ZZZ Don't dub Ayurved as unscientific.

Date : 07.04.94

In this article I would like to raise some questions about why Ayurved has not been given chance to considered scientific, and why this mistake is made by Govt. of India and our people at large.

I will start by an example, let us consider an Ayurvedic expert who has found out a drug that cures diabetes.  He wants to find out whether this drug has different effect on the Kapha Prakruti, Vaat Prakruti and Pitta Prakruti persons.  What ever be his results if finally he claims that diabetes is cures then any layman and any administrative officer in the Govt. of India and any scientific journal where he wants to publish his papers would expect that he finally carries out the blood sugar test and such other pathological tests which are actually bio-chemical tests to finally come to the conclusions diabetes has been cured.  Let me repeat the objective of his experiment was not to prove whether diabetes was getting cured or not because objective of experiment was to find out how the same drug while curing diabetes behaves differently and patient shows different kind of response, depending on the prakruti of patient.  So this person makes experiments with let us say 300 patients 100 each belonging to Kapha, Vaat and Pitta Prakruti and comes to a certain conclusion about the response time of the drug, with different prakrutees.  Let us say that he finds a different behavior pattern and therefore further wants to prescribe different doses for patients depending on different prakrutees.  Now such a paper will not be accepted by the so-called scientific would, unless he has in each case done the blood test.

I have discussed this imaginary experiment with many doctors both from Allopathy and Ayurvedic side and asked this question is it necessary that these results of the Ayurvedic man should be approve or authenticated by ICMR?  The answer has invariably been ‘yes’.  Although when asked this question in writing no agency neither ICMR nor CCRYS have confirm it is writing in fact none of them have acknowledged my letter.

I also wanted to know what was the reason that this case must be authenticated by ICMR and the answer was not and surprisingly I did not get what I was expecting.  I got an answer which was quite unexpected to me and unacceptable.  In my opinion this should go to ICMR for the simple reason that in this country ICMR is the only agency available with the Health Ministry which has to perform a dual rele the role of a facilitator as well as an authenticator.  ICMR in collaboration with some studying Institute gives funds, gives sometimes manpower, sometimes equipments sometimes advice etc. so that an Institute can carry out certain experiments to establish certain fats, certain unknown facts and then finally when the Institute reports the completion of experiment ICMR’s role is changes into in authenticator’s role, during which ICMR will not work as a facilitator but of a critical examiner.  They will examine the entire experiment in all points of view and then only their expertise will declare whether the experiment can be called successful or otherwise.  The view of the ICMR then becomes final.  Even though such an agency is available in Govt. of India it is very unfortunate that this agency work only in the field of Allopathy.  If we compare another apex agency in Ayurveda namely CCRYS then everybody know that CCRYS does not perform the role of either a facilitator or an authenticator.  Therefore the reason I would expect such an experiment to go to ICMR for authentication was because that is the only agency available for authentication.  But unfortunately the answer was that the result has go to ICMR for authentication because the said expert has used the techniques of blood sugar to say that the diabetes was cured.  This in my opinion is unacceptable because the result found out by the person mainly the blood sugar level had come down was only a biochemical technique.  It was like a measuring rod.  Today everybody can measure the length of a thing, today everybody can measure the temperature of something by using a thermometer, similarly, a person can send a blood samples to any pathological laboratory and the job of actually determining blood chemistry and All these experts is interested in knowing was whether the blood-sugar level has come down and this has nothing to do with Allopathy.  Yet the ICMR’s arguments yet the arguments seems to be that it is because of this blood-sugar level which is involved in the experiment therefore the authentication must be done by ICMR.  I would like to draw attention on a point that this person who has done his BAMS has studies the same Physics and Chemistry and Biology till his 12th std. as any other MBBS has done.  He has studies the same pathology and chemical laboratory testing as an MBBS man has done.  Then also why is it considered that he is not scientific while another MBBS is scientific.  I raise this question because among educated classes they are believed to be various levels of scientific ness.  Just as an MBBS would believe physics believes that a man of medicine is not scientific, because he does not understand so much of physics, so much of chemistry so much of maths and this ridiculous logic can be extended to any level.  A person of mathematics does not believe that a person of physics of chemistry also scientific, because a maths expert ……………… in very very absolute and very very correct science.  Now we also come to the question why I consider this ICMR’s authentication to be unacceptable.  This is because the said experiment has two different aspects.  One aspect is measuring blood chemistry by carrying out blood sugar test.  Another aspect is of linking the observational data with the prakruti of the person.  Therefore even if we grant that the first aspect is a monopoly of allopathy and not permissible to Ayurveda unless and until supported and authenticated by a Allopath.  Even then my arguments remains that the second aspect is entirely Ayurvedic and ICMR does not today have qualification of dealing with such a subject.  With in ICMR I am told that they exists …………… which is considered to be an expert in Ayurvedic field.  But my submission is that any person can be considered an expert in a particular therapy only when that person has been treating patients by using that therapy and not advice.  Simply bookish knowledge, theoretical knowledge, reading books, even passing exams but not treating patient is not sufficient to get any person any experience.  And hence it is atmost necessary that an apex body like ICMR must be a well provided with sufficient manpower drawn from such people who had understood Ayurved, who have practiced Ayurved and who have also understood Allopathy.  I would also say that today the reason has CCRAS is not able to perform the role of an authenticator is because no person in CCRAS is understanding in depth………….. biochemistry as understood by allopathic doctors.  What do the pathological tests mean as they mean to the allopathic doctors.  Also within CCRAS I feel that there are no persons who think in terms of redesigning experiments from Ayurvedic stand points.  If we have to create an agency which can both as a facilitator as well as an authenticator within Indian System of Medicines then by submission is that, we are not looking for an expert Ayurvedic man who does not understand Allopathy or an expert Allopath who does not understand Ayurveda.  But a person who has used both, then only such a person can fulfil a proper role of giving a lead to the scientific development of Ayurveda.

The objective of this article is to examine whether Ayurveda should be considered scientific or not.  In my opinion Ayurveda is science.  If we consider the history of Ayurveda and history of evolution of knowledge in Indian society, we find that as in modern society so also in old society.  The science and technology are two different things.  Science develop out of thinking and deliberation were as technology evolves out of science in such a way as to make a practical application of the scientific theory evolved.  In this ………. We find that the philosophies which developed in Indian culture particularly the sankhi philosophy was providing the basic scientific, theoretical, philosophical background.  On the basis of which the application of which the technology developed in fact various technologies developed.  But the most prominent among them was the technology of Ayurveda.  We could say that the other technologes that developed in fact Atharva Ved mentions four up Vedas 1) Ayurveda 2) Dhanurveda 3) Arthashastra & 4)  …………  & these could be considered as technologies developed out of the pure sciences, manly sankhya. Sankhya is a subject that talks about, that considers the question how a human body is made.  It considers the questions how the world is made, how the universe was made and comes to certain conclusions.  It comes to conclusions that there are elements and there are 5 elements and these make the entire universe as well as the body and hence the concept “                                       “.  It comes to the question of how the body gets nutrition and the answer is again that the body gets nutrition from these five elements.  How do these elements give nutrition to the body, the answer is “ that means these five elements together work to create first of all the plant kingdom from where the animal kingdom gets the food.   All these are the scientific research ?  It is like Newton saying that all light that we see is made up of corpuscle and these corpuscle travel in a straight line and then they make impact in one eye and we see an object.  This explanation is some what very similar to the explanation given by the Sankhya philosophy of a creation of five elements and from their the creation of the world.

