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in this issue monsoon stay healthy safe indian did you know silence of the monsoon highest rainfall in the world monsoon economics praying for her return rainwater harvesting rain travel destinations ajoba dongar fun in the rain world news internal updates

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expert views india forecasts deficient monsoon in 2012 india s monsoon rains are now expected to be deficient in 2012 the weather office said on thursday signalling the first drought in three years as the el nino weather pattern should reduce rains in the second half of the june-to-september season india one of the world s largest producers and consumers of food stuffs with a population of 1.2 billion last suffered a drought in 2009 when it had to import sugar pushing global prices higher tejas seth associate vice president smc global new delhi this was very much expected as the progress of monsoon was below expectation this will further add to the price rise of farm commodities especially sugar chickpeas and soybean an extended festival this season starting from august to november will also keep demand firm prabasi sethy state agriculturist odisha govt bhubaneswar the area which could not be transplanted may affect yields due to over age of paddy seedlings this will also affect paddy production because weeding and other operations cannot be done pravin dongre chairman india pulses and grains assn mumbai area under kharif pulses is already down and lack of rains would certainly affect the crop especially in rajasthan and gujarat the perhectare yield could be impacted because of lesser rains prithviraj kothari president bombay bullion association demand for gold and silver would get adversely impacted scrap will flood the market and gold imports could drop by 50 percent gnanasekar thiagarajan director commtrendz research mumbai most of the prices of agricultural commodities have already reacted to this deficient monsoon agri prices are not going to go up much from current levels prices will take a breather right now it is too early to decide on exports

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stay healthy safe in the rains some common tips take care that you eat a balanced and protein rich diet fried snacks seem really tempting in the monsoons but keep it in moderation once in a while fever is a serious health problem during the monsoon season and do not ignore it if it lasts for more than two days remember prevention is better than cure choose grilled sandwiches instead of cold ones opt for hot foods like soup and cooked meals instead of cold and raw foods separate raw and cooked food both when preparing and storing foods on the street should be strictly avoided keep chopping blocks and worktops scrupulously clean cover all seeds and grains with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties during the monsoon at the same time make sure to wash them well before consuming to avoid flatulence and discomfort keeps your hands clean at all times especially while handling food meat should not be stored in the fridge above other foods so that it does not drip foods should not sit in the room without the lid as it attracts bugs follow these guidelines to remain safe and healthy during monsoons remember prevention is better than cure.

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stay healthy safe in the rains eat safe foods during monsoon water monsoon diseases are mostly waterborne hence the first caution is water have boiled bottled and purified water avoid water and ice that is not made from the above kind of water don t drink beverages made other than from treated boiled water and do not add ice even if they are not chilled to your liking avoid juices buttermilk lemon juice etc from street vendors this also includes golas kulfis etc food food poisoning from e coli salmonella or other contaminants hits the headlines from time to time eat only well-cooked and hot food throw out food which has a strange odour or mould eat raw fruits and vegetables only if you have washed them in purified water and peeled them yourself avoid salads outside as raw chopped ingredients spoil fast avoid raw seafood and shellfish in fact avoid seafood this season dairy refuse all dairy products unless they have been properly pasteurised use clean eggs with intact shells absolutely avoid raw eggs avoid cheese unless it has been refrigerated discard foods that are discoloured moldy or decayed take care to see that foods from cans or packets that are leaking or bulging should be thrown fruits and vegetables avoid fresh fruits which have been pre ­ cut or peeled and kept in the open mangoes should certainly be avoided once the monsoons start it is strongly recommended to be careful about leafy vegetables due to the presence of mud dirt and worms take special care with vegetables that tend to contain more insects and worms like the cauliflower cabbage spinach etc fruits like pears peaches plums papayas and bananas are available in plenty and are tasty too wash well before consuming nuts and seeds too can be had in small quantities unlike in winter.

