in volving-cit- and economic infrastructures. Institutional
izens-in-decision-making-needed.html
infrastructure refers to the activities that reSMART CITIES: INVOLVING CITIZENS IN late to the planning and management systems,
the participatory systems of governance and
DECISION-MAKING NEEDED
38
1.9. MARCH
e-governance. Physical infrastructure refers
to cost-efficient and intelligent physical infrastructure like the urban mobility system, the
housing stock, the energy system, the water supply system and sewerage system, solid
waste management, drainage, etc. Social infrastructure relates to the components that
work towards developing human and social
capitals such as educational, healthcare, entertainment, open spaces and parks.
BlogBook
holds should be connected to the waste water network. India can make Smart Cities like
Seoul, Singapore, Yokohama and Barcelona,
which have a sound transport system and efficient management of services for all citizens.
There is also proposal in Odisha to include
six cities in the Smart City project. The cities
are Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Brahmapur, Puri,
Sambalpur and Rourkela. To fulfil the goal,
there is a requirement of involvement of citizens in decision-making processes. New ways
of reengineering cities to make them smart,
responsive, competitive and equitable would
require new forms of governance. Publicprivate partnerships and citizen participation
is highly needed for application of smart technology in city planning.
The Prime Minister has a vision of developing

one hundred Smart Cities as satellite towns
of larger cities and by modernising the existing midsized cities to meet the demands of the
countrys rapidly growing urban population.
To achieve this, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
would need to make effective use of information and communications technology in public
administration to coordinate between various
eswar/smart-cities-involving-citizens-in-decisiondepartments. Specifically, Smart Cities would
making-needed.html
have municipal offices fully automated to deliver services in time through IT-based facilities.
Public participation in governance should be
made possible through the social media and
by making all information available in the public domain. One hundred Smart Cities may be
chosen by considering various criteria as one
satellite city of each of the cities with a population of 4 million people or more (nine cities).
Most of the cities in the population range of
1-4 million people (about 35 out of 44 cities).
Cities of tourist, religious and economic importance not included in above cities. Cities in the
0.2 to 1.0 million population range (25 cities).
Developing 100 Smart Cities would need a
large number of professional manpower and
several decision support systems. Thus, there
is a need for a large capacity building programme that encompasses training, education, research, knowledge exchange and a rich
database.
The benchmarks for Smart Cities include
smart transportation with maximum travel
time of 30 minutes in small and mediumsize cities and 45 minutes in metropolitan areas; unobstructed footpath of minimum twom width on either side of all streets; and dedicated and physically-segregated bicycle tracks
with a width of two m or more. At least 20 per
cent of all residential units have to be occupied
by economically weaker sections. All house2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
39
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40
1.9. MARCH
2. 2014
2.1 December
Therefore, technological advancement for a

barrier-free environment is an important consideration. The goal of barrier-free design is to
2.1.1 Inclusive Access for Disabled
provide an environment that supports an in(2014-12-03 00:07)
dependent functioning of individuals so that
they can get to and participate without assistance in everyday activities such as procurement of goods and services, community living, employment and leisure. Barrier-free design standards should satisfy anyone who is
hampered in his mobility of functioning (as
compared with a non-disabled person) as a
result of obstacles put in his way by the design of a building and the arrangement of outside space. Although barrier-free recommendations are concerned exclusively with the re[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio- quirements of disabled people but the facilins/bhubaneswar/needed-inclusiv e-access- ties will invariable make buildings more conveand-facilities-for-disabled.html
nient for elderly persons and persons suffering
from any kind of physical ailments.
NEEDED: INCLUSIVE ACCESS AND FACILITo make a barrier-free environment for the disTIES FOR DISABLED
abled, the Government of India has enacted
The World Health Organisation (WHO) esti- the Disabilities Act, 1955. Sections 44, 45
mates that 15 per cent of the worlds popula- and 46 of the Act stipulate that the approprition is living with disabilities. In India, 2.21 ate Governments and local authorities are to
per cent people are disabled and Odisha has ensure provisions of barrier-free facilities in
a 2.96-per cent disabled population as per the all new Government buildings and public utilCensus 2011. Around the world, persons with ities, roads and transport. Also, in 1996 the
disabilities not only face physical barriers but Government of India enacted the Persons with
also social, economic and attitudinal barriers. Disabilities (Equal Opportunity, Protection of
Besides, many people with disabilities do not Rights and Full Participation) Act. The main
have equal access to healthcare, education purpose of this law is to integrate disabled and
and employment opportunities and do not re- elderly persons fully into the society.
ceive the disability-related services that they
The fundamental principles, which have been
require, and experience exclusion from everyfollowed in developing standards/norms for
day life activities.
various facilities to buildings, healthcare inThe International Day of Persons with Dis- stitutions, meet disabled peoples standards
abilities is celebrated on December 3 to raise for safety, convenience and usability. Before
awareness and mobilise support for the dig- building any residential building for the disnity and well being of persons with disabili- abled people, it is advisable to note street conties. This years theme is Sustainable Devel- ditions, access to transportation, proximity to
opment: The Promise of Technology. Tech- shopping areas and whether there are major
nology has changed the world, bringing knowl- obstacles between the building and the shopedge within reach and expanding a range of op- ping locations. Pathways should be smooth,
portunities. Persons with disabilities can ben- hard level surface suitable for walking and
efit enormously from such advances. Through wheeling. Every building should have at least
adaptive, assistive and inclusive technology, one entrance accessible to the handicapped
they can make the most of their potentials in and should be indicated by proper signage.
their communities and workplaces.
This entrance should be approached through
41
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2.1. DECEMBER
a ramp together with a stepped entry. The

ramp should be finished with nonslip material and minimum width or the ramp should
be 1,800 mm with a maximum gradient 1:12.
built environment, adequate space should be

allocated for persons using mobility devices,
e.g., wheelchairs, crutches and walkers as
well as those walking with others assistance.
Attention should be given to dimensions of
Creation of barrier-free environment in towns
wheelchairs used locally. This decides the
and cities is the responsible of the State Govwidth of entrances and exits,
ernments. Urban local bodies, Development
Authorities and other Dtate departments are There are several obstacles to implementation
responsible for creating barrier-free built envi- of the guidelines and legislative measures on
ronment in towns and cities. Amendment of barrier-free design. Even where guidelines
building byelaws is the most important step and legislative measures exist, poor implementowards creation of barrier-free built environ- tation and enforcement remain serious issues.
ment, and the guidelines for barrier-free en- Promotion of barrier-free built environment
vironment may be referred from the Bureau is a new area of work. There is a need to
of Indian Standards, Ministry of Urban Devel- work together with people, technical personnel
opment guidelines, etc. The barrier-free de- and governmental organisations to promote
sign guidelines will help considerably towards barrier-free development that would make the
greater independence of not only wheelchair city safe and comfortable for everyone to work
users but also, hopefully, the elderly, the visu- and enjoy.
ally or hearing-impaired, children and, indeed, The importance of new information and coma broad spectrum of the community. This munication technologies (ICTs) such as mobile
standard is intended to make all buildings and phones or the internet expand access to key
facilities used by the public accessible to and public services. However, for the people with
functional for the physically-handicapped.
disabilities, the benefits of many established
and emerging technologies remain intangible.
Therefore, public information/service counters should be provided to various categories
of buildings. The approach to the counter
should be direct, clear and unobstructed.
Signs associated with counters should be located and visible to wheelchair users. Besides,
warning signals may help the disabled persons
perform their activities. Audible warning signals should be accompanied by simultaneous
visual signals for the benefit of those with hearing disabilities. Visual signals should be accompanied by simultaneous audible signals
Rights of disabled persons include protection for the benefit of the blind.
from inhuman treatment and equal protection
and safety. The Rights of Persons with Disabil- Use of new technologies can help disabled peoities Bill, 2014 was introduced in the Rajya ple use public buildings and facilities. This reSabha on February 7, 2013 by the Minister quires close cooperation of technical personof Social Justice and Empowerment. The Bill nel such as architects, engineers and town
states that persons with disabilities shall have planners to include the design features in built
the right to equality and shall not be discrimi- environment for disabled persons. Besides,
nated against on grounds of their disabilities. proper implementation of the guidelines and
legislative measures on barrier-free design can
Barriers make an environment unsafe and create an inclusive access and sustainable decause a high level of difficulty to the user. velopment for the disabled people.
Therefore, barrier-free features are now becoming fundamental to all design concepts. It 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
is important that not only public buildings eswar/needed-inclusive-access-and-facilities-for-d
but also the housings are designed to enable isabled.html
them to move freely. While designing the
Besides, there are model building byelaws prepared by different Development Authorities to
provide facilities for handicapped persons. As
per Section 42 of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (Planning and Building Standards) regulations, adequate provision for facilitating easy access of physically-challenged
persons shall be made in all public buildings
in accordance with the provisions of the National Building Code of India including the
minimum facility to reach the staircase/lift
without any barrier.
42
2.2. NOVEMBER
BlogBook
2.2 November
2.2.1
ings can reduce criminal activity. Crime prevention through physical design is an urban
Safe Neighbourhood Design to planning and design consideration which integrates crime prevention with neighbourhood
prevent Crimes (2014-11-25 06:11)
design and urban development. Essentially,
it is a comprehensive design approach that
combines different techniques of crime prevention with existing and newly developed theories and techniques. This will not only prevent
the crime but also reduce the fear of crime.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/design-safe-nei
ghbourhood-to-prevent-crime.html
DESIGN SAFE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO PREVENT CRIME
Every day, newspapers and televisions remind us of the problems of uncontrolled street
crimes where no individual is safe and where
women are more vulnerable. Women and adolescent girls face harassment and violence as
they go about their daily routines, whether on
city streets, in buses and trains or in their
own neighbourhoods. As many as 35 per cent
of women and girls globally experience some
form of physical and or sexual violence in their
lifetime with up to seven in ten women facing
this abuse in some countries.
A neighbourhood is a geographically localised

community. The neighbourhood is the scale at
which communal standards of behaviour are
first formed. In general, it is the natural extension of individual and family territoriality that
begins at home. If crime cannot be controlled
at the neighbourhood, it will spread to the
entire city. Every city has its intimate inner
patterns: the streets, squares and important
landmarks. Besides, urban transformation is
a habitual process in the evolution of cities.
The changes in social and economic processes
always involve an almost urban need to update or modernise or simply transform cities.
Perrys name is most commonly associated
with the notion of the neighbourhood design. He described the Neighbourhood unit
as that populated area which would require
and support an elementary school with an enrolment of between 1,000 and 1,200 pupils.
This would mean a population of between
5,000 and 6,000. Developed as a low density dwelling unit with a population of 10 families per acre, the Neighbourhood unit would
occupy around 160 acres and have a shape
which would render it necessary for any child
to walk a distance of not more than onequarter mile to school. Those sections or
neighbourhoods have some particular physical or social characteristics that distinguish
them from the rest of the settlement. The clustering of these neighbourhoods has formed
towns, villages and cities. The Neighbourhood
unit has formed the basis of planning of most
of the first planned new towns in India like
Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar and Gandhinagar.
To raise awareness and trigger action to end

this scourge, the UN observes International
Day for the Elimination of Violence against
Women on November 25. This year, the United
Nations Campaign UNITE to End Violence
against Women invites everybody to Orange
their Neighbourhood, take the UNITE campaign to local streets, shops and businesses,
and organise Orange Events in their neighbourhoods. The initiative is aimed to create
the symbolic image of a world free from violence against women. The colour orange aims
at uniting the theme which runs through all
events as one of the official colours of the
UNITE campaign, and as a bright and optiIn many areas, multi-family housing conmistic colour, representative of a world free
sumes the remaining open space and there
from violence against women and girls.
are increasing competition for neighbourhood
Built-environment has a critical role in crime spaces and public services as the populacontrol. Special design features in city plan- tion increases. These changes drew people
ning, neighbourhoods and individual build- from larger geographic areas and led to un2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
43
BlogBook
controlled use of and movement through their
neighbourhood. Where the neighbourhood
was once primarily residential in character,
other land uses competed for limited services
such as streets, parks, shops, etc. This, in
turn, contributed to an eventual breakdown
of the semi-private nature of the neighbourhood. The new uses provided the reason
and encouragement for potential offenders to
come and commit crimes. Individual competition, together with land use competition and
the unlimited flow of strangers, contributed to
the breakdown of the residents ability to distinguish between neighbour and nonresident.
This provided a setting for increased crimes.
In response to these increasing crimes and individual environmental competition, the resident began to feel isolated and afraid.
2.2. NOVEMBER
ronment and crime, particularly in high-crime
areas. Architects and urban designers should
do environmental mapping of space for users
to know how the users will accept the new
spaces they design. The basic principles of
good governance must find a direct application in any urban safety strategy, aimed at reducing and preventing common problems of
crime and insecurity. Besides, a proper management of city streets and public spaces can
ensure a safe neighbourhood for women.
eswar/design-safe-neighbourhood-to-prevent-crime.h
tml
2.2.2 Bio-Toilet for Eco-friendly sanitation (2014-11-19 09:30)

The need of safety is an important aspect of
city planning. However, crime and fear of

crime can affect the way a city works as well [1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editiothe attractiveness and functioning of some ns/bhubaneswar/bio-toilets-nee ded-to-ensuurban areas. When people feel threatened, re-eco-friendly-sanitation.html
they alter their lifestyle and, consequently, the
ways they use the city on a daily basis. Many
do not go out in the evening, do not use public
transport, do not use public spaces and shut
themselves in gated communities.
A complex range of factors contribute to insecurity in the city. It also depends on the way in
which cities are planned, designed and built;
the way in which people identify themselves
with the environment which they live in, and
the way in which urban spaces are looked after and managed. The layout and organisation of urban spaces influence their level of security: they can contribute to making them
safer, but they can also contribute to making
them more dangerous. A good or bad layout
can contribute to making a city more or less
safe.
BIO-TOILETS NEEDED TO ENSURE ECOFRIENDLY SANITATION

An international body, particularly the World
Toilet Organisation, has promoted World Toilet Day for years.
In 2013, the UN officially recognised November 19 as the World Toilet Day in a bid to make
sanitation for all. The 2014 World Toilet Day
campaign will draw attention to dignity and
equality issues, especially inspiring action to
end open defecation.
The layout of a new development should allow

it to be walked through safely day and night
by creating clear routes provided with natural
surveillance. The layout should have a clear
organisation and provide easy orientation for According to the Unicef and WHO estimates,
all users.
one-seventh of the world population still
Using zoning laws to shape the type of devel- openly defecate due to lack of proper toilet faopment and activity that occur in a neighbour- cilities. Of these, 60 per cent live in India.
hood may be one way to reduce crime. There On a global scale, it is estimated that yearly 10
is a need to execute more research on the rela- million children die under the age of five due
tionship between land-use law, the built envi- to improper sanitation.
44
2.2. NOVEMBER
BlogBook
Of these, 2.4 million children belong to India.

The provision of proper toilets could save the
lives of more than two lakh children in the
world, according to the UN.
have regular water supply. Water for flushing

toilets still has to be carried by hand. So, on
an average, every time a toilet is used, water
has to be lugged in buckets and mugs from
The countries where open defecation is most hand pumps located at a distances of 50 to
widely practised are the same with the highest 100 metres away.
numbers of under-five child deaths, poverty, Access to water supply and drainage facilities
and large wealth disparities.
is also another problem. The situation is even
Mahatma Gandhi emphasised the importance worse in the areas which are drought-prone
of toilets in the pre-Independent India and or face perennial water shortage such as Rasaid it to be more important than attaining In- jasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha.
dependence. But after 66 years of Indepen- Under these circumstances, it is not possible
dence, nearly half of Indias populations have to maintain water-flush toilets in those areas.
no toilet at home, coupled with very low use of In many areas toilets have been constructed
existing toilets in urban and rural areas.
and not being used due to lack of water supply.
According to the 2011 Census, 53.1 % (63.6
% in 2001) of Indian households do not have
a toilet, with the percentage being as high as
69.3 % (78.1 % in 2001) in rural areas and
18.6 % (26.3 % in 2001) in urban areas.
India has been constructing 1.5 million toilets

a year under its Total Sanitation Campaign.
However, 50 % of them remain unused. Besides, manual scavenging is still widespread
in India.
In India, Jharkhand tops the list of the States

with as high as 77 % of homes having no toilet while the figures are 76.6 % for Odisha and
75.8 % in Bihar. A detailed exercise is also being conducted to identify the shortcomings of
the existing sanitation and drinking water efforts and incorporate them into the 12th FiveYear Plan.
As per the 2011 Census, there were 7.94 lakh

latrines in the country from which night soil
was removed by humans. A number of households in both the urban and rural areas continue to rely even today on this practice.
Class-VIII), 12,588 have no toilets.

However, to improve the sanitary conditions in
schools, The Gas Authority of India Limited
(GAIL) had contracted 1,021 bio-toilets across
the country including 375 in Odisha under
the Swachchh Bharat Swachchh Vidyalaya
scheme.
In the case of water scaricy in some regions,

bio-toilets can be used. In the case of improved bio-toilet setup, existing traditional toilet can be improved so that it may not require continuous water supply. Proper design
of the bio-toilet implies that the system fulfils criteria such as safety, functionality, economy, and social and environmental affordability. So, the bio-toilet must be designed to accelerate decomposition of human excreta, optimise efficiency and minimise any potential
environmental or nuisance problems (odour).
In the slums of Bhubaneswar, almost 40 % to

50 % of households use either public toilets or
communal toilets, which serve a fixed residenHowever, open defecation continues to be a big
tial population.
concern for people. Cultural and traditional
reasons and lack of education are the prime However, the conditions of these facilities are
very poor. More than 50 % of these toilets are
reasons for this unhygienic practice.
According to the Status of Elementary and either dirty or very dirty and are completely
Secondary Education in Odisha-2012, a re- nonfunctional. Households who are dissatisport recently prepared by the Odisha Primary fied with the cleanliness of their communitys
Education Programme Authority (OPEPA), of toilets were more likely to practise open defethe total 53,193 elementary schools (up to cation.
Maintaining toilets in a hygienic condition has

emerged as a major problem in schools across
Odisha. The non-availability of piped water
supply in schools is a great cause of concern
to maintain cleanness of the toilet.
Almost none of the rural schools are supplied In bio-toilet, there are some innovative techwith running water. Some in urban pockets do nologies for disposal of human waste in an eco2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
45
BlogBook
2.2. NOVEMBER
friendly manner. This bio-toilet, called bio- A number of factors have been found to play
digester, is affordable and nature-friendly.
an important role in determining toilet use.
Sticking to toilet-using habit depends on conIn areas where water is scarce and plumbing
struction aspects like a well-maintained, userdoesnt exist, bio-toilets may be used. Biofriendly structure that protects privacy, water
toilet uses a dry toilet technology, which reavailability and awareness about the benefits
duces the demand for water. The bio-toilet inof good sanitation. Experiences on the use of
cludes a natural exhausting process so that
public toilets in urban areas have also identithe digester system never fills up to overflow.
fied that a number of factors lead to poor use
The waste collected in the digester is proof toilets. These include lack of water supply
cessed using anaerobic digestion to make orand adequate systematically designed sewage
ganic manure.
systems.
As the waste biodegrades, the digester captures methane gas, which is used for lighting
and cooking. It can be connected to the toilet
The Prime Minister has already declared a
or a series of toilets. Toilet can be a superSwachchh Bharat Abhiyaan, and by 2019 Instructure fixed on the bio-digester or a sepadia should become Swachchh Bharat. To
rate unit. Bio-digester has an inlet, an outlet
achieve this, it is imperative to provide toilet
and a gas pipe. It is the device in form of a
to each household.
container made of mild steel/ concrete/ plastic, etc.
The main advantages are the toilets do not
smell when properly maintained.The toilets do
not pollute the environment or groundwater.
They are cheaper to build compared to septic
systems. Once a toilet is separated from the
water use system, recycling household water
becomes a much simpler process.
In many areas, there are existing toilets, but

people are not using it because of water
scarcity and maintenance. In the areas where
water is not sufficiently available, bio-toilet is
a suitable solution.
A significant usefulness of the technology is

very low water requirement. It is only to the
extent to clean the toilet and personal washing.
With the persistent water scarcity in various
locations, less use of water is always desirable.
Sanitation in India is a State subject. Statelevel steering committees and urban departments play the role of guidance and support to
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) which are responsible for final implementation of sanitation at
The cleaning of toilet is also possible with com- the local level.
paratively lesser quantity of water as
P-trap is avoidable since water seal has been
provided in the main tank. This technology reduces residential water use, thus cutting water bills and lowering the energy needed to
pump and purify water.
The ULBs are mandated to undertake planning, design, implementation, operation and
maintenance of water supply and sanitation
services in towns. Besides, public participation and an inclusive approach to sanitation
Bio-toilets can be used in railway coaches,
are essential to ensure better ecofriendly sanhighways, rural areas, households, airports,
itation for all.
industrial areas, educational institutions, pilgrimage sites and slums.
Bio-toilet is a complete solid waste man1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
agement solution and certified by the Deeswar/bio-toilets-needed-to-ensure-eco-friendly-sa
fence Research and Development Organisanitation.html
tion (DRDO). It is 100 % sludge-free disposal
of human waste. The toilet decomposes solid
waste to water and biogas.
It is 100 %
maintenance-free.
46
2.2. NOVEMBER
2.2.3
BlogBook
Climate change: Challenge to profoundly affect climate in the short run and
Urban Planning (2014-11-08 04:53) almost certainly will produce significant longterm climatic effects as well. The result is that
these climatic changes can make life unpleasant and make at least some cities at some time
nearly uninhabitable.
Human emissions of carbon dioxide and other

greenhouse gases lead the earths atmosphere
to capture and retain more heat from the Sun.
The global temperature record shows an average warming of about 1.10F over the past century. Global warming is now one of the most
important environmental issues. Predictions
by the International Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) suggest that unless action is taken to
control greenhouse gas emissions, rapid cli[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio- mate change process could occur posing unns/bhubaneswar/climate-change- challenge- precedented challenges to global ecosystems
and human societies.
to-urban-planning-governance.html
CLIMATE CHANGE: CHALLENGE TO URBAN India is both a major green house gas emitPLANNING, GOVERNANCE
ter and one of the most vulnerable countries
The World Town Planning Day (WTPD) is an to projected climate change. The country is
event held on November 8 in 30 countries in- already experiencing changes in climate including India to recognise and promote the cluding water stress, heat waves and drought,
role of planning in creating livable communi- severe storms and flooding and associated
negative consequences on health and livelities.
hoods. Odisha is also most vulnerable to cliAn international organisation for the WTPD mate change. It has a 480-km coastline which
was founded in 1949 by the late Professor Car- is subject to cyclone and storm surge.
los Maria della Paolera of the University of
Buenos Aires. The main motivations to plan Building resilience and adapting to climate
a WTPD event are to educate all of members change is increasingly a high priority for cities.
of the community about town plannings posi- It will be critical to develop appropriate mitigation and adaptation responses to reduce the
tive impacts on community livability.
impacts of climate change. There is a need to
The city has a long history and has been the
integrate town and regional planning, climate
major source of human culture, innovation
change mitigation and adaptation and emerand democratic rights. The key is to build
gency management for sustainable human seton its essential characteristics and make them
tlement planning.
relevant for today. The possibility of a continuation of present trends of unsustainable eco- Development of new towns or development of
nomic growth, increased social fragmentation existing urban places requires a careful study
and environmental degradation is neither an of climatic condition of the region. Use of
acceptable nor sustainable option.
green areas is a major planning technique by
Cities should be places where the interaction which town planners can prevent or reduce adand participation of citizens help them meet verse effects of climate. Green areas help pretheir needs and aspirations, and those of the vent flooding by reducing the rate of runoff.
wider community, as well as allowing future It is highly needed to implement building
generations to meet their needs.
codes to take into account of changing cliAs a result of population growth, urbanisation
and mass migration of rural people to cities,
urban sprawl occurs and cities are fast becoming overcrowded. The cities that man builds
matic conditions and introduce more consistent town and regional planning measures for
human settlement and individual building design.
47
BlogBook
The Government of India has prepared a National Action Plan for Climate Change. The
mitigation measures would primarily include
energy efficiency in buildings, improved urban
land use planning and shift to public transport and management of water, waste water
and solid wastes. Besides, the action plan
would also facilitate adaptation to vulnerabilities arising out of climate change.
2.3. OCTOBER
a whole can reduce or magnify the impacts of
climate change at the local scale. It is imperative to emphasise specific fields of town planning which hold enormous potentials to successfully promote new planning strategies and
concepts facing mitigation and adaptation of
climate change in urban areas.
These include urban renewal and new means

of climate protection and sustaining urban
Odisha is a leader in formulating a State Cli- ecosystem services as contributions to climate
mate Change Action Plan identifying urban protection.
planning and water resources, coastal zones
Risk management processes can be used by a
and disasters, etc.
community to evaluate risks associated with
Transforming our major cities for climate climate change and suggest adaptation meachange is a challenge that will take five to sures. Risk management methodologies can
10 years or more to implement. A range of provide a way to explore public attitudes and
measures have already been identified, includ- perceptions of risk, and this information can
ing revising, renewing and enforcing building feed back into the assessment.
codes to take account of changing climate, inThe evaluation process may be formal or introducing more consistent planning measures
formal and may be quantitative or qualitative,
for town and regional planning, building dedepending on what works best for the develsigns and managing urban growth in climateopment authority. Several climate changesensitive areas through zoning and regulation.
specific risk assessment tools have been deBesides, cities are dynamic systems that veloped to assist planners. Besides, good urface unique climate impacts, their adaptation ban governance is vital to implement town
must be location specific. Zoning is a regula- planning policy for sustainable urban developtory tool widely used by development authoti- ment.
ties to control land use. It is a key tool for
implementing the goals and objectives in a deeswar/climate-change-challenge-to-urban-planning-g
velopment authoritys official plan.
overnance.html
Zoning bylaws divide the entire community

into zones. For each zone, only certain land
uses are permitted (for example, commercial,
residential, industrial, etc). In addition to restrictions on the use of the property, the zon- 2.3
ing bylaws may impose requirements on buildings, including maximum height, lot coverage 2.3.1
and density as well as building type and setbacks. Zoning codes can be used to limit new
development in hazard-prone areas or to prescribe building standards that reduce vulnerability to environmental stress.
October
Family
Farming
to
prevent
Hunger
and
Poverty
(2014-10-16 06:56)
It is important to keep in mind that land use

planning is used to pursue many local policy objectives, including providing affordable
housing, stimulating job growth, preserving
the character and heritage of a community,
reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enabling efficient transportation.
The design of a communitys physical compo- [1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editionents, such as parking lots, parks and road- ns/bhubaneswar/family-farming- needed-toways, drainage ditches or a neighbourhood as prevent-hunger-and-poverty.html
48
2.3. OCTOBER
BlogBook
FAMILY FARMING NEEDED TO PREVENT values between 10 and 19.9 indicate a seriHUNGER AND POVERTY
ous; values between 20 and 29.9 are alarming; and values exceeding 30 are extremely
The 2014 World Food Day theme Family
alarming hunger problem. In India, the GHI
Farming: Feeding the World, Caring for the
is 17.8 and is coming under serious category.
Earth has been chosen to raise the profile
In Odisha, it is 23.8 and coming under alarmof family farming and smallholder farmers.
ing category.
It focuses world attention on the significant
role of family farming in eradicating hunger Despite progress made, the level of hunger
and poverty, providing food security and nu- in the world is still serious, with 805 miltrition, improving livelihoods, managing natu- lion people continuing to go hungry, accordral resources, protecting the environment and ing to estimates by the FAO. One-third of the
achieving sustainable development. The UN worlds hungry people live in India. Because
General Assembly has also designated 2014 India is experiencing a shift over time from
as the International Year of Family Farming. a largely rural and agrarian population to urSo, the international community recognises ban, non-agriculture centres. India has a popthe important contribution of family farmers ulation of 1.2 billion as per the 2011 Census
to food security.
and is the second most populous country afRapid urbanisation in developing nations is ter China. However, it is projected that India
accompanied by a rapid increase in poverty will be the worlds most populous country by
and food insecurity. This scenario is further 2025. By 2050, it will have over 1.6 billion
aggravated by the fact that high food inflation, people. Hence, with limited natural resources
which by now is a global phenomenon, is ex- of water and land area and a vast majority of
pected to continue. The worlds population is poor, the cities will be unsustainable. Good
likely to reach 9.1 billion by 2050. The Food practice of urban agriculture is one of the soand Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates lutions for food security in India.
that by 2050, global food demand will increase
by 70 per cent to feed this population. This is
going to put a tremendous pressure on the already scarce land and water resources implying an urgent need for an alternative way to
combat food shortages.
A household is considered food-secure when
its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of
starvation. Ensuring food security ought to
be an issue of great importance for a country
like India, where more than one-third of the
population is absolutely poor.
The report Global Hunger Index (GHI) by the
International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI) is based on three equally weighted indicators, namely, undernourishment (proportion of undernourished people as percentage
of population), child underweight and child
mortality. The GHI measures progress and
failures in the fight against hunger. It ranks
countries on a 100-point scale with 0 being
the best score (no hunger) and 100 being the
worst, though neither of these extremes is
achieved in practice. The higher is the score,
the worse the food situation of a country. Values less than 4.9 reflect low hunger; values
between 5 and 9.9 reflect moderate hunger,
Family farming is defined as a means of organising agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral

and aquaculture production which is managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on nonwage family labour, both
men and women. It is one of the most predominant forms of agriculture both in developing and in developed countries. The sector comprises a wide spectrum of farm sizes
and types, ranging from very large land holdings in high-income economies that are easily
cultivated by one or two family members with
the use of labour-saving machinery and hired
labour to the small holdings of a few hectares
or less in low-income economies.
City planners have a unique opportunity to
support, facilitate and lead food security initiatives at a local and community level through
the decisions about the use of land. For instance, much productive agricultural land has
been converted to other uses. During the planning stage, planners could be involved in collection of data on community food system and
assessment on the impact of current planning
on the local food system. Integration of agriculture with urban greening programmes can
provide food to urban residents, reduce ur49
BlogBook
ban pollution and temperatures as well as offer recreation opportunities to improve quality of urban life. It demonstrates how urban
agriculture livelihood can be integrated in spatial land use planning and improves urban
land governance. Location and peri-urban typology help understand the policy and practical premises that constrain urban agriculture
livelihood integration in urban land use planning processes and land management principles.
Among global agricultural institutions, the
UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
has a longstanding role in the fight against
hunger, malnutrition and poverty. With the
support of its member-states and in collaboration with other intergovernmental organisations, the FAO has developed its extensive
technical and policy resources primarily to address the rural side of agricultural production
with a focus on farmers, including small farmers, in the developing world.
The National Food Security Act, 2013 (also
Right to Food Act) is an Act of the Parliament
of India which aims to provide subsidised food
grains to approximately two-thirds of the 1.2billion people. It was signed into law on
September 12, 2013. In India, the livelihood
security of more than 50 per cent of the population depends on crop and animal husbandry,
inland and marine fisheries, forestry and agroforestry. Under such conditions, agriculture
should be given top priority. The Good Practice of Urban Agriculture has to be linked with
food system planning and land use planning
of a city and its surroundings. There is a
need for identification of land for urban development with agriculture. Agricultural land
within urban area is to be protected under the
Town and Country Planning Act. New townships should incorporate urban agriculture
like city farming, horticulture, family farming,
etc.; from the very beginning in the planning
stage. This will provide food security and urban resilience in a sustainable way. Small
family farms are the key to reduce poverty
and improve global food security. Much of
the worlds experience in sustainable farming systems has been gained by family-run
farms. From generation to generation, family farmers have transmitted knowledge and
skills, preserving and improving many practices and technologies that can support agri50
2.3. OCTOBER
cultural sustainability.
Throughout the country, farmers are using innovative techniques to produce and distribute
food. Family farming is now being done on
rooftops, in community gardens and anywhere
there is space. Rooftop gardens are used in
cities to reduce the citys temperature, particularly the heat island effect, greenhouse gas
emissions and can be used for family farming.
Backyard gardens and private open space can
be used for food production.
To achieve food security to all, potentialities
of urban agriculture should be seriously explored. There is a need for greater awareness
about urban agriculture. Socially-oriented enterprises can play a significant role to spread
knowledge-intensive techniques in this area.
The Government at the same time should
facilitate urban agriculture through various
schemes for food security in the city. Economic policies should be reoriented to provide
adequate support for Indias agriculture and
its vast rural population. Besides, agriculture
can provide the largest source of employment
to the rural poor. This not only increases their
incomes and food security but also facilitates
reduction of poverty for a sustainable livelihood.
eswar/family-farming-needed-to-prevent-hunger-andpoverty.html
2.3.2 Rights of Slum Populations in

the City (2014-10-06 06:02)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/slum-population s-have-aright-to-be-in-the-city.html
SLUM POPULATIONS HAVE A RIGHT TO BE
IN THE CITY
2.3. OCTOBER
The United Nations has designated the first
Monday in October as the World Habitat Day
to reflect on the state of human settlements
and the basic right to adequate shelter for all.
This year the day is celebrated on October 6.
The day is also intended to remind the world
of its collective responsibility for the future of
human habitat. This years theme is Voices
from Slums, giving voice to people who have
lived or live in slums or other vulnerable urban
contexts. A slum can be defined as a compact
settlement with a collection of poorly built tenements, mostly of temporary nature, crowded
together usually with inadequate sanitary and
drinking water facilities in unhygienic conditions.
BlogBook
city environment. They lack safe drinking water and proper sewerage services. There are
no toilets and people defecate in the open. As
a result, both household wastes and human
generated wastes go directly or indirectly into
the low-lying lands, open spaces or water bodies of the city and cause a number of problems.
Besides, heaps of garbage are found here and
there.
The city authorities are of the view is that

most people are illegally living in slums. Because of this, cities do not plan for or manage
slums, and the people living in them are overlooked and excluded. They receive none of the
benefits of more affluent citizens, such as access to municipal water, roads, sanitation and
sewage. This attitude to slum dwellers and apThe rapid urbanisation in conjunction with inproaches that disregard them perpetuate the
dustrialisation and lack of infrastructural and
levels and scale of poverty, which impacts on
employment opportunities in rural areas have
the cities as a whole.
led to mass rural-urban migration, and this
has resulted in the growth of slums. The pro- The great slums of India are predominantly
liferation of slums occurs due to many fac- created when large numbers of individuals or
tors such as the shortage of developed land families move to the urban centres, usually
for housing and the high prices of land that in search of better economic prospects. This
is because cultivable land in villages is limare beyond the reach of urban poor.
ited and not enough to support the landless
About 32 per cent of the worlds urban popu- labourers in the village. Instead of starving in
lation lives in slums and a majority of them villages, they along with their family move on
in the developing world. According to the to cities in search of employment. No wonder,
2011 Census, 17.4 per cent of urban Indias the slums in the capital and metro cities are
population lives in slums. In the five States getting larger and larger.
of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya
Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, more than The Indian Government has started recognis1 in 5 urban households live in a slum. In ing informal settlements, regularising unauOdisha, the percentage of slum population is thorised constructions and changing planning
23.1. Bhubaneswar has a 3.50-lakh popula- standards to meet the needs of the poor better.
tion living in 377 slums. Most of the slum However, the slum problems cannot be solved
dwellers occupied Government land. The en- by focusing on the cities alone. A comprehencroachment of Government land by the slum sive solution is necessary for development of
people creates unhygienic conditions, traffic rural areas with improved infrastructures, edjams, etc. Slum dwellers have not willingly ucation and employment opportunities.
chosen their shanty structures and unhygienic environment but have been driven to
this option due to compelling circumstances
as they are unable to enter into the formal
housing sector.
Urban human settlements require a more inclusive approach to planning and land management if they are to sustain all the people
who live in them. A basic need for all people
living in cities is shelter. The first step then in
creating sustainable urban settlements is for
cities to recognise that people living in slums
have a right to be in the city. This recognition would begin to make slum dwellers legitimate citizens, which would start legalising
their tenure.
All slums and squatters are made of bamboo,

straw, low-quality wood, tin and plastic sheets.
The population density in slums and squatters
is high. A minimum of four and maximum of
ten people share a room, which is highly congested and unhealthy. This poor housing and
lifestyle cause a number of problems for the Government makes land available for human
51
BlogBook
settlements through various land management tools. Since cities do not formally plan
these slums, they have no maps or layouts
showing streets and sites; so, people living in
slums have no officially-recognised street addresses. Therefore, a number of stakeholders
should be involved in city-wide planning to ensure a sustainable supply of land for the poor
that can be serviced and developed. These
stakeholders include different sections of Government, the private sector and civil society.
The Government sector includes both national
and local governments as well as city authorities.
The UN-Habitat assists citywide slum upgrading programmes and helps strengthen institutional building as well as skills development of
technical cadre from Governments and other
stakeholders involved in developing informal
settlements. In this process, a number of participatory planning tools have been developed.
These include tools for enumeration and mapping, programme management guidelines and
general guides to support implementation of
complex slum upgrading programmes.
Besides, there is a strong correlation between
improved housing and poverty reduction. In
India, this has been introduced through the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission (JNNURM) reforms, which states that
20-25 % lands would be reserved for low income and economically weaker section housing (EWS) in the new developments. Under the
JNNURM, 65 Indian cities had an opportunity
to bridge this infrastructure gap and also to
resolve some of the housing problems for the
urban poor through the BSUP (Basic Services
for the Urban Poor) component of the Central Government-funded mission. The Government also created another scheme, Rajiv Awas
Yojana (RAY). Under the RAY guidelines, all
the urban local bodies are expected to map
and take a census of all the slums and create strategies to improve existing condition of
slums. Besides, the National Urban Housing
and Habitat Policy, 2007 has been enacted,
which states that the endeavour would be to
carry out in-situ upgradation of dwelling units
for 95 per cent of the slum households.
2.3. OCTOBER
in every urban development project to be set
apart for undertaking EWS and LIG housing.
This would enable continuous supply of serviced land for housing of the slum dwellers.
Cities should draw up long-term local strategies for improving the living condition of slum
dwellers. These should include access to affordable land, employment opportunities and
basic infrastructures and social services. Local governments should develop strategies to
prevent formation of new slums.
The best way to deal with the problem of slums
would be to stop migration of landless labourers from rural to urban areas by providing employment avenues in villages. Different labourintensive industries can be promoted in villages. Small-scale industries with loan facilities can be established for educated rural
youth. This would reduce migration and there
would be no reason for slums to come up. Besides, a detailed survey of slum population
should be carried out. The outcome of the survey should be integrated with the present land
use plan especially in housing category. This
would help provide authorised dwelling units
to all slum population to make the city slumfree.
eswar/slum-populations-have-a-right-to-be-in-the-c
ity.html
2.3.3 Gandhian
Urban
concept of RuralInterdependence
(2014-10-03 09:55)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/gandhian-concep
t-of-rural-urban-interdependence-yet-tomaterialize.html
Cities without slums should be the objective

of all urban planning for social and economic GANDHIAN CONCEPT OF RURAL-URBAN INdevelopment. There is a need to reserve lands TERDEPENDENCE YET TO MATERIALIZE
52
2.3. OCTOBER
BlogBook
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on October 2 to

observe the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the
Father of the Nation. The United Nations General Assembly also declared the day as the International Day of Nonviolence.
2011 Census, while the rural population declined from 72.19 per cent to 68.84 per cent.
Of the total population of Odisha, 83.32 per
cent live in rural areas and 16.68 per cent in
urban areas.
Gandhi had a very clear perception of Indian

villages. He started from analysing the causes
of poverty owing to the British Rule. In his
words, India lives in her seven and a half
lakhs of villages. He believed India would
have to live in villages, not in towns; in huts
not in palaces. He observed, If village perishes, India will perish too. He was of the view
that the countrys progress lies in development
of its villages and growth of rural economy, industry and rural skills.
Rural development has assumed global attention. It has great significance for a country like
India where 69 per cent of the people live in
rural areas. In India, agriculture contributes
nearly one-fifth of the gross domestic product. Agriculture, handicrafts, fisheries, poultry and dairy are the primary contributors to
the rural economy.
There exists an economic, social and environmental interdependence between urban and
rural areas. Rural-urban linkage generally
refers to the growing flow of public and private capital, people (migration and commuting) and goods (trade) between the urban and
rural areas. Adequate infrastructure such as
transportation, communication, energy and
basic services is the backbone of the ruralurban development linkage approach.
Gandhi aimed at attainment of Village Swaraj.

