The Amazing Cucumber
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| The Amazing Cucumber |
1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.
3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.
4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent
undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.
5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!
6. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!
7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.
8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.
9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!
10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown the reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.
11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the photochemical will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.
12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.
13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!
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What is Aadhaar Number? How to get Unique Identification Number(UID)?
Aadhaar is a 12 digit identification number, issued by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to all the residents of India. In the recent days, it is being talked about in the media. UIDAI has named this Unique Identification Number as 'Aadhaar', which means 'foundation' or 'base' in many Indian languages. This Aadhaar is going to be the base for many things in future, to all the residents.
The number will be stored in a centralised database and linked to the basic demographics and biometric information – photograph, ten fingerprints and iris – of each individual.
* Aadhaar is easily verifiable in an online, cost-effective way.
* It is Unique and robust enough to eliminate the large number of duplicate and fake identities in government and private databases.
* It is a random number generated, devoid of any classification based on caste, creed, religion and geography.
WHAT AADHAAR IS :
* It is a 12 digit number, not only a card.
* It is for every individual, including infants. Means each individual of family will have separate Aadhaar UID number.
* It enables identification and is for every resident. It doesn’t establishes citizenship and is not only for Indians.
* Getting Aadhaar is voluntary, not mandatory.
* It is for every resident, irrespective of existing documentation. Means individuals without identification documents can also get Aadhaar.
* Each individual will be given a single unique Aadhaar ID number. One cannot have multiple Aadhaar numbers.
* Aadhaar UID number can be used by ration card, passport or any ID based application. It will not replace other ID’s.
* UID Authority of India will give ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response for any identification authentication queries. Other information will not be accessible to public and private agencies.
Though it is being talked about in media, many people do not know about the Unique Identification Number, how it is being issued, How to get this number, etc. In order to provide such basic information, on behalf of PodUniversal, we inerviewed Mr K K Sharma, Asst.
Director General of UIDAI. You may listen to his interview(8 minutes).
Download Aadhaar Enrollment form
For more information call on this Toll Free Number, from any Mobile or Land line: 18001801947
Aadhaar, websites visit:
http://uidai.gov.in/
http://www.iaadhaar.com/
Cardless banking with Aadhaar number may soon become reality
Some banks and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which is spearheading the ambitious Aadhaar project, are looking to allow customers operate ATMs armed with only their 12-digit Aadhaar number; the access will be facilitated by a biometric scan
New Delhi: Soon, it may be possible for customers to operate ATMs without cards. And, eventually, shop without credit cards.
Some banks and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which is spearheading the ambitious Aadhaar project, are looking to allow customers operate ATMs armed with only their 12-digit Aadhaar number; the access will be facilitated by a biometric scan.
Experts say the move could reduce cost of operations for banks and also reduce instances of debit card fraud.
Even while UIDAI is still working to fine-tune the model, state-owned Corporation Bank is readying to implement the new model. “We will be launching this service in the next three-four weeks for our customers in Delhi,” said an official of the bank, asking not to be named.
With a mere 58,000 Aadhaar numbers issued in Delhi (4.2 million have been issued across India), the number of customers using Corporation Bank’s service will be limited at first. But it will increase. UIDAI hopes to issue 600 million numbers by 2014.
The number of credit and debit cards as on January stands at over 230 million in the country, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI); the issue cost of each card varies between Rs. 20 and Rs. 80.
For cardless transactions to become a reality, customers will have to link their bank accounts with the Aadhaar number. At the time of enrolment, UIDAI is giving people the option of either opening a new bank account, which will be Aadhaar-enabled, or linking to an existing one.
UIDAI has already done field tests in Jharkhand and is readying its infrastructure to support bulk transactions. “The servers and systems are currently being tested to see if they can take at least 100 million transactions simultaneously... UIDAI is working to ready them by July this year,” said an official familiar with the development, who did not want to be identified.
Both the officials independently confirmed that the approval from the regulator is in place. “The Reserve Bank of India has given an in-principle approval for the plan, but the final go-ahead will be needed closer to the actual launch,” the second official said.
