Newsletter NMM Jan 2013.pdf - PEACE Institute Charitable Trust

1 Jan 2013
Volume 1, Issue 6
The NMM Newsletter (Oct — Dec 12)
Conceptualized and
designed by
Meenakshi Mohan
Yamuna Nadi Naad
From the GRIDS:
Eco San toilet pan being
provided to villagers at Ekdala
GRID
Ecosan toilet constructed at
Pachnada GRID inaugurated
by Dr Robert Oates
Restoration of a well at
Batesar GRID
Culvert water drains for safe
passage of drainage water to
prevent water spill on the
streets at Kanalsi GRID
‘Pollution control and River biodiversity assessment’
This quarter’s major
workshop was on the
topic of Pollution
control and River biodiversity
assessment.
It was the sixth and
final capacity enhancement
training
Participants at the workshop
Dr Robert Oates addressing the
participants with Mr Manoj
Misra translating the same
workshop for the
Nadi Mitra Mandalis
(NMMs) under the
current project. The
event was hosted
from 17-18 Dec 2012
by the Nadi Mitra
Mandali at Ekdala in
Fatepur district of
UP. Incidently Ekdala
is the last of the 10
GRIDs along the
river Yamuna at
which the project activities
have been going
on.
The event started
with the inauguration
of a River dolphin
watch centre by Dr
Robert Oates. Later
the workshop began
at the venue within a
temple complex, with
welcome and opening
remarks by Mr Manoj
Misra. The participants
were addressed
by Dr Oates, the
PEACE team and
several experts from
the local Agriculture
Department.
The event also
marked a field training
exercise where the
participants were
taken along the river
and explained how
the biodiversity (flora
Bhim addressing the participants
Experts from agriculture Department
addressing the participants
and fauna) is to identified
and documented
in a systematic
manner.
Erection and use of
vermin-compost units
and NEDEB pattern
of compost was also
explained.
The waste water management
at the Ekdala
village where no
waste water can be
found on the streets
was greatly appreciated
by the participants.

P a ge 2 Y a m u na N a di Naa d V o lume 1, I s s u e 6
ECO-CLUB News:
Painting competition for YES
at Ekdala
YES members at Green Fair
Rally at Batesar
YES Eco-san training at Ova
Visit to Trichy for eco-san toilets assessment
The PEACE team
visited Trichy from
17-19 October 2012
for a skill development
workshop on
Eco-San toilets. Mr
Subburaman, from
SCOPE foundation,
conducted the visit.
The event started at
PEACE Team with Mr Subburaman
at the latter's house
showed the latest
model of the eastern
style Eco-San toilets,
the first ever western
style Eco-San toilets
that could be used in
the urban areas and
the proper ways of
First urban Eco-San toilets
using an Eco-San
toilet. He also shared
with the team his
experiences and success
stories of the
promotion of this
technology.
Mr Sitaram showing manure
prepared from human excreta
The team visited several
community toilets
and households
where the Eco-San
facility has been incorporated.
The visit
was extremely beneficial
and informative
for the PEACE
team.
and Kharadi (below) GRIDS
A unit of Total Resource Recovery
Toilet
M Raja applying urine in the
kitchen garden
YES members at a cleaning
drive at Ramra GRID
Mr Subburaman’s
house in Trichy. The
team saw the various
eco-friendly practices
incorporated there,
such as bio gas plant,
eco-san toilets solar
appliances, etc.
Community Eco San toilet
complex with recently added
incinerator facility
Owner benefitted from Bio-Gas
production
Mr Subburaman
Biological purification of waste
water
Rainwater Harvesting System