Now, Newton belongs to 13th century – 17th century which is about 3 to a thousand years after the concept of Sankhya is developed in Indian culture.  It is but natural that the science of physics changed and improved and developed and now we believe that light is not particles but waves and the wave theory and light continue for several years, several countries.  Till in 20th century finally somebody established that light consists of several particles called  which are packets and bundles of energy  therefore they show the behavior of a wave propelled with energy.  By this experiment I want to show that science is an ever developing thing and its application namely technology is therefore also an equally developing thing.  Unfortunately, it can be seen that after Sankhya, the development of science went too much towards the side of psychology and therefore the scientific development that we see after Sankhya comes more in the side of ‘Atma Chintan’, ‘Vedanta’, ‘Adwaita’, ‘Buddhism’, Jainism etc.  In fact the Buddhist literature could be said to be one of the best literature available for various psychological experiments and psychological.

The theory of Pradnya, the theory of Sheel, the theory of Ahimsa, the theory of Truthfulness, the theory of Krodh and Abhay.  This philosophy  of Buddha and Jain looks very different to the western world, because many of western philosophers if we look at their own life history we find that what they were in their actual life was quite different from what they stated in their philosophical volumes and yet these philosophical volumes have been accepted by people as great work.  But the philosophers themselves have never been elevated to the level of God, as Lord Buddha or Lord Jain or Mahavir Jain were.  Because these are the people  who did not preach or write a philosophy but they behaved that philosophy.    That apart, the point remains that the entire scientific development within Indian society during the BC 1000 to AD 1000 remained considered to the development of psychology, maths, but never to the developed what could be considered as further development of physics and chemistry.  It appears that the chemistry did develop because we developed  the science of fabrics, we the science of dying, but these developments are all technological developments, and not scientific developments.  They Ayurveda that develops from the old science and continued as a technology used even till today, has not been able to give the support, the necessary theoretical support which comes to any technology when the corresponding science is also progressing hand in hand and therefore today if we want to make another quantum jump in the field of Ayurved then instead of saying that what was written 4000 years back is the final and ultimate truth. We must come forward to make a good viewing of the physics and chemistry into Ayurved.  If we must make a good viewing of the biology, genetics, pathology into the Ayurved and then only work of Charwak and Sushrut.  Unless the Ayurvedic community upto this Ayurved willl remain what it was 4000 years back and we would never be able to claim that India can produce scientists who are able to once again as to take a big as Sushrut or Charak did.
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In the whole dictation above a point about astronomy is also to be mentioned, because in those days astronomy also developed as a science.

ZZZ Women empowerment what does it mean ?

Women empowerment : what does it mean ?

The year 2001 -- the first year of the new millennium -- has been declared by the Government of India as the Year of Empowerment for Women.  Government and voluntary agencies, academicians and all are expected to plan, strategise, and implement such policies and programmes as will pave way for accelerated development of women and lead them in the direction of empowerment.

How do we define the women’s empowerment? To my mind fearlessness, dignity and awareness are the key words. Can women, with dignity and without any fear, decide their own goals and have freedom and capability to act towards them?  A woman needs economic independence; for which she needs access to means of production. She needs complete freedom of movement for which physical security outside the house is a precondition. Her opinion and desires should count at the level of her family, the society and the country.  She should have all opportunities to enhance her capabilities. She should have right to own and enjoy property.  She should have freedom from the drudgeries of the laborious domestic chores.  She should be able to freely participate in the development and status building of the nation.  In short, if the society’s chariot runs on its two wheels, namely, the man and woman, then the woman, representing half the society, should be equally capable and empowered as the man.  Whether the woman has achieved such a capability and empowerment will decide the success of our plans .

Various factors will contribute to this empowerment. Freedom from fear (this implies absence of crime against women) and freedom from drudgery of work will be two major pre-requisites. Other important factors are - access to education and health, freedom from social restrictions and freedom for growing, access to opportunities, ownership and right to property and other assets, mastery over vocational, managerial as well as  life-saving medicinal skills.
What is the status of woman after 50 years of independence?  Our cultural heritage talks of Goddesses like Parvati, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Durga, etc. and we take pride in quoting “Where women are revered the Gods shall dwell there happily”.  But is there that reverence for women?  This is a question for major introspection.

The most alarming pointer to the declining status of women in the last 50 years, is the factor of rampant female infanticide. This  has now worsened into female foeticide and pre-selection technique that prevents the very conception of a female foetus.  The data of 2001 Census show that the female to male sex ratio for the 0-6 age group has declined from _____ in 1951 to _____ in 2001 and has been continuously on the decline during these years.  The very right to be born as a woman is under jeopardy.

[A digression – in the 60+ age group, the number of widowed women is far above that of widowers, and schemes have to be provided for maintaining the dignity of these aged single women.]

This decline in female to male ratio is related to other issues among which the high rate of dowry death and dowry torture are most important.  The cruelty shown to women in their married lives has become a matter of grave concern.  Annually, on average, the police registers as many as _____ cases of dowry deaths and ____ cases of dowry harassment.  The number of cases of bigamy, deserted women, and divorce by mutual consent is going up.  Of course, the concerned woman has invariably been compelled to consent in face of her desertion and other atrocities.  It is estimated that more than 5 lac cases of deserted women are pending  in various courts for maintenance.
The institution of family which is a characteristic and a representative of Indian society is itself under question mark.  If a woman is unsafe, or under fear and tension in her own house, then empowerment is a far cry.

Safety to woman outside her home is equally important in the empowerment issue.  Annual reports of the National Crime Records Bureau show that in one year there are nearly _____ cases of rapes, ____ cases of kidnapping and abduction of women, ____ cases of molestation, ____ cases of sexual harassment.  The reports also estimate that due to many social and financial compulsions the crimes against women actually recorded are only 10 to 25 percent of the crimes actually perpetrated.  Those that are registered are often affected by inadequate investigation, indifferent presentation in the courts, excruciating delays and insensitivity towards the problems and emotions of women victims.  Even when women victims cope up with these inadequacies, the conviction rates are as low as 15%, thus denying the very right of due and befitting justice to women in the crimes committed against them.

There is also an alarming increase in collective and organized crimes against women.  The cases of gang-rapes, mass rapes, rapes and other sexual exploitations of small girls, flesh trades run by organized gangs in 5-star environment, increasing population in brothel houses, etc. are the common headlines of the newspapers.  In Jalgaon sex scandal and some more subsequent cases, the latest methodology seems to be to lure needy girl with small temptation into taking her objectionable photographs and then black-mailing her for further sexual exploitation.  There are cases of one group perpetuating sexual atrocities against the women of another group, in order to teach a lesson to the other group or collective atrocities on women “to break her spine".  We need to take specific note of such crimes and make all out efforts for speedy and strict handling of these cases.  Currently, however, these cases are also handled with the same routine carelessness, as are the other cases.

If freedom from fear is the first criterion of women’s empowerment, then during coming years, we will have to demand that our investigative machinery should be more efficient, the process of justice should be more sensitive towards women, the punishment for sexual atrocities should be stringent and the current lethargic criminal procedure should be made speedier.  The entire justice delivery system may have to become more broad-based, going beyond the police and judicial machinery. What concrete steps and plans of action are before us for this?