“RBI’s main concern is safety... This will take care of all the safety aspects,” added the Corporation Bank official.
“It is one of the safest ways to do banking... It will make sure that the right person is using the right account,” said the second official.
The move to cardless banking will take quite some time. And the move to cardless shopping some more. That’s because banks will have to install a biometric reader in all their ATM machines and will also have to upgrade the applications on them to make them cardless. There were at least 43,000 ATMs across the country as of March 2010, according to RBI. Moreover, the core banking solution, through which banks integrate all transactions across branches, will also have to support the new model.
According to Alpesh Shah, partner and director at Boston Consulting Group, the cardless banking model would have a large impact, but over the next three-five years.
“Banks will have to upgrade their infrastructure, which may take a few years. So there will not be much impact in the next six months to one year. But over a longer term, once the concept catches on, it could change the way banking is done,” he said.
A Union Bank of India official, who also did not want to be identified, said that while Aadhaar will provide sufficient authentication for transactions, it will take some time for banks to adapt to the new system and put in place the necessary infrastructure.
Interestingly, UIDAI is hoping banks will rapidly upgrade their technological infrastructure as a sort of quid pro quo for pushing more business their way. The Aadhaar initiative will be facilitating the opening of several million new bank accounts during the enrolment process. UIDAI is already in the process of empanelling banks for this.
Aadhaar has so far enrolled around 4.2 million people in the country and around 80% of them want a new bank account, according to UIDAI estimates.
To make cardless banking work, UIDAI will have to link its servers at one end to the banks and on the other to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Each bank has its own financial switch, which is connected to the national financial switch (NFS). NFS facilitates routing of ATM transactions through connectivity between the banks’ switches. NPCI does the settlement under this network.
“If banks agree on such a model, NPCI has no problems in switching the transaction,” said A.P. Hota, managing director and chief executive officer of NPCI.
Cashless transactions at retail establishments pose a challenge.
“A card is not built only for use in ATMs. It is meant to be used in other devices also, such as point of sale terminals used in retail outlets... So a bank cannot completely do away with issuing the card,” said an official at IDBI Bank Ltd, who did not want to be identified.
UIDAI does have a plan to enable micropayments even at retail outlets through what it terms micro-ATMs, essentially low-cost hand-held devices with a fingerprint reader.
The number will be stored in a centralised database and linked to the basic demographics and biometric information – photograph, ten fingerprints and iris – of each individual.
* It is Unique and robust enough to eliminate the large number of duplicate and fake identities in government and private databases.
* It is a random number generated, devoid of any classification based on caste, creed, religion and geography.
WHAT AADHAAR IS :
* It is a 12 digit number, not only a card.
* It is for every individual, including infants. Means each individual of family will have separate Aadhaar UID number.
* It enables identification and is for every resident. It doesn’t establishes citizenship and is not only for Indians.
* Getting Aadhaar is voluntary, not mandatory.
* It is for every resident, irrespective of existing documentation. Means individuals without identification documents can also get Aadhaar.
* Each individual will be given a single unique Aadhaar ID number. One cannot have multiple Aadhaar numbers.
* Aadhaar UID number can be used by ration card, passport or any ID based application. It will not replace other ID’s.
* UID Authority of India will give ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response for any identification authentication queries. Other information will not be accessible to public and private agencies.
Though it is being talked about in media, many people do not know about the Unique Identification Number, how it is being issued, How to get this number, etc. In order to provide such basic information, on behalf of PodUniversal, we inerviewed Mr K K Sharma, Asst.
Director General of UIDAI. You may listen to his interview(8 minutes).
Download Aadhaar Enrollment form
For more information call on this Toll Free Number, from any Mobile or Land line: 18001801947
Aadhaar, websites visit:
http://uidai.gov.in/
http://www.iaadhaar.com/
Cardless banking with Aadhaar number may soon become reality
Some banks and the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which is spearheading the ambitious Aadhaar project, are looking to allow customers operate ATMs armed with only their 12-digit Aadhaar number; the access will be facilitated by a biometric scan
New Delhi: Soon, it may be possible for customers to operate ATMs without cards. And, eventually, shop without credit cards.
