Friday, 23 March 2018

#WaterWars #WorldWaterDay

Replicating Nature ?

Times of India ( 17 March ) carried following news :

“ Soon , potable sea water at 5 paise per litre : Gadkari “

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/nitin-gadkari-promises-potable-sea-water-at-5-paise-per-litre-in-india/articleshow/63334766.cms

Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday that the country would soon have potable water from sea at five paise per litre.

Trials for conversion of sea water into potable water have started in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, said the minister of River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation.

This is indeed, a very good news

Another good news in respect of making available , clean drinking water , was reported in today’s Business Line . Read :

“ JanaJal makes drinking water affordable for all “

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/janajal-makes-drinking-water-affordable-to-all/article23336674.ece

JanaJal water ATMs sell 250 ml of chilled water for ₹1, one litre at ₹5 and 20 litres for ₹20

“We plan to use this fund to expand its footprint and operations, which Agarwal said would touch 1,000 water ATMs by the end of 2018.

“In near future, we plan to install 1,500 water ATMs at railway stations and another 1,500 at other places,” Agarwal said.

By 2020, he said, JanaJal will be supplying 1 billion litres of clean and safe drinking water, contributing its bit to keep India healthy.

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MY OBSERVATIONS :

· On its web site , JanaJal [ https://www.janajal.com/ ] claims :

• Most affordable water dispensing technology (compared to water cans, pouches, bottles etc.)

• Technology based on clean energy and environment-friendly techniques such as solar energy

• Operates on solar energy & electricity

Gravel Filter for suspended particles

Silica Filter for fine TSS in water

Active Carbon Filter for odour eradication

Twin sediment filter

Dual Stage RO filtration

Online UV treatment

I suppose , all of these filtration technologies + occasional use of electricity, makes this water 100 times more expensive, as compared to what Shri Gadkariji claims .

And of course , it must depend upon raw water supply from Public Water Distribution Network

As against this , I suppose , that Tuticorin plant would draw sea water and possibly use , Solar Energy for distillation / evaporation , thereby eliminating energy cost .

And , since this process copies the nature , there is no need for any kind of filtration

But its limitation is that , the plant has to be very close to sea ! No good for hinterland !

Now comes the BEST news !

Extracting absolutely clean water ( anywhere , including in deserts ! ) out of thin air , using Solar Energy !

No need for electricity / filtration / water source ( sea or public water supply ) !

Earlier , I had reported this in my following blog :

WaterWater Everywhere ? Even in Latur ? [ 15 April 2017 ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2017/04/water-water-everywhere-even-in-latur.html

To know how this technology has progressed in last one year , read :

InField Tests, Device Harvests Water From Desert Air

https://scienceblog.com/499961/in-field-tests-device-harvests-water-from-desert-air/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+scienceblogrssfeed+%28ScienceBlog.com%29

Last year , while sending my blog , I had requested Shri Devendra Fadnavisji to contact Prof Yaghi , requesting him to make available this WATER HARVESTING technology

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Dear Shri Gadkariji,

You are absolutely right when you say :

"Water is the biggest problem in India. Only if we manage to save water, forest and animals we would be able to go ahead. It is directly linked to our country and the society"

I urge you to contact the following members of the enlarged MIT team

· Evelyn Wang [ enwang@mit.edu ]

http://meche.mit.edu/people/faculty/enwang@mit.eduhttp://meche.mit.edu/people/faculty/

· Sameer R. Rao [ srrao@mit.edu ]

· Prof Omar Yaghi [ yaghi@berkeley.edu / oyaghi@lbl.gov ]

You may also want to look up an equally simple / affordable alternative at :

http://www.warkawater.org/

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24 March 2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Killer Tracks of Mumbai Locals

On an average , some 9 persons get run over by local trains in Mumbai , every day , while crossing the tracks

In past , I have suggested possible solutions to save these lives , through my following blog ( sent as emails to the Railway Ministers – earlier , to Shri Prabhu and last one to Shri Goyal ) :

WherePrabhu failed, will Piyush succeed ? [ 18 March 2018 ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2018/03/where-prabhu-failed-will-piyush-succeed.html

That suggestion was based on using low voltage EMP ( Electro Magnetic Pulse ) , to “ fry “ the electronics of the mobile phone being carried by the track-crosser , without harming him

Logic : Such an expensive “ Digital Death “ would ensure that no one crosses tracks !

Then there was this news in Business Line ( 14 Feb ) , which read :

“ Sound of bees to ward off elephants from rail tracks “

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/sound-of-bees-to-ward-off-elephants-from-rail-tracks/article22744703.ece

I am sure our scientists would have found some “ variant “ of that sound to ensure that humans do not dare to approach the tracks !

This has been done in past for controlling rioting mobs

Read :

https://gizmodo.com/what-is-the-lrad-sound-cannon-5860592

Developed by the LRAD corporation to broadcast messages and pain-inducing "deterrent" tones over long distances, LRAD devices come in various iterations that produce varying degrees of sound. They can be mounted to a vehicle or handheld. The device produces a sound that can be directed in a beam up to 30-degree wide, and the military-grade LRAD 2000X can transmit voice commands at up to 162dB up to 5.5 miles away.

The LRAD corporation says that anyone within a 100 meters of the device's sound path will experience extreme pain.

The version generally utilized by police department (the LRAD 500X) is designed to communicate at up to 2000 meters during ideal conditions.

In a typical outdoor environment, the device can be heard for 650 meters. The 500x is also capable of short bursts of directed sound that cause severe headaches in anyone within a 300-meter range.

