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Initiatives

Applauding every initiative of a Govt, Society, Corporate or an individual which is for the betterment of Economy, Environment and Living Beings

Events

Kaizen ‘23 – Be the Light in the Darkness

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

A one-of-a-kind social fest and ultimate celebration of the goodwill and innovation in mankind, was organized from the 31st of March to 2nd of April, by the NSS chapter of IIT Delhi. In collaboration with Bhumi, title sponsor, and several other NGOs and social startups, and with a three-day lineup of events, workshops, competitions and round-the-clock stalls, pinnacled by esteemed guests and enthusiastic participation from across the country and beyond, it was the very manifestation of its own vision – planting a flag of awareness, recognition and communal efforts for growth and positive change in the face of hardship – truly, a beacon of light in the darkness that surrounds us.

Kicking off day one with Aaghaz-e-Kaizen, the grand opening ceremony, the fest was already off to an impeccable start with guests such as Mrs. Babita Phogat, Indian wrestler and Commonwealth gold medallist, and Mr. Leo Akash Raj, Pretty Little Hearts’ founder, gracing the event with their presence and inspiring words. The next two days were filled with unique events which targeted some or the other sector of societal welfare and development – ranging from YuvaChetna, a panel discussion on youth engagement in social work featuring IAS and IPS officers, to Rangreza, a gala of sustainable clothing and fashion technology.

There were competitions aimed towards achieving the interest and enthusiasm of the youth – such as The Social Sawal, a quizzing competition, Ingenious Geeks 2.0, a science exhibition for school students to showcase their socio-preneurial creations and Satirical Spardha, a parody-making event which tried to bind together modern trends with existing issues in the status quo and highlight this irony via forms of performing arts. Additionally, there was also Case Samadhan, Rise of the Influencers Economy, and Sociopreneur Samvaad, all ultimately giving a platform to those who wish to have a voice and speak up about their ideas, journeys and experiences – which Kaizen is most fitted for, and fulfilled wholesomely in all of these avenues.

Kaizen also has a history of aiming the spotlight at the things that matter – meaning, it has always attached the utmost importance to the spreading of awareness about differences and shortcomings, and preparing the youth to survive in the world that awaits them, all while trying to make it a better place. True to the spirit, there were workshops by NGOs who have specialized in those particular sectors in order to bring effective and comprehensive knowledge to students; this involved Soch, the gender sensitization workshop, Goonj, the menstrual health workshop, Rakshin, the talk on prevention of child abuse. There was also Shiksha Talk, a guest lecture by the Winner of the 2020 Global Teacher Prize, Ranjitsinh Disale, on the empowerment of Rural India through education. These events were not only well-received by their attendees but also sent a rippling wave among the students and drove even more participation to the fest.

Samapan, or the closing ceremony, featured Aneesh Karma, inventor of MASC-KAFO, a stalwart device for facilitating differently abled people’s rehabilitation into society, Kriti Bharti, founder of SAARTHI Trust and Hannah Wojno, the creator of Good Deeds Day. All through the weekend, several IIT Delhi professors were also involved – with Professor Samrat Mukhopadhyay, NSS coordinator, and his team at the forefront, making sure everything runs smoothly. Kaizen ‘23 ended with a more profound perspective of the very vision it had started off with – one of hope and a relentless spirit. It is this spirit which lives on in our hearts and rejuvenates the self. We await, with equal parts faith and excitement, the next edition of this social extravaganza – a new year, a newer Kaizen

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CampaignsEvents

Honoring Mothers – A tribute to Mother Earth & Mother Cow

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

What comes to your mind when you hear the word MOTHER?

✅ your beloved MOM
✅ Mother Earth
✅ Motherland
✅ Mother Cow
✅ Maa Ganga

This is the beauty of our culture. From our Motherland to our Mother Cow, we respect every aspect of the Creation that nurture us.
Paying tribute to all Mothers this MOTHER’S DAY, let’s delve deeper into our rich culture and understand their importance

Block your date for Instagram live on Saturday, May 13th, 5 pm IST

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CSR

NAVYA: Building a self-sustaining ecosystem for Rural women

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

An initiative by Apollo Tyres Foundation, Women’s Day Special – “The beauty of empowering others is that your own power is not diminished in the process”- Barbara Colorose 

A woman, if provided with the opportunity to learn and grow, is a change agent of the society. Education and income-generation opportunities are essential fundamentals to achieve economic independence and establish one’s identity in the society. So much so, that these fundamentals are now legal rights etched within the overall ambit of Human Rights. However, there still lies a gap between granting rights and monitoring their rightful implementation. Much of our rural India still limits women to the four walls of their homes. The occupational segregation is so much prevalent due to the age-old patriarchal norms, women even if educated are discouraged to work.  