Experts say the move could reduce cost of operations for banks and also reduce instances of debit card fraud.
Even while UIDAI is still working to fine-tune the model, state-owned Corporation Bank is readying to implement the new model. “We will be launching this service in the next three-four weeks for our customers in Delhi,” said an official of the bank, asking not to be named.
 |
| Cardless banking with Aadhaar number may soon become reality |
The number of credit and debit cards as on January stands at over 230 million in the country, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI); the issue cost of each card varies between Rs. 20 and Rs. 80.
For cardless transactions to become a reality, customers will have to link their bank accounts with the Aadhaar number. At the time of enrolment, UIDAI is giving people the option of either opening a new bank account, which will be Aadhaar-enabled, or linking to an existing one.
UIDAI has already done field tests in Jharkhand and is readying its infrastructure to support bulk transactions. “The servers and systems are currently being tested to see if they can take at least 100 million transactions simultaneously... UIDAI is working to ready them by July this year,” said an official familiar with the development, who did not want to be identified.
Both the officials independently confirmed that the approval from the regulator is in place. “The Reserve Bank of India has given an in-principle approval for the plan, but the final go-ahead will be needed closer to the actual launch,” the second official said.
“RBI’s main concern is safety... This will take care of all the safety aspects,” added the Corporation Bank official.
“It is one of the safest ways to do banking... It will make sure that the right person is using the right account,” said the second official.
The move to cardless banking will take quite some time. And the move to cardless shopping some more. That’s because banks will have to install a biometric reader in all their ATM machines and will also have to upgrade the applications on them to make them cardless. There were at least 43,000 ATMs across the country as of March 2010, according to RBI. Moreover, the core banking solution, through which banks integrate all transactions across branches, will also have to support the new model.
“Banks will have to upgrade their infrastructure, which may take a few years. So there will not be much impact in the next six months to one year. But over a longer term, once the concept catches on, it could change the way banking is done,” he said.
A Union Bank of India official, who also did not want to be identified, said that while Aadhaar will provide sufficient authentication for transactions, it will take some time for banks to adapt to the new system and put in place the necessary infrastructure.
Interestingly, UIDAI is hoping banks will rapidly upgrade their technological infrastructure as a sort of quid pro quo for pushing more business their way. The Aadhaar initiative will be facilitating the opening of several million new bank accounts during the enrolment process. UIDAI is already in the process of empanelling banks for this.
Aadhaar has so far enrolled around 4.2 million people in the country and around 80% of them want a new bank account, according to UIDAI estimates.
To make cardless banking work, UIDAI will have to link its servers at one end to the banks and on the other to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Each bank has its own financial switch, which is connected to the national financial switch (NFS). NFS facilitates routing of ATM transactions through connectivity between the banks’ switches. NPCI does the settlement under this network.
Cashless transactions at retail establishments pose a challenge.
“A card is not built only for use in ATMs. It is meant to be used in other devices also, such as point of sale terminals used in retail outlets... So a bank cannot completely do away with issuing the card,” said an official at IDBI Bank Ltd, who did not want to be identified.
UIDAI does have a plan to enable micropayments even at retail outlets through what it terms micro-ATMs, essentially low-cost hand-held devices with a fingerprint reader.
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20 Amazing Places to Bungee Jump
Bungee jumping – dive from the giddy height of a towering fixed structure while an elastic cord secures you and keeps you suspended just inches above the ground level at the end of the leap. What leaves most people breathless during a bungee venture are the rebounds that occur due to the stretching and snapping of the cord. Bungee jumping was first practiced as a rite of passage for the youths of Pentecost Island in Vanuatu. Since the modern times, several records have been made and broken by bungee-jumpers world over. The Guinness Book of World Records of the highest bungee jump was by AJ Hackett from Macau Tower of China from an altitude of 233 meters.
Hanging above the Arkansas River, this suspended bridge is an all-time favorite bungee-jumping spot because of its amazing height. It spans over the Royal Gorge Route Railway and has a wooden plank-way for a breathtaking walk across the river.
