Toilet Soaps

Have you noticed something happening to the toilet soap that you buy? Earlier life was not so complicated. All toilet soaps weighed 79gms for some odd reason. That made comparisons easy. Only Lifebouy weighed 100gms, like Sunlight tablet because it was categorised as laundry soap.

The weight of toilet soaps began to be played around with by many of the manufacturers and now the consumer had to contend with comparing price and weight, which is absolutely impossible.

This has nothing to do with "fortune at the bottom of the Pyramid" where there is a conscious reduction in the quantity offered generally equal to one use, like the shampoo sachet.

Traditionally, toilet soaps were expected to last 14 days to 18days. Thanks to the wonderful advertising, I got tempted to use Pears and was shocked to find that it dissolved in a week. Gone is the oval depressed shape.

Rotary India - Water Literacy & Implementation Plan

Proposed Water Literacy & Implementation Plan

Background : Water, like air, has been taken for granted in our country. Till surface water like lakes, ponds and rivers were a major source, there was not much anxiety. Monsoons always came and renewed these sources. Life went on for one more year. When man discovered that there was a lot more water underground, and with the technology available to construct bore wells, people believed that there was a never-ending source of water under the ground. In many places deep bore wells became the major source of water for agriculture, human consumption and industry. It takes an average of 100 years for water seep to 100 feet, so we can just imagine how quickly man will consume all the under ground water.

The organized governments have traditionally tapped surface water like lakes, ponds and rivers and used them to supply piped water to the citizens.

Monsoons in India come regularly and stay with us for more than 3 months. In certain regions the blessings from the skies continue for more than 9 months. The monsoon rains of course replenish the lakes and ponds but generally more than 80% of the rainwater flows back into a river and then into the sea.

The undersigned has planned and implemented about 60 Rain Water Harvesting and Recharge structures in and around Jamshedpur. This has been conducted with the financial assistance of Coca-Cola India and the part contribution of each participating institution in a 65 : 35 ratio.

The participating institution first gives a written approval for the structure and then also signs an undertaking to maintain the filtration system annually.

Total Global Saltwater and Freshwater Estimates

Saltwater 97.5%

Freshwater 2.5% = 100% of Freshwater

Lakes & River Storage .3%

Groundwater, including moisture,

swamp water and permafrost 30.8%

Glaciers and permanent snow cover 68.9%

Objectives :

1. To design and execute systems that can increase the harvesting and storage ofrain.

2. Making an India plan which is regional sensitive, considering storage, extent of rain

and uses.

3. Triggering mass awareness on all aspects of the uses of water including clean

drinking water, intelligent use of water, cutting all sources of wastage and

prevention of pollution of water.

4. To harvest, store and use water to ensure multi-cropping, in the rural areas.

5. Create awareness about water-borne diseases and its control.

6. To encourage treatment and re-use of water in non-critical areas like toilets,

clothes and car washing and gardening.

Plan

1. Create Awareness – Design and implement a National Quiz Contest for students.

2. To encourage intelligent use of water, we shall introduce the Rotary Quality Water Mark.

The objective of this would be to ensure that water that is consumed in institutions is properly managed. Thus, standards would be laid down regarding tank overflow, leaking taps, unrepaired flush tanks, provision of clean drinking water and creation of awareness of a helpline number in case of a major breakdown.

3. Generate interest in Rain Water Harvesting & Recharge – Seminars to be conducted in identified towns inviting the following people – i) Key decision – makers in Institutions / Commercial Organisations / Building Estates.

ii) Inviting petty civil contractors

4. The seminars will be conducted like workshops with the intention of conducting 1 or 2 actual programmes. In the 1^st year it is expected to implement 2 projects each in 10 cities. The numbers will increase arithmetically in the following 2 years, namely, 4 in the 2^nd year and 4 in the last year.

5. Our role in rural India will focus on Lift Irrigation and sustainable Watershed Management.

Lift Irrigation – Villages adjoining rivers face an anomaly where only 1 monsoon crop is grown. Although they have a river flowing by, they cannot connect to produce 2 more crops in a year since a simple device like Lift Irrigation does not exist. Instead, unscrupulous contractors use the earth from the river side to make bricks, paying a very low fee to the villagers.

Watershed – When there is plenty of rainfall and if the region lends itself to “ridge to valley” geography, we can easily implement a scheme to ensure that rain water seeps down through contour trenching, gabion dams and other such devices. The water is then harvested through wells in the valley and used for cultivation. To make an impact in rural India, it is suggested that a specific area in India is taken and made into the command area, where we will be committed initially for 10 years and in the 2^nd year of 10 years ensure that sustainability continues.

6. At the time of the inauguration of the structure, we shall also conduct a painting competition directing the attention of the children towards the aspects of Rain Water Harvesting and prizes will be given for the best entries.

On the same day we shall also project a movie on urban and rural Rain Water Harvesting.

Conclusion

The above is an integrated plan which can first be initiated in a model district and then rolled out to others, developing local expertise.

Ronald D’Costa

Centennial Governor 2004 – 05

Rotary International

District 3250