VISAKHAPATNAM ............Going Green

The International Clubs of Y`s Men and YMCA, Visakhapatnam observed The International Coastal Cleanup Day along with Eastern Naval Command (ENC) on September 15, 2012.  A large scale cleanup drive all along the prominent beaches and waterfronts on the city was flagged off from near the Kalinga Beach.  The Naval Community at Visakhapatnam represented by over 2000 personnel comprising officers, men, ladies and children from various units of the Command, joined hands with 1000 citizens of Visakhapatnam and undertook the cleanup drive in right earnest.

The event was graced by Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anil Chopra, other Flag Officers, Senior Officers, YMCA president, Mr. Sam Cherian, YMCA Past President, Mr. Prakesh Benhus, Visakhapatnam   Mr. L. Pragnan Kumar, Green Ambassadors, Ysm. Vasantha Rao, Secretary Y`s Men Clubs of Vizag Steel, Mr. Sesha Giri, General Secretary, YMCA Vizag and Mr. Venu George, Secretary of YMCA  were also present the occasion.  

With this endeavour, Eastern Naval Command aims to complement the efforts of the YMCA and Y`s Men Clubs In making Visakhapatnam a clean city.

 The service personnel were joined, for the first time at this annual event, by our Green Ambassadors and YMCA.  With a tagline, ”Time for a Sea Change“.  The drive is also intended to inculcate among people, the necessity of keeping beaches clean.

Y`s Men Green Ambassadors cleaning the Kalinga Beach in Visakhapatnam as part of “International Coastal and Waterfront Cleanup Day” observed by the ENC on Saturday.

--- L. Pragnan Kumar

Cloth Bags are Environment Friendly

On July 6^th  2012, YMCA of Visakhapatnam and Y`s Men Clubs of Vizag Steel jointly organised awareness programme on `Ban the Polythene Bags’ programme at YMCA Hall.  Our programme focuses on banning POLYTHENE BAGS for pro-environment reasons.  Our objective is to empower the city-dwellers on the usages of cloth bags instead of polythene bags.  More than 70 YMCA members and Y`s Men members participated in this awareness programme. We invited Mr. Rolland Williams, The National President of YMCAs as a resource person to educate the participants. Mr. Rolland Williams,  has said  plastic was one of the most important inventions of the last century.  It has great industrial and commercial uses. However, its excessive use in recent times has threatened the environment. The polythene bags are dumped on the street garbage bins which litter the roads like anything.  Animals from our domestic field eat them resulting in their ultimate death.  He said this is a cause of great concern to all our YMCAs. The plastic cannot be destroyed, nor can it decay or decompose, like jute or paper or any other organic material. It is most hazardous material causing environmental pollution. Hence, like a demon in the making, it continues to haunt our environment.

He appealed participants to start educating the people, on the harmful effects of using polythene, by organizing discussions and workshops.   This is least a thing that we can do to ensure that we leave a clean environment for our children, as has been inherited by us.

Reported by : Pragnan Kumar

Sri Lanka YMCA Launches Tree Plantation Program

Sri Lanka YMCA Tree Planting Programme was launched by Rt. Rev. Dhiloraj Ranjith Canagasabe, the Bishop of Colombo on 17^thSeptember 2012 at the Cathedral compound, Bauddaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07 by planting a “ Diospyros Ebenum(Kaluwara) tree.  

The Tree Planting Programme is conducted to mark the 50^th Anniversary of the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka.

Addressing the gathering His Lordship said that “YMCA has chosen an appropriate and relevant activity to mark the 50^thAnniversary of the National Council of the YMCAs of Sri Lanka when the country is in need of millions of trees to sustain its eco system”. He further thanked God for the ecosystem and pleased the event as a beginning point of a long journey.   

The Lordship also thanked the YMCA for its yeoman service to the community and requested to expand this programme to all parts of the country. Bishop made a special request from YMCA to plant trees in the Central hills, North and East as many trees have been destroyed.

Responding to the request made by His Lordship, The National General Secretary of the National Council of YMCAs of Sri Lanka Mr. Lakshan Dias said that through the YMCA Tree Planting Programme it is intended to mobilize around 5000 youth and plant 500,000 trees in Sri Lanka within a period of three months from September to December 2012. YMCA also expects to build awareness among the community especially, among the youth on the importance of having sufficient plants on our earth. There will be educational and awareness programmes on climate change and global warming in parallel to the tree planting programme as well.