The falling rate of engagement of women in labour force participation in India is quite alarming, and this decline is greater in rural workforce than the urban workforce. According to International Labour Organisation, the labour force participation in India fell from 35.8 percent in 1994 to 20.7 percent in 2019. This was further deteriorated during COVID times. India is ranked 11th from the bottom among 131 countries, in its comparative index of female workforce participation.  

Agriculture is the major income source of rural India, with 71% of female workers employed in the sector. But these field are distant from the concept of “level playing fields” for women. Apart from handful work opportunities, the poorest of the community in rural India, works as daily wage labourers. Here women may be given work but are paid less compared to their male counterparts and go through extreme levels of harassment, on routine basis.  

“We at, Apollo Tyres Foundation (ATF), believe in leading a change to drive and increase women participation by building a self-sustaining ecosystem for all. Amongst ATF’s multitude of programmes, Navya is a flagship programme for rural women of India. The beneficiaries of the programme are women from disadvantaged communities or economically weak families of rural India. Programme Navya assisted these women in forming self-help groups, livelihood training and income generation, along with government linkages and access to markets. The Programme has directly outreached to over 15,000 women through livelihood initiatives, and as an extension to the initiatives we have linked over 24,000 women beneficiaries with the Government schemes”, says  Rinika Grover, Head Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Apollo Tyres Ltd.

Today, these beneficiaries are earning and supporting their families. Many of them have established their livelihood unit and are now providing income opportunities and trainings to other women. Some of them are also engaged in philanthropy.  

Our beneficiaries have not just limited their journey to their self-growth but are helping as many as possible. That thought is the torch bearer of the concept of our campaign, EkNaam, which marks its 5th edition this year. There are numerous success stories of Programme Navya and of other external organisations who are contributing to livelihood enhancement projects. The annual campaign is to honour our beneficiaries who are trailblazers and are now playing an influential role in society.  

“For the year 2023, aligning with International Women’s Day theme #EmbraceEquity, our EkNaam campaign identifies and felicitates 8 women who have worked as change agents in women empowerment and gender equality”, adds Grover.

Amongst our numerous beneficiaries, we have picked a handful of inspirational stories.  

Asha Karunakaran from Tamil Nadu
 BEFORE - Asha came from a family of four and her husband was the only earning member of the family. His income was inconsistent as he was a daily wage labourer and their life entailed challenges for everyday needs. They could not enroll their daughters to school as well.  
HER JOURNEY - Asha aspired to be financially stable and support her family during the adversities. She learnt about ‘Clean My Village (CMV)’ project of ATF and enrolled herself for training in solid waste management. Thereafter, she was selected as a member of Nirmala Brigade (cleaning staff) under CMV. Subsequently, she tapped the potential of transforming waste flowers to wealth (Potpourri). Her innovation brought strides of sustainability in solid waste management, and she became the key responsible person of the project leading a team.
AFTER - To this date, she has conducted 25+ awareness sessions on solid waste management, advocating over 1,500 people. Today, she earns a monthly income of INR12,000 and is financially supporting her household.  To this date, she has conducted 25+ awareness sessions on solid waste management, advocating over 1,500 people. Today, she earns a monthly income of INR12,000 and is financially supporting her household.  

