Greens Quiz 2007 Carmel Girls' Higher Secondary School wins

The team of Aarathi Anila and Annie John C.S., 10th standard students of Carmel Girls' Higher Secondary School, Vazhuthacaud won first place in the T.K. Rajan Memorial Inter School Quiz Competition 2007 held at Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School at Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram.

In the competition of 44 teams from 13 schools, the team of Chandana R.B., Muhsina B.S., the 9th standard students of Cotton Hill Government Girls High School, shared second place with Anju G. Nair and Gopika H., 10th standard students from Carmel Girls' Higher Secondary School, Vazhuthacaud.

Teams that got selected for final round

Sethu C.A. (9 B), Appu Ajith (9 B) - Loyola Boys Higher Secondary School, Srekaryam, Aswathi G.S. (10), Prathibha G. Vijayan (10) - Darsana English Medium Higher Secondary School, Nedumangad and Kiran Manoj (10 B), Ashraf N. (10 B) - Loyola Boys Higher Secondary School, Srekaryam.

Schools participated

Holy Angels' Convent Girls' School, General Hospital Jn., Thiruvananthapuram - 10 teams, Loyola Boys Higher Secondary School, Srekaryam - 8, St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, Pattom - 5, Govt. Model Girls High School, Pattom - 4, SMV Boys Model Higher Secondary School - 4, Carmel Girls Higher Secondary School - 4, Darsana English Medium Higher Secondary School, Nedumangad - 2, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom -2, St. Thomas Residential School, Mukkolaikkal, Thiruvananthapuram - 1, Cotton Hill Government Girls High School 1, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Ayurveda College Jn. - 1 and Govt. High School, Peroorkkada - 1.

Greens Newsletter Editor Sri. C. Suseelkumar led the contest. Sri. Thomas, teacher, Christ Nagar School, gave all facilities, including powerpoint presentation for the quiz competition.

TK Rajan Memorial Greens Quiz 2007

T.K. Rajan Memorial Inter School Greens Quiz 2007 for the 8,9,10th standard students of schools in Thiruvananthapuram city will be held at Christ Nagar School, Vellayambalam at 9.30 am on 10.11.2007. As many teams comprising two members can represent a school. The application form is given below:

Planting of Pathinettampatta at Secretariat

Ixora, an environmental organisation in Lakshadweep, sent a gift to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, through Greens. The gift was a coconut sapling of Pathinettampatta - a special variety of coconut palm which bears fruit after its 18th leaf comes out. To read the news click here.

Pit for the plant.

Chief Minister plants the sapling. Officials and members of Greens are seen.

Certificate-cum-paintings of the Painting Competition Winners

Certificate-cum-painting of the First and Second Prize winners of the Nature Painting Competition are given below:

Below is the common certificate given to the rest of the winners. The picture used for this certificate is taken by Sunil Elias, Kochi, Kerala which won Certificate of Merit in the Greenvision 2007 Nature Photo Competition.

Memorandum of Greens

Greens express concern over location of space institute

Greens submitted a memorandum before the Chief Minister of Kerala, expressing concerns over proposed Athirappilly Hydro-Electric project and site for space institute at Ponmudi.

For reading the news: http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/24/stories/2007092453970400.htm


The full text of the submission is given in www.greensmalayalam.blogspot.com

Capturing Nature

The exhibition organised by Greens captured the iridescent moods of the river and the waterfalls of the Chalakudy river basin.

The Hindu speaks.

For details http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/09/22/stories/2007092251100200.htm

Painting Competition result

The painting competition held for school children in connection with Ozone Day Celebrations conducted at VJT Hall had 57 participants. The competition has been conducted in three divisions.

