Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth screened for Puneites

On Sunday, July 22, 2007 from 10 a.m. to 12.00 noon, over a thousand Pune citizens assembled at Ganesh Kala - Krida Manch to watch Al Gore’s documentary film An Inconvenient Truth. The screening was arranged by SAKAL SOCIAL FOUNDATION & PUNE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION. An introduction to the film was given by Smt. Rajlaxmi Bhosale, H'ble Mayor of Pune who was present on the occasion.

An Inconvenient Truth is an Academy Award-winning documentary film about climate change, specifically global warming and a future ice age in Northern Europe, presented by former United States Vice President Al Gore and directed by Davis Guggenheim. A companion book authored by Gore has been on the paperback nonfiction New York Times bestseller list since June 11, 2006, reaching #1 on July 2, 2006.

“ You look at that river gently flowing by. You notice the leaves rustling with the wind. You hear the birds; you hear the tree frogs. In the distance you hear a cow. You feel the grass. The mud gives a little bit on the river bank. It’s quiet; it’s peaceful. And all of a sudden, it’s a gear shift inside you. And it’s like taking a deep breath and going, "Oh yeah, I forgot about this." ”
— Al Gore in the opening monologue of An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth focuses on Al Gore and his travels in support of his efforts to educate the public about the severity of the climate crisis. Gore says, "I've been trying to tell this story for a long time and I feel as I've failed to get the message across." The film nearly follows a Keynote presentation (dubbed "the slideshow") that Gore presented throughout the world. It intersperses Gore's exploration of data and predictions regarding climate change and its potential for disaster with Gore's life story. It weaves in events that changed his worldview, including his college education with early climate expert Roger Revelle at Harvard University, his sister's death from lung cancer, and his young son's near-fatal car accident.

In the slideshow Gore reviews the scientific opinion on climate change, discusses the politics and economics of global warming, and describes the consequences he believes global climate change will produce if the amount of human-generated greenhouse gases are not significantly reduced in the very near future.

The film includes many segments intended to refute critics who say that global warming is insignificant or unproven. For example, Gore discusses the risk of the collapse of a major ice sheet in Greenland or in West Antarctica, either of which could raise global sea levels by approximately 20 feet (6m), flooding coastal areas and producing 100 million refugees. Meltwater from Greenland, because of its lower salinity, could halt the Gulf Stream current and quickly trigger dramatic local cooling in Northern Europe.

The film examines annual temperature and CO2 levels for the past 650,000 years in Antarctic ice core samples.

The documentary ends with Gore noting that if appropriate actions are taken soon, the effects of global warming can be successfully reversed by releasing less carbon dioxide and growing more plants which produce oxygen, like trees for example. Gore calls upon viewers to learn how they can help in this hyped initiative.

Gore's book of the same title was published concurrently with the theatrical release of the documentary. The book contains additional information, scientific analysis, and Gore's commentary on the issues presented in the documentary.

What can we do? Switch to and encourage the development of alternative energy sources: Solar, wind, tidal, biofuels Move quickly toward hybrid and electric cars. Pour money into public transit, and subsidize the fares. Save energy in our houses.

Film review from Wikipedia

Asma Jehangir Pakistani Human rights activist in Pune

PUNE, 26 July 2007 —.
Whenever she comes to India and wherever she speaks, she draws large crowds: she is a great orator and Indians like to listen to a Pakistani pleading for friendly relations with India Speaking at a program organized by the Pune Union of Working Journalists here, Asma Jehangir, a Pakistani human rights activist, said free and fair elections in Pakistan were not possible until Musharraf quits.
Asma also criticized the Indian government for giving Musharraf a grand welcome during his Agra visit.
The human rights activist did not rule out the possibility of Musharraf imposing a state of emergency in the country. “The United States, which has supported Musharraf so far, should see the pro-democracy mood in Pakistan,” she remarked.
The human rights activist condemned the storming of the Red Mosque in Islamabad and the alleged indiscriminate use of force against students and militants inside. She asked how arms entered the mosque and who was financing the mosque’s authorities.
Saying that terrorism was a genuine threat, Asma claimed that Musharraf was “psychologically” finished and that the US may act according to the situation. She was very optimistic that former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan to contest elections.

Interview with Asma Jehangir on the state of the civil movements across the border

How would you describe the human rights movement in Pakistan?

It is stunted. But then, what can you expect in dictatorship? There is constant pressure on the judicial system. The voice of those fighting for human causes is not heard. This will happen because the system is not participatory as seen in most democracies.

How can true democracy return? Aren't the citizens fed up with propaganda that does not suit them?

It is only the elite and feudal lords who think like this. But the ordinary Pakistani knows what he wants. He knows that if the country has to move forward then the yoke of military dictatorship has to be thrown out. They also know that it is not the easy way out. And they are fighting it daily.

What about the inhuman laws which still continue to govern Pakistani women?