“My initiative to valorise waste dedicates my determination to make economic opportunity out of waste. Today, I am paving path of sustainable development for my community”

– Asha Karunakaran
Ramilaben Parmar from Gujarat

BEFORE - Ramilaben’s family of three was economically weak. Her husband, who was then a daily wage labourer, earned less than INR100/day. With this minuscule income, their situation was hand to mouth throughout the year. Her husband was an alcohol addict and physically abused Ramilaben every now and then.  
HER JOURNEY - Ramilaben took it upon herself to uplift her family from extreme poverty and educate her daughter, so that at least her daughter could live a life with dignity. She enrolled in ATF’s organic farming programme and learnt the Systematic Rice
AFTER - Today, her monthly income accounts up to INR25,000 and she is educating her daughter with her income. Her daughter has completed her schooling and is enrolled in a vocational course.  

“My firm belief that times will change, if you work for it- paid off. Today I am the secretary of Waghodia Women Credit Co-operative Society and the nucleus of financially secure and happy family!” 

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Events

KAIZEN 2023: A vow to celebrate mankind at its best

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

An initiative by IIT Delhi chapter of National Service Scheme, NSS

Kaizen is a gathering of sociocultural enthusiasts, coming together for good causes and great times – a fest that promises to be exquisite in every sense of the word. Occurring from the 31st of March to 2nd of April, 2023, it is organized by the IIT Delhi chapter of NSS (National Service Scheme) – a highly innovative and inspired bunch who work tirelessly throughout the year on various projects which span across a wide ambit of education, awareness, health and battling stigmas in society. Kaizen occurs as the glorious manifestation of a year’s worth of efforts and countless people’s spirits; a vow to celebrate mankind at its best, when it’s empathetic and generous – the most humane it can be!

Biggest Social Fest of its kind

Attracting a footfall of over 10k, and active outreach to more than 200 universities and colleges all across the country, Kaizen isn’t only the biggest social fest of its kind, but strives to be better every year. The events spanning a multitude of fields and several eminent personalities have been in attendance, such as Justice DY Chandrachud, The Chief Justice of India, Naveli Deshmukh, Miss Universe India 2nd Runner up and NSS Brand Ambassador, Geeta Thatra – a feat we can boast of, purely on account of our consistency and deliberate hard work. This year, NSS is working with 25+ NGOs and CSRs to make Kaizen possible. And it is this enthusiasm that distinguishes it from other fests – the will to grow, learn from the past and capitalize on our mistakes, and constantly be on an exponential slope onwards and upwards.

Perfect platform for budding Sociopreneurs

Some of our most popular events last year included Sociopreneurs, an event that was targeted at the budding race of social entrepreneurs in our country, which attracted a lot of crowd from both IITD and beyond, owing to quality competition and an esteemed panel. There was also Bazinga, a stand-up comedy event, which opened the stage up to everybody from amateurs to stalwarts and other events targeted at tech-enthusiasts as well or those who aim to look at science as a medium for social betterment. This year, as well, Kaizen will include events for people from all arenas and those beholding a variety of interests.

There are workshops being conducted by NGOs covering a broad spectrum of topics such as gender sensitization and the inclusion of LGBTQIA+, as well as guest lectures and panel discussions involving eminent figures such as Jayant Sinha, activist and Member of Parliament, and Mihir Vatsa, Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar holder. In our exclusive flagship event, Social Convention, we’ll attempt to provide a stage to youth with innovative ideas for societal change for pitching to investors, and bridge the gap that exists between the two in the status quo. And on the more scientific side, there’s Social Samadhaan, a case-study competition and Ingenious Geeks, a science exhibition aiming to inculcate the seed of thinking and experimenting in school students from a young age.

An array of exciting activities and handicraft exhibition

There will also be fun, student-driven competitions, such as Satirical Spardha, a parody-making comp, and The Social Sawaal, a wide-scale quizzing event with exciting cash prizes for the winners. In addition to this, there is Rangreza, an event to highlight sustainability in the textiles industry, by setting up flamboyant displays of our own interpretations of fashion. Similarly, Influencers United will provide a platform for bringing together those who have gained traction publically on account of their social work and give them a space to discuss their experiences and contributions, and inspire us all with it. Concluding the line-up with exciting stalls, ranging from products and handicraft by self-help groups to food and cuisine from all corners of the country – Kaizen promises to be a must-see, and of course, a must-attend!

Mark your Calendar

So, mark your calendars for Kaizen, and get ready to see it in its fully offline glory from the 31st March to 2nd of April, and unfold into the biggest and brightest proportions yet. Join in, and get a chance to participate in exciting events, interact with dignitaries, and have a marvelous time in this bonanza of social celebration!