The government may identify ten most important schemes towards this goal and report with regular frequency the progress made in implementation of such schemes
After safety within and outside the family, comes the question of earning the bread.  How does the woman of today earn her bread?  By undertaking to work!

What type of work, how does she do it, how is it accounted for and how is she paid for it?

Even after half century of independence, 70% of the women workforce are employed and getting paid only in unskilled jobs.  Take the example of a common construction site.  We find a man standing near a pile of sand and cement, smoking bidi, and once in a while preparing the “mixture” of cement, sand and water, which is continuously carried by women as a head-load to the second or fourth storey, going up and down, up and down .......  On the storey under construction, another man is cementing the bricks with this mixture to build up the wall.  Somewhere a third man is loitering, waiting for the truck delivery and he will only keep account of the material delivered.
 In this whole scenario the women engaged at the site are carrying head-loads nearly fifty times a day up and down the stairs and undertaking much more physical exertion, yet they are called unskilled labour and they necessarily get lesser wages than what the men get because their jobs are considered skilled jobs.

The picture continues in almost all sectors.  All the excruciatingly tiring and monotonous jobs of the women come in the category of unskilled work, accordingly and the payment is also less.

  Women continuously perform jobs for which they do not get any payment, for example, collection of fire-wood for the house, carrying pales of water from a long distance, cooking and cleaning the house, daily purchases, looking after children, etc.  A woman spends nearly six hours on these domestic jobs which are neither counted as work nor are paid, but demand labour, create drudgery and monotony, and there is no escape for an ordinary woman.  Her status or respect which are so essential for empowerment, is not elevated for her capacity to perform these jobs.
In our society, a man is generally not required to undertake these domestic jobs as he is considered the epitome of empowerment; he alone  is  eligible for status and respect.  If a man is seen as participating in domestic activities, he is ridiculed for his “woman like behaviour”.  As long as these routine domestic  jobs and the women performing them are victims of non-recognition, as long as a common woman has no way of escaping from them, there is no meaning to women’s empowerment.

It is extremely necessary that women get respect for these domestic works, also get occasional respite from these and whenever the jobs have to be carried out, she gets full participation of the men-folk in the family.  To prepare such a mind-set is not within the capacity of government.  The social thinkers, writers, voluntary organizations and several persons with sensitivity will have to work hard. Even the religious organizations cannot escape from their responsibilities of creating such a mind-set.  They will have to consider that if the laborious work of the women in the family remains unrecognized and unparticipated, then all their talks and hopes for an equitable religious society will remain  rhetoric.

In recent years, the Labour Ministry has started addressing some important issues such as: non-payment of equal wages for equal work to women, the work distribution pattern under which women get to do only the unskilled work thus earning  smaller wages or the question of occupational health hazards for women, e.g. women employed in the fish processing industry, working for long hours with ice slabs and cold storages, which adversely affects their fingers and back.  The government can address these issues; but who will address the issue of unpaid domestic work of the woman within her house ? Govt. and society will have to find indicators to measure the quantum of increase in the respect and reduction in routine drudgery of the women.

To re-establish this respect, it is important to give  recognition, evaluation and respect at various social fora for the skills of women. For example, we are  often concerned that the eldest daughter in a poor family misses her school education while  looking after the younger kids in the house.  We can formulate schemes so that girls  having experience of handling smaller children will be given preference for appointment in crèches or for nursing courses just with the addition of some crash course to make up for the lost formal study. In practice, however, such a girl is considered ineligible; only the girls with formal schooling are given these opportunities.

Unless we find ways of inter-change between the formal and informal sectors of education and create opportunities for girls and women trapped in informal and unskilled sectors to enter into formal sectors, it would be equivalent to denying empowerment for the 70 percent women in our workforce.

The prescription for empowerment cannot however be complete only by ensuring respect for the domestic unpaid work of the woman.  It is equally necessary that the women have the means of economic independence.  This in turn necessitates vocational and skilled education.  In today’s environment of increasing domestic violence against women in her marital home and the possibility of being suddenly thrown out, it is an absolute must for the self-confidence and dignity of woman that she has her own economic earning or at least a guarantee that whenever need arises she can immediately engage herself in work and earn her livelihood.
Once I happened to ask an ordinary middle class woman as to what was her concept of empowerment. The knowledge that a meaningful work was available for ensuring her economic independence, but not having to actually do the work was her concept of women’s empowerment, was her reply.
We have to acknowledge that the government schemes so far have not adequately provided for imparting vocational education which alone can ensure a quick beginning of the earning.  In present system, no vocational education can be started until 8 years of formal education.  Those women who are acquiring skills in traditional ways find no institutional arrangements for expanding or updating them.  Secondly, whenever vocational skills are to be converted into actual production and earnings, there arises a need for further training in managerial aspects such as procuring loan, marketing, financial management, quality control, inventory control, pricing, etc.  There are no training institutions where such short courses are available at lower cost as per the training needs of the traditionally skilled women. Both types of institutions need to be planned and provided for immediately.

One powerful medium of widespread vocational training facilities at a cheaper rate is the TV network that has grown enormously in the last 25 years.  It is perhaps a sad commentary that the use of TV medium for imparting vocational skills to the millions of women residing in the far-flung corners of the country cannot compete with the idea of using TV for entertainment programmes in order to generate more revenue for the government. The priority should be fixed up immediately in favour of vocational skill building because any plan of imparting vocational education through formal schooling is enormously costly.  This is an area to be tackled on priority.

The Census of 2001 shows that ____ percent of women in the country are still at the brink of illiteracy.  Hence speeding up the scheme of universalisation of education should be the top priority.

Various studies of disaggregated data at the taluka and district levels have established a favourable link between high literacy rate among women and declining rate of population as well as better access to health, legal awareness and many such indicators of development.

The discussion of women’s empowerment cannot be complete without discussing the issue of sharing power and property.  The first step towards women’s empowerment was taken in the country immediately after independence when every adult women was given  equal constitutional right to vote and to contest the elections.  This right has been earned by the Indian women much before it was earned by the women in many other advanced countries.  The rich  contributions of Indian women in our struggle of independence whether by the revolutionary methods or by the non-violent methods, have earned this right for them.  Stalwart freedom fighters like Kasturba Gandhi, Capt. Laxmi, Durga Bhabhi, Kamla Nehru, etc. are today respected as much as other freedom fighters.  Immediately after independence, a large number of women were elected to Assemblies and Parliament.

Later, this number started dwindling.  On the other hand, the need to decentralise power upto the village level was also felt.  This culminated in the 74th Constitutional Amendment under which a new methodology of gram panchayat was envisaged, giving 33% reservation for women to be elected.  This has resulted in a new wave of awareness and empowerment amongst women at the grass-root levels.  In the last 12 years, we have seen ample examples of the newly elected first timers among the women Panch and Sarpanch who were very effective in implementing the schemes of female literacy, rural development, water and land conservation and prohibition.  It must be said that the women have proved their capability for sharing political power as ably as the men.  On the other hand, women have also shown distinguished achievements in the areas of administration, academics, science and technology, industry and entrepreneurship,  although it has to be admitted that their  number  in these professions is  not adequate.