Inhuman laws like Karo Kari (constitutes honour killings) and Hadood Ordinance, in which a rape case requires the evidence of four adult male Muslims in order for the penalty of hadood to be imposed upon the accused, continue to exist. But now, some MPs like Sherry Rehman from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) have been talking of reforms.

How much impact you think the people's exchanges across the border can have on civil movements?

We can learn so much from each other. Indians can certainly take a tip or two from us on activism. Under a military regime,we certainly know how to beat the system and march.

However, the beginning is not yet made. Visas are denied and TV channels continued to be banned...

There is a problem. We have tried to bring several artists from India. Motivate singers like Lata Mangeshkar to come to Pakistan. Let me assure you that if she does that, there would be a riot across the border!

Courtesy Arab News and Times of India

Pune Education Meet Stresses Education for All

EDUCATION for all on a common platform, with availability of the necessary resources, has been emphasised as part of the Pune Declaration which came up in a day-long workshop hosted by the Indian Consortium for Educational Transformation (ICONSENT) on Saturday.

ICONSENT consists of institutions such as Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL), the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Indian Institute of Education (IIE), SNDT University among others.

The Pune Declaration will be put up on the website for three weeks inviting suggestions and objections. The declaration will stand to be implemented by educationists under ICONSENT.

Ram Takawale, chairperson of ICONSENT, said the Pune Declaration that focused on quality education for anyone, anywhere, enlisted points which focus on incorporating policies and resources for quality education.

The one-day workshop held to mark the birth centenary of educationist JP Naik, saw discussions which encapsulated education in the state. “Quality of education has dipped with a high dropout rate and there is a good percentage who are not even attending schools. Among those attending, it is seen that 40 per cent are hardly able to read and write well. There is a need to bring them all at one level,” said Takawale.

He also pointed out the discrepancies in education meted out by the private and government schools with many students actually going to the latter. “There is a huge divide and this needs to be bridged,” he said.

The meet also emphasised on meeting the learning needs of every learner with internet facility to be made available in every school. “Technology is the need of the hour and this needs to be made available,” he said

Among the other recommendations: Emphaisising on self-learning and not rote learning, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship and not content memorisation was also highlighted. Mutual cooperation between private and government players and introduction of policies to go with the present global scenario too were put in the declaration.

Courtesy: PUNENewsline Monday July 2 2007

Kachra KIondi documentary on Pune's sanitary workers screened

In this high-tech age, it is ironical that a municipal sanitary worker in Pune has to still step into overflowing sewers (down manholes) without an oxygen mask and go underwater in contaminated sewage to remove debris with has bare hands! Two workers perished a few years ago due to extreme asphyxiation. The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) garbage staff has to clear overflowing garbage containers, which could contain anything from rotting food to used sanitary napkins and dead animals, with their bare hands. PMC’s women street sweepers have to sweep human excreta every day, come rain or shine, and the PMC sanitary staff has to dispose of unclaimed bodies from the general hospital morgue.

All this is and more has been captured on ‘Kachra Kondi’ (Garbage Jam), the latest documentary film made by Pune-based theatre director, Atul Pethe. The 55-minute film, produced by the PMC Workers’ Union on a shoe string budget had its first, free public viewing at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) auditorium on July 1. The film tries to look at the lives of conservancy staff including sweepers, garbage lifters, toilet cleaners and people who dispose unclaimed bodies.

In ‘Kachra Kondi’, Pethe, who shot and directed the film himself, brings us face to face with the PMC sanitary workers and their tough working lives, be it in the choked sewers, dirty toilets or overflowing garbage bins. In the film, the PMC garbage truck drivers complain about the poor condition of their trucks which, according to them, have faulty brakes, engine problems and breakdowns resulting in accidents. And, even though the PMC commissioner states on camera that the sanitary staff is entitled to a ration of gumboots, gloves, soaps and rainwear, the situation on the ground is very different. “All these provisions are on paper. We have not been issued any of this equipment,” a worker laments.

Explaining the aim behind producing the film, Mukta Manohar, general secretary, PMC Workers Union says, “We wanted to share with society the sheer drudgery experienced by sanitary workers every day, We hope the film is viewed enthusiastically and the resultant debate will help improve the lives of the sanitary worker,” Says Manohar, “I appeal to Punekars to segregate their wet and dry garbage, compost the wet garbage and say no to plastic. This will make the lives of the sanitary workers easier.”

There are at present 8,000 conservancy staff under the PMC Employee’s Union while over 5,000 people work in the unorganisd sector and are hired by contractors. Said Atul Pethe, director and producer of the film “This is a section that is always neglected by the society. They are termed as uncivilised only because they dispose the garbage generated by the civilised society”.

Courtesy: Maharashtra Herald, TOI and Indian Express Pune

PS! A copy of the film can be ordered from Atul Pethe atul_pethe@hotmail.com or you may borrow my copy for viewing