Register through unstop and the insta handle of NSS, IIT Delhi (@nssiitd).

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InitiativesSustainability

Rushil Décor Ltd shaping a Greener India – Plants 120 million agroforestry trees, create thousands of jobs, and rural uplift

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

Founded in 1993 in Gujarat, Rushil Décor Ltd. (NSE: RUSHIL) is a globally leading company in modern interior infrastructure and eco-friendly, composite wood panels that are committed to shaping a better planet. Since last four years, RUSHIL has planted over 120 million agroforestry trees in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and pledges to further strengthen its agroforestry capacity initiatives in an integrated manner with crops and livestock to improve productivity, employment, income and livelihoods of rural households, impacting smallholder farmers and offering 20,000 skilled and unskilled employment.

Agroforestry is defined as a land use system that integrates trees and shrubs on farmlands and rural landscapes to enhance productivity, profitability, diversity, and ecosystem sustainability. It is a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management system that, through the integration of woody perennials on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production and builds social institutions.

With its five state-of-the-art manufacturing plants, RUSHIL caters to its customers in 47 countries across the world, providing DIY green-engineered products from agroforestry and a wide range of high-performance surface engineering solutions, thus creating smarter spaces. Rushil K Thakkar, Director, Rushil Decor Ltd., India, says “Trees are one of our best investments against the climate crisis. As a responsible organization, we at Rushil Decor are committed to promoting agroforestry to sequester carbon and broaden the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of rural development. The smart use of trees in agricultural land systems can also make substantial contributions to the conservation of biodiversity. Agroforestry can also help diversify and sustain (food) production and provide vital social, economic, and environmental benefits for land use at scale–shaping a greener planet and better future for all.”

With the rise in living standards, the need for wood is encouraging agro farming which results “farm to furniture” vision of a successful layout for the industry. Trees provide a way forward for sustainable farming and the world must embrace innovative options to maximize agroforestry productivity for mitigating climate change leading to a sustainable ecosystem.

According to industry insights, empowering agroforestry at a national level can offer significant benefits to the economy, and composite panel industries can create employment opportunities for 2 to 2.5 million people approximately. The full value chain from 110 – 115 million CBM timber (timber to furniture) can create value-added produce of $150 billion. An important benefit is carbon sequestration: the increase in forest cover and that too of younger trees will have a 2 billion metric ton carbon sequestration potential by 2050.

Growing consumer awareness and a range of applications are driving increased consumption of MDF in India, as the industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15% – 20% from an estimated Rs. 3,000 crores in 2021 to Rs. 6,000 crores by 2026. India is a significant player in MDF, being used as a leading interior infrastructure material. Discerning consumers and modern offices who look for responsible products that reduce carbon footprint, rapid urbanization, rebound in realty, and rising nuclear families will boost MDF growth. Unlike a 70 % market share in the developed nations, MDF has just a 30% market share in India reflecting the high potential for MDF.

MDF is an engineered product made of wood fibers bonded under high pressure using thermosetting resins and wax, forming beautiful panels by applying high temperature and pressure, for strength. Many MDF qualities make it an ideal replacement for wood, plywood, and particle boards.

Various initiatives Rushil Décor has taken towards becoming a responsible and sustainable corporation

  • Rushil Décor undertakes a variety of environment-friendly practices at their manufacturing units and strictly adheres to the norms of the Pollution Control Board of the State Government, they participate in and maintain Agroforestry Projects.
  • They have implemented Environmental Management Systems to ensure that no aspect of the business harms the environment. Their facilities are also fitted with rainwater harvesting units to help maintain groundwater levels. The brand also planted over 120 million agroforestry trees in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh which includes 50 million trees in Chikmagalur, Hassan, and Shimoga districts of Karnataka and 70 million trees in Visakhapatnam, East Godawari, and Vizianagaram districts of Andhra Pradesh.
  • ‘The fast-growing, short rotational crops: Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Silver Oak & Acacia are used as raw materials in the industry, and offer direct income to farmers, agriculture labor, and laborers, around the plantation.
  • The brand also engages with rural farmers to extend advanced technical support like offering seeds and seedlings of different agroforestry species through nurseries, necessary subsidies, transportation support, training, and guidance at the factory and district centers, distribution of materials, price updates for harvesting along with market support.
  • These plants procure agroforestry wood which in turn brings in sustenance for the people and the environment at large.
  • While focusing on agroforestry they also engage in activities like providing lunch at old age homes & distributing books in Ahmedabad.  They encourage their suppliers, contractors, and vendors to implement green policies in their processes so they collectively contribute to a greener environment.