Some eyebrows are raised on the issue of reservation for  women not only in contesting the elections but also in admission to educational institutions or government services.  It is enough to mention that the need for positive discrimination in favour of women was felt and provided for as long back as during the framing of Constitution, but the provision is being implemented only now, and is, therefore, totally justified.   In final stages however women’s empowerment can be considered as “complete” only when women, as a collective group, no longer require any positive discrimination or reservation. It is a happy sign that lot of young women have started expressing that they would prefer to come up in life on the basis of merit rather than  through reservation.  A right kind of “seed” for empowerment is already sown and it will be necessary to nurture this.
The sharing of power acquires a different dimension for the women from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. They suffer for being women as well as for their backwardness. These are the women who after a long day’s work return home with insufficient wages, only to be beaten up for the alcoholic needs of the husband.  These have to suffer the rage of another more developed group in the village.  When two tribal communities fight, these are the women who are either themselves the victims of atrocities by other tribe or are rendered widows.  These are the women who have to bear maximum brunt of forced evictions either due to natural calamities or due to large scale land acquisition programmes of the government.

Perhaps the real way of empowering the tribes, especially the women, is through ownership of forests.  There are two widespread misunderstandings: first  that  the tribal people are the destroyers of forests and the second that the development of tribal people has to follow the same course as that of development for others, even if at the cost of their centuries-old value systems and life styles. Throughout the centuries the tribal people and the scheduled castes have been preserving a huge reserve of knowledge and skills.  A proper module for empowerment these women can be developed keeping their existing knowledge skills and traditional culture at the centre of such development schemes.  We have to go a long way in preparing, testing and implementing such a module.

The question  of sharing property by the women is equally serious.  Today, even when the share of women in production and productive skills is acknowledged, there is a great reluctance to allow them a share in the property rights.  In recent times, many legal amendments and other administrative methods have been tried to ensure a due right to women in the property. It is unfortunte that these efforts are also being vehemently retaliated.
 As the awareness for rights of women and their assertion increases, women will invariably be faced with retaliation and a temporary increase in intolerance against them.  This is one challenge in way of women’s empowerment.  The other challenge comes as a mental attitude in which it is still believed that women do not have a place in certain “manly” areas such as science, especially physics, scientific research, mathematics, philosophy, war tactics, strategic planning, banking, espionage or even the game of chess. It is presumed that wherever a subject presumably requires an all-time alert mind or mental efforts or strategic planning for checkmating the opponent, either individually or internationally, women cannot acquire the adequate level of expertise and will-power to achieve the goal.

For the Empowerment of Women these issues have to be addressed in right earnest.
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ZZZ Sex differential trends in Infant Mortality

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Sex differential trends in Infant Mortality

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[Leena Mehendale]

            It is a biologically recognised fact in all scientific communities that male child is more vulnerable to illnesses than female child.  Hence out of any given population of 1000, more male children would die than the female children.  Nature has her own methods of checks and balances.  She allows more male children to be born to begin with.

            Thus at birth there should always be more boys than girls.  Then more male children would die so that finally the FMR would come to a favourable figure of around 1010.  This is called favourable becasue it has been observed sociologically that any society having an FMR of 1010 or more is less crime prone, more peaceful and more advancing than the others.

            While we celebrate our reaching the One Billion Mark there is already an alarm that our FMR is already as low as 927 and is declining further which is a sure sign of great social malice.  If we want to think  of policy interventions, it helps to know where the desease is more acute, and how much more than the rest.

            An analytical report released by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of india, which studies death rates from Sample Registration System (SRS) tell us about the undercurrents in our existing demographic pattern.

            The overall death rate in India has decreased steadily which means that,now less number of people are dying per year, only 9.8 out of thousand people in 1993.  This death pattern, however, is not uniform for people of all ages.  Infants, that is children below one year age are most vulnerable and so also older people above the age of 70.  Highest vitality is among the children in the agegroup of 10 to 14.  A typical study of 1984 pattern showed that the death rate was 110.4 per thousand for children below 1 year, it came down to 15.9 for 1-4 age group and further down to 1.6 for 10-14 age group.  Then it slowly moved upto only 4.1 for 35-39 age group. After the age of forty, the vulnerability was again higher, it was 8.0 for 45-49 and 44.1 for 65-59 age group. Death rate for 70+age group was 95.9.

            This demonstrates the natural phenomenon that infants are much more prone to die than any other age group, while children in the age group 10-14 are least prone.

            It is here that male-female death rate differential study becomes important.  By nature’s design the male infant mortality should be more than the female infant mortality.  However, this is not true of many Indian states.  It is not very difficult to guess that the reason is rampant female infanticide.  But the trends reveal more than that.

            The analysis of the Male Female death rate differential shows that the culprits are Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and very  surprisingly Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat.  Here is a very significant aspect.  If we are trying to achieve better justice for the girl child, then we have to talk not only of BIMARU states, but also the so called affluent states like Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

            For infants, the All India death rate decreased from 113 to 84 during 1983-93, and the male female differential remained nerarly 2 per thousand during the decade.  In 1983, while 114.84 male infants dired per thousand the female infants dying were 112.94.  For 1993 the figures were 85.84 and respectively .  In that Kerala has far superior record than any other state, both in having low infant mortality rate and the male-female mortality differential rate.  Barring Kerala, the three states of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Assam top the list of being very fair to the infant girls.   The male female infant death differential in these states was above 9 throught the 1983-93 decade.  Most cruel was Haryana whose differential  was negative  and remained around MINUS 10 throughout the decade of report.  When only 73.14 infant boys were dying per 1000, as high as 83.39 infant girls were dying.

            If  we take Karnataka, Maharashtra and Assam as the ideal situation with 10 more infant girls surviving than the infant boys  then we find that Haryana record is just the reverse, where ten more infant girls die.  Comparatively Punjab picture is much less bleak; only about 3 more infant girls dying than the boys throughout 1983-93.  Himachal Pradesh shows a sudden alarm.  It started with 3 more infant girls surviving in 1983, and went to as bad as 10 more girls dying upto 1991.  The trend thereafter seems reversing again in favour of girl infants, with only 4 more girls dying than the boys.  But it still remains alarming .

            Uttar Pradesh comes next to Haryana where the study shows a steady trend of nearly 8 more infant girls dying while the Bihar report throws a surprise.  Earlier 4 more infant girls were dying but the differential came down close to zero in 1993.  Knowing the otherwise worsening pictures in Bihar, someone may undertake a deeper study there.

            In three states, MP, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh which have a large tribal  population, the trend is going against the girl infants.  Andhra had a high record of favourable atmosphere to girl infants.  Their death rate was less by 14.87 compared to male infant death rate in 1984.  This differential has  come down to 7.24 in 1993. Madhya Pradesh having the MF differential of 11.91 in 1983, has MF differential of only 2 in 1993.  Orissa differential fluctuates between 9 and 4 but fortunately does not show a steadily declining trend.  What could this mean?  These states have a high tribal population who traditionally do not have a bias against girl child.  Does the alarming trend of higher female infant mortality mean that the rate have become far worse in non-tribals or does it mean that the not has started setting in tribal culture also.  One has to carefully watch and analyse the data for tribals.

            During the decade of 1983-93, the Tamil Nadu differential remains between - 2 and + 2 while Rajasthan remains within 0 to - 4.  West Bengal has remained within 5 to 10.

            If we are worrying about a “faster than the normal” elimination of female infants, we have to look more closely in the social attitudes of Haryana, followed by Uttar Pradesh. 

