Saturday, July 27, 2013

And trying to keep on... reading...writing...

for academic articles:

1st one: 
Topic: Research Methodology
Title: Technological Innovation in Social Innovation (SI) context: specificities of pro-poor solutions from an Indian perspective
Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to investigate the relationship between High Tech and Low tech Innovation Processes in the context of Social Innovation (SI) with a particular focus on pro-poor innovations developed in India. After defining the factors that play a role in this interaction this study attempts to define a new way to look at social innovation especially in bottom up approaches that are way more qualitative and human resources focused.

2nd one:
Topic: New Institutional Economics
Title: Working title: Waste management and institutional perspectives with Indian empirical examples and theoretical economical approaches

Abstract:
Why waste needs institution or management?
Define the crux of the problem from market-failure perspective in waste creation.
What is the core of market failure in waste creation? Is the ill-defined property right or transaction cost or both, explain through review?
What kind of Institution or institutional response is required to address the market –failure issues in Waste creation? Explain different types of Institutions and institutional response from available case studies in India or elsewhere
Critically assess all types of Institutions and develop a matrix of performance of Institutions on several parameters of waste creation related problems

3rd article:
Topic: Advances Quantitative Methods
Title: Status of Waste Generation in urban India and key influencing factors e:
Abstract:
Very little has been written, published on waste management in India. Probably because little data are available.

Yet the topic of waste management in general and treatment of waste is becoming pivotal in a country that has an important growth rate, impacting hugely on the growth of its waste level and the problems of health, sanitary aspects, poor communities that come with it.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Where 3 oceans meet, where Gandhi's...

ashes where dispersed.
What a blessing to read Swami Vivekananda's sacred teachings from where his worldly mission started.

From where Gandhi decided to ...go.

Nerver mind failures... if you fail a thousand times, make the attempt once more!

So true, even when it stands in front of Men's room!

So... back on the road!
After a few days resting, under the rain, in Amritapuri, time for me to take my backpack again and head south, to the southern most point of India: Kanyakumari.


An early train, puffing its way between long coconut palms and flooded rice fields... actually quite refreshing in the hard sunlight getting high and hot by now ...
What a better way than these few kilometers where the landscape defiles slowly, to discover India from below the Line, from down under… from local projects as well as places of very high spiritual importance in India: Kanyakumari with Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi, Pondichery and Sri Aurobindo and the Mother in Auroville a few kilometers north, Mahavalipuram and its sinked temples like an indian version of La Cite Perdue, Atlantide..

Tiruvanamalai and Ramana Raharshi, Arunachala and its 14 kilometers and mantra walk at full moon time… with thousands of pilgrims…

In the next weeks an introduction class on Social Innovation in IIT Madras the most famous Indian university, a bit like Polytechnique in France.

For now Kanyakumari welcomes me with a tropical dry heat, at the end of the end of India…
No more tracks after the train has stopped. Opening the door from AC 3rd tier, to get my throat assaulted by dry sandy air, smells of tropical islands (mix of frangipane and jasmine) as well as a weird kind of maqui smell too!
Memories of Corsica, of childhood islands, Guadeloupe, Tahiti, Rangiroa…
It is midday, the heat is culminating, and like in those island of my young age, siesta is not a luxury but a must!
No other choice than the touristic auto-rickshaw which charges 10 times more to get to Vivekananda ashram, usual tourist rape!
Ashram in the outskirts of town, beautiful campsite by the sea, with many temples, exhibition rooms for Vivekananda’s 150 bday!
Time to pay my respects to Mister Biogas here: his department has installed 3000 home units in the past 25 years.

And still no Pinkie Holding my dear friend Deepak, that will never happen!

But look at how happy they are: "
Hello you look lovely today... 
hey you what are you looking at!"
even sending bad looks and 'pinking' up a fight!!!

Monday, July 8, 2013

French man on a Dump Fill...in South India

...and a waste management trip!

From Coimbatore Velaloor dump fill to Kanyakumari, its Biogas plant in local villages houses... Pondichery, Auroville and its green experts, best practices... soon Chennai!

Looking at what exists in terms of waste management, meeting people...
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-02/coimbatore/40328551_1_vellalore-dumpyard-city-municipal-corporation-commissioner-waste

reading great Rishis and meditating in holy places

And if it inspired a few local people to get involved...all the better:

Dear Mr Guidi,
I read about you in Times of India , your work in south India.In my neighbourhood around 15-20 ton solid waste of all kinds is generated and being used for landfill.I have a dream that one day we should be able to recycle the same as manure for kitchen gardens and else where. inorganic are at present also segregated,plastics are also to some extent recycled but veggies n organics are also there...
I am a 55 yr year old mechanical engineer with very meager resources to live but i kbnow resources will pour in when we work for greater goodness of humanity...