Winners

LP Division

Theme: Scenery

I Place - Vishnu B.,II B, Christ Nagar School, Kowdiar
II Place - Jishnu B., IV D, Christ Nagar School, Kowdiar
III Place - Archana Suseendran, IV, St. Thomas Central School, Kukkolakkal
Certificate of Merit - Arya Anilkumar, III A, St. Mary's English Medium School
Certificate of Merit - Gireesh A. Kumar, IV B., LPS Nemom

UP Division

Theme: Based on Sun (Ozone Day)

I Place - Akhil Murali, VI, ST Central School, KowdiarII Place - Sruthi V.R., VII D., Govt. Model HSS for Girls, Pattom
III Place - Prathibha G., VII C., Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom
III Place - M.G. Gouthami, V, Saraswathi Vidyalayam, Vattiyoorkavu
Certificate of Merit - Nikhil Banerjee A., VII E., Christ Nagar HSS School

High School Division

Theme: Energy Coservation

I Place - Aparna J., X, Nirmala Bhavan, Kowdiar
II Place - Karthika Sivan, IX, Carmel Girls Higher Secondary School, Vazhuthakkad
III Place - Aswathy R.B., X, Karthikathirunal Govt. VHSS for Girls, Manacad

III Place - Rini A., X, Govt. VHSS for Girls, Manacaud

Certificate of Merit - Gokil N., VIII D., Sree Chitra Poor Home, Pazhavangadi

LP had 16 participants, UP 32 and High School 9. Certificates and cash prizes will be issued in the Valedictory section on 18th evenig at VJT Hall by Sri. Binoy Viswam, Hon. Minister for Forest and Housing.

Greenvision 2007

Fourth All India Nature Photography Competition Result

First Place

Gift of Monsoon
Zacharia Ponkunnam, Kottayam, Kerala

Second Place

Consolation Prizes (5)

Sky Dining

G. Naga Sreenivasu, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Horse bee with hunt (Robber fly with prey*)

D.N. Baraskar, Indore, MP

Languor Family

C.R. Sathyanarayana, Bangalore, Karnataka

Spider with Egg

Debashish Baruva, 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Gaur Fleeing

H.V. Praveenkumar, Bangalore, Karnataka

Certificates of Merit (5)

Elephant at Bandipur

Hemachandra Jain, Davangere, Karnataka

Green Bee Eaters

Sunil Elias, Kochi, Kerala

Little Ringed Plover

Balagopal G., Kollam

Thirsty Squirrel

Sandeepan Majumdar, Kolkata, West Bengal

Oriale Feeding

Santoshkumar Jana, Midnapur, West Bengal

* Jury's opinion

Green Vision 2007 Results

Result of the 4th All India Nature Photographic Competition

First Place - Gift of Monsoon by Shri Zacharia Ponkunnam, Kottayam, Kerala
Second Place - Newly hatched bucks by Shri Sudheep Roy Chowdhary, Kolkatta, West Bengal

Consolation Prizes

(1) Sky Dining by Shri G. Nagasreenivasu, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
(2) Horse bee with hunt (Robber fly with prey) by Shri D.N. Baraskar, Indore, MP
(3) Langur Family by Shri C.R. Sathyanarayana, Bangalore, West Bengal
(4) Spider with Egg by Shri Debashish Baruva, 24 Parganas, West Bengal
(5) Gaur Fleeing by Shri H.V. Praveenkumar Bangalore, Karnataka

Certificates of Merit

(1) Elephant at Bandipur by Shri Hemachandra Jain, Davangere, Karnataka
(2) Green Bee Eaters by Shri Sunil Elias, Kochi, Kerala
(3) Little Ringed Plover by Shri Balagopal G., Kollam, Kerala
(4) Thirsty Squirrel by Shri Sandeepan Majumdar, Kolkata, West Bengal
(5) Oriale Feeding by Shri Santosh Kumar Jana, Midnapur, West Bengal


Jury

Shri K. Hariharan Nair, Photographer, I & PRD, (Chairman)
Shri P.V. Krishnan, Artist
Shri Suresh Ilamon, Nature Photographer
Shri Dev Das, Secretary, Photographic Society of Kerala
Shri P.R. Sreekumar, Nature Photographer, Greens (Coordinator)

Date: 09.09.2007,
Thiruvananthapuram.

