Barli Development Institute for Rural Women Indore
Celebrates World Environment Day 2009
Celebration of World Environment Day at Barli Development Institute is special for different reasons, one being, the trainees have just
arrived  from the villages. The earlier training programme ends in 3rd week May and it takes 2 weeks and more for all the new
trainees to arrive from distant and remote rural areas.
As with most of the important UN days celebrated at the Institute, a 3 day workshop is held, the young women get break from
classes to discuss the subject of the workshop, this one, their environment. And as only a small percent of then have had any
schooling, (in this group only 8) this is a unique experience for them.
The 3 Day Work shop was inaugurated on 3 May by  Dr. Shobha
Chamnia from Choithram Hospital and Social Activist  Mr. Chinmay
Mishra. Dr Chamania a burns specialist highlighted the importance
between environment and health, she also demonstrated several ways to
deal with fire hazards in the home.
Mr Mishra encouraged the trainees to carry forward the environmental
education given by Barli Institute to their communities, because if we
protect the environment, we save the planet. No development can take
place without a healthy planet.
The program was conducted by Miss Amrita Pathank and vote of
thanks is given by Mr Jimmy McGilligan
Dr. Chamania being welcomed with a gift of a colorful
mobile made from waste materials by one of the trainees.
The trainees learnt about the importance of natural resources, and identified their own role in conservation of these resources and
preventing increasing carbon and Climate Change. Noori Kharat from Harda district said she had been greatly benefited to see Barli
Institute using Solar Energy magnificently and after her training she is going to start solar cooking in her home and promote in her
community. Najma Dawar from Khargone described the atrocities on women like rape and harassment of women because of the long
distances to travel to collect fuel, fodder and water for family and cattle. Sujata from Bihar, Roopa from Alirajpur, and Asha Rathore
from Dewas district shared their action plans of planting trees, using solar cookers, preventing plastic bags, etc.

Theme of the workshop was “Your Planet Needs You - Unite to
Combat Climate Change."
The topics covered in the workshop are environment-related issues in
general and the role of women in conservation of natural resources and
combating climate change in general

71 young  women trainees of  rural and tribal communities from 28 villages of Dewas, Dhar, Badwani, Harda, Khargone, and
Alirajpur, in Madhya Pradesh and from Nalanda and Patna in Bihar took part in their first workshop.

During the valedictory session of the workshop on 5th June the
Chief Guest of the programme Mr. K. S. Parmar  retd. IAS  
said that most farmers use chemical fertilizers that have greatly
damaged the earth, without being conscious of conserving water
and increasing the water level in the land.  In the name of
development, we cut down trees and destroy the landscape by
building big buildings with cement. Training rural women from
grassroots by Barli Institute will definitely help the protection of
the environment, as they are more sensitive and sharing their
knowledge with their people is their nature. Mr. Mukund
Kulkarni, the chairman of  Abhayas Mandal presided over, and
in his address he stated that focusing on the young girls, Barli
Institute has targeted the most affected and most important
section of society to be trained to protect flora and fauna, and
they are the leaders of tomorrow.
Trainees view solar Technologies
Trainees being
shown all the
different types solar
cooker and other
solar  technologies
on display at the
Barli Institute by the
staff members
during a break in
the workshop
discussions.
Mr. K. S. Pamar being welcomed with a gift of a colorful
mobile made from waste materials by one of the trainees.
Manager of the Institute Mr. Jimmy R McGilligan OBE said that cooking
with firewood and other fuels in a very smoky kitchen is another form of
violence against women and we can prevent it by using fuel efficient
stoves, gober gas, or solar devices. He also  emphasized that all of us
should be conscious and so committed that no matter what we do in our
life, whatever decisions we make, we must think of one thing: how this is
going to affect our environment. He said the sun's energy is available to
human beings all over the world. One day other resources can be out of
our reach like petrol, wood or oil, but solar is always available
.
The guest of honour, Dr Jayshree Bansal, from Academic Staff college of
DAVV, Indore  said that the Barli Campus is the only environmental
model we have; therefore we bring all our lecturers from refresher courses
here so that they can also motivate  their students in environmental
education and actions. She told the trainees that they are fortunate that
they live here for 6 months, learning to use solar energy and other best
environmental practices.  24 lecturers from various colleges of Madhya
Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh taking part in Academic Staff College’s
Refresher Course also attended the programme..
The Director of the Institute, Dr. (Mrs.) Janak McGilligan gave an introduction of the Institute and said the Institute feels its spiritual
responsibility of environment education to protect our future generation. Just as we save and invest our money, we must save and
invest in trees, use alternative sources of Energy as in the Institute cook food with Solar for 100 persons in 300 days in a year. The
Institute encourages the use of solar energy in cooking, grows organic food.  The objective of training rural   women in environment is
aimed at fulfilment of Agenda 21 of Earth Summit and Millennium Development Goals and save our planet by thinking globally and
acting locally. Every individual action, no matter how small, can contribute to the sustainable development of economy and society
today, people around the world. In NGOs, community and youth groups, the media sector and organizations in order to renew their
protection and development of the environment.
Mr. Mukund
Kulkarni leads
the members of
the dais and
audience in a
song in local
dialect
Main Speakers on WED2009

Newspaper Reports

Dr.Chamani being welcomed with a gift from trainee