In 1942, he said, My idea of Village Swaraj
is that it is a complete republic, independent
of its neighbours for its own vital wants and
get interdependent for many others in which
dependence is a necessity. Every villages first
concern will be to grow its own food crop and
cotton for its cloth. My ideal village will con- A majority of the Indian villages still face
tain intelligent human beings. They will not constraints such as access to education,
live in dirt and darkness as animals.
healthcare, drinking water, power, roads, etc.
Against
this background, adoption of espeThe decentralised economic units would thus
facilitate the best possible use of local raw cially villages in backward regions through
materials, talents and manpower; promote preparation of Village Development Plans
occupational equilibrium, ecological balance (VDPs) would go a long way in ensuring holisand cooperative living. In the field of agri- tic and integrated development of the villages
culture, Gandhiji recommended cooperative concerned. The objective of VDPs is to develop
farming which would save labour, capital, the selected village in an integrated manner.
tools and provide employment to all adult vil- This would include economic development and
lagers. Gandhian economics places impor- other aspects of human development.
tance to means of achieving the aim of development and this means must be nonviolent,
ethical and truthful in all economic spheres.
So, he dvocated trusteeship, decentralisation
of economic activities, labour-intensive technology and priority to weaker sections.
However, in todays context, the process of
transformation in Indian villages has led to migration. Villages get integrated into urban areas. There are several reasons why villages
have been changing. Of the 121 crore Indians,
83.3 crore live in rural areas while 37.7 crore
stay in urban areas, as per the 2011 Census.
The absolute increase in population is more
in urban areas than in rural areas. The level
of urbanisation increased from 27.81 per cent
in the 2001 Census to 31.16 per cent in the
The 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution initiated the processes for introducing
institutional arrangements for integrated development of settlements, areas and regions.
So, these amendments provide for two types of
committees, District Planning Committee and
Metropolitan Planning Committee. These committees would ensure that the plans prepared
by local bodies at the village and town levels
are integrated and accommodated within the
framework of 20 to 25-year perspective plans
and 5-year economic development plans prepared at the national and State levels.
The Institute of Town Planners, India in the
year 1995 conducted a study to detail urban
development plans formulation and implementation (UDPFI) guidelines. The purpose was
53
BlogBook
2.4. SEPTEMBER
to arrive at a methodology of plan preparation 2.4

that would not only help prepare better master
plans but also help achieve integrated develop2.4.1
ment of rural and urban areas. Urban and Regional Planners being spatially trained to look
into the multi-sector dimensions of development in an area would be preparing a spatial
plan and would be achieving the objective of
rural-urban integration.
September
Odisha
Nature
Tourism
(2014-09-29 16:22)
Rural communities are responsible for the

stewardship of ecosystem services essential to
human survival, such as clean air and water,
flood and drought mitigation, pollution mitigation, biodiversity, and climate stabilisation.
Metropolitan congestion is given some relief by
smaller towns and cities that offer affordability, space and safety. Metropolitan areas provide the concentrated markets for rural goods
and services. They are also the location of a
wide variety of specialised services like healthcare, cultural activities and legal and financial
services.
One noticeable issue today is the rate at which
people migrate from rural to urban areas. This
has negative consequences. It leads to overpopulation of urban areas and encouraging
crimes and slows down the rate of rural development. So, each State the Government
should strive to provide social amenities and
jobs for rural citizens. Agro-allied industries
must be set up in rural areas to provide jobs.
Agricultural inputs and technologies should
be introduced to rural people to improve the
production level.
Gandhijis vision to make Indian villages prosperous is possible through rural-urban interdependence. Gandhiji had an elaborate plan
for labour-intensive production which would
generate more employment opportunities and
suit to the rural community. Regional development planning creates a better urban-rural
balance and reduces migration pressure on urban areas. It is important for planners and policymakers to develop strategies based on the
realities of peoples lives in both urban and rural areas. This would reflect Gandhijis vision
of an ideal region that would be eco-friendly
and sustainable for future generation.
eswar/gandhian-concept-of-rural-urban-interdepende
nce-yet-to-materialize.html
54
[1]https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7459242837272653609
#editor/target=post;postID=1214603387027903060
LOCAL COMMUNITIES YET TO BENEFIT
MUCH FROM ODISHA NATURE TOURISM
The World Tourism Day (WTD), celebrated on
September 27, highlights tourisms social, cultural, political and economic value. WTD 2014
has the theme Tourism and Community Development focusing on the ability of tourism to
empower people and provide them with skills
to achieve changes in their local communities.
Tourism is the largest industry in the world according to figures on employment and expenditures. Over 800 million people travel internationally each year, and many more travelling
within their countries.
Travel and Tourism in India is an integral
part of Indian tradition and culture. India is
ranked 68th among the worlds 139 most attractive destinations and scores very high on
2.4. SEPTEMBER
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natural resources (ranked 8th) and cultural re- ples include bird-watching, photography, vissources (24th); with 30 world heritage sites.
iting natural areas, etc.
Tourism that features nature is generally termed environmental or nature-based
tourism, a broad term that includes a range
of tourism experiences including adventure
tourism, ecotourism and aspects of cultural
and rural tourism. Nature-based tourism is
distinguished from other tourism forms by its
natural area setting. More and more people are living an urban life and the amenities
and conveniences that come with globalisation
increasingly lead to a near complete disconnect from nature. For many people, getting
back in touch with nature tourism provides a
different experience to enjoy natural heritage.
Natural heritages include all natural features
like mountains, valleys, forests, deserts, water
bodies, landscapes, flora and fauna.
Odisha is an ideal place for nature tourism as
nature has given it everything like beautiful
beaches, rivers, water streams, falls and wide
varieties of flora and fauna. The widespread
sea beaches at Puri, Gopalpur and Chandrabhaga and the charming Chilika lake have
a special attraction.
Odisha is rich with
sacred rivers like the Mahanadi, Brahmani,
Baitarani, Subarnarekha and Rushikulya.
Mountains like Deomali and Gandhamardan
are well-known. There are a number of beautiful waterfalls, Bada-Ghagara, Sana-Ghagara
and Khandadhar in Keonjhar district, Koilighugar in Jharsuguda, Barehipani in the
Similipal National Park.
The natural hot
springs are Atri (Khordha), Taptapani (Ganjam) and Deuljhari (Angul). To maintain the
eco-balance and protect the flora and fauna,
national parks are earmarked at Similipal and
Bhitarakanika of Odisha. Besides, the State
has a number of wildlife sanctuaries.
Tourism in Odisha has developed considerably
in recent years due to various attractions ranging from natural scenery, wildlife reserves and
beaches to temples and monuments and the
arts and festivals. Nature tourism provides
a high scope for rural tourism and a degree
of alternate employment to the local community and generates environmental awareness
among local residents as well as visitors. Nature tourism is responsible travel to natural
areas which conserves the environment and
improves the welfare of local people. Exam2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
Social, economic and cultural sustainability

depend on the impacts of nature tourism on local residents and communities and also the experiences of visitors. Nature tourism has the
potential to improve both economic and spiritual wellbeing.
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) report on the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
notes that tourism policies should be applied
in such a way as to raise the standard of
living of the populations of the regions visited which is particularly important for the deprived or remote communities in their fight
against poverty. The UNWTO has vast experience in providing technical assistance to countries and destinations in their efforts to develop tourism as an engine to foster socioeconomic development, especially for disadvantaged groups. The UNWTO launched the STEP Programme (Sustainable Tourism for the
Elimination of Poverty) at the Johannesburg
World Summit on Sustainable Development
in 2002. Its aim is to reduce poverty levels through promoting sustainable forms of
tourism.
Community involvement in decision-making
and residents receipt of benefits from tourism
is expected to play a vital role in sustainable
tourism as well as preservation and conservation of biodiversity. The development of infrastructure in areas having potential for nature
tourism is highly needed. The intention is to
benefit the local community economically and
socially.
However, the local communities are not benefited much from nature tourism projects in
Odisha. The level of participation of community residents in nature tourism is very
low. In many cases, the residents are neglected while preparing action plan and evaluation and monitoring process of projects.
Community-based nature tourism can provide
a more sustainable nature tourism development. There is a need to study how communities can benefit from nature tourism in
a sustainable way. It can be done by extending need-based tourism education and
short and long-term tourism manpower development strategies.
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The Odisha Tourism Policy has been formulated as a promoter and catalyst to create an
environment for planned and sustained development of tourism. It also welcomes and
encourages non-government sectors to participate in development of tourism. Besides
government effort, private-sector participation, administrative improvement, travel and
tourism research, adoption of integrated and
coordinated tourism development plan can be
developed for sustainable nature tourism in
Odisha.
2.4. SEPTEMBER
The United Nations (UN) International Day
for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16. The event commemorates the date of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer in 1987. The 2014 theme of the
day is Ozone Layer Protection: The Mission
Goes on.
Molecules of ozone formed a thin layer in

the Earths outer atmosphere hundreds of
millions of years ago. Ozone depletion substances are chemical compounds that degrade
1. https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7459242 the ozone layer. Since the ozone layer filters
837272653609#editor/target=post;postID=12146033870
the most harmful ultraviolet radiation from
27903060
the sun before it reaches the land, it is essential to avoid the use of ozone depletion substances in building projects. In the past, these
ozone depleting substances like CFCs, HCFCs
2.4.2 Ozone
Layer
Protection were used in air-conditioning system as refrig(2014-09-16 09:44)
erant. Ozone depletion also occurred due to
certain industrially produced chemicals containing chlorine or bromine and damaging the
Earths protective ozone layer.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/ozone-layer-pro
tectionmust-for-sustaining-mother-earth.html
OZONE LAYER PROTECTION MUST FOR SUSTAINING MOTHER EARTH
Ozone is also produced in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) by the chemical reactions between pollutants like nitrogen oxides
and hydrocarbons and UV radiation. This
ground-level ozone is a significant component
of photochemical smog found in many polluted areas and has adverse effects on human health and environment. For example,
increased UV radiation reduces the levels of
plankton in the oceans and subsequently diminishes fish stocks. It can also have adverse
effects on plant growth, reducing agricultural
productivity. Besides, heating, ventilation
and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can release compounds into the atmosphere resulting in depletion of the protective ozone layer.
With its successful implementation, the Montreal Protocol has been gradually strengthened to cover the phase-out of nearly 100
ozone-depleting substances.
The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere protects humans and other organisms against ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. About
90 per cent of all ozone molecules are found
in the stratosphere, a region that begins about
10-16 km above the Earths surface and extends up to about 50 km. Most of this ozone
is found in the lower stratosphere, commonly
known as the ozone layer. The remaining 10
per cent of ozone is in the troposphere, the low- In India, almost 70 per cent of the workforce is
dependent on agriculture. The climate change
est region of the atmosphere.
represents an additional stress on ecological
In the 1970s scientists discovered that certain
and socioeconomic systems that are already
man-made chemicals deplete the ozone layer,
facing tremendous pressures due to rapid urleading to an increased level of UV radiation
banisation and industrialisation.
reaching the Earth. Excessive heat from the
sun due to this ozone hole is a major contrib- A variety of policies and measures have been
utor to the high temperature regimes, and the implemented in reducing the use or emissions
result is global warning.
of ODSs. India, a party to the Vienna Conven56
2.4. SEPTEMBER
tion for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, is one of the countries
that have felt the benefit of this work. Indias
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has
been executing a nation-wide initiative, the
National Air Quality Monitoring Programme
(NAMP). The annual average concentrations of
sulfur oxide levels today are within the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in almost all domestic territories.
BlogBook
efficiency in buildings, management of solid
waste and shift to public transport. The National Mission on Sustainable Habitat would
broadly cover the following aspects: Extension of the energy conservation building code
which addresses the design of new and large
commercial buildings to optimise their energy
demand; Better urban planning and modal
shift to public transport - make long-term
transport plans to facilitate growth of medium
and small cities in such a way that ensures
efficient and convenient public transport; Recycling of material and urban waste management - a special area of focus would be development of technology for producing power
form wastes. The mission would also facilitate adaptation to vulnerabilities arising out of
climate change like adverse impacts on water
resources, increased frequencies of extreme
weather like droughts, floods, cyclones, storm
water surge, rise in sea levels and heat waves.
Most global and regional environmental problems originate in cities, which import increasing amounts of natural resources and export
vast quantities of emissions and waste. The
main human sources of GHGs contributing to
global warming are the dramatic rise in energy
use, land-use changes and emissions from industrial activities. There is a need to study
the nature of these changes and their ramifiBesides, there is a number of practical meacations for sustainable human settlement.
sures which can be taken at individual level
Reducing the contribution of cities to climate to protect nature Earth. To protect the ozone
change, or mitigation, requires an adequate layer, we must prevent the release of ozoneunderstanding of the drivers of urban GHG depleting substances to the atmosphere and
emissions, while effective adaptation must be select materials with zero ozone depletion pobased on a good understanding of what makes tential (ZODP). Whenever possible, we must
cities vulnerable or resilient to climate change also replace them with safer alternatives. This
impacts. If properly designed, constructed significant progress is a useful indicator to proand operated, a sustainable city and sustain- tect ozone depletion and boost sustainable deable building will require less money and fewer velopment, which would be beneficial for furesources to operate and will be healthier for ture of planet Earth and mankind.
its occupants. Buildings are sustainable
when they are designed, built and operated 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
with low environmental, social, and economic eswar/ozone-layer-protection-must-for-sustaining-m
impacts. Planning looks at the needs of people other-earth.html
and the environment while respecting limits to
development. Urban planning must recognise
regional limits to development to maintain natural habitats and biodiversity.
2.4.3 Urban Flooding in capital city
Use of green areas is a major planning technique by which town planners can prevent
or reduce adverse effects of climate. Therefore, many cities in the developed world are
planning to transform themselves into green
metropolises. The Government of India has
prepared a National Action Plan for Climate
Change. To address issues relating to mitigation and adaptation in human settlements,
a National Mission on Sustainable Habitat
has been initiated. It aims to make cities
sustainable through improvements in energy
Bhubaneswar (2014-09-06 06:23)
57
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2.4. SEPTEMBER
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio- ence is about 80 metres between the west end

ns/bhubaneswar/drain-encroachm
ent- (Kalinga Nagar near Chandaka Road) and the
main-cause-of-flooding-in-capital-city.html
east end (near Jharpada and Badagada).
DRAIN ENCROACHMENT MAIN CAUSE OF Thus, the overall topography slopes from westFLOODING IN CAPITAL CITY
ern highlands to eastern plains, rendering a
natural advantage of drainage. There are 10
Drainage master plan brooks no delay
major natural drains running west to east.
A number of major cities and towns in India Some of these finally join the Gangua Nallah.
reported a series of devastating urban floods Bhubaneswars storm water flows into these
in the recent decade. Major cities like Delhi, 10 drain channels. But the entire city has not
Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai suffered flood- been covered with storm water drains.
ing. Urban floods happen when a large volume
of rain falls within a short time. Uneven distri- This apart, encroachment of natural drains by
bution of rainfall, encroachment or blockage of construction and dumping of waste materials
natural drainage channels and lakes for con- make the storm water drains inefficient, reverting them to high-value urban land are the sulting in blockage and chocking. The citys
drain No1 opens to river Kuakhai and the
main causes of flooding.
other nine drain channels (No2 toNo10) flow
Urban flooding is significantly different from into the Gangua Nallah.
flooding in rural areas as urbanisation results
in impermeable catchments causing flood The starting point and outfall of the
peaks by up to three to four times. Many water drains are as follows: Drain No1 (Patiabodies in urban areas have disappeared due to Chandrasekharpur to Daya West Canal
human-induced succession filled with wastes Crossing to river Kuakhai); Drain No2 Sainik
and development or slum encroachments. Un- School Road Culvert to Railway Bridges
planned urbanisation is the key cause of flood- (confluence with Drain No3) to Gangua Naling. Urbanisation leads to paving of surfaces lah; Drain No3 (OAP area)- field near Sainik
which decreases ground absorption and in- School to Railway Bridges (confluence with
creases the speed and amount of surface flow. Drain No2) to Gangua Nallah; Drain No4
(Vani Vihar)-Reserve Forest, Bharatpur to
The water rushes down suddenly into the Daya West Canal Crossing to Gangua Nalstreams from their catchment areas leading to lah; Drain No5 (Laxmisagar)-Janpath Road
floods. Various kinds of depression and low- to Gangua Nallah; Drain No6 (Baragada)lying areas near or around cities which act Railway Bridges to Gangua Nallah; Drain No7
as cushions and flood absorbers are gradually (Kedargauri)-Airport Road to Gangua Nallah;
filled up. This results in inadequate channel Drain No8 (Airport)-Joklandi Road to conflucapacity. During heavy rains, the silted drains ence with Drain No8 to Gangua Nallah; Drain
cant carry full discharge.
No9 (Ghatikia)-Culvert on NH-5 to Pokhariput
A number of drainage systems in many urban Railway Bridge to Gangua Nallah; and Drain
areas of Odisha have collapsed resulting in No10 (Nicco Park)-Lake near CRP Colony to
flooding. This can be seen during rainy sea- Gangua Nallah.
sons in major cities like Puri, Bhubaneswar
The BMC maintains the minor drains,
and Cuttack. In Bhubaneswar, dwellings in
which comprise secondary and tertiary drains.
and around Ekamara Kanan, Jayadev Vihar,
These drains essentially convey storm water
Gajapati Nagar, Sainik School, Vani Vihar,
runoff from the road surface, household roof
west of Mancheshwar, Acharya Vihar, Iskcon
drains and form the catchment area in unTemple, Aiginia, Jagamara and Pokhariput
developed or partially developed portions of
are the areas through which the natural
the city to the major drains. Although 10
drains pass.
natural drains are flowing through the city,
But due to upcoming structures in these ar- it is fou nd that because of encroachment
eas, the floodwater cannot drain properly and many drains are not getting adequate space
creates waterlogging. The general topography to discharge storm water. The drains are also
of the Bhubaneswar municipal area has a gen- choked owing to siltation. Buildings are often
tle slope from west to east. The level differ- constructed without flood inundation in mind.
58
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2.5. AUGUST
A large number of multistoried apartments
have been constructed without considering
the drainage pattern of the area. Also, in many
areas, the widths the nullahs have been reduced. Another reason is that the entire city
has not been covered with surface water drain.
With the rising population, new residential areas are bound to come up, but first priority
should be given to water discharge system. An
integrated approach needs to combine watershed and land-use management with development planning, engineering measures and preparedness for flooding.
bodies in Bhubaneswar, but over the years

their number has been dwindling. All water
bodies in the city should be protected.
Besides, a master plan for drainage is highly

needed for Bhubaneswar. The natural widths
of all major drainage channels in the city
should be protected, and there should not be
any encroachment at least 4 to 5 metre on
either side of the channel. The exact bed
width, land width and the land requirement
for drainage channel can be calculated after
preparation of a drainage master plan of the
various zones of the city. This would lead to
Apart from this, preventive measures like im- a sustainable urban drainage system and reprovement of drainage efficiency and adopting duce flooding in the city.
rainwater harvesting system are some of the
preventive measures to curb flooding. Natural
eswar/drain-encroachment-main-cause-of-flooding-in
streams and watercourses have formed over
-capital-city.html
thousands of years due to the forces of flowing water in the respective watersheds.
Ideally, the natural drains should have been

widened (similar to road widening for increased traffic) to accommodate the higher 2.5
flows of storm water. But on the contrary,
there have been large-scale encroachments on 2.5.1
the natural drains. Management of urban
flooding is an emerging subject, and as such,
it has to be treated holistically in a multidisciplinary manner. In many cities, rainwater
causes flooding on the road despite the existence of the underground drainage system.
August
Architectural Photography of
Monuments (2014-08-19 09:41)
It is seen that the inlets to drain water from

the roads into the roadside drains are either
not properly aligned or nonexistent leading to
severe waterlogging on roads. Provision of a
simple connecting element, namely, drainage
inlet through which the water can flow from
roadside drain into the underground drain can
significantly reduce waterlogging on the roads. [1]HTTP://WWW.DAILYPIONEER.COM/STATEEDITIONS/BHUBANESWAR/ARCHITECTURALRainwater harvesting is a form of source conP HOTOGRAPHY-OF-PAST-MONUMENTS-OFtrol in which water can be converted into a
VITAL-IMPORTANCE.HTML
resource. Due to urbanisation, groundwater
recharge has decreased and the peak runoffs ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY OF PAST
from rainfall and consequent flooding have in- MONUMENTS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE
creased. So, rainwater harvesting should be The World Photography Day is all about celecarried out extensively. This would serve the brating photography. It marks the 175th antwin purposes of lowering the peak runoff and niversary of the first permanent photographic
raising the groundwater table.
process patented and freely released to the
Urban water bodies also play a very important
role in the management of urban flooding by
reducing the storm water run-off by capturing
it. In the past there have been many water
world on August 19, 1839. The day is celebrated on August 19 because that was the
day the French Government allowed the daguerreotype process to be known to the world.
59
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The process had been invented by Joseph
Nicephore Niepce and Louis Daguerre which
was verified and approved by the French
Academy of Sciences, which dubbed the ability to capture an image using a camera onto
a light sensitive silver iodide plate as the Daguerreotype Process.
The day is dedicated to honour the artists who
are in pursuit of immortalising those precious
moments that seem to pass us by in a minute.
This year, the day is encouraging businesses,
organisations and social groups to influence
the power of photography by engaging their
communities as part of a global photography
celebration.
2.5. AUGUST
nication through aesthetic ideals that take on
social, philosophical or religious meaning.
Architecture and photography concretise moments of beauty and provide visual expressions for existing and new ideas. An exterior architectural photographer prefers scenes
with good landscaping around a building. The
main aim of an exterior architectural photographer is to invite interest and curiosity among
viewers. In this architectural photography,
the most important element is space. This is
why those taking interior and exterior shots
of buildings and monuments use wide-angle
lens. Theyll be better able to capture the
complete picture, including the aesthetic elements. This greatly helps in establishing the
focus and highlighting the character of a space
or structure. An architectural photographers
techniques also help produce photos that add
more dimension, life and meaning into an architectural creation. For instance, while many
people can recall what the Taj Mahal, Lotus
Temple, Kutab Minar, Gol Gumbaz, etc., look
alike, most have never been to these places.
A series of photographic depictions of such
architecture construct a physical and spatial
mental image of space.
Photography itself can have a powerful effect

on architecture, not only as a means of record
but through its communicative power that can
be an aesthetic force for change or influence.
From the very earliest days of its invention, the
photographic medium has a particular resonance with architectural subject matters. The
relationship was to some extent born of necessity, buildings being one of the few subjects
that would withstand long exposures, but the
affinity goes much deeper. Photography is
also fundamental in shaping our understanding of the contemporary architectural design Photography provides a powerful way for archipractices.
tecture to be appreciated from a distance. Besides, architectural photographs enliven the
The meaning of architecture is to be found in
memories of contemporary past. Many of the
the expressive detailing of a structure, and is
photographs from Odisha are available with
communicated to the viewer. Photographs exthe Archaeological Survey of India. These
tend the range of human vision and commuwere captured by different tourists in the past.
nicate aesthetic and symbolic qualities in arHowever, the structures are destroyed with
chitecture. Architecture is one of the most
the passage of time.
appreciated art forms that date back to the
time before the pyramids were erected. It In the 1850s, Edouard-Denis Baldus, Hiptook many forms; even the simplest geometri- polyte Bayard, Henri Le Secq, and Gustave Le
cal lines were considered architecture. As the Gray were commissioned by the French Govyears went on, more complex creations were ernment to photograph historic buildings beintroduced to the world. Today, each work of fore they were destroyed during Haussmanns
architecture depicts more than just a design; renovations of Paris. There have been counteach work carries an identity, distinct charac- less others who have contributed to this docuteristics and meaning.
mentation of our environment, both built and
natural.
Architectural photography is commonly described as the form of photography that uses Odisha is quite rich in its heritage and
buildings and other structures as subjects. It houses many remarkable monuments of anhas many classifications, but the two most cient times. Some exist in ruins and many
common and simplest types are Interior and are totally destroyed. The photograph of this
Exterior Architectural Photography. Different article is the representation of a massive twotypes of photographs are captured in such a storied gateway in Bhubaneswar. This is
manner that define space and allow commu- from the Archaeological Survey of India Col60
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2.5. AUGUST
lections taken by William Henry Cornish in
1892. Bhubaneswar has many Hindu temples built between the Seventh and the Thirteenth Centuries in the Odishan variant of the
Nagara or Northern Indian style of architecture. These temples normally comprise a sanctuary covered by a tall curvilinear tower divided into horizontal bands and capped by an
Amalaka and a pot finial. The square Mandap
or hall has a pyramidal roof. Most temples of
Bhubaneswar are grouped around the Bindu
Sagar, the tank in the middle of the ancient
town. This view shows a ruined unidentified
gateway. This photograph is also available in
the British Library. Such photographs have
been shared by all. However when photography didnt exist, those precious monuments
couldnt be captured.
This clearly indicates that historical research
and analysis is supported by photographic
records. Analytical studies are necessary to
ascertain all the features of the edifice, including those which were not executed and those
left unfinished and those were destroyed. Geometric diagrams indicating modules or proportional systems and indications of design techniques are also of the greatest interest. Old
drawings and photographs may give a lot of
information about the past art forms.
Irregularities of shape and outline and damaged parts can be seen more clearly on photographs than by any other means, hence vital for the purpose of documentation. Photographs also have many uses for publicity
purposes in raising funds for preservation of
cultural property. Many historic monuments
have been destroyed in warfare or by earthquake or other disasters. As an insurance
against such events, full photographic records
are advisable.
Photographs can revive the contemporary art
and architecture of different monuments and
structures which do not exist now. Their documentation will help study and research more
on the contemporary art and architecture of
our State.
2.5.2 Vernacular
Architecture
and
Indigenous
Technology
(2014-08-11 09:55)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/revive-vernacul ar-architecture-and-indigenous-technology.html
REVIVE VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE AND

INDIGENOUS TECHNOLOGY
The International Day of the Worlds Indigenous People is celebrated on August 9 and people from different nations are encouraged to
observe it to spread the United Nations message on indigenous peoples. The UN 2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
recognised that respect for indigenous knowledge, cultures and traditional practices tributes to sustainable and equitable development
and proper management of the environment.
The phrase indigenous knowledge has different connotations such as traditional knowledge, local knowledge, rural peoples knowledge. Indigenous knowledge is the traditional
knowledge of the local community existing
within and developed around the specific conditions of women and men indigenous to a
particular geographical area. Indigenous people are the holders of unique languages, traditional knowledge systems and vernacular construction technologies for sustainable management of natural resources.
eswar/architectural-photography-of-past-monumentsof-vital-importance.html
However, in the modern world, vernacular

architecture and indigenous technology are
fast disappearing or are subject to accelerating social change. Indigenous buildings, re61
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2.5. AUGUST
peated over generations, become time-tested houses, there are some very sophisticated deresponses to local climatic conditions.
sign systems like sloped thatch roof with Attu
(mud ceiling with bamboo/timber rafter), Kadi
From igloos to bamboo houses, from thatched
Baraga roof, etc.
roofs to terraced roof, people create shelter
and comfort in unique structures in response The Kadi (timber beam) and Baraga (timber
to their locations on the globe. A lack of un- rafter) applied for flat roof construction. Due
derstanding of materials and their usage has to porosity of the Attu built on bamboo or
led to a slow decay of vernacular architecture. wooden frames; hot air goes out, keeping the
India has a long history and enriched cul- building cool in summer and also acts as fire
ture. There is abundant reservoir of indige- protection. Mud, on account of its easy availnous knowledge in every part of the country. ability, good insulation and good binding propThe vernacular building technologies in India erties has been extensively used.
are being passed down from generations to
generations and they take into account the local climate, available materials and the strong
cultural ethos.
This Attu, whose peculiar form is characteristic to this particular area, proves to be a distinct identity of the area. In Kadi Baraga roof,
the structural arrangement includes Kadi and
Baraga without any reinforcement applied for
flat roof construction. Such buildings prevented loss of life during the Super Cyclone
that hit the Odisha coast in October 1999.
This was the result of repeated cycles of trial

and error and the experience of generations
of builders, which satisfies the occupants demands for thermal comfort and durability. Different regions of India have different types of
The designing space has been improved over
indigenous building technology.
time as per the need from single unit to double
Odisha is the land of enriched cultural her- unit and multiple units separated by enclosed
itage and traditions. It has a vast reser- courtyard. The orientations of the buildings
voir of vernacular architecture and indigenous were mostly chosen on the basis of topography,
knowledge existing in rural society. Vernacu- solar movement and wind direction. Design
lar architecture can be defined as architecture features have been mostly influenced by the
born out of local building materials and tech- local skill and craftsmanship.
nologies, which are climate-responsive and a
A typical vernacular house consists of a comreflection of the customs and lifestyles of a
mon verandah, a small room for cattle, enparticular community. Contemporary architrance room and other rooms arranged around
tecture can also be vernacular if it is generthe courtyard. In most of the day and night
ated from an understanding of local materials
time, people use this courtyard for different
and indigenous methods of building construcworks, mostly for social interaction.
tions.
The vernacular forms for building are those It does not include toilet which is located at
that have existed in the region in their prim- the back side of the house. In the row housitive forms, as a sloping roof surface to bear ing, there is a long verandah connecting all
rainfall, a circular house form to combat cy- the dwellings which permits social gathering
clonic winds, a mud roof that keeps out the as well as the storage of paddy. There are vast
heat of the sun, or an internal courtyard that open spaces in the front and backside of the
building.
makes the shaded open space.
In Odisha, vernacular architecture still exists The front side is used as gardens and the back
and people are still using vernacular architec- side as both gardens and drying yard. The external garden is used as a comfortable outdoor
ture with some indigenous technologies.
space. The trees provide shade and the lower
The main factor influencing development of
shrubs channel cool breeze for natural ventivernacular architecture is related to the availlation.
ability of local building materials. The typical Odia house in a village has stone wall Globalisation causes people to change the verand gable roof on a wood or bamboo frame nacular pattern of living. The vernacular patthatched with straw. In the simple village tern of living has been changed. Similarly,
62
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2.6. JULY
the housing patterns in rural areas of Odisha Most research activities are, however, limited
cause people to change their living patterns.
to documentation. Only very limited research
effort focuses on developing quantitative unNew buildings are constructed and older
derstanding of behaviour of these structures
buildings are replaced or modified.
The
so that the technologies can be further imlessons of vernacular architecture regarding
proved and analytical methods for their use
climate control have also been generally igdeveloped.
nored. Dwellings constructed as a large enclosed glazed space with no provision for ven- Many vernacular technologies are energytilation and protection from the sun. For efficient although some of them are currently
that, people are increasingly dependent upon no longer properly functioning because of
air-conditioning to maintain comfort levels in changed cultural and traditional practices.
summer. This is the main cause of climate In this regard, the key challenge is to learn funchange gases and global warming.
damental lessons and principles of vernacular
However, vernacular buildings retain some indigenous construction techniques for thermal
comfort. With the passage of time such buildings are vanishing due to change in functional requirements. New building materials
and new construction techniques have been
adopted.
architecture and find ways of integrating those

principles into development programmes to
plan new settlements or to upgrade the existing ones.
Studying indigenous technologies to understand the sustainable strategies used in vernacular architecture may contribute to the
Changes have been made by introduction of field of sustainable development.
alternative building materials. Many new con- 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
structions do not integrate to the local envi- eswar/revive-vernacular-architecture-and-indigenou
ronment and social context which otherwise s-technology.html
cause serious damage to the environment.
The cost of maintenance and acute shortage of
skilled craftsmen are also responsible for loss
of rich architectural heritage of the region.
2.6 July
The vernacular buildings are climateresponsive and a better option for rural 2.6.1 Growing Population and Sustainpeople of Odisha. Similarly tribal houses in
able Housing (2014-07-11 09:44)
Odisha are built in a row leaving a street in
between with locally available materials. The
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editiowalls are made of wooden poles stuck close to
ns/bhubaneswar/rising-populati on-needsone another and plastered with earth.
sustainable-housing.html
The changes of architecture in urban areas are
happening faster than in rural areas of Odisha.
These changes of architecture in the urban
context fail to fulfil some of the sustainability
criteria such as economic, social and environmental aspects while the vernacular architecture showed its sustainability.
To find out a solution for overcoming this adverse situation for the built environment, a
proper study of vernacular architecture and
indigenous technology is needed.
RISING POPULATION NEEDS SUSTAINABLE
There is considerable recent interest in reHOUSING
search and development related to indigenous
construction technologies found in different The World Population Day is an annual event
parts of the country.
observed on July 11 every year seeking to raise
63
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2.6. JULY
awareness of global population issues. The

event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989.
2011. As per recent estimates, Indias population in 2014 is 1.27 billion. The rate of population growth in India has slowed considerably in recent years although it is still growing
more quickly than China. A recent UN report
The date of observance was inspired by that
suggests that Indias population will surpass
of Five Billion Day when the worlds populaChinas by 2028 when both India and China
tion reached five billion on July 11, 1987. The
will have populations of 1.45 billion.
day is celebrated since 1989, the year of its
announcement.
As per the 2011 Census, Odisha, with 41
million people, is the eleventh-most populous
The worlds ever-growing population has
Indian State. Over the last decade, Odisha
reached 7,160,183,896 as in June 2014. The
has witnessed a 14.1-per cent population rise
population explosion is one of the major global
while the urban population increased at a
concerns and this issue of uncontrolled poprate of 27.2 per cent. There are shortages of
ulation growth is giving birth to other major
4,10,000 dwelling units for EWS/LIG housing
problems. The major consequences of the popin Odisha. Besides lack of affordable housing
ulation growth include poverty, shortage of
leads to slums in many parts of the State.
housing, unemployment, pollution and deforestation. Many cities are failing to cope with The land everywhere is under pressure due to
the challenges of generating employment, pro- the population growth and economic developviding adequate housing and meeting the ba- ment. In areas where land is in greatest desic needs of their citizens. By the year 2025, mand for residential, agricultural, industrial
the world population will increase by at least or business use, it attracts increasing com50 per cent and these people will need hous- mercial value. To achieve secure and sustaining, shopping complexes and places to work. able access to land for all those needing it,
and especially for the poor, has become a critUrbanisation and the demographic transition
ical issue. A number of housing clusters have
have accelerated the demand for new housing.
mushroomed in and around various metropoliIn an urbanising world, provision of adequate
tan centres in haphazard manners without
and affordable housing remains a key priorproper layouts and devoid of service lines
ity as housing plays a crucial role in achieving
and other essential facilities. These unausustainable development. However, the conthorised developments are encroachments on
cept of housing requires a new understandland parcels belonging to Government bodies,
ing to effectively address the economic and
public-private-institutions or areas meant to
human development, slum prevention and clibe green belts.
mate change. Housing is also part of the relationships between society and environment. Therefore, urban human settlements require a
On the one hand, housing construction and more inclusive approach to planning and land
operation consume large amounts of natural management to sustain all the people who live
resources (land, energy, water and building in the settlement. A basic need in cities is shelmaterials) while producing wastes ad air and ter. The first step in creating sustainable urwater pollution. On the other hand, housing ban settlements is to recognise that slum peoitself is exposed to a variety of environmen- ple have a right to live in proper shelters.
tal impacts and hazards, including those asThere is a strong correlation between improved
sociated with natural disasters and climate
housing and poverty reduction. In India, this
change. These aspects are also significant conhas been introduced through the Jawaharsiderations for sustainable development.
lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
Sustainable housing offers a great spectrum (JNNURM) reforms, which states that 20-25
of opportunities to promote economic develop- % lands would be reserved for economically
ment, quality of life and social equality while weaker section (EWS) housing in the new demitigating the problems related to population velopments. Under the JNNURM, 65 Indian
growth, urbanisation, slums, poverty and cli- cities had an opportunity to bridge this infrasmate change. The annual percentage of pop- tructure gap and also to resolve some of the
ulation growth in India was 1.21 per cent in housing problems for the urban poor through
64
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2.6. JULY
the BSUP (Basic Services for the Urban Poor)
component of the Central Government-funded
mission. There is also another scheme, the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY). Under the RAY guidelines, all urban local bodies are to map and
take a census of all the slums and create
strategies to improve existing conditions of
slums. Besides, the National Urban Housing
and Habitat Policy, 2007 has been enacted, an
endeavour to carry out in-situ upgradation of
dwelling units for 95 per cent of slum households.
There is a need for sustainable site planning
and construction techniques that reduce pollution and create a balance between built and
natural systems. New sustainable urban development or redevelopment should provide
a variety of commercial, institutional, educational uses as well as housing for sustainable
urban development.
The housing requirements in Bhubaneswar
are changing due to high population growth.
To accommodate more housing for this population, there is a need to assess the existing housing scenario and future housing demand. As per the CDP, the quantitative housing in the Bhubaneswar Development Plan
Area (BDPA) for 2030 needs 3,66,295 units.
The existing 13,70,000 BDPA populace will
grow to 30,00,000 by 2030. The addition of
16,30,000 people requires 3,60,000 dwelling
units. The existing backlog is already around
15,220 dwelling units. Qualitative shortage
and obsolescence raise the total BDPA housing requirement in 2030 to 4,31, 915 units.
The housing requirements will be satisfied
by increasing the housing density and redensification. The existing land use of 12.4
per cent for housing in the BDPA will increase
to 33.7 per cent. The total additional area requirement for housing in the BDPA is computed to be 9,286 acres, giving a net housing density of 46 units per acre. There is a
need to design the semi-open spaces in the residential zone. This will facilitate green areas
and gardening, which will improve the environment for social activities. Specific housing
plans can be evolved for Bhubaneswar with
reference to the determination of area requirement and identification of the areas for urbanisation/housing development. In order to increase the efficiency of space, there is a need
to analyse the physical density in terms of floor

area ratio (FAR) and percentage of ground coverage by buildings.
There is a close relationship between density

and sustainability. Density is often the most
commonly-accepted indicator providing a reference for the amount of land needed for supporting facilities with regard to a given population. Whatever methodology is adopted to determine the optimum density, an understanding of how the socio-cultural needs of urban
communities transform into identifiable physical patterns is influential to a sustainable city
development. To achieve sustainable urban
development, the Development Plans/Master
Plans as well as Zonal Plans and Local Area
Plans should be made and updated regularly.
1.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhub
aneswar/rising-population-needs-sustainable-housin
g.html
2.6.2 Effective Drug Rehabilitation

Centre (2014-07-03 15:38)
65
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2.6.3
2.7. JUNE
Role of Family against Elder but rather poverty, economic insecurity and
discrimination. Dropout from school is one of
Abuse (2014-07-03 15:27)
the major causes of child labour. The school
dropout scenario in India is extremely high as
over 80 million children are not completing the
full cycle of elementary education while eight
million are out of school over a period of years,
according to a UNICEF report.
2.7 June
In Odisha, the dropout rate at the primary education level is 32 per cent and it is 52 per
cent among Scheduled Tribe children. The
dropout rate increases cumulatively as it proceeds towards higher levels. At the upper
primary level, the dropout rate is 49.1 per
cent and among Scheduled Caste children it
is 55 per cent and among ST children 69.5 per
cent. It is found that the overwhelming rate of
dropouts has been due to pressure on children
to work.
Education is a human right and a key factor to

2.7.1 Poverty Elleviation and Child reduce poverty and child labour. Around the
world, large numbers of children are engaged
Labour (2014-06-13 23:05)
in paid or unpaid domestic work in the home
of a third party or employer. These children
can be particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
Their
work is often hidden from the public eye;
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/education-pover ty-alleviat- they may be isolated and may be working far
away from their homes. Stories of the abuse of
ion-only-can-eradicate-child-labour.html
children in domestic work are all too common.
EDUCATION, POVERTY ALLEVIATION ONLY
All non-school going children are child workCAN ERADICATE CHILD LABOUR
ers in one form or the other. Child labour proToday, throughout the world, around 215 milscribed under international law falls into three
lion children work, many full-time. They do
categories: (1) The unconditional worst forms
not go to school and have little or no time to
of child labour, which are internationally deplay. Many do not receive proper nutrition or
fined as slavery, trafficking and other forms of
care. More than half of them are exposed to
forced labour; (2) Labour performed by a child
the worst forms of child labour such as work
who is under the minimum age specified for
in hazardous environments, slavery or other
that kind of work, and that is thus likely to
forms of forced labour.
impede the childs education and full developThe International Labour Organisation (ILO) ment; (3) Labour that jeopardises the physilaunched the World Day against Child Labour cal, mental or moral wellbeing of a child, eiin 2002 to focus attention on the global ex- ther because of its nature or because of the
tent of child labour and the action and efforts conditions in which it is carried out, known
needed to eliminate it. Each year on June 12, as hazardous work.
the World Day against Child Labour brings toLegislative and policy reforms are required to
gether governments, employers and workers
ensure elimination of child labour. A numorganisations, civil society as well as millions
ber of policy initiatives and programmes have
of people around the world to highlight the
been undertaken in India over the last decade
plight of child labourers and what can be done
with the basic objective of dealing with the
to help them.
problem of the rapidly increasing number of
To some children, the main obstacles to educa- child workers. The formulation of a new Nation are not school availability, cost or quality tional Child Labour Policy, the enactment of
66
2.7. JUNE
the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)
Act 1986, the setting up of a Task Force on
child labour, the adoption of the Convention
on the Rights of the Child and the like have all
formed parts of this process. Corresponding
initiatives were taken in the related area of education where a new education policy was formulated which incorporated a separate component for working children.
Children have the right to be protected from
all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and
violence. There is a need to adopt and enforce
laws and improve the implementation of policies and programmes to protect children from
all forms of violence and exploitation, whether
at home, in school or other institutions, workplace or in the community.
The Constitution of India, through various articles enshrined in the Fundamental Rights
and the Directive Principles of State Policy as:
No child below the age of 14 years shall be
employed to work in any factory or mine or
engaged in any other hazardous employment
(Article 24); The State shall provide free and
compulsory education to all children of the age
six to 14 years (Article 21A); The State shall direct its policy towards securing that the health
and strength of workers, men and women and
the tender age of children are not abused and
that they are not forced by economic necessity
to enter vocations unsuited to their age and
strength (Article 39E).
BlogBook
Income of the families should be increased and
education for all children irrespective of their
economic and social backgrounds should be
ensured. That helps children learn skills and
earn a livelihood.
At the international level, different organisations are alsoworking to eradicate child labour,
but still there are lots of efforts needed to create an environment which will be free from
child labour. There is a need to take steps in
this direction so that all children get free education and live a healthy life. This will be beneficial to the individual family as well as whole
society. The family is the basic unit of the society and as such should be strengthened. It
is entitled to receive comprehensive protection
and support. The primary responsibility for
the protection, upbringing and development of
children rests with the family. However, many
parents, on account of poverty, send their children to work in order to supplement their income.
All social institutions should respect childrens rights and render appropriate assistance to parents, families, legal guardians and
other caregivers so that children can grow in
a safe and stable environment and in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding. Besides, considerable numbers of children live without parental support, such as orphans, children living on the street, children
affected by trafficking and economic exploitaAs per the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regu- tion. Special measures should be taken to edlation) Act, 1986, any person who employs any ucate such children.
child in contravention of the provision of Sec- Eradication of poverty and reduction of dispartion 3 of the Act is liable for a jail term which ities must, therefore, be a key objective of deshall not be less than three months but which velopment efforts. Ultimately, a child-friendly
may extend to two years or with fine which learning environment is required, in which
shall not be less than Rs 20,000 but which they feel safe, are protected from abuse and
may extend to Rs 50,000 or with both.
encouraged to learn. Some of the child labour
In order to stop child labour, the Government of Odisha has passed some rules. One
of the important rules is the Orissa Child
Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Rules,
1994. Childrens development and the overall
eradication of child labour problem depend on
active public-private partnership, proper government policies and programmes for eliminating poverty and unemployment and free basic
facilities and education to poor people in the
society.
problems will be solved by offering better educational facility for such children.
In 2010, the international community adopted

a roadmap for achieving elimination of the
worst forms of child labour by 2016, which
stressed that child labour is an impediment to
childrens rights and a barrier to development.
In August 2012, the Government of Jharkhand approved a State Action Plan. This
policy framework envisages a Child LabourFree State by 2016 and details the vision of
There are many solutions to stop child labour. the State and its plan towards achieving the
67
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elimination of child labour and ensuring the

right to education to every child. Similar policy framework in other States can eradicate
child labour in our country.
Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen
in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the sea. Oceans and
seas have been vital conduits for trade and
transportation.
eswar/education-poverty-alleviation-only-can-eradi
However, oceans and coastal regions are

coming under rising environmental pressures.
The oceans have become 26 per cent more
acidic since the start of the Industrial RevoOdishas
coastal
ecosys- lution and continue to acidify at an unprecetems under increasing threat dented rate, threatening marine ecosystems,
aquaculture and the societies that rely on
(2014-06-08 05:57)
them. As ocean acidity increases, its capacity
to absorb carbo dioxide from the atmosphere
decreases. This decreases the oceans role in
moderating climate change.
cate-child-labour.html
2.7.2
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/ocean-acidifica tion-pollution-on-the-rise.html
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION, POLLUTION ON THE
RISE
Odishas coastal ecosystems under increasing
threat
Our continued burning of fossil fuels is increasing the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Most of the carbon dioxide released
into the atmosphere ultimately ends up in
oceans. The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in oceans is causing ocean acidification.
For millions of years, oceans have maintained
a relatively stable acidity level. Its within this
steady environment that the rich and varied
web of life in seas has arisen and flourished.
But research shows that this ancient balance
is being undone by a rapid drop in surface
pH that could have devastating global consequences.
Ocean acidification may adversely impact

