Jul 1, 2013

The Bicycle Man


Did you know that on a bicycle you can travel up to 1,000 Kms on the energy equivalent of a single litre of petrol…? I am sure you must be aware of such facts just like my friend Jugal Rathi.

A chartered accountant by profession who came to Pune from Latur many years ago, Rathi has always been concerned about the environment and has been taking initiatives to make it better.  He started cycling almost 12 years ago as a hobby but then it became his cause.

Ageless Rathi is seen shouting slogans-‘Pollution Pollution…cycle is the solution’ through monthly bicycle rallies organised by a group of peddlers on Sundays when all of us are lazing around in our homes. This 67 year old peddler bicycles wherever he goes. He has been taking initiatives through ‘Pune Cycle Pratishthan’ to spread the joy and awareness of bicycling in our traffic troubled 
Rathi on a mountain biking expedition
city.


Whenever you meet Rathi, all you hear is about his new cycle expeditions and how environment friendly way of commuting is promoted. According to Rathi, each one of us has the seed, the spark within that makes us conscious about environment.  It’s just a matter of being firm on our beliefs  and bringing them into action. “I am sure the change will happen and people will love peddling to their work, schools and picnic spots,” he says. 

As part of the action, he has been pursuing PMC schemes like ‘rent a bike’ and giving cycles to about 50,000 needy student friends. Also, has been shaking the administration through his letters to consider those walking and cycling on the road have equal rights as motorists.

His efforts have such earnestness that his birthday celebrations begin with cycle riding. “I take as many rounds as that of my age on every birthday,” says Rathi with a smile. While leaving on his bicycle on a routine ride he doesn’t forget to remind us that cycling is a potential activity that makes our environment healthier. 

 

  Greeny Says

"Rathi believes that each one of us has the seed, the spark within that makes us conscious about environment."

-As told by Greeny to Praveen Lulekar

Jun 12, 2013

India’s ‘Paniwala Baba’

I know… I am sure that you must have heard about the famous Paniwala Baba?

He was walking on the dead river bed of the Agrani River in Sangli district. As he started walking, people started joining him and just a walk became a march for cause. The cause was to bring the Agrani River to life. Many people could feel that the Paniwala Baba-Water Man can speak to the rivers, he can understand their plight and bring them back. The march turned into a public meeting and Paniwala Baba became the initiator- Rajendra Singh.

Singh, always in his Khadi kurta and cotton pants has been known as the Paniwala Baba because he has reinvented the ingenious concept of ‘Johad’- the rainwater storage tanks and mud and rubble barriers that arrest rainwater under the ground. This indigenous and simple system has transformed the Rajasthan in to happy state as more than 1000 villages in the state have got easy access to water. He has now decided to transform the unhappy drought situation in Maharashtra.

Singh has already started working to rejuvenate four rivers in Maharashtra - Agrani, Manganga, Yerala, and Adan. While speaking about the conditions of dying river Singh says, “the rivers are yours, become their owners and transform them.” Back in Rajasthan, Singh has initiated the people to clean the river, build their own check dams and conserve water. He has named his movement as the ‘Jan Jal Jodo Abhiyan’ (People Water Connect).

While making people aware about the drought situation in Maharashtra, Singh is continuously spreading the message that how we ourselves can get over this drought situation. “There was only 40 per cent of rains in Rajasthan, if it can survive then so can Maharashtra with as good as 70 per cent of rains.” 

Singh believes that, if we follow only three things then our rivers will be transformed and can stay lively. These are River land should be encroachment free, sewerage and river should be separated and sand mining should be completely stopped. “But this is not enough, the work can only be completed with people participation means our participation.”

Greeny Says 
"Paniwala Baba- the Water Man can speak to the rivers, he can understand their plight and bring them back to life."
-As told by Greeny to Nitin Brahme