The above initiatives have not only resulted in more income to farmers, increased employment, greater output but also caring for and saving the environment.

Technology helping in optimum utilisation of resources and lower emissions

With the introduction of latest world-class technologies, the company has been able to increase efficiency and reduce raw material cost.  Rushil Decor’s modern facilities also help nurture local ancillary industries like furniture, panel, transport, and local artisans leading to significant employment opportunities. The plants are strategically located close to raw material sourcing agroforestry-plantations and hence, create sustainable livelihood, reduce transportation impact, and lower emissions, driven by smart manufacturing and automated robotic production.

The company is committed to the environment and principles of sustainable development and is initiating a variety of environment-friendly practices. Also, committed to the vision to create a better everyday life for its customers. The company is offering a wide range of well-designed, environment-friendly functional products at affordable prices and commits to delivering growth consistently to investors and employees.

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What Design Can Do - Creatives to Build a Circular Society
EnvironmentEvents

What Design Can Do Urges Creatives to Build a Circular Society — One Great Idea at a Time

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

What Design Can Do (WDCD),  an international platform that advocates for design as a tool for social change since 2011, launched an ambitious design challenge programme in 2016 that engages the creative community with urgent societal issues such as the wellbeing of refugees and climate change. So far, the programme has resulted in €10m in funds raised by initiatives post programme. 

Their Fourth Challenge  Make it Circular Challengein partnership with the IKEA Foundation is inviting designers and creative entrepreneurs globally to submit design-driven innovations from 11 October 2022 – 31 January 2023.

When it comes to the climate crisis, there’s no time for cynicism. With millions of people already experiencing the effects of a warming planet first hand, we need to move forward with optimism and momentum. This is the driving force behind this challenge which is inviting solutions from all innovators — from designers to entrepreneurs — to submit their boldest climate solutions using circular design.

Winning proposals will be made into reality with an impact-driven development programme. The end goal? To create products, services and systems that are both user-centred and earth-centred, showing that a circular future is not only imaginable — but actionable.

THE HIDDEN POWER OF CREATIVITY

Most economies today are based on a linear model, where value is created by producing and selling as many products as possible. The problem is, it operates on the assumption that infinite growth is possible on a finite planet. Today, we are seeing just how wrong this assumption was, as we face an accelerating climate crisis. Yet when looking ahead at the route to a circular society, many people only see obstacles that they would rather not or cannot take on. One of the most important challenges is to convince them that we can create a new world which makes our lives not less but even more fulfilling.

circular society conscious carma

“Many people become lost in the face of so much outrage, fatigue and disinterest — but not creatives,” says Richard van der Laken, co-founder and creative director of WDCD. “The ability to imagine is the creative community’s ideal domain: seeing what does not yet exist, taking on a challenge, forging ahead with optimism.”

The challenge is released and executed in India by local amplification partners UnBox Cultural Futures Society and research partners, Quicksand Design Studio. 

“The Make it Circular Challenge shows how it is possible to use creative design practices to rethink our current problems, and address the most pressing needs in order to create a more equitable future for all. Our partnership with What Design Can Do will bring to designers and creative entrepreneurs an opportunity to drive meaningful change by submitting their radical climate solutions using actionable circular design principles,” says Ayush Chauhan, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Quicksand Design Studio & UnBox Cultural Futures Society. Quicksand Design Studio is an interdisciplinary creative consultancy facilitating the creation of meaningful experiences through design research and innovation.

A jury of leading experts in design, social impact and climate action will select a minimum of 10 winners. Winning ideas are turned into reality with €10.000 in funding and a global development programme co-created with Impact Hub Amsterdam, which includes online training, mentoring sessions and a bootcamp. This programme will support the winning teams in further strengthening their projects, and propelling them through 2023 and beyond.