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stay healthy safe in the rains protect yourself in a thunderstorm 1 understand what constitutes suitable shelter the key to minimizing lightning danger is to get inside a protective structure substantial frequently inhabited buildings those grounded with plumbing electrical systems and if possible lightning rods are best small structures such as stand alone public restrooms are generally not good choices and standing under a tree is a very bad choice if you can t find a substantial structure get in a car with a metal roof and sides if the car is struck the metal body will conduct the electricity around you not through you when you re outside determine where the nearest suitable structure is in advance so that you ll be ready should you be caught in a lightning storm 2 be aware unfortunately if you re summiting a mountain or out in your bass boat when a storm rolls in finding shelter can be a real problem the solution make your plans with dangerous weather in mind listen to the local weather forecast and pay special attention to thunderstorm advisories research the local climate in some areas you can almost guarantee a thunderstorm on summer afternoons schedule your activities to avoid many high-risk situations those hot muggy days are just the thing that a thunderstorm needs to get going 3 watch the skies when you re out and about watch the sky for signs of approaching thunderstorms such as rain darkening skies or towering cumulonimbus clouds if you can anticipate lightning before the first strike you can avoid being caught in a bad situation note that lightning can however strike even in the absence of these indicators 4 get to shelter as soon as you see lightning or hear thunder stay inside at least 30 minutes after the last strike while most people seek shelter if lightning appears to be near people commonly wait too long to seek shelter if you can detect lightning it may be close enough to strike you don t wait for it to strike right next to you or on top of you to get to safety if conditions permit good visibility and it s not practical to seek shelter whenever you notice a strike use the 30 second rule if the time between a lightning flash and the resulting thunder is 30 seconds or less aka 6 miles or less get to shelter immediately 5 minimize your risk if you cannot reach shelter sometimes you can get caught in a storm despite the best precautions if you are outside move from higher to lower elevations avoid large open spaces where you are taller than anything else around you like a golf course or soccer field and stay away from isolated objects such as trees and light posts if you re fishing or swimming get out of and away from the water immediately get away from unprotected vehicles such as golf carts and unprotected structures such as picnic shelters avoid long metal structures i.e bleachers 6 take last-resort measures if you re stuck in a dangerous place if you re in a group of people spread out so there are several body lengths between each of you assume the lightning crouch squat down with your feet together your head tucked to your chest or between your knees and your hands covering your ears or flat against your knees this is a difficult position to hold and it by no means guarantees your safety however by making it easier for a lightning strike to flow over your body rather than through vital organs you may be able to sustain a smaller injury from it 7 know the signs of an imminent lightning strike if lightning is about to strike you or strike near you your hair may stand on end or you may feel a tingling in your skin light metal objects may vibrate and you may hear a crackling sound or kee kee sound if you detect any of these signals assume the lightning crouch immediately 8 stay safe inside a structure once in a suitable shelter you still need to take some extra precautions do not touch land-line phones plugged-in electrical appliances or door knobs keep your distance from electrical or plumbing fixtures electrical sockets windows and doors keep windows closed this is especially important in a vehicle and try to stay within inner rooms of the structure stay out of the bathtub or shower and avoid indoor swimming pools in a car try to avoid touching any part of the metal frame or the car s glass in short stay away from anything that may directly conduct electricity in the event of a strike 9 treat a lightning victim if someone is struck by lightning call the emergency services immediately determine if his or her heart is beating and if he or she is breathing process with cpr or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if warranted if the person is still exposed to possible lightning strike yes lightning can and does strike the same place twice see if you can safely move the person people struck by lightning do not retain an electrical charge so do not be afraid of treating a victim 10 if there is absolutely no shelter squat on the ground with as little parts as possible touching the ground and your feet close together do not lie down as this will provide a bigger target for the lightning to strike.