Dharna against Athirappilly Hydro Electric Project

Twelve environmental activist groups in Thiruvananthapuram staged a dharna in front of the State Secretariat, demanding withdrawal from the proposed Athirappilly Hydro-Electric Project by the State Electricity Board.

The dharna was inaugurated by famous poetess and environmental activist Smt. Sugathakumari this morning. Eminent political leader Sri. V.M. Sudheeran, a crusader in the mineral soil issue in Alappuzha, attended the function and expressed his solidarity in this issue which gave a boost to the protest.

Hindu feature on our last year's Chief Guest

Dears,

The Hindu report on Greenvision 2006 chief guest Sri. Bal Pandiyan. The original story is available in this link: http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/06/10/stories/2006061001260200.htm

A feather in his cap

Pal Pandian explains to RAJEEV G.R. how Koonthakulam was turned into a haven for birds

BIRD MAN Pal Pandian points to birds at Koonthakulam at an exhibition of nature photographs organised by Greens

Even in the early 1990s, anyone killing birds or stealing eggs at Koonthakulam had their heads tonsured and was ostracised for the transgression. Others may call it crude, but for the villagers, it is their love for the birds that had made them resort to such methods.

After the Tamil Nadu Forest Department made the village, about 150 km from Thiruvananthapuram city, on the Nagarcoil-Tirunelveli road, a bird sanctuary, such practises have ended.


Love for birds


Showering love on the birds, which come from foreign shores and various parts of the country, is a tradition at Koonthakulam.

Leading the villagers in this endeavour is Pal Pandian, now a birdwatcher with the Forest Department in the sanctuary. Pandian was in the city this week to inaugurate World Environment Day celebrations of Greens (Group Endeavour for Environment and Nature Sustenance), an environmental organisation of Secretariat employees.

Fame sits lightly on this unassuming man, whose eyes glint when speaking about the feathered creatures. Back home, he has asked his wife to take care of the birds in his absence.

Nurturing the birds is a fulltime passion for him. To enable this, he left a steady job in Mumbai and sold his wife's ornaments. "The birds are like children to us," he says.

The village stands in sharp relief against nesting grounds abandoned by the birds owing to pollution and encroachment of wetlands. If the birds find Koonthakulam hospitable, the credit goes to the villagers, for whom protecting weaker species is a divine call. Even the village temple abjures firecrackers and loudspeakers so that the birds are undisturbed.

When fledglings fall in their first flights, Pandian and other villagers rush to them and nurse them till wings flutter again.

Birdwatchers have been flocking to this idyllic village, and Pandian has been kindling their interest with his chemistry with the birds. Even flamingos from the Rann of Kutch had been spotted here, which is unusual, he says.

Pelicans, storks, ibises, cormorants and egrets warm the hearts of bird lovers at Koonthakulam. Ground nesting birds such as lapwings and plovers are also seen. Migratory birds flock to the sanctuary from November to April.

Pandian lavishes praise on wildlife photographers and birdwatchers from Kerala for helping this sanctuary gain attention worldwide.

The Hindu on Greenvision 2006

Following is an article published in The Hindu on Saturday, Jun 03, 2006 as curtain raiser for the Greenvision 2006 by GREENS. The original is available here http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/06/03/stories/2006060301890200.htm

Bouquet of events

Greens is organising programmes on Neelakurinji

MYSTICAL FLOWER Neelakurinji blooms only one in 12 years

With the mountain ranges near Munnar and the Nilgiris blossoming in the blue and white of Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana), Greens (Group Endeavour for Environment and Nature Sustenance), an environmental organisation of Secretariat employees, is holding a bouquet of programmes on this mystical flower, which blooms only once in 12 years.
The events start at V.J.T. Hall on World Environment Day on June 5. Bal Pandiyan, a saviour of migratory birds at Koonthakulam, a haven of feathered visitors, near Valliyoor, on the Nagarcoil-Tirunelveli road, will inaugurate the Environment Day programmes at 10 a.m.
Accepted entries to a nature photography contest organised by Greens will be on display from Monday.
A World Environment Day conference will be held from 5 p.m. on the inaugural day. Chief Minister of Kerala V.S. Achuthanandan will inaugurate the meeting. Sugathakumari, poet and environment activist, and M. Baba, Director of Centre of Earth Sciences Studies, will participate.
Fresh from a `Save Kurinji Campaign' in Munnar in May to conserve the shola forests, held along with a few other environmental organisations, activists of Greens are organising a `Kurinji Sandhya' on June 6.

