Since 1972 , June 5th, is the World Environment Day(WED). UNCHS organised the first environment conference on June 5th 1972. The focus was on the Human Settlements and the deteriorating Environment. Mrs. Indira Gandhi was the only head of state in the conference. Poverty was termed as the worst form of pollution.
Since 1972 every year on June 5th is observed as WED. This year theme is TIME TO ACT. WED is about me and you. WED is a people's event with colourful activities such as street rallies,bicycle parades,green concerts,essays and poster competitions in schools,tree planting,as well as recycling and clean-up campaigns.
On June 5th,2000 there will be a global event R'2000 at Toronto,Canada.. A world Congress on Integrated Resources Management and Envirotech Canada Trade Show with more than 350 presentations from over 60 countries are organized..

R'2000 Congress will...... :

• address the economic recovery from waste streams, and management of resources through a scientific,technical and practical perspective.
• consider and address environmental,economic,technological and social implications of recovery,recycling and re-integration technologies and techniques in a balanced way.
• cover the most advanced techniques and latest findings of R & D in environmental technologies by industry and academia.

Design : "jags@ environs"

Advisors : Prof. V M Parvathamma, Shri. Krishna Vattam , Shri.R G Narasimha Iyengar

• Mysore Environment Trust (R), since March 8th,1996 is a voluntary initiative, working to facilitate effective people participation in Sustainable Development of Mysore region based on Agenda -21 guidelines of the Earth Summit,1992. Agenda-21 is an action plan signed by the heads of state at UNCED in Rio,Brazil, to protect the Environment.

MLAN is an informal networking platform for Civic and Environmental issues. Exchange of information from the community perspective is the objective of MLAN.. As per the MLAN principle two individuals/organizations are necessary to establish minimum networking. Contact Conveners; SGV-515187 and VJ:98450 13657.

Earth Day 2000 was celebrated on April 22,2000 at Dvanyaloka,Mysore jointly by the Mysore Environment Trust and Dvanyaloka.
Prof. S N Hegde,Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore delivered a keynote address after inaugurating the workshop. Prof. C D Narasimhaiah presenting a paper"Save the Lake and Save your Souls" appealed to Vice-chancellor to initiate all possible measures to save the Kukkarahally Lake. Prof.CDN was very much concerned for action plan involving all concerned.
Prof.C.Seshadri, Ex-Principal,Regional Institute of Education and UNESCO expert in his paper listing successful NGO efforts in parts of India such as Shiksha Karmi and Lok Jumbish at Rajasthan and PROPEL,Maharastra wherein the community participatory mechanism had been effectively used.
Prof. V Chandrashekar,former-principal,MIT Mainipal, made presentation on the Rotary International and touched upon various social and community centered activities of Rotary Clubs in and around Mysore.
Dr.HAB Parpia,former Director ,CFTRI presenting the Human Development Index of India focused on the consumer and environmental movement in India.
Prof. O D Hegde,Co-ordinator, DOS in Economics,PG centre UOM Mandya presented the economical valuation issues of lakes and tanks.
Er.V.Jagannatha, former-Director, Environmental Training Institute, a Danida project briefed about the EESS model and the experiences in developing it over 12 years . The details of the model are in the website address given at page 01 of this news letter.
Prof. R.Indira, Director,Centre for Women's Studies presented the case studies of Women participation in the forest management.
Prof. C N Srinath, Director, Mysore University PG Centre, Mandya conducted the program.

Earlier, MET(R) had filed its views and in specific written communications on the issue of ecological planning not taken into account in spite of such a demand in the form of 37 specific suggestions received by the MUDA for its RCDP in 1992 itself. The present impasse and financial losses could have been prevented saving precious money and time, if ecological planning and guideline on the lakes preservation could have been built within the CDP for Mysore city.
Concernful feelings of Shri. Srikantadatta Narsimharaja Wodeyar has found meaning atlast. The vision of Shri. R G Narasimha Iyengar, Advocate & Former Mayor, Mysore suggestion in the public hearing that ORR at Lingabudhi lake portion may be dropped. and deviated to minimum of over 2 kms away has been almost upheld. The ORR is now shifted at a cost of Rs 15 Crore . This could have totally prevented, if there were to be a policy guideline to prevent roads cutting in the centre or periphery of a lake.
At least now, there is a need to evolve a planning guideline at Mysore Urban Development Authority(MUDA) to prevent abuse of remaining water bodies bodies at Mysore.