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praying for her return pulling past hopes to the present i remember my childhood monsoons when i d love each morning walk to school mischievously ensuring a big splash in every puddle i came across though the path has thousands more craters the puddles are missing just like life is still breathing but colourful optimism is fading i remember my childhood monsoons when i d capture toads and imitate their croaking more trying to emulate the joy which it expressed though the noises become a lot coarser the conversations of joy are missing just like the crowds gathering around questioning loneliness abound i remember my childhood monsoons when i d smile romancing water drops,that splashed blush on rekindled romance between drenched souls though the romance still perseveres it does so to compensate for the dryness a desert of sorts trying hard to preserve its erstwhile beauty i remember my childhood monsoons when i d fill my reserve of values sipping each drop with my mother inculcating learning to nurture the beautiful greens so that nature continues to nurture us though the values still remain they strive hard to keep relations sacrosanct pleading to mother and nature to continue nurturing and not get angry at our indiscretions i remember my child hood monsoons when i d aspire to touch the skies from where joy was sensed in diverse senses sounds sights aromas galore they beckoned aspirations of success from farmers and fathers alike aspirations still aspire though challenged by apprehensions of feared uncertainties their diminished energies struggling to fuel the flight of dreams my childhood is cherished history just like yours but whither our monsoons who seem farther than our hope is it that we re hoping less striving to abide by the golden rule of simplicity that she sermoned later warned but in the cradling arms of our mother it is never too late to redeem let s keep walking with a smile of optimism splash contagious goodness not trade virals of worry mother will surely vet our prayer though with initial rebuke her tears might just be those of revived happyness let s gift her our instinctive return maulik d mavani a civil service aspirant from mumbai worked in the field of public health education the views expressed are strictly personal and bear no allegiance to any organization.

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by aajay bundela a person cannot fold a piece of paper in half more than 8 times there are just over 300 million cell phones used daily in the united states alone a shrimp s heart is in its head natural pearls will melt in vinegar an olive tree can live up to 1500 years cleopatra married two of her brothers ants can t shut their eyes on a canadian two dollar bill the flag flying over the parliament building looks like an american flag men s shirts have the buttons on the right while women shirts have the buttons on the left chewing gum will help reduce tears when cutting an onion the day after thanksgiving is the busiest day for plumbers in the u.s coffee beans are not beans at all rather fruit pits fortune cookies were invented in america in 1918 by charles jung scuba divers cannot pass gas at depth deeper than 33 feet the mona lisa has no eyebrows it was the fashion then to shave them off the average american consumes enough caffeine in one year to kill a horse a giraffe can clean its ears with its 50 cm 20 in tongue the pig is rated the fourth most intelligent animal but are mentioned only twice in bible sharks are immune to all known diseases the majority of suicides occur on a monday it is a fact everyone hates mondays the most children born to one woman was 69 she was a peasant who lived a 40 year life in which she had 16 twins 7 triplets and 4 quadruplets now that s a lot of babies if you keep a goldfish in the dark it will eventually turn white on average people who use their right hand live 9 years longer than people who use their left the ant can lift 50 times its own weight can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated it is physically impossible for you to lick your elbow walt disney was afraid of mice a snail can sleep for three years.

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by swapna desai lightning every year the earth experiences an average of 25 million lightning strikes during some 100,000 thunderstorms that s more than a hundred lightning bolts per second an average instance of lightning lasts about a quarter of a second and consists of 3-4 strikes you can hear thunder from about 12 miles from the starting point lightning bolts travel at speeds of up to 60,000 miles per second the average length of a single lightning bolt is 2-3 miles a single lightning bolt travels through twisted paths in the air that can be as wide as one of your fingers or between six and ten miles the temperature of a typical lightning bolt can reach 50,000 f degrees ­ that is 5 times greater than the temperature of the surface of the sun the energy contained in a single lightning strike can power a 100 watt light bulb for 90 days lightning never strikes twice unfortunately is a myth lightning can strike the same location many times trees sometimes can take direct hits from lightning and not get burnt ­ the electricity passes over their wet surface and goes straight into the ground glass forms when lightning strikes into sandy soil after a storm you can find strips of glass in the sand if you have wet clothes on lightning will do you less harm in march of 1991 a single six-hour storm stretching over iowa illinois wisconsin and missouri caused more than 15,000 lightning strikes during the storm the skies were ablaze with almost constant lightning lightning hits the empire state building ny usa about 23 times a year lightning strikes also occur on venus jupiter saturn and uranus the aztecs believed that lightning accompanied the dead splitting the earth and making its way into its depths in the middle ages it was believed that church bells expelled evil spirits thunder and lightning were regarded as diabolical so during a thunderstorm monks tried to constantly ring the bells as a result the victims of lightning very often were bell-ringers the irrational fear of lightning is known as keraunophobia the fear of thunder is termed brontophobia there are from 100 to 1000 instances of ball lightning at the same time on earth but the chance you ll see at least one in your lifetime is just 0.01 the chance to be killed by lightning is 1 in 2,000.000 you have the same chance dying from falling out of bed never talk on the phone while a storm is breaking outside about 71 of all people struck by lightning survive the fatal cases are usually the result of cardiac arrest however those who survive often suffer from serious health and psychological problems like loss of memory or sensitivity insomnia impaired hearing or constant pain.

