Rotary Club of Dabolim Goa

Mormugao Municipality along with Rotary Club of Dabolim are taking the initiative forward to promote an Eco friendly holi. We helped organize a demonstration to make eco friendly holi colours from material available at home.

Mormugao Municipality along with Rotary Club of Dabolim are taking the initiative forward to promote an Eco friendly holi. Natural colours are now available at Vasco. In a letter to the MMC chairperson, Mr Shekhar Khadapkar, a member of the Patanjali Yog Samithi (PYS), Mr Sharad Chopdekar, who is also a councillor and former MMC chairperson and Mr Amit Bandekar, secretary of Rotary Club of Dabolim, have requested to provide assistance to promote healthy and environmentally safe Holi festival. The PYS has decided to have a demonstration of eco-friendly colours, which is made up of leaves and flowers ahead of the Holi celebration in Vasco. The PYS will also demonstrate colours made from chana dal, toor dal and various other household commodities.

The festival of colours that marks the celebration of the spring season is just round the corner. On March 1 everyone will onto the streets to have some fun with colours.

Are we really aware that we are actually playing with some carcinogenic substances? According to experts some of these colours which are easily available in the market contain carcinogens like mercury sulphite, aluminium bromide, etc that are known to cause renal failure, eye allergies, puffiness, temporary blindness, dermatitis and even skin cancer. The ‘gulals’ or dry colours contain a toxic colorant and a base of asbestos or silica. The heavy metals in these can cause asthma, skin diseases and adversely affect the eyes. However now there is no need to panic as the solution is just one store away. The eco-store, Earthworm at Porvorim is now busy packing some eco-friendly colours that will broaden your happiness while playing with colours. They have now tied up with eCoexist; a Pune based social enterprise which promotes eco-sensitive products through socially sensitive means. “We are promoting Rang Dulaar—a range of natural Holi colours that are completely free of chemical content. Prepared by the Vanastree, a collective of women from the Malnad region and packaged by the prisoners of Yeroda jail in Maharashtra these colours generate income to less privileged groups of people” states Nirmal Kulkarni of Earthworm. Another interesting part is that these jail inmates make the colours from the dry and flowers that are thrown out after being offered to God. These colours are also obtained from food products like turmeric, cocum, lemon juice, spinach, hibiscus, tulsi (basil), henna, indigo, harda (terminalia chebula), glyricidea, nirgudi and other local leaves, with rice flour being used as a filler. Rang Dulaar colours are available in five dry colours—red, yellow, orange, blue and green and are priced between Rs 20 to Rs 100.

“There are simple ways to make these colours at home too. These can be made by mixing turmeric and besan (yellow), boiled marigold or palash flowers (yellow), soaked pomegranate peels (liquid yellow colour), sliced beetroot soaked in water ( deep pink), dried and powdered henna leaves ( orange-red paste) mixed with water, etc” states their campaign.

Rotary community, environment, projects

American novelist, Chuck Palanhiuk said, "When did the future switch from being
a promise to being a threat?"

Simple words with a lot to think about. 

One of the major threats that we face today is that of global warming. It is
not entirely possible to reverse the damage that has already been done but we
can do our best to preserve what we have. It is our responsibility to provide a
cleaner and greener world for the generations to come. 

The Rotary Club of Dabolim Goa, as a part of its "heal the earth - together"
programme is promoting and celebrating a non-toxic and eco-friendly holi. For
this, we are using Rang Dulaar Natural Holi Colours, which are made on a base
of turmeric and contain no chemical content. Additionally, these colours,
include an element of recycled flowers collected from the nirmalya which is
produced during Ganesh Chaturthi. 

Colours that are commercially available are usually industrial dyes that are
not meant for human use. These contain toxic heavy metals that can cause
serious health problems. 

Rang Dulaar colours are completely non-toxic, totally non polluting and wash
off easily. They are available in five colours, red, yellow, orange, green and
black. They are soft to touch and carry an aroma of turmeric. 

Rang Dulaar is a product of e-Coexist, a social enterprise that promotes
natural and recycled products. The Rotary Club of Dabolim Goa is supporting
their efforts and aims at making these colours a household name. 

The colours are being made available to you at the original cost itself. We do
not have any mark-up on the price of the product. 

We urge you to join in our efforts to save the planet and enjoy a safe holi!

Rotary community, environment

Our club participated in the pulse polio immunisation drive at the Pulse Polio booth manned by Rotary Club of Vasco da gama. Also present was Rtn. Leif R Carlsson, District Governor of Rotary International District 2410, Sweden who traveled to India to participate in in the Immunization program. He and his wife Mona Carlsson personally administered drops to over 100 children. Rtn. Carlsson is a member of Rotary Club of TORSÅS-BERGKVARA.

Pulse Polio is an immunization  campaign established by the government of India in 1994 to eradicate poliomyelitis (polio) in India by vaccinating  annually all children under age five against poliovirus.

Rotary International is the volunteer arm of a global partnership dedicated to eradicating polio. In 1985, Rotary volunteers around the world embraced the fight against polio and ‘POLIOPLUS‘ was born.

Till date, the PolioPlus programme has contributed  US $ 610 million for the protection of more than two billion children. By 2007 the end of the programme, Rotary’s contribution will touch more than US$650 million apart from the manpower, materials and individual support provided by 1.2 million Rotarians world wide.

