Address:
Netaji Subhash Marg, Lal Qila, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006

The iconic Minar which is the attraction known to most of the people across the globe, for which people come to Delhi and the one that is known as Qutub Minar came into existence towards the end of the twelfth century.

The foundations were laid by Qutubuddin Aibak, however, the construction was interrupted by his death. Soon to be known worldwide, this iconic landmark was then completed by Iltutmish in A.D. 1230. However, it again got damaged by lightning, therefore, got some repairs from Firoz Shah Tugluq in A.D. 1351-88. Sikandar Lodi also administered some repairs on the tower in A.D. 1503. Standing tall at 72.5m the Minar has Arabic inscriptions and also some Brahmi inscriptions.

Monuments in the Qutub Complex :

• The Tomb of Iltutmish. (Lies north-west to the Quwwatu’l Islam Mosque.)
• Ala’i-Darwaza. (One of the gateways(southern gateway) among four gates constructed by Alau’d-Din-Khalji who also extended the Quwwatu’l Islam Mosque.)
• Ala’i Minar. (Its an incomplete tower started by Alau’d-Din-Khalji who wanted to make it double the size of the Qutub Minar.)
• Tomb of Imam Zamin. (Located to the immediate east of Ala’i Darwaza.)
• Serai. (Located at the eastern entrance gateway of Qutub Complex.)
• There is a Mughal garden in the north of the complex, and a mosque is there in the westside.
• Sanderson’s Sundial and Major Smith’s Cupola. (Located south-east of the Qutub Minar.)

One can reach Qutub Minar by metro or by bus although it is more convenient by Metro only. A single ticket can be bought for Rs. 40 for Indian nationals, however, the price is different for foreign tourists.

Address:
Mehrauli, New Delhi, Delhi 110030

Safdarjung’s Tomb is a sandstone and marble stone built monument and is the last Mughal Structure. This heritage site has a very imposing presence with its arched red brown and white colored structures and is a historical monument that is a popular tourist spot in Delhi.

The foundations were laid by Nawab Shujaud Daula  in the memory of his father Ahmad Shah Bahadur. The construction phase was from 1753-1754. The tomb was designed by an Abyssinian architect.

Safdarjung Tomb has the cultural aspects of the Mughals in its architecture. The main tomb is constructed using sandstone and marble stone in the shade of red. Height of the main tomb is 92ft. There are four towers along with the square chamber that has the tomb in the middle. There are three pavilions and an entrance gate. The three pavilions are known as Badshah Pasand, Jangali Mahal and Moti Mahal.

One can reach Sabdarjung Tomb by metro or by bus although it is more convenient by Metro only. Nearest metro station is Jor Bagh. A single ticket can be bought for Rs. 25 for Indian nationals, however, the price is different for foreign tourists. Opening hours are 7am to 5pm daily.

Address :

Airforce Golf Course, Delhi Race Club, New Delhi, Delhi 110021

Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehra Dun was established in 1878. It was declared a deemed university by UGC in 1991. Its primary importance is due to its prominence in the field of forest studies and also because it trains officers that are selected through UPSC exam under Indian Forest Services. The campus hosts Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy(IGNFA) and also enrols a large number of PhD students every year under different research topic.

The main building consists of six museums that are :

• Pathology Museum.
• Social Forestry Museum.
• Silviculture Museum.
• Timber Museum.
• Non-Wood Forest Products Museum.
• Entomology Museum.

Each one of these has exhibits related to forest studies one can see and understand. C.G. Blomfield was the architect behind this beautifully constructed building who focused on Greeko Roman Architecture. After its inauguration in 1925, it is now a very famous national heritage site visited by thousands of Indians as well as foreign tourist. One can take a guided tour for Rs. 50.

Address :
Chakarata Rd, New Forest, P.O, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248006

Lotus Temple is a Bahá’í House of Worship. It was opened on 13th November 1986 and since then became a famous global tourist spot because of its unconventional flower-like structure. It is situated in New Delhi and is close to Kalkaji Mandir Metro Station from where one can either take a walk or get a rickshaw till the entry point.

