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Malnutrition A disturbing picture of rural India.

Hidden India: Thorium research in SET INDIA FOUNDATION India

Health: Hepatitis Causes and effects

Science & Technology: Mangalyaan Page 1

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Table of Contents

Cover story National Education Day SET INDIA FOUNDATION Hidden India Thorium research in India Sci & Tech Manglayaan Health Hepatitis: causes and effects

: 03 : 05 : 07 : 09 : 12

Post Box International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women : 14

Our Earth Effects of Air pollution in India : 16 Black Page Malnutrition: A disturbing picture of rural India. : 18

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Cover Story
Bharat Ratna Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed Azad (11 November 1888 22 February 1958) was an Indian scholar and a senior political leader of the Indian independence movement. One of the most prominent Muslim leaders, he opposed the partition of India because he thought Muslims would be more powerful and dominant in a united India. Following India's independence, he became the first Minister of Education in the Indian government. In 1992 he was posthumously awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. He is commonly remembered as Maulana Azad; the word Maulana is an honorific meaning `learned man', and he had adopted Azad (Free) as his pen name. His contribution to establishing the education foundation in India is recognised by celebrating his birthday as "National Education Day" across India. As a young man, Azad composed poetry in, as well as treatises on religion and philosophy. He rose to prominence through his work as a journalist, publishing works critical of the British Raj and espousing the causes of Indian nationalism. Azad became the leader of the Khilafat Movement, during which he came into close contact with the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. Azad became an enthusiastic supporter of Gandhi's ideas of non-violent civil disobedience, and worked to organise the non-cooperation movement in protest of the 1919 Rowlatt Acts. Azad committed himself to Gandhi's ideals, including promoting Swadeshi (indigenous) products and the cause of Swaraj (Self-rule) for India. In 1923, at an age of 35, he became the youngest person to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress. Azad was one of the main organisers of the Dharasana Satyagraha in 1931, and emerged as one of the most important national leaders of the time, prominently leading the causes of Hindu-Muslim unity as well as espousing secularism and socialism. He served as Congress president from 1940 to 1945, during which the
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Quit India rebellion was launched. Azad was imprisoned, together with the entire Congress leadership, for three years. Azad became the most prominent Muslim opponent of the demand for a separate Muslim state of Pakistan and served in the interim national government. Amidst communal turmoil following the partition of India, he worked for religious harmony. As India's Education Minister, Azad oversaw the establishment of a national education system with free primary education and modern institutions of higher education. He is also credited with the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology and the foundation of the University Grants Commission, an important institution to supervise and advance the higher education in the nation. Azad is remembered as amongst the leading Indian nationalists of his time. His firm belief in Hindu-Muslim unity earned him the respect of the Hindu community and he still remains one of the most important symbols of communal harmony in modern India. His work for education and social upliftment in India made him an important influence in guiding India's economic and social development. Jawaharlal Nehru referred to him as Mir-i- Karawan (the caravan leader), "a very brave and gallant gentleman, a finished product of the culture that, in these days, pertains to few". The Emperor of learning" remarked Mahatma Gandhi about Azad counting him as "a person of the calibre of Plato, Aristotle and Pythagorus". His Birthday, 11 November is celebrated as National Education Day in India.

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SET India Foundation

Our First activity
After our first meeting in Thellar, we started our journey by supporting for education of a rural girl. We were informed by one of our friend that a deaf girl was in need of money for her exam fee. There we found an excellent opportunity to start service, through education. We donated sum of Rs 2000/- for the girl (Ms .Anusha) to assist her exam fee.

In Udavum karangal
Our next spot was Udavum Karangal. We joined their service as a drop in an ocean, ocean of love and care We donated Rs4000/- as an amount for a day breakfast, we spent our time happily there with our friends and small children over there. Their innocent face, in such position made our heart heavy and light at same time.