            Next to them more specific studies need to be undertaken to understand why Himachal Pradesh recorded an unfavourable trend of -10 differential, and is continuing to record -4 and why Gujarat recorded -9 differential before coming to the present +1 differential.  What social and attitudinal changes have led to this reversal of trend in favour of girl infants in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.  Even Bihar shows a favourable trend. How has the social psyche changed in just a decade?

            Next worrisome reports are from Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Rajasthan  who all remain in the category of steady unfavourable conditions for girl infants.

            Orissa, West Bengal, Kerala show a steadily favourable trend.  Maharashtra and Assam show an even better trend and Karnataka holds the best record for not eliminating the infant girls.

            In passing, it is useful to look at the overall infant mortality also.  By 1993, the all India IMR has come down to 84.  States showing higher IMRs are Madhya Pradesh (130), Orissa (119), Uttar Pradesh (105), Rajasthan (100), and Assam (95).  All other states including Bihar have smaller IMR than All India figures. Maharashtra and Tamilnadu IMRs are around 55 while Kerala has the best record of only 17 IMRs.

ZZZ PCRA: Working Towards Conserving Precious Energy Resource

PCRA: Working Towards Conserving Precious Energy Resource


The origination
Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) was set up by the Government of India in 1978 as a  response to the oil crisis of the seventies, with the aim to rein in the ever-increasing reckless fuel consumption. The association is a registered society under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and is entrusted with an enormous task of making oil conservation a national movement. As part of its mandate, PCRA  works towards creating awareness amongst the masses about the importance, methods and benefits of conserving petroleum products and reducing emissions.

Cross-sectoral approach
Through its set of multidirectional   approach, PCRA covers a large spectrum of socio-economic activities leading to awareness and oil conservation. It has fine-tuned its approach to different issues and has improved its reach and penetration amongst the target groups of oil and gas users through extensive networking in all the sectors of the economy. PCRA has not left the energy sector unattended. It plays a very important role in advancing energy efficiency. As part of its objectives, PCRA promotes R&D of new technologies, equipment, appliances, additives, devices, etc., including inter-fuel substitution and promoting the use of renewable energy sources. As a result various steps have been taken to promote conservation of petroleum products in the industry, transport, agriculture, and domestic sectors of the economy.  This even includes the upstream oil sector industries.

For the industrialists and entrepreneurs,  PCRA’s promotional schemes are  energy auditors’ empanelment, energy audit subsidy, soft loan on purchase of energy audit equipment, and soft loan for replacement of inefficient boilers. Alongwith these, PCRA undertakes  energy audits, fuel oil diagnostic studies, organises technical meets, consumer meets and seminars. It also helps organise action group meeting and exhibitions.

In the transport?? sector, which is the biggest oil guzzling sector in the country, PCRA’s training and awareness programmes and promotional schemes prove to be exceedingly efficacious in boosting conservation of petrol, diesel, lubricants and creating a multiplier effect. PCRA’s promotional schemes in the sector include soft loans on purchase of fuel-efficient engines, and purchase of instrument and equipment to upgrade garage installations. Dtp, mdp??

Although agriculture accounts for a mere one per cent of the oil consumption, the sector presents a considerable saving potential, especially when we take in consideration the electricity consumption the need and potential for energy conservation turns out to be large. Studies indicate that about 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the energy consumed in lift irrigation pumpsets can be saved through proper pump rectification measures which are extremely cost effective, the pay back period being 1 to 1.5 years. PCRA extends assistance in achieving higher levels of energy efficiency through need-based rectification schemes, demonstration centres other  promotional schemes And also through kisan melas.

For promoting oil conservation in the domestic sector, PCRA organises “Save LPG/Kerosene Clinics” to educate housewives on better cooking and driving habits. It also holds youth programmes to enlighten the young generation about the importance of fuel conservation. MORE

R&D initiatives
Apart from formulating strategies and promoting measured towards accelerating conservation of petroleum products leading to environment protection, energy security and sustainable development, PCRA also promotes R&D efforts in the area of energy conservation in a big way. The association sponsors R&D projects primarily aimed at petroleum conservation and environmental protection in different sectors of economy viz. industrial, transport, agriculture and domestic. Further, on successful completion of R&D projects, PCRA helps commercialize the technologies, processes, equipment's, appliances etc. through technology transfer to interested entrepreneurs. The R&D activities range from evaluation of fuel saving devices and additives; to development of improved combustion equipment; to development of fuel-efficient appliances, devices and equipment.  

Key strengths
PCRA has a highly competent and experienced workforce of over 50 engineering professionals from various disciplines viz. Chemical, mechanical, electrical petroleum and exploration. Apart from these, the association can draw manpower expertise from the various organisations in the oil sector.

PCRA’s major strength is in the area of conducting accurate energy audit, which give insightful information about the energy use patterns within an organisation. In fact, energy audits ate a vital link in the energy management chain. The steps involved in the exercise may be tiny, but cost savings are indeed substantial. It may, at times, mean the difference between profit and loss in a business unit. Energy audit helps in energy cost optimization, pollution control, and safety aspects and suggest methods to improve the operating & maintenance practices of the system. It is instrumental in coping with the situation of variation in energy cost availability, reliability of energy supply, decision on appropriate energy mix, decision on using improved energy conservation equipment's, instrumentation's and technology.

PCRA has got more than 25 years of experience and capability for handling energy audits in all types of industries such as processing, textiles, engineering, pharmaceuticals, glass, steel re-rolling and petrochemicals. One the one hand, PCRA manpower is cost effective, while on the other hand, it has an experience in the upstream as well as downstream areas of the oil sector.

PCRA engineers also provide analytical solutions to complex problems in the field of energy saving and energy management. PCRA is well equipped with the state-of-the-art instruments and equipment, which are extensively used to carry out thorough energy audits. In all, the association has carried out over 6,000 energy audits in various fields and has helped the industries in a saving of more than 800 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent amounting to about Rs 550 crores. PCRA also provides liason services to equipment manufacturers, financial institutions, and government/semi-government agencies. PCRA also undertakes turnkey jobs in carrying out audits and other studies.    

PCRA's experience in conducting energy audit and fuel optimization studies indicate that about 10 to 15 per cent fuel saving is just possible by maintaining simple good housekeeping habits like optimization of combustion efficiencies of boilers / thermopac and furnaces, regular monitoring of traps / insulation quality etc. Majority of these savings can be attributed towards Good Management practices'. By installing energy efficient system itself does not suffice the need but managing at its optimum condition is more essential. It needs in house development of conservation practices like regulation / monitoring / maintaining proper data. Analysis and quick energy conservation measures by each industry should be encouraged.

Outreach efforts
To take the message to the people, PCRA uses all possible and affective media for mass communication. These include electronic and press media e.g. TV, radio, electronic displays; press (at the national and state level); printed literature for specific target groups; outdoor publicity through hoardings, bus panels, kiosks, balloons, banners transliders, etc. The focus of all the messages is easy to implement and practical conservation tips for the industrial, transport, agriculture and domestic sectors. For effective communication to the target groups in semi-urban and rural areas, messages are made in regional languages. Field interactive programs like seminars, technical meets, consumer meets, workshops, clinics, van-publicity, exhibitions, kisan-melas are conducted for dissemination of conservation messages and demonstration of conservation techniques. To give impetus to the oil conservation movement, PCRA utilizes various opportunities and platforms such as the World Environment Day, World Energy Day, various festivals, etc. On such occasions, creative press campaigns are brought out.