some plankton species, and their loss would
ripple through food webs to impact larger animals like fish. Corals are also very susceptible
to the impacts of ocean acidification. Ocean
acidification will affect ocean ecosystems and
therefore food supplies, lead to the death of
coral reefs and thus expose coasts to greater
storm surge and wave action. Ocean acidification has the potential to cause widespread
changes in marine ecosystems which may
eventually disrupt the ocean goods and serThe United Nations has proclaimed June 8 vices we depend on.
as the World Oceans Day to raise awareness
Biologists are now coming to realise that the
of the plight of the oceans and the marine
rising acid levels in the ocean can affect many
ecosystems they contain. This years theme
other forms of sea life as well. If nothing
is Together we have the power to protect the
is done to help curb ocean acidification, its
ocean.
negative impacts may be felt on global econThe oceans their temperature, chemistry, omy. Besides, many ocean pollutants are reand life drive global systems that make the leased into the environment from coastlines.
Over three billion people in the world depend
on marine and coastal biodiversity for their
livelihoods. Oceans contain nearly 2 lakh
identified species, but actual numbers may
lie in the millions. Oceans absorb about 30
per cent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming. However approximately 40 per cent of the
oceans are heavily affected by human activities, including acidification, pollution and loss
of coastal habitats.
68
2.7. JUNE
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Nitrogen-rich fertilisers applied by farmers in- Forests has issued a draft notification, the
land, for example, end up in local streams, Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Notification
rivers and oceans.
2007, under the Environmental (Protection)
Researchers are just beginning to study the ef- Act 1986. The objective of the notification
fects of ocean acidification on marine ecosys- is protection and sustainable development
tems. But all signs indicate that unless hu- of the coastal stretches and marine environmans are able to control and eventually elim- ment through sustainable coastal zone maninate fossil fuel emissions, ocean organisms agement practices based on sound, scientific
will find themselves under increasing pressure principles taking into account the vulnerabilto adapt to their habitats changing chemistry ity of the coast to natural hazards, sustainable
livelihood for local communities and conservaor perish.
tion of the ecologically and culturally signifiThe Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) cant coastal resources.
monitoring initiatives has improved the capability to assess oceanographic conditions, Odisha has a coastline of 480 km. Uses of the
making it possible to detect changes on high coastline are generally considered under four
temporal and spatial resolution and assess categories: resource exploitation (including
the effectiveness of policies adopted. To co- fisheries, forestry); infrastructure (including
ordinate international efforts to document the transportation, ports, harbours); tourism and
status and progress of ocean acidification in recreation; and conservation and protection
open-ocean and coastal environments and to of biodiversity. The coastal ecosystems are
understand its drivers and impacts on ma- now highly disturbed and very much threatrine ecosystems, it will be necessary to develop ened, encountering problems like pollution,
a coordinated multidisciplinary multinational siltation, erosion, flooding, storm surges, uncontrolled coastal developments and other acapproach for observations.
tivities due to ever-expanding human settleIndia has a coastline of 7,500 km and 2,000
ments.
km wide exclusive economic zone. The coastline supports almost 30 per cent of its hu- The major issues are coastal pollution, enman population. The Bay of Bengal and the croachment of coastal lands and over exploitaArabian Sea are rich fishing grounds. Vari- tion of coastal resources. Coastal pollution
ous types of pollution cause degradation of the is gradually emerging as an important issue
natural quality of the coastal environments. in the State. Domestic wastes and industrial
The causes of coastal pollution are popula- wastes, fertilisers and pesticide residues reach
tion growth, urbanisation and industrialisa- coastal and marine waters through rivers,
tion. The polluting sources mainly are domes- creeks, bays, etc.
tic waste, industrial effluents and agricultural
There is a need for assessment and periodic
runoff.
monitoring of coastal and marine environment
Successful management of the seacoast de- including changes in land use (coastal zone),
pends on scientific exploration and exploita- ambient air quality and water quality (coastal
tion of the living and nonliving resources in and marine waters). The Government of Incoastal waters. To conserve resources by con- dia has constituted the National Coastal Zone
trolling their depletion and regulate develop- Management Authority, which has the responment activities, the Government of India has sibility for taking measures for protecting and
enacted the Environmental (Protection) Act improving the quality of the coastal environ1986. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) ment and preventing, abating and controlling
Notification 1991 was issued under Sections- environmental pollution in coastal areas. At
3(i) and 3(ii) (v) of the Environment (Protec- the State level, an Odisha Coastal Zone Mantion) Act. Under this notification, the coastal agement Authority has been constituted, the
stretches from High Tide Line to 500m towards primary responsibility of which is to take adeland and from High Tide Line to Low Tide Line quate measures for protecting and improving
towards sea are identified as Coastal Regula- the quality of the coastal environment. The
tion Zone.
Odisha State Pollution Control Board acts as
The Union Ministry of Environment and the regulating authority for implementation of
69
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2.7. JUNE
the Coastal Zone Notification.
including climate change, waste management,

unsustainable consumption, degradation of
Despite the huge challenges facing the worlds
natural resources and extreme natural disasocean, we can achieve a healthy ocean by our
ters.
collective effort. Awareness is highly needed
to protect the marine ecosystem.
Urbanisation changes the climate of a place.
This initiates a feedback loop that affects inhabitants way of life and use of energy re1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
sources. For example, the heat island that
eswar/ocean-acidification-pollution-on-the-rise.ht
follows high density urban development acml
celerates the use of air-conditioning equipment which demands more electricity and contributes to further warming-up of the city environment.
2.7.3
BHUBANESWAR ENVIRONMENT
DEGRADED BY HUMAN ACTIVI- Currently, cities suffer from severe environmental problems ranging from pollution, conTIES (2014-06-05 15:33)
gestion, excessive waste, etc. Paying attention to the environmental impacts of growth is
critical for provision of adequate housing, energy, water, sanitation and mobility needs in
a manner that does not cause major depletion
of natural resources or endanger future generations.
It is very likely that most of the warming since
the mid -20th century is due to the observed
increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations as a result of emissions from human
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateactivities. The United Nations Framework
editions/bhubaneswar/bhubaneswar-env
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has
ironment-degraded-by-human-activities.html recognised the goal to limit the global mean
BHUBANESWAR
ENVIRONMENT
DE- temperature increase. Even if policies and efforts to reduce emissions prove effective, some
GRADED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES
climate change is inevitable; therefore, strateUrban control, bioaesthetic planning needed gies and actions to adapt to its impacts are
Urban development challenges in many coun- highly needed.
tries are multifaceted and appear to be overThe environment of the city of Bhubaneswar
whelming at times. They include insufficient
has been degraded due to different human
provision of infrastructure, rapidly growing
activities.
The effects of climate change
slums, urban sprawl and the associated degrahave been observed since last few years in
dation of urban and peri-urban ecosystems.
Bhubaneswar. It has been found to be exMany of these challenges are aggravated by
cessive heat in summer both during day and
global phenomena like climate change. Temnight .The temperature in summer is ranging
peratures are rising, rainfall patterns shiftin most of the days around 40 degree Celsius,
ing, glaciers and snow melting, and the global
which not only affects the health and comfort
mean sea level is rising. We expect that
of the people but also demands more energy.
these changes will continue, and that extreme
The number of rainy days has decreased, and
weather events resulting in hazards such as
the city receives average 1,550 mm of rainfall
floods and droughts will become more freper year. Most of the rainfall is due to cyclone
quent and intense.
than monsoon. The groundwater level has deThe World Environment Day (WED) is cele- creased by one meter in major areas of the city.
brated on June 5 to raise awareness about In rainy season, if high intensity rainfall ocunique development challenges and successes curs for some time, urban flooding is seen in
regarding a range of environmental problems, different parts of the city like Acharya Bihar,
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2.7. JUNE
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Shastri Nagar, Old Town, etc. The stagnant thetic planning is closely connected with town
water gets polluted and creates environmental planning. In Bhubaneswar, there are urban
hazards.
forests with different tress, green belt in the
periphery, natural drains, rivers and lakes.
There are 10 major natural drains running
Due to disorderly cinstructions, many of the
west to east of Bhubaneswar. Some of these
drainage channels and water bodies have been
finally join the Ganguanallah. The entire
blocked. This has to be avoided staggering the
city has not been covered with storm water
sitting of houses in such a manner that the
drains. Encroachment of natural drains by
natural drainage channels and water bodies
construction, dumping of waste material by
remain intact.
people making the storm water drains inefficient result in blocking and chocking of drains. Trees should be carefully chosen with due reThese are the reasons of urban flooding in gard to colours of their flowers, beauty of foBhubaneswar.
liage and shape of crown. In addition to utilitarian and aesthetic aspects, trees in city arThe different sources of air pollution in
eas constitute an effective buffer against dust
Bhubaneswar are small-scale industries, moand noise and also act as windbreaks. The
tor vehicles, etc. The Odisha State Pollutrees will not only modify the climate but also
tion Control Board identified 88 industries in
enhance their architectural appeal by presentBhubaneswar, out of which 16 are air poling a foil of texture, colour and form by way of
luting and 34 are both air and water pollutcontrasts. Footpaths, which are provided at
ing. Bhubaneswar also suffers air pollution
the sides for pedestrians, have to be shaded
from the domestic front. Though LPG is the
by rows of trees. For pedestrians, a multiple
most-used fuel in the city, in the slum areas
row of trees with very heavy deciduous foliage
people use firewood, cow dung, kerosene and
is required. In summer, the trees would procoal contributing to air pollution. It can be
vide shade and in winter the deciduous trees
expected that the air quality of the area will
will permit the suns rays to pass.
move from bad to worse if sufficient precautions are not taken. Besides, the city gener- The areas vulnerable to annual flooding
ates a huge quantity of solid wastes. After col- should be earmarked as the catchments delection of the wastes from different wards, they tention areas. During the off-flooding period,
are transported to open dumping yards situ- the stagnant water is to be drained off to the
ated at different places in and around the city. nearby water channels with preliminary treatNo processing of solid wastes is done before ment.
their disposal; hence it degrades the environBhubaneswars public transportation system
ment.
is very weak. Peoples use their own vehicles
A detailed air quality analysis of Bhubaneswar and depend on auto rickshaws to travel to difis to be done to identify the most polluting and ferent parts of the city. A mass transportahazardous industrial units. Industries in and tion system should be introduced which will
around the area are to be advised to instal reduce the fuel consumption and traffic conand operate electrostatic precipitator to congestion. Dependencies on fossil fuels should
trol particulate pollutants. Industries should be reduced. People should be encouraged to
be directed to strictly observe pollution con- use bicycles, and bicycle tracks should be control norms. The city should be equipped with structed.
a sufficient number of auto emission testing
There should not be any dumping yard inside
centres where the petrol and diesel-driven vethe city for solid waste disposal. The wastes
hicles could be tested and certified. As far as
should be disposed in sanitary landfill. The
possible, the coal supply for domestic use is to
storm water drains should be cleaned regube replaced with LPG. Green belt development
larly. Encroachment of natural drains should
and afforestation should be encouraged which
also be cleared. Wetlands and water bodies
may act as sink for air pollutants.
like lakes, ponds should not be encroached,
Urban control in Bhubaneswar has to be oper- and they should be protected properly. Rainated at three levels, the periphery, the Mas- water harvesting should be encouraged to inter Plan and architectural control. Bioaes- crease the level of groundwater.
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Developing a climate-responsible master plan
will prevent the environmental hazards. Master Plans and Comprehensive Development
Plans (CDPs) need to incorporate climate
change considerations. The plans should contain proper green space for plantation. Components of land-use plan including zoning,
FAR, setback, etc., should be implemented effectively for sustainable development.
2.8. MAY
nearly six million people each year, of which
more than six lakh are non-smokers dying
from breathing secondhand smoke (SHS). Unless action is taken, the epidemic will kill more
than 8 million people every year by 2030. Over
80 per cent of those deaths will be in low- and
middle-income countries. India is home to 12
per cent of the worlds smokers.
Approximately, 9 lakh Indians die every year

Sustainability is not only about town plan- in due to smoking. Smoking is declining in the
ning architectural strategies and building US and many other western countries, but it is
solutions; it is not only about environmen- on the rise in developing countries like India.
tal processes and management systems. The WHO has earmarked May 31 as the World
Sustainability is about the way people live. No Tobacco Day to highlight the health risks
Everything individuals do in their lives has associated with tobacco use and advocate for
an impact on the environment. The choices effective policies to reduce tobacco consumpof food, housing, entertainment, work and tion. The specific goals of the 2014 campaign
mobility, all directly or indirectly affect the are: Government increase taxes on tobacco to
environment.
levels that reduce tobacco consumption; Indi-
viduals and civil society organisations encour1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban age their Governments to increase taxes. Research shows that higher taxes are especially
eswar/bhubaneswar-environment-degraded-by-human-ac
effective in reducing tobacco use among lowertivities.html
income groups and in preventing young people
from starting smoking.
Despite the overall success in recent decades
of bringing down the smoking rate, the preva2.8 May
lence of smoking among young adults aged 2024 remains higher than any other age. Young
2.8.1 TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGE CAM- adults try their first cigarette after the age of
PUSES (2014-05-31 16:12)
18, and the majorities who smoke become addicted smokers after that age. The college
years have been identified as a time of increased risk for smoking initiation and transition into regular tobacco use.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/tobacco-free-co
llegecampuses-are-a-must.html
TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGE CAMPUSES ARE
A MUST
As many college students are addicted to tobacco; a number of colleges has developed
smoking policies. Many college authorities
are declaring tobacco-free campuses. A college has legal responsibilities to provide safe
environments for students and staff from secondhand smoke (SHS). Because SHS contains more than 43 cancer-causing agents
and many others toxins, SHS exposure causes
heart disease and lung cancer and can trigger immediate health effects for students with
asthma, allergies or other medical conditions.
A large number of college students surveyed
say they experience immediate health effects
from SHS on campuses.
Smoking is a worldwide hazard. It is a singlemost important cause of preventable premature deaths. As per the World Health Organiations (WHO) figures, there are about 1.3 Certain social, economic and environmental
billion smokers in the world. Tobacco kills factors can be associated with the prediction
72
2.8. MAY
of youth and an increased use in tobacco. This
includes incompletion of higher levels of education, high-level exposure to tobacco products and violent behaviour. However, students are less likely to smoke if they attend
a college that prohibits smoking as part of a
comprehensive tobacco policy. But a number of colleges have designated smoking areas instead of going completely smoke-free.
The smoking areas have many disadvantages.
It is found that in outdoor designated areas
with multiple smokers, levels of toxic air contaminants from secondhand smoke may be
higher than indoors, therefore, creating a hazardous environment to individuals standing
in or around these areas. Additionally, SHS
is proven to travel outside of designated areas; distance depends on wind strength and
direction. Designated areas have also been
found to encourage tobacco use by creating
a social environment for daily and nondaily
tobacco users. Unless regularly cleaned and
maintained, these areas are unhealthy for the
students, staff and visitors.
Smoking is also a fire hazard due to careless smokers. Besides, cigarette waste is extremely toxic to environment. The filter of a
cigarette is designed to trap the toxic chemicals in the tobacco smoke and prevent them
from entering into the smokers body. The
filter, when wet, releases thousands of toxic
chemicals back into the environment. These
filters and chemicals are washed into waterways by storm water runoff. The purpose of
the smoke-free campus policy would be to provide a safe and healthy environment, free of
secondhand smoke and toxic tobacco-related
litter.
In India, The National Tobacco Control Bill
was passed in 2003. The Cigarettes and Other
Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) of 2004 and,
more recently, the Prohibition of Smoking in
Public Places Rules of 2008 set out how the
smoke-free provisions in the law are applied
in practice. Many cities have full authority to
pass comprehensive smoke-free laws to eliminate exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor
workplaces and public places.
BlogBook
trol legislations has prohibited the smoking
in public places. As per Section 4 of the Tobacco Control Act, a public place means any
place to which the public have access, which
includes auditorium, hospital buildings, railway waiting room, amusement centers, restaurants, public offices, educational institutions,
libraries and the like. The sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of educational institutions is also prohibited. However, this particular rule is seldom enforced.
A majority of students prefer tobacco-free campuses. Information on the smoke-free campus policy should be disseminated to all faculty, staff, students and new members of the
college. The colleges which have not implemented tobacco-free policy should adopt it.
Smoke-free campus policies should cover all
types of tobacco products like cigarettes, bidis,
and smokeless tobacco.
Its easiest to prohibit tobacco use from the
beginning. Tobacco-free campus policy works
best when compliance is viewed as the shared
responsibility and the right of all in the campus community smokers and non-smokers
alike. Besides, tobacco taxes are the most
cost-effective way to reduce tobacco use, especially among students.
A well-planned communication campaign will
result in smooth implementation with greater
compliance. Pictorial warnings significantly
increase students awareness of the harms of
tobacco use. Also, implementing a tobaccofree policy is a great opportunity for higher
education institutions to demonstrate their
role as leaders in public health.
Cities like Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Chandigarh 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban

and Shimla have been declared as smoke-free eswar/tobacco-free-college-campuses-are-a-must.html
cities in the country. The Government of India through its comprehensive tobacco con2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
73
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2.8.2
2.8. MAY
EARTHQUAKE
RESISTANT Recently, earthquakes and the subsequent
MEASURES IN BHUBANESWAR disastrous effects have established an urgent
(2014-05-28 10:17)
need of evolving a coordinated design system

to provide earthquake-resistant structures in
Odisha. Buildings can be made earthquakeresistant by incorporating methods and techniques of earthquake-resistant design and
construction depending upon seismic zones.
About 54 per cent of Indias lands are vulnerable to earthquakes. The increase in demographic pressure, unplanned and ill-planned
development practices and poor quality of
construction techniques have contributed immensely to the proliferation of seismic risk.
There
are ways of making structures safer
[1]
than the current ones. Researchers and en[2]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio- gineers have mobilised their efforts to achieve
ns/bhubaneswar/adhere-to-earth
quake- that goal, working on removing shortcomings
resistant-measures-in-bhubaneswar.html
in the design of structures that have not perADHERE
TO
EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANT formed well in seismic events and coming up
with improved versions capable of standing up
MEASURES IN BHUBANESWAR
to a certain level of earthquakes.
During an earthquake an individual could be
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is a
thrown out of bed at night, be unable to stand
statutory organisation under the Bureau of
upright and be forced to kneel on the ground.
Indian Standards Act. One of its activities
This happened during the earthquake on May
is formulation of Indian standards on differ21, when the tremor measuring 5.8 on the
ent subjects of engineering through various
richter scale hit Odisha at 9:52 pm.
councils. Seismic codes are unique to a parThe epicentre of the quake was 266 km off the ticular region or country. They take into acParadip coast in the south-east Bay of Bengal. count the local seismology, accepted level of
In Bhubaneswar, over 100 people were injured seismic risk, building typologies and materiand cracks developed in some high-rise build- als and methods used in construction. The
ings. People ran out of homes and the earth- first formal seismic code in India, namely IS
quake continued for 5 to 20 seconds.
1893, was published in 1962. Today, the BIS
has a number of seismic codes. IS 1893 (Part
An earthquake is a natural phenomenon that
I): 2002, Indian Standard Criteria for Earthresults from an underground movement along
quake Resistant Design of Structures (5th
a fault plane. Sometimes, it is so mild that
Revision), IS 4326: 1993, Indian Standard
it passes unnoticed. Sometimes, it is quite
Code of Practice for Earthquake-Resistant Destrong and creates vast openings in the earths
sign and Construction of Buildings (2nd Revisurface, and in its impact, buildings fall down
sion); IS 13827: 1993, Indian Standard Guideand many lives are lost.
lines for Improving Earthquake Resistance
With careful study, geologists are slowly learn- of Earthen Buildings; IS 13828: 1993, Ining about such questions: Can earthquake be dian Standard Guidelines for Improving Earthpredicted? Can we stop earthquake before it quake Resistance of Low Strength Masonry
occurs? Can we design buildings and a city Buildings; IS 13920: 1993, Indian Standard
to withstand an earthquake? Studies and re- Code of Practice for Ductile Detailing of Reinsearch are going on. To know about earth- forced Concrete Structures Subjected to Seisquake, many clues are generally referred to mic Forces; IS 13935: 1993, Indian Standard
such as strange animal behaviour, increase Guidelines for Repair and Seismic Strengthenin the rate of smaller earthquakes, gap in the ing of Buildings. The codes cover all aspects
regular frequency of the earthquake, etc. But of design including analysis, detailing and connone has correctly predicted it.
struction and strengthening of existing struc74
2.8. MAY
BlogBook
tures. These codes define the provisions re- Besides, in the 2004 tsunami, India was the
quired according to risk zone in which a struc- third country severely battered after Indoneture is located.
sia and Sri Lanka. The States severely affected by tsunami are Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Location is a major determinant of the type
Pradesh, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Isand frequency of natural hazards. Before beland. Odisha with over 480 km of coastline
ginning construction of any building, it is very
may be prone to tsunami. There is a need for
much important to have the complete knowlreassessment of the seismic status of Odisha
edge about the soil. Soil tests should be
and to devise and incorporate technologies in
conducted to know its type, bearing capacall structures.
ity, strata, composition, etc. There are mainly
three soil types; Firm: Those soils which have Land Use Zoning aims at determining the loan allowable bearing capacity of more than cations and the extent of areas likely to be af10 t/m2, Soft: Those having allowable bear- fected by the hazards of different intensities
ing capacity less than or equal to 10 t /m2 and frequencies, and to develop such areas in
and Weak: Those liable to large differential set- a manner that the loss to the development is
tlement or liquefaction during an earthquake. reduced to the minimum. Areas under seisBuildings can be constructed on firm and soft mic zones III, IV and V are based on intensisoils, but it will be dangerous to build them ties VII, VIII, IX or more. Therefore, all areas
on weak soils. Hence, appropriate soil investi- in these three zones will be considered prone
gations should be carried out to establish the to earthquake hazards. In these zones, the arallowable bearing capacity and nature of the eas which have soil conditions including the
soil. Weak soils must be avoided or compacted level of water table favourable to liquefaction
to improve them so as to qualify as firm or soft. or settlements under earthquake vibrations
will have greater risk to buildings which will be
The layout of buildings should be as simple as
of special consideration under Land Use Zonpossible. Depending upon the seismic zones,
ing.
heights of the buildings and thickness of walls
are decided. The building as a whole or its var- The Bhubaneswar Development Plan Area
ious blocks should be kept symmetrical about (BDPA) falls under Zone III (Moderate Damage
both the axes. Asymmetry leads to torsion Risk Zone). Since the soil in the BDPA is latduring earthquakes and is dangerous. In gen- erite (bearing capacity:18-20 t/m2), buildings
eral, openings in walls of a building tend to starting from single to multistoried may be
weaken the walls, and the fewer the openings allowed, provided earthquake-resistant mealess the damage it will suffer during an earth- sures suggested in the Indian Standards are
quake. If it is necessary to have large openings properly adhered to.
through a building, special provisions should Seismic retrofitting can be applied to the existbe made to ensure structural integrity.
ing building constructed without following the
The earthquake zones have been categorised earthquake-resistant standards. The seismic
considering its region, its risk factors, inten- retrofitting consists in upgrading the strength
sity and rate of damage as Zone V (Very high of an existing structure with the aim to indamage risk zone ), Zone IV (High Damage crease its capacity to withstand earthquakes.
Risk Zone), Zone III (Moderate Damage Risk The consequences of damage have to be kept
Zone), and Zone II (Low Damage Risk Zone).
in view in the design philosophy. For example,
Odisha is coming under Zone II and Zone III. important buildings like hospitals and fire staIn Odiahs, minor to moderate earthquakes tions must remain functional immediately afhave occurred now and then at different local- ter the earthquake. These structures should
ities. Rarely a building has collapsed or any be designed for a higher level of earthquake
human casualty reported ever. The maximum protection.
magnitude of these earthquakes has been reported around 4.5 to 5.3 in the Richter scale.
Considering the recent earthquake of 5.8, it
cannot be confidently said that a higher intensity earthquake is not unlikely in future.
Seismic risk reduction demands a systematic

evaluation of the hazards, vulnerability and
risk mapping of the entire region. Town and
Country Planning Acts, Master Plan, Development Control Rules and Building Regula75
BlogBook
tions of some of the metros in India have mentioned adequately on the importance of safety
requirements against natural hazards. Services of architects and structural engineers
with experience in earthquake-resistant construction are highly needed for design of buildings. It should be made mandatory for all owners and developers to get their buildings certified from structural engineers for safety reasons.
It is the joint responsibility of the architectural, engineering and construction community to incorporate the code in architectural
and structural design to make the building
earthquake-resistant. Structural plans and
details of the building submitted for approval
should satisfy the structural safety requirements. However, further research will add to
the design with appropriate building materials and technology most suited to earthquake
zones.
[3]
2.8. MAY
aims to encourage people to live together better. It was established by the United Nations
in November 2001 following the adoption of a
Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity by
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The days theme for 2014 is Do One Thing
for Diversity and Inclusion, aimed at engaging people around the world to Do One Thing
to support Cultural Diversity and Inclusion.
On this day, the UNESCO emphasises the
need to fight against imbalances that exist
between global exchanges of cultural goods,
and stresses the importance of preserving
the worlds most vulnerable cultures, together
with the need for cultural policies and structural measures in developing countries. The
day also provides an opportunity for mobilisation on the parts of governments, policymakers, civil society organisations, communities,
cultural professionals to promote culture in
its diversity and in all its forms: tangible and
intangible heritage, creative industries, goods
and services.
1. https://www.blogger.com/
Culture takes diverse forms across time and

space.
This diversity is embodied in the
aneswar/adhere-to-earthquake-resistant-measures-in
uniqueness and plurality of the identities
-bhubaneswar.html
of the groups and societies making up hu3. https://www.blogger.com/
mankind. As a source of exchange, innovation
and creativity, cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. In this sense, it is the common heritage
2.8.3 WORLDS FINEST CULTURAL of humanity and should be recognised and affirmed for the benefit of present and future
HERITAGES (2014-05-21 10:05)
generations.
2.
India is a country with diversified cultures,

arts and traditions. The cultural diversity
means a range of different societies of peoples
with different origins, religious and traditions
all living and interacting together. India has
benefited from diversity throughout its long
history and is currently one of the most culturally diverse countries.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/odisha-is-repos itory-of-one-of-worlds-finest-cultural-heritages.html
ODISHA IS REPOSITORY OF ONE OF
WORLDS FINEST CULTURAL HERITAGES
The culture of India refers to the way of life

of the people of India. Indias languages, religions, dance, music, art, food and customs
differ from place to place within the country.
The Indian culture, often labelled as an amalgamation of several cultures, spans across the
Indian subcontinent and has been influenced
by a history that is several millennia old.
The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, celebrated on May 21, Odisha has been a repository of one of the
76
2.8. MAY
worlds finest cultural heritages. The State
has a rich artistic heritage and has produced
some of the finest examples of Indian art and
architecture. Among the most notable traditions in the arts are mural painting, stonecarving, woodcarving, Patta Chitra, and painting on palm leaves. The State is also widely
recognised for its exquisite silver filigree ornamentation, pottery and decorative work. The
classical dance of Odisha has survived for
more than 700 years. Originally, it was a temple dance performed for the gods. The movements, gestures, and poses of the dance are
depicted on the walls of the great temples.
BlogBook
Bonda is the first tribe which was designated
as a PVTG in Odisha during the 5th Five-Year
Plan, and in subsequent years other 12 tribes,
Juang, Lanjia Saora, Kutia Kondh, Dongaria
Kondh, Saora, Paudi Bhuyan, Birhor, Didayi,
Hill Kharia, Mankirdia, Lodha and Chuktia
Bhunjia, were included in the list of PVTGs.
Besides, Odisha is rich in folkdances. The
different folkdances are Ranappa, Gotipua,
Ektara, tribal dance, Paika Akhada, Chhau,
puppetry show, Danda Nacha, Dalkhai, Pala,
Daskathia Chaiti Ghoda Nacha and much
more. Artists perform different dances during
their festivals.
Besides, tribal culture forms an important

part of the colourful spectrum of Odisha. The
State is the homeland of the largest variety
of tribal communities, including 13 primitive
tribal groups, which are now at various stages
of socioeconomic development. They express
their cultural identity and distinctiveness in
their social organisation, language, rituals,
festivals including their dresses, ornaments,
arts and crafts. Every facet of their life is intimately connected with religious beliefs and
ritual practices. The tribes of Odisha have retained the rich and varied heritage of colourful dance and music forming an integral part
of their festivals and rituals. The artistic skill
of tribal people is not only confined to dance
and music but also manifested through their
dresses, ornaments, handicrafts, wall paintings, woodcarvings and decorations, etc.
Bhubaneswar offers a rich cultural heritage

with Ekamra Kshetra being the heart of the
cultural capital over the centuries. There is a
need for augmentation of the existing cultural
facilities in distributed urban centres throughout the planning area. There are proposals
for propagation and development of culture
in a Cultural Diversity Plan (CDP). This includes promotion of traditional fairs and festivals through Government and NGOs to generate awareness among the new generation towards cultural heritage and inviting cultural
tourism. Another proposal includes setting
up of an Utkal Sanskriti Prangan, a representational centre of traditional art and culture,
craft, cuisine and living style, fair and festivals of Odisha in Bhubaneswar. In addition to
this, suitable locations may be identified for
observation and celebration of cultural activiDespite belonging to different linguistic divi- ties such as Ekamra Utsav, Kalinga Mahotsav,
sions, the tribes of Odisha have many socio- etc.
cultural similarities, and together they characterise the notion of tribalism. Tribal societies Traditional art and craft villages can be develshare certain common characteristics and by oped in the peri-urban areas of Bhubaneswar.
these they are distinguished from advanced The art villages with tribal arts and handsocieties. In India, tribal societies have re- icrafts centers will attract tribal folk and
mained outside the main historical current of tourists to the area. This will give enough
the civilisation for centuries. Therefore, they information about their unique lifestyles and
manifest cultural features signifying a primi- culture. When visited, tourists would get a
tive level of socio-cultural existence and each fair idea on various dimensions of traditional
Odishan culture on a single platform. Odishi
type has a distinct style of life.
dance styles, music, Yatra, Pala, Patta ChiOdisha has the distinction of having the tra, traditional folk arts and crafts, delicious
largest number of Particularly Vulnerable cuisines and textiles, all may be documented
Tribal Groups (PVTGs) among all the States and displayed for both national and internaand Union Territories of India. Odisha is tional tourists. Tribal people will also come
home to 62 types of tribes, of which 13 are in contact with the urban folk, publicise their
designated as PVTGs for their distinct cul- own creations and will also able to improve
ture, lifestyle and socioeconomic conditions. their quality of life.
77
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Cultural diversity is based on the idea that cultural identities should not be discarded or ignored but rather maintained and valued. The
foundation of this belief is that every culture
and race has made a substantial contribution
to the society. Culture and society are the two
sides of a coin; one cannot exist without the
other. Culture needs society and its inhabitants to sustain its existence and initiate its
change, and society needs culture to hold it
together and survive. It is equally impossible
to have a culture without a society or a society
without culture.
Modernisation has entered the field of culture
and tradition. However, forgetting our tradition and culture is like losing our identity.
Both should go hand in hand. We should
preserve it and develop with modern achievement, but the elements provided should be
traditional and based on culture and society.
2.8. MAY
better comprehend their origins and history.
Museums are constantly facing changes that
bring them to reconsider their traditional mission and find new strategies to attract visitors
towards more accessible collections. Thus,
many museums restore the traditional methods of presentation of their collections to involve the community.
Since 1977, the International Museum Day is
held worldwide on May 18, coordinated by the
International Council of Museums (ICOM). For
2014, the theme of the day is Museum collections make connections. It emphasises the
collaborations between museums and their
importance for cultural exchanges and the
knowledge of the worlds cultures. The best
thing about museums is how they link different cultures together - by showcasing artifacts
from past times and different countries and
by making museums available for travelling
tourists to learn about other places and people.
The day provides an opportunity for museum

professionals to meet the public and alert
-cultural-heritages.html
them to the challenges that museums face.
Following the definition of museums provided
by the ICOM, a museum is a nonprofit, perma2.8.4 LIVING INSTITUTIONS THAT nent institution in the service of society and its
BOND VISITORS WITH CUL- development, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tanTURES (2014-05-19 09:27)
gible and intangible heritage of humanity and
its environment for the purposes of education,
study and enjoyment.
eswar/odisha-is-repository-of-one-of-worlds-finest
The concept of museums in India may be

traced back to the historic times, in which references to the Chitrasala (picture gallery) do
occur. However in India, the earliest necessity
to house objects of antiquarian remains dates
back to late 1796 AD when the Asiatic Society
of Bengal felt the need to house the enormous
collection of archaeological, ethnological, geological and zoological pursuits. The nucleus of
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editiothe Asiatic Society Museum later provided to
ns/bhubaneswar/living-institut ions-that-bthe Indian Museum, Calcutta in 1814. Since
ond-visitors-with-cultures.html
then, it has so magnificently developed and
LIVING INSTITUTIONS THAT BOND VISITORS culminated into the fruitful existence of more
WITH CULTURES
than 400 museums in the country.
Museums are living institutions that help create bonds between visitors, generations and
cultures around the world. In its very essence,
a museum is a link between the generations
as it allows present and future generations to
78
India is famous for its museums that prove the

countrys rich culture. Indian museums are
best to explore the people, culture, beliefs, and
history of ancient India. Some of the unique
Indian museums are the Indian Museum, the
2.8. MAY
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, and the National Museum and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) museums.
The Indian Museum is the largest and oldest
in India and has rare collections of antiques,
armour and ornaments, fossils, skeletons and
paintings. This is an autonomous institution
under the Union Ministry of Culture.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, formerly Prince of Wales Museum
of Western India, is the main museum in Mumbai. It was founded in the early years of the
20th century by prominent citizens of Bombay
to commemorate the visit of the then Prince
of Wales. The museum was renamed in the
early 2000s after Shivaji, the founder of the
Maratha Empire. It houses about 50,000 exhibits, categorised primarily into three sections: Art, Archaeology and Natural History.
BlogBook
lection of archaeological treasures. The small
museum was then housed in the premises
of the college. In 1938, the Government
of Odisha transformed this nucleus into the
Provincial Museum of Odisha. One of the
most significant aspects of this museum is its
manuscript gallery. Some of the rare palm
leaf manuscripts, about 50,000, are housed
in this gallery. Covering diverse subjects like
religion, philosophy, astronomy, astrology, poetry, science, medicine, mathematics, warfare
and crafts, these manuscripts are a repository
of artistic expressions of that time.
These manuscripts were made by the incision

of Odia script on a dried palm leaf with a stylus. The manuscripts depict highly symbolic
scenery with costumes, jewellery, hairstyle
and facial expressions similar to stone sculptures of Odisha. The museum also houses an
illustrated manuscript of Gita Govinda written
The National Museum, New Delhi is one of the
by the 12th-century poet Jayadeva.
largest Indian museums established in 1949.
It holds articles ranging from the prehistoric The Tribal Research Institute Museum in
era to modern works of art. It also functions Bhubaneswar has life-sized authentic tribal
under the Union Ministry of Culture. The Sun dwellings created by tribal craftsmen offerGod Surya is one of the finest from the Sun ing a view of the States tribal heritage. It
Ttemple, Konark in Odisha. The sculpture has sections which showcase tribal artifacts
was once the sanctum image of the Konark and objects focusing on well researched, doctemple installed for worship in the temples umented cultural life of Odisha tribals. BeGarbhagriha and was later shifted to the Na- sides, the Regional Museum of Natural Histional Museum for better upkeep. The image tory, Bhubaneswar is an eastern regional cenis normal two-armed rendered pursuing stan- tre of the National Museum of Natural History
dards of human anatomy. Sadly, the sculp- under the Union Ministry of Environment and
tures forearms holding lotus have been com- Forests. Its goal is to impart environmental
pletely destroyed.
education to the public in general and the student community in particular in order to inIt has been the policy of the Government of Inculcate an awareness about the importance of
dia to keep the small and movable antiquities,
flora ad fauna and subsequent conservation of
recovered from the ancient sites, in close assoour natural resources.
ciation with the remains to which they belong
so that they may be studied amid their natu- Museums have recognised that we cannot rely
ral surroundings and not lose focus by being on traditional exhibition techniques to reach
transported. Therefore, a separate Museums out and impact upon broad audience. We
Branch in the ASI was created in 1946. Af- need to rethink our methods completely. We
ter the Independence, there was a spurt in the need to find new connections, new languages,
growth of the ASIs site museums at different new techniques and, most of all, new attitudes
places. Presently, there are 44 site museums for development of the museums.
under the ASIs control.
Museums are repositories of a nations valuThere are a very few museums in Odisha, able treasures. They play a positive and imthe most famous being the State Museum, portant role in modelling peoples tastes and
Bhubaneswar. The genesis of this museum making them aware of the history and cregoes back to the year 1932 when two notable ative talent. Technology today allows musehistorians Prof NC Banerjee and Prof Ghan- ums to explore their goals of education, study
shyam Dash of Ravenshaw College started col- and enjoyment. These latest trends in seeking
79
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2.8. MAY
greater dissemination and sharing of information could lead to museum audience working
together to form new online (and even off-line)
communities and social networks. Websites
are extremely popular with museums today
because they can present much more information than ever possible. Museum websites
have incorporated search engines for their online collections databases, where by typing in
a few words, users can access thousands of
images and descriptive information.
aesthetic and economic role in the lives of people around the world. Migratory birds undertake some of the most daring journeys, often
covering thousands of kilometers to migrate.
There is also a growing trend among bird tour

operators to practise sustainable and socially
responsible ecotourism, while relying on local
goods and services or supporting local conservation projects. Hundreds of thousands of
birdwatchers travel to various places in the
world to watch birds, hoping to glimpse rare
Museums are an important means of cul- species.
tural exchange, enrichment of cultures and
To conserve migratory birds and their habidevelopment of mutual understanding and
tats, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is celpeace among peoples. New social paradigms
ebrated on May 11-12 every year since 2006.
such as the widespread adoption of social netFor 2014, the theme of the day is Destination
working, together with ever-changing visitor
Flyways: Migratory Birds and Tourism. This
expectations and the opportunities presented
years theme is linked to the topic of tourism
by digital media, will attract visitors to learn
and migratory birds, focusing on the global
more about the artifacts of the museums.
bird and sustainable tourism. Each year, milThis will help make connections with different
lions of migratory birds set out to travel the
people from different regions.
world, flying along the same routes, known as
flyways. The flyways represent one of the most
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban spectacular and valuable assets of the worlds
natural heritage. The WMBD works as a neteswar/living-institutions-that-bond-visitors-withwork
to increase public knowledge about micultures.html
gratory birds and their importance.
2.8.5
ECOTOURISM
(2014-05-12 09:38)
IN
During their travels, migratory birds depend

upon a chain of vital sites for breeding and winCHILIKA tering. Due to their natural values, these sites
are often managed under different conservation schemes and also endowed with great
tourism potential. Bird-watching tourism typically involves travelling away from home to
a bird-watching destination. This destination
may be a particular location such as a wellknown, bird-rich site. Bird-watching tourism
has attracted attention in recent years as an
apparently environment-friendly way of producing income for operators, local communities and whole countries.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/bird-watching-c an-furtherboost-ecotourism-in-chilika.html
BIRD-WATCHING CAN FURTHER BOOST
ECOTOURISM IN CHILIKA
Migratory birds and people have been closely
linked throughout history and migratory birds
continue to play a very significant cultural,
80
Odishas Chilika lagoon, the largest brackish

water lake in Asia covering an area of over
1,100 sqkm, is a great attraction for tourists
for bird-watching. Chilika, which is also a
hotspot for biodiversity, has been named Destination Flyways by the United Nations World
Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The lagoon
was so named for its sustainable and resilient
destination for migratory birds. The UNs body
arm, under the project Destination Flyways,
will help the Chilika Development Authority
2.8. MAY
(CDA) to develop strategies for protection of
migratory birds through creation of innovative tourism and livelihood products with funding support from Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear
Safety of Germany. The UN bodys arm on
tourism and biodiversity would assist in development and implementation of strategies and
projects linking sustainable tourism and livelihood resources.
Chilika is the only site to be selected from Asia
by the UNWTO and was recommended by international agencies such as Secretariat of the
Convention of Biological Diversity, Convention
of Migratory Species, Ramsar Convention Secretariat, World Heritage and Man and the Biosphere Programmes of UNESCO.
By providing an adequate framework for sustainable tourism management and diversifying the tourism offer along the flyways, Destination Flyways will generate revenue for
improved management of biodiversity and
spread the benefits of tourism to local communities, while creating attractive experiences for
tourists. This can be done by developing and
implementing site management plans bringing together environmental and tourism objectives.
Recognised as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance for its biodiversity, Chilika
attracts an impressive array of bird life, with
over a million migratory waterfowls and shorebirds during winter. The lake is also the
largest wintering ground for migratory birds
in the Indian sub-continent. In the peak season, as many as 160 species of birds can be
found here. Birds seeking wintering ground
come from as far as the Caspian Sea, remote
parts of Russia, Central and South-East Asia,
the Himalayas, etc. They are sea eagles, grey
lag geese, purple moorhen, jacana, herons,
flamingos, etc. The lake is one of the best
places for bird-watching. Besides, the tourists
can enjoy dolphin watching, boating, fishing,
wetland viewing and camping. There are numbers of ecotourism points like the Nalabana
bird sanctuary and island, Satpada wetland
and dolphin viewpoint, Mangalajodi conservation centre, Parikuda Island, Kalijai and Chilika Ecopark.
BlogBook
rect economic benefits for many countries and
communities. Bird-watching is a highly popular recreational activity. Ecotourism involves
local community for conservation of the areas
ecology and biodiversity and, in return, provides economic incentives to the community.
Ecotourism can help conserve important habitats of migratory birds and biodiversity on a
much great scale. This results in economic
benefit by disbursing funds for travelling, accommodation and entrance fees. A key aspect
is raising awareness among local communities
and involving them in safeguarding the endangered species. They provide tour guides, accommodation, transportation and necessary
infrastructure. Besides, local people might engage in long-term monitoring which is crucial
for designing an efficient conservation strategy.
The open air and scenic natural flora and
fauna of the Chilika lake are an attraction
for ecotourism. This is expected to provide
a degree of alternate employment to the local community and generate environmental
awareness among local residents as well as visitors about conservation and wise use of the
lakes natural resources.
In general, anthropogenic pressures have a
major impact on the general wildlife and avifauna in Odisha. However, natural processes
also cause several types of degradation. For
example, Odisha is located in the cycloneprone zone having frequent storms and heavy
winds resulting in erosion and large-scale destructions. Pollution is also another factor.
The alarming decline in the bird population indicates that air pollution levels in many cities
are rising dangerously. Since many birds are
mainly grain eaters, it could mean that the
grains contain higher amount of pesticides
than before. Besides, land-use change and
overall increase of human settlements may
threaten the bird population.
Unfortunately, there has been a decline in

the number of migratory birds arriving in Chilika due to habitat loss and wetland pollution. This season, around 7.19 lakh migratory
birds have been sighted in this 1,100-sqkm lagoon, which is 1.58 lakh less than the previous year. Around 8.77 lakh birds visited the
Bird-watching plays a significant part in the lake in 2013. This may be due to the pressure
tourism industry and creates direct and indi- on land, conversion of lake area to agriculture
81
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2.9. APRIL
and deforestation in the catchment area. If 2.9

this trend continues then the number of migratory birds will reduce in the coming years. 2.9.1
This may result in a substantial decrease in
international tourists.
April
Bio- Medical Waste Management
in Bhubaneswar (2014-04-28 10:01)
However, the number of tourists coming to