Fariborz Sahba was the man behind this wonderful architecture who looked after the construction after being approached to design the temple in 1976.

The entire building consists of 27 petals-like structure which is arranged in groups of three to make nine sides of the building. These marble-clad petals made this temple prominent among other heritage sites. Its a Bahá’í House of Worship meaning anyone irrespective of their religion can enter the premise and follow the Bahá’í principle of reverence that is to gather, reflect and worship. One can feel peace and satisfaction after visiting this place. Its surrounded by lush-green gardens well-maintained by the several authorities.

Its open from 9 AM to 7 PM in the summer season. During winter it gets closed two hours early than usual i.e 5 PM. The best part is that there is no entry fee however, you have to take special permission to take photographs there.

Address :
Lotus Temple Rd, Bahapur, Shambhu Dayal Bagh, Kalkaji, New Delhi, Delhi 110019.

Doordarshan News was showcasing Chandrayan-II Launch and Journey Modeled and Animated by Students of IIIT-Delhi, under the guidance of our editor, Prof. Manohar Khushalani

The interview and animation were telecast all day on the eve of the launch.

https://youtu.be/pwHYXPecA_4

That was Doordarshan. It was on Rajyasabha TV also as part of all it’s hourly news bulletin. On YouTube, this video posted by RSTV had already clocked nearly half a Lac hits (50K)

Rajya Sabha TV
Displays Chandrayan-II launch Modelled and Animated by Students as part of an Independent Project under the guidance of Prof. Manohar Khushalani at IIIT-Delhi.

This program had been telecast every hour with every news bulletin on the day of the launch

Modeling and Animation has been done as an Independent Project in IIIT-Delhi under the Guidance of Prof. Manohar Khushalani by Students Katyayni Singh and Harshit Verma

Chandrayaan-2 is India’s second lunar exploration mission after Chandrayaan-1. Developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the mission is planned to be launched to the Moon by a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III).

A lunar orbiter, lunar lander and lunar rover mission, Chandrayaan-2 was scheduled to be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh on a GSLV Mark III rocket sometime in April. However, this is a visualisation and not an exact depiction and is based on the information available at that time

To see the original simulation click below;

Chandrayaan-2, India’s second mission to the Moon is a totally indigenous mission comprising of an Orbiter, Lander and Rover. After reaching the 100 km lunar orbit, the Lander housing the Rover will separate from the Orbiter. After a controlled descent, the Lander will soft land on the lunar surface at a specified site and deploy a Rover.

The mission will carry a six-wheeled Rover which will move around the landing site in a semi-autonomous mode as decided by the ground commands. The instruments on the rover will observe the lunar surface and send back data, which will be useful for analysis of the lunar soil.

The Chandrayaan-2 weighing around 3290 kg and would orbit around the moon and perform the objectives of remote sensing the moon. The payloads will collect scientific information on lunar topography, mineralogy, elemental abundance, lunar exosphere and signatures of hydroxyl and water-ice.

Through our modelling and animation, we have artistically visualized the launch and landing of Chandrayaan 2. The film begins with shots of GSLV MK III from diverse angles. To capture this historic launch, media houses have sent their helicopters. A few seconds before the launch, the viewer hears the countdown to liftoff. As anticipation builds, the smoke from the rocket increases. The rocket lifts off uproariously, ascending towards the sky. The payload separates from the rocket at this stage. Once the payload exits the atmosphere, the effect of gravity is nullified. From the payload, the lander floats towards the moon until it lands. The ladder opens while landing. The rover exits the lander. (This is not a manned mission, but, the ladder still opens, as a rehearsal of the next Manned Mission

A sperm whale was found washed ashore dead after swallowing 64 pounds of plastic debris. The male sperm whale was found on the Murcian coast in southern Spain in late February, reminding us how critical plastic waste in the oceans has become.