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Hidden India
Thorium research in India
India's three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Dr. Homi Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the countrys long term energy independence, through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India. The ultimate focus of the programme is on enabling the thorium reserves of India to be utilized in meeting the country's energy requirements. Thorium is particularly attractive for India, as it has only around 1 2% of the global uranium reserves, but one of the largest shares of global thorium reserves at about 30% of the world's known thorium reserves. As of 2012, the first stage consisting of the pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR) is near completion of its planned goals, the second stage consisting of fast breeder reactors (FBR) is poised to go into operation within one year, and the third stage consisting of advanced heavy water reactors (AHWR), as one among several technology options, is slated to begin construction so that its commissioning can be done by 2020. Thorium resource in India As per official estimates shared in the country's Parliament in August 2011, the country can obtain 846,477 tonnes of thorium from 963,000 tonnes of ThO2, which in turn can be obtained from 10.7 million tonnes of monazite occurring in beaches and river sands in association with other heavy metals. Indian monazite contains about 910% ThO2. The 846,477 tonne figure compares with the earlier estimates for India, made by IAEA and US Geological Survey of 319,000 tonnes and 290,000 to 650,000 tonnes respectively. The 800,000 tonne figure is given by other sources as well. India is generally considered as the leader of thorium based research in the world. It is also by far the most committed nation as far as the use of thorium fuel is concerned, and no other country has done as much neutron physics work on thorium. The country published about twice the number of papers on thorium as its
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nearest competitors during each of the years from 2002 to 2006. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) had the highest number of publications in the thorium area, across all research institutions in the world during the period 1982-2004. During this same period, India ranks an overall second behind the United States in the research output on Thorium. Analysis shows that majority of the authors involved in thorium research publications appear to be from India. Stage III thorium based reactors A Stage III reactor or an Advanced nuclear power system involves a selfsustaining series of thorium-232-uranium-233 fuelled reactors. This would be a thermal breeder reactor, which in principle can be refueled after its initial fuel charge using only naturally occurring thorium. According to the three-stage programme, Indian nuclear energy could grow to about 10 GW through PHWRs fueled by domestic uranium, and the growth above that would have to come from FBRs till about 50GW. The third stage is to be deployed only after this capacity has been achieved. According to replies given in Q&A in the Indian Parliament on two separate occasions, 19 August 2010 and 21 March 2012, large scale thorium deployment is only to be expected 3 4 decades after the commercial operation of fast breeder reactors with short doubling time. Full exploitation of Indias domestic thorium reserves will likely not occur until after the year 2050. According to the Chairman of Indias Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Srikumar Banerjee, without the implementation of fast breeders the presently available uranium reserves of 5.469 million tonnes can support 570 GWe till 2025. If the total identified and undiscovered uranium reserves of 16 million tonnes are brought online, the power availability can be extended till the end of the century. While calling for more research into thorium as an energy source and the countrys indigenous three-stage programme, he said, The world always felt there would be a miracle. Unfortunately, we have not seen any miracle for the last 40 years. Unless we wake up, humans won't be able to exist beyond this century.

(Courtesy: Wikipedia)
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Sci & Tech

Mars Orbiter Mission - Mangalyaan
The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), informally called Mangalyaan, is a Mars orbiter that was successfully launched into Earth orbit on 5 November 2013. The mission is a "technology demonstrator" project aiming to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission. The Mars Orbiter Mission is India's first interplanetary mission. If successful, ISRO would become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after the Soviet space program, NASA, and ESA.The MOM probe is currently in Earth orbit where it will make a series of six altitude-raising orbital maneuvers before a planned insertion into a heliocentric Mars transfer orbit on 30 November 2013.

Objectives:
First, the Mars orbiter showcases the country's rocket launch systems, spacecraftbuilding and operations capabilities. Second, the probe carries a high-tech suite of sensors to explore Mars' surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere using indigenous scientific instruments. The main objective of this first Indian mission to Mars is to develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission, comprising the following major tasks: Design and realization of a Mars orbiter with a capability to perform Earth bound manoeuvres, cruise phase of 300 days; Mars orbit insertion / capture, and on-orbit phase around Mars.
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Deep space communication, navigation, mission planning and management. Incorporate autonomous features to handle contingency situations.

The secondary objectives are scientific, and include the study of Mars
surface features, morphology, mineralogy and the Martian atmosphere.

Payload:

The 15 kg (33 lb) scientific payload consists of five instruments: Atmospheric studies Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP) a photometer that measures the relative abundance of deuterium and hydrogen from Lyman-alpha emissions in the upper atmosphere. Measuring the deuterium/hydrogen ratio will allow to estimate the process of water loss to outer space. Methane Sensor For Mars (MSM) will measure methane in the atmosphere of Mars, if any, and map its sources.
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Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyzer (MENCA) is a quadrupole mass analyzer capable of analyzing the neutral composition of particles in the exosphere. Surface imaging studies Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIS) will measure the temperature and emissivity of the Martian surface; this can allow mapping surface composition and mineralogy of Mars. Mars Colour Camera (MCC) will provide images in the visual spectrum, providing context information for the other science instruments.