The Make it Circular Challenge is active in six countries around the world: Kenya Japan, Brazil, India, Mexico, and Netherlands.

For more information, visit www.whatdesigncando.com 

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EventsSustainability

Canadian Wood to showcase its legally harvested and certified wood species from the sustainably managed forests of B.C. Canada in a variety of applications at India Wood 2022

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

FII, a crown agency of the provincial government of British Columbia (B.C.), popularly known by its logo Canadian wood is all set to participate in India Wood 2022, an international trade fair for the wood & woodworking industry including re-man products, manufacturing technologies, tools & machinery, coatings & adhesives, and other related wood industry products. The fair is being held at BIEC Hobli, Bengaluru – 562123. The 5 distinct Canadian wood species on display will be 1) Western Hemlock, 2) Douglas fir, 3) Yellow cedar, 4) Western red cedar and 5) SPF (Spruce-Pine-Fir) in a wide variety of trendy products, creatively displayed on their booth at the event from June 2-6, 2022.

India Wood is an excellent opportunity for wood products, woodworking, and allied products industry to showcase their unique products. As such over 950 exhibitors from more than 12 countries are expected to participate, who will be showcasing products to their target audience from amongst architects/designers, developers/builders, timber traders, manufacturers/contractors and so on.

Speaking about participation in India Wood 2022, Mr Pranesh Chhibber – Country Director, Canadian Wood, said, “I congratulate the India wood team on hosting their 12th edition of the trade fair in the first week of June 2022 and we at Canadian Wood are delighted to be participating in it. It provides us the platform to demonstrate the 5 distinct species of Canadian Wood in a variety of applications by highlighting their USP of being legally harvested and certified wood from the sustainably managed forests of B.C Canada. Another highlight of Canadian Wood lumber (timber) is that it is available duly sized, graded and seasoned to its customers in almost ready to use condition, which helps minimise wastage and maximise productivity. The products on display at the Canadian Wood booth are all made by Indian manufacturers by exclusively using Canadian wood species. These species are stocked and sold by over 40 Stockists in 23 cities, servicing the woodworking industry across India.”

About Canadian Wood:

FII-India (Forestry Innovation Consulting Pvt. Ltd.) popularly known by its logo Canadian Wood, is a Crown agency of the government of British Columbia (B.C.) – the westernmost province of Canada, with a mandate to promote its wood products in the offshore markets. It focuses on promoting the five distinct Canadian wood species in India mentioned earlier, through a series of educational seminars, training workshops and product trials with manufacturers, besides one-on-one engagement and handholding of its target audience besides providing technical assistance and sharing the best practices.

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CommunityInitiatives

Annual Farmers and Flea Market, Nashik

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

It was raining “Organic” at the Grape County’s precincts –By Dr. Freeda Maria

There is no greater joy than seeing your hard work, being recognized and the fruits of your labor being appreciated. There is no greater joy for a farmer who has toiled on his fields, fighting the harsh weathers with a grit to see his blooms. There is no greater joy, than to finally see his blooms and produce, laid out for people to buy and consume. The joy gets doubled, when he finds his produce displayed in a place which is frequented by all kinds of people, local and from outside, for its green practices…

A 20-acre property fanning out within the 250-acre sprawling biodiverse rich area. A 2000-acre reserve forestland just a stone’s throw away!

Welcome to the annual Flea and Farmer’s Market conceptualized by Green Spaces’, Grape County Resort, Nashik (https://www.grapecounty.in/). And this is the fourth time in a row for four years that they have hosted the event, in their resort premise. Carefully curated and crafted: for the best producers around this beautiful countryside, come together to showcase their labor of love.

The Valley as we call it, Nasik lies on the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, an ancient volcanic formation. Flowing through these open fertile lands are the Girna and the Godavari rivers. Being a grape country, half of our country’s vineyards and wineries are located here. A whopping 90 percent of all wine produced in our country comes from these Valleys. The strategic location of this place the bounty that is water and fertile land present, farmers have seen some good crops and are constantly thinking of employing good and sustainable practices in farming. They pride themselves of growing organic vegetables with zero use of chemical pesticides and insecticides.