Read more:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/04/09/yet-another-dead-whale-is-grave-reminder-of-our-massive-plastic-problem/

It is beyond the shadow of a doubt that a healthy environment is the crucible in which human life and activity blossoms. Yet we all know that human activity is mauling and mutilating this crucible just like the woodcutter who is cutting the branch on which he is perched.

most vulnerable country to climate change.

It is election season and the manifestoes of political parties reflect their perceptions of the concerns of society at large. The manifestoes are drawn up carefully after large scale feedback. Yet inspite of the looming environmental crisis this critical concern is all but absent from manifestoes. That being the case it would be too much to expect drastic proactive action in favour of environmental conservation from the next government.

Just last week Iceland elected Ms.Katrin Jakobsdottir, a 41 year old environmentalist who is committed to clean energy, as Prime Minister. “As Chairwoman of the Left-Green Movement, a grass-roots organization that focuses on democratic socialist values, feminism, and environmentalism, Katrin has already taken big steps to move towards clean energy in Iceland.”

To expect a green manifesto is a cry in the wilderness. But if a political party were to devote a section of its manifesto to a green action plan then they could draw upon the following draft.

“On coming to power our party promises to the people of India that

The budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Environment would be raised from current 7% to 15% of the annual budget of the Central Govt. The enhanced budgets would not only increase the scope and depth of work undertaken but also vastly increase the monitoring and knowledge gathering and knowledge creation activity of the Ministry and its agencies

The legal and institutional framework for environmental protection and regulation would be strengthened. Specifically :

appointment and terms of service of members/Chairman of the National Green Tribunal leaving the original rules of appointment undisturbed

benches of the National Green Tribunal would be doubled progressively over 5 years

dilution of EIA notifications would be withdrawn. The quality of EIAs would be raised by rigourous scrutiny, rejection of shoddy EIAs, blacklisting of conniving EIA consultants

Forest Rights Act would be enforced without dilution and the pace implementation of forest dweller rights would be quickened while ensuring sympathetic hearing to their claims – strengthening the law – new laws – forest rights act, wetland rules, coastal zone management, rigorous implementation of existing rules

Dilutions to the Coastal Regulation Zone would be examined afresh as also the development oriented approach of the Island Development Agency which appears to have overridden environmental concerns of the several island territories.

strengthen the independence of institutions such as NBWL, FAC, WII and all regulatory and advisory agencies under the MoEF

implementation of existing rules would be done with greater rigour than ever before. For eg. the capacities and performance of CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards would be greatly strengthened

Carbon neutrality : The Govt. would aim to achieve carbon neutrality by progressively reducing carbon intensity of the economy. The Govt. would aim to outdo its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and attain carbon neutrality by 2050

Coal fired plants will be gradually phased out so that our virgin forests can be protected as no go areas

dispersed green cover. The spatial dimensions of this cover would follow earlier distribution of forests so as to maintain a continuity in climatic and weather patterns

tree cover on private lands. Presently, other than commercial tree plantations there are several disincentives to grow a diverse tree cover on private lands. This would also include emphasis on promoting agro-forestry.

Rain is the only source of water on the subcontinent. The winter monsoon has almost disappeared whereas the reliability of the summer monsoon does not have the same certainity as before with more frequent El Nino events. The Govt. will promote urgent research on the monsoon phenomena, not merely about forecasting, but about increasing its reliability

Rivers are the life-giving arteries of the country. Yet they are becoming anaemic before our very eyes. The present focus on pollution is a comparatively smaller problem which has a technological fix and can be resolved can be resolved by appropriate capital expenditures. The revival of flows in rivers and streams is a far more complex issue amenable to appropriate stern remedies and only in the long term. Here the Govt. would :

Promote basin management at all orders of streams. The basin approach would optimize the use of intra basin resources such as rainfall, surface and subsurface resources, recycled waters on the supply side while the demand side management would enhance efficiencies in water use in agriculture, industry and domestic sectors

floodplain protection the Ganga Authorities Notification, 2016 would be extended to all rivers upto 2^nd order streams

v All relevant social statistics, economic statistics, scientific data, natural resource data would be collected at least at the level of 3^rd and perhaps 2^nd order streams

Irrigation is the sector where 80% of India’s water is used. If this can be significantly curtailed water diversion from rivers can be substantially reduced as also ground water extraction. Several technological and agronomic practices can increase crop productivity while reducing water input. The Govt. will take up this thrust on a war footing

free flowing rivers and, as efficiencies increase, would examine decommissioning of various dams and barrages

Urban water efficiencies would be enhanced and the individual water supply norm per capita would be brought down progressively to below 100 lpcd over next 5 years. Recycling and demand management practices would be given preference over fresh water supply side solutions. Ultimately smart cities would sustain themselves on an almost closed loop of local water resources

v Research would be promoted to incorporate dry toilet systems to almost eliminate the requirement of flushing water and eliminate sewage and centralized sewage treatment plants. Decentralized sewage treatment plants having nature based solutions would be promoted

Wetlands provide several critical eco-system services. Yet the loss of wetlands to encroachments and reclamation continues unabated. The countries network of wetlands will be protected by :

o Strengthening the Wetland [Conservation and Management] Rules 2010 enhancing their applicability to all wetlands noted in National Wetland Atlas as required by Supreme Court ruling of February, 2017

o Wetlands not included in the National Wetland Atlas would also be given a legal protection

o A sub-continent sized country can have thousands of Ramsar sites. India has only 27. Work in identifying and notifying more sites would be expedited. Pragmatic management plans would be drawn up for these sites which would have Lake Management Authorities with overriding powers on the lines of Chilika Lake Development Authority.

v wetlands – aquifers sanctuaries– traditional water management openness of data wetlands

Groundwater meets a majority of irrigation and domestic consumption needs. India has the dubious distinction of being the largest user of groundwater in the world racing to exhaust its aquifers. Management and sustainability of aquifers and springs would now on be considered in conjunction with surface water as advised in the Mihir Shah report. Groundwater sanctuaries and good recharge zones would be protected from contrarian landuse especially in the course of urbanization and infrastructure development. The budget for groundwater monitoring and management would be stepped up

Agriculture Sector – here it is proposed to shift MSP support towards the lesser grains and millets which consume less water. Water saving technology and agronomic practices would be supported vigourously. The use of traditional seeds, crop diversity, organic inputs, improvement of exhausted soils, enhancement of pollinator diversity and populations, increased acreage under agro-forestry, elimination of chemical inputs would be thrust areas. Sikkim’s success in becoming 100% organic would be a bench mark for other states.

Wildlife – improvement of habitat and prey base in existing Protected Areas would be stressed. The growing man-animal conflict would have to be addressed even as humans and wildlife adapt to being at closer quarters. More protected areas and corridor connectivity would be given priority in the landscape as well as the urbanscape

urban areas would stress on more humane character with greater play of natural elements such as habitats, urban forests, urban agriculture, groundwater recharge, conservation of waterbodies, macro-water harvesting, larger percentage of area under green cover.

Tree Cover – current norms allow tree cutting by replacement with larger numbers of trees. In actual practice this encourages small canopy trees in order to meet the number requirement. This would be revised to replace the canopy cover lost by a greater extent of canopy cover. In Himalayas the tree cover would be densified to promote cooler temperatures especially close to the tree line

XVI. Achievement of Indian National Biodiversity Targets, SDGs, Aichi Targets would be biodiversity targets would be pushed vigourously. Towards this end ecologists would be attached to various decision making bodies on a regular basis such as in Ministries, Departments, Boards, PSUs, Planning Departments, District Planning Committees, urban development authorities, local bodies and panchayats

air emissions is already being addressed by a variety of techniques and technologies including promoting mass transport, NMVs, electrical vehicles. The Govt. would energize these efforts

If political parties could include the above statement of intentions in their manifestoes they would emerge as being truly sensitive to the well being of India.