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News Highlights
Day of the Month
Project of the Month
Christmas Festival
Agriculture Development
Global Warming
We wish a Merry Christmas
& a Prosperous New Year
to all our Readers &
their Families
Contact Address
SAMPARC
Social Action For
Manpower Creation
9, Varad Apartments,
292, Yashwant Nagar,
Talegaon Dabhade,
Dist. Pune 410 507
Tel/Fax
: (02114) 227335/ 231472
E-mail :
samparc@vsnl.com /
samparc_1990@yahoo.com
Web-site:
www.samparc.org
AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT
Vegetable Cultivation
According to
a new World Bank report,
India became
one of the five countries (others U.S., China, Japan & Germany) that
share half of world’s production. (Courtesy: Silicon
India
News, 19th Dec 07).
While we
achieved a rapid growth in economy, it is a truth that under 60% of
India’s billion plus population continues to be dependent on the
agricultural sector. But the agricultural share in national income is
shrinking fast and stands at less than 20% now. (Courtesy: Indian
Express, 18th Dec 07).
The latest World Development Report 2008 from the World Bank calls for
greater investment in agriculture in developing countries. The report
acknowledges that in the 21st century, agriculture continues to be a
fundamental instrument for sustainable development and poverty
reduction.
(Courtesy: Centad Trade News, 23rd Oct 07).
In an
economically advanced society where agriculture looses its significance,
it is encouraging that SAMPARC plays a major role in opening more
avenues for agricultural development.
At SAMPARC
Bhambarde Centre, we have earmarked a lot of activities towards
agricultural development.
CAPART
A project was
started with the help of CAPART to change the economy of farmers of
Ghutka and Adagaon Barpe villages of Mulshi Taluka. 6 Shallow Wells
were dug mainly for storing rain water. With this, the farmers are
happy now that they can cultivate second crop every year. It also helped
those farmers who migrated to cities for lack of water to return to
their villages to work in their own land.
Cultivation
A massive
cultivation programme is already initiated to cultivate crops like onion
& other vegetables in an area of 12 acres.
Onion Cultivation
Horticultural Training
Free
horticultural development training programme is conducted by SAMPARC for
the farmers of nearby villages on a regular basis. This training
includes lessons on scientific methods of agriculture too. Qualified
Agricultural Staff are conducting these training programmes.
Our Appeal
SAMPARC
is run with the help of donations from philanthropic-minded individuals
and organizations. If any of our readers wishes to sponsor an orphan
child or support our work, please contact us by phone /
mail. Please visit
us for more details.
Other
links:
Global Giving
Donations to SAMPARC are exempted from Income Tax under sections 35AC
(100%) and 80G (50%).
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DAY OF THE
MONTH
1st
December 2007
On the 1st
of this month, the entire world commemorated World AIDS Day.
This year, the World AIDS Day focussed on ‘leadership’, the theme set by
the World AIDS Campaign under the five-year slogan “Stop AIDS, Keep the
Promise”.
Awareness raising activities were conducted by various agencies in
India to promote more awareness of HIV/AIDS. But the one that caught
attention and even raised the eyebrows of many is the
Nagpur
Municipal Corporation (NMC)’s announcement to start a school exclusively
for
children living with HIV. The NMC set up this School with six rooms, the
first of its kind by a civic body in the country. In a unique attempt to
root out the stigma attached to the HIV-infected, the school admitted 28
children in a city where single parents of 147 such children decided to
stop educating them. It is disheartening to learn that such exclusive
arrangements are still needed for HIV affected children, when we think
that
India
had reached certain level of awareness as far as HIV is concerned. Even
with air and water-borne infectious diseases like TB and Leprosy, we
find that exclusive clinics and hospices create social isolation. While
commending the noble attempt of NMC, it leaves a clear-cut notion that
we still lag behind in areas of prevention, care, stigma and
discrimination.
At all
SAMPARC centres, we conduct various workshops and awareness programmes
to spread awareness of AIDS among our children.
CHRISTMAS
FESTIVAL
Christmas is celebrated to commemorates the birth of Lord Jesus Christ.
The day falls on 25th December and it is celebrated all over
the world. Christmas celebrations include various traditions such as
arrival of Santa Claus, display of nativity scenes, Christmas trees and
exchange of gifts and cards.
At all
SAMPARC centres, we celebrated Christmas with all its fervor.