Other facts about Mangalyaan:

The government of India approved the project on 3 August 2012, after the Indian Space Research Organisation completed INR1.25 billion (US$19 million) of required studies for the orbiter. The total project cost may be up to INR4.54 billion (US$69 million). If successful, ISRO would become the fourth space agency to reach Mars, after Roscosmos, NASA, and ESA. M. Annadurai is the project director; S.K. Shivkumar oversees design and development of the Orbiter. The space agency will use its PSLV-C25 (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket. The spacecraft's dry mass is planned to be 500 kg, and it will carry 850 kg of propellant and oxidiser. The main engine uses the bipropellant combination monomethylhydrazine and dinitrogen tetroxide for orbit insertion and other manoeuvres. The probe is expected to arrive in Mars orbit in September 2014 like NASA's MAVEN orbiter. (Courtesy: Wikipedia & ISRO)

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Health
Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection. There are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E. These five types are of greatest concern because of the burden of illness and death they cause and the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread. In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and, together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer. Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of parenteral contact with infected body fluids. Common modes of transmission for these viruses include receipt of contaminated blood or blood products, invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment and for hepatitis B transmission from mother to baby at birth, from family member to child, and also by sexual contact. Acute infection may occur with limited or no symptoms, or may include symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Hepatitis B Key facts Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person.
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About 600 000 people die every year due to the consequences of hepatitis B. Hepatitis B is an important occupational hazard for health workers. Hepatitis B is preventable with the currently available safe and effective vaccine. Hepatitis B vaccine is 95% effective in preventing infection and its chronic consequences, and was the first vaccine against a major human cancer. Symptoms Most people do not experience any symptoms during the acute infection phase. However, some people have acute illness with symptoms that last several weeks, including yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Diagnosis It is not possible, on clinical grounds, to differentiate hepatitis B from hepatitis caused by other viral agents and, hence, laboratory confirmation of the diagnosis is essential. A number of blood tests are available to diagnose and monitor people with hepatitis B. They can be used to distinguish acute and chronic infections. Prevention The hepatitis B vaccine is the mainstay of hepatitis B prevention. WHO recommends that all infants receive the hepatitis B vaccine as soon as possible after birth, preferably within 24 hours. The birth dose should be followed by 2 or 3 doses to complete the primary series. In most cases, 1 of the following 2 options is considered appropriate: A 3-dose schedule of hepatitis B vaccine, with the first dose (monovalent) being given at birth and the second and third (monovalent or combined vaccine) given at the same time as the first and third doses of DTP vaccine; Or 4 doses, where a monovalent birth dose is followed by 3 monovalent or combined vaccine doses, usually given with other routine infant vaccines. (Courtesy: WHO)

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Post Box
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
The United Nations' (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is an occasion for governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to raise public awareness of violence against women. It has been observed on November 25 each year since 2000. Various activities are arranged around the world to draw attention to the need for continuing action to eliminate violence against women, projects to enable women and their children to escape violence and campaigns to educate people about the consequences of violence against women. Locally, women's groups may organize rallies, communal meals, fundraising activities and present research on violence against women in their own communities. An ongoing campaign that people are encouraged to participate in, especially around this time of the year when awareness levels for the day are high, is the Say NO to Violence Against Women campaign. Through the campaign, anyone can add their name to a growing movement of people who speak out to put a halt to human rights violations against women. Background On November 25, 1960, three sisters, Patria Mercedes Mirabal, Mara Argentina Minerva Mirabal and Antonia Mara Teresa Mirabal, were assassinated in the Dominican Republic on the orders of the Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo. The
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Mirabel sisters fought hard to end Trujillo's dictatorship. Activists on women's rights have observed a day against violence on the anniversary of the deaths of these three women since 1981. On December 17, 1999, November 25 was designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by the UN General Assembly. Each year observances around the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women concentrate on a particular theme, such as Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles (2008).