It is also revealed that the YMCAs of Point Pedro, Kalmunai and Pamunugama inaugurated their local level tree planting programme on the same day.

The Cost of Oxygen

"The cost of Oxygen!! Very interesting!!! In one day a human being breathes oxygen equivalent to 3 cylinders. Each oxygen cylinder on an average costs Rs. 700/-, without subsidy. So, in a day one uses oxygen worth Rs. 2,100/- And for a full year it is Rs. 7,66,500/-. And, if we consider an average life span of 65 years; the costs of oxygen we use become a staggering sum of Rs. 500,00,000/- = Rs. 50 million. All this oxygen is derived FREE OF COST from the surrounding trees. Very few people look at trees as a life-giving natural RESOURCE. There is rampant tree-cutting going on everywhere WHICH WE MUST STOP." Lakkaraju Pragnan Kumar

Agra YMCA Green Team

It was another memorable day in the history of YMCA AGRA when the officials gathered together to form the Green Team. The meeting started at 5:15 pm on 19th July 2012 and around 18 people from different walks of life gathered in Diocesan Office to show their love and concern for mother nature. In an impressive ice breaking session everyone told how they was involved in saving the energy.  

Mr. Vikas Singh from Rajeev Gandhi Computer Saksharta Mission said that since for the last 2 years he was planning to be part of any movement where we could think and work for our mother nature. In his Computer Centre he changed the old monitors to new TFTs and instead of CPU, he was using a device which needs no CPU and work more effectively it reduced his monthly electricity bill and also he was happy that he helped in reducing carbon emissions.

Mr. Deepak Sarin Cordinator of India Against Corruption said that it is wonderful to plant trees in Agra, but at the same time we should aware people to care the previous planted saplings. Mr. Rohin Sarin of 3rd Eye Creation said to reduce pollution, serious measures should be taken to remove polythene from city and we should also work on an alternate to polythene.

Mr. Deepak Dan, The Executive Committee Member of NIR YMCAs said when a man is taken in the emergency department of a hospital, the first thing he needs is OXYGEN. If we'll not plant trees from where do we get oxygen?

After an interactive session the Green Ambassador Amit Kapoor helped to form the Green Team of YMCA Agra with an oath by the members under the dynamic leadership of  Revd. Dr. P. P. Habil - President YMCA  Agra. The meeting ended with entertaining the members with herbal drinks which is to motivate the Green Team that there was an alternate of Cold Drinks. Why we drink Cold Drinks when Natural drinks are more healthy and refreshing.

The meeting ended with the word of prayer and benediction by Revd. Dr. P. P. Habil - Diocesan Secretary Church of North India

The Members of YMCA AGRA GREEN TEAM

1. Revd. Dr. P. P. Habil                   Diocesan Secretary, Diocese of Agra

2. Mr. Deepak Dan                          Board Members YMCA AGRA

3. Mr. Derek Smith                          St. John's Inter College, Agra

4. Dr. Samuel Stanley                     St. John's College, Agra

5. Dr. Shailendra Pratap Singh      St. John's College, Agra

6. Mr. Amit Kapoor                          Green Ambassador- India

7. Mr. Trevor Rosemeyer                Anglo-Indian Association, Agra

8. Mr. Deepak Sarin                        Coordinator - India Against Corruption, Agra

9. Mr. Arun Kumar Sharma             Student M. D. Jain Inter College, Agra

10. Mr. Mayank Srivastava             Student M. D. Jain Inter College, Agra

11. Mr. Sudhir Bharadwaj               India Against Corruption, Agra

12. Mr. Rohin Sarin                          Managing Director 3rd Eye Creation

13. Mr. Vikas Singh                         Managing Director - 

                                                           Rajeev Gandhi Computer Saksharta Mission, Agra

14. Mr. Yatin Tyagi                           Rajeev Gandhi Computer Saksharta Mission, Agra

15. Mr. Raj Kumar Dass                  Dass Public School, Agra

16. Revd. Yusuf Dass                       Priest in Charge Methodist Church, Firozabad

17. Mr. C. N. Tigga                           Member YMCA AGRA

Reported by

Amit Kapoor

General Secretary YMCA Agra

YMCA Green Ambassador India