Chilika is increasing each year. An estimated
1.7 million tourists visit Chilika every year and
the duration of their stay is increasing. It
is also expected that Chilika with all its ecotourism assets can attract a much larger num- [1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateber of tourists in future.
editions/bhubaneswar/biomedical-wast
e-management-in-bhubaneswar-posesrisks.html
Creation of tourism awareness is of prime
importance in promoting tourism in any
destination. It involves educating the local
people about the benefits incurred from
tourism industry and the necessity of developing tourism. In Chilika, conservation of
migratory birds requires continuous adaptation based on a review of the changes in
various components of ecological character
of the wetland. There is a need for ecosystem conservation and sustainable resource
development and livelihood improvement
supported by institutional development, communication, education and public awareness.
The ecosystem conservation would comprise
catchment conservation, water management
and biodiversity conservation. Siltation is the
major problem of the lake. There is a need
to reduce this load by suitable plantation
and watershed development programme in
the catchment areas. Besides, research and
collaborative efforts are needed to better understand relationships between bird-watching
and ecotourism and ensure meaningful benefits for conservation of the lake ecosystem.
BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN

BHUBANESWAR POSES RISKS
Improper procedures of medical waste management have been reported from many places.
At the global level, up to 64 per cent of
healthcare institutions are reported to have
unsatisfactory biomedical waste management
(BMWM) facilities. Expansion of healthcare facilities and the recent trend of using disposables have led to an unprecedented burden
of healthcare-related wastes. Since the last
decade, unregulated handling of biomedical
wastes is emerging as a serious threat to human health and safety.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO)
observes the World Day for Safety and Health
at Work on April 28 to promote prevention
of occupational accidents and diseases. April
28 is also the day on which the worlds trade
union movement holds its international Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers in memory of the victims of occupational
accidents and diseases.
Biomedical wastes are generated in the diagnosis and treatment of human and animal
diseases. Hospitals, clinics and laboratories
produce huge quantities of biomedical wastes,
which pose occupational health risks to those
who generate or come in contact with them.
According to the WHO, almost 80 per cent of
eswar/bird-watching-can-further-boost-ecotourism-i
medical wastes are benign and comparable to
n-chilika.html
domestic wastes. The remaining 20 per cent
is considered hazardous.
In many cities, collection, segregation, transportation, and disposal of solid wastes has
82
2.9. APRIL
BlogBook
been done in a very unscientific way. Segregation of wastes has not been done before disposal. Solid wastes contain biomedical waste
and sometimes other toxic and hazardous
wastes.
syringes, blades, broken glasses or any other

items that can cause injury; pharmaceuticals
like drugs and chemicals that are returned
from wards, spilled, expired, contaminated or
exposed for longer period are included in this
category. There are also radioactive like solids,
The wastes from hospitals, nursing homes,
liquids and gaseous wastes contaminated with
clinics, etc., are apparently infectious unless
radioactive substances used in diagnosis and
treated carefully. These wastes include bloodtreatment of diseases.
soaked bandages, culture dishes and other
glassware, discarded surgical gloves, dis- Whether the method of disposal is on-site or
carded surgical instruments, discarded nee- off-site, biomedical wastes must be segregated
dles, etc. All activities in medical waste man- from the general waste stream. If biomedical
agement from collection to disposal involve wastes are mixed with general refuse, the torisk either to the worker directly involved or tal waste stream would require special treatto nearby residents.
ment and handling. Waste segregation relies
on the waste being segregated at its point of
Occupational health and safety now has an imgeneration and placed into appropriate waste
pact on every worker in every workplace. Emcontainers. Segregation permits facilities to
ployers have a duty to prevent occupational
effectively divert those materials that are rediseases by taking preventive and protective
cyclable, require special handling or disposal.
measures through assessment and control of
Used syringes need to be disposed of in an enrisks at work. Poor management of healthvironmentally safe manner. Syringes and neecare wastes potentially exposes health workdles must be damaged before they are put in
ers, waste handlers, patients and the commucontainers.
nity at large to infection, toxic effects and injuries. Prospective workers should be edu- There is a need of proper management of
cated about the biohazards to which they may biomedical wastes. In this regard, public
be occupationally exposed, the types of expo- awareness will play an important role in adsures that place their health at risk, the na- dressing the issue at local level. Various types
ture and significance of such risks as well as of awareness programmes are being organised
the appropriate first aid and follow-up for po- to spread awareness for management of this
tential exposures.
problem. Policies and procedures should be
made available and include methods of segreThe Constitution of India has detailed provigating, packaging, labeling, moving, storing,
sions for the rights of citizens and also lays
treating and transporting the various waste
down the Directive Principles of State Policy
types and a list of all regulations and legislawhich set an aim to which the activities of the
tions concerning biomedical wastes and prostate are to be guided. On the basis of these Division for regular, ongoing staff instruction
rective Principles, the Government is commitabout proper handling and potential hazards
ted to regulate all economic activities for manof biomedical waste.
agement of safety and health risks at workplaces and to provide measures to ensure safe Workers and their organisations have a right
and healthy working conditions for every work- to be involved at all levels in formulating, suing man and woman. The Biomedical Waste pervising and implementing prevention poli(Management and Handling) Rule 1998, pre- cies and programmes for occupational safety
scribed by the Union Ministry of Environment and health and prevention of occupational disand Forests, came into force on July 20, 1998. eases.
Hospital wastes can be categorised and segregated on the basis constituents. Such as infectious materials containing dangerous concentrations of waste, if exposed, can cause
diseases are included in this category. It includes wastes from surgery on patients with
infectious diseases; sharp disposable needles,
It has been felt that the solid waste management in Bhubaneswar is not in tune with the
rapid development of the city. The indiscriminate disposal of biomedical wastes poses a
great risk to human health and environment
in the city. The hazardous and infectious
wastes from hospital and nursing homes are
83
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at present disposed of in a manner which
is not environmentally sound. Within the
Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation areas
there are five Government hospitals, two private hospitals, 17 Government Dispensaries,
about 20 nursing homes which generate a total of one tonne of biomedical wastes every day.
The wastes are currently dumped along with
municipal solid wastes. This poses high risks
to the city.
There are no demarcated dump yards for
biomedical waste disposal in Bhubaneswar.
Many open areas in the city have been converted into dumping yards. Medical wastes
are simply dumped with other solid wastes in
different locations. These sites are visually
unpleasant without any visual barriers. Besides, open dumping often leads to a number
of problems like air, water and ground pollution, spread of diseases, etc. People involved
in the disposal process can suffer from needle stick injuries. This can happen during the
disposal of the used syringe or even after disposal to those involved in recovering them. Of
all the potential sources of infection transmission from biomedical wastes, needle sticks are
of prime concern to the health staff and the
community at large.
The management of solid wastes including
biomedical waste should, therefore, be a priority for the city of Bhubaneswar. Protection
against personal injury is essential for all
workers who are at risk. The individuals
responsible for management of healthcare
wastes should ensure that all risks are identified and suitable protection from those risks
is provided. It is essential that all medical
waste materials are segregated at the point
of generation, appropriately treated and disposed of safely.
2.9. APRIL
properly. Impact Hygiene provides a convenient
sharps waste disposal solution handled by professionally trained technicians. The containers you
need to safely and securely dispose of scalpels,
needles, syringes and other medical waste will
be provided, and serviced to provide you with
convenience and peace of mind.
Impact Hygiene - Sharps
http://impacthygiene.com.au/sharps-disposal/
2.9.2 Odisha tops Malaria states in India (2014-04-25 09:20)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/odisha-accounts -for-mostmalaria-cases-in-india.html
ODISHA ACCOUNTS FOR MOST MALARIA
CASES IN INDIA
Malaria is one of the leading causes of death
in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates 300-500 million cases of
malaria with over one million deaths each year
worldwide. Most malaria cases and deaths
occur in sub-Saharan Africa. However, Asia,
Latin America, and to a lesser extent the Middle East and parts of Europe are also affected.
In India, the maximum people affected by
malaria are from Odisha State.
The World Malaria Day, instituted by the WHO

in 2007, is celebrated on April 25. The says
eswar/biomedical-waste-management-in-bhubaneswar-p
campaign theme for 2014 is Invest in the fuoses-risks.html
ture. Defeat malaria. The day is an occasion
to highlight the need for continued investment
Sharps
Container
Disposal
(2015-04-24 and sustained political commitment to control
and eliminate this deadly disease.
12:19:03)
To avoid injury and spreading of infections that

can cause serious health conditions where in
most common infections are Hepatitis B (HBV),
Hepatitis C (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV), we must dispose our sharp objects
84
Malaria is transmitted exclusively through the

bites of anopheles mosquitoes, which mainly
breed in stagnant waters. Some mosquitoes
breed in small water pockets partially or completely exposed to the sun while others breed
2.9. APRIL
in shaded stagnant water. Malaria transmission is more intense in places where the
mosquito lifespan is longer (so that the parasite has time to complete its development inside the mosquito). In many places, transmission is seasonal with the peak during and just
after the rainy season. Lack of maintenance
of the road drainage ditches, drainage water
treatment and disposal facilities create problems of silting, slow water flow or stagnant water.
If there are severe storms and excessive rainfall amounts for several days, the ground
might not be able to absorb all the water. This
leads to development of stagnant water bodies. Another common cause of stagnant water
is if the septic systems are filled with too much
water, causing the sewage to flow on ground.
These types of water are filled with bacteria, creating possible diseases. Areas with a
shallow water table are more susceptible to
groundwater stagnation due to the lower availability of natural soil drainage. Excessive watering may cause ground or surface water stagnation. People should clean their surrounding
environment to clear off stagnant water. During the off flooding period the stagnant water is
to be drained off to the nearby water channels.
Proper surface and subsurface drainage to remove excess water in a timely manner plays
an important role in controlling water-related
diseases.
Management of drainage system is presently
a challenge for urban authorities in many developing cities because of rapid growth of population and unplanned development activities.
Therefore, a close coordination among urban
authorities and collaboration between public
and private sectors is needed for effective management and sustainable operation of urban
drainage system. High-intensity rains can
cause urban flooding since urban areas have
a lot of concrete structures and there isnt
much open soil available for water to percolate,
causing a huge burden on the drainage systems. Several days of flooding allows mosquito
larvae breeding and leads to an increase in
malaria transmission. Emphasis on drainage
development works will have to be undertaken
in the severely waterlogged areas to reduce the
spreading of diseases.
BlogBook
eas have become common due to unplanned
growth. Bhubaneswars rapid expansion in all
directions makes the city prone to urban flooding. The high rate of urbanisation has led to
waterlogging in several areas of the city. It is
very crucial to take decisiond while changing
land use from agriculture category to residential area. However, as real estate developers
and new settlers have started converting agricultural land into residential colonies, the natural channels for water discharge have been
blocked.
In Bhubaneswar, the land use change from
vegetation to other category was 63.3 per cent
and land use change from agriculture to other
category was 32.4 per cent in 2000-2005 for
residential area which was the highest compared to other category of land uses. This
trend is also continuing now. In many cases,
people are constructing houses without considering the drainage pattern and they suffer
the problem after construction of the buildings. It is very difficult to incorporate drainage
plan after construction. In many low-lying
areas of Bhubaneswar like Acharya Vihar,
Jayadev Vihar, Bhimatangi, Old Town, Jagamohan Nagar, Laxmisagar and Kapilprasad,
people are suffering from water stagnation.
In many cases, construction over the natural
drainage channel blocks the water flow.
Common drainage problems can be avoided if
due consideration is given to these issues during planning stage. The time and costs spent
trying to address problems before and during
the construction stage will normally be less
than the costs of mitigating efforts after the
works have been completed.
Water collected through a road drainage system needs to be carefully discharged from the
road, avoiding any damages to the adjacent
low-lying land. Equally, the drainage system of a road needs to be carefully adjusted
so it does not conflict with the drainage systems on adjacent neighbourhood land. Besides the proper design of side drains can reduce the drainage problem in the city. The
function of the side drains (or ditches) is to
collect water from the carriageway and surrounding areas and lead it to an exit point
where it can be safely discharged. The absence of side drain also aggravates the probFloods and waterlogging in the low-lying ar- lem. The exact dimensions of the side drains
85
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2.9. APRIL
are dependent on the expected amount of rain- 2.9.3

water and the distance to the next exit point
where the water can be diverted from the road.
The drainage facilities demand management of
drains, which involve the prevention of flooding and illegal encroachments, periodic maintenance and provisions of adequate land for
future reconstruction and augmentation activities.
Inadequate provision for drainage can increase the risk of malaria. Almost one-tenth
of the global disease burden could be prevented by improving water supply, sanitation, hygiene and management of water resources. Such improvements reduce child
mortality and improve health in a sustainable
way. Malaria can create a huge economic burden for a country. This is due to the number of hospital admissions and the cost of national malaria control programmes. In this
context, innovative financing would play an
important role. Investments in malaria prevention have been among the best investments
in global health facility, resulting in a dramatic
decrease in malarial deaths and illness.
Finally, urban planning which is done keeping

community needs in mind would go a long way
in checking the spread of malaria by participatory planning for better preparedness for potential urban water supply, proper waste disposal and elimination of stagnant water bodies. There is a need to improve waste water
treatment, management and modifications to
the drainage system in every city. Besides,
public awareness and community participation play an important role in the planning process. A variety of diseases can be prevented
by improving the provision of water and sanitation and implementing proper drainage and
control of disease vectors.
Green Vision for City Planning

(2014-04-23 09:29)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/its-important-t
o-havegreen-vision-for-city-planning.html
ITS IMPORTANT TO HAVE GREEN VISION
FOR CITY PLANNING
The annual International Mother Earth Day
was observed on April 22 to demonstrate and
support for environmental protection.
Urban areas are now home to 50 per cent of
the worlds population, but they account for
60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75
per cent of carbon emissions. Rapid urbanisation is exerting pressure on fresh water supplies, sewage, the living environment and public health. In many cases, urbanisation is
characterised by urban sprawl and haphazard
development of periphery of the town which is
not only socially divisive but increases energy
demand, carbon emissions and puts pressure
on ecosystems.
The Earth Day 2014 focussed on the global
theme Green Cities. This would encourage
people to create a sustainable, healthy environment by greening communities worldwide.
As the urban population grows and the effects
of climate change worsen, our city planning
has to change.
Green vision for city planning includes three

key elements: buildings, energy and transportation. A green city derives its energy from
renewable sources like solar and wind and distributes it through efficient micro grids. A
green city is made up of buildings that are
energy-efficient, conserve water and reduce
eswar/odisha-accounts-for-most-malaria-cases-in-in
waste. Compact, relatively densely populated
dia.html
cities with mixed-use urban form are more
resource-efficient than any other settlement
pattern with similar levels of economic output. Urban infrastructure including streets,
86
2.9. APRIL
BlogBook
water and sewage systems come at consider- forest area and the Nandankanan sanctuary
ably lower costs per unit as urban density placed sequentially along the main access. It
rises.
is also forming the Green Corridor on the western side of the BDPA. These open areas must
Besides, a city that preserves and maximises
be developed as organised green and suitably
its open spaces, natural landscapes and recrelandscaped. It is also advisable to have greenational opportunities is more healthy and reing of the entire townships.
silient. Many cities have been designed with
green space-oriented community development It is better to think of the open spaces of a city
strategy at both national and local levels. as a multifaceted matrix, performing a variety
Greenways may be designed as a planning of functions and having a variety of uses. By
strategy. These are networks of land contain- this, cities can maintain green space within
ing linear element that are planned, designed and throughout their urban and suburban
and managed for multi purposes including centres, including trees and green space for
ecological, recreational, cultural or other pur- recreation, cooling, stormwater management
poses compatible with the concept of sustain- and simple aesthetic enhancement and livabilable land use.
ity. A number of cities are developing this idea
Bhubaneswar was a city with pleasant cli- of Green Corridor as a tool both for the protecmatic condition throughout the year. Since tion of biodiversity and to provide a sense of
last decade, this city is experiencing high continuity between town and the region.
population growth, urbanisation and distinct
weather condition. Earlier, it had a sound coverage of greenery, but now it has decreased
substantially, leading to uncomfortable conditions. Modification of the land surface by urban development and reduction of open space
is another reason for the unusual mercurial
rise in Bhubaneswar in summer. Small water bodies and wetlands are increasingly being
filled up by multistoried buildings.
The level of pollution has also increased due to
the increasing traffic and decrease in foliage.
The expansion of the city and lots of concrete
structures are also the reason for its microclimatic change over the years. Bhubaneswar
contained a 54-per cent forest area in 1930,
which is now a mere 3 per cent, mostly shrubs
only. As per the CDP-2008, the Bhubaneswar
Development Plan Area (BDPA) contains only
19.07 per cent of forest area.
To develop green vision, green corridors can be
designed properly in Bhubaneswar. The entire BDPA is gifted with tremendous natural
resources in the form of rivers like Kuakhai,
Bhargavi and Daya as well as areas with dense
vegetation/forest such as Bharatpur forest
area and Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary. In
the CDP, the entire river belt zone has been
proposed for recreational land use with green
buffers running all along the river embankment, thereby forming a continuous Green
Corridor on the eastern side of the BDPA. Secondly, entire Bharatpur is a green zone with its
Avenues of trees in the streets, public urban

parks and conservation of green areas within
private plots can all contribute to improving
conditions in the urban area. Scattered green
space within the compactly built up area may
act as a continuous patch of green, widening at the edge of the city into the green belt
and then into a rural landscape, establishing
a coherent relationship between urban and rural areas. Such designs encourage healthy
lifestyles with the ability to serve many daily
needs by walking or cycling. This development
patterns can also help keep a community economically vibrant.
People who live close to green space are more
resistant to stress, have lower incidence of behavioural disorders, anxiety and depression
and have a higher measure of confidence.
Green space also stimulates social interactions between people.
As the concept of a green city is still new, their
development faces many challenges. The large
majority of green cities are still at the planning
stage. Although there are many new ideas and
agenda for green city planning, a few of them
have been implemented to generate broad conclusions.
Many buildings are designed in the city without considering climatic conditions of the
area. These buildings need air-conditioning to
keep them cool. As an alternative, architects
should keep climatic conditions in mind and
87
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2.9. APRIL
design building that would cut down on en- 2.9.4

ergy consumption. More emphasis should be
given on factors like ensuring maximum natural light and ventilation.
Konark temple conservation

demands
urgent
attention
(2014-04-20 10:32)
Green buildings have minimal adverse impacts on the natural environment and are
designed to minimise the environmental impact of materials, construction and operation. They also seek to maximise opportunities for indoor environmental quality and
performance, saving money, reducing waste,
increasing worker productivity and creating
healthier environment for people to live and
work.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/konark-temple-c
It has become paramount that an assembly onservation-demands-urgent-attention.html
of green buildings alone will not be the only Konark temple conservation demands urgent
deciding factor in green city developments. attention
Many green innovations can be comprehensively integrated into statutory urban plan- The World Heritage Day is celebrated on
ning and development control systems, includ- April 18 to educate people about protection,
ing planning standards and building regula- preservation and propagation of world hertions. Green building standards have been itage. World heritage refers to those monused in some cities as part of a move towards uments and sites which have shaped, incarbon neutrality. The bylaws and codes need fluenced, or represent the most impressive
to be revised to integrate aspects of green achievements of human societies. World hercity and energy conservation building code. itage sites are those which illustrate the best
These regulations should include a combina- of human achievements such as the pyramids
tion of mandatory rules and voluntary guide- of ancient Egypt, The Great Wall of China,
lines such that minimum energy performance Konark temple in Odisha, etc. World heritage
standards should be compulsory for all new is the shared wealth of humankind. Protecting
buildings with flexibility in the ways to achieve and preserving this valuable asset demands
collective efforts of the international commuthe same.
nity.
With the rapid urbanisation and fast depletion

of the earths resources, we need to rethink
about planning our future cities. Planning,
development and maintenance of urban green
space is among the key elements of sustainable urban development. City planners must
have a major role in designing green cities
which would be more livable, sustainable and
environment-friendly.
The theme of the day for 2014 is Heritage of

Commemoration. It provides an opportunity
to present those constructions that have been
intentionally created with the purpose of commemorating an event, a person, an idea, etc.
The Sun Temple at Konark is a pinnacle of Indian temple architecture and the most magnificent architectural achievement undertaken
in India till date. The temple was a technological wonder. The builders had a comprehensive knowledge of astronomy and architecture. The temple was built in by King
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban Narasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Ganga
eswar/its-important-to-have-green-vision-for-citydynasty and dedicated to the Hindu Sun God
planning.html
Surya. Due to its architectural excellence, it
has been inscribed as a World
Heritage Monument since November 2, 1984.
88
2.9. APRIL
The temple was designed as a chariot with
12 huge carved stone wheels and seven stone
horses around its base. The horses were conceived in such a way that it gives the impression that the Sun God himself drives this chariot. The temple complex was located in a
walled enclosure of about 260m x 160m.The
complex consists of Vaishnav Temple (superstructure collapsed), Maya Devi Temple, Sun
Temple (superstructure collapsed), Jagamohana (Intact), Aruna Pillar (now in front of Jagannath Temple, Puri), Natamandapa (superstructure collapsed), kitchen (only basement
existing).
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by iron plates. The entire structure was held
together by several magnets. It is believed that
the idol of Sun God was kept suspended in the
air by the force of the magnets. The idol had
a diamond which reflected sunrays. The magnet at the temples top was the main force holding most of the structure. This was so powerful that it used to disrupt the magnetic compass of the ships going through that route as
Konark was a major port at that time.
During the British rule, steps were taken to
conserve the remaining part of the temple. Towards the end of the 19th century, proposals were made for undertaking certain repairs,
but significant work did not get underway until 1903. In 1903, the Jagamohana was sealed
after filling the interior with sand, after observing certain structural deficiency in it, to
avoid possible collapse. However neither a
clear record of the condition of the inside of
the monument prior to 1903 nor the actual
reason for filling the interior of Jagamohana
with sand is available.
Towards the end of the 16th century or early

in the 17th, Muslims apparently attacked and
damaged the temple complex causing violation
of the sanctity of the temple and, thus, it was
abandoned as a place of worship. Over the
next centuries, the temple was no longer used
and maintained and it suffered from structural deterioration, sand drift and robbery and
the main temple collapsed. Due to human negligence, the masterpiece of art and sculpture
In 1950, the Government of India appointed
fell into ruins.
an expert committee on conservation, engiThat the decay and collapse was gradual is neering, art, architecture, geology and chemsubstantiated by A Stirling, who visited the istry to suggest measures for conservation.
site in 1825 AD. He mentions that the temple The southern and eastern gateways were thorstill stood, even in 1848; a corner of the Rekha oughly conserved by restoring the missing
Sikhara remained to a considerable height. stones and replacing the damaged courses by
The standing corner of the tower was further new ones. Extensive chemical cleaning and
recorded by James Fergusson in 1837 AD who preservation of the facade of the temple was
estimates its height as nearly 45 m and Kit- also undertaken.
toe in 1838 AD who estimates the height beThere are many speculations about the cause
tween 24 m and 30 m. This solitary remnant of
of the fall of the temple. Legends describe a
the main temple also fell in October 1848 due
loadstone on the temple top. The loadstone
to a strong gale. However, in course of time
disturbed ship compass so that they did not
the main temple collapsed. Rajendra Lal Mita
function correctly. To save their shipping, the
while visiting the temple in 1868 and Hunter
Portuguese voyagers took away the loadstone,
in 1870 have recorded eyewitness accounts of
which was acting as the central stone and
the ruins. The former mentions it as only an
keeping all the stones and the iron columns
enormous mass of stones studded with a few
and walls of the temple in balance. Due to
trees here and there.
its displacement, the temple walls lost their
The main temple has been estimated to have balance and, eventually, fell. But there is
been 67m height at the beginning. The Jag- no record of this occurrence in any historical
amohana is the total height of 37m. It is the records, nor is there any record of the exisaudience hall where the people assembled for tence of such a powerful loadstone at the temworship. Only the Jagamohana or Mukhasala ple. The exact date and reason for the fall of
stands today.
the monument are still in mystery.
The temple is indeed the only one of its kind. Though in a dilapidated condition, the temThe huge granite blocks were extremely pol- ples charm still attracts visitors from far
ished and plain. The blocks were separated and wide throughout the year. The remain2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
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2.9. APRIL
ing structure and the ruins around still pro- 2.9.5

foundly testify the boundless creativity of the
Odishan artists and their contributions to
the treasury of Indian art and building techniques.
The Sun Temple is protected under the National Framework of India by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains
(AMASR) Act, 1958. Other relevant legislations include the Forest Act, Konark Development Act and Notified Council Area Act. Under the AMASR Act, a zone of 100 metres outside the property and a further zone of 200
metres outside it constitute, respectively, prohibited and regulated zones for development
or other similar activity that may have adverse
effects on the Outstanding Universal Value of
the property. All conservation programmes
are undertaken by the Archaeological Survey
of India.
There are five management-related plans:
safety, environment, master planning, environmental development and tourism. World
Heritage funding was received to carry out an
assessment of structural stability.
The Jagamohana, which was sealed, is at risk
due to lateral thrusts on the structural walls.
The conservation of the remaining part of the
temple will be a challenge after removal of
sand. Research works are on in respect of removal of sand from the Jagamohana.
Over the years, it has been observed that the
sand level has gone down by nearly 15 feet.
This indicates that the top portion has become vacant. Therefore, many questions arise
for the conservation of the World Heritage,
Konark. If sand removal is possible, people
can see the Jagamohanas interior condition.
However, there is a need to study its possible
impact on the structure. The Konark temples
world cultural heritage status certainly demands that the structure be given immediate
attention.
Bhubaneswar to become World

Heritage City (2014-04-15 11:49)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/a-proposal-to-m
akebhubaneswar-a-world-heritage-city.html
A PROPOSAL TO MAKE BHUBANESWAR A
WORLD HERITAGE CITY
The 66th Foundation day of Bhubaneswar
will be celebrated on April 13 (Sunday). It
was on this day in 1948 that the first Prime
Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
had laid the State capital citys foundationstone. Since then, Bhubaneswar remains a
celebrated model of modern architecture and
city planning with the prehistoric past as a
Temple City. Punjab capital Chandigarh was
also designed in the same era of the postIndependent India.
While laying the foundation-stone, Nehru had
observed that Bhubaneswar Would not be a
city of big buildings for officers and rich men
without relation to common masses. It would
accord with an idea of reducing differences between the rich and poor. The New Capital
would embody the beautiful art of Odisha, and
it would be a place for beauty..so that life
might become an adjunct to beauty.
Chandigarh was planned by French architect

Le Corbusier and Bhubaneswar by German
architect Dr Otto Koenigsberger. Le Corbusiers architectural work in Chandigarh is in the
process to qualify for inclusion in the World
Heritage List by the UNESCO. In 2006-07,
Chandigarh came up on the tentative list, but
in 2010 the decision on it was deferred. However, there is every possibility that Chandigarh
is going to be declared as a World Heritage City
in near future.
eswar/konark-temple-conservation-demands-urgent-at
tention.html
90
But no proposal has been submitted to the

UNESCO to enlist Bhubaneswar in this list
though it has more potential than Chandigarh
2.9. APRIL
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to qualify for the recognition. Bhubaneswar

has its identity as a temple town with a series
of ancient sandstone temples varying in size
from the towering eleventh century Lingaraja
Temple, 55-metre high. A large number of
Neighbourhood units were designed by

Koenigsberger with the best amenities of
urban life, with units placed at short distances to give people easy access to school,
hospital and other facilities. The buildings
designed by Julius Vaz and the Master Plan
Grade-I temples of national importance at Old
by Koenigsberger are outstanding examples
Bhubaneswar have been protected by the Arof architectural design and town planning.
chaeological Survey of India (ASI), examples
being Ananta Basudeva, Mukteswara, Per- Besides, the State Museum in Bhubaneswar
surameswara and Rajarani Temples. With holds a huge collection of artifacts and crafts,
this backdrop of ancient temples of Old including the worlds largest collection of palmBhubaneswar, a new capital has taken shape. leaf manuscripts. The citys Tribal Museum is
a testament to the lifestyles, arts and crafts of
The city has a prehistoric past. Physically, Odishas tribal heritage encompassing over 60
the plan of Old Bhubaneswar is based on the different tribes.
Asta Ayatana concept, which stands for eight
sacred complexes as described in the sacred To be included in the World Heritage List, sites
chronicles like Ekamra Purana and comprises must be of outstanding universal value and
54 monuments. Even today, there is a rit- meet at least one of the ten selection criteria.
ual connection of Lingaraja with the temples There are more than 100 cities in the world dein Asta Ayatana. This forms the genesis of clared as World Heritage Cities. In Asia, there
the order and coherence of physical and socio- are four in Japan, three in China but none
religious development of Old Bhubaneswar. in India. The UNESCO confers the heritage
The area has been declared as a Special Her- status when the heritage sites/cities are nominated by nations along with data, maps and
itage Zone as Ekamra Kshetra.
photographs.
The Dhauli Hill is a Buddhist tourist destination with ancient sculptures and the extraordi- Bhubaneswar fulfils four criteria: to represent
nary art forms. The area has been declared as a masterpiece of human creative genius; to
a Special Heritage Zone as Sanskritik Kshetra. exhibit an important interchange of human
Sisupalagarh was the ancient citadel of capi- values over a span of time or within a cultal of Kalinga till 4th century AD. The city was tural area of the world on developments in
systematically planned with well built houses architecture or technology, monumental arts,
of laterite or brick laid out in orderly streets in town-planning or landscape design; to bear a
a grid pattern. The area has been declared as unique or at least exceptional testimony to a
a Special Heritage Zone as Aitihasik Kshetra. cultural tradition or to a civilisation which is
living or which has disappeared; and to be diThe Udayagiri and Khandagiri Hills represent rectly or tangibly associated with events or livone of the earliest groups of Jain rock-cut ar- ing traditions with ideas or with beliefs, with
chitecture built around 2nd century BC. Ar- artistic and literary works of outstanding unichaeologically significant of the Pali records versal significance.
engraved in the Hathi Gumpha, displays the
If declared a world heritage, Bhubaneswar
13 year megalithic record of king Kharavela of
can maintain its identity for future generthe Chedi dynasty.
ations. Top UNESCO official during their
The unique combination of built, natural visit to Odisha assured that they would conand cultural heritage resources with Otto sider the States recommendation to include
Koenigsbergers Master Plan with neighbour- Bhubaneswar in the World Heritage List. If
hood units and climate responsive buildings Bhubaneswar qualifies for it, it would become
by Architect Julius Vaz demand the city to be the second Indian city to be included in the
listed in the World Heritage List. According to tentative list after Chandigarh. The prepaKoenigsbergers guidelines, most government ration of the list is not random selection of
buildings have been designed with impressive places, but it is a tedious exercise involving
corridors, which were also intended to protect detailed study of history, architecture and herthe walls of office rooms from direct sunrays. itage of places for its uniqueness/values be2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
91
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fore deciding on its selection.
If Bhubaneswar is declared as a World Heritage city, it will have more benefits. The
World Heritage Status, first of all, is the highest honour and the most prestigious title given
to heritage monuments, sites, cities, etc., in
recognition of their historic/architectural significance, not just at the local/national levels
but at an international level for having heritage of outstanding universal value. The title
gives a tremendous impetus to international
tourism and also opens up avenues of funding for comprehensive development of the city.
The status makes preservation and maintenance of heritage mandatory, thus facilitating
to uphold the citys cultural identity.
2.9. APRIL
and Control of Vector-Borne Disease in Informal Settlements. So, the day this year highlights some of the most commonly known vectors responsible for transmitting a wide range
of parasites and pathogens that attack humans or animals. Mosquitoes, for example,
not only transmit malaria and dengue but also
lymphatic filariasis, chikungunya and yellow
fever.
Vectors are organisms that transmit
pathogens and parasites from one infected
person to another. They are most commonly
found in tropical areas and places where
access to safe drinking water and sanitation
systems is problematic.
Over 60 per cent of water and vector-borne diseases in urban areas are reported from slum
clusters due to lack of basic amenities. These
settlements are the areas where groups of
housing units have been constructed on land
that the occupants have no legal claim to, or
occupy illegally. These are the areas where
housing is not in compliance with planning
and building regulations. The reasons for informal settlements vary from place to place,
but the most critical factors are lack of afeswar/a-proposal-to-make-bhubaneswar-a-world-herit
fordable legal options, poverty and intense deage-city.html
mand for housing.
Submitting a proposal does not guarantee
the world heritage status. Lots of works
need to be done by the State Government
and conservation NGOs to get the status for
Bhubaneswar.
Besides, public awareness
and community participation are also vital to
make the proposal successful.
Slums and homeless peoples number are

growing day by day in all urban centres. In2.9.6 Vector-borne diseases in Slums dia has a very high percentage of urban households living in informal settlements. In Cen(2014-04-07 10:10)
sus 2011, slum blocks have been delineated in
all towns irrespective of population size. Out
of the 4,041 Statutory Towns in Census 2011,
slums were reported from 2,543 (63 %). The
total slum enumeration blocks (SEBs) is about
1.08 lakh in the country. The top five States reporting slum households are Andhra Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and
West Bengal. The proportion of slum households (HHs) to urban HHs is 35.7 % in Andhra
Pradesh and 23.1 % in Odisha. Most slum
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editiohouseholds have no access to any waste collecns/bhubaneswar/how-to-preventvectortion and suffer from insufficient drinking waborne-diseases-in-slums.html
ter.
HOW TO PREVENT VECTOR-BORNE DISBhubaneswar, one of the fast-growing India
EASES IN SLUMS
cities, has lost its earlier planned status due
The World Health Day is celebrated on April to massive growth of slum population and the
7 to mark the anniversary of the founding increased informal sector activities in the reof the World Health Organisation (WHO) in cent years. This sector of Bhubaneswar is
1948. The days theme for 2014 is Prevention dominated by migrant workers. The build92
2.9. APRIL
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ing activity over a long period needed the service of thousands of unskilled, semiskilled
and skilled workers, who came from all over
Odisha and other States during the entire construction period. These workers, along with
those working in the service sector, rickshawpullers and small vendors built their temporary houses in vacant private and Government lands. In the process, slums appeared
at many places. The migrant labourers of
Bhubaneswar usually settle in various slums
to earn their livelihoods in different activities.
upgrading. First, the growth of slums needs

to be slowed down and eventually stopped
through legal and land market reform planning, zoning regulations and building codes to
make housing more affordable. Second, there
is s need to adopt preventive strategies.
Generally, as population grows, there is an increase in the demand for land by Government,
private individuals and corporate bodies. Unfortunately, since the overall physical supply
of land within a geographical area is fixed, the
demand always outstrips supply by a wide
margin. In the market, the corporate bodies
and rich individuals with higher bargaining
power dominate the transaction while slum
dwellers are left with little choice. This group
of individuals occupies the less desirable areas like marshy sites, areas adjacent to refuse
dumps and encroaches on Government lands.
This settlement is characterised by infrastructure deficiencies, shanty structures, poor sanitation, urban violence and crime.
Many organisations and volunteers spend

huge amounts of time and money for remedial
measures, but still we see more people coming
to the slum. Therefore, a Strategic Construction Plan and Grid must be implemented to
ensure that the project is completed on a timeline for slum dwellers benefit. There is a need
to reserve lands in every urban development
project for undertaking EWS and LIG housing as also re-housing sites for slum dwellers.
This would enable continuous supply of land
for housing of slum dwellers.
The National Vector Borne Disease Control

Programme (NVBDCP) is the programme for
prevention and control of the vector-borne
diseases as an integral part of the National
Rural Health Mission (NRHM). The NVBDCP
envisages a self-sustained and well-informed,
The Bhubaneswar Development Authority healthy India free from vector-borne diseases
(BDA) has classified the slum settlements into with equitable access to quality healthcare.
slum colonies belonging to industrial workers,
common slums, population squatting on the The Government of India initiated the National
land belonging to the Railways and other Gov- Slum Development Programme. To enable the
ernment agencies. The distribution of slum slim people to gain access to basic services
and squatters inside the city is very much spe- like potable water, sanitation, health and educific location-bound. However in the present cational facilities, a number of schemes have
context, shifting of slum population is contin- been launched from time to time. This develuously taking place. But this is not a perma- opment programme can prevent vector-borne
diseases in many slum settlements.
nent solution for the slum dwellers.
The lack of access to adequate water and sanitation remains the major concerns in slums.
Over 60 per cent of them have inadequate access to sanitation. They lack either an individual toilet or a shared toilet. They are forced to
depend on badly maintained and overcrowded
toilet blocks. Open spaces are thus the only
option.
In Bhubaneswar, there is a need to check
mosquito breeding.
The vector-borne diseases can be prevented if mosquito breeding
grounds are eliminated. This needs coordinated policies and actions related to slum2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
The slum dwellers, an integral part of the city,

have a share in the growth, status and prosperity of the city. They have not willingly chosen their shanty structures and unhygienic
environment but have been driven to this option as they were thrown out of the formal
housing sector. Slum is a social problem. It
may cause deterrent to future planning and
growth of the city. It is imperative to enhance
the standard of living of slum dwellers with authorised dwelling units.
A slum-free city plan should be prepared for
all areas and strategies need to be developed
for prevention of future slums, including
reservation of land and housing for the urban
poor. This will improve slum dwellers living
conditions and prevent vector-borne diseases
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2.9. APRIL
in cities.
Many autistic people have exceptional abilities

in visual skills, music and academic skills. To
improve the lives of those who suffer from the
ASD, the United Nations World Autism Awareeswar/how-to-prevent-vector-borne-diseases-in-slum
ness Day is observed on April 2. In 2008, the
s.html
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities entered into force, reaffirming the fundamental principle of universal human rights
for all. This covers many issues, including em2.9.7 Friendly houses for Autistics ployment, recreation, religion, education and
(2014-04-03 12:40)
accessibility to public services.
Of all needs, housing is the most important
for autistic people. In this context, architects
have a great role in designing autism-friendly
housing. Architects employ their imagination
to build functional and usable built space.
Le Corbusier (October 6, 1887 August 27,
1965), an architect, designer, writer and pioneer of modern architecture wrote, You employ stone, wood, and concrete, and with these
materials you build houses and palaces: that
is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly, you touch my heart, you do me good. I
am happy and I say: This is beautiful. That is
architecture. The meaning attributed to a certain physical environment depends to a large
extent on the personal interpretation people
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editio- attach to this environment, influenced by their
ns/bhubaneswar/design-right-ho
uses- personal interests.
friendly-to-people-with-autism.html
Both the characteristic behaviour and the parDESIGN RIGHT HOUSES FRIENDLY TO PEO- ticular way of sense-making of people with
PLE WITH AUTISM
autism influence their spatial experience and
One in every 150 people in the world is autis- interaction with the physical environment.
tic. This number is a very rough estimate The homes and neighborhoods where adults
as Autism is a disease with a wide spectrum with ASDs live may significantly impact the
Yet many housing
of symptoms and disorders, ranging from a quality of their lives.
fully functional adult with slight autistic ten- providers, developers and architects are undencies or minor learning disorders to individ- familiar with how residential design factors
uals who have the most severe form of syn- and neighbourhood amenities affect these resdrome. Autism is a complicated disorder that idents wellbeing. Issues to consider include
affects communication and the senses. For access to amenities and transportation and
autistic people, the effects of complexity are the potential for residents to be integrated into
much greater; they are unable to discern sep- existing community.
arate noises, shapes, etc, easily; this can lead
Architecture design for autism seeks to deto tension.
velop environments that accommodate the
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism needs of autistic individuals. Despite prevaare both general terms for a group of complex lence of autism, there are currently no standisorders of brain development. These dis- dards for an architectural design specific to
orders are characterised, in varying degrees, the autistic peoples needs. When people
by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and think of treatments for autistic disorders,
non-verbal communication and repetitive pat- they may think about behavioural interventerns of behaviour.
tions, biomedical treatments and play ther94
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2.10. MARCH
apies. Rarely do they think about building 2.10
structures that accommodate the needs of
these people. Architecture design for autism 2.10.1
addresses sensory needs as it develops an environment that is sensitive to the symptoms.
March
Role of Youth to fight climate
change (2014-03-23 11:19)
Developing standard guidelines for creating

autistic-friendly environments rely greatly on
research. The dynamic between an autistic
persons behaviour and the physical environment is a primary concern. If a building is
planned in a simple manner, the user will require little effort to use and enjoy the building.
A clear layout and organisation of spaces can
help a person use the building without confusion as to the location of rooms. The basic
design considerations should focus on safety
and security.
A major characteristic of autism is difficulty
with transitions. For those leaving homes they
have lived in for many years, moving into a
new residence and neighbourhood can be a
very disorienting experience. Autistic adults
can become confused and frightened with
changes in place and organisation. Creating
continuity and connection with the past facilitates the transition. The design of homes and
support services should all work to maximise
the orientation of these adults to their physical and social environment, assisting them in
knowing where they are. If improvements
are needed in an occupied building, measures
need to be taken to make it autism-friendly.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/engage-youth-to
-meetclimate-change-challenges.html
ENGAGE YOUTH TO
CHANGE CHALLENGES
MEET
CLIMATE
Our planets climate is changing and this

change is already having, and will continue to
have, a lasting impact on our environment and
our lives.
Human activities such as the use of fossil

fuels, deforestation and unsustainable agriculture have been substantially increasing
the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse
gases. All this will result in additional warmAutism affects girls and boys of geographic reing of the Earths surface and atmosphere
gions. The prevalence is currently rising in and may adversely affect natural ecosystems
many countries. Caring for and educating and humankind. Climate change also dechildren and young people with this condition creases the availability of nutritious food and
places challenges on autism-friendly housing, clean water.
healthcare and education.
This leads to malnutrition and migration,
Providing a right environment for autistic rendering youth particularly vulnerable.
people is not only desirable but surely their Throughout the year, meteorologists across
right. Environments designed and created the world work together to collect, analyse
especially for people with the ASD have a and share information including reliable and
beneficial impact not only on the children but timely weather forecasts.
also on those who care for them.
The United Nations World Meteorological Day

is observed on March 23 to improve our understanding of weather patterns and to better
forecast the Earths weather and climate.
eswar/design-right-houses-friendly-to-people-withautism.html
The day commemorates the entry into force,

on that date in 1950, of the convention creating the World Meteorological Organisation
95
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2.10. MARCH
(WMO). The main motive behind this day is to governments to establish

examine the state and behaviour of the Earths
protective environments
atmosphere and its interaction with climate,
ocean and water resources.
for children and young
This years theme Weather and Climate: Engaging Youth focuses on how todays youth
will benefit from the dramatic advances being
made in science to improve our understanding
of weather patterns and to better forecast the
Earths weather and climate.
people.
A successful plan is one that is developed, implemented and owned by young people in partnership with other adults in the community. It
is believed that by recognising the rights and
capacities of youths, the challenges of climate
Most youths will live into the second half of
change can be turned into opportunities for
this
sustainable development.
century and experience the increasing impacts of climate change. About 2.2 billion peo- Climate change is a global problem and need
ple in the world are under the age of 18, rep- global solution.
resenting
The role of youth is not only to work for sus-
tainable development locally or nationally but

also to work for developing such a network
It is estimated that 87 per cent of the
that will make the movement of sustainable
worlds adolescents live in countries affected
development global.
by poverty, hunger, disease and violence.
Young women are often especially vulnerable
to the negative impacts of climate change.
nearly one-third of the population.
In many societies in times of drought, young eswar/engage-youth-to-meet-climate-change-challeng

women may have to walk much further and es.html
more frequently to collect safe water, leaving
them vulnerable to disease and violent attack
along their route, and with little time to go to
school, generate income or take care of their
2.10.2 City urban forests and Climate
families. Many youths are already experiencchange (2014-03-21 09:15)
ing the impacts of the changing global environment.
The WMO encourages youths to learn more
about climate system and contribute to action
on climate change. As they live and play in
their communities, they often gain unique insights into the local environment, its strengths
and weaknesses. Young people are also often creative and open-minded in their problem
solving: they have initiative to take action to
reduce the impact of climate change and prepare to face emergencies. They often play a
key role in the survival of their families and
communities in the event of disasters.
Despite all of this, children and young people
have, to date, been relatively absent in the climate change policies and plans being developed by many countries. These policies and
frameworks aim to support countries to reduce the risk posed by climate change. Youthbased organisations must be encouraged to
work with local authorities and national
96
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/urban-forestsm
ake-cities-more-climate-changeresilient.html
URBAN FORESTS MAKE CITIES
CLIMATE-CHANGE-RESILIENT
MORE
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2.10. MARCH
Forests are a very essential part of life on
Earth. They always fulfil the demands of human beings by providing shadow, shelter, refreshment including clean air and water. In
the present world of growing global population
the demand of forest products is on the increase; so the forests are at big risks of degradation.
To raise awareness of the importance of all
types of forests, United Nations International
Day of Forests is celebrated on March 21. The
theme of the day this year is Ecosystem Management.
Cities across the world, due to the rapid
growth of their populations and large-scale
developmental investments, are vulnerable to
the impacts of climate change. A major challenge for the cities is to maintain environmental sustainability. Sustainable forest management significantly contributes to mitigation of
the harmful effects on the environment. In
general, the term mitigation refers to all activities aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. Actions needed in the forest sector
include expanding forests through afforestation, reducing deforestation and reversing the
loss of forest cover, providing an enabling environment for investments and market access
to sustainable forest-based products.
contributes to climate change.