Valley of Flowers National Park A World Heritage site

By Jeevanadam

Valley of Flowers in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand is at an altitude of around 11,500 feet above sea level. It encompasses more than 600 floral species and is a habitat of endangered species including the Himalayan musk deer, the Asiatic black bear, and the snow leopard.
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Our Earth
Air pollution in India: Its effects
Air pollution is now the fifth largest killer in India, says newly released findings of Global Burden of Disease report Findings released by the scientists behind the study at a Dialogue Workshop organized by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Indian Council of Medical Research and US-based Health Effects Institute. Annual premature deaths caused by particulate air pollution have increased by six times since the year 2000. With one fifth of global deaths, India shows the greatest impacts of outdoor air pollution. Globally, air pollution-related deaths have increased by 300 per cent since 2000. About 65 per cent of these deaths occur in Asia. CSE's national air quality analysis shows half of urban population breathes air with particulate levels that exceed the permissible limit. One third of urban Indians live in critically polluted areas. CSEs health survey in Delhi shows majority of Delhiites say air pollution has worsened and blame rising number of vehicles for it. Outdoor air pollution has become the fifth largest killer in India after high blood pressure, indoor air pollution, tobacco smoking, and poor nutrition says a new set of findings of the Global Burden of Disease report. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report is a world-wide initiative involving the World Health Organization which tracks deaths and illnesses from all causes across the world every 10 years. The report says that in 2010, about 620,000 premature deaths occured in India from air pollution-related diseases. GBD has ranked air pollution as one of the top
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10 killers in the world, and the sixth most dangerous killer in South Asia. In fact, particulate air pollution is now just three places behind indoor air pollution, which is the second highest killer in India. This is shocking and deeply disturbing news. This calls for urgent and aggressive action to protect public health, said Sunita Narain, director general, CSE. The key new finding: India 1. Shocking increase in Indian death toll: Air pollution is the fifth leading cause of death in India, with 620,000 premature deaths in 2010. This is up from 100,000 in 2000 a six-fold increase. 2. Massive loss in healthy years: Air pollution is the seventh leading cause behind the loss of about 18 million healthy years of life due to illness. It comes after indoor air pollution, tobacco smoking, high blood pressure, childhood underweight, low nutritional status, and alcohol use. 3. Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases key reasons for air pollutioninduced premature deaths: These diseases include stroke (25.48%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (17.32%), Ischemic heart disease (48.6%), lower respiratory infections (6.4%), and trachea, bronchus and lung cancer (2.02%). CSE analysis exposes severe air pollution trends in India In the wake of the GBD findings, CSE has analyzed the latest air quality data available from the Central Pollution Control Board for the year 2010. Of the 180 cities monitored for SO2, NO2 and PM10, only two -- Malapuram and Pathanamthitta in Kerala, meet the criteria of low pollution (50% below the standard) for all air pollutants. (Courtesy: Centre for Science & Environment)

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Black Page
Malnutrition A disturbing picture of rural India. By Anumeha Saxena
Our lives begin to end, the day we keep silent on the issues that matter - Sir Martin Luther King So, here I am, writing (just writing for now) on an issue that matters a lot to me, perhaps not to our leaders in Parliament and neither to the bureaucratic babus. Maybe its just another socio-political issue for us but its a matter of life and death for the people who live with it every day in our country. The day I saw the picture of the child eating mud to satiate her hunger (Uttar Pradesh) or the little girl carrying two water pots on her head to her home 3-4 kms away (Vidarbha, Maharashtra) or a malnourished kid in his mothers arms (Madhya Pradesh) a question popped up in my mind. How can I help them? The very next moment I wondered: did this question ever occur to the people who are actually there to help them? Dont these people have a soul? Answers to these questions are best known to the people concerned. But somehow we all know that its just a matter of doing ones duty towards those who have little means, but still have some hope of help from those in power. A big challenge Malnutrition, a Singh, is one of government and one-third of the Indian children. national shame as declared by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan the biggest challenges facing our country today. But what is his its officials doing to meet this challenge? Probably nothing, as worlds undernourished or malnourished population constitutes
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The UN defines malnutrition as a state in which an individual can no longer maintain bodily capacities such as growth, learning abilities, physical work, resisting and recovering from diseases, pregnancy and lactation. And its a shame that a poor Indian child perfectly fits this definition. Despite the booming Indian economy that the government boasts about every now and then, around 80% of Indias population is poor and lives on less than $2 a day. One thing that should be noted here is that healthcare is one of the thrust areas of the National Common Minimum Programme. Its a different issue that the government spends only 0.9% of its GDP on public health! One might say that the government both at the Centre and at the State level has the good intention of reforming the state of health in the country but how good it is everybody can see. A number of schemes/programmes have been launched and are operating throughout the country, somewhere on the ground, and somewhere virtually on the ground. The root of the problem and the task ahead The basic problem lies with implementation, accountability, co-ordination among various government departments and, above all, not possessing a sense of morality. Once our so-called elected representatives and bureaucratic babus actually realize this, perform their duty and control their lust for money; no one will ever go hungry to their beds and no grain, that can fill millions of empty stomachs, will be left to rot. Its ironic, and at the same time painful, to see that the ones who produce dont have enough to feed themselves. Its everybodys right to live with dignity .The task of uplifting the indigent population and making their lives worth living might take some time but isnt unattainable. Mahatma Gandhi truly said, There are people in the world so hungry, God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread. And its a sin to keep a soul away from its God. Hope our leaders, too, recognize this soon and rather than taking that extra interest in cricket, pay some attention to the rotting food stocks in granaries that could fill the stomachs of so many hungry people across the country. (Courtesy: The Viewspaper)

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