Over the years, PCRA has developed a number of films, TV spots and radio jingles in various languages for promoting oil conservation. PCRA also publishes quarterly a journal and a newsletter. Active Conservation Techniques (ACT),is a journal containing articles on technology by energy experts. It also brings out successful case studies leading to conservation of energy. The conservation news is an in-house newsletter highlighting the major activities carried out by PCRA in the core sectors. The training programmes hosted by the association covers all the four sectors – industry, transportation, agriculture and domestic.

For the benefit of various target groups of petroleum products, PCRA has developed literature containing simple ready to implement conservation tips and techniques. Special low cost green leaflets have also been developed to educate the masses on the ill effects of pollution caused due to incomplete combustion and its impact on health. The guiding light being "Where conservation fails pollution starts".

Towards fulfilling its vision
PCRA has a network spread throughout the country. It is headquartered at New Delhi, with regional offices at Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai.  It further has sub-regional offices at another twenty-one locations. Factors such widespread network, efficient manpower, rich experience, and enormous dedication has have led to the success of the association.  In all, the PCRA’s vision says it all. It reads: “To become a center of excellence for conservation of hydrocarbons & environment protection for sustainable development on our inherent strength.” Though the statement is quite ambitious in nature, PCRA is well equipped and seems all set to move ahead towards satisfying its vision.

Partnership opportunities
As an organisation, PCRA offers tremendous partnership opportunities. Corporates, industries, and business houses can utilise its expertise in the energy audits and R&D. The expertise is drawn from 26 years of experience in the sector and rich project exposure abroad. Coupled this with low manpower charges, PCRA can be the most cost-effective and efficient consultant in the energy audit area. In the area of R&D, the association has played an important role in the development of nutan stove, burners, etc. PCRA has the most sophisticated instruments and and equipment for both the jobs. Besides, PCRA can help develop energy audit software. This expertise and experience gained in the country also be leveraged for carrying out such studies overseas.

In the mass awareness area, PCRA has developed a slew of films depicting energy conservation tips in various segments of the industry. Thee can be used by various corporates in educating their own set of customers. In addition, the association’s expertise in attracting youth for radio and television campaigns can be leveraged for spreading the conservation messages and reaching out to the youth via various broadcasting media. The association is also quite adept at networking with the NGOs and nurturing them, promoting them and developing them. Through its “training-the-trainers” initiative, PCRA can help educate a set of trainers so that they can further spread the conservation mantra across the country.

In all, PCRA is a pool of brains constantly working in the oil sector. It is in fact the biggest think-tank in this sector. With its inherent strength, coupled with three decades of experience, PCRA can certainly be acclaimed as one of the top international agencies dealing in energy conservation area. It is a premier government agency and a fit spokesperson for the government’s efforts in the area.

It invites all the stakeholders in the oil sector, exploration agencies, equipment suppliers, corporates, and industry, NGOs to avail of its expertise and services and gain from its experience in the sector.

Strengths and business opportunites
Strengths
26 years of expertise in energy audits
highly competent manpower
low cost resources
vast experience in creating mass awareness through electronic/print media
successful R&D efforts and expertise in developing products
expertise in developing energy audit software
experience in working with NGOs and other grass-root level agencies

Business opportunities
conducting training programmes in industrial/transport/agriculture/ domestic sectors
conducting energy audits in the most comprehensive way
training-the-trainers under DTP, youth programmes
running other mass awareness campaigns
turnkey contracting in the area of energy conservation 
coordination for the emission trading activities
exploring funding opportunities in the energy conservation area 
can become the official spokesperson of the country in energy conservation area

ZZZ A HISTORICAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM

back to my page

A HISTORICAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM

         Leena mehendale, I.A.S. Ex-Commissioner, Nasik Division

 (Yojana, Oct. 1999, Vol.43, No.10)

(Relooking at a Historical Irrigation system)

           The district of Dhule, located on the north-west tip of Maharashtra should be of special interest to any student of “Management of Irrigation Systems”, not because of the thousand’ - crore Narmada - Sagar dam alone but because the contrast provided  by yet another irrigation system in the same district.  Dhule district is blessed with two mountain ranges - Satpuda lying east - west and Sahyadri lying north - south and with three major rivers - Narmada arising in Vindhya, Tapti arising in Satpuda and Panjhara arising  in Sahyadri.  It has six tribal talukas where literacy rate in only 10%, both tribal and non-tribal areas are comparatively backward.  Major occupation is agriculture and main deciding factor for a good or bad year is the rainfall.

                  

    The river Panjhara flows west to east in southern parts of the district, covering two talukas Sakri and Dhule.  Then it skirts the city of Dhule, takes a U-turn, goes northward, then westward to meet Tapi and continues westward till they meet the Arabian sea after travelling in Gujarat

          An Irrigation System of major importance built on Panjhara and its two tributaries nearly three hundred years back has been a predominant factor in deciding the cropping pattern and economy of these two talukas.  The system consists of a series of earthen  or stone dams, nearly 70 in number, built along the length of the river Panjhara supplying drinking and irrigation water to nearly 35 villages and irrigating nearly fifteen hundred Hector of land.  They are working without the problem of silting, or maintenance.

          My interest in this system was aroused when I was told that Dr.Vishweshwaraiyya, one  of my childhood idols, had built them.  That was not so-they were built three centuries back during Peshwa regime.  But Dr. Vishweshwariyya has worked here as an irrigation engineer and one can feel proud that he must have seen these dams, imbibed their greatness, studies them, before he proceeded to achieve new heights for the country.

         The system is very different in its concept and management from the present - day system .  While modern systems provide a static storage, these dams work on a dynamic concept of storage which appeals greatly to one’s intelligence.

          How do these dams function?  To start with, a stone dam (sometimes earthern) is built across the river bed to obstruct the water flow and create a small storgage.  But water availability for irrigation is not decided by this dam - height or this storage.  In fact these dams are not higher than 8 to 10 feet from ground level.  Water is diverted from here by building a retaining wall along the length of river, height of the retaining wall goes on reducing till it reaches ground level.  At any suitable place along the retaining wall, a canal is started which will carry water to the far off fields in that village by gravity.  The capacity of canal is small so that water in excess of its carrying capacity goes along the wall and finally falls back into the river.

          Thus, it is the height of retaining wall at the mouth of the canal and the canal width which alongwith the dam storage, will decide the water availability in canal at any given time.  I call this a dynamic storage because water is not static here, but is always flowing into the dam, from there to canal and from there to the fields.  Thus when there are no rains, or no flow in the river, no irrigation water is available.  But even when there is a flow, the maximum quantity of water available at a given time is predetermined by technology itself and nobody can claim or get more than a particular quota of water on a given day.

          Interestingly, there is one way of getting irrigation water for a longer period .  The total rain water received in the mountains finally runs down into the sea or the underground acquafers.  If this run-off velocity can be reduced such as  by having denser forests and trees on the mountains then the total water received by the mountains will flow for longer duration in the river.

          In the modern dams also ,  we build a wall across the river and stop the water flow and store the water.  But unlike the Dhulia system, the stored water is blocked completely and not partially.  This storage can be used throughtout the year and some minimum water can be assured even when there are no rains.  But this is only in theory.  Because the other presumption also exists only in theory - namely that a ceiling will be put on use of maximum water by one individual.