Y a m u na N a di Naa d V o lume 1, I s s u e 6
P a ge 3
River dolphin Watch centre
Dolphin has officially
been declared
the National
Aquatic Animal of
India. Presence of
Dolphin in the river
indicates the status
of river health. To
help people better
understand this intelligent
mammal, the
NMM at Ekdala has
chosen a vantage
point on the river
bank where also an
TRT, WWF India and PEACE partnership
The Thames-Ganga
twinning project on
river restoration techniques
development
is a three partner initiative.
These are
TRT, WWF India
and PEACE Institute.
The partnership between
WWF India
and PEACE is most
evident at Pachnada
GRID, where both
the agencies are
working with the local
people.
While the key focus
of WWF India is biodiversity
conserva-
Dr Robert Oates enaugurating
the Dolphin Watch Center
ancient temple
stands. The said temple
campus has been
provided with educational
information to
develop what is now
called as a Dolphin
PEACE Team at the WWF
function at Pachnada
tion, it has provided
useful gadgets like
rope making machines
and solar
lamps to the local
people at village
Gupiakhar at Pachnada
GRID.
A function at Gupiakhar
village held on
Darshan Kendra
(Dolphin Viewing
Centre, Ekdala), inaugurated
by Dr
Robert Oates. The
campus can potentially
be developed
into a tourist spot.
Dr Robert Oates at the Dolphin
Watch Center
15 Dec 12 saw participation
both of
WWF India and
PEACE. Earlier
PEACE team also
joined the TRT and
WWF team at a
river survey trip
over 5 kms from
upstream to Dibholi
ghat of river
Yamuna near Etawah
(UP).
PROJECT COM-
PONENTS
1.Institutional
strengthening of
NMMs
2.Catchment restoration
3.River health & Village
health Monitoring
4.Promotion of
natural farming;
waste management;
green yatra; improved
sanitation;
ground water recharge;
renewable
energy (solar)
5.Capacity enhancement
workshops
6.Eco-clubs (soil,
water, river and air)
7.Synergy with
WWF India activities

PEACE Institute Charitable Trust
in association with
Thames Rivers Trust
PEACE Institute Charitable Trust
178-F, Pocket-4,
Mayur Vihar Phase-1
New Delhi-110091
India
Tele-Fax: 91-11-22719005
Email: yamunajiya@gmail.com
We are on the WEB
www.peaceinst.org
Jiye Jamuna... Jiye Jan-Jan!
Editorial
This is perhaps the final of our issue as the two year twinning
project between the TRT and PEACE comes to a close at the
end of March 2013.
These two years it seems have passed not only doubly fast but
been such a great learning and consolidation years both for us
and for our Nadi Mitra Mandali friends and partners at all the 10
sites. We have with great interest seen them grow from taking
tentative first few steps to confident CBOs that most have become
by now. And they have good tangible assets like repaired
wells, drains, eco-san toilets, plantations, culverts etc to show in
their GRIDs many of which had been pending for years as key
local felt needs. Most notably the NMMs now not only proudly
exhibit a sense of responsible ownership of their river but have
begun to take proactive steps towards securing its health.
AMEN.
Manoj Misra
River Somb-Thapana survey at Kanalsi GRID
River Somb is perhaps
the only functional
tributary of river
Yamuna in Haryana. It
has an interesting tributary
of its own locally
called as Thapana and
deeply cherished by
people who are trying
to develop it as a Community
Conserved
River. Thapana is also
perhaps the only representative
stream in the
Yamuna system with
aquifer origins and
emerges from the underground.
To assess the biodiversi
Kanalsi villagers declare River Thapana
as ‘Community Conserved
Area’
-ty specially fish and
threats being faced by
Thapana, a field survey
with active support from
local members of NMM
at Kanalsi, was organized
from 2nd to 10th Dec
12. The survey was led
by Nishikant Gupta, a
Researcher, at the
King’s College, London
(UK) and ably assisted
by Bhim Rawat
of PEACE Institute
and the NMM members.
While the survey has
found a good diversity
of flora and fauna,
birds in particular, it
has laid a good foundation
for an ultimate
development of a
River Somb-Thapana
Catchment restoration
plan that we at
PEACE Institute plan
to work on and
Somb– Thapana survey underway
near Kanalsi village
produce as part of
the river restoration
techniques project’s
output.
It is our hope that
such a plan once in
place shall provide a
good model for many
more such plans and
actions.