What stands apart with this Farmers market and Flea market is that both have been combined. The flea market which is essentially a large open-air market where goods that are second hand, home-made crafts or merchandise are spread out for sales. Whereas Farmers markets are more retail markets that allows people to sell homegrown fruits and vegetables directly from the farmer to the customer. These markets are not limited to fruits and vegetables and can also have meat, live animals, baked goods, dairy products, poultry, and various other food items.

The Nashik Valley is a Sugarcane, Onions, Grapes and Pomegranate land. Every aim of this Market is to promote the indigenous farmers, who have marginalised lands. The stalls are given free of cost for three days with an aim to add it as an annual activity.

The Concept of having a Framers’ market and Flea market at GC (Grape County) was to give an opportunity to both kinds. The stalls at GC, reflect the sheer variety and innovation in their products and blooms. There even was an organic sugarcane juice maker bidding his business of zero maintenance and pure freshly pressed juice with the work his hands! The Machine runs with no motor or battery, the turning of the two wheels is the magic behind that refreshing glass of pure pleasure!

I chanced upon a brick slab on which few loosely packed products were placed and sitting by it this very elegant and smiling lady… neatly dressed in her traditional attire and going about her day, with her weary eyes looking for customers. Her offer was that of packets of homemade jaggery powder, from sugarcane grown on her fields, ragi powder and chakki (mill stone)pressed green gram, unpolished and broken down and unpolished raw rice.

One individual caught my immediate attention as I walked past, throwing glances at the many counters that had an array of things displayed. Shrushti organics grows its products using “Jeevamruth” to control pests replacing the chemical ones.  This is the traditional Indian  bio pesticide and organic manure that is prepared combining and fermenting cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, pulses flour, soil and water. His specialties include Rice, Sugarcane and Jaggery, processed products like Oils of Mustard, groundnut, sunflower, sesame and Desi Ghee.

A special mention goes out to the counter of Viveda Wellness Village, a unique concept of self-care and healing, this wellness centre has become a place of organic and wellness products. The centre uses traditional knowledge and local ingredients to make products like face packs, healing oils, bathing, and self-care products. (https://vivedawellness.com/). The counter of Grape County had its fruits, juices and other delectables, from farm to the counter, fresh and organic.

Our Flea Market was abuzz with Colours, and with creations from Local Women Entrepreneurs. Paintings, natural stones, Homemade soaps and cosmetics, I was spoilt for choices! Here are some pictures ….

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CSR

Vedanta Aluminium Business recycles ~14 billion litres of water in FY22 – Reaffirms its commitment to Water Conservation this World Water Day

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has recycled 14 billion litres of water as of January 2022 in FY 21-22, leveraging advanced technologies for focused control and monitoring of water consumption.

Vedanta Aluminium’s water sustainability efforts are guided by its robust Water Management Policy. In line with the company’s commitment to the 6th UN Sustainable Development Goal – Clean Water and Sanitation, Vedanta Aluminium strives to fulfill its water sustainability goals in three ways – increasing water reutilization, reducing freshwater consumption, and ensuring zero liquid discharge from operations. Vedanta Aluminium is also working with local communities and farmers in the regions where it operates to construct water harvesting and conservation infrastructures for perennial water supply.

Speaking about Vedanta Aluminium’s approach to water stewardship, Mr. Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, said, “Excellence in ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) forms the bedrock upon which we evolve our business plans. On World Water Day, we recommit to our vision of ensuring a sustainable water footprint in the regions where we operate. Our vision is rooted in the understanding that water is a critical shared resource that is crucial to sustaining the ecology and communities around us. Our journey towards making our operations water positive will ensure sustainability of our business and make available more water for local communities and biodiversity.”