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the rainwater harvesting is the simple collection or storing of water through scientific techniques from the areas where the rain falls it involves utilization of rain water for the domestic or the agricultural purpose the method of rain water harvesting has been into practice since ancient times it is as far the best possible way to conserve water and awaken the society towards the importance of water the method is simple and cost effective too it is especially beneficial in the areas which faces the scarcity of water people usually make complaints about the lack of water during the monsoons lots of water goes waste into the gutters and this is when rain water harvesting proves to be the most effective way to conserve water we can collect the rain water into the tanks and prevent it from flowing into drains and being wasted it is practiced on the large scale in the metropolitan cities rain water harvesting comprises of storage of water and water recharging through the technical process methods of rainwater harvesting catchment any surface or the paved areas can be treated as catchment even the footpaths and roads can act as the catchment as these areas too receive the direct rainfall rooftops are the best among them because of the large coefficient of run off generated from them and there are less chances of contamination of water conveyance conveyance system basically includes rain gutters and down pipes which collects the rain water from catchment to the storage tank these rain gutters are usually built during the time of construction they need to be designed appropriately as to avoid the loss of water during the conveyance process storage the most important part of the rain water harvesting is the storage system the storage system is designed according to the amount of water that is to be stored the design and site location of the storage or the recharge system should be properly chosen the areas which receives the rainfall frequently there a simple storage system could be constructed to meet the daily water requirements otherwise the areas which receive the lesser rainfall there the storage systems are quite essential rain barrels underground or open slumps are mostly used to collect rain water make sure that the storage system is properly sealed and does nor leak use chlorine from time to time to keep the water clean benefits of rainwater harvesting rainwater harvesting first of all increases water security it is the perfect solution to meet water requirements especially in the areas which do not have sufficient water resources it helps in improving the quality of the ground water and increasing the level of the ground level it also helps in improving the overall floral system it reduces the loss of top layer of the soil if we capture the water directly we need not to depend much on the water storage dams it is the good solution to the increasing water crises rain water harvesting reduces the flooding on roads and further prevents it from contamination and in the last it decreases the menace of floods on regional scale.

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the silence of the monsoon suddenly the sun disappeared and the rains came crashing down hitting against the windows angel who was near the door came running to the window and peeped out through the stainglassed window her smile turned into a frown and she gloomily took off her shoes and sat back down on her red satin couch her mom walked into the living room and asked angel what happened to you between sobs angel answered i was just about to go out to play and it started to rain it s not fair angel s mom embraced her and took her by the hand how about we go for a walk instead asked her mom but it s raining so hard said angel we ll dress you up for the rain smiled angel s mother angel s mother made her wear raincoat and put on rainy shoes they slipped out the door and shot open the umbrella as they walked outside angel held onto her mother s hand and they started walking the ground was soft and muddy and the stray dogs and cats hid under some shelter angel observed all the little road-side shops suddenly the wind blew very hard and their umbrella turned inside out the rain came pattering down on angel s head but her raincoat protected her the sweet smell of rain saturated the air her mother and she walked through the garden that lay on the corner of the street where they were strolling on fresh grass had sprouted and rose bushes covered the area angel picked up a rose up and sniffed it how beautiful was the rain thought angel they continued walking and angel saw how people walked as quickly as they could hovering under their umbrellas trying to avoid the rain as much as they could they probably do not understand how beautiful the rain really is thanks for showing me mom whispered angel her mom smiled and nodded.