          This presumption is in fact the most important condition for the successful and equitable distribution of the available water.  But the effective implementation of the condition is left in the hands of administrative machinery.  Unfortunately this administrative set up is neither free from corruption nor immune to the pressure from the mightier - as we have painfully learned in these forty years  of independence.  The result is obvious.  Though the manuals of irrigation department lay down strict ceilings on the maximum quantum of water to be supplied  to each beneficiary, it is a common practice to procure more water - sometimes even upto twenty times the allotted quota by adopting dubious  methods which need no listing.

          Thus the principle of ceiling, presently  administered by human machinery has failed in the modern dams.  In Dhulia type, the ceiling is put  by the technology itself .  No matter how great the rainfall, any given field or “fad”, as it is popularly known will get only a fixed quantity of water during the rainy days. The disadvantage is that during non-rainy days water is not assured - but then over a large number of years, farmers have formed their own judgement of water availability during off - season and have fixed their cropping pattern.  In fact since the Panjhara originates from Sahyadri, tiny streams of water continue to supplement it  for a longer period.  So the availability of water is for a longer period than the rainy season.  It cannot of course be called a perennial availability.

          The farmers have also finalized a cropping pattern that works beautifully without problems of salinity or quarrels over water distribution.  Entire irrigable land of one village is divided in three ‘fads’ - fad meaning a continuous patch of land comprising the lands of may farmers.  Only three crops are allowed - one in each fad - namely sugar-cane, wheat and jawar, and every fad must rotate its crop every year thus having a three  year cycle.  So we also automatically  know the area under wheat & sugarcane and jawar every year.

          The disadvantageous consequences of modern dams is that while  areas near the dam profit by it, the tail ends are always faced with uncertainty  of water supply.  Secondly the down stream areas are deprived of their drinking water supply.  The canals have to carry a huge water supply initially and we have had various problems of canal damages.  Government had to incur heavy expenditure on their repairs and maintenance year after year.  In fact in some major dams, the canals were damaged even before water supply had started - thus increasing the gestation period by six to eight years.

          In comparison  the old canals on Panjhara are much smaller in extent - they carry smaller volumes of water - their repairs and maintenance is  less frequent and easier, and is managed by the beneficiary group through contributive labour.  The small worked beautifully after all.

          It is to be noted that the water supply in down-stream villages, right upto Dhulia city will be severely affected if any village decided to increase the height of their dam.  To avoid this, every year a committee of villagers from all the villages inspects the dam height, the canal condition and decrees upon the beneficiaries of any Village to undertake repairs to canals and maintain the dam  height through Shramadan or collective labour.  The Peshwas are said to have introduced a system of fine if any Village tried to increase dam height or tampered with the steady river water flow in any other manner.  But is has never become necessary to actually levy and collect the fine.

          Another comparison which my mind drew was on the problem of silting of dams.  For a modern dam, the silting will be useful only till it fills up the dead - storage volume but thereafter it is a sure menace because it starts reducing the holding capacity of th dam - thereby adversely affecting the guarantee of minimum water supply.

          In case of dynamic dams however, the more the silting the better - because then the overflow in the further parts of the river increases while the concerned areas still continue to get water what they were getting before.

          All this is not to suggest a judgement on the desirability of modern dams.  The only point I want to make is that this age old technique of bandharas has been abandoned now in favour of the modern technique of building dams.  The technological progress must be commended.  However, we need not totally abandon the older technique and must recognise it as an available alternative.

          Two points of minor significance also need to be mentioned.  Each of these bandharas - whether modern or older is prone to water stealing by neighbouring  farmers who can take a well in the nearby field.  The well will keep on getting charged and water can be lifted from it.  The answer to this problem will be same in both cases.  Another observation is that along the entire length of river with this chain of old bandharas.  I noticed a good green cover and every bandhara  was a mini bird sanctuary where birds of different species were flocking in large number.  If a large dam upstream results in drying up of these small bandharas - the birds will have a tough time - because they normally take a long time to learn that they should also shift upstream.

  

ZZZ Identifying and developing CDM Projects in India

Clean Development Mechanism: Identifying and developing CDM Projects in India


1.What is Kyoto Protocol:
a.History and Background UNFCCC
b.What are major sources of GHG
c.Status of the Protocol

2.Kyoto Protocol key element and its relevance to India
3.Flexibility Mechanisms and CDM
4.CDM: How India a developing country can be benefited?
5.Certification Mechanism? Executive Board and Independent Third Party?
6.PCRA’s Strength Areas:
7.GHG Reduction in SMEs through Technology Up gradation
8.Strategy for Technology up gradation: Ph-I , Ph-II & Ph-III
9.Success Stories of PCRA
10.Where PCRA can help

Clean Development Mechanism: Identifying and developing CDM Projects in India


The Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change may be the most important economic & environment related agreement penned in the 20th century. While its aims are environmental – to reduce human induced emissions of greenhouse gases – achieving those aims will mean changing the fundamental bases of production and consumption, transport, investment and energy provision in signatory countries.
In India we must realize that other countries will have to follow suit. So, we have to start listing what conditions we want to put for our acceptance to the protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement by industrialized countries and those in transition to market economy (these are mainly in Eastern Europe) to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. Developing countries can be the signatories to the protocol, but they do not have any binding emission targets.

The Kyoto Protocol established three flexibility mechanisms to assist parties in meeting their targets: Emission Trading (Article 17), Joint Implementation (Article 6), and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) (Article 12). While Emission Trading and Joint Implementation involve Annex-I parties i.e. parties, which have committed to cutting GHG emissions, CDM requires the participation of developing countries, like India. The CDM is a joint programme between a donor country with a commitment (a developed country) and a host country without a commitment (a developing country). Under Article 12, projects must generate “Certified Emission Reductions” (CERs) which the donor country can use to achieve its emission commitment. The CDM will be supervised by an Executive Board. CERs will be certified by “operational entities” if they deliver “ real, measurable and long term benefits related to the mitigation of climate change and reductions in emissions that are additional to any that would occur in the absence of the certified project activity.” Article 12 allows developed countries to use CERs generated from the year 2000 up to 2008-2012 commitment period to achieve their emission commitment for that commitment period.

The CDM appears to be an attractive concept to both developed and developing countries. Developed countries are provided with an opportunity to achieve their commitments more cost-effectively, while developing countries can be helped to achieve their developmental and environmental goals through investment in “Clean Development” which they might otherwise not be able to afford.

Do we accept CDM proposals as and when they come? For India we can identify certain critical criteria for CDM acceptance like:

The projects should be joint ventures and indigenisation should be promoted over a period of time.
The best and most appropriate technology available should be transferred via CDM and India shouldn’t become the dumping yard for old and obsolete technologies.
The projects should be non-commercial.
There should be no new local, environmental and social impacts.
Small and Medium Enterprises will have to be the first priority under CDM. The concept should, however go to other areas like urban planning and rural development strategies including agricultural practices.

India has a land area of 328 million Hectors (seventh largest in the world) and a population of over a billion people (second largest in the world) growing at 1.9% per year. Industrial growth exceeds 9% annually.
Agriculture -- 67% of the labor force and provides 25% of the GDP.
Industry 15% of the labor force and provide 30% of GDP.
Service sector employs 15% of the labor force and provides 35% of the GDP.

Energy is a key input for all these sectors. As per one rough estimate, the total energy-related emissions of CO2, CH4 and N2O in India in 1990 amounted to about 693 Tg CO2 -equivalents, of which 40% were from the power sector. There are as yet no official figures about India’s greenhouse gas emissions. As per one more rough estimate, India’s total emissions of CO2 in 1990 was 164 MtC and this may be projected to rise to 663 in 2020. India with its 16% of global population emits 2.3% of global GHG-emissions which amounts to negligible emissions at a per capita level. However, we cannot remain complacent, as  in many of the activities; utilization of energy is not efficient in comparison with the international standards and practices and there is a great scope for improvement.

In India, with the high rate of growth in population and increasing developmental needs, the demand for primary energy has spiraled.  This is accompanied by a shift to and increases in the share of commercial energy against the total energy demand. The share of commercial energy against the total energy demand has grown up from much faster in the last decade and is expected to grow further Presently the share of oil and gas in the commercial energy mix is over 40%.

Conservation Potential in petroleum products usage:

Sector Conservation potential in petroleum products usage
Transport 20% --50
Domestic 20% --15
Industrial 25% --15
Agriculture 30% --05
Commercial 35% --15

Conservation Potential in various segments of industries:

Industry Potential Reduction in Energy use
Metals 20-45%
Chemicals 25-40%
Petroleum 30-45%
Cement 10-50%
Food 25-45%
Glass 30-40%
Source:  FICCI 2002

In 1973, after a sharp increase in International oil prices, like other oil importing countries, India suddenly found itself engulfed in a situation of energy crisis.  After the second oil shock of 1979, the problem became even more severe. Even oil importing countries like India are feeling heat because of ongoing US and Allied Forces raid on Iraq. With the ever-increasing oil imports bill, it was realized that increasing dependence on oil had to be checked, every drop of petroleum had to be put to its optimum usage and the possibilities of new oil reserves should be explored. There has been an increasing gap between the total petroleum products demand and domestic crude output.  The self-sufficiency level has dropped down from 63% in 1989-90 to barely 30% in 2000-01 and the demand/supply gap is met through imports resulting in the ever-increasing outflow of precious foreign exchange.

Whenever international oil prices have gone up, governments have introduced energy efficiency policies and also provided enough financial and other resources for energy security & conservation efforts, however success can only be achieved if the attitudinal changes take place in the society as a whole. Even an increase of one US dollar per barrel means an outflow of about Rs. 2000 crores in foreign exchange.  To most of us it would come as a shock that over 25% of the India’s export earnings go for the purchase of oil from the international market.

It is in this backdrop, that Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) is required to meet the challenges ahead.

As a part of the Government’s response to curb inefficient utilization of oil and to meet the oil crisis of the seventies; a dynamic entity was evolved from the embryo of this necessity. On 6th January 1976, Petroleum Conservation Action Group (PCAG) came into being which on 10th August, 1978, was reconstituted as Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA).  PCRA is a registered society under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.  An organization with a purpose, Petroleum Conservation Research Association represents the Government of India’s efforts to promote the conservation of petroleum products by curbing wasteful practices and improving the efficiency of utilization of petroleum products.

Where-ever petroleum products are being used, there’s PCRA promoting the concept of conservation, seeking substitution of oil, persuading oil users to adopt conservation techniques and teaming with the oil users to devise ways to optimize the use of every drop of oil.  PCRA plays the role of a catalyzing agency for achieving petroleum conservation in the major energy intensive sectors of Indian economy viz. industrial, transport, rural, commercial and domestic.

Over the years, new developments have shaped up and given thrust to PCRA’s programmes and activities. In this emerging scenario:

Environmental concerns in the country have led to the introduction of mass emissions norms from 1991. These have been made stringent leading to the adoption of Euro-II & Bharat Stage-II norms and introduction of cleaner fuels for vehicle keeping in mind that transport sector is the biggest consumer of petroleum in India.
Govt. policy as spelt out in India Hydrocarbon Vision-2025 considers issues such as energy security, use of alternate fuels and interchangeability of technology as vital to ensure that mix of energy sources used in economy is optimal and sustainable.
The energy conservation Act enacted in 2001 provides the legal and institutional framework for energy conservation activities.

In its mission for improvement of quality of life, PCRA works with the Public Sector Oil Companies, Govt. & Non-Govt. Organizations, Research Institutes and Labs, Educational Institutions, Consumer Associations and other relevant Organisations.

The activities of PCRA encompass a whole gamut of efforts for promoting and propagating petroleum conservation in India including conduct of energy studies; research & development; creating awareness and educating public on the importance, methods and benefits of conservation and thus working also for Environment Protection through efficient use of energy.

PCRA has made significant achievements in the areas of its operation i.e. industry, transport, rural, commercial and domestic sectors. Its efforts have resulted in substantial savings in foreign exchange, which would have otherwise been spent on oil imports and would have also added to country’s GHG emissions.

Industrial Sector

PCRA programs focus on improvement in fuel efficiency through up gradation of technologies and reducing wastages brought out through energy audits both in big and small-scale industries. Our main focus is efficient technologies for Small Scale Industries because:

Small scale contributes about 40% of India’s total manufacturing sector production

35 % of total exports come from these sectors

Employs 160 lakh workers

There are about 350 SME clusters in the country



Small Scale Industries have great potential for fuel saving because there is a dearth of technical expertise, financial constraints, absence of systematic studies and thus PCRA can play a catalyzing role to bring about technology-up gradation. PCRA’s strategy for technology up gradation involves three phases

Feasibility study - Phase I
Setting up pilot demonstration plant - Phase II
Implementation on a larger scale - Phase III



Phase – I involves:

Studies on status of existing technologies
Identification of  barriers to adoption of efficient technologies

Identification of least cost commercially viable technologies

Assessment  of changes in project specific technological / environmental base lines

Assessment of  costs & payback for each option
Capability assessments


Phase-II involves:

Selecting a region to achieve cluster demonstrative effect

Involving local & apex industry association

Selecting a  unit for up gradation as demonstration project

Inviting service industry to the cluster to form consortium to provide single window solutions

Selecting technology experts in consultation with industry associations
selecting a least cost commercially viable  technology to be a showcase for 50 % - 75% of the industrial units in the cluster

Evolving monitoring & verification system for project parameters


Assessing the project specific technological / environmental  baseline before & after project completion

Dissemination of the benefits of the technology through seminar/ workshops


While Phase-III involves:

Selecting units for project implementation on larger scale.
-Inviting consortiums to form Energy Efficient Companies (EECo.s) & Energy Service Companies (ESCo.s) for offering single window solution to industrial units thereby supporting the sustainability of the technology

Monitoring & verification of the project parameters and comparisons with benefits estimated during feasibility and pilot phase



One of the major difficulties in implementing energy efficiency projects lies in bringing the new technology to the consumers even when the cost is not a barrier. PCRA has experienced that the technical superiority alone of the technology is not sufficient by itself to ensure market success. In fact, “Demonstration” is an essential link between innovation and marketing of the product or technology. A demonstration project is the first use of the equipment or an appliance at full scale, under realistic conditions of its operation and in its socio-economic environment. The demonstration project has to establish technical feasibility, economic and social acceptability. To do so, PCRA involves the designers, the manufacturers and the users of the technology in the final evaluation of the technology at the pilot plant stage. Finally after the demonstration and successful evaluation, the technology is transferred to interested entrepreneurs for commercial production.
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