Standing testimony to this year’s World Water Day theme of ‘Groundwater: Making the invisible visible’, Vedanta Aluminium has undertaken robust measures to optimize water consumption across its value-chain and increase the share of recycled and reused water, such as:

  • Water-screening assessment to develop and implement stringent control measures to ensure zero discharge operations.
  • Integration of water management into decision-making processes for all projects.
  • Operational excellence in Cooling Tower systems have resulted in one of the best Cycles of Concentration (COC) globally; higher the COC, less is the freshwater intake, thus resulting in freshwater conservation.
  • Deployment of High-Concentration Slurry Disposal (HCSD) systems in ash management, which ensures maximum water recycling through feedback loops.
  • Robust monitoring of water quality parameters, including reduction of specific water consumption.
  • Regular water consumption-related audits, and appropriate measures to ensure continually improved performance.
  • Optimization of freshwater intake by maximizing usage of water recycled through state-of-the-art Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP), augmented with Ultra Filtration (UF) and Reverse Osmosis (RO).
  • Rainwater harvesting infrastructure and on-site water reservoirs have been created for water sourcing during contingency scenarios.
  • Quick Response Teams to respond to extreme weather conditions, including unprecedented heavy rainfall.

Working in the realm of sustainable livelihoods and climate impact mitigation, Vedanta Aluminium is:

  • Building and rejuvenating hundreds of community water infrastructures like tube wells, bore wells, ponds, farm ponds, percolation tanks, etc. to help communities get perennial access to water for household and irrigation purposes.
  • Helping local farming communities adopt drip-irrigation, treadle pump, solar powered water pumps, rainwater harvesting structures like percolation tanks, etc. to boost irrigation potential and reduce dependency on monsoons for cropping.
  • Training communities on growing climate-resilient crops for improving yield in the face of irregular climactic conditions

Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India’s aluminium i.e., 1.97 million tonnes in FY21.

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Initiatives

Panasonic India announces winners of the seventh edition of its flagship Ratti Chattr Scholarship Program

by Team Conscious Carma
written by Team Conscious Carma

Extends support to 30 talented students across 23IITs this year

Panasonic India, a diversified technology company, hosted the seventh edition of its flagship scholarship program, Ratti Chattr, to award scholarships to 30 students from 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) across India on 24th Jan, 2022. The scholarship program, in association with Shine.com (HT), recognizes and empowers ‘young future leaders’ by providing financial assistance to select undergraduate students to pursue higher education at their respective IITs across the country.

Present at the virtually held felicitation event, were Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog as the chief guest, along with Mr. Manish Sharma, CEO, Panasonic India, Prof. Sanjeev Sanghi, Head of the Applied Mechanics department IIT Delhi, Mr. Akhil Gupta, CEO of  Shine.Com and Ms. Ritu Ghosh, Head, Corporate Affairs & CSR, Panasonic India.

Congratulating the winners, Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog, said, “I would like to congratulate all the students for their hard work, that has brought them here today. Panasonic India’s Ratti Chhatr scholarship program is truly commendable in its efforts to propel young achievers to attain their ambitions and goals by empowering them with knowledge. The youth of the Indian diaspora is uniquely positioned to contribute to India’s unprecedented tech and digital story and such programs enable the young minds to innovate and excel and help in nation building.”   

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Manish Sharma, CEO, Panasonic India & South Asia, said, “Panasonic India has always been a committed supporter in helping meritorious students on their higher education journey.

Through the Ratti Chattr program, we are very happy to be able to make a difference in the lives of these young aspirants. We congratulate the winners and hope that our efforts will continue to inspire them in accomplishing their purpose in life. This year, we are delighted to have two successful professionals, who as students received the scholarship in 2017, join the felicitation event and share their journey with us.” 

Ms. Ritu Ghosh, Head, Corporate Affairs & CSR, and Panasonic India said, “Our Ratti Chhatr program strives to contribute to the country’s economic and social development by remaining true to Panasonic’s purpose of providing better lives to all to create a better world. The initiative has been supporting students to realize their dream of studying in one of the most prestigious institutions of the country.”

The 2021 Ratti Chhatr Scholarship Program received over 621 applications, of which 540applications were shortlisted. Based on an online test conducted, 222 students were interviewed, out of which Panasonic India has chosen 30 winners for this honour through a rigorous screening and interviewing process.

About Panasonic: 

Panasonic India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation that is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. The company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018, has expanded globally and now operates 528 subsidiaries and 72 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 6,698.8 billion yen for the year ended March 31, 2021. Panasonic commenced its operations in India in the year 1972 and the regional headquarter is located at Gurgaon, Haryana. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers.

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