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| Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa – 710 ft (216 m) |
This unique highest single span arch bridge adds much to the giddy raptures of bungee jumping. Look ahead to the instructions by the jump experts, the tantalizing countdown before the plunge and the smoothest recoils owing to the pendulum bungee technology that makes it the highest commercial bungee jumping venue internationally.
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| Verzasca Dam, Val Verzasca, Switzerland – 721 ft (220 m) |
Ever since the famous James Bond stunt in the movie ‘Goldeneye’, this high arch hydroelectric dam has been one of the favorite haunts for bungee jumpers. You require an advance reservation, a medical check and of course, the proper height and weight proportions for stepping into the shoes of 007.
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| Corinth Canal, Greece – 260 ft (79 m) |
The Corinth Canal works as a connector between mainland Greece and the Peloponnese. If you like to plunge down to the canal’s depth, just take a bungee jump from the bridge. This is a regular weekend sport organized by the Zulu Bungy in the summer months.
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| Ponte Colossus, Italy – 500 ft (152 m) |
You will find this 350 m long bridge awe-inspiring and an inspiring spot for an energetic sport like bungee jumping. It will take you an average of almost 4.5 seconds for the first fall. You need a lot of nerve power to sustain the 100 km/hr vertical velocity of the free fall.
As you undertake the four seconds of free fall from the longest single span suspension bridge over the raging Shotover River, your heart skips a beat. At the close of these four second, you hang dangerously close to the foamy waters only to be secured in a boat and brought to the shore at the end of the oscillations.
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| Colorado River, Costa Rica – 279 ft (85 m) |
The Colorado River is chiefly the haunt of the hobby fishers though its bridge is an excellent bungee jumping site as well. There are both normal and special all-day long bungee jumping schedules offered by Tropical Bungee to give you diverse ranges of experiences at the highest safety levels.
The Alta Vila Tower of Nova Lima attracts site seers and bungee jumpers alike since it commands a breathtaking view of the mountain-surrounded Belo Horizonte.
Navajo Bridge of Marble Canyon spans across the Colorado River right over the Grand Canyon. The autumnal beauty of its natural setting makes it a lovely bungee jumping spot in late September. The advantage of the superb elevation of the Navajo Bridge is coupled with a unique sense adventure that you associate with bungee jumping.
This 338 m tall tower holds the provisions for an observation deck for relaxing as well as for undertaking daring sports like bungee jumping or ‘sky jumping’ as it actually feels like. It counts among one of the giddiest entertainments that Macau has to offer to its visitors and locals.
The jump pod overlooking the roaring Nevis River holds an irresistible attraction for the lovers of bungee jumping. This incredible 8.5 seconds of freefall offers you an exciting scope to span the Nevis Valley. Nevis Highwire Bungy shuttles the jumpers to the glass-paneled jump pod to help them have an unforgettable experience.
Puerto Vallarta is more than a resort with its countless scopes for adventure sports in its jungles, beaches and cultural getaways. You can accept the allure of the lush-green waters of Banderas Bay by taking a bungee jump from the adjacent cliffs for $55.00 between 10 am to 6 pm. The superior quality of the jumping equipments allows you to enjoy a safe thrill.
As a potential bungee jumping site, Graskop Gorge offers you a peerless freefall from a height of 18-19 stories of Foefie slide. As you leap off, the cord will take you across the entire width of the gorge in a single sweep. Catch the spectacular beauty of the Graskop Falls as you trail across in the super-fast zipline like a bird.
If you deem suspension bridges as the most exciting bungee jumping spots, this is something you can positively rave about. The old dilapidated Pont de Ponsonnas Bridge has been now replaced by concrete-built arch Ponsonnas Bridge to give you an even safer bungee jumping experience.
Queenstown offers a perfect combination of wild adventures and serene beauty. The Ledge Urban site is known for its unique runaway jumping style whereby you can catch a glimpse of the nighttime beauty of Queenstown. The bungee harness helps you to adopt any posture during the free fall and enjoy a maddening rush of adrenaline.