As usual this year also, the water supply to the city of Mysore is constrained. Majority of people are affected for intermittent supply. The city of Mysore requires over 42 MGD water. Since the farmers from the state and also from Tamilnadu and residents of Mysore city are equally hardpressed, beyond political and emotional considerations sustainable action plans are vital.
The following immediate Agenda are indispensable to abate the water scarcity in Mysore and other water users..

1) USE GROUND WATER SOURCES WITH SURFACE WATER AUGMENTATION
Existing surface water from the Cauvery River at 16 Km distance must be linked to the Ground Water sources at Mysore. About 500 borewells now available at Mysore must be used in conjunction.. Pumps and pipings for interlinking costs are meager. Local engineering colleges must be pressed to work on this system. The satellite technology based hydrogeological studies be used to augment further water from ground water sources.

2)POTABLE WATER FROM LAKES AS THE FIRST AGENDA FOR LAKES;
A vision and action plan to restore the drinking water quality standards in all remaining water bodies must be initiated. Water bodies preservation must be based on ultimate use of them as drinking water sources as in the past. Flora and other wildlife studies may take later priorities. Inverted filter galleries be introduced in lakebeds and low lying areas to augment ground water sources.

3)RAINWATER HARVESTING IN ALL URBAN ACTIVITIES AS A DEVELOPMENTAL REQUIREMENT
Incorporate the Rain Water Harvesting in all housing plans/service complexes/ housing colonies/industrial estates by MCC/MUDA. An incentive for rain water harvesting in both individual and collective levels be given in developmental charges and taxation.

4)PROMOTE RECYCLING/ REUSE/REDUCE OF WATER
Delink clean quality surface water supply to industries/service activities for process and operations and replace them by recycling of domestic /industrial waste water.There are many public sector industries who need to delink their water demands from fresh water sources. These industries must be charged at commercial rates to meet water recycling.reuse and reduce strategies.

5)DEVELOP WATER TARIFF FOR ALL USERS FOR EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION
Water is primarily supplied as a social welfare measure to both agriculture and with little charging to urban needs. Water conservation is vital and economical management is essential. When each drop of water is collected,stored, treated, pumped and conveyed, water charges in an acceptable way must be introduced.

6)SEEK TIME TARGETS FROM MAJOR INDUSTRIES FOR RECYCLING, REUSE AND REDUCE
The best practices in cleaner productions are not deployed by all categories of industries for reasons of initial investments,, psychological barriers and so on. The CII and Chamber of Commerce may be pursued to evolve a time bound action plan which significantly reduces water demands in all industries at Mysore be it on ground water or surface water sources.

A paper " Biological Monitoring Tools for recycling hazardous effluents " by Dr.Shobha J, Sr.Lecturer,Department of Studies in Botany, University of Mysore ,Manasagangothri, has been accepted for presentation at R'2000 World Congress on Integrated Resources Management held at Toronto,Canada during June 5-9 th 2000

Internet Conference on Material Flow Analysis of Integrated Bio-Systems(IC-MFA-IBS) has been organized by the Institute of Advanced Studies, United Nations University during March-October 2000. Er.V.Jagannatha, will be chairing a paper from Brazil " : during 5 June-30 June2000.

Er.V.Jagannatha has been nominated as a member of a seven member research team on "Fosturing Nepalese mountain economy and environment through organic agriculture and conservation of biodiversity. The project has been an outcome of the ongoing IC-MFA-IBS in which Er.Jagannatha is a planning member.

" Use the best toothpaste to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth with it's industrial waste " -Western Proverb