A carpet of flowers

Earlier that day, an exhibition of photographs, taken since 1982, will show glimpses of these flowers weaving a carpet on the mountains. Pictures taken since 1982 will be on show.
Munnar Divisional Forest Officer will inaugurate the `Kurinji Sandhya.' Jomy Augustine, faculty member from St. Thomas College, Pala, will speak on Neelakurinjis and their impact on the ecosystem. Dr. Augustine has directed documentaries on eco issues, such as `Kerala - a Garden of Eden.' K. Kunhikrishnan, who teaches at University College, will give a demonstration on Neelakurinjis and Shola forests with the help of slides.
The final day of the Environment Day celebrations will see a gathering of representatives of green organisations from all over Kerala discussing the threats to the environment in the State.
"We will even the discuss the Koodamkulam nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu, which will have an impact on the environment of the southern districts of Kerala. Another topic is `Deserts and desertification,' the theme of World Environment Day 2006," says K. Muraleedharan Nair, president of Greens.
A painting contest will be held for lower and upper primary school children on June 5. The contest will be held for high school students the following day.
The valedictory programme will be inaugurated by Minister for Forests Benoy Viswom.

G. RAJEEV

Dear bloggers,

The Application form and Rules and Regulations of Greenvision 2007 is displayed below:
Those who need pdf format, please send email to greenskerala@gmail.com. Those who want Printed form, please inform your postal address.

Greenvision 2006 Winning Photographs

GREEN VISION 2006

3rd ALL INDIA NATURE PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION

RESULTS

Bat approaching Feed

FIRST PRIZE : (ONE) RS.5000/-

Sri. Santhosh Kumar Jana

VILL - Kalyachak,

Heria (PO) Midhapur (E) District

West Bengal-721 430

Tigress with cub at Kanha Park /Forest
SECOND PRIZE: (ONE) RS. 3000/-

Dr. J.S. Murthy
Mission Compound,

Napier Town,Nabalpur,

Madhya Pradesh - 482 001

CONSOLATION PRIZES (FIVE) RS:IOOO/- EACH

Sindhu Valley

Sri. Prithwiraj Dhang
Jagannath Ghat Lane, Babugunge (PO)
Hoogly, West Bengal- 712 10309433137289

Colours of Nature

Sri. Anindya Majumdar
Nirmalya, Noapara,

Main RoadSonarpur, Kolkata,

West Bengal-700 150

Small Green Barbet Feeding

Sri. R.K. Madhu, AFIP
788/41, Ninth Cross, Ramanuja Road
Mysore , Karnataka - 4

Top of the World

Sri. Joydeep Mukherjee
183 B, Kalfuhath Road,

KolkataWest Bengal- 700 026

Nature Danseuse

Sri. Sali Palode
Deepthi, Dilshed Nagar Colony
Pacha (PO), Palode

Thiruvananthapuram

Kerala

Green Vision 2007

Under the title ‘Green Vision’, three day long nature photo/ poster exhibition and National Level Nature Photography Competition are being conducted annually. The photographs and posters in GREENS’ collection are also exhibited in the programmes conducted in colleges, schools and residence associations in Kerala as part of the awareness campaigns.

The competition carries a prize money of Rs.5000 for first place, Rs.3000 for second, Rs.1000 each as consolation prize for five persons and 5 certificates of merit. All winners will be awarded with a magnificent citation.

Closing Date : 7th September 2007
Judging Date : 9th September 2007
Exhibition : 16, 17, 18 September 2007
Return of entries : 10th October 2007

The details will be published soon.

Please note that the competition is conducted only for Indians. Prizes will not be sent outside the country. The entry form will soon be published in this site or be sent to you on request.