What is needed is an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of forests for present and
future generations. This contributes to food
security, poverty alleviation, economic development and sustainable land use in the wider
context of sustainable development. Forests
and climate change are inherently linked. As
greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere,
they trap heat. The increased heat leads to
changes in climate patterns. Managing forests
to help them retain and increase their carbon
storage potential can maximise their ability to
mitigate climate change.
A sustainable urban forest management is important to sustain the numerous values associated with urban trees. These values are
threatened by the advent of climate change.
The urban forest can be defined as the trees of
the city. Urban forests differ from hinterland
forests in several ways. Firstly, urban forests
have a diverse structure. Urban trees can be
found in stands, in a park, arranged in lines
along streets or as single trees and be close
to infrastructure or people. They can be remnants of native forests or be deliberately grown.
The interactions between climate change and
urban forests include three main elements
urban forest contributions, urban forest vulForests cover 30 per cent of the Earths land nerability and the impacts of climate change
surface providing a critical ecosystem. Forests on urban forests.
help alleviate land degradation and desertifiUrban trees help regulate the urban microcation. Deforestation and desertification adclimate, augmenting or minimising climatic
versely affect agricultural productivity, health
change. This occurs either by reducing albedo
of humans and livestock and economic acand providing shade and cover or by regulattivities such as ecotourism. According to a
ing the hydrological regime of cities that afUNEP report, 13 million hectares of the worlds
fects the urban microclimate. Heat from the
forests are converted into other land uses evearth is trapped in the atmosphere due to
ery year. India has lost 367 sqkm of forest
high levels of carbon dioxide and other heatcover in the past two years as per the Forest
trapping gases that prohibit it from releasSurvey of India (FSI).
ing the heat into space. This creates a pheForests have been a source of food, water, fi- nomenon known as the greenhouse effect.
bre and livelihoods. They are also central to Therefore, trees help remove CO2 from the atcombating climate change. Climate change mosphere during photosynthesis and return
is the greatest global threat as it can cause oxygen back into the atmosphere as a bygreat damage to water and land resources, product. Trees act as carbon sinks, alleviatecosystem, food security and health. Forest ing the greenhouse effect. Trees also reduce
loss enhances the loss of the inhabitant ani- the greenhouse effect by shading houses and
mal species. Deforestation leads to the global office buildings. This reduces the need for airwarming. Desertification and the associated conditioning by up to 30 per cent which in
loss of vegetation cause biodiversity loss and turn reduces the amount of fossil fuels burnt
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to produce electricity.
2.10. MARCH
of being unsafe at certain times of the day
and in certain places. For many women and
girls around the world, just passing through
a public space, a market, a crowded street
or riding the bus, is cause for great anxiety.
Women express greater fears for their safety in
urban environments. This has a huge impact
on womens ability to engage in employment,
adult education, civic and community participation, social and leisure activities.
In the warmer months of the year, urban areas

realise lower air temperatures when trees are
strategically planted along streets and near
buildings. Trees also help with energy costs in
the winter by blocking cold winds thereby reducing the strain on heating units. These energy savings can reduce the demand for power
production by utility plants, which also reduce
the amount of air pollutants produced by the
power plants.
To encourage advocacy for womens advanceCity climate action plans often incorpo- ment, the International Womens Day is celrate urban forestry into climate change mit- ebrated on March 8. For the year 2014,
igation and adaption strategies, recognising the theme of the day is Inspiring Change.
that healthy trees and forests can strengthen As per the United Nations Development Proa communitys ability to withstand climate- grammes Human Development Report 2013,
related threats. An active urban forest man- India ranks 132 out of 187 countries on the
agement for climate change strengthens com- Gender Inequality Index GII, which is a new
munity resilience to climate change impacts. index for measurement of gender disparity
that was introduced in the 2010 Human DeUrban forests should be included in the city velopment Report. This is a composite meaplanning process and incorporated success- sure which captures the loss of achievement,
fully into modern, high-density towns and within a country, due to gender inequality,
cities.
and uses three dimensions to do so reproductive health, empowerment and labour mar1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban ket participation.
eswar/urban-forests-make-cities-more-climate-chang
Since the past several centuries, Indian

women were never given equal status and
opportunities compared to their male counterparts. According to the National Family
Health Survey (NFHS), 34 per cent of women in
Community safety for Women Odisha experience physical violence. The impact of fear, whatever the cause, on womens
(2014-03-10 13:49)
use of urban places has implications for the
role that planning and design of the public
realm can play in increasing the use of spaces
by women and reducing levels of fear. In terms
of housing and residential neighbourhoods,
women are over-represented in public housing. They are more likely to be pedestrians and
require access to public transport. Therefore,
the design of neighbourhoods for safety in and
around the home and from the home to transit
stops and facilities is paramount.
e-resilient.html
2.10.3
Womens experience of safety in urban areas

is different to that of men. Urban settings
and the way they are designed affect levels
of fear which are higher among women and
HOW TO ENSURE COMMUNITY SAFETY FOR
which vary by location, time of day, mode of
WOMEN
transport and the level and nature of other
Women are the indispensible part of the so- uses. Women in particular, construct detailed
ciety. Many women have lived with the fear mental maps of parts of the urban area which
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/how-to-ensure-c
ommunity-safety-for-women.html
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2.11. FEBRUARY
feel safe, and those that dont and should be
avoided. They should, therefore, be involved
in the design and planning process. Planning
and designing for women and girls means creating public spaces with features that enhance
womens safety and feelings of safety and detract from features that cause womens insecurity and feelings of insecurity.
BlogBook
Each person feels tied into society, and proud
of it. UN-HABITAT and Safer Cities purport
an approach to urban safety that links women
initiatives and local government initiatives
as a way of influencing public policy and addressing the causes of violence against women.
Womens safety is increasingly recognised as
a key health, development and human rights
issue. To make meaningful progress in efforts to promote womens safety, effective
programmatic and policy approaches must be
identified. Urban administrative division can
have a major impact on the safety of women
by developing careful strategic approaches.
Thus, planning and designing safe public

spaces for women and girls also means
analysing the various uses of public spaces,
who uses them, when, and for how long. This
is because when certain groups, like women or
girls, do not use a space, it is usually an indication that the space feels insecure to members
of that group.
eswar/how-to-ensure-community-safety-for-women.html
Planning and designing safe public spaces for

women and girls is the process whereby urban planners, designers, architects, women,
grassroots and other community actors collaborate to make the physical features of pub- 2.11 February
lic spaces safe and welcoming for women. If
Architecture
public spaces are dark, abandoned, unclean, 2.11.1 Astronomical
(2014-02-28 09:40)
overgrown, or lacking certain elements like
benches or emergency phones, they are potentially unsafe for everybody, but for women in
particular. Therefore, there is an increased
chance that women will not use spaces where
they feel and experience violence. For designing safe public safe public spaces for women,
architects and planners place special focus
on lighting, landscaping, visibility, motorised
traffic, pedestrian traffic, urban furniture, signage, security personnel, proximity to other
public spaces, proximity to emergency service,
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editioand access to public transportation.
ns/bhubaneswar/astronomical-ar chitectureThe best way to ensure that spaces are welhas-a-key-role-in-popularising-science.html
coming to women is to consult them. However,
women may find it difficult to participate in ASTRONOMICAL ARCHITECTURE HAS A KEY
public planning and design discussions for a ROLE IN POPULARISING SCIENCE
variety of reasons. In order to be successful, National Science Day is celebrated in India on
planners and designers must pay attention to February 28 to commemorate the invention
how people express themselves in, and inter- of the Raman Effect by Indian physicist Sir
act with, public space.
Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman on this day
Previously many women may not have ques- in 1928, for which he was awarded the Nobel
tioned the social factors that have contributed Prize in Physics in 1930.
to their fears. But now, women form organisations to work to change the relations between the genders and the social frameworks.
There is a need to create cities that are inclusive and respect the right of all people, especially women, to live and work without fear.
The theme of National Science Day, 2014 is

Fostering Scientific Temper. Scientific temper is a way of life, an individual and social process of thinking and acting, which uses a scientific method. First Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru strongly believed in two wonderful
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concepts, freedom of speech and a concept he
had coined, a nation with a scientific temper.
By a scientific temper, he wanted to speak
of the people of a nation who would be able to
think independently, understand and practise
the scientific method in their daily lives.
Art and science are closely bound together,
both historically and in education practice.
Every art has its foundation in science, and
every science finds its expression in art. The
artists and craftsmen always apply the principles and laws formulated and systematised
by science. Astronomy has a key role for popularising science. Astronomy develops scientific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry
and reform among students, working professionals and general masses.
Astronomy has been applied in buildings
and temple architecture in India. The 10thCentury Mukteswar Temple and 13th-Century
Konark temple in Odisha were built on astronomical observations. Due to its architectural excellence Konark has been inscribed as
a World Heritage Monument since November
2, 1984. The special feature of this temple is
that it is wholly erected in the form of a huge
chariot, which is placed on twelve pairs of
splendidly-carved wheels and drawn by seven
dynamic horses. The chariots wheels have
an interesting fact. Each wheel has a set of
eight spokes and these spokes serve as sundials. Sundials are simple timekeeping devices
and work with the help of the Sun. Each wheel
comprises eight spokes indicating eight Praharas of the day, one Prahara being equal
to three hours. The hub of the wheel casts
shadow on the spokes indicating time. In the
Mukteswar Temple, there is also a huge old
sundial made of stone. This belongs to the
horizontal category and is still in working condition.
The Jantar Mantar Observatory is another example of astronomical architecture having a
key role in popularising science. In the 18th
Century, Maharajah Jai Singh II, a regional
king under the Mogul empire, constructed five
astronomical observatories in Delhi, Jaipur,
Mathura, Ujjain and Varanasi. The Jaipur observatory is the largest. This was built as a
focal point of his new capital, Jaipur, the first
and earliest geometrically planned Indian city.
He wanted to facilitate naked eye observation
100
2.11. FEBRUARY
and make science of astronomy accessible to
people.
One of Jai Singhs foremost objectives was to
create astronomical instruments that would
be more accurate and permanent than the
brass instruments. The calculating instruments of the Jantar Mantar were constructed
of local stone faced with white marble and
bronze. Various thin rings and facings were
crafted from the ductile alloy of copper and tin
though it may tarnish, it will not rust and
thus not stain and crack the stonework.
This simple yet remarkable decision brought
forth a collection of large structures for measurement of celestial object positions on the
Earths surface. The observatories, or Jantar Mantars, as they are commonly known, incorporate multiple buildings of unique form,
each with a specialised function for astronomical measurement. These structures, with
their striking combinations of geometric forms,
have captivated the attention of architects,
artists, and art historians worldwide.
The Jaipur Jantar Mantar has 19 main astronomical instruments built for naked-eye observations of the celestial bodies and precision was achieved through their monumental dimensions. The sizes of instruments are
among the largest in the world. This observatory was included in the World Heritage List
in July 2010. A unique aspect of this cultural heritage site is that it embodies both
art and science in one comprehensive form.
The most significant instruments (Yantras)
include Brihat Samrat, probably the largest
gnomon-sundial ever built. It measures local
time to an accuracy of two seconds.
Great Ram is a rare, and perhaps unique,
double-cylinder instrument to record the azimuth of celestial bodies. The Kapala Yantra
records the coordinates of celestial bodies in
both the azimuth-altitude and equatorial systems and permits a direct visual transformation of the coordinates of any point in the sky
between the two systems and the Rasivalaya
Yantra is a group of 12 gnomon-dials to measure the ecliptic coordinates of celestial objects. The observatory was very active during
Jai Singhs life, with around 20 permanent astronomers. After his death in 1743, this landmark in Jaipur remained in use almost continuously until around 1800. In the 19th Cen2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
2.11. FEBRUARY
BlogBook
tury, the observatory ceased to function permanently, being reopened from time to time.
Some important restorations occurred at the
end of the century under the British rule. This
started a new life for the observatory. The interweaving of science, cosmology-religion and
social control has a great importance in the
Rajasthan culture since the 18th century.
The scientific temper is an attitude, a way of
living, which should be applicable to all aspects of our life. To develop scientific temper
is one of the fundamental duties of Indian
citizens, according to Article 51A (h), the Constitution. The fundamental duty is observable
by all citizens, be they scholarly or illiterate,
for the nations benefit. The Mukteswar and
Konark sundials and the Jantar Mantars are
examples of astronomical architecture having
a key role in popularising science. The main
threats to the sites apparently come from their
increasing tourist use, rainwater penetration
in the foundations and urban pollution.
eswar/astronomical-architecture-has-a-key-role-inpopularising-science.html
101
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2.11. FEBRUARY
102
3. 2013
3.1 December
3.1.1
3.1.2
geographical areas and rapid growth of megacities are among the most significant transformations of human settlements. In the coming
Safe Public Space Design for
years, urban and rural population will be inWomen (2013-12-23 10:08)
creasingly interdependent for their economic,
environmental and social wellbeing. Among
the economic and social factors influencing
this process are population growth and voluntary and involuntary migration, real and
perceived employment opportunities, cultural
expectations, changing consumption and production patterns and serious imbalances and
disparities among regions.
Migration in India is not new. Historical accounts show people have moved in search of
work, in response to environmental shocks
and stresses.
Improved communications,
Regional
Planning
to
re- transport networks, conflicts over natural reduce Rural-Urban migration sources and new economic opportunities have
created unprecedented levels of mobility.
(2013-12-18 10:19)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/needed-regional
-growth-planning-to-reduce-rural-urbanmigration.html
NEEDED: REGIONAL GROWTH PLANNING
TO REDUCE RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION
The United Nations International Migrants
Day is observed on December 18 to recognise the efforts, contributions and rights of migrants worldwide. In 2013, the number of international migrants in the world reached 232
million, up from 175 million in 2000 and 154
million in 1990. Migration is now more widely
distributed across the countries and one of every ten migrants is under the age of 15.
All three sectors of the Indian economy, agriculture, industry and services employ very
large numbers of migrant workers. The major subsectors using migrant labour are textiles, construction, stone quarries and mines,
brick kilns, small-scale industry (diamond
cutting, leather accessories, etc), crop transplanting and harvesting, plantations, rickshaw pulling, food processing including fish
and prawn processing, domestic work, security services, small hotels and roadside restaurants and teashops and street vending.
Some of the sectors are strongly associated
with specific migration streams as migration
from western Odisha for brick kiln work in
Andhra Pradesh and migration from Bihar for
agricultural work in Punjab. Western Odisha
has long been a major source area for migrants
because of its highly unequal land distribution, high levels of poverty among landless and
marginal farmers and low levels of human capital, industrialisation, urbanisation and diversification into nonfarm occupations. The region suffers from multiple social and economic
disadvantages leaving the poor with few local
options for making a living.
Rapid urbanisation, concentration of popula- High-productivity agricultural areas continue

tion in large cities, sprawl of cities into wider to be important destinations, but rural-urban
103
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migration is the fastest growing type of migration as more migrants choose to work in the
better paying nonfarm occupations in urban
areas. Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra are
top destinations for migrant labour.
One key factor of this migration is the lack of
employment in rural areas, increasing exponentially the ever-growing challenges related
to providing adequate basic infrastructure to
a growing number of unplanned low-income
urban settlements. The lack of reliable infrastructure assets in rural areas leading to lack
of access to basic social services, markets and
job opportunities, often force the rural population to migrate. Rural and urban development strategies can be explicitly made more
pro-poor by optimising the employment impact of physical upgrading strategies in infrastructure and service delivery, providing social
safety nets and other alternatives in the form
of unemployment insurance, micro financing
or job training.
3.1. DECEMBER
eas are decreasing. The rural-urban migration
has negative consequences. It leads to overpopulation of urban areas encouraging crimes
and slows down the rate of development of rural areas. So, the Government of each country
should strive to provide social amenities and
jobs for rural citizens. Agro-allied industries
must be set up in rural areas to provide jobs.
Agricultural inputs and technologies should
be introduced to rural people to improve the
production level.
The global plan of action outlined in the Habitat Agenda emphasises the interdependence
between urban and rural areas and the need
to promote their balanced development. So,
rural and urban areas should be connected
by infrastructure, principally transport, electricity and telecommunication networks. Public policies and urban and regional plans can
help support economic growth while protectOur Constitution (Article 19) gives the right to ing natural and agricultural land uses.
all citizens to move freely throughout the territory of India; to reside and settle in any part of
the territory of India. Indias total population, Sustainability of global environment and huas per the Census 2011, is 1.21 billion. Inter- man life will not be achieved unless both urnal migrants in India constitute a large popu- ban and rural human settlements are made
lation as 309 million internal migrants or 30 economically buoyant, socially vibrant and enper cent of the population (Census 2001), and vironmentally sound.
by more recent estimates 326 million or 28.5
per cent of the population (NSSO 20072008).
This far exceeds the estimates of Indian emi- All these concerns and demands require a regrants (11.4 million) (The World Bank 2011). gional and cross-sectoral approach to human
Migration in India is primarily of two types, as
long-term migration resulting in relocation of
an individual or household and seasonal migration involving back and forth movement between a source and destination. Most shortterm migrants belong to socioeconomically deprived groups like Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes having negligible educational attainment, limited assets.
settlements planning, which places emphasis

on rural/urban linkages and treats villages
and cities as two ends of a human settlements
continuum in a common ecosystem. Regional
development planning creates a better urbanrural balance and reduces migration pressure
on urban areas. It is important for planners
and policymakers to develop strategies based
on the realities of peoples lives in both rural
Migrants face denial of basic entitlements in- and urban areas.
cluding access to subsidised food, housing,
drinking water, sanitation and public health
facilities, education and banking services and 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
legal protection.
eswar/needed-regional-growth-planning-to-reduce-ru
One noticeable issue in the society today is the ral-urban-migration.html
rate at which people migrate from rural to urban areas. Like a paradox, while the urban areas are increasing in population, the rural ar104
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3.1. DECEMBER
3.1.3
Barrier
free
Design and from signage to auditory signal. Barrier-
(2013-12-03 14:30)
free design should be incorporated to access

disabled persons.
A small child, an elderly person, a pregnant
woman, the temporarily disabled, all are vulnerable to barriers.
A list of design elements needs to be considered when creating a barrier-free environment are, ramps,
handrails and grab-bars, lifts, signage, information and service counters, etc.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/barrier-free-de
sign-making-environment-accessible-to-thedisabled.html
BARRIER-FREE DESIGN: MAKING ENVIRONMENT ACCESSIBLE TO THE DISABLED
India has more than 21 million people suffering from one or the other kind of disability.
The Persons with Disabilities Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation Act of 1995 heralded a new dawn in the
lives of disabled people. For the first time in independent India, a separate law has been formulated which talks about the multiple needs
of disabled people. The Act stipulates that the
Governments, local authorities ensure provisions of barrier-free facilities in all new Government buildings and public utilities, roads
and transport.
The UNs International Day of Persons with

Disabilities is being observed on December 3
to promote accessibility, remove all types of
barriers and to realise full and equal participation of persons with disabilities. This years
theme is Break Barriers, Open Doors for an It enjoins upon the authorities to ensure
within their economic capacity provision for inInclusive Society and Development for All.
stallation of auditory signals in public roads
Around one billion people in the world live with for the benefit of persons with visual handisome form of disability. Persons with disabili- caps, kerbs and slopes to be made in paveties face physical, social, economic and attitu- ments for the easy access of wheelchair users,
dinal barriers that exclude them from partici- devising appropriate symbols of disability at
pating fully and effectively in the society.
appropriate places.
They lack equal access to basic resources like
Regarding non-discrimination in the built eneducation, employment, healthcare and sovironment, provisions have been made in the
cial and legal support systems and have a
Act for ramps in public buildings, adaptation
higher rate of mortality. Despite this, disabilof toilets for wheelchair users, Braille symbols
ity has remained largely invisible in the mainand auditory signals in elevators. Curb cuts
stream development agenda in many counand slopes to be made in pavements for easy
tries. Barrier-free environment is one which
access of wheelchair users; engraving on the
enables people with disabilities to move about
surface of the zebra crossing for the blind or
safely and freely and use all facilities within
persons with low vision.
the built environment, roads, parks, gardens
and other places. The goal of barrier-free de- Amendment of building bylaws is the most imsign is to provide an environment that sup- portant step towards creation of a barrier-free
ports independent functioning of individuals built environment in different cities and the
so that they can participate in all activities guidelines for barrier-free environment may be
referred from Bureau of Indian Standards and
without assistance.
the Urban Development Ministry guidelines.
There is a popular belief that a ramp and
an elevator/lift is all that is needed to make In order to create a barrier-free environment
a built space barrier-free. But barrier-free in consonance with the provisions of the Act,
has many other aspects ranging from door the Union Ministry of Urban Affairs & Employand passage widths to flooring surface, from ment is currently engaged in the process of
counter heights to door handles and railings amending the existing building bylaws which
105
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3.2. NOVEMBER
would be applicable to all buildings and facili- greatly depends on the development of transties used by the public.
port systems, as urban transport is a catalyst
for overall development.
A provision of barrier-free design has also been
incorporated in the Bhubaneswar Develop- [1]
About 377 million Indians , comprising
ment Authority Building Regulation, 2008.Be- of about 31 per cent of the countrys populasides, access audit for various public build- tion, live in urban areas according to the 2011
ings and urban spaces frequently visited by Census . Projections are that by 2031, about
public is required to promote barrier-free built 600 million Indians will reside in urban areas,
environment. Access audit will include identi- an increase of over 200 million in just 20 years.
fying the barriers in terms of external and in- According to the World Health Organization
ternal built environment of the buildings such (WHO), less than 50 per cent of two-wheeler
as approach, main gates, parking, building drivers in India wear helmets, while only 27
entrance, public dealing areas, corridors and per cent of drivers wear seatbelts. The report
general circulation areas.
says that while 88 countries have reduced the
Today accessibility for all is recognised as a
basic necessity, and there are attempts all
over the world to ensure this. Barrier-free features are now becoming fundamental to all
design concepts. The awareness level about
the necessity of barrier-free access needs to be
raised. The existing code must be effectively
implemented to break barriers, open doors
for an inclusive society. This new design approach will provide a barrier-free environment
for all.
number of road fatalities between 2008 and

2011, Indian roads, on the contrary, have become more deadly. Not only that, but India
also tops the list of total number of deaths
recorded on the road in 2011 at 143,000. The
report says that only 28 countries, have adequate laws that address all five risk factors
speed, driving under the influence, helmets,
seatbelts and child restraints, and India has
poor record on all five risk factors.
Most of the cities in India have been facing ur1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban ban transport problems for many years, affecting the mobility of people and the economic
eswar/barrier-free-design-making-environment-acces
growth of urban areas. These problems are
sible-to-the-disabled.html
due to a prevailing imbalance in modal split,
inadequate transport infrastructure and no
integration between land use and transport
planning. Congestion is another serious prob3.2 November
lem in Indian cities. Besides roads congestion,
traffic accidents, public health incidence and
3.2.1 Urban transport governance re- air pollution, sharp increases in road transport also have a huge impact on fuel consumpform in India (2013-11-21 13:25)
tion and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Yet India is already starting to make strides toward sustainable transport. The Government
of India approved the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) in 2006. The Policy primarily focuses on the mobility of people, not the
Urban transport governance reform in India
mobility of vehicles. This will require the pubDr. Mayarani Praharaj, College of Engineering lic transportation system being more attracand Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
tive to use.
Urban transportation is the single most important component in shaping urban development and urban living. Since transport is
one of the prime determinants of quality of
life, it is for governments to articulate the need
for mobility and facilitate it through appropriate mechanisms. In fact, efficiency of cities
106
Cities in India vary considerably in terms

of their population, area, urban form, topography, economic activities, income levels,
growth constraints, etc. Accordingly, the design of transport systems will have to take
into account these city specific features. Further, transport planning is intrinsically linked
BlogBook
3.2. NOVEMBER
to land use planning and both need to be developed together in a manner that serves the
entire population but also minimises the need
to travel. In developing such plans, attention
should also be paid to channelling the future
growth of a city around a pre-planned transport network rather than develop a transport
system after an uncontrolled sprawl has taken
place. This calls for a renewed thrust towards
improvement in governance structures, especially at the level of urban local bodies, and
a major improvement in delivery of urban ser1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
vices in cities.
eswar
Government policies are difficult to implement.

For that there needs to be proper governance
structures to monitor policies. Good governance can help to improve the resiliency and 3.2.3
adaptive capacity of cities in the case of urban mobility. Participation of citizens in urban governance should be part of every comprehensive traffic planning and management
authority in cities.
ODISHA TOWN PLANNING DAY

TO
REMEMBER
KOENIGSBERGER (2013-11-08 07:02)
About the author

Dr. Mayarani Praharaj works at the Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering and Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
[2]http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index.php/previouseditions/cop- 19/198-cop-19-day-9-citiesurban-governance-and-transport/11629urban-trans
port-governance-reform-inindia
1. http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/lets-observe-od
isha-town-planning-day-to-rememberkoenigsberger.html
LETS OBSERVE ODISHA TOWN PLANNING
DAY TO REMEMBER KOENIGSBERGER
.php/previous-editions/cop-19/198-cop-19-day-9-cit
The World Town Planning Day (WTPD) is an

event held every year on November 8 in 30
nsport-governance-reform-in-india
2. http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index countries, including India, to recognise and
promote the role of planning in creating livable
.php/previous-editions/cop-19/198-cop-19-day-9-cit
communities. An international organisation
ies-urban-governance-and-transport/11629-urban-tra
for the WTPD was founded in 1949 by late Prof
nsport-governance-reform-in-india
Carlos Maria della Paolera of the University of
Buenos Aires.
ies-urban-governance-and-transport/11629-urban-tra
The main motivations to plan the WTPD event

3.2.2 Traffic Demand Management are to educate all members of the community about town plannings positive impacts
Strategy (2013-11-19 10:50)
on community livability. Major cities have
been coming up with hundreds of thousands
HOW TO PLAN TRAFFIC DEMAND MANAGEof new residents each year and transforming
MENT STRATEGY?
in form, design, economies, social relations,
Sunday, 17 November 2013 | PNS | in governance and ways of living. Approaches
to planning for cities are changing as well.
[1]Bhubaneswarthe pioneer
107
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3.2. NOVEMBER
Ideas that were leading planning just a few

decades ago are being replaced by innovative
approaches that focus on the livability of cities
in an age of global interdependence and participatory governance.
In Mysore, the most important change that

occurred in his buildings was the adaptation
of climate-responsive design through outdoor
living spaces, indigenous construction technologies, passive conditioning and renewable
sources of energy. Mysore and Bangalore enOn the WTPD, planners share lessons, experijoy mild climates, and, therefore, one might
ences and opportunities for innovations in enargue that designing climate-responsive buildgaging people and their communities in makings would be easy in these two cities.
ing cities resilient and livable in a global age.
Land use planning, zoning and the laws that In 1948, Koenigsberger moved to Delhi and bedictate development of cities need to be revised came the Federal Director of Housing (1948to reflect the changing socioeconomic need of 51) for the Ministry of Health in Nehrus Govthe people. The infrastructure and service de- ernment. His first active involvement with development plans need to be made with broad velopment work began to solve the massive
housing demand problem posed by Partition
framework and achievable goals.
refugees by proposing a prefabricated housBhubaneswar is Odishas capital established
ing module for resettling the refugees. His
as a modernised city by German architect and
work involved both planning and architecture
town planner Otto Koenigsberger. It was viprojects to resettle partition refugees. During
sualised as a planned city along the lines of
this period, he also served as planning adviNew Delhi (by Edwin Lutyens) and Chandisor for the new towns of Faridabad, Rajpura,
garh (by Le Corbusier). Koenigsberger (OctoGandhidham and Sindri, which were develber 13, 1908-January 3, 1999) prepared the
oped to resettle refugees.
new Bhubaneswar Master Plan in 1948. The
WTPD presents an excellent opportunity to He was the member of Greater Delhi Developlook at planning from a global perspective and ment Committee and Technical Committee for
encourages architects and planners in Odisha revision of byelaws for Delhi in 1951.
to consider city planning challenges and solu- In 1953, he moved to London and became
tions in todays context.
head of the Department of Development and
Tropical
Studies at the Architectural AssociKoenigsberger enjoyed a long, remarkable career that began with work as a Government ation, which later became the Development
architect in Berlin in the 1930s. It took him Planning Unit of the University College, Loneventually to most continents as a teacher, ad- don, where he worked as a professor until his
viser and consultant on many aspects of phys- retirement in 1978. He received many honical planning, architecture, design and tech- ours during his lifetime, including an emerinology. In 1939, he had two choices: teach- tus professorship from the University College,
ing at the University of Michigan and becom- London. However, it was the award of the
ing the Chief Architect of the Mysore State in first Habitat Scroll of Honour in 1989 from
India. He chose India and arrived in Mysore the United Nations (Centre for Human Settleas an migr architect at the invitation of ments, UNCHS) that brought him the greatest
Sir Mirza Ismail, Dewan (Prime Minister) of satisfaction.
Mysore, which was under indirect British rule
that meant that the Maharajah of Mysore paid
a subsidy to the British for military protection.
He carried out hospital and housing projects
as well as the design of Victory Hall, Bangalore
and Jayachamarenda Institute of Technology.
Koenigsberger did not use the term renewable

energy but made the use of renewable as natural sources of energy like the use of wind
in cooling buildings and sunlight for indoor
lighting. These techniques are widely used in
passive design in Green Architecture. He theorised and quantified these design variables
correlated with climatic data in the form of
knowledge easily accessible and usable by architects and planners.
Koenigsberger served the Public Works Department (PWD) in Mysore from 1939 to 1948.
He also served as a planner to corporate
houses like the Tatas and to the Government
of India. In 1945, he prepared the third-phase In 1939, he travelled to several parts of India
plans for the industrial town of Jamshedpur. to study the pre-colonial and colonial archi108
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3.3. OCTOBER
tectures. He began documenting these build- 3.3
ings for their technological competency, use of
materials and spatial configuration in the con- 3.3.1
text of local materials, climate responsiveness,
and overall efficiency. He noticed how Mughal
monuments used features such as the Jalis
(stone screens) to control light and temperature.
October
NEEDED:Use of Disaster risk
info on Land use Planning
(2013-10-29 13:47)
Even 65 years after he planned the city of

Bhubaneswar, with no memory of his in
public space, Dr Koenigsberger remains unknown for the residents of Bhubaneswar. The
Bhubaneswar designed by him is a special urban heritage site with outstanding planning
features and has a public value. To retain
its planned character, the area should be de- 3.3.2 RURAL-URBAN
GROWTH
clared as urban heritage having groups of
LINKAGES IMPORTANT FOR
buildings, neighbourhoods and public spaces
POVERTY
ALLEVIATION
including landscapes and natural features
(2013-10-17 08:34)
which provide character and distinctive identity to the city. The listed urban heritage
should be emphasised in the CDP (Comprehensive Development Plan) and, if understood
and managed properly, it could effectively contribute to the overall quality of urban areas
and serve as a vital asset and example for future urban development. This would identify
the visual, spatial and cultural character of
the city.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/rural-urban-gro
wth-linkages-important-for-povertyalleviation.html
Observance of an Odisha Town Planning Day
on the memory of Koenigsberger at the StateThe United Nations International Day for the
level may give insight to the new generation
Eradication of Poverty is being observed on Ocabout the visionary works of the great plantober 17.
ner. We can celebrate the day on his birth anniversary as the memory of the first planner The day presents an opportunity to acknowlof new Bhubaneswar, which is one of Indias edge the efforts and struggle of people living
in poverty to make their concerns heard. The
first planned towns.
day also reflects the willingness of people living in poverty to use their expertise to contribute to eradication of poverty. The theme
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban for this years commemoration is Working together towards a world without discrimination:
eswar/lets-observe-odisha-town-planning-day-to-rem
Building on the experience and knowledge of
ember-koenigsberger.html
people in extreme poverty.
Cities have always been at the centre of economic growth, technological advances and cultural production. But their rapid growth has
109
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also brought negative impacts like urban violence and poverty, homelessness, overcrowding and health problems, pollution and waste.
People move to the city for various reasons,
mostly economic. The promise of jobs and
comfort pulls people to cities. There are also
push factors as natural disasters can cause
extreme rural poverty and that pushes people to urban area in search of job.
3.3. OCTOBER
the poverty rate has declined by nearly 17 per
cent in rural areas and 12 per cent in urban areas. While these figures present a favourable
picture on a macro level, the distribution of
the success differs from State to State.
The Government has made efforts to reduce
poverty, mainly through self-employment initiatives, rural public works, food subsidies
and nutrition programs and increased spending for basic education and primary healthcare. Despite some progress, poverty remains
widespread throughout India. Geographically,
the poor are mainly concentrated in the eastern and central parts of the country, with the
highest incidence in Odisha, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
Sustainable economic growth is fundamental

in the fight against poverty. Economic growth
can reduce poverty through employment and
increased incomes. Policies and programmes
that support economic growth are powerful
pro-poor measures as they not only have direct employment and income benefits but can
also increase the resources available for other
The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Conpro-poor initiatives.
stitution support an increase in the responsiKey policy initiatives to promote sustained eco- bility from the States to the rural and urban
nomic growth include those that seek to cre- local authorities as well as the mainstreaming
ate conducive environment for private sector of the poor and disadvantaged into the develinvestment, promote local enterprise and self- opment process. However, in doing so, recogemployment, support infrastructure and so- nition is also given to the need for institutional
cial services development. Pressures of popu- strengthening and capacity building at the lolation and poverty often compound the threat cal level. Building a fair and equitable goverof deforestation and the exploitation of re- nance system and development process has
sources. Effective poverty reduction strate- thus become a crucial issue of poverty reducgies, therefore, need to be accompanied by tion.
measures that enhance productivity and qualRural development has assumed global attenity of environment and natural resources. Betion especially among the developing nations.
sides, economic growth can effectively reduce
It has great significance for a country like Inpoverty only when coupled with a comprehendia where 65 per cent of the people live in rusive programme of social development.
ral areas. Rural development in India is one
According to the Planning Commission, For of the most important factors for economic
rural areas, the national poverty line is esti- growth. Agriculture contributes nearly onemated at 816 rupees per capita per month fifth of the gross domestic product. To inand 1,000 rupees per capita per month in ur- crease the growth of agriculture, the Governban areas. This implies that a person whose ment has planned several programmes. Agriconsumption is below Rs 33.33 in urban ar- culture, handicrafts, fisheries, poultry and
eas and below Rs 27.20 in rural areas is to dairy are the primary contributors to the rube considered below the poverty line. But the ral economy.
poverty line would be Rs 66.10 for urban arThe Union Ministry of Rural Development is
eas and Rs 35.10 for rural regions, based on
the apex body for formulating policies. The inthe 66th round of the National Sample Surtroduction of Bharat Nirman in collaboration
vey for 2009-10, which provides a more realiswith the State Governments and the Panchaytic marker for estimating both the poverty line
ati Raj Institutions is a major step towards imand the population below it than the Planning
provement of the rural sector. The National
Commissions calculation.
Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 was
The number of people living below the poverty introduced by this Ministry to improve the livline is estimated 217 million in rural areas and ing conditions in the rural sector. Over the
52 million in urban areas in 2011-12 against years, the Central Government has launched
326 million and 81 million in 2004-05. Thus, a number of poverty alleviation programmes
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3.3. OCTOBER
like the Nehru Rozgar Yojana, Urban Basic 3.3.3
Services for the Poor and Prime Ministers Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme.
Poor urban planning and management can

have crucial results for the urban economy.
Poorly-managed urban settlements cannot
keep pace with urban expansion, and slums
will grow, bringing with them poverty and social unrest. It is important that the governments at the national and local (municipal)
levels of cities and towns and rural areas,
recognise the potentials of rural-urban development linkages and the positive role they can
play in poverty alleviation.
It is now widely recognised that there exists
an economic, social and environmental interdependence between urban and rural areas
and a need for balanced and mutually supportive approach to development of the two areas. Rural-urban linkage generally refers to
the growing flow of public and private capital,
people (migration and commuting) and goods
(trade) between the urban and rural areas. Adequate infrastructure such as transportation,
communication, energy and basic services is
the backbone of the urban-rural development
linkage approach. Adequate investments in
infrastructure, particularly transportation infrastructure, also improve rural productivity.
Besides, good governance is vital to poverty
reduction as it directly supports participatory
pro-poor policies, facilitates sound macroeconomic and public expenditure management,
ensures accountability, encourages growth of
the private sector, promotes effective delivery
of public services and helps establish a rule of
law.
eswar/rural-urban-growth-linkages-important-for-po
verty-alleviation.html
BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL DEPENDS ON WOMENS EDUCATION (2013-10-11 14:24)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/better-future-f or-all-depends-on-womens-education.html
The United Nations General Assembly declared October 11 as the International Day of
the Girl Child to recognise girls rights and the
unique challenges girls face around the world.
This years theme is Innovating for Girls Education.
Education is a fundamental right of every human being. It lays the foundation for the development of society. Women are an indispensible part of a society. The future generations
development mainly depends on the education
of women. So, education of women is realised
to be the most essential part for the societys
development. It can help every woman educate her children to be good managers of the
family as well as active members of the society.
Females constitute about 50 per cent of Indias human resource, but lack of education snatches their chance to be part of the
countys progress. Due to this, there is a considerable gap between male and female literacy rates in the country.
Indias literacy rate grew to 74.04 per cent in
2011 from 12 per cent at the end of British rule
in 1947. Although this was greater than a sixfold improvement, the level is well below the
world average rate of 84 per cent. There is a
wide gender disparity in the literacy rate in India and the effective literacy rates (age 7 and
above) in 2011 were 82.14 per cent for men
and 65.46 per cent for women. Kerala has
the highest female literacy rate (92 % as per
the 2011 census) whereas Rajasthan (52.7 %).
Odisha has a female literacy rate of 64.4 per
cent and male literacy rate of 82.4 per cent.
Poverty is the root cause of many problems
in India and also of low female literacy rate.
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More than one-third of Indian population is
living below the poverty line. More than 50
per cent of girls in India fail to enrol in school
and those who do are likely to drop out by the
age of 12. Another contributing factor is the
rapid population growth. Most Indian households have a number of children whose needs
are much higher than their earning capacity.
This leads to the neglect of girl education and
puts more emphasis on the education of the
boy child. This becomes as an impediment in
the education of the Indian woman.
Though Government is putting efforts to make
primary education free, parents are still not
ready to send their girls to school. This is
connected with the accessibility to schools. In
most of the rural areas, lack of easy accessibility to school is another reason for low female
literacy. Parents do not prefer to send girls to
schools if these are located at a far distance
from their homes.
Even if schools are there then lack of adequate
school facilities becomes a hurdle. Some
schools are really in pathetic infrastructural
conditions and do not have even basic facilities.
Empowering adult women, building their confidence and education levels can have a powerful impact on enrolling more girls in schools.
International leadership on girls education is
currently dispersed across a number of organisations which need to improve the way they
work together.
The Unicef is tasked with the lead role for
girls education. It is also leading the UN
Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI), which is a
global partnership established to raise the profile of girls education. The CAREs Girls Education Programme (GEP) in India has been
in operation for over 10 years. Significantly,
the successful implementation of residential
camps and other innovative education strategies for marginalised girls have enabled the
CARE India to shape national educational policy, contributing to adoption of residential
bridge courses as part of a national scheme to
get more girls into school. The CARE has collaborated in the design and rollout of the Governments Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya
(KGBV) schools, a residential school scheme
at the upper primary level for girls from minority and educationally-disadvantaged com112
3.3. OCTOBER
munities. The GEP seeks to improve opportunities for girls and women through their increased participation in formal and alternative
education systems.
The National Programme for Education
of Girls for Elementary Level (NPEGEL),
launched in September 2003, is an integral
but distinct component of the Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan.
It provides additional provisions for enhancing the education of underprivileged/disadvantaged girls at the elementary
level through more intense community mobilisation, the development of model schools
in clusters, early child care and education
facilities and provision of need-based incentives like escorts, stationeries, work books
and uniforms for girls.
All Educationally
Backward Blocks have been included under
the NPEGEL.
The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya
(KGBV) scheme was launched in 2004 for
setting up residential schools at the upper primary level for girls belonging predominantly
to the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.
It is implemented in educationally-backward
blocks where the female rural literacy is below
the national average and the gender gap in
literacy is above the national average.
But despite all reasons, women must realise
that education is highly needed for them so
that they can live a life with pride. In case
of any misfortune in life, it is education that
would help them and not anything else.
Literacy is one of the key socioeconomic indicators which helps plan a countrys development path. In India, the low literacy level is a
result of the prevailing socioeconomic factors.
The literacy rate is also lower in rural areas
than urban areas, with the rural areas reporting a rate of 68.9 per cent and urban areas
85.0 per cent. The pronounced difference in
the rural-urban distribution proves that significant efforts need to be undertaken to improve
the literacy status in the rural areas. The Government should really work towards the number, distance and quality of schools in rural as
well as urban India.
The countrys future will largely be shaped by
todays girls and tomorrows women. An educated Indian woman will yield a positive impact in the society by contributing positively to
3.3. OCTOBER
the economy of both the country and the society. The low level of literacy not only has a negative impact on womens lives but also on their
families and on the countrys economic development. India has consolidated its earlier educational reforms with increased resources and
stronger policy commitments for achieving elementary education for all children, particularly girls. Besides, community attitudes can
also play a critical role in shaping the parameters of girls access to education.
BlogBook
just as quickly, creating or worsening severe
problems. Road traffic crashes account for
1.2 million deaths per year, and this figure is
likely to double by 2030 to become the fifth
leading cause of death worldwide, according
to the World Health Organisation. Many cities
face urban mobility issues like increased road
congestion, wasted time due to traffic delays
and increased energy consumption resulting
in more carbon emissions.
Roads also contribute to effective mobility,

which is crucial for a citys prosperity. Coneswar/better-future-for-all-depends-on-womens-educ
gested roads and poor facilities for pedestriation.html
ans are the most pervasive transport problems
in developing countries. To reduce traffic by
maintaining or increasing the level of mobility
for citizens and goods, one challenge is how to
3.3.4 NEEDED: MORE PUBLIC TRANS- use the current infrastructure more efficiently.
PORT THAN PERSONAL VEHI- The purpose of transportation is to gain access to destinations, activities, services and
CLES (2013-10-07 06:17)
goods. Urban planning and design should focus on how to bring people and places together
by creating cities that focus on accessibility,
rather than simply increasing the length of
urban transport infrastructure or increasing
the movement of people or goods (rather than
movement of vehicles).
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/needed-more-pub
lic-transport-than-personal-vehicles.html
There is a need to create a highly-efficient,

flexible, responsive, safe and affordable urban
mobility system with the least the amount of
traffic and travel while ensuring environmental sustainability. Accessible cities encourage a shift towards more sustainable modes of
transportation and draw more and more travellers out of cars and onto trains, buses and
sidewalks. This means giving priority to public transport, goods vehicles, pedestrians and
non-motorised vehicles. It depends on providing efficient public transport services and reducing the demand for motorised travel.
The United Nations has designated the first

Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day since 1986. The purpose is to reflect
on the state of our towns and cities and the
basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also
intended to remind the world that we all have
responsibility to shape the future of our cities
India is experiencing a steady increase in the
and towns.
numbers of cars and roads. This has led to
This year, the UN has chosen the days theme
a constant rise in road deaths. Transport deUrban Mobility because mobility and access
mand in most Indian cities has increased subto goods and services is essential to an effistantially due to increases in population as a
cient functioning of cities and towns as they
result of both natural increase and migration
expand.
from rural areas and smaller towns. AvailUrban mobility and transport is vital for the ability of motorised transport and increase in
cities functioning. On the other hand, it household income and commercial activities
causes many problems, notably in densely- have further added to transport demand. In
inhabited areas. As cities grow rapidly, mo- many cases, demand has outstripped road cator vehicle use increases and traffic flow varies pacity. A high level of pollution is another un2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
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desirable feature of overloaded streets. Statistics indicate that traffic accidents are a primary cause of accidental deaths in Indian
cities. The main reasons for this are the prevailing imbalance in modal split, inadequate
transport infrastructure, and its suboptimal
use. Public transport systems have not been
able to keep pace with the rapid increases
in demand over the past few decades. Bus
services in particular have deteriorated and
their relative output has been further reduced
as passengers have turned to personalised
modes and intermediate public transport.
The pace of urbanisation in India creates an
urgent opportunity to provide safe streets. The
objective of the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) for India is to ensure safe, affordable, quick, comfortable, reliable and sustainable access for the growing number of city residents to jobs, education and recreation. The
policys salient features include incorporating
urban transportation as an important parameter at the urban planning stage, rather than
being a consequential requirement. Apart
from this, the NUTP will encourage integrated
land use and transport planning in cities so
that travel distances are minimised and access to livelihood, education and other social
needs is improved.
Over the past decade, there has been a shift in
many countries from overcoming congestion
to improving mobility. Improving mobility is
less about engineering and more about changing behaviour.
Improving mobility starts
with public participation, consultation, focus
group discussions, consensus building and cooperation among different stakeholders.
Instead, Indian cities can follow the example
of developing cities in countries like Brazil,
Mexico and Philippines which have sustainable transport policies, encouraging highdensity, mixed-use development near highquality mass transit, to improve the quality of
life for their residents.
3.3. OCTOBER
ogy (ICT) can help cities address these issues
by providing alternatives in combination with
other solutions.
Shifting to more efficient and safer modes like
walking, cycling and mass transit can create sustainable urban mobility and fuel efficiency. Some cities have taken innovative
steps to enhance mobility. A bus rapid transit (BRT) system delivers fast, comfortable and
cost-effective urban mobility.
There must be a general recognition that without public transport cities would be even less
viable.
There is a need to encourage public transport
instead of personal vehicles. This requires
both an increase in quantity and quality of
public transport and effective use of demand
as well as supply-side management measures.
People should also be encouraged to use nonmotorised transport and investments may be
made to make it safer.
Cities are the major contributors to economic
growth, and movements in and between cities
are crucial for improved quality of life. Road infrastructure improvement measures, like new
road alignments, hierarchy of roads, provision of service roads (bypasses, ring roads,
bus bays, wide medians, intersection improvements, construction and repair of footpaths
and roads, removal of encroachments and
good surface drainage) should also be introduced. Besides short- and medium-term measures, there is a need to have long-term ones
as well, involving technology upgrades and introduction of high-speed, high-capacity public transport systems particularly along highdensity traffic corridors.
Finally, there is a need to empower the urban

local bodies to raise finances and coordinate
the activities of various agencies involved in
the provision of transport infrastructure. Mobility is not just about developing transport
infrastructure and services; it is about overcoming social, economic, political and physiFor improving the traffic flow of passenger
cal barriers to movement such as class, gender
and freight vehicles, there are currently some
relations, poverty, physical disabilities and afprojects on the implementation of cooperafordability.
tive intelligent transport systems and services
(ITS), which enables exchanging data between Urban transport policies cannot succeed withvehicles and roadside units. Innovative so- out the fullest cooperation of all the city resilutions enabling smart new services based dents. Such cooperation can be best secured
on information and communications technol- if the objective of any initiative is made clearly
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3.4. SEPTEMBER
known to them. It is, therefore, necessary to
launch intensive awareness campaigns that
educate people on the ill effects of the growing
transport problems, especially on their health
and wellbeing. There is need for a great variety of bus transport services in Indian cities.
The BRT and mass transit systems are an example of shifting people out of their cars into
mass transit to improve road conditions, mobility and public health. Even the rich, poor
and people with physical disabilities will travel
in BRT which will be an important change for
sustainable urban mobility.
An urban transport strategy should also encourage the need for developing green modes
such as bicycles, cycle rickshaws and pedestrians. First of all, the safety concerns of cyclists and pedestrians have to be addressed
adequately. For this, there has to be a segregated right-of-way for bicycles and pedestrians.
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[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/time-for-ecotou
rismplanning-community-growth-of-ansupa.html
The World Tourism Day is celebrated annually on September 27. Its purpose is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its
social, cultural, political and economic value.
The event seeks to address the global challenges outlined in the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and highlight the tourism
sectors contribution in reaching these goals.
In support of United Nations International
Year of Water Cooperation, the World Tourism
Day (WTD) 2013 is being held under the
theme Tourism and Water: Protecting our
Common Future. This years theme focuses
on tourisms significant role and contribution
to worldwide water conservation efforts and
provides an opportunity to further highlight
the shared responsibility of the tourism sector to the wider sustainability objectives while
creating benefits for local populations around
the water tourism sector.
Apart from improving safety, this will help improve traffic flow, increase the average speed
of traffic, and reduce emissions resulting from
low speeds and create an image for sustainable urban mobility and transport for all.
India by virtue of its extensive geographical
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban extent, varied terrain and climatic conditions
support and sustain diverse and unique weteswar/needed-more-public-transport-than-personal-v
land habitats. According to a Space Applicaehicles.html
tion Centre (SAC) report, 7.58 million hectare
wetlands are in India which includes 3.56 million ha of freshwater wetlands. Odisha has
16277.5 ha of inland wetland and 185431.75
3.4 September
ha of coastal wetland. The rapidly growing human populations, large-scale changes in land
3.4.1 TIME FOR ECO TOURISM PLAN- use/land cover and the improper use of waNING,ANSUPA (2013-09-27 08:36)
tersheds have caused a substantial decline in
wetland resources of the country.
The geographical diversity of India makes it

home to a wealth of ecosystems which are
well-protected and preserved. These ecosystems have become the major resources for ecotourism. Ecotourism is sustainable tourism,
which is based on the ecological principle and
sustainable development theory. Ecotourism
involves local community for conservation of
the areas ecology; and biodiversity, in its return, provides economic incentives to the community.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC )
has recently notified India as one of the fastestgrowing tourism economies in the world. In
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May 2002, the Department of Tourism, Government of India, formulated a new National
Tourism Policy emphasising on development
and promotion of Indian tourism to harness
its economic benefits to a large segment of its
population.
Odisha with its bounties of nature and scenic
natural beauty has immense potential to occupy a place of pride in the ecotourism map
of the country. Ecotourism offers an opportunity to showcase the States unique natural
heritage to visitors while enhancing the livelihood options for the local people. The State is
rich with important water resources. The very
famous natural heritage site Ansupa lake in
Cuttack district holds a prominent position in
the tourist map of Odisha for its picturesque
landscape. The lake is the largest and very
old freshwater lake. The water spread area is
around 2.12 sqkm. The length of the lake is
around 3 km and its average width is around
1.3 km. The lake is directly linked with river
Mahanadi by a channel, Kabula Nala, through
which floodwater of the Mahanadi enters the
lake. The main attraction of the lake is its
natural beauty. Besides, more than 30,000
people living in the peripheral villages depend
very much on the lake resources, mainly fishery, for their livelihoods.
Ansupa is of national importance due to its
unique biodiversity character having varied
aquatic fauna and flora and is a famous natural heritage. It is bounded by the Saranda
hills on the western side and the Bishnupur
hills on its northern side. The lake has assumed international importance as it is home
to several species of migratory birds from faroff Siberia, Europe, etc, in winter as well as
domiciled birds.
The very old Saranda Fort, built during the Keshari dynasty, is situated near the lake. Now,
the Saranda hill has turned bald due to tree
felling. The lake is fast buried with soil erosion form the hill. For income-generating activities, i.e., cultivation and fishery, the people
depend upon the lake resources. Due to environmental degradations like siltation, both
fisherman and cultivators are facing a lot of
problems. There is also no proper irrigation
system like canals, for which the people find
difficulty in cultivation. The lake is degrading
very fast threatening the ecosystem, as a re116
3.4. SEPTEMBER
sult of which the fishery and tourism potentials are adversely affected.
The Ansupa lake is declared a Community Reserve according to an amendment made in the
Wildlife Protection Act (1972) in 2003. Realising the importance of tourism potential and
conservation of the lake, the State Government has been working towards an integrated
economic, social, and conservation development plan for the lake over the past decade.
The Government has initiated an integrated
Sustainable Environmental Management Programme like catchment area treatment, including soil conservation measures with plantations to arrest siltation and eutrophication,
weed management activities and constant environmental monitoring to assess the progress
of the work.
As per the Draft Guidelines published by the
Union Ministry of Environment and Forests
in 2011, the State Governments are to develop a State-level ecotourism strategy. The
Odisha Ecotourism Development Board is proposed to be the apex body in the State engaged in promotion of ecotourism and development of requisite systems and standards for
the same. The tourism industry, besides generating more employment opportunities provides incentives to foster the quality of environment. The travel and tourism sector contributes to the national integration, preserves
natural and cultural environments as well as
enriches social and cultural lives of people.
The Odisha Government in its tourism policy
has prioritised development of ecotourism to
attract Indian and foreign tourists. In 200910, a new scheme was introduced for ecotourism development in the Ansupa lake. The
Departments of Tourism in the States are responsible for implementation of the tourism
projects funded by the Union Ministry of
Tourism and the projects identified by them
under their respective State tourism policies.
Ansupa should be conserved in an integrated
manner which should be implemented with
community mobilisation and participation for
sustainability so that the lake would not
only attract both national and international
tourists but be conserved well for the posterity. For this, harmony between development of
tourism destination and environment improvement in cities is extremely essential.
3.4. SEPTEMBER
There is a need to prepare a Tourism Perspective Plan for development of basic infrastructure and creation of tourism circuits. The
plan should focus on sustainable tourism development which is environment-friendly and
tourist-friendly. An environment planning approach is essential for sustainable development of tourism. This implies that all the aspects of environment should be carefully studied and analysed while proposing development
at sensitive tourist destinations. Thus, it calls
for a separate cell whereby all monitoring activities related to the environment can be carried out.
BlogBook
pillars of sustainable development the social, economic and environmental.
With renewed interest generated by the 2012

UN Conference on Sustainable Development
(Rio+20) and the 2015 deadline looming for
the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
the international community is gearing up to
agreeing a new global agenda which better addresses all three dimensions of sustainable development.
Nevertheless, there are still over two years
to go before the existing framework expires,
therefore governments and stakeholders alike
must remain focused on achieving the MDGs.
In this regard, under MDG 7 (ensure environmental sustainability), there is a target to Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes
and reverse the loss of environmental resources. One area that should be included
under this is the protection of the ozone layer.
For ecotourism planning and sustainable community development, there is a need to increase ecotourism awareness, capacity building for ecotourism for the local community and
community participation for development of
ecotourism in our State. Besides, a proper
implementation of a Tourism Perspective Plan
is necessary for development of ecotourism of
Ansupa. This is possible only when people actively participate in the actual implementation From the early 1970s, scientists were aware
of the plan.
of the possibility that human actions could
1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban deplete the ozone layer, leading to damaging impacts on humans and the biosphere.
eswar/time-for-ecotourism-planning-community-growt
The CFCs used as refrigerants, insulators and
h-of-ansupa.html
cleaning agents were identified as some of the
most destructive agents, and the international
community reacted promptly to this scientific
3.4.2 INDIAN PERSPECTIVE FOR PRO- evidence, leading to the 1987 adoption of the
TECTION OF OZONE LAYER Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete
the Ozone Layer. The Montreal Protocol has
(2013-09-21 22:21)
a clear and detailed compliance regime un[1] http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outre-der which each party is required to report to
the Ozone Secretariat its annual production
ach/index.php/component/content/artic
and consumption of ODS. This data is used
le/177-68-ga/1423-indian-perspective-forprotection-of-ozone-layer-lessonslearned- to measure ODS reductions against baseline
data and therefore assess whether countries
from-the-csd
are meeting their phase-out obligations, and
INDIAN PERSPECTIVE FOR PROTECTION OF
also contribute to the determination of develOZONE LAYER: LESSONS LEARNED FROM
oping country status.
THE CSD
The CSD has to date played an important role
Dr. Mayarani Praharaj, College of Engineering in the implementation of sustainable developand Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
ment at the national level, including regardThe United Nations Commission on Sustain- ing measures to protect the ozone layer. The
able Development (CSD) was established in UN Secretary-Generals report on Protection of
December 1992, tasked with ensuring effec- the Atmosphere for CSD4 in 1996, for examtive follow-up to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. ple, noted that the substantive prescriptions
Since 1993, the CSD has convened annual of the 1987 Montreal Protocol make it a landmultilateral discussions on a vast array of is- mark for international cooperation which emsues that intersect the three interdependent bodies many of the core principles of Agenda
117
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3.4. SEPTEMBER
21. The report identified the Protocol as a

good example of the precautionary principle in
action, noted the marked decrease in overall
production and consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODSs), but also drew attention to the issue of illegal trade in chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and the continued increase
in CFC consumption in some countries.
%3A %2F %2Fwww.stakeholderforum.org

%2Fsf %2Foutreach %2Findex.php %2Fcomponent %2Fcontent %2Farticle %2F177-68-ga
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&size=m &text=Outreach &url=http %3A
%2F %2Fwww.stakeholderforum.org %2Fsf
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opment of evidence-based indicators to track %2F1423-indian-perspective-for-protectionprogress and support decision-making on the of-ozone-layer-lessons-learned-from- the-csd
issue. An Intergovernmental Working Group
on the Advancement of Environmental Statistics prepared a paper on Environmental Indi- IFRAME: [3]f8897dad8
cators for CSD in 1995. At the same CSD session, the creation of a menu of Agenda 21 indi- 1. http://www.stakeholderforum.org/sf/outreach/index
cators was proposed, also including the con- .php/component/content/article/177-68-ga/1423-indi
sumption of ODS, along with the development an-perspective-for-protection-of-ozone-layer-lesso
of methodology sheets which could then be ns-learned-from-the-csd
2.
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_butto
used voluntarily by Member States.
India Party to the Vienna Convention for the
Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the
Ozone Layer is one of the countries that has
felt the benefit of this work. Indias Ozone Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control)
Rules, brought in in 2000, provide a comprehensive set of regulations to control and monitor production and use of ODS in the country.
Indias Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
has over the years been executing a nationwide initiative known as National Air Quality
Monitoring Programme (NAMP). Annual average concentrations of sulfur oxide (SOx) levels
today are within the prescribed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in almost
all domestic territories. This reduction from
earlier levels is due to various measures taken,
including for example, the use of compressed
natural gas (CNG) in public transport in Delhi,
the reduction of sulphur in diesel and use of
liquid petroleum gas (LPG) instead of coal as a
domestic fuel.
This significant progress is a useful indicator to protect ozone depletion and boost sustainable development in future, and provides
lessons that we can learn from.
n.1379634856.html#_=1379781724323&count=none&id=tw
itter-widget-0&lang=en&original_referer=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.stakeholderforum.org%2Fsf%2Foutreach%2Findex.
php%2Fcomponent%2Fcontent%2Farticle%2F177-68-ga%2F
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yer-lessons-learned-from-the-csd&size=m&text=Outre
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%2Foutreach%2Findex.php%2Fcomponent%2Fcontent%2Far
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otection-of-ozone-layer-lessons-learned-from-the-c
sd
3. http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?api_key=
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one-layer-lessons-learned-from-the-csd&layout=butt
on_count&locale=en_US&node_type=link&sdk=joey&send
=false&show_faces=false&width=100
3.4.3 PROTECT
OZONE
LAYER
(2013-09-16 20:08)
IFRAME: [2]http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet
_button.1379634856.html
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118
3.4. SEPTEMBER
One of the most important environmental concerns the world faces today is of depletion of
the ozone layer in the stratosphere. The concern is because of the fact that the ozone layer
plays a protective role, screening the earth
from harmful ultraviolet radiations.
The depletion of the ozone layer has been a
cause of concern for global community as it
affects human health and natural ecosystems.
This realisation has prompted development of
control measures to save the ozone layer.
The United Nations General Assembly in December 1994 adopted a resolution proclaiming
September 16 as the International Day for the
Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The theme
for the day this year is A healthy atmosphere,
the future we want.
As the worlds urban population increases,
urban areas encounter new phenomena and
problems. Uncontrolled uses of resources,
greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, etc., have
been caused by urbanisation and industrialisation. Urban centres have concentrated
industries, construction, transportation and
households. Land-use changes induced by urban growth may lead to deforestation and reductions in the uptake of CO2 by vegetation.
Landfill sites taking up urban wastes also generate methane. Cement, as a construction material of primary importance to development of
urban infrastructure as well as of commercial
and residential buildings, also has a large carbon footprint due to an energy-intensive manufacturing process and high energy cost for
transporting this dense material.
Lastly, many activities like agriculture, livestock production, mining and timber collection increase GHG emissions as direct emitters or reduce the uptake of these gases by
vegetation.
Most global and regional environmental problems originate in cities. Cities concentrate increasing numbers of people and human activities; thus, they import increasing amounts
of natural resources and export vast quantities of emissions and waste. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) are GHGs that are produced solely
by human activities. CFCs were widely used
as refrigerants before it was discovered that
their presence in the atmosphere caused the
depletion of the ozone layer. The main human
BlogBook
sources of GHGs contributing to global warming are the dramatic rise in energy use, landuse changes and emissions from industrial activities.
Reducing the contribution of cities to climate
change, or mitigation, requires an adequate
understanding of the drivers of urban GHG
emissions, while effective adaptation must
be based on a good understanding of what
makes cities and their constituent socioeconomic groups either vulnerable or resilient to
climate change impacts. Reducing GHG emissions is, therefore, one of the key policy challenges that cities face. The size and density
of population are key determinants of cities
GHG emissions. So, it is important to have
a framework for understanding the levels and
drivers of emissions by different demographic
and economic sectors, buildings and infrastructures within, or serving urban areas.
Motor vehicles are the primary cause of pollution in cities. Producing the energy required to run modern urban systems often
involves burning fossil fuels, which releases
such greenhouse gases as carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. The increasing demand for energy to run air conditioning and electrical appliances is also contributing to pollution. These emissions lead to
global warming, which can cause destruction
of the ozone layer and climate change.
Transport policy, planning and land use policy are fundamentally linked. The pattern and
density of urban development has a major influence on travel patterns. Sustainable city
planning should aim at achieving social and
environmental equity while improving the lives
of the people. For that to happen, we need to
have a sustainable city form as well as provision and proper management of the services.
Thus, in order for a city or urban area to be
sustainable it needs to produce and manage
basic services like water, waste, energy and
transportation in a way that it conforms to
the principles of sustainable development. In
other words, the city should be able to produce
and distribute the services in an economic,
environment-friendly and equitable way.
While planning for sustainable development of
the towns, we should also take into account
the factor of climate change. Planning looks
at the needs of people and the environment
119
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whilst respecting limits to development. Urban planning must recognise regional limits
to development in order to maintain natural
habitats and biodiversity, which is so important to our continued existence. Broad landscape conservation is necessary to maintain
ecosystem function and biodiversity, but there
is also a great opportunity for sensitive redevelopment of many previously-developed areas. Urban design facilitates individual building lots to maximise winter sun penetration,
minimise excessive summer heat gain and the
design and construction of dwellings that are
designed with passive solar design principles.
The rapid demographic growth in and around
Indian cities is changing the physical dimensions of its cities, that is, the size, shape, density, land uses, spatial structure and building types. Increased urban development puts
intense pressure on existing urban infrastructure to support a good quality of life.
Rapid urban growth often manifests itself
as overcrowded and very high-density urban
forms, claimed to contribute to crime, physical and mental illness and poor living conditions. Such urban forms are, therefore, generally considered to be socially, environmentally
and economically unsustainable.
3.4. SEPTEMBER
and its vulnerability from climate change, the
National Action Plan on Climate Change had
proposed setting up of a National Sustainable
Habitat Mission. The mission looks at developing standardised eco-building norms to promote energy efficiency, improved urban planning by integrating land use and transportation plans and focus on shift towards public
transport to facilitate growth of cities, promoting sustainable waste management focusing
on reduce-recycle-reuse and waste-to-energy
options.
India became a party to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and has ratified all the
amendments to the Montreal Protocol. Ozone
Depleting Substances (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, provide a comprehensive set
of regulations to control and monitor production and use of ozone depleting substances
(ODS) in India.
Besides, there are a number of practical measures which can be taken at individual level
to protect the nature earth. Everyone should
be responsible for the use and abuse of certain products that have a negative effect on
nature. There are many simple ways in which
Sustainable urban development is an integral we can save our ozone layer. We should use alcomponent of the universal aim of Sustain- ternative means of transport: buses, bicycles,
able Development. If properly designed, con- or simply walk.
structed and operated, a sustainable city and
sustainable building will require less money To protect the ozone layer, we must prevent
and fewer resources to operate, and will be the release of ozone-depleting substances to
healthier for its occupants. Buildings are sus- the atmosphere. Whenever possible, we must
tainable when they are designed, built and also replace them with safer alternatives. Beoperated with low environmental, social, and fore demanding implementation of policies,
economic impacts while enhancing the health, lets begin ourselves doing something to protect the ozone layer and save our environment.
welfare and quality of life of the people.
For sustainable urban development, a number
of urban programmes have been initiated by
Government of India. Recent urban initiatives
of the Government of India include Jawaharlal
Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), e-Governance in Municipalities, National Urban Sanitation Policy, Citywide Slum
Upgradation Programme, setting up of Centres of Excellence in Urban Development, Sustainable Habitat Mission - Green Building, 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
public transportation and solid waste manage- eswar/lets-all-begin-doing-something-to-protect-oz
one-layer.html
ment.
Recognising the importance of urbanisation
120
3.5. AUGUST
BlogBook
3.5 August
3.5.1
to 80 per cent of the population depends on

traditional medicines. In India, out of over
7,500
species of medicinal plants Ayurveda
TRIBALS ROLE IN CONSERVING MEDICINAL PLANTS NEEDS uses about 1,769 species whereas the use
GREATER
RECOGNITION of approximately 289 medicinal plant species
were documented in Vedic literature. There
(2013-08-10 06:18)
are 2,727 plant species identified in Odisha,
out of which about 1,200 are in use for medicinal purposes
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/tribals-role-in -conserving-medicinal-plants-needs-greater-recognition.html
The International Day of the Worlds Indigenous People is celebrated on August 9 as this
was the date of the first meeting in 1982 of the
United Nations Working Group of Indigenous
Population.
It is observed to protect and promote the
rights of the worlds indigenous inhabitants.
It also recognises the contributions of indigenous people to improve issues like environmental protection.
Indigenous peoples are custodians to rich linguistic and cultural diversity, carrying unique
knowledge of sustainable living and respect
for biodiversity. They have unique cultures.
Historically, these cultures are closely tied to
their lands. They have been living in forest environment and developed their knowledge on
flora and fauna of the forest that are known
as folk or indigenous knowledge. They have
also developed their own folk beliefs based
on their traditional practices which help them
cure various diseases. The common beliefs,
customs, practices related to health and disease in turn influence their health seeking behaviour. Tribal groups have developed strong
religious healthcare systems.
The biggest threat to indigenous people now

is encroachment of their land. Various companies using their land threaten the ecosystem through mineral extraction, environmental contamination, cash crop production and
The day was first proclaimed by the UN Gengenetically modified seeds.
eral Assembly in December 1994. The United
Nations 2007 Declaration on the Rights of According to the WHO, about 65-80 per cent
Indigenous Peoples recognised that respect of the population in developing countries defor indigenous knowledge, cultures and tradi- pends essentially on plants for their primary
tional practices tributes to sustainable and eq- healthcare due to poverty and lack of access
uitable development and proper management to modern medicines. Traditional knowledge
of the environment. However, indigenous of medicinal plants and their use by indigepeoples still experience racism, poor health nous healers and drug development are not
only useful for conservation of cultural tradiand disproportionate poverty.
tion and biodiversity but also for community
The UN estimates that there are 370 milhealthcare and drug development in the local
lion indigenous people in some 70 countries,
community.
84,326,240 indigenous people (tribals) in India and 8,145,081 in Odisha. Traditional Odishas climate and topography is highly conknowledge has played a vital role in the daily genial to growth of a large number of medicinal
lives of the vast majority of people. It is es- plants. In Koraput, Kandhamal and Mayurbsential to the food security and health of mil- hanj, a large number of medicinal plants oclions of people in a developing country like cur naturally. The Similipal Biosphere ReIndia and State like Odisha. In many coun- serve in Mayurbhanj is rich in medicinal plant
tries, traditional medicines provide the only af- resources. The forest area is dominated by
fordable treatment to indigenous community. a number of tribes like Kol, Santal, Bhumij,
As per the World Health Organisation (WHO) Mankidias and Khadias who depend on forest
Fact Sheet: 2002, in developing countries, up for their food and medicines. Gandhamardan
121
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3.6. JULY
in Keonjhar is also famous for its rich medic- 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban

inal plants. Out of the total 450 species of eswar/tribals-role-in-conserving-medicinal-plantsplants found there, about 250 have been iden- needs-greater-recognition.html
tified as medicinal. Besides, medicinal plants
are also available on hills and mountains like
Megasan in Mayurbhanj, Malayagiri in Sundargarh, Nimragir in Koraput and Mahendra3.6 July
giri in Ganjam.
The important medicinal products collected
from different parts of Odisha are Amla, Bahada, Banahaladi, Bana Tulsi, Chakunda,
Chireita, Gaba, Harida, Kaincha, Kochila,
honey, Nageswar flower, Palash, Sikakai, etc.
These precious resources are immensely used
by tribals as they have no alternative source.
The medicinal products are used for curing
common diseases like fever, cold, gastrointestinal disorders and skin diseases, asthma,
jaundice, rheumatoid arthritis, etc., and for
setting fractured bones. Most tribal villages
have their own traditional healthcare practitioners. This indigenous knowledge is being
eroded by a gradual depletion of forest cover.
In Odisha, the medicinal plants are still not
explored well. It is necessary to document
the plants and take effective steps to conserve
them. Traditional medicine is the sum total
of the knowledge, skills, and practices based
on the experiences indigenous to different cultures.
A huge amount of lands have been alienated
from the tribals for developmental projects
depriving them of their source of livelihoods.
Land is not only a livelihood source for tribals, it is also connected with their sense of
history and is a symbol of social status. The
tribals of Odisha have been in the practice of
preserving a rich heritage of information on
medicinal plants and their usage. Such traditional knowledge system is important for modern societies and should be protected in its
own right for the sake of sustainable use of
forests, ecosystem services and management.
Indigenous peoples are carriers of ancestral
knowledge and wisdom about local biodiversity. The Governmental and nongovernmental
organisations must come forward to sustain
such traditional knowledge and the medicinal
plant species for further generation. There
is a need to assess and document traditional
knowledge and use of medicinal plants used
by traditional healers.
122
3.6.1 Sustainable Human Settlement

Planning (2013-07-11 22:59)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/needed-sustaina
ble-human-settlement-planning.html
Today, population explosion is one of the
major concerns of the world.
The evergrowing population of the world has reached
7,160,183,896 as in June 2013.
The World Population Day is an annual event
observed on July 11, which seeks to raise
awareness of global population issues. The
event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. It was inspired by the public
interest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987,
approximately the date on which the worlds
population reached five billion people. The
year 2013 will mark the 24th anniversary of
the World Population Day.
Almost one-sixth of the worlds population
lives in squalid, unhealthy areas, mostly without water, sanitation, public services or legal
security. The report from the UN human settlements programme, UN-Habitat, found that
urban slums are growing faster than expected
and that the balance of global poverty was
shifting rapidly from the countryside to cities.
Africa now has 20 per cent of the worlds slumdwellers and Latin America 14 per cent, but
the worst urban conditions are in Asia, where
3.6. JULY
BlogBook
more than 550 million people live in unaccept- tion change, demographic patterns, including
able conditions.
growth, structure and distribution of populaAlthough the report emphasised that not all tion. The sustainability of the global environslum-dwellers are poor, the UN warned that ment and human life will not be achieved ununplanned, unsanitary settlements threaten less, among other things, human settlements
political stability and are creating the environ- in both urban and rural areas are made ecoment for an explosion of social problems. In nomically buoyant, socially vibrant and envideveloping countries, more than half of the ur- ronmentally sound with full respect for culban population lives in unplanned settlements tural, religious and natural heritages and diwhere their quality of life is substandard and versities.
even inhuman. Urban infrastructure provisions are identified as a key area for planning
intervention in order to integrate these settlements into sustainable residential developments. Besides such provisions, economic interventions are also necessary for slum households.
The total population divided over various levels of geographical areas is very important for
the socioeconomic development of the entire
country and the study of various components.
When data regarding population is taken into
account, better planning is possible for different facilities such as housing, education and
healthcare facility.
Besides, a countrys population and how it
is geographically distributed can influence
access to basic services and infrastructure
and employment opportunities, rural and urban environment and wealth of natural resources. The impact of human needs on available resources, in the context of the emerging
economies, poses a strain on available public
infrastructure, limited land and natural environment and biological resources, including
direct habitat destruction and contribution to
greenhouse gases.
Urban settlements hold a promise for human

development and for protection of the worlds
natural resources through their ability to support large numbers of people while limiting
their impact on the natural environment. Yet
many cities are witnessing harmful patterns
of growth, production and consumption, land
use, mobility and degradation of their physical structure. Such problems are often synonymous with soil, air and water pollution,
waste of resources and destruction of natural
resources. Some human settlements are also
subject to limited water supply, sanitation and
drainage and depend upon nonrenewable energy sources which resulted irreversible loss
of biodiversity.
Demographic factors combined with poverty

and lack of access to resources and unsustainable patterns of production and consumption, particularly in industrialised countries
can cause or exacerbate problems of environmental degradation and resource depletion
and, thus, inhibit sustainable development.
Therefore, a largely-urbanised world implies
that sustainable development will depend very
largely on the capacity of urban and metropolitan areas to manage the production and conRapid urbanisation, the concentration of the sumption patterns and the transport and that
urban population in large cities, the sprawl waste disposal systems need to preserve the
of cities into wider geographical areas and environment.
the rapid growth of mega-cities are among The living and working conditions in all huthe most significant transformations of human settlements, including regional urban
man settlements. This issue of uncontrolled centres, rural service centres, rural hamlets,
population growth is giving birth to other ma- rural communities, market towns and villages
jor problems in the world. A few of the major must be improved with particular emphasis
consequences of the rapid growth of popula- on shelter, social and physical infrastructure
tion in the current time are shortage of hous- and services. The maintenance and developing, social and physical infrastructure and ser- ment of rural settlements require sustainable
vices in different settlements.
agriculture and forestry activities, improved
The quality of life and the activities of agricultural technologies, economic diversifiall human beings within human settle- cation and expanded employment opportuniments are closely interrelated with popula- ties created by encouraging appropriate and
123
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3.7. JUNE
environmentally-sustainable investment in in- ment. Such a programme requires a basic spadustry, related economic production and ser- tial structure for each city and used to estivice activities.
mate the capital costs associated with providTo avoid unbalanced, unhealthy and unsus- ing the necessary infrastructure to support detainable growth of human settlements, it is velopment for a sustainable human settlement
necessary to promote land-use patterns that planning.
minimise transport demands, save energy and
protect open and green spaces. Appropriate
urban density and mixed land-use guidelines
are of prime importance for urban development. National and local policies and development plans must be carefully reexamined
to ensure optimal land use and geographically better balanced economic development,
including the protection of indispensable agricultural land, land that sustains biodiversity,
including coastal areas and other sensitive areas in need of protection.
Sustainable human settlements development

requires cooperative and complementary actions amongst interested parties, planners
and scientists. This would accommodate urban population growth and protect natural resources.
eswar/needed-sustainable-human-settlement-planning
.html
Green spaces and vegetation cover in urban

and peri-urban areas are essential for biologi- 3.7
cal and hydrological balance and economic development. Vegetation creates natural habi- 3.7.1
tats and permits better absorption of rainwater by natural means. Green areas and vegetation also play an important part in reducing air [1]
pollution and creating more suitable climatic
conditions, thereby improving the living environment in cities.
June
Drug against Sustainable Livelihood (2013-06-26 06:20)
To promote human settlements, Governments

and local authorities should formulate and implement human settlement development policies that ensure equal access to basic services,
including the provision of food security, education, employment and livelihood, basic healthcare services, safe drinking water and sanitation, adequate shelter and access to open and [2]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/keep-away-from- drug-forgreen spaces.
sake-of-sustainable-livelihood.html
All persons have the right and the duty to
participate individually and collectively in the The problems of drug abuse and illicit traffickimplementation of policies and programmes ing are threatening livelihoods and communiof their human settlements. A human set- ties in many countries. Globally, it is estitlement policy must seek harmonious integra- mated that between 153 million and 300 miltion or coordination of a wide variety of compo- lion people aged 15-64 use an illicit substance
nents including population growth and distri- as per the United Nations Office on Drugs and
bution, employment, shelter, land use, infras- Crime (UNODC). It is also estimated that there
are between 99,000 and 2,53,000 deaths globtructure and services.
ally due to illicit drug use every year. In India,
There is a need for proper land management
there are about 3 million estimated victims of
plan. Many cities use master plans, zoning,
different kinds of drug usages.
sub-division regulations, building codes and
other policies to shape development. Urban Illicit use of psychoactive drugs is dangerous
land policy needs to be linked with a sus- for the health of individuals and society. It
tainable programme for infrastructure invest- induces changes in behaviour and emotional
124
3.7. JUNE
status and causes severe psychological disorders. It also undermines the social fabric of
the community. Because of their action on
the brain, such drugs induce dependence on
them, leading to loss of interest in many areas
of life. Drugs are placed under national and
international control to prevent the negative
health and social consequences of substance
abuse. Reasons for drug use are closely linked
to population mobility and livelihoods, impacting not only on the individual drug user but
also on the families and communities in a devastating way and further aggravating the situation of poverty.
On June 26, the International Day against
Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed,
which serves as a reminder of the need to combat the problems to the society posed by illicit
drugs. This important day was initiated by the
United Nations General Assembly to create a
society free of illegal drugs and drug abuse.
The UNODC has long been at the forefront of
campaigns to raise awareness about the dangers of traditional drugs such as cannabis,
heroin, cocaine and amphetamine-type substances. This day is supported by individuals, communities and various organisations
all over the world.
Today, however, there is an alarming new
drug problem; the demand has soared for
substances not under international control.
Therefore, the 2013 UNODC global awareness
campaign Make health your new high in life,
not drugs aims to inform the public, particularly young people, about the harmful effects
of drugs and new psychoactive substances
(NPS). Sold openly, including through the internet, these substances, which have not been
tested for safety in humans, can be far more
dangerous than traditional drugs.
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illicit trade involving the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of substances
which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Illicit drugs weaken economic and social development and contribute to crimes, instability,
insecurity and the spread of HIV.
Livelihood is an integrated system enabling
people to have a secure and sustainable living. The system is based on access to education, health, hygiene, risk reduction, housing,
clothing, skills, means of production and information. The concept of sustainable livelihoods
has been utilised extensively by the UNODC
and the international community as a basis
for their work in the field of alternative development. To date, the major objective of interventions in this area has been to provide alternative sustainable livelihoods to farming families in order to prevent them from being dependent on illicit crop cultivation. The principal
desired outcome of this approach is the cessation of illicit drug crop cultivation through
creation of alternative income.
People living in poverty are more likely to engage in drug abuse, become criminals and suffer from bad health. Teenagers and young
adults are also particularly vulnerable to using illicit drugs. The prevalence of drug use
among young people is more than twice as
high as that among the general population. At
this age, peer pressure to experiment with illicit drugs can be strong and the self-esteem is
often low. Also, those who take drugs tend to
be either misinformed or insufficiently aware
of the health risks involved.
The UN General Assembly recognised that despite continued and increased efforts by the
international community, the world drug problem continues to constitute a serious threat
to public health, the safety and wellbeing of
humanity and sovereignty of States, and that
it undermines socioeconomic and political stability and sustainable development. It encourages the UNODC to continue its work on international drug control and urges all Governments to provide the fullest possible financial
and political support to enable the UNODC
to continue, expand and strengthen its operational and technical cooperation activities
within its mandates.
Drug and alcohol abuse are the examples of

drinking and using drugs (prescription and
illicit) that cause harmful effects to a persons health, livelihood, relationships and productivity. Single dosage of either alcohol or
drugs doesnt automatically deem the person
an addict. However, continuous usage and
drug abuse can lead to chemical dependency
and addiction. Drug abuse has been known
to destroy homes, deteriorate relationships,
causing fatal accidents, domestic violence and There is a need for Government enforcement
physical abuse. Drug trafficking is a global agencies, nongovernmental philanthropic
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3.7. JUNE
agencies and others to collaborate and supplement each others efforts for a solution
to the problem of drug addiction through
education and legal actions.
Social Welfare Departments, each of which

has its own set of activities relating to Drug
Demand Reduction. The Governments policy
has thus been to promote their use for medical
Steps should be taken to reach out and en- and scientific purposes while preventing their
gage drug users in prevention, treatment and diversion from licit sources and prohibiting ilcare strategies that protect them, their fami- licit traffic and abuse.
lies from infectious diseases, health problems Governments have a responsibility to counterin general and encourage entry into substance act both drug trafficking and drug abuse, but
dependence treatment and medical care and communities can also make a major contriburehabilitation.
tion. Families, schools and civil societies can
Taking into account the individual right to a do their part to rid their communities of drugs.
healthy life and the interest of the entire so- The media can also raise awareness about the
ciety, specific interventions have to be pro- dangers of drugs. This will foster communities
moted to reduce the adverse health and so- free of drug-related crimes and violence, indicial consequences of drug abuse. These strate- viduals free of drug dependence who can congies need to target the sub-groups of the pop- tribute to a common future and a safer world
ulation that are not sensitive to prevention for all.
programmes, drug-dependent individuals who
are not motivated to attend treatment facilities, non-responders to treatment who continue to use illicit drugs and those patients
who easily relapse into substance abuse.
eswar/keep-away-from-drug-for-sake-of-sustainablelivelihood.html
2.
aneswar/keep-away-from-drug-for-sake-of-sustainabl
In a number of countries, laws prescribe se- e-livelihood.html

vere punishments for all drug-related offences,
including drug use and possession of drugs.
The Article 47 of the Constitution of India directs the State to regard the raising of the level 3.7.2 Sustainable
Land
Manageof nutrition and the standard of living of its
ment against Desertification
people and the improvement of public health
(2013-06-17 00:10)
as among its primary duties, and, in particular, to endeavour to bring about prohibition of
consumption, except for medicinal purposes,
of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are injurious to health.
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 has been enacted in
India. Under this Act, it is illegal for a person to produce/manufacture/cultivate, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store and consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance. The Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
Act is a drug control law passed in 1988 by the
Parliament of India. It was established to enable full implementation and enforcement of
the NDPS Act of 1985.
Seeking to check the alarming rise of drug
abuse in various parts of the country, the Government is planning to introduce a National
Policy on Drug Abuse. The State Governments
also have their own Health Departments and
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[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/sustainable-lan
dmanagement-can-fight-desertification.html
SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT CAN
FIGHT DESERTIFICATION
Desertification and land degradation are now
persistent in all ecosystems resulting in water
scarcity in different parts of the world. Desertification is a concept used to grasp more acute
forms of the degradation of land-based ecosystems.
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3.7. JUNE
This has a negative impact on the availability,
quantity and quality of water resources that
leads to scarcity of water. Further, the direct
physical effects of land degradation include
the drying up of freshwater resources and increase in the frequency of drought. Desertification is also associated with biodiversity loss
and contributes to global climate change.
aquifers).
Water scarcity is both a natural and a humanmade phenomenon. There is enough freshwater on the planet for seven billion people,
but it is distributed unevenly and too much
of it is wasted, polluted and unsustainably
managed. Water scarcity already affects every continent. As per the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), around 1.2 billion people live in areas
of physical scarcity, and 500 million more people are approaching this situation. Another
1.6 billion people, or almost one quarter of
the worlds population, face economic water
shortage (where countries lack the necessary
infrastructure to take water from rivers and
currence of drought result in severe crop failure. The basic problems in these areas include water scarcity which results in low productivity. Many villages in Odisha are showing symptoms of desertification. Poor and
unsustainable land management techniques
also worsen the situation. Over-cultivation,
overgrazing and deforestation put great strain
on land and water resources.
In India, the per capita water availability is reducing drastically due to the increase in population. The average annual per capita availability of water in the country, taking into consideration the population of the country as
per the 2001 census, was 1,816 cubic meters
(cum) which got reduced to 1,545 cubic meters
The World Day to Combat Desertification is an as per the 2011 census.
occasion to remind everybody that desertifica- In 2001, the average per capita water availabiltion can be effectively tackled and solutions to ity in Odisha was around 3,359 cum per year
it are possible. The day is being observed since as compared to the national average of 1,816
1995 to promote public awareness relating to cum. With projected future population, the
international cooperation to combat desertifi- per capita water availability in the State will recation and the effects of drought. In 1994, duce to 2,218 cum in 2051. A per capita water
the United Nations General Assembly declared availability less than 1,700 cum is termed waJune 17 as the World Day to Combat Deserti- ter stress condition while if it falls below 1,000
fication to promote public awareness of the is- cum, it is termed as water scarce condition.
sue and the implementation of the United NaThe groundwater potential varies in different
tions convention resolution to combat deserregions of the country. Due to heavy extractification in those countries experiencing setion of groundwater and its limited recharge,
rious drought and desertification. Droughts
the groundwater is getting depleted at a fast
have a critical impact on agricultural producrate. This depletion is particularly marked in
tion and have added to the soaring food prices
most of the dry land regions of the States such
and shortages worldwide.
as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan,
The theme for the 2013 World Day to Combat Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
Desertification is Drought and Water Scarcity. Also, there are many villages in the country eiThis years slogan Dont let our future dry up ther with scarce water supply or without any
calls everyone to take action to promote pre- source of water. In many rural areas, women
paredness for and resilience to water scarcity, still have to walk a distance of about 2.5 km
desertification and drought. The slogan em- to reach the nearest source of water.
bodies the message that we are all responsi- In Odisha, the agriculture sector contributes
ble for water and land conservation and their about 50 per cent of the State domestic prodsustainable use and that there are solutions uct and provides employment to about 75 per
to these serious natural resource challenges. cent of the total working force. In the maxLand degradation does not have to threaten imum rain-fed districts like Kalahandi, Koraour future.
put, Nabaragpur and Rayagada, frequent oc-
Sustainable land management is an important measure for tackling desertification. It

