ISSN 2347 - 7628 HELP Foundation’s River Watch Program Coordinated through Paravur Lake & Ithikkara River INDIA Protection Council Geographical Route Map of Ithikkara River Western Ghats Panchayat Segments Western Ghats– Sub Clusters 1. Anchal and Ittiva (1km) 2. Edamulackal and Ittiva (5km) 3. Edamulackal and Chadayamangalam (5km) 4. Elamadu and Chadayamangalam (4km) 5. Chadayamangalam/Velinalloor(4km) 6. Chadayamangalam/Velinalloor & Catchment Area: Pallickal (1km) Originates from the low 7. Velinalloor and Pallickal (7km) hills of Karakunnu (250 8. Velinalloor and Kalluvathukkal (2km) above msl) adjacent to Madathara in the foothill 9. Pooyappally and Kalluvathukkal (4km) region of the Western 10.Adichanalloor and Kalluvathukkal (1km) Ghats and flows through Yeroor Reserved Forest 11.Adichanalloor and Chathannoor (8km) area Total of 42 km HELP Foundation Quarterly Journal September 2014 Vol: V Issue: 2 Page No: Contents ISSN 2347 - 7628 Sept 2014 Vol:V Issue: 2 Editorial Board Prof. Peter Pradeep Jesmis J Kavunthanam Anna Mathews Sanoj Herbert Suneesh Kumar S Prof. Stanislaus Noronha Giles Fernandez Managing Editors Jesmis J. Kavunthanam Anna Mathews MISSION GREEN Layout and Design Jesmis J Kavunthanam HELP Foundations River Watch Program Energy Conservation Seminar Photo Journalist Mahesh S. Ambelil Mapping of the River Bank of Ithikkara River PROJECT REACH Publisher Jesmis J Kavunthanam Start of Child Rights Survey Managing Director, MISSION HEALTH HELP Foundation Project DAYA– Dialysis Assistance Programme- Seminar Comments and suggestions for future columns are welcome and should be addressed to: SOCIAL INTERVENTION Social Accounting and Audit on HELP Foundation social The Chief Editor, performance HELP Foundation, Report of Internship Mayyanad P.O. Kollam-691303 DHWANI– FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Tel. +91-474-255-6414 An unsustainable course Call Center : +91-9656-33-4444 [email protected] NATURE PHOTO DIVISION– WILD LIFE www.helpfoundatin.in Nature Photo Feature HELP Foundation Quarterly Journal September 2014 Vol: V Issue: 2 Page No: 2 Mission Green Activity Report HELP Foundations River Watch Program HELP Foundations River Watch project envisages stringing together a coalition of Community Groups, Government Institu- tions, Local Administra- tion and College Eco Clubs along the entire stretch of Ithikkara River toward HELP Foundations long term goal of Developing an Ecosystem approach for integrated management of land, water and living resources that provides sustainable delivery of ecosystem services in an equitable way in and River watch teams meeting with Kalluvathukkal Grama Panchayat around Ithikkara River (Kerala, India) leading to Ecosystem Based Management (EBM). This is to be accom- plished through Paravur Lake and Ithikkara River Protection Council an independent registered body with adequate representation of the local community, Local Self Government institutions and next generation citizens. Smt Sugathakumari Teacher, poet and activist, who has been at the forefront of environmental movement in Kerala River watch teams meeting with Pooyappally Grama Panchayat HELP Foundation Quarterly Journal September 2014 Vol: V Issue: 2 Page No: 3 Mission Green Social Intervention HELP Foundations River Watch Program Contd. volunteered to be the chief advisor of the program “HELP Foundation River Watch” and WWF is been supporting us in this endeavor. HELP Foundation released the geographical route map of the Ithikkara River from Sea through Paravur Lake showing the Panchayats and the length of the river River watch teams meeting with Ilamadu Grama Panchayat through each of the local bodies. This has been made available primarily through Paravur Lake and Ithikkara River Protection Council. As part of the project we have travelled to all Panchayat through which the river flows and met with the Panchayat officials and they have moved towards creation of a Committee River watch teams meeting with Idamulakkal Grama Panchayat comprising Elected Officials, Schools authorities and Parent Teachers Association Officials and BMC representatives. All Panchayats have been handed over with materials and maps with respect to the river and work guidelines they ought to accomplish through the River Watch River watch teams meeting with Anchal Grama Panchayat program. HELP Foundation Quarterly Journal September 2014 Vol: V Issue: 2 Page No: 4 Mission Green Activity Report HELP Foundations River Watch Program Contd. River watch teams meeting with Adichanalloor Grama Panchayat River watch teams meeting with Chadayamangalam Grama Panchayat River watch teams meeting with velinallor Grama Panchayat River watch teams meeting with Mayyanad Grama Panchayat River watch teams meeting with Ittiva Grama Panchayat