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| Perrine Bridge, USA – 486 ft (148 m) |
You do not need a permit for year round bungee jumping from this bridge connecting the Twin Falls area to the Jerome County. You can find several BASE jumping compeers to share the excitement.
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| The Last Resort, Nepal – 525 ft (160 m) |
It gives you a scope to look and jump off from the longest Nepalese suspension bridge across one of the scariest tropical gorges, with the Bhote Kosi River rumbling below. You can remain in air for a long time during your free fall amid the charming valley sights.
Niouc holds the record for the highest bungee jumping spot in Europe. Discover the wild side of Switzerland as you go for an entire array of holiday activities, with bungee jumping topping the list.
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| Longqing Gorge Bungee, China – 164 ft ( 50m ) |
With its green mountains, caves and clear water, Longqing Gorge of northeast Yanqing County is an amazing natural spot for trekking and cruising. However, nothing matches up to bungee jumping. Just gear up some courage and take the plunge. Let your friends capture your action in a camera that you can treasure for a lifetime.
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| Victoria Falls Bridge, Zambia – 500 ft (152 m) |
The Victoria Falls Bridge over Zambezi River connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia is reckoned a perfect spot by bungee jumpers to get a close brush of the spraying falls. Once you jump off, the fall may seem to rush up to you at a maddening pace but you can trust the ankle and body harnesses for their full-proof security
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Summer Holidays Activities for Kids
Trekking
The children are taken for treks in and around Mudhumalai.The ruggedness of the terrain is chosen depending upon the average age and ability of the the children. Children get to experience the sights and sound of nature first hand. During the trek bird-watching, spotting of Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, Insects and Edible plants are pointed out for survival skills alongside poisonous plants. Tracking of animals using pug marks,trail markings and animal droppings is also done. Apart from treks, nature walks in and around the camp site are conducted for children who want to study the surrounding habitat.
Transport: jeeps, by foot
Location: In and around Mudhumalai
Activity: Animal tracking, Bird watching, Studying plants
Wildlife Spotting (Jungle Safari)
Jungle Safari is the ideal method for kids to explore wild animals in their natural habitat. The practical knowledge the kids gain during jungle safari is much valuable than the stuff they gain from text books.
The children are taken to Bandipur National park Jungle Safari in a protected van. The usual sightings during a safari are Bison, Elephants, Doles, Ruddy mongoose, Sambar deer, Barking Deer, Spotted deer, Yellow Spotted Green Pigeons and Nilgiri Langurs, not to miss mentioning spotting a flap shell turtle peeping out of a pond in Bandipur etc .
Very rarely a safari might turn out a bit disappointing to children due to lack of animal sightings . Children should understand that it is a matter of luck to spot wildlife and there is always a next chance to view wildlife.
Transport: Protected Van
Location: Bandipur National Park
Activity : Bird-Watching, Animal spotting, Observing Animal behavior
Bird Watching
Most children are passionate about birds and love to learn more about them. Various bird-watching activities like counting birds, recording bird sounds, inspection of bird behavior, admiring bird coloration and shape, will help children to increase knowledge about birds and their daily activities. And, more prominently, these activities are fun to do!
As part of Bird watching we also do the below listed activities.
Bird House Building
Bird Bath set up
Bird feeding station.
Wilderness Survival Skills
The children are taught from how to build shelters to how to build stretchers out of materials from the forest. Essential skills like purifying water, lighting fires using flint stones and magnifying glasses and other such basic survival tactics are taught apart from what to eat and what not to eat! First aid against snake bites, insect bites and other health hazards are also dealt with in detail. Last camp, the co -ordinators gave the children a live demonstration of what to do when a friend in the jungle gets injured, and to know what measures must be taken you are welcome join us this summer !
Location : Camp-site
Activity : First aid, Basic wilderness survival techniques, building shelter Identification of edible and inedible plants.
The children are asked to collect fish that they find in the stream and pin point any other organism the see or hear. After which they are briefed on the behaviour and life cycle of the animals. Last year a Caceiliean(snake like, harmless, amphibian) was the star attraction at stream study.