includes fostering balanced freshwater resource management for domestic use, including aquaculture, fishing and irrigation; restoring water-table recharge, protecting wetlands
127
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from negative impacts of agricultural and settlement encroachments, restoring soil productivity and reducing soil erosion through sustainable land management and adopting sustainable cropping techniques such as organic
farming and agro forestry.
To combat drought and water scarcity, activities like percolation tanks, water reservoirs
and construction of small, medium-size dams
and rivers are useful which can retain more
surface water, while increasing the groundwater recharge development of watersheds is an
important programme to make best use of the
rainwater for agricultural production while improving soil conservation and biodiversity.
3.7. JUNE
management strategies and policy approaches
that promote sustainable resource use. These
strategies must be science-based and directed
at managing the risks and mitigate the effects
of desertification and drought
eswar/sustainable-land-management-can-fight-desert
ification.html
3.7.3 Age-friendly
cities
(2013-06-15 03:53)
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/world-elderWatershed management progammes are im- abuse-awareness-day-age-friendly -cities/

plemented in drought-prone areas to tackle
special problems faced by those areas constantly affected by severe drought conditions.
The main objective of the watershed approach
is to minimise the adverse effects of drought
on the production of crops, livestock and productivity of land, to promote overall economic
development and improve the socioeconomic
condition of the people.
An integrated land and water resource management policy would ultimately bring in environmental and socioeconomic benefits. Rural
and urban populations both benefit from sustainable land management practices. These
also serve in maintaining significant agricultural biodiversity and resilient agro ecosystems including forest resources.
Desertification is not just about adopting
physical remedies, as social remedies are
equally important. Both remedies need to be
tackled in an integrated manner, rather than 1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-elder-abuse-awa
separately, if policies for addressing desertifi- reness-day-age-friendly-cities/
cation are to be effective.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change states that the world indeed has be3.7.4
come more drought-prone during the past 25
years, and that climate projections indicate
an increased frequency of severe droughts in
many parts of the world. It is imperative to prepare guidelines from national to village-level
land use planning for sustainable land management practices. Village community groups
should be trained for effective use of land
use plans. This would prevent water scarcity
and desertification in coming years. Effective
prevention of desertification requires drought
128
Help
Elders
live
happily
(2013-06-15 03:48)
3.7. JUNE
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/measures-change
d-mindset-needed-to-help-elders-livehappily.html
The world is rapidly ageing. The number of
people aged 60 and over as a proportion of
the global population will double from 11 per
cent in 2006 to 22 per cent by 2050. By then,
there will be more older people than children
(aged 014 years) in the population for the first
time in human history. People everywhere
must age with dignity and security, enjoy life
through full realisation of all human rights
and fundamental freedoms. This is imperative
because the elderly contribute to the family by
dispensing the acquired wisdom, distributing
their wealth and keeping the members of the
family in union. Such a system of mutual support is, however, facing hardships in a modern
industrial society.
People in old age suffer from various problems
for a variety of reasons. Most of them suffer from diseases like arthritis, blood sugar,
heart ailments and so on and need care from
their children. They have spent all their lifes
earnings in discharging their parental duties
and are totally dependent on their children for
their existence in the old age. However family and community are now recognised as being responsible for abuse and neglect of the
elder. In some cases, they lead a hopeless
and lonely life with nothing to look forward to.
Their very existence is a painful and tragic extension of their life and they surrender everything to their cruel fate.
There are so many examples of elder abuse
and neglect in our country. Thalaikoothal in
some parts of Tamil Nadu is one such example where the family gets rid of the old people
by killing them. This is a cruelty, where the
old man would be given an oil bath and then
fed with tender coconut water twice or thrice.
This would lead to high fever and renal failure leading to death within two or three days.
There are also many incidences of elder abuse
in other parts of our country. Many laws have
been formulated to prevent such cruelties on
elder people, but, above all, there should be a
sociological change which would bring relief of
such action.
BlogBook
(WEAAD) was launched on June 15, 2006 by
the International Network for the Prevention
of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the United Nations World Health Organisation. On March
9, 2012, the UN General Assembly established
June 15 as a UN International Day. The purpose of the WEAAD is to encourage communities to recognise the problem of elderly abuse,
and for countries to create policies that foster
respect for elders and provide them the tools
to continue to be productive citizens.
The UN agency has noted that the world needs
a global response to the problem, which focuses on protecting the rights of older persons.
The WEAAD involves activities to bring greater
recognition of mistreatment of older adults
wherever they live throughout the world, and
to highlight the need for appropriate action.
The worlds older population, defined in the
present context as those aged 60 years and
above, now stands at around 760 million. Asia
accounts for more than half of the total (414
million, including 166 million in China and 92
million in India). The older population of India,
which was 56.7 million in 1991, 72 million in
2001 and 92 million in 2011, is expected to
grow to 137 million by 2021.
In India, elder abuse and neglect has only recently been a subject of discussion. There are
no reliable national level data in India on the
prevalence and incidence of elder abuse and
neglect. In fact, to a large extent it is hidden
by older people, their families and communities as people do not want to acknowledge or
talk about this sort of behaviour.
It is true that elder abuse and neglect are difficult to quantify as these occur in the privacy
of the home, institutions, and reporting systems for elder abuse are almost absent in the
country.
Evidence of growing incidence and prevalence
is also being estimated by increases of old age
homes and demand for institutional care and
care providers / givers from outside the family.
However, old age homes are not the solutions
to the problems faced by elders. Although
their basic wants are taken care of, they miss
love, affection and emotional connection with
their family members.
To create awareness among the younger gener- Given this trend, the elderly face a number of
ation, the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day problems. The problems range from absence
129
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of ensured and sufficient income to support
themselves and their dependents, to ill health,
absence of social security, loss of social role
and recognition, to the non-availability of opportunities for creative use of free time.
3.7. JUNE
residence and medical attendance and treatment; and senior citizen as any person age
sixty or older. This is the governments attempt to place responsibility on family members.
However sometimes, they involve in different

family activities such as guiding younger generation, taking care of grandchildren, pro- Many States have general statutory provisions
viding support for children when asked for, which can be used by older persons under cerhelping in household chores, developing hob- tain conditions.
bies and interests, taking up self-employment,
teaching and counselling.
The policy would make a change in the lives of
Economic dependence was considered a major senior citizens only if it is implemented. The
reason for elderly abuse. Physical weakness government and different NGOs have some badue to age was also another reason why abuse sic responsibilities in the matter and other inexisted and they could not fight it. Preventing stitutions as well as individuals with need to
family violence, including the abuse and ne- consider how they can play their respective
glect of older people, is an important commu- roles for the wellbeing of older persons. Collabnity and social policy issue in many countries. orative action would go a long way in achieving
This is a problem in the whole of Ondia and a more humane society which gives older perneeds to be solved at different levels. Under sons their legitimate place.
the eleventh Five-Year plan, the Government
of India has taken many steps. Wellbeing of
older persons has been mandated in the Con- The elderly in Odisha are more vulnerable,
stitution of India. Article 41, a Directive Prin- and in this context, the issue of social secuciple of State Policy, has it that the State shall, rity assumes greater significance. To underwithin the limits of its economic capacity and stand the nuances, a study of some demodevelopment, make effective provision for se- graphic and socioeconomic indicators of older
curing the right of public assistance in cases of persons in terms of their living arrangement,
old age. There are other provisions, too, which extent of economic independence, economic
direct the State to improve the quality of life of service-providers and health condition is reits citizens. Right to equality has been guar- quired. More studies are required to assess
anteed by the Constitution as a Fundamental the growing insecurities being faced by the
Right. These provisions apply equally to older aged in Odisha.
persons. Social security has been made the
concurrent responsibility of the Central and
Our elders are our asset, and they need to be
State Governments.
supported and empowered.
To bring out solution to the various problems
of aged people, the Indian Government declared the National Policy of Older Persons
On this day, we should create awareness
(NPOP) in January 1999, the International
about elders and give them dignity, security
Year of Older Persons. The policy highlights
and care. Youths and elders should live tothe rising population of aged people and the
gether which would strengthen the family enurgent need to understand and deal with medvironment and the society as a whole.
ical, psychological and socioeconomic problems faced by the elderly.
India passed The Maintenance and Welfare 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
of Parents and Senior Citizens Act in 2007. eswar/measures-changed-mindset-needed-to-help-elde
It legally requires children and grandchildren rs-live-happily.html
(not minors) to maintain the health and wellness of an aging family member, where maintenance is defined as the provision for food,
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3.7. JUNE
3.7.5
End
Child
Labour the legal minimum age for admission to em-
(2013-06-12 07:11)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/raise-poor-fami lies-socio-economic-status-to-end-child-labour.html
Child labour is an age-long and global problem. Child labour and its related socioeconomic problems are increasing day by day. Today, throughout the world, around 215 million
children work as labourers. They do not go to
school and have little or no time to play.
ployment. They are engaged in paid or unpaid

domestic work in the home of a third party or
employer and perform tasks such as cleaning,
ironing, cooking, minding children and gardening. These children can be particularly vulnerable to exploitation and their work is often
hidden from the public eyes.
The ILO estimates that 15.5 million children
worldwide are engaged in paid or unpaid domestic work in the home of a third party or
employer. The vast majority of all child domestic workers are girls (72 %). As many as
52 per cent of the child domestic workers are
found in hazardous domestic works, and 47
per cent of all child domestic workers are below the age of 14 years, with 3.5 million aged
5 to 11 years and 3.8 million between 12 and
14 years. Some children are working in domestic work as a result of forced labour and
trafficking. Although the specific number of
children in forced labour and trafficking situations in domestic work is unknown, it is estimated that 5.5 million of them are victims of
forced labour and human trafficking around
the world.
Child labourers are forced to work in agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, Child domestic labourers are often ignored
service industries, hotels, bars, restaurants, by policymakers and excluded from the covfast food establishments and domestic service. erage of legislation. Legislations of a number
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is of countries exclude domestic work in private
a United Nations agency dealing with labour households. Because of the hidden nature of
issues. The effective abolition of child labour much domestic work and because labour laws
is one of the fundamental principles on which are commonly not applied in the sector, there
the ILO was founded in 1919.
The ILO are particular vulnerabilities. Their lives are
launched the World Day against Child Labour controlled by their employers and they are also
on June 12 to focus attention on the global ex- subjected to verbal and physical abuses. This
tent of child labour and the action and efforts is a socioeconomic problem. Parents for the
needed to eliminate it. On this day, the ILO reason of poverty send their children to suppleinvites everyone to celebrate the World Day ment their family incomes derived from child
labour. There are also other reasons like ilagainst Child Labour.
literacy, ignorance of parents about the imIn 2010, the international community adopted portance of education, ignorance of impact on
a roadmap for achieving elimination of the children of labour and lack of concern about
worst forms of child labour by 2016, which government policy.
stressed that child labour is an impediment to
childrens rights and a barrier to development Even though this is a global phenomenon, it
is very unfortunate that India has the largest
of any nation.
number of child labourers. In India, more
The theme for this years World Day against
than 12.7 million children are engaged in child
Child Labour is No to child labour in domestic
labour. And 20 per cent to 40 per cent of
work.
these child labourers are in domestic work.
Large numbers of children are already in- There are as many as 15 lakh child labourvolved as domestic workers before they reach ers in the 30 districts of Odisha. Children
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of Odisha work in different occupations such
as agriculture and allied works, collection and
processing of minor forest produces, domestic
work/help, hotels/motels/road side dhabas,
etc.
3.7. JUNE
NCLPs in 1994 to rehabilitate children working in hazardous occupations.
Childrens development and an overall eradication of child labour problem depend on active public-private partnership, proper Government policies and programmes for eliminating poverty and unemployment and free basic
facilities and education to poor people in the
society.
Although child labour in India is legally forbidden since 1986, the kids are still involved in
different works as child labourers. There are
a lot of provisions added in the Constitution of
India for child welfare to overcome child labour
The Government of India is stepping up its
and to avoid the situations that come as a confight against child labour. Under new laws,
sequence of the child labour.
all labour involving children under 14 years
The Constitution of India, through various Ar- old is illegal. Children under 18 years are also
ticles enshrined in the Fundamental Rights protected from any type of hazardous work.
and the Directive Principles of State Policy as:
In August 2012, the Jharkhand Government
No child below the age of 14 years shall be
has approved a State Action Plan. This policy
employed to work in any factory or mine or
framework envisages a child labour-free State
engaged in any other hazardous employment
by 2016 and details the vision of the State and
(Article 24); The State shall provide free and
its plan towards achieving the elimination of
compulsory education to all children of the age
child labour and ensuring the right to educa6 to 14 years(Article 21A); The State shall dition to every child. Similar policy frameworks
rect its policy towards securing that the health
in other States can eradicate child labour in
and strength of workers, men and women and
our country.
the tender age of children are not abused and
that they are not forced by economic necessity Children are the biggest asset of a society.
to enter vocations unsuited to their age and The welfare of the society is closely related to
the welfare of the child. To eliminate child
strength (Article 39E).
labour, it is imperative to improve the socioThe Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation)
economic status of their families. Unless the
Act came to force in 1986. As per the law, any
socio-economic status of the poor families is
person who employs any child in contravenimproved, their children will be bound to work
tion of the provision of Section 3 of the Act is
as labourers. There is an urgent need for
liable for a jail term which shall not be less
studying the role and perspective of the socithan three months but which may extend to
ety towards child worker as the culture of a
two years or with fine which shall not be less
society plays the vital and important role in
than 20,000 but which may extend to 50,000,
establishing the norms and laws.
or with both.
There are many solutions to the child labour
In order to stop child labour, the Government
problem. Income of the families should be
of Odisha has passed some rules. One of the
increased and education for all children irreimportant rules is the Odisha Child Labour
spective of their economic and social back(Prohibition and Regulation) Rules, 1994.
ground should be ensured; that helps children
Besides, the Government of India adopted to learn skills and earn a livelihood.
various programmes for eradication of child
At the international level, different organilabour. The Ministry of Labour and Employsations are also working to eradicate child
ment has implemented the national policy
labour, but still there are lots of efforts needed
through the establishment of National Child
to create an environment free from child
Labour Projects (NCLPs) for rehabilitation of
labour.
child workers since 1988. Initially, these
projects were industry-specific and aimed at Let us all take some steps in this direction so
rehabilitating children working in traditional that all children get free education and live a
child labour-endemic industries. A renewed healthy life with their families. This would be
commitment to fulfil the Constitutional man- beneficial to the individual family as well as
date resulted in enlarging the ambit of the the whole society.
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3.7. JUNE
was observed in 1973. This is the most widelycelebrated global day for positive environmen-end-child-labour.html
tal action. It inspires action by governments,
industries, community groups and individuals to improve the environment. It provides
a unique opportunity to raise awareness on
3.7.6 Heritage Conservation: Odisha environment and mobilise action by all stake(2013-06-05 14:17)
holders.
eswar/raise-poor-families-socio-economic-status-to
The issue of food security refers to the availability of food and ones access to it. A household is considered food-secure when its occupants do not live in hunger or fear of starvation. The World Health Organisation (WHO)
defines three facets of food security: food availability, food access and food use.Ensuring
food security ought to be an issue of great importance for a country like India where more
than one-third of the population is estimated
to be absolutely poor. Food security at the
national level refers mainly to the availability
in the country of sufficient stocks of food to
meet domestic demand, either through domestic supply or through imports.
3.7.7
Urban
(2013-06-05 05:03)
Agriculture
The worlds population is likely to reach 9.1

billion by 2050. The United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that
by 2050, global food demand will increase by
70 per cent in order to feed the global population of 9.1 billion. This is going to put
a tremendous pressure on the already scarce
land and water resources, thereby implying an
urgent need for an alternative way to combat
food shortages.
Urban Agriculture (UA) has the potential to

[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editioprovide millions with some secure access to
ns/bhubaneswar/needed-urban-ag riculturefood.UA is defined as the production of crop
for-food-security.html
and livestock goods within cities and towns.
The rapid urbanisation in developing nations UA can also involve animal husbandry, aquais accompanied by a rapid increase in urban culture, agro forestry and horticulture. These
poverty and urban food insecurity. This sce- also occur in periphery-urban areas as well.
nario is further aggravated by the fact that Urban Agriculture contributes to food security
high food inflation, which by now is a global and food safety.
phenomenon, is expected to continue in fuIndia is experiencing a shift over time from a
ture.
largely rural and agrarian population residing
The United Nations Environment Programme in villages to urban, non-agriculture centres.
(UNEP) has invited people world over to cele- Presently, India has a population of 1.2 billion
brate the annual World Environment Day on as per the Census of India, 2011 and is the
June 5 with the theme for this year as Think. second most populous country in the world afEat, Save.
terChina. However, it is projected that India
The World Environment Day (WED) desig- will be the worlds most populous country by
nated by the United Nations General Assem- 2025 surpassing China. By 2050, it will have
bly in 1972 is a peoples event. The first WED over 1.6 billion people.
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Hence, with limited natural resources, water, limited land area and a vast majority of
poor, uneducated and underutilised human
resources, the cities will be unsustainable.
Good practice of UA is one of the solutions for
food security in the country.
Integration of Urban Agriculture with urban
greening programmes can provide food to urban residents, to reduce urban pollution and
temperatures as well as to offer recreation opportunities to improve quality of life for all urban residents. Urban Agriculture in India is
just witnessing its beginning with a few initiatives in some of the cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and Mumbai.
3.7. JUNE
their cities green and sustainable with food
security. The cost of greening and cleaning
can be borne by urban food production and
Urban Agriculture. Different countries in the
world like China, Australia and many Asian as
well as African countries are doing it and constantly improving on this. In India, though the
concept of Urban Agriculture is beginning to
become popular, the concept of good practice
Urban Agriculture is yet to gain momentum.
However, Good Practice Urban Agriculture

efforts have to become much more popular
in India for the survival of Indian cities and
their citizens. It has the potential for providing much higher benefits in nutrition improvement, income generation and land as well as
waste
management.
As India progresses towards a rapid phase of
urbanisation and as the concept of sustain- China is a very good example of Good Practice
able cities becomes increasingly acceptable, Urban Agriculture and today China is highly
there are opportunities to build environmen- dependent on urban agriculture.
tally and economically sound Urban AgriculUrban fringes in Indian cities are mostly used
ture systems involving waste and water manas dumping sites for city wastes. If appropriagement that can be incorporated from the beate agricultural practices are adopted in these
ginning itself and make it an
sites, it would be beneficial to all.
integral part of urban planning. Urban Agriculture is probably the most efficient tool avail- Urban Agriculture, with good practice, introable which can help manage a citys waste by duced to the fringes has several environmental
utilising it for food cultivation and creating benefits, namely reduced pollution, beneficial
reuse of wastes, increased tree cover and betjobs.
ter living conditions for the urban poor living
It creates a diverse ecology where fruit-bearing in the urban fringe areas.
trees,
Good Practice Urban Agriculture has to be
vegetable plantations and even fishing, etc., linked with food system planning and land use
could co-exist and build a wholly ecologically planning of a city and surroundings. Hence,
sustainable scenario.
Good Practice Urban Agriculture, food system
Land policies in and around cities need to be and land use patterns should be closely interdesigned in such a way that it accepts agricul- linked.
ture as a legitimate usage of land. Urban AgriThere is a need for identification of land for
culture has to be integrated in the agriculture
urban development with agriculture. Agriculpolicies and urban planning.
tural land within urban area is to be protected
As more of the worlds population lives in under the provisions of the Town and Country
cities, questions of food security and food Planning Act.
sovereignty increasingly take on an urban diNew townships should incorporate urban agrimension. A greater attention is now being paid
culture like city farming, horticulture, etc at
to the production and supply of food within urthe very beginning in the planning stage. This
ban areas. However, to maximise its contribuwill provide food security and urbanresilience
tion and impact, Urban Agriculture must be
in a sustainable way.
integrated into broader food systems and into
more comprehensive programmes of city plan- There is a need for greater awareness about
urban
ning.
There are hundreds of cities both in rich and agriculture. Socially-oriented enterprises can
poor countries that have set targets to make play a significant role to spread knowledge134
BlogBook
3.8. MAY
intensive techniques in this area. The Government at the same time should facilitate UA
through various schemes for food security in
3.8.2
the city.
Smoking between Poverty and

Mortality (2013-05-31 04:27)
eswar/needed-urban-agriculture-for-food-security.h
tml
3.8 May
3.8.1
Tobacco-free
cities
(2013-05-31 04:32)
[1]
http://www.orissapost.com/world-notobacco-day-tobacco-free-cities/
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/smoking-apower
ful-mediator-between-poverty-andmortality.html
The global tobacco epidemic kills nearly six
million people each year, of which more than
6,00,000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. Unless we act, the
epidemic will kill more than eight million people every year by 2030.
More than 80 per cent of these preventable
deaths will be among people living in low- and
middle-income countries, where the burden of
tobacco-related illness and death is more.
Every year, on May 31, the World Health
Organisation (WHO) and partners mark the
World No Tobacco Day highlighting the health
risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco
consumption. The theme for the World No Tobacco Day 2013 is Ban Tobacco advertising,
promotion and sponsorship. The ultimate
goal of the day is to protect the present and future generations not only from these devastating health consequences but also against the
social, environmental and economic scourges
of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.
Tobacco products are made entirely or partly
of leaf tobacco as raw material, which are
intended to be smoked, sucked, chewed or
snuffed. All contain the highly addictive psychoactive ingredient, nicotine. Despite the
1.
http://www.orissapost.com/world-no-tobacco-day- overwhelming evidence of the harmful effects
of smoking, tobacco use has increased in detobacco-free-cities/
135
BlogBook
3.8. MAY
veloping countries and become one of the most restaurants, offices or other enclosed spaces
profound global health challenges.
when people burn tobacco products such as
cigarettes and bidis.
Tobacco has been used in India for centuries.
The early forms of tobacco were limited to The World Health Survey (WHS) conducted by
chewing tobacco leaves or smoking tobacco. the WHO has found that 46.7 per cent of poor
Today, several products made of, or contain- men smoke in India as against 21.8 per cent of
ing tobacco, are available in the market. Nico- rich men. In developing countries, many of the
tine is a drug found in tobacco which is highly poorest smokers spend significant amounts of
addictive. Over time, a person becomes phys- their incomes on tobacco instead of basic huically and emotionally addicted to, or depen- man needs such as food, shelter, healthcare
dent on, nicotine. Tobacco use is one of the and education. It is because smoking regumain risk factors for a number of chronic dis- lates mood, manages stress and copes up with
eases, including cancer, lung diseases and the strains of material deprivation.
cardiovascular diseases. Despite the known An adult tobacco survey in India done recently
health problems associated with tobacco use, by the Health Ministry and the WHO found
adolescents continue to initiate and develop that smokers in India spend an average of Rs
regular patterns of tobacco use.
399 on cigarettes and Rs 93 on bidis monthly.
According
to the Planning Commission of InGlobally, adult tobacco consumption is
strongly associated with poverty, with those dia, as many as 354 million people or 29 per
in lower socioeconomic classes using tobacco cent of the population currently live below the
at higher rates. Although there are many poverty line, which is defined by a monthly infactors contributing to predicted tobacco use, come of anything below 672 rupees for rural
socioeconomic status is the single greatest India and 859 rupees for urban labourers.
predictor.
In India, only 20 per cent of the total tobacco
consumption is in the form of cigarettes. Bidis
account for the largest proportion, at about 40
per cent of the total. Bidis contain higher concentrations of nicotine than both filtered and
unfiltered cigarettes and have equally deleterious effects on health. Also, due to extensive
use of chewing tobacco, India has the most
cases of oral cancer in the world, with 83,000
incident cases and 46,000 deaths annually.
These cancers are steadily increasing and occurring more frequently among younger people. A recent research has demonstrated that
smoking increases the risk of death among
patients with tuberculosis (TB) and causes
200,000 extra deaths due to TB. An estimated
65 per cent of all adult Indian men and 33 per
cent of adult Indian women use some form of
tobacco.
Smoking is, therefore, a powerful mediator of

the association between poverty and mortality.
This is because the poor and less educated are
less aware of the health hazards of smoking
and, thus, more likely to adopt this harmful
practice.
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. In adults, secondhand
smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart
disease and lung cancer. In infants, it causes
sudden death.
Despite increased efforts in tobacco control

over the last several decades, smoking continues to be the number one cause of preventable diseases and deaths. Furthermore,
tobacco is directly related to and contributes
to poverty. According to the WHO, tobacco
use contributes to huge economic losses for
individuals, families, communities and entire
Millions of people in India use chewing to- countries.
bacco.
With India undergoing a tremen- Tobacco also creates economic costs that exdous economic and epidemiologic transition, tend beyond the direct cost of related illnesses
tobacco consumption is increasing rapidly and productivity losses, including healthcare
among urban youth.
Nearly all tobacco expenditures from active and passive smokers,
use begins during youth and young adult- employee absenteeism, reduced labour prohood. These young individuals progress from ductivity, ?re damage due to careless smokers,
smoking occasionally to smoking every day. increased cleaning costs and widespread enviSecondhand smoke is the smoke that fills ronmental damages.
136
BlogBook
3.8. MAY
Tobacco users have higher medical expenses
due to tobacco-related illnesses and tend to
die at younger ages, leaving their families with
loss of income, medical bills and other expenses related to their illnesses and deaths.
The immediate and long-term benefits of
smoking cessation extend to men and women
of all income and education levels but are
more pronounced among low socioeconomic
status (SES) adults. While cessation may
seem near impossible for many low SES individuals, there are several effective tools that
can control use. Tobacco control policy can
have a significant impact on reducing smoking rates and health consequences of smoking
among low SES individuals. There is a need to
continue raising awareness and remind people
of the law. Ultimately, governmental leadership at state and city levels would be crucial
to the ongoing success of the smoke-free law.
advertising, promotion and sponsorship is required for all people to live a tobacco-free
healthy life.
eswar/smoking-a-powerful-mediator-between-povertyand-mortality.html
3.8.3 Biodiversity:
Bhitarkanika
(2013-05-22 01:08)
[1] http://www.orissapost.com/bhitarkanikaawaiting-unesco-nod/
Every person should be able to breathe smokefree air. Smoke-free laws protect the health of
smokers and nonsmokers. Mass media campaigns can also reduce tobacco consumption
by influencing people to protect nonsmokers
and convincing youths to stop using tobacco.
It is high time to control smoking for lowincome people. Smoking is bad for physical
and mental health. Many poor people with
depression smoke as they find no alternative
for relax and entertainment. When a person
smokes, a dose of nicotine reaches the brain
within about 10 seconds. At first, nicotine
improves mood and concentration, decreases
anger and stress, relaxes muscles and reduces
appetite. But this effect is short-term. Smoking puts one at even greater risk of physical ill
health. Any short-term benefits that smoking
seems to have are outweighed by the higher
rates of smoking-related physical health problems such as lung cancer and heart diseases.
Nicotine replacement therapy can help smokers stop smoking and they should think of better opportunity of livelihood.
A number of countries have legislations restricting tobacco. The Government of India
has launched the new National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) to implement the antitobacco laws and sensitise all stakeholders, 1. http://www.orissapost.com/bhitarkanika-awaiting
which would reduce the prevalence of smok- -unesco-nod/
ing among the lower socioeconomic groups.
Besides, a comprehensive ban of all tobacco
137
BlogBook
3.8.4
Biodiversity:
3.8. MAY
Similipal Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life
(2013-05-22 00:22)
forms within a given species and the ecosystem. The greater the variety of species, the
healthier becomes the biosphere.
Human activities have altered the worlds terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems
throughout history. Over the last 50 years,
there has been a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth.
The number of species at risk of extinction is
16,306 species of plants and animals listed as
threatened globally. This clearly reflected the
loss of biodiversity.
The biodiversity of an area influences every aspect of the lives of people who inhabit it. Their
living space and their livelihoods depend on
the type of ecosystem.
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/similipal-seesdisturbances-of-various-magnitudes.html
The quality of water we drink and use, the

air we breathe, the soil on which our food
grows are all influenced by a wide variety of livThe current decline in biodiversity represents ing organisms, both plants and animals, and
a serious threat to human development. Bi- the ecosystem of which each species is linked
ological resources constitute a capital asset within nature.
with great potential for yielding sustainable Biodiversity conservation and management
benefits. Protected areas that are created to are a worldwide concern. In India, there is inpreserve biodiversity are in critical condition creasing interest and concern for biodiversity
due to excessive anthropogenic pressure.
conservation in biosphere reserves.
Urgent and decisive action is needed to conserve and maintain genes, species and ecosystems for sustainable management and use of
biological resources.
These biosphere reserves have been set up by

expanding and merging the isolated, preexisting national park and sanctuaries under the
control of Forest and Wildlife Departments to
The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 as meet the objectives of biodiversity conservathe International Day for Biological Diversity tion and management.
(IDB) to increase understanding and aware- These biosphere reserves are areas of terresness of biodiversity issues. Water is essential trial and coastal ecosystems promoting solufor life. No living being on planet Earth can tions to reconcile the conservation of biodisurvive without it.
versity with its sustainable use. The idea
It is a prerequisite for human health and wellbeing as well as for preservation of the environment. Water and Biodiversity is the theme for
International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB)
in 2013. The theme has been chosen to coincide with the United Nations designation of
2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.
Designation of IDB 2013 on the theme of water provides parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and to raise awareness
about this vital issue and to increase positive
action.
138
of Biosphere Reserves was initiated by the

UNESCO in 1973-74 under its Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme. Biosphere reserves
constitute the main goal of the whole programme.
The Indian National Man and Biosphere Committee identifies and recommends potential
sites for designation as Biosphere Reserves,
following the UNESCOs guidelines and criteria. The Biosphere Reserves are different from
wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks as the
emphasis is on overall biodiversity and landscape rather than on specific species.
3.8. MAY
In a biosphere, there are three different zones:
core area, buffer zones and transition zones.
The core areas are the most heavily protected
sites where the ecosystems remain relatively
untouched. They are the areas designated
mainly for conservation, and the only human
role in these areas is for observation and nondestructive research. The buffer zones surround the core area and are open to people
to visit. However, people cannot inhabit these
areas.
They are mainly used for recreation and ecotourism. Transition zones are the areas in
the biosphere where towns would be located
if there were any. The people living in these
towns are usually management agencies, scientists, cultural groups native to the area and
farms and fisheries (biosphere). The people
who live in the towns are usually responsible
for managing, sustaining, and developing the
biosphere.
BlogBook
waterfalls in the country, at a height of 399
m. The falls are the most beautiful sites at the
National Park. The rich biodiversity, the physical and topographical features of Simlipal constitute a unique and delightful destination for
scientists, nature-lovers and tourists.
The Biosphere Reserve is an international
designation by the UNESCO for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes
extending over large areas of terrestrial or
coastal ecosystems or a combination thereof.
The Government of India initiated a Centrallysponsored scheme on Biosphere Reserve in
1986. The goals for biosphere reserve management are to facilitate conservation of representative landscapes and their immense biological diversity and cultural heritage.
These are the most appropriate means of protecting the landscape with its total biodiversity. So far, 15 Biosphere Reserves have been
established all over the country across different bio-geographical regions. Similipal was
notified as the eighth Biosphere Reserve in
1994.
The State of Odisha is quite rich in natural resources and has several biodiversity hotspot
areas. It has varied and widespread forests
harbouring dry deciduous, moist deciduous
forests as well as mangroves with several This biosphere reserve is unique in terms of
unique, endemic, rare and endangered floral its varied topography, geologic formation and
and faunal species.
rich biological diversity.
Odisha ranks fourth amongst State/Union The forest ecosystems of the Similipal BioTerritories of the country in terms of area un- sphere Reserve are experiencing disturbances
der forest cover. The total forest area of the of various magnitudes.
State is 58, 135 sqkm, which is 37.34 per
cent of the States geographical area and about People affect biodiversity in both direct and
indirect ways. Agriculture and animal hus7.66 per cent of the countrys forests.
bandry alter the biological diversity by destroySimilipal located in Odishas Mayurbhanj dising or modifying the native biota. Activities of
trict, with its dense green forests, hilly terrain,
these people may generate threats that cause
broad open valleys, plateaus, grasslands and
major obstacles in biodiversity conservation in
rich biodiversity, has the unique distinction
Similipal. The specific threats are the loss of
of being a Tiger Reserve, a National Park, a
biodiversity due to collection of timber, fireWildlife Sanctuary, an Elephant Reserve and a
wood, fire and hunting of wildlife. Special
Biosphere Reserve. Semi-evergreen to dry deattention should be given to different compociduous forest types (1,076 species of plants
nents of the biosphere reserves like landscape,
including 94 varieties of orchids) provide suithabitats and species.
able home for a variety of fauna. Important and rare wildlife include tigers, elephants, The Similipal Biosphere Reserve is also an
leopards, Sambars, spotted deer, peacocks, ideal habitat for approximately 600 plant
pythons, cobras, lizards, etc. It is the rich- species. The illegal and unscientific collecest watershed in Odisha, giving rise to many tion by local people has led to a drastic reducperennial rivers. Gorgeous Barehipani and Jo- tion in the number of medicinal plant species.
randa waterfalls are of great attractions. The and many species of such plants are becoming
Barehipani waterfall is located at the centre rare and are included in the list of endangered
of the National Park. It is one of the tallest plants.
139
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3.8. MAY
The best way to protect Similipals biodiversity 3.8.6

is to protect its habitats. In order to facilitate
and coordinate the research programmes and
identify the critical gaps in research efforts on
the Similipal Biosphere Reserve, the State Government enacted the Odisha Biological Diversity Rules, 2010.
Wetland
degradation
(2013-05-11 13:33)
The implementation of the rules and the biosphere programme would seek to make a sustained impact on the overall scenario of biodiversity conservation. The conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity also requires
full and effective participation of local communities.
eswar/similipal-sees-disturbances-of-various-magni
tudes.html
3.8.5
Water
birds
in
India
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/wetland-degrada
tion-bird-populations-dwindle-inchilika.html
WETLAND DEGRADATION: BIRD POPULATIONS DWINDLE IN CHILIKA
The World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) was

initiated in 2006 and is an awareness-raising
campaign highlighting the need for protection
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/water-birdsof migratory birds and their habitats. In the
in-india/
second weekend each May, people around the
world take action and organise public events
such as bird festivals, education programmes
and bird watching excursions to celebrate the
WMBD.
(2013-05-11 13:37)
This year, the day will be celebrated on May

11-12 with the theme Networking for migratory birds. The WMBD is expected to connect the world and bring together organisations, governments and dedicated people to
protect migratory birds for future generations.
The day works as a network to increase public
knowledge about migratory birds and their importance and also connects groups of people
to share, celebrate with and learn from each
other.
1. http://www.orissapost.com/water-birds-in-india/
140
This years theme also highlights the need to

cooperate and network amongst organisations
and people to conserve migratory birds. Since
the migration routes often cross many nations
and even entire continents and oceans, an
effective management strategy requires joint
action in the form of international cooperation. Collective conservation actions by nature
conservation organisations, scientists, governments and the general public are needed to
ensure survival of the migratory birds.
3.8. MAY
BlogBook
The survival of migratory birds depends on

the availability of well-connected habitat networks along their migration routes.
This
years theme aims to emphasise both ecological networks and the networks between organisations and individuals and their mutual importance for long-term conservation of migratory birds.
visit the wetlands in India. In comparison to

other Indian wetlands, maximum numbers of
migratory birds are seen in the Chilika lagoon
in Odisha. The Chilika Lake is the largest lagoon in Asia spread over three coastal districts
of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam. It is connected
to the Bay of Bengal. The water spread area of
the lagoon varies between 1,165 sqkm in monsoon and about 906 sqkm in the pre-monsoon
Suitable habitats are vital for migratory birds period.
as they provide the areas necessary for feeding, resting and breeding. These birds travel Ornithologists feel that early snowfall and
huge distances, sometimes comprising thou- scarce food might have led the birds to migrate
sands of kilometers. However, human activi- to the Chilika. Experts this time felt that the
ties, directly or indirectly, damage these sites abundance of food and favourable weather atthrough habitat fragmentation and degrada- tracted birds to the Chilika as the lagoons lotion, thereby posing a threat to the bird cation on the coast in the tropical zone spares
species. Many sites that birds depend on are it from extreme temperatures. The Chilika
under threat from human activities, posing a catchment enjoys a typically tropical climate
grave risk to their species. Direct human activ- with an average annual maximum temperaities such as land reclamation and deforesta- ture of 39.9C and a minimum temperature
tion as well as indirect human influences such of 14.0C. It is bounded by hills and hillocks.
as climate change damage these sites through The Chilika is recognised as one of the most
habitat fragmentation and degradation. Large important wetlands in the world because it is
numbers of important sites have already been home to a phenomenal variety of birds. It has
damaged, or lost entirely. Consequently, con- always been potentially able to provide excelservation of the remaining important sites is lent hospitality to the birds with favourable
crucial for protection of the migratory avian weather, food and shelter. There are many
island sanctuaries in the Chilika with the isspecies.
land of Nalabana as a major attraction. NalaIn many parts of the world, wetlands are under bana is a lowlying marshy island of about 35
threat of degradation or disappearance. Vast km2, covered with low vegetation. Designated
water body and biodiversity is a major fac- as a bird sanctuary, it forms the core of all
tor for visit of thousands of birds from differ- tourist attractions in the Chilka region due to
ent regions of the world. Along with this, cli- the presence of variegated flora and fauna.
mate change is emerging as the greatest threat
to natural communities in most parts of the The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds in
worlds ecosystems in coming decades. Bird the peak migration season, the winter. The
species are great indicators of climate change. birds travel possibly up to 12,000 km to reach
It is affecting birds behaviour, distribution the lake. The lagoon is at present facing the
and population dynamics and is implicated in problems of an overall loss of biodiversity.
a complete breeding failure in some popula- The ecological character of the lake is intions. The problems faced by bird populations fluenced by hydrological regimes and is vulworldwide, especially by migratory birds that nerable to changes due to anthropogenic as
may be travelling up to tens of thousands of well as natural factors. The lake has gone
miles, mean that drastic changes in any sin- through tremendous ecological changes since
gle world region could push a wide variety of last decade. It had been facing problems like
the species out of existence.
siltation, shrinkage of area and choking of the
inlet channel, which led to decrease in the
Migratory birds visit most part of India and are
salinity gradient, proliferation of freshwater
not confined to a few areas. With a view to esweeds, followed by a decrease in fish produccaping severe cold in winter and also in search
tivity and an overall loss of biodiversity.
of food, the birds travel from the remote lands
like Siberia, Mongolia, Caspian Lake, Baikal The growth of chemicals-based industries in
Lake, Ladakh and the Himalayas foothills to the catchment areas, agriculural intensifica2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
141
BlogBook
tion in the Chilika basin and the spread of
prawn-culture ponds have increased pollution
and eutrophication of the lake. The presence
of toxic-heavy metals including mercury, lead,
copper, chromium and nickel in the lake has
been reported. In addition to its impact on
fishing, the growth of weeds has contributed
to drastic reductions in the bird populations,
particularly noted near Nalabana. Deforestation in the Chilika basin and hunting are also
contributing to this decline.
Due to the degradation of wetland habitats,
the populations of various bird species are
dwindling in the Chilika. In 2010 and 2011,
the number of birds visiting the lake were 9,
24,578 and 8,83,072, respectively. In 2012,
birds numbering 8,77,322 flocked to the lake
which is less by 5,750 compared to the previous year, as per the latest bird census. This
may be due to the rise in temperature. Another reason may be that the depth of the lake
has decreased. If this trend continues, the
numbers of birds will reduce in the coming
years. This decline, in turn, has resulted in a
substantial decrease in international tourists
and ecotourism, which used to contribute
greatly to the local economy.
In the Chilika, bird conservation requires a
continuous adaptation based on the review
of changes in various components of ecological character of the wetland. There is a need
for ecosystem conservation and sustainable
resource development and livelihood improvement supported by institutional development,
communication, education and public awareness. Ecosystem conservation would comprise catchment conservation, water management and biodiversity conservation. Siltation
is the major problem of the lake. There is a
need to reduce this load by suitable plantation
and watershed development programme in the
catchment areas.
The State Wildlife Organisation in collaboration with the Chilika Development Authority
(CDA) has taken several steps for protection
and conservation of the local and migratory
birds. Besides, awareness and cooperation
of the local people are highly essential. Public awareness and concern are crucial components of migratory bird conservation. Citizens
who are enthusiastic about birds, informed
about threats and empowered to become in142
3.9. APRIL
volved in addressing those threats, can make
tremendous contributions for migratory bird
conservation of the Chilika Lake.
eswar/wetland-degradation-bird-populations-dwindle
-in-chilika.html
3.9 April
3.9.1 Rescue
of
Child
Ragpickers
(2013-04-28 05:48)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/its-time-to-com
e-torescue-of-child-ragpickers.html
ITS TIME TO COME TO RESCUE OF CHILD
RAGPICKERS
Today, throughout the world, around 215 million children work as per the International
Labour Organisation (ILO). They dont go to
school and have little or no time to play. Many
do not receive proper nutrition or care. More
than half of them are exposed to the worst
forms of child labour. Out of the 2.34 million occupational fatalities every year, only
321,000 are due to accidents. The remaining 2.02 million deaths are caused by various
types of work-related diseases, which correspond to a daily average of over 5,500.
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work
is a UN international day observed on April 28.
The days theme in 2013 is Prevention of occupational diseases. Occupational diseases
continue as the leading cause of work-related
deaths. They are caused by chemical, physical and biological agents to respiratory and
skin diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and
occupational cancer. This also affects child
labourers health.
Child Labour exists in both developing and
developed countries. Its prevalence is more
in the developing countries because the families, to which the children belong, are in an
BlogBook
3.9. APRIL
urgent need of income of children for their
subsistence. India is sadly the home to the
largest number of child labourers. There are
35 million Indian child labourers according to
a Unicef report.
long distances may be associated with muscular/skeletal problems.
As street children, between five and 18 years

of age, they earn their livelihood by polishing
shoes, washing cars, ragpicking, selling newspapers, etc. They also work as coolies and
helpers in automobile repair shops, construction sites and hotels. A ragpicker is one who
picks out recyclable elements from dumped
mixed wastes. According to the3 Unicef, ragpicking is one of the worst forms of child
labour. Ragpickerss life is very hard as they
search through every dirty garbage heap. This
activity requires no skills and they get a maximum 20 to 50 rupees from scrap dealers for
their collections. But the children face various
physical hazards such as cuts on their body
and are also susceptible to infections and diseases. They are victims of poverty and illiteracy. Some of these children are involved in
drugs, alcohol, smoking and gambling. Sometimes, they indulge in antisocial activities.
they can live a healthy life.
Ragpicking is probably one of the most dangerous and dehumanising activities in India.
Children should be protected from such work.
Child labour refers to the employment of chil- Education is of primary importance for children in any work that deprives children of dren for their present and future wellbeing.
their childhood, interferes with their ability The inadequate prevention of occupational disto attend regular school and that is mentally, eases has profound negative effects on child
physically, socially or morally dangerous and workers and their families. It is necessary to
harmful. Legislations across the world pro- take effective economic and social measures to
hibit child labour. However in developing eliminate the roots of child ragpickers. There
countries, with high poverty, child labour is is an urgent need to look into the lives of these
still prevalent.
children and design some initiatives so that
The inadequate prevention of occupational diseases has profound negative effects on the
child labourers. Because waste materials may
include biological pathogens such as parasites
and bacteria, this can be passed from hands
to the mouth. Hospital waste often constitutes
part of the wastes. This can be hazardous
in terms of biological and chemical contamination including exposure to used syringes,
dressings, discarded medicines. Industrial
waste may include toxic materials such as
heavy metals and their associated health effects. Sharp objects can cause cuts which, in
turn, may lead to tetanus or other infections.
Waste pickers are in direct competition with
dogs for the waste materials; this sometimes
leads to dog bites and the associated threat of
rabies. Carrying heavy loads of wastes over
eswar/its-time-to-come-to-rescue-of-child-ragpicke
rs.html
3.9.2 Environmental health risk of

slum-dwellers (2013-04-25 18:40)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/its-basically-a
n-environmental-health-risk-of-slumdwellers.html
Various environment-related problems and
diseases are associated with exposure of hazardous unsanitary conditions in the slum areas. The most prevalent disease is malaria
fever, typhoid fever and diarrhea. Malaria particularly is an infectious disease transmitted
by mosquitoes that kill more than one million
people each year. Globally, 3.3 billion people
in 106 countries are at risk of malaria. To control malaria, World Malaria Day is commemorated every year on April 25 and recognises
global efforts.
The World Malaria Day was instituted by the
World Health Organisation (WHO) Member
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States during the 2007 World Health Assembly. It is an occasion to highlight the need for
continued investment and sustained political
commitment for malaria prevention and control. It is also an opportunity for new donors
to join the global malaria partnership, and for
research and academic institutions to showcase their scientific work. The global campaign theme for 2013 is Invest in the future.
Defeat malaria.
Many countries throughout the world continue to report high prevalence of malaria infection. Even though the disease can be prevented or treated, it remains a major cause
of mortality in many parts of the world. It
is one of the major communicable diseases affecting mankind, caused by plasmodium parasite, transmitted by the bite of infective female
anopheles mosquito. It is most prevalent in
slums and squatter settlements of urban areas.
3.9. APRIL
provement of knowledge and practice of appropriate preventive measures in slum and squatter settlements. So, socioeconomic status,
housing, water storage, sanitation, waste disposal facilities should be improved. The people should cooperate with municipal health
workers. Mosquito nets/repellents may be
provided to the poor free of cost.
Providing adequate shelter in cities of developing countries has been a fundamental problem for national and municipal governments.
World leaders, governments and international
agencies are trying to take direct action to improve the living conditions of slum-dwellers
and offer adequate solutions for tomorrow. Adequate housing is one of the effective means
to alleviate poverty because shelter is usually
the most expensive item for households. It is
also a prerequisite for better health, providing
a great amount of saving when one is not sick.
The urban poor should play a key role in the

improvement of their living conditions. Their
participation in all stages of a social development agenda is a fundamental human right.
Urban human settlements require a more inclusive approach to planning and land management to sustain all the people who live in
them. Slums can be upgraded most effectively
when citywide approaches are adopted. These
approaches should include consultation with
More than 1 billion people around the world a broad range of stakeholders and use of parlive in slums. By 2030, the worlds slum pop- ticipatory planning methods.
ulation could rise to 2 billion. For the poor, ur- Absence of planned development of the slum
ban areas have always provided a means of im- settlements is a major reason for absence of
proving quality of life as well as being in close waste disposal facilities (both liquid and solid
proximity to better jobs and incomes. Slum waste). Malaria is a preventable and treatable
creation has been the result of a recent up- mosquito-borne disease. Appropriate counsurge in rural-urban migration, limited supply tries and communities are being encouraged
of land, and regulatory frameworks that are to reduce mosquito breeding sites by filling in
not addressing the needs of the urban poor.
and draining water bodies and implementing
Many areas in the developing world are urbanising very fast and, along with this, the slum
population in these countries is also steadily
increasing. Slum areas have the highest concentrations of poor people with inadequate
access to safe water, inferior sanitation and
other infrastructure, poor quality of housing,
overcrowding and unprotected residential status.
Inadequate quantities and quality of drinking

water, lack of sanitation facilities, and poor
hygiene cause millions of the worlds poorest
people to suffer from various diseases including malaria. The disease is closely associated
with the availability of water as the larval stage
of mosquitoes develops in different kinds of
stagnant water bodies. In urban slums, water
storage and poor drainage increase mosquito
breeding, the main cause of malaria.
other environmental management schemes.
Malaria elimination is a worthwhile goal. In

this context, innovative financing would play
an important role. Investments in malaria prevention and control have been among the best
investments in global health facility, resulting
in a dramatic decrease in malaria deaths and
illness. The strategic approaches to malaria
control come within two major domains prevention and case management. The goals of
Therefore, malaria control must be based on malaria control are to protect individual peodisease epidemiology with emphasis on im- ple against infective malaria mosquito bites
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3.9. APRIL
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and to reduce the intensity of local malaria tal risks of slum-dwellers but also give birth
transmission at community level.
to a functional and aesthetic environment for
slum-dwellers.
Participatory slum upgrading and prevention
programme strengthens capacity of local, central and regional institutions and key stakeholders in settlement and slum improvement
through the use of good governance and management approaches.
Generally, the programme aims to respond to the dynamic development of cities and slum upgrading activities. These require a deep understanding of There is a need to develop a funding scheme to
the local context, interaction of urban stake- improve the socioeconomic condition of slumholders, institutional frameworks and finan- dwellers.
cial mechanisms.
The most powerful and most broadly-applied
interventions such as long-lasting insecticidal
nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS)
can help prevent malaria in slum areas. The
incidence of malaria can also be reduced when
mosquito breeding areas caused by insufficient drainage are eliminated. These interventions work by reducing the lifespan of adult
female anopheles mosquitoes so that they do
not survive long enough to transmit the parasite.
It is imperative to educate slum-dwellers

about mosquito-borne diseases and their preventive measures. Finally, the people need
proper enlightenment on the importance and
benefits of a healthy environment.
Working with families and communities to improve their knowledge on prevention, recognition and appropriate treatment of malaria is
the key to success of any malaria control programme. Besides, high-level political commitment, mobilisation of resources is required to
apply the effective tools, medicines and control This would prevent many diseases in slums
strategies already available.
and squatter settlements and lead to a healthy
The effects of suboptimal service delivery are life for slum-dwellers.
felt in low-income neighbourhoods and slums.
Basic services like water supply and sanitation are primarily the responsibility of Urban
Local Bodies. However, in many local authorities in developing countries suffer from lack of
financial, technical and human resources and
are therefore not capable or willing to deliver
and maintain basic urban services. Funding 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
plays a fundamental role in implementation of eswar/its-basically-an-environmental-health-risk-o
any slum management strategy. Total clear- f-slum-dwellers.html
ance of the slum in an urban area may not be
feasible because of the poor land management
and cost elements, but an urban basic service
(UBS) may be introduced. This essentially includes provision of immediate facilities in the
slum so that residents could appreciate the importance of livable environment. These measures would not only reduce the environmen2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
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3.9.3
Global action Plan:

(2013-04-25 05:09)
3.9. APRIL
Malaria [1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswar/urbanisation-ad
ds-togrowing-levels-of-greenhouse-gas.html
URBANISATION ADDS TO GROWING LEVELS
OF GREENHOUSE GAS
Earth Day is observed on April 22 to mitigate
climate change, promote adaptation and improve public health.
The first Earth Day was held in 1970 with an
aim to promote the thoughts of ecology, reverence for existence on earth and highlighting
growing concern over pollution of the soil, air
and water. The April 22 date was also designated as International Mother Earth Day by
a resolution adopted by the United Nations in
2009.
Mother Earth is a common expression for the
planet Earth in a number of countries and
regions, which reflects the interdependence
among human beings and other living species
and the planet. This years Earth Day theme
is chosen as The Face of Climate Change by
the Earth Day Network.
With more than half the worlds population

now living in urban areas, there are concerns
that urbanisation is a key driver of unsustainable resource demands. Urbanisation also appears to contribute to the ever-growing levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
climate change. Climate change presents
unique challenges for urban areas and their
growing populations. Where urban areas grow
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/worldrapidly without regard to current and future
malaria-day-global-action-plan/
resource demands and climate change, large
1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-malaria-day-glo numbers of people and their assets can find
bal-action-plan/
themselves vulnerable to a range of disruptive
and damaging risks.
3.9.4
Urbanism is a way of life and the outcome of

urbanisation. It is the characteristic way of
Urbanisation adds to growinteraction of inhabitants of towns and cities
ing levels of greenhouse gas
with the built environment or, in other words,
(2013-04-24 06:41)
the character of urban life, organisation, problems, etc., as well as the study of that character or of the physical needs of urban societies
or city planning.
Urbanism is a complex system of partial public and private realms that exist between buildings. Therefore, large cities are not the only examples of urbanism. It can exist in the smallest town too. First, it is in our homes and
neighbourhoods that we generate the demand
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3.9. APRIL
for the worlds resources. Here, we eat most of
our food, do much of our transportation, buy,
use and dispose of most of the worlds end
products. Here, we use much of the worlds
energy for heating and cooling, lighting and operating appliances. Next to our buildings, including homes, shops and offices, we consume
roughly half of the resources that contribute
to climate change, in the activities like heating
and cooling and running lights and appliances
that are likely to trigger release of greenhouse
gases somewhere else.
So, the shape of buildings, their efficiency of
layout, their exposure to heat, their tendency
to gain heat energy and their ability to accommodate our various habits of consumption, all
have a significant effect on energy use and carbon emissions. So, clearly, the built environment has a major role in generating the causes
of climate change and other unsustainable
practices. Urban form is a critical aspect of
the challenge of sustainability. Sustainable
development is development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs, defined by the Brundtland Commission (formally known as the World Commission on Environment and Development), a
panel convened by the United Nations in 1983.
It contains the concept of needs, in particular the essential needs of the worlds poor and
the idea of limitations imposed by the state
of technology and social organisation on the
environments ability to meet present and future needs. This means that when designing
for sustainability, we must move beyond the
scale of the building and design for sustainable urbanism. This is because urbanisation
produces a warmer city centre compared to
the neighbouring surroundings. The temperature in urban area could be 5-10oC warmer
compared to rural areas. The effect is known
as the Urban Heat Island (UHI) and is seen almost at all the big cities.
In an urban area, tall buildings, bridges and
flyovers retard the free flow of air; so, suspended pollutants are not effectively removed.
Lack of open ground leads to less infiltration of rainwater in the ground as the tar
roads and cement pavements are impervious to the percolation of rainwater. This increased runoff which leads greater risks of
floods/waterlogging. The urban development
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very often takes place in a manner in which
buildings and roads occupy the flood plains
of the rivers and streams. This causes high
runoffs/stagnation of water which cannot find
its natural exit due to blocking.
Human activities produce greenhouse gases
into the atmosphere and they tend to trap
heat in the Earths atmosphere. Among the
gases are carbon dioxide, methane and various other hydrocarbon compounds. However,
there are a number of important things that
can be done at the building scale, particularly
when it comes to heating, cooling and lighting, which account for a large portion of energy
consumed by the built environment. Building
energy systems must be as efficient as possible while remaining reliable over time and with
changing conditions. The efficiency of characteristic building types is closely connected
to the efficiency of urban pattern. Again,
the size, shape and orientation of an individual building are closely related to the size,
shape and orientation of the neighbourhood
itself. The characteristic buildings that are
likely to be built in a neighbourhood are in
turn related to the neighbourhoods connectivity, density, characteristic appeal and other
factors. The building characteristics include,
attached types, which tend to save heat from
common walls; building orientation to take
maximum advantage of passive solar exposures; buildings that are well-sheltered from
the negative effects of sun and wind; buildings that line the street and support an attractive streetscape, conducive to pedestrian
activity. Urban macro-effects are effects that
are created by the urban pattern itself. They
include Albedo effect, which is the tendency
of buildings and paved surfaces to convert solar energy to heat energy and increases the
greenhouse effect. This adds to the heating of
cities. Heat island effect has the tendency of
air to become trapped between buildings, especially tall ones, and heated above ambient levels. Again, this increases the heating of cities
and can exacerbate heat wave effects. There
are also some negative effects of tall buildings.
These include wind effects, shadowing, and
canyon effect. So, the more we live in a neighbourhood with optimally distributed services,
the more we are likely to use a more efficient
combination of large and small facilities. We
can live in a more efficient lifestyle, in a more
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efficient urban pattern over many years.
3.9. APRIL
3.9.5 GREEN
URBANISM
(2013-04-24 06:36)
Therefore, urban form is a critical aspect of

the challenge of sustainability. This means
that while designing for sustainability, we
must move beyond the scale of the building,
and design for sustainable urbanism. For
urban centres, this requires that they meet
their residents needs (being healthy, enjoyable, resilient places to live and work for
all their inhabitants). Communities should
be designed for the pedestrian and public transport. Cities should be shaped by
physically-defined and universally-accessible
public spaces and community institutions.
Urban developments should be characterised
by homes with front porches, sidewalks, retail
development in close proximity to residential
development, green public spaces and green
corridors. Green corridors provide a rich habitat for a diversity of flora and fauna. A number
of cities are developing this idea of green corridor as a tool both for protection of biodiversity
and to provide a sense of continuity between
town and country which can reduce climaterelated risks.
Most urban buildings and infrastructure designed and built now would have to cope with
climate change in future. As a result, it would
be much easier to make provisions now for
likely future climate-related risks in infrastructure expansion, new buildings and new
urban developments than to have to retrofit
buildings and readjust settlement layouts in
the future. Built environment professionals
must have a major role in making these reforms. The designers must take into account
the factors at the scale of the building and
factors at the scale of the neighbourhood and
region for sustainable urbanism which would
mitigate the climate change risks, promote [1]http://www.orissapost.com/internationaladaptation and improve public health in fu- mother-earth-day-green-urbanis m/
ture.
http://www.orissapost.com/international-mother-
1.
eswar/urbanisation-adds-to-growing-levels-of-green
earth-day-green-urbanism/
house-gas.html
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3.9. APRIL
3.9.6
Bhubaneswar
(2013-04-17 15:37)
Vision-2030 3.9.7 Koenigsbergers

Bhubaneswar
Planning (2013-04-17 15:34)
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/koenigsbergersguidelines-not-followed-in-todaysplanning.html
Today the State capital city of Bhubaneswar
celebrates its 65th Foundation Day.
It was on April 13, 1948 that first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had laid the
foundation-stone of the city. Bhubaneswar,
as one of the first planned cities of modern
India, was designed on a linear plan by German architect and urban planner Dr Otto H
Koenigsberger. More than sixty years since its
making, the city remains a celebrated model of
modern architecture and city planning.
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/foundationday-of-bhubaneswar-vision-2030/
1.
http://www.orissapost.com/foundation-day-of-bhu
baneswar-vision-2030/
The original plan envisaged horizontal development rather than vertical growth for a population of 40,000 with administration as the primary function. Accordingly, six units were developed with Unit-V as location of the administrative complex and the other units planned
on neighbourhood principles. The town centre
consisted of the market building, weekly market, daily market and bus-station with a central vista leading up to Raj Bhavan and a commercial zone along Janpath and Bapuji Nagar up to the railway station. Koenigsbergers
planning zone provided the function of microclimate control and offers salubrious climate
throughout the year. This particular area designed by Dr Koenigsberger remains as the
best green cover with open space and a wellorganised transportation system in the city.
Architect Julius Lazras Vaz played an
important role in shaping the skyline of
Bhubaneswar. He designed most of the government buildings. Vaz adopted the Hindu
style of architecture with some modifications
to take advantage of modern methods of
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construction and to meet new social needs of
the people. However, Koenigsberger specified
a few guiding principles and climatic design
features essential for the city building design.
According to his guidelines, most government
buildings were designed with impressive corridors intended to protect the walls of office
rooms from direct sunrays.
Neighbourhood units were designed with the
best amenities of urban life, with units placed
at short distances to give people easy access
to school, hospital and other facilities. In a
neighbourhood unit, every child had to live
within one-quarter or one-third of a mile from
school. Every housewife had to live within half
a mile from the civic centre, where she could
do her shopping and also visit medical facilities. Home and workplace distance that could
be conveniently covered was by using a bicycle
or a cycle-rickshaw.
Koenigsberger suggested seven types of roads
footpaths, parkways, cycle paths, minor
housing streets, major housing streets, main
roads and main arteries for seven groups of
users for seven different functions. The overall
widths of land earmarked for roads and streets
were not determined by traffic alone but also
by requirements for storm water drainage services like overhead electric lines, telephone,
water and the need of adequate light and air
to the adjoining houses. The overall width of
land allotted for road purposes was, therefore,
dependent on the height of houses on both
sides.
An important consideration was space for avenue trees, and necessary provisions were
made early in the land allotment scheme and
in the estimates. For requirements other than
traffic, the allotment of land even for the smallest housing street had been fixed at a minimum of 30 feet. Only about nine feet of
these 30 was traffic, the rest for storm water
drainage, avenue trees and services and to allow sufficient gap between two rows of houses
for a fair share of the cooling breeze to every
house.
The guidelines suggested by Koenigsberger
have not been followed in the present-day
planning. Today, the city faces urbanisation
with a high population growth. The overall
width of the road in many areas does not have
any relation with the height of the building.
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3.9. APRIL
Avenue trees, storm water drainage, services
and footpaths have not been given importance.
Redevelopment in the particular area has not
followed the Koenigsbergers design principles.
Since the designed area is in the heart of the
city and due to the increasing pressure on
land, there are demands for re-densification
of the residential area by increasing the floor
area ratio (FAR).
To meet the changing needs, the city requires
more land. Konigsberger had also pointed out
in his report to supplement the Master Plan
for the New Capital by a regional development
plan. He emphasised a good master plan for
a new town must provide for unlimited expansion but at the same time organise the town
in such a way that it forms an organic and
healthy structure at each stage of its development.
Bhubaneswar is currently witnessing several
modern buildings and high-rise apartments to
accommodate its growing population. Today,
the citys growth is so fast that it is spreading
towards Khurda and Jatani. The development
activities in the city have led to large-scale
deforestation, an increasing volume of traffic,
pollution and temperature rise. The citys expansion and lots of concrete structures are
also the reason for microclimatic change over
the years. Bhubaneswar recorded 42C temperature on April 6 this year, which is highest
in the State. The same day Titilagarh in Balangir district, the place considered the hottest in
Odisha, recorded 40.7C.
To formulate a meaningful physical development plan, to regulate and guide the urban
growth in Bhubaneswar by 2030 in a planned
and healthy manner, a Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) for Bhubaneswar Development Planned Area (BDPA) was prepared
by IIT, Kharagpur in 2006. To manage and
organise the planning, development and control functions, development strategies for both
new areas and the existing ones have been integrated. As per the CDP, the maximum density in Bhubaneswar would be 50-60 dwelling
units (DUs) per acre.
The Bhubaneswar New Town Zone designed
by Koenigsberger would have intensive development with administrative function, capital function, institutions, commercial complex, housing of all kinds, urban parkway sys2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
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3.9. APRIL
tem, sports complex, art and cultural activities, etc. In this zone, the existing density
of 24 DU/acre is assumed to go up to 50
DU/acre. Adequate attention should be paid
to transportation network and parking facility
while increasing the density in the existing developed area.
A need for high-density living in the 21st century is inevitable. However, planning guidance on the methods of calculating and assessing the sustainable density is the need of the
day. In many high density urban areas, greenery such as city parks, traditional streetscape,
trees and planters have been reduced.
declared as urban heritage having groups of

buildings, neighbourhoods and public spaces
including landscapes and natural features
which provide character and distinctive identity to a city.
The listed urban heritage should be emphasised in the CDP and, if understood and managed properly, the urban heritage could effectively contribute to the overall quality of urban
areas and serve as a vital asset and attractor for future urban development. This would
identify the visual, spatial and cultural character of the city.
The urban greenery should be developed in

high-density areas for cleaner air and safer
environment. The problem worsens when the
population continues to grow and the density
of the area increases but new green spaces are
not being created at an equal pace.
Besides, the citys role as an important centre

of administration, tourism, commerce and industry calls for planning environment-friendly
and sustainable development which would
provide high quality of life and support health
There should be a proper development con- and wellbeing of people who live and work in
trol in all aspects of planning and design. the city.
Care needs to be taken for physical, infrastructure, city transport planning and environmental considerations of the whole region to 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
prevent haphazard growth and squatter settle- eswar/koenigsbergers-guidelines-not-followed-in-to
ments. The open spaces, parks, recreational days-planning.html
areas, greenbelts and plantation should be
properly organised in the region to provide environmental functions such as control of microclimate and pollution and beautification of
the region. This would help making the city
a comfortable, safe and enjoyable place to live
in.
Koenigsbergers planning principles applied
in Bhubaneswar have inspired many architects and planners in India and abroad. To- 3.9.8
day, the architects and planners from all
over the world learn his design principles applied in Bhubaneswar. The central area of
Bhubaneswar designed by Koenigsberger is a
special urban heritage site of the city with outstanding planning features and has a public
value. The buildings designed in this area
by architect Vaz are the important landmarks
of the city and attract people from all corners of the city to this area. These buildings
with special architectural interest along with
the site should be listed under consideration
of the planning system and protected from
alterations by regulatory techniques. To retain its planned character, the area should be
Health
and
Housing
(2013-04-17 15:26)
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3.9.9
3.9. APRIL
Fighting High Blood Pressure 3.9.10 Creating

(2013-04-17 15:21)
right
environment
(2013-04-04 20:04)
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/fighting-hbp/
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/world-autisma wareness-day-creating-right-environment
1. http://www.orissapost.com/fighting-hbp/
1. http://www.orissapost.com/world-autism-awarenessday-creating-right-environment
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3.9.11
BlogBook
Autism friendly environment mental disability with a wide range of symp(2013-04-04 20:02)
toms that affect a childs language, social, cognitive, and sensory development. Still, some
autistic children are very bright. Although
there is no cure for autism, early intervention
and structured teaching enable students to
maximise their skills and learning potential.
Further, the built environment plays a significant role in an overall success of education
and care for them.
The environment in which a person with

autism lives can have a major impact on their
wellbeing. The sensory difficulties faced by
people with autism mean that there are a number of modifications that should be taken into
account to make environment and architectural design of buildings autism-friendly. Ar[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editiochitecture can best be described as the art or
ns/bhubaneswar/lets-ensure-aut ism-friendlpractice of designing buildings for human use.
y-environment.html
It takes account of form, function, construcLETS ENSURE AUTISM-FRIENDLY ENVI- tion, beauty, convenience and freedom.
RONMENT
Le Corbusier (1887 1965) was an archiThe sixth annual World Autism Awareness tect, designer, writer known for being a piDay (WAAD) is on April 2, 2013. Every year, oneer in modernist architecture.
His caautism organisations around the world cele- reer spanned five decades with buildings conbrate the day with awareness-raising events. structed throughout the world. He prepared
The World Autism Day was agreed by the the Master Plan for Chandigarh in 1950 and
United Nations in 2007 to focus global atten- designed some government buildings which
tion on autism by encouraging member states are unusual in India. It is an impressive legacy
to take measures to raise awareness about of urban design, landscape and architecture
autism and encourage early diagnosis and that the architect has given us a unique city
early intervention and the right to life and the and remarkable architectural heritage of huright to health for autistic people. It further manity. Few books in the twentieth century
expresses deep concern over the prevalence drew as much attention as Le Corbusiers Vers
and high rate of autism in children in all re- une architecture (1923) published in English
gions of the world and the consequent devel- as Towards a New Architecture (1927). Le Coropmental challenges. Additionally, the WAAD busier has written, You employ stone, wood
celebrates the unique talents and skills of per- and concrete, and with these materials you
sons with autism and is a day when individu- build houses and palaces; that is construction.
als with autism are warmly welcomed and em- Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touch
braced in community events.
my heart, you do me good, I am happy and I
One in every 150 people in the world is autis- say, this is beautiful, that is architecture.
tic. This number is a very rough estimate as
autism is a disease with a wide spectrum of
symptoms and disorders, ranging from a fully
functional adult with slight autistic tendencies
or minor learning disorders. India is home to
about 10 million people with autism, and the
disability has shown an increase over the last
few years.
These concepts can have beneficial effects for

people with autism. Architecture has been defined in many ways throughout history, but
its focus, its aim is built environment. In an
architects work, there is an underlying notion, which may be evident to a greater or
lesser extent, that the built environment is a
space to be lived in, inhabited, for it to be conThose with autism can find the world strange sidered architecture. Likewise, architecture
and confusing. Autism is a pervasive develop- has taken into account the existence of peo2015 mayapraharaj.blogspot.in
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ple with different types and degrees of disabilities, mainly visual, hearing, and the architect has designed, either in accordance with
their convictions with design guidelines. This
is a matter of enabling disabled people to access buildings and spaces. However, there
are other disabilities that are not so visible,
and that are obviated in making a built environment accessible. Nonetheless, for people
with certain cognitive and sensory deficiencies,
etc., which are less visible including people
suffering from autism. Despite its overwhelming incidence, autism is by and large ignored
by architects.
3.9. APRIL
tractions. The design of facilities for autistic
people should emphasise sustainable design
indoor air quality, acoustics, softer interior
design, lighting, storage space to reduce clutter and for security. A design strategy to deal
with these varying challenges may be initiated
which would facilitate the generation of broad
design standards and guidelines and policies
for autistic people.
To have a better understanding of this disorder, many definitions and theories have been
set forth in the past regarding the mechanisms of autism. Autism-related research is
going on at some institutions. utilising the
knowledge of years of experience in working
with children with profound autism, Architects have the task of incorporating specific
features within the design of the building such
as specific colours, noise reduction fabrics,
specific floor coverings, specific bedroom design, circulation space and design of courtyard.
The common characteristics in the autistic

children are inability to relate to other people, at least in a normal way, extreme autistic solitude which apparently isolates the child
from the outside world. Besides medicine and
psychology, pedagogy or even philosophy, it is
necessary to know what peculiarities autistic
people show in order to determine what the
characteristics are that a built environment
has to have to make it easier for them to grasp
and achieve other objectives that go beyond,
but to a certain point depend on, the architecture itself, such as encouraging learning,
making it easier to socialise, ensuring independence or even preserving the dignity of the
person with autism.
It is proven that the existing scientific literaDespite this high incidence of autism, design ture regarding built environment in relation
guidelines are yet to be developed to cater to autistic people is scarce, despite significant
specifically to the scope of autistic needs. The research activity relating to autism in recent
United Nations mandate on the Global Pro- years. The design of built space and environgramme on Disability covers many issues, in- ment for autistic children requires careful atcluding employment, recreation, religion, edu- tention. The architect must use a different
cation and accessibility to public services, but palette for the aesthetic design and built envihas not specified design guidelines for autistic ronment for autistic people. There is a need to
include design guidelines for autistic children
people.
and people which would help them lead a betFor people with autism the effects of complex- ter life in autism-friendly built environment in
ity are much greater; they are unable to dis- future.
tinguish separate noises, shapes, etc., easily.
If a building or set of buildings are planned in
a simple clear manner, the user will require
little effort to use and enjoy the building. A
clear layout and organisation of spaces can 1. http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhuban
help a person use a building without confu- eswar/lets-ensure-autism-friendly-environment.html
sion as to the location of rooms. To provide a
calm backdrop for people with autism can assist in reducing some elements of stress which
is helpful for their wellbeing. Complexity in
the detail of a building can cause visual dis154
BlogBook
3.10. MARCH
3.10
3.10.1
March
Weather
(2013-03-26 10:19)
the first World Water Day (WWD). Each year,

WWD highlights a specific aspect of freshwaWatch ter. In 2013, in reflection of the International
Year of Water Cooperation, the WWD is dedicated to the theme Water Cooperation.
The major task, which the international community is facing today in the field of water
resources, is the transfer of committed obligations into concrete actions that need to be
implemented on the ground for the benefit of
people, ecosystems and the biosphere as a
whole. Nurturing the opportunities for cooperation in water management among all stakeholders and improving the comprehension of
the challenges and benefits of water cooperation can build mutual respect, understanding
and trust among countries and promote peace,
security and sustainable economic growth.
3.10.2
Water
(2013-03-26 10:18)
As per the UN Water for Life Report, around

700 million people in 43 countries suffer from
Scarcity
water scarcity. By 2025, 1.8 billion people
would be living in countries or regions with
absolute water scarcity and two-thirds of the
world population could be living under waterstressed condition. With the existing climate
change scenario, almost half the world population would be living in areas of high water
stress by 2030. It is clear that the world is suffering from water scarcity. The increasing demand for water with a rapidly growing rate of
population, inadequate rainfall, uncontrolled
use of water and climate change are some of
the reasons behind it.
About 70 per cent of the earth surface is covered with water, which amounts to 1,400 million cubic kilometers (m km3). However, 97.5
per cent of this water being
[1]http://www.dailypioneer.com/stateeditions/bhubaneswar/how-to-meet-sev
ere-scarcity-of-water-in-near-future.html
HOW TO MEET SEVERE SCARCITY OF WATER IN NEAR FUTURE
World Water Day is held annually on March
22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for sustainable management of freshwater resources.
An international day to celebrate freshwater
was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The UN General Assembly
responded by designating March 22, 1993 as
seawater, it is salty. Freshwater availability

is only 35 m km3 and only 40 per cent of this
can be used by human beings. Out of the total
fresh water, 68.7 per cent is frozen in ice caps,
30 per cent stored underground and the rest
is available on the surface of the earth. Out
of the surface water, 87 per cent is stored in
lakes, 11 per cent in swamp and 2 per cent in
rivers.
Long before, when the population was less and
lifestyle was simple, water was available in
plenty and was considered as a free resource.
However, with the growing demand for water and depletion of the available water, assured supply of good quality water is becom155
BlogBook
3.10. MARCH
ing a growing concern. Major consumption of policy decisions which would affect its availwater is for agriculture, industrial production ability in future.
and domestic purposes, besides being used for
There are many habitations in Odisha that do
fishery, hydropower
not meet the norm of 40 liters per capita per
generation and maintaining biodiversity and day (lpcd). In a number of areas, tube-wells
ecological balance. With the urbanisation and stop yielding water during summer and someindustrial development, water usage is likely times even before this. The problem occurs
to increase in the coming years.
when the water-table falls below the level to
India is blessed with good rainfall well- which the tube-well has been dug.
distributed over five to six months in a year. Because of population growth and economic
It receives most of its water from south-west development, water resources in many parts
monsoon which is the most important feature of the world are pushed to their natural limcontrolling the Indian climate. The rainfall dis- its. In turn, the ability of cities and countries
tribution over the country shows large varia- to grow, attract investment, meet the fundations in the amount of rainfall received by dif- mental needs of populations and ensure enferent locations, e.g., the average
vironmental protection would be increasingly
rainfall is less than 13 cm over the western Rajasthan while at some parts of Meghalaya it is
as much as 1141 cm. As per the Metrological
Department, Indias annual rainfall is around
1182.8 mm.
threatened if water resources are not managed.
The foremost result of the increasing population is the growing demand for more foodgrains, especially high-yielding crop varieties.
Another area of concern is the water-intensive
industries and thermal power plants. That is
why there is an urgent need to address the issue of water scarcity in India to make better
agriculture, industrial production and human

consumption. Imposing regulatory measures
to prevent the misuse of water would be
helpful in conserving water. Finally, awareness and orientation of all the water users to
change their lifestyles to conserve water can
help tide over the water crisis in the future.
Water scarcity is both a natural and a humanmade phenomenon. There is enough freshwater on the planet, but it is distributed unevenly
The countrys total available sweet water is and too much of it is wasted, polluted and un4,000 billion m3 per annum. Out of this, over sustainably managed.
1,047 billion m3 water is lost due to evaporation, transpiration. Presently, water con- Presently, despite good rainfall distribution,
sumed in India is 829 billion m3 which is the country is unable to make good use of rainlikely to increase to 1,093 billion m3 in 2025 water because of lack of awareness and poor
and 1,047 billion m3 in 2050, as officially es- infrastructure to construct dams, reservoirs
timated. The growing population is a serious and proper water harvesting system.
concern as it will create further burden on the The water supply in India is going to be a seriper capita water availability in future and In- ous challenge due to various reasons. Overdia is bound to face severe scarcity of water in exploitation of groundwater is another conthe near future.
cern. Activities such as percolation tanks, waIn spite of adequate average rainfall in India, ter reservoirs and construction of small and
there is a large area under the less water condi- medium-size dams and rivers can retain more
tions/drought prone. There are a lot of places surface water, while increasing the ground wawhere the quality of groundwater is not good. ter recharge.
Some major reasons behind water scarcity are Development of watershed is an important propopulation growth and agriculture, increasing gramme to make best use of rainwater for
construction activities, massive urbanisation agricultural production while improving soil
and industrialization, climatic change, deplet- conservation and biodiversity. It is, thereing of natural resources due to changing cli- fore, necessary to prevent this crisis by makmate conditions, deforestation and lack of im- ing best use of the available technologies and
plementation of effective water management resources to conserve the existing water resystems.
sources and make efficient use of water for
156
BlogBook
3.10. MARCH
The challenge is manageable provided we have 3.10.3
favourable policies and mechanisms to persuade our people to change their lifestyles.
Pollution
problems
(2013-03-26 10:16)
Water resources management issues must be

addressed at the local, national and international levels. All stakeholders, including
those in government, international organisations, private sector and civil society, should
be engaged, paying special attention to work
towards water cooperation.
Water is a key to sustainable development; it

has value from social, economic and environmental perspectives and needs to be managed
within sound, integrated socioeconomic and
environmental frameworks. It is impossible to
maintain the integrity of a balanced ecosystem
without an overall strategy on water resources
management. We all have a shared responsibility for protecting the environment surrounding rivers and their associated watersheds.
eswar/how-to-meet-severe-scarcity-of-water-in-near
-future.html
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/world-waterda y-pollution-problems
1.
http://www.orissapost.com/world-water-day-pollu
tion-problems
157
BlogBook
3.10.4
Womans
3.10. MARCH
Safety 3.10.6 Urban
(2013-03-11 16:04)
3.10.5
Safety
Heat
Island
Effects
(2013-03-11 15:58)
Initiatives 3.10.7 Intelligent
(2013-03-11 16:00)
[1]http://www.orissapost.com/internationalwomens-day-safety-initiatives
Buildings
(2013-03-11 15:56)
[1]
http://www.orissapost.com/nationalscience-day-intelligent-buildings
http://www.orissapost.com/national-science-dayhttp://www.orissapost.com/international-womens- 1.
intelligent-buildings
day-safety-initiatives
1.
158
BlogBook
3.11. FEBRUARY
3.11
February
3.11.2 Indoor
Air
pollution
(2013-02-08 13:41)
3.11.1
Air pollution cause of Cancer

(2013-02-08 13:42)
[1] http://www.orissapost.com/world-cancerday-2013-indoor-air-pollution
1.
http://www.orissapost.com/world-cancer-day-2013
-indoor-air-pollution
159
BlogBook
3.11. FEBRUARY
160
4. 2012
4.1 December
4.1.2 Migration
and
Poverty
(2012-12-18 14:08)
4.1.1
Migration and Climate Change

(2012-12-18 14:10)
4.1.3 Sustainable
Energy
for
All
(2012-12-11 14:49)
161
BlogBook
4.1.4
COP18
Voices
4.1. DECEMBER
Doha :
Womens 4.1.5 Remember Persons with Disabilin Climate Change
ities (2012-12-11 13:29)
(2012-12-11 14:39)
4.1.6 Barrier
free
Environment
(2012-12-11 13:28)
162
BlogBook
4.2. NOVEMBER
4.1.7
Traffic Travails (2012-12-11 13:27) 4.1.9 Green
Renewable
Energy
(2012-12-11 13:19)
4.2 November
4.1.8
Traffic
calming
(2012-12-11 13:23)
Measures 4.2.1 Cities
must
create
jobs
(2012-11-03 10:21)
163
BlogBook
4.2.2
Disaster
(2012-11-03 10:17)
4.2. NOVEMBER
Reduction 4.2.3 Cyclone
Management
(2012-11-03 10:05)
4.2.4 Urban
sprawl
Bhubaneswar
(2012-11-03 09:55)
164
BlogBook
4.2. NOVEMBER
4.2.5
Eco-cities (2012-11-03 09:48)
4.2.6
Spatially
managed
(2012-11-03 09:44)
4.2.7 Save Planet (2012-11-03 09:41)
Cities 4.2.8 Quake
proof
Buildings
(2012-11-03 09:29)
165
BlogBook
4.2.9
Planning
4.2. NOVEMBER
&
Realities 4.2.11 Tribal
(2012-11-03 09:24)
4.2.10
Indigenous
Architecture
(2012-11-03 09:08)
Knowledge
(2012-11-03 09:17)
4.2.12 Population
&
Environment
(2012-11-03 08:59)
166
BlogBook
4.2. NOVEMBER
[1]http://dailypioneer.com/state-editions/b- 4.2.15
hubaneswar/79583-rising-popula tion-fast-degrading-environment.html
Forest
&
Environment
(2012-11-03 08:19)
1. http://dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhubaneswa
r/79583-rising-population-fast-degrading-environme
nt.html
4.2.13
City
without
Slums
(2012-11-03 08:48)
4.2.16 Green Cities (2012-11-03 08:17)
4.2.14
Hottest
Titilagarh
(2012-11-03 08:35)
167
BlogBook
4.2.17
Green
4.2. NOVEMBER
Buildings
(2012-11-03 08:08)
4.2.19 World
Habitat
Day
2005
(2012-11-03 07:51)
4.2.18
Bhubaneswar cultural identity

(2012-11-03 07:58)
168
BlogBook v0.5,
LATEX 2 & GNU/Linux.
http://www.blogbooker.com
Edited: December 18, 2015

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International Migrants Day 2015 (2015-12-18 06:08) . . . . . . . . . . .

COP21 Impact of climate change on health in tribal communities of Odisha

Barrier free environment in Smart city Planning (2015-12-03 09:40) . .

Smart city Bhubaneswar and Safety for Women (2015-11-25 06:40) . .

World Town Planning Day 2015 (2015-11-09 09:56) . . . . . . . . . . . .

India a Low-income food deficit country (2015-10-16 16:05) . . . . . . .

Public space in Urban Planning (2015-10-06 08:57) . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tribal settlements and impact on health (2015-08-09 05:54) . . . . . . .

Disaster response planning (2015-07-11 08:21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CHARLES CORREA: MASTER OF CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE

Climate change and Food security (2015-06-05 05:07) . . . . . . . . . .

OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS (2015-04-28 14:11) . . . .

TOURISM AND HERITAGE MANAGEMENT (2015-04-18 09:28) . . . . .

KOENIGSBERGERS BHUBANESWAR WITNESSES MANY TRANSFORMATIONS (2015-04-13 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SMART CITIES (2015-03-02 08:05) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Inclusive Access for Disabled (2014-12-03 00:07) . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Safe Neighbourhood Design to prevent Crimes (2014-11-25 06:11) . . .

Bio-Toilet for Eco-friendly sanitation (2014-11-19 09:30) . . . . . . . . .

Climate change: Challenge to Urban Planning (2014-11-08 04:53) . . .

Family Farming to prevent Hunger and Poverty (2014-10-16 06:56) . . .

Rights of Slum Populations in the City (2014-10-06 06:02) . . . . . . . .

Gandhian concept of Rural-Urban Interdependence (2014-10-03 09:55)

Odisha Nature Tourism (2014-09-29 16:22) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ozone Layer Protection (2014-09-16 09:44) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Urban Flooding in capital city Bhubaneswar (2014-09-06 06:23) . . . .

Architectural Photography of Monuments (2014-08-19 09:41) . . . . . .

Vernacular Architecture and Indigenous Technology (2014-08-11 09:55)

Growing Population and Sustainable Housing (2014-07-11 09:44) . . .

Effective Drug Rehabilitation Centre (2014-07-03 15:38) . . . . . . . . .

Role of Family against Elder Abuse (2014-07-03 15:27) . . . . . . . . . .

Poverty Elleviation and Child Labour (2014-06-13 23:05) . . . . . . . . .

Odishas coastal ecosystems under increasing threat (2014-06-08 05:57)

BHUBANESWAR ENVIRONMENT DEGRADED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES

TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGE CAMPUSES (2014-05-31 16:12) . . . . . . .

WORLDS FINEST CULTURAL HERITAGES (2014-05-21 10:05) . . . . .

LIVING INSTITUTIONS THAT BOND VISITORS WITH CULTURES

ECOTOURISM IN CHILIKA (2014-05-12 09:38) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Bio- Medical Waste Management in Bhubaneswar (2014-04-28 10:01) .

Odisha tops Malaria states in India (2014-04-25 09:20) . . . . . . . . . .

Green Vision for City Planning (2014-04-23 09:29) . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Konark temple conservation demands urgent attention (2014-04-20 10:32)

Bhubaneswar to become World Heritage City (2014-04-15 11:49) . . . .

Vector-borne diseases in Slums (2014-04-07 10:10) . . . . . . . . . . . .

Friendly houses for Autistics (2014-04-03 12:40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.10.1 Role of Youth to fight climate change (2014-03-23 11:19) . . . . . . . . .

2.10.2 City urban forests and Climate change (2014-03-21 09:15) . . . . . . . .

2.10.3 Community safety for Women (2014-03-10 13:49) . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2.11.1 Astronomical Architecture (2014-02-28 09:40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Safe Public Space Design for Women (2013-12-23 10:08) . . . . . . . . .

Regional Planning to reduce Rural-Urban migration (2013-12-18 10:19)

Barrier free Design (2013-12-03 14:30) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Urban transport governance reform in India (2013-11-21 13:25)

Traffic Demand Management Strategy (2013-11-19 10:50) . . . . . . . .

ODISHA TOWN PLANNING DAY TO REMEMBER KOENIGSBERGER

RURAL-URBAN GROWTH LINKAGES IMPORTANT FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION (2013-10-17 08:34) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

NEEDED: MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORT THAN PERSONAL VEHICLES

TIME FOR ECO TOURISM PLANNING,ANSUPA (2013-09-27 08:36) . . .

PERSPECTIVE FOR PROTECTION OF OZONE LAYER

PROTECT OZONE LAYER (2013-09-16 20:08) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TRIBALS ROLE IN CONSERVING MEDICINAL PLANTS NEEDS GREATER

Sustainable Human Settlement Planning (2013-07-11 22:59) . . . . . .

Drug against Sustainable Livelihood (2013-06-26 06:20) . . . . . . . . .