River watch teams meeting with Pallickal Grama Panchayat HELP Foundation Quarterly Journal September 2014 Vol: V Issue: 2 Page No: 5 Mission Green Social Intervention Energy Conservation Seminar HELP Foundation hosted an Energy Conservation Seminar and Free CFL Distribution jointly with WWF-India. The program was hosted with support of Mayyanad Gramapanchayat, Energy Man- agement Centre & KSEB. Five Se- lected BPL families from every ward of Mayyanad Panchayat partici- pated in the session. In essence all 23 wards of Mayyanad Panchayat were represented in the seminar. Mayyanad Panchayat Vice President Shri Lesslie George inaugurated the seminar. Shri Subhash Babu of the Energy Management Centre con- ducted the session. CFL Distribution to replace incandescent bulbs was inaugurated by Shri Renjan Mathew, Vote of Thanks being delivered by Shri Rajeev of Mayyanad Panchayat State Director - WWF, Kerala. Mapping of the River Bank of Ithikkara River (File opened at Kollam Collectorate) As part of our visit to 12 local bodies through above HELP Foundation also took up the matter which the river flows we have listed out 14 with the concerned IAS Officer Incharge of Survey. issues which need to be addressed on a war 1. Drinking Water footing to salvage this river. They are as below. 2. Encroachments In short most of it points to the river bank being 3. Biodiversity Loss not protected or lack of demarcation. Most of 4. River Bank Demarcation the Panchayats have thrown up their hands as 5. Check Dam the elected representatives only care for votes 6. River Bank Construction and they are not for enforcement of the laws 7. Health of River Upstream and in most cases are aiding such illegal 8. Health of River Downstream activities. After several discussions with Kollam 9. Loss of Paddy Fields along the river banks Revenue Authorities and the Survey Head of the 10. Sand Mining District a file was opened for creation of a team 11. River Changed Coarse to resurvey the river or rather identify the 12. Non Perennial revenue markings so that steps can be taken to 13. Destructive Fishing evict encroachments and thus start the long 14. Rivulets are left unprotected process of protecting the river. Based on the HELP Foundation Quarterly Journal September 2014 Vol: V Issue: 2 Page No: 6 Project Reach Activity Report Start of Child Rights Survey As part of HELP Foundations efforts to make Mayyanad Panchayat the first child friendly Pancha- yat in Kerala, we have been working to- gether with Social Justice Department, Child Welfare Com- mittee-Kollam, Juve- nile Justice Chairman, Kollam and May- yanad Panchayat So- cial Welfare Standing Committee. Under directions from Child Protec- tion Officer of the district, HELP Head Master of Mayyanad Higher Secondary School handing over the survey report to Foundation worked Mayyanad Panchayat President with various institutions and the Juvenile Justice it’s being carried out in all schools of Mayyanad Chairman, Kollam to come up with a Survey form Panchayat. The leadership provided by Shri Abeen comprising 50 questions so as to find out the issues of SJD and Smt Shiela Kumari in the effort has children of Mayyanad Panchayat are facing. This been exemplary. The survey has now reached the survey was kick started with involvement of An- 60 % mark and activities are going on in full steam ganwadi Workers and the Government employees to complete the activities by October end. in all wards of the Panchayat. In the second phase Social Accounting and Audit on HELP Foundation’s social performance SAN INDIA (Social Audit Network, India), which VMVOA (Vision, Mission, Values, Objectives & is affiliated to the Social Audit Network, UK has Activities) and a mapping exercise of the key voluntarily come forward to assess the social value stakeholders. generated by HELP Foundation through a process The entire process of accounting and audit is ex- of accounting and auditing on its social, environ- pected to be completed by December 2014 and mental & economic performance impact. the report to be published by January 2015 as The 1st stage of the process got completed on Sep- confirmed by the SAN India representative. tember 2014 with a workshop on redefining the HELP Foundation Quarterly Journal September 2014 Vol: V Issue: 2 Page No: 7 Newspaper Clippings Environment Dialysis Supporting Dialysis patients has been some- thing which has been very emotionally draining due to their short lifespan. Added to that now there is a spate of applicatants walking into our office requesting help and we are unable to raise funds to cater to the long list of patient queue in spite of our strict scrutiny. We have now started to reach out to individual sponsors who can choose a patient from our list and possibly start to support part of the