Moth & Butterfly Attracting
We set up moth stations by putting up powerful lights and white sheets. Children will be made admire the various kinds of Moths that can be spotted .It is possible that are more than 40 species of moths can be viewed on single night. We also use sugar solution, fruit juices, and molasses to attract various kinds of Moths.
It is pleasurable watching moths that are of various shape and color.
Setting up Butterfly Garden with Host plants.
Butterfly gardening basically involves growing plants which will attract the colorful lively graceful butterflies into our surroundings. We grow certain host plants. that provides butterflies an area to lay their eggs certain kinds of plants have the ability to attract certain species of butterflies. We teach children to identify and recognize butterfly attracting host plants to attract the butterflies of their choice .
For more info please write to: camp@kidssummercamp.in
The children are taken for treks in and around Mudhumalai.The ruggedness of the terrain is chosen depending upon the average age and ability of the the children. Children get to experience the sights and sound of nature first hand. During the trek bird-watching, spotting of Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians, Insects and Edible plants are pointed out for survival skills alongside poisonous plants. Tracking of animals using pug marks,trail markings and animal droppings is also done. Apart from treks, nature walks in and around the camp site are conducted for children who want to study the surrounding habitat.
Transport: jeeps, by foot
Location: In and around Mudhumalai
Activity: Animal tracking, Bird watching, Studying plants
Wildlife Spotting (Jungle Safari)
Jungle Safari is the ideal method for kids to explore wild animals in their natural habitat. The practical knowledge the kids gain during jungle safari is much valuable than the stuff they gain from text books.
The children are taken to Bandipur National park Jungle Safari in a protected van. The usual sightings during a safari are Bison, Elephants, Doles, Ruddy mongoose, Sambar deer, Barking Deer, Spotted deer, Yellow Spotted Green Pigeons and Nilgiri Langurs, not to miss mentioning spotting a flap shell turtle peeping out of a pond in Bandipur etc .
Very rarely a safari might turn out a bit disappointing to children due to lack of animal sightings . Children should understand that it is a matter of luck to spot wildlife and there is always a next chance to view wildlife.
Transport: Protected Van
Location: Bandipur National Park
Activity : Bird-Watching, Animal spotting, Observing Animal behavior
Bird Watching
Most children are passionate about birds and love to learn more about them. Various bird-watching activities like counting birds, recording bird sounds, inspection of bird behavior, admiring bird coloration and shape, will help children to increase knowledge about birds and their daily activities. And, more prominently, these activities are fun to do!
As part of Bird watching we also do the below listed activities.
Bird House Building
Bird Bath set up
Bird feeding station.
Wilderness Survival Skills
The children are taught from how to build shelters to how to build stretchers out of materials from the forest. Essential skills like purifying water, lighting fires using flint stones and magnifying glasses and other such basic survival tactics are taught apart from what to eat and what not to eat! First aid against snake bites, insect bites and other health hazards are also dealt with in detail. Last camp, the co -ordinators gave the children a live demonstration of what to do when a friend in the jungle gets injured, and to know what measures must be taken you are welcome join us this summer !
Location : Camp-site
Activity : First aid, Basic wilderness survival techniques, building shelter Identification of edible and inedible plants.
Fish Identification
Tiny multi-colored fishes are caught from the stream using light weight hand fishing nets,. We make sure children understand the fact that fishes are the important part of the stream ecology and importance of every living organism in food chain . It is a must for them to release it back after looking at its coloration and shape .. The stream that adjoins our campus is home to colorful fishes belonging to assorted size and shapes.
The children are asked to collect fish that they find in the stream and pin point any other organism the see or hear. After which they are briefed on the behaviour and life cycle of the animals. Last year a Caceiliean(snake like, harmless, amphibian) was the star attraction at stream study. We set up moth stations by putting up powerful lights and white sheets. Children will be made admire the various kinds of Moths that can be spotted .It is possible that are more than 40 species of moths can be viewed on single night. We also use sugar solution, fruit juices, and molasses to attract various kinds of Moths.
It is pleasurable watching moths that are of various shape and color.