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leh ladakh in the furthest far flung corner of northern india in ladakh near the indus valley lies the town of leh this remote place has become a popular tourist destination since ladakh was opened to foreigners in 1974 bounded by two of the world s largest mountain ranges and surrounded by alpine desert its dry barren landscape full of historic buddhist monasteries makes it an incredible sight to behold leh is cut off by road from the rest of the world for most of the year except from around june to october when the snow has melted although it s accessible by flight from delhi jammu and srinagar all year round the valley of flowers national park the stunning landscape of the valley of flowers in northern india s state of uttarakhand previously known as uttaranchal comes alive with the monsoon rain this high-altitude himalayan valley has around 300 different varieties of flowers which appear as a bright carpet of color against a mountainous snow capped background the valley of flowers is only open from april to october as it s covered in snow the rest of the year it s the perfect destination for those that love hiking and exploring nature as it requires a 15 kilometer 9 mile trek up a steep mountain trail to get there the incredible beauty waiting at the end is well worth the effort though goa although it won t be possible to enjoy the sun sand and surf during the monsoon goa has lots more to offer than just the beach there s some spectacular scenery to explore vibrant monsoon festivals to take part in and fishing to try your luck at as well what makes travel to goa even more attractive at this time of year are the specials offered by five star hotels to lure customers luxury that costs a small fortune during the peak season is much more affordable during the monsoon coorg or kodagu as it is officially known is one of the tiniest districts in the southern part of karnataka the largest river here river cauvery which the local people worship rises on the eastern side of the western ghats its tributaries drain the greater part of coorg coorg is the largest producer of coffee in india monsoon in coorg is the most romantic season of all a mild walk in the rain through the sleepy city sharing just one umbrella is an unique experience there is an added charm in enjoying the mist and fog all around the mountains and fields cover themselves with a verdant green carpet ready to welcome you to the land of eternal beauty with thunderstorms rolling in from all most everywhere periyar national park located down south in kerala the great thing about periyar national park is that unlike most others in india it stays open during the rains for everyone to enjoy its beauty furthermore it s unique in that safaris are only carried out by boat making it a very peaceful place to be the lake is particularly captivating at sunset it s also possible to stay in the thickets of the national park at one of the charming accommodations provided by the kerala tourism development corporation.

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ajoba dongar a walk in the rains in the hills ever expereinced mumbai on a sunday morning at 6.15 am on he highway i felt as if mumbai was not mumbai simply smiling and slowly walking i reached the spot for my trekmates but my heart was racing i was anxiously fresh looking forward for the day we were traveling to ajoba dongar in thane district as we headed beyond kalyan flyover we stopped for a good breakfast of vada paav and kothimbir wadi we traveled beyond shahpur and moved to the dehne village we parked our vehicle and began our trudge we started on the path slowly and steady it was peaceful and clam we could hear rhythm of silence as we moved up the hill we were witnessing the entire sahyadri range at the horizon and suddenly they were covered with lovely clouds we walked through small rivulets and each time the cold water eased our tired feet as we were exhausted with walking and sweating it out a beautiful gush of wind took our breath away followed by rains we walked through the drizzles to reach valmiki ashram located in between the flat terrain of the hill at different levels we were reminded of mumbai as we saw the place littered we tried cleaning the place as we can and settled for sumptuous lunch of sandwiches and dry bhel the nature was also feeding itself with water it was pouring and the music of the rain hitting the leaves trees was crystal clear i was sitting and watching the rains only to remember rabindranath tagore s lines i ask for a moment s indulgence to sit by thy side the works that i have in hand i will finish afterwards now it is time to sit quiet face to face with thee and to sing dedication of life in this silent and overflowing leisure as we started walking back it was exhilarating every bit of the environment was fresh bright and playful with cold fresh showers every breath was so fresh we were drenched and soaked in with freshness and oxygen as we were treading back we had crabs of all kinds for company there were waterfalls rivulets droplets falling all over the place what a sight that was simple breathtaking as we moved back in the vehicle to move out the village and towards the city we were treated with another beautiful view we witnessed the rains falling from the cloud every thread of water was so visible simple beautiful nature has so much to give us only if we are open to take it i have got back to my city life but i am still mesmerized with the sheer thought of the just experienced trek an arts graduate samita damle has a management degree in human resources and a decade of work experience in different industries currently into teaching consulting.

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