KICS

is a forum for conversations amongst activists and academics on issues relating to science and democracy.

Sharing Session – 36

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands: an island journey
Speaker: Pankaj Sekhsaria

Date and Time: June 18, 2016, 0400 – 0600 PM
Venue: CWS Conference Hall, 12-13-438, Street No. 1,
                                    Tarnaka, Secunderabad - 500017

 

Sharing session is one of the regular activities of Knowledge In Civil Society trust (KICS, www.kicsforum.net). These are organised around contemporary themes relevant to KICS work as an exercise of learning from each other. The objective is to deepen our shared understanding of the theme and to appreciate the key cross linkages, especially in the realm of Science, Technology & Society.

 

 

It is a little more than two decades since the speaker first visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and has had the great opportunity of travelling extensively in the islands, right from the north in Diglipur to the extreme south - to Indira Point on Great Nicobar Island.

 

Pankaj has had a number of incredible experiences as well - many exhilarating and humbling hours watching Green sea, leatherback and Olive ridley turtles nest on remote uninhabited islands; photographing the endemic Nicobari megapode build up its nesting mound; descending into deep dark caves to see nesting Edible nest swiftlets; swimming and snorkelling in the sparkling waters - researching and writing on this spectacular diversity and beauty and the threats and challenges it faces; seeing the devastation caused in the earthquake and tsunami of 2004 and getting involved in advocacy and litigation in the interests of the fragile ecology and the indigenous peoples of the islands.

 

This sharing session will be the story of two parallel journeys – one is of the geology, ecology and history of the islands; the other is Pankaj’s personal journey of travelling and discovering the islands, the most recent step of which was the writing of his debut novel, The Last Wave, a story that is deeply embedded in the ecology, people and history of the islands. The session will begin with a slide presentation on the A&N islands, include readings from the book itself and will be followed by a Q&A session.

 

Pankaj Sekhsaria is a member of the environmental action group, Kalpavriksh, where he works on issues of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and also edits the bi-monthly newsletter, the Protected Area Update. He is a freelance journalist, photographer and author, most recently, of The Last Wave – an island novel, a story based in the Andaman Islands. He has authored/edited three other, non-fiction books, two of which are based in the A&N Islands.

 

He graduated as a mechanical engineer from the Pune University in 1993 and followed this with a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from the Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, in 1998. He has just finished his doctoral work in Science and Technology Studies (STS) from Maastricht University, Netherlands. Titled ‘Enculturing Innovation – Indian engagements with nanotechnology’, his thesis looks at the ideas and the practices of innovation within nano-science and technology laboratories in India and explores the societal and cultural influences on research and on innovation inside the laboratory.

 Please register for this session by contacting us (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , phone: +91-87905 35613).

 

 

Solar Agriculture Feeders: An Attractive Alternative compared to Solar Pumpsets in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh -  A Discussion Paper
Published by Knowledge In Civil Society
with support from
Centre for World Solidarity, Prayas (Energy Group), People’s Monitoring Group for Electricity Regulation, and SWAPNAM

Authors:
Sreekumar N- Trustee (KICS) and Member, Prayas (Energy Group)
M Thimma Reddy– Convenor, People’s Monitoring Group for Electricity Regulation
BN Prabhakar– President, SWAPNAM, an NGO working on water and power related issues

 This discussion paper presents an alternate option for using solar energy for agriculture pumpsets.

Electricity powered agriculture pumpsets is the mainstay for agriculture in Telangana and AP. This area has many challenges for the farmer, Distribution Company and the state government. Farmers invest heavily in well based irrigation, but are unhappy with the poor quality of electricity supply. Distribution Company is unhappy with the low revenue from a large number of consumers spread over a large area. State has to bear the subsidy burden to support low tariff for the farmers.

Solar power offers some hope by way of providing quality electricity supply during the day time, which is convenient to farmer. Distribution Company also finds it attractive since it reduces the burden to allocate generation capacity for agriculture. It is environment friendly and reduces distribution losses, if generation is distributed.

 

There are three possible solar options for agriculture pumping - large centralised solar plants, solar powered agriculture feeders and solar pumpsets. All options need to be encouraged, but prioritised based on the strength and weakness of each option in different circumstances. We feel that for states like Telangana and AP, solar powered agriculture feeder is a more farmer-centric and equitable option. In addition, investment burden on the government is lower, quality of supply is better and maintenance is easier.

 Solar feeder is thus an investment program with good returns, compared to the subsidy driven solar pumpset program. This paper describes the solar feeder option and recommends that a few pilot projects be taken up to assess any fine-tuning aspects, before scaling up.

[Download E-Copy]

 

 

Just Released.......

What do the beneficiaries of Government schemes make of them? How do they view and engage with these schemes?

Dr. Chitra Krishnan reflects on five different rural development schemes as experienced and written by two villagers from a semi-arid region of Southern Karnataka. What is the actual nature of involvement of beneficiaries? What are the spaces for their engagement with the schemes? What is the outcome of such involvement . How far do other actors influence these outcomes.

In discussing these aspects, Dr Krishnan examines the theme of collective action, when it is needed, when it seems counterproductive and what can be expected out of such action.

Read more: The State & Drought

Organic Farming & Agro-ecological Approaches: Ready-to-replicate Best Practices From Around India
Published by Knowledge In Civil Society
with support from Centre for World Solidarity

Authors:

Kavitha Kuruganti - Trustee (KICS) and Member (ASHA)

Indhubala Kesavan - Intern (KICS) and Student (University of Hyderabad)

This booklet has been created as a policy note on agro-ecological approaches in Indian agriculture, based on good practices and strategies adopted by different policies and programmes for promoting organic farming in India. The booklet dwells on policy and legislative measures that have helped some state governments to take forward a strong agenda of promotion of organic farming.

 

It is hoped that this compilation will be useful as a policy tool with ready-to-replicate ideas and practices to be picked up and implemented by state governments all over the country. It also makes a case for why organic farming is an imperative and not a choice any more, and the various benefits that can be expected from large scale promotion of organic farming. This booklet will also be useful for civil society actors for use in promoting and advocating organic farming in the country.

[Download Ecopy]

 

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