GLOBAL
WARMING
The recently
concluded Bali Summit on UN Climate Change could not take concrete steps
to curb global warming. Although it failed to quantify the emission cuts
needed to reduce the impact of global warming, some steps were taken in
terms of meeting long, medium and short-term challenges. Starting with
the long-term objective of cutting emissions in consonance with the
Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (FAR-IPCC), the
Bali
talks failed to agree on specific targets because the US was against
them. At the same time, the
US
was forced to drop its demand that emission targets for developing
countries should be part of the road map, as also its opposition to
developing countries’ demand for technological and financial help.
The FAR-IPCC
emphasized that greenhouse gases (GHGs) should peak by 2015 and that
emission cuts by 2020 of 25-40 per cent by rich countries are needed to
prevent the possibility of a 4 degree centigrade rise in global
temperatures.
On curbing
deforestation, which is a medium-term objective, progress was made at
Bali.
Deforestation accounts for about a fifth of GHG emissions, hence
commitments on reducing emissions from deforestation will be beneficial.
However, adequate funding is required for the scheme to work. .
(Courtesy: Indian Express, 19th Dec 07)
As one of the
warmest years (2007) is just passing, as responsible citizens, we must
be alert. People from all levels must be told to do whatever is possible
to curb pollution in all its forms and protect the environment. At the
same time, more tree plantation must be undertaken, eco-friendly
buildings must be developed and most important is to completely stop or
at least limit deforestation. Also all reckless dissipation of limited
natural resources must be restricted and substitute clean & renewable
sources of energy.
Contribution of SAMPARC
At SAMPARC,
we are glad that we contribute to a certain extent towards preventing
pollution and strengthening our environment. Every year we undertake
plantation of thousands of trees at all our centres. We try to save the
precious energy through wind mills & solar panels. We have also started
a Bio-gas Plant at our SAMPARC Abhinav Housing Society with
collaboration of Rotary Club, Lonavla. We also work hand in hand with
the Agricultural Dept,
Maharashtra,
to give awareness in forestry regeneration. |
PROJECT OF
THE MONTH
Bhambarde
Project
School & Hostel
School Building
Education in rural India
is a matter of great concern even today. Although Government strives to
impart compulsory education to all children below 12 years, thousands of
such children are still deprived of even elementary education. To fill
this gap, way back in 1998, SAMPARC started a School & Hostel in the
remote terrain village of Bhambarde in Pune District, at a distance of
70 km from Pune & 130 km from Mumbai. The sole purpose behind this
difficult task was to educate the poor tribal children in Mulshi Taluka
up to Std. X. In the initial stages, it was very difficult to convince
and persuade the illiterate farmers to send their wards to school. In
this hilly terrain where the importance of education plays least
significance, SAMPARC is proud that children regularly attend classes
for the last 9 years. Today there are 226 students study in the school.
Class in Progress
In the last school year
we have constructed two hostels (separate for boys & girls) to
accommodate the residential students. 134 village students live and
study here.
This school is first of
its kind in Mulshi Taluka. The school provides a good platform for
various extracurricular and cultural activities. The school bagged many
District & Taluka level awards & medals for special performance in
sports. Coaching in sports is provided to many enthusiastic youngsters
in a 2-acre wide specially prepared sports ground.
Another feather on the
school’s cap is the recognition of the State Government as the “Best
School in Mulshi Taluka of the year 2005”.
The school has
well-furnished classrooms, laboratory, library and computer room.
Science Laboratory
Like any other schools
in the city, this school also is equipped with Headmaster, trained
teachers, office staff, hostel in-charge, helpers, visiting doctor &
other staff.
Besides the hostels,
there is a spacious kitchen, dining hall & toilets are available in the
premises.
A Bird Eye’s View of Project
One of the most
significant factors that differentiate this school and hostel from other
such institutions in and around Pune is that it provides a very serene,
congenial & pollution-free atmosphere for the stay and study of
children.
Other Activities
As allied activities,
the Bhambarde centre extends educational support to another 100 girl
children through Community Outreach (Nanhi Kali) programme.
Check Dam
In the entire complex
covered in a vast 16-Acre land, there are separate facilities for a
2-Acre Sports Ground, Wind Mills & Check Dam.
Cattle Shed
As allied activities, we
already have undertaken Agricultural, Vermi-compost & Animal Husbandry
activities. Water is readily available within the premises from the dam
and well.
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