Rotary community, health, projects

We held our first Garage Sale at Kharewado, Vasco. The items on sale were recieved as donations from various people. Most of the items on sale were pre-used but in a  good condition. Old and new clothing, footwear, toys, household knick-knacks and some home appliances were sold. The sale helped us raise funds for our school project.

Rotary community, fundraiser, GSE, International, school

Our club distributed hearing aids to 4 elderly patients and 5 deaf and dumb children.

These were a part of the Hearing aids and analog audiometer donated to RC Vasco by the Rotary Club of Birmingham, UK (Rotary International District 1060).

Rotary community, health, International, projects, RID 3170

350 is the most important number in the world -it’s what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

On 24th October 2009, people all over the world will take a stand for a safe climate future. In over 2300 actions covering almost every country in the world, there will be big rallies in big cities, and incredible creative actions across the globe: mountain climbers on our highest peaks with banners, underwater demonstrations in island nations  threatened by sea level rise, churches and mosques and synagogues and ashrams engaged in symbolic action, star athletes organizing mass bike rides–and hundreds upon hundreds of community events to raise awareness of the need for urgent action. These events will be photographed with the number 350 in the background and be part of a gigantic visual petition at the UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Rotary community, environment, projects

Heavy rains inundated parts of Canacona causing flash floods, and immense hardship to the residents, flooding and damaging hundreds of houses, damaging crops, affecting thousands of people, causing few deaths and rendering many homeless.

Acting speedily on a few requests, we provided flood relief material including food, tarpaulins, bedsheets and clothes to the affected area. The material was distributed with the help of an NGO manning the 24-hour relief centre in Poinguinim, one of the worst affected areas. The NGO has 120 volunteers actively helping with the rescue, rehabilitation and distribution of relief material.

Many thanks to the RC Dabolim team, and to Everton, Sonali and Suresh for their help.

Rotary community, disaster, projects

We organised a “Free Tree & Plant Saplings Distribution Camp” in association with the Village Panchayat of Chicalim.

Saplings of plants like jackfruit, tamarind, kokum, guava, rain tree, peltophorum, bayo, bougainvillea, custard apple, neem, jamun, etc. were distributed free of cost. In addition to these, there were a variety of garden plants available for distribution.

The Club also simultaneously organized a “Green Products Exhibition”. This included a display of various eco-friendly products and other organic products like manures, seeds, EM, insect repellents, etc. by Green Goa Works (Mapusa), Earthworm (Porvorim) and Green Essentials (Panjim).

The Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) also exhibited appliances such as solar cookers, solar pumps, solar TVs. These appliances can be operated by using renewable energy resources such as Solar Thermal, Solar Photovoltaic, Wind Energy and Biomass Energy.

Rotary community, environment, projects

An unique summer camp that blends art & craft, sports, personality development, environmental awareness, games, fun and more…

Dates: 18th to 24th May
Time: 09:30 am to 1 pm
Venue: Rotary Hall, Tilak Maidan, Vasco
Age Group: 9 – 12 years
Fees: Rs. 750/-

Rotary community, fundraiser, projects, vocational

Our “Reflector stickers on bicycles” for Road Safety project aims at providing reflectors to bicycles so that they are clearly visible in the dark, increasing the safety of the cyclists.

Many bicycle riders around the town are negligent in this respect and without proper street lights, it can be a hazardous situation at night. Charuta, Jennifer, Umesh, Abhay, Amit T and Lalit participated in the project.

Also see: Rotarians at Work, Lighting Regulations (CTC – the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation)

Rotary community, projects

We celebrated World Earth Day by distributing glass bottles marked ‘Battery Collection Bottles’ among our club members.  This was done by participating in GoaCan’s Battery Waste Collection Drive – The Consumer Household Battery Collection Drive is a micro example of how Segregation At Source (SAS) can help Protect the Environment.

When batteries are disposed in garbage, heavy metals like cadmium, cobalt, copper, zinc, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, and lithium leach from the batteries that are deposited in landfills. This contaminates soil and water. All of these elements are potentially harmful to humans and the environment. For example, cadmium can cause lung damage, kidney disease, and death, and lead can damage the kidneys, nervous system, and reproductive system. Lead poisoning is also commonly diagnosed in cattle, and the death rate can be close to 20 percent. One of the more popular rechargeable batteries, nickel-cadmium, is also one of the most environmentally harmful. Besides the presence of cadmium, NiCd batteries, as well as nickel-metal hydride batteries, contain cobalt, which can cause asthma and pneumonia and is considered a possible human carcinogen. Even lithium, another element used in some rechargeable batteries and considered a more environmentally benign substance, can produce acid rain when present in salt form and is a suspected kidney and liver toxicant.

Also Read: Rechargeable batteries can be big danger

Rotary community, environment, projects

Clinton Vaz talked on “Ideas for Environmentalism & Wildlife Activism in Goa“.

Vaz, aged 27 is a self employed environmental consultant based in Goa. In 2005, he was appointed as a consultant in waste management for the Corporation of the City of Panaji where he offers his services till date. In his free time, he conducts waste management workshops or manages his two e-groups based on Goa’s wildlife and environment.

Vaz talked of the separating and treating different types of waste differently, and eco-friendly options to treat wet waste in your own backyard or community.

Rotary community, environment, Guest Speaker