Setting up Butterfly Garden with Host plants.
Butterfly gardening basically involves growing plants which will attract the colorful lively graceful butterflies into our surroundings. We grow certain host plants. that provides butterflies an area to lay their eggs certain kinds of plants have the ability to attract certain species of butterflies. We teach children to identify and recognize butterfly attracting host plants to attract the butterflies of their choice .
Recommend this article by clicking on +1:
Arunachal Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu dead
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| Arunachal Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu Khandu dead |
A relative and panchayat leader of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu's Assembly constituency has identified his body, according to Union Minister for Development of North Eastern region B K Handique.
He told reporters that the panchayat leader Thupten has identified the body of 56-year-old Dorjee while the other four bodies have been charred beyond recognition.
The minister, however, said that only after the divisional commissioner takes charge of the body and the formalities are completed, they could officially confirm news about Dorjee.
Asked about the successor to Dorjee, he said, "Everything will be taken care of."
The single engine four-seater Pawan Hans helicopter with Dorjee and four others on board went missing soon after taking off from Tawang on Saturday.
Besides Khandu, others on board were pilots Captain J S Babbar, Captain T S Mamik, Khandu's security officer Yeshi Choddak and Yeshi Lhamu, sister of Tawang MLA Tsewang Dhondup. Inclement weather had prevented teams from carrying out aerial searches.
Krishna condoles demise of Arunachal CM Khandu
External Affairs Minister S.M Krishna on Wednesday condoled the sad demise of Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, who has been killed in a chopper crash in Lobothong near Tawang District.
In a statement, Krishna said: "I am deeply pained to receive confirmation of the tragic and untimely demise of a great son of India and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Dorjee Khandu."
"He was dedicated to the cause of improving the quality of lives of the people of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh," he added.
He further said: "In his (Khandu) death, the state and country has lost a visionary administrator and an excellent human being. I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences to members of his family and friends.
Wreckage located at Tawang
TV reports indicate that the crash site has been located near Jang waterfall in Tawang. Appealing to the media to not speculate till the official confirmation, Home Minister Chidambaram said none of the bodies had been identified. "The crash site has been located, some bodies sighted. Let's wait for more information," the home minister told reporters here.
Search teams spotted the wreckage and the bodies in remote and inaccessible Lobotang area around 10 a.m. at an altitude of 10,000 ft. The area is surrounded by steep mountain ranges and is thickly forested.
The bodies are likely to be lifted to the first accessible point and then brought to Itanagar later in the day, officials said. Rescue teams could take three to four hours to bring the bodies to the first accessible point on foot.
The rugged and difficult terrain with rains and heavy snow is affecting the progress of the rescue workers.
The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter had taken off from Tawang at 9.50 a.m. Saturday. The last radio contact with the ground was about 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass along the Chinese border perched at an altitude of 13,700 feet.
Six Indian Air Force helicopters Wednesday morning began an aerial survey along the dizzy heights of Sela Pass for the rescue and search mission.
Congress legislator Tsewang Dhondup's younger sister, Yeshmi Lamu, was the lone woman occupant in the helicopter. She was in the helicopter with the chief minister for a medical check-up in Itanagar.
The helicopter had two pilots and three passengers on board, including the chief minister and his personal security officer. Yeshmi Lamu was the third passenger.
The Arunachal Pradesh government had announced a cash reward of Rs.1 million to anyone who could provide information about the missing helicopter.
On Wednesday, six Indian Air Force helicopters did an aerial survey along the dizzy heights of Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh. Six helicopters - two each of the Mi-17, Cheetah, and Cheetak - took off from bases in Tawang and Tezpur in Assam at 5.05 a.m. Wednesday for rescue and search mission, IAF spokesperson Ranjeeb Sahoo said.
The Pawan Hans AS350 B-3 helicopter carrying the chief minister and four others went missing after it took off from Tawang at 9.50 a.m. Saturday. The last radio contact with the ground was about 20 minutes after take off as it flew over the Sela Pass along the Chinese border perched at an altitude of 13,700 feet.
Source: PTI, ANI & IANS