Anyone within 15 meters of the device's audio path can experience permanent hearing loss. LRAD claims the device is not a weapon, but a "directed-sound communication device."

And if challenged , our DRDO scientists should be capable of improving upon NL-LIPE described below for use along train tracks :

https://futurism.com/us-military-dod-lasers-scream-flash-burn-clothes/

I am not giving up till Shri Goyalji finds time to read and say : YES , will give it a try !

23 March 2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Democracy ? Pay the Price !

How else can we explain the contrast between the value that the Chinese seem to attach to human lives , as against Indian attitude ?

Let me explain

Following news appearing in today’s Hindustan Times , reads :

29 of 50 industries in MMR polluting Mumbai’s air

https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/29-of-50-industries-in-mmr-polluting-mumbai-s-air/story-6RnTfA8HtIcIHLm25qEg8H.html

“ Maharashtra is the most industrialized state in India, with more than 75,000 industries

Of these, 12,500 industries have been identified as having high pollution potential “

[ Of course , web site of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board , has asked only 7 in Mumbai to

close down ! Not surprising considering that page is dated : 18 Feb 2013 ! ]

http://www.mpcb.gov.in/consentappraisal/Regiondetails.php ]

Now read the following news report ( 24 Oct 2017 ):

China Has Shut Down Up to 40% of Its Factories in an Unprecedented Stand Against Pollution

https://www.sciencealert.com/china-shutting-40-factories-massive-effort-cut-pollution-carbon-pm2-5

China is in the midst of an all-out blitz on polluters flouting emissions standards, closing tens of thousands of factories in a massive effort to address the nation's catastrophic pollution problems.

Estimates of the crackdown suggest as much as 40 percent of China's factories have been temporarily closed by safety inspectors, with officials from more than 80,000 factories charged with criminal offences for breaching emissions limits over the past year.

The months-long campaign coincides with China announcing this week at its Communist Party congress its plan to cut the concentration of hazardous fine particulate matter (called PM2.5) from 47 micrograms per cubic metre in 2016 to 35 micrograms by 2035.

"It will be very difficult to reach the goal, and we need to make greater efforts to achieve it," environmental protection minister Li Ganjie said at an event on Monday.

China's modern efforts to tackle domestic pollution date back to 2013, when the nation announced 10 measures to clean up the country's air, including reducing emissions from heavily polluting industries by 30 per cent by the end of 2017.

To help hit its targets, China has ramped up factory and power plant inspections in the past two years across several provinces, to make sure thousands of companies aren't breaching emissions laws.

“ Basically, you're seeing these inspectors go into factories for surprise inspections," supply chain consultant Gary Huang from 80/20 Sourcing told NPR.

I would not be surprised if Indians believe :

· Indian lives come “ cheap “ ( as compared to China )

· In the priorities of our governments ( Central + States ), “saving lives” is low

· No minister ( or bureaucrat ) fears losing his job for according low priority

· Ministers are worried about workers losing jobs if polluting factories get closed

· Factory inspectors send advance “ warning “ of their “ surprise inspections “ !

· Only way to enforce “ clean air “ is to install inside those Chimney Stacks, sensors which will simply cut off electric power supply to a factory, the moment sensor detects that pollution level exceeds the prescribed upper limit

As long as we continue to depend upon “ humans “, expect no improvement

· Unless “ humans “ with all of their “ discriminatory / judgemental “ power , are taken out of the equation of “ Automatic Enforcing Compliance “ , things cannot improve

I hope this email reaches our Minister for Environment , Dr Harsh Vardhan

harshvardhan@sansad.nic.in

23 March 2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs

Thursday, 22 March 2018

#WTO #Globalization #TradeWar

The Second Shot ?

Or , is it a “ beginning of the end “ of #WTO , #Globalization ?

It was only yesterday , that I blogged :

A #TradeWar Epidemic ?

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2018/03/wto-export-import-economy.html

Then read the following in today’s media :

Bloomberg :

China Hits Back at Trump Tariffs as Trade War Arrives

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-22/trump-orders-50-billion-hit-on-china-goods-amid-trade-war-fears

CNBC :

Trump slaps China with tariffs on up to $60 billion in imports: 'This is the first of many'

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/22/trump-moves-to-slap-china-with-50-billion-in-tariffs-over-intellectual-property-theft.html

And here is what Washington Post reported :

“We’re doing things for this country that should have been done for many, many years,” the president said before signing a memorandum setting in motion the trade actions.

The president blamed China for the loss of 60,000 factories and 6 million jobs, a number that most economists say blends the impact on U.S. employment of both Chinese competition and automation.

Trump said that unfair Chinese trade practices are responsible for the yawning U.S. trade deficit with China, which has reached a record $375 billion on his watch.

The White House expects the new taxes, which could reach up to 1,300 specific imports, will have a “minimal impact” upon consumers.

“The era of economic surrender is over,” added Vice President Michael Pence.

Zhang Xiangchen, Beijing’s ambassador to the WTO said :

“ China is preparing for a range of responses to the US tariffs and will stand up to protectionism but still hopes for a dialogue .

This is a legitimate right for China to do that. But I would not exclude other options because if the flood approaches, you have to bank up to keep it out “

And the American Eagle has included India among the top five countries to be targeted for “ Getting Even “ !

I do hope Indian Government and Indian Companies introspect and ask :

“ How fast can we turn India into a , LOW COST ECONOMY ? “

When fighting a #TradeWar , even WTO cannot mandate a ,

Level Playing Field ? [ 11 June 2016 ]

https://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/06/level-playing-field.html

23 March 2018

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs