The Mercedes G63 SUV, painted bright green and blue, is a week into a month-long drive across the length of India. Inside sits Jaggi Vasudev, turbaned and bearded, a spiritual guru to millions who is trying to rally Indians around the cause of saving the country’s rivers.
It is a noble aim, for India’s polluted and mismanaged waterways are in dire need of saviours. But the solution Mr Vasudev is proposing is misguided or, at worst, outright wrong, experts say. And both he and the backers of his campaign have themselves been embroiled in breaches of environmental regulations.
Mr Vasudev, who started his Rally for Rivers campaign on September 3, the day he turned 60, heads the Isha Foundation, a non-profit that promotes its own form of yoga as a means to attaining its goal of "cultivating human potential". The foundation has a sprawling campus in the south Indian city of Coimbatore and claims to have seven million volunteers who help run its operations around the world.
Fondly called “Sadhguru” — or “true guru” — Mr Vasudev counts among his followers many of India’s most celebrated actors, politicians, cricketers and journalists. Several of them issued statements of support when he announced his plan to drive 7,000 kilometres, from the southernmost tip of India through 16 states to the Himalayas in the north, to raise awareness for his campaign.
India’s major rivers are rapidly drying up or turning toxic with pollution, Mr Vasudev said in his campaign literature. Around “25% of India is turning into a desert,” one bullet-point reads. Another: “By 2030, we will only have 50% the water we need for our survival.”
“Four decades ago, the rivers in my native village were flowing in full capacity and they were a sight to watch,” said Virender Sehwag, a retired Indian cricket star, as he flagged off the rally week. “I want to see that again and that is the reason I support this cause.”
During his journey, Mr Vasudev is encouraging people to call the campaign’s phone number to show their support. He hopes to cite this support when he presents the Indian government with his suggested policy solution: to plant a kilometre-wide belt of trees on either side of every major Indian river.
“Forest trees can be planted on government land and fruit trees on farm land,” the Isha Foundation’s website proposes. “This will ensure our rivers are fed throughout the year by the moist soil. This will also reduce floods, drought and soil loss, and increase farmers’ incomes.”
On Saturday, as Mr Vasudev's caravan passed through Bengaluru, capital of the south Indian state of Karnataka, it was announced that his foundation and the state government had signed an agreement to plant 250 million trees along riverbanks.
Mr Vasudev commands a massive audience, and his campaign is bound to raise levels of awareness about India’s severely stressed rivers. But the solution he champions ignores how complicated the rejuvenation of water bodies can be, said Veena Srinivasan, who works on hydrology and water resources at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment in Bengaluru.
A comprehensive effort to tackle the problem would have to include detailed hydrological studies, cutting down on water pollution, recharging groundwater stocks that are presently overdrawn, and changing how river water is diverted or used for irrigation and dams.
"This is not the first large-scale effort at tree planting," Dr Srinivasan told The National. "My own experience with this is only with eucalyptus, which was actively promoted in the 1980s through social forestry programmes."
Research has shown that trees such as eucalyptus, which are commonly used in afforestation drives, tend to suck up groundwater supplies instead of helping recharge them, she said. Further, while trees can certainly help prevent large-scale erosion of riverbank soil, they do so only in locations that are prone to flash floods.
Regulations already exist to control pollution in rivers; what is really needed is their thorough implementation, said Rakesh Jaiswal, an environmentalist in the city of Kanpur who has been campaigning for decades against pollution in the Ganges.
“Not a single person has been penalised for polluting the river, despite court orders,” Mr Jaiswal said. “There is lack of dedication and honesty at every level.”
The credibility of Mr Vasudev’s campaign — conducted, as several Indian media outlets have pointed out, in a gas-guzzling SUV — is also shaken by the environmental reputation of the Isha Foundation and its backers.
The Tamil Nadu government has acknowledged that several buildings on the foundation’s campus have been built illegally. A Chennai-based environmental NGO has also petitioned the National Green Tribunal to stop the foundation from conducting large cultural festivals that affect or encroach upon adjoining forested land.
One of the sponsors of Rally for Rivers is the Adani group, a conglomerate of companies based in Gujarat. In 2014, an environment ministry committee found that an Adani port project had violated several rules and proposed a penalty of 2 billion rupees (Dh115 million). Last year, however, the government under prime minister Narendra Modi — who is known to be close to Gautam Adani, the group’s chairman — waived the penalty.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Hidden killer
Sepsis arises when the body tries to fight an infection but damages its own tissue and organs in the process.
The World Health Organisation estimates it affects about 30 million people each year and that about six million die.
Of those about three million are newborns and 1.2 are young children.
Patients with septic shock must often have limbs amputated if clots in their limbs prevent blood flow, causing the limbs to die.
Campaigners say the condition is often diagnosed far too late by medical professionals and that many patients wait too long to seek treatment, confusing the symptoms with flu.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Coming 2 America
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones
3/5 stars
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
