NIMBU PAANI

NIMBU PAANI

Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams: Chapter 152

Palash Biswas

Charaka Samhita
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Charaka Samhita Sutra is an ancient Indian Ayurvedic text on internal medicine written by Charaka. It is believed to be the oldest of the three ancient treatises of Ayurveda. It is central to the modern-day practice of Ayurvedic medicine; and, along with the Sushruta Samhita it is now identified worldwide as an important early source of medical understanding and practice, independent of ancient Greece. [1]

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The text, written in Sanskrit, is the work of at least several authors and may represent the work of a school of thought. The term ‘Charaka’ (Caraka) is said to apply to ‘wandering scholars’ or ‘wandering physicians’; and ‘Samhita’ means ‘collected' or 'compendium’. The original source of this text is identified as the Agnivesha Tantra (a treatise by Agnivesha), based on the teachings of Punarvasu Atreya and Charaka is said to have redacted this work (Agniveshakrite tantre Charaka pratisamskrite). Later, another scholar, Dridhabala extended it further (Aprapte Dridhabala sampurite). The work as extant dates to the Maurya period (roughly 3rd century BCE).
Contents
The extant text has ashtanga sthana (eight sections), totaling 120 chapters. These 8 sections are Sutra sthana (30 chapters), Nidana sthana (8 chapters), Vimana sthana (8 chapters), Sarira sthana (8 chapters), Indriya sthana (12 chapters), Chikitsa sthana (30 chapters), Kalpa sthana (12 chapters) and Siddhi sthana (12 chapters). 17 chapters of Chikitsa sthana and complete Kalpa sthana and Siddhi sthana were added later by Dridhabala (9th century). The text starts with Sutra sthana which deals with fundamentals and basic principles of Ayurveda practice. Unique scientific contributions credited to the Charaka Samhita include:

a rational approach to the causation and cure of disease
introduction of objective methods of clinical examination
“Direct observation is the most remarkable feature of Ayurveda, though at times it is mixed up with metaphysics. The Samhita emphasises that of all types of evidence the most dependable ones are those that are directly observed by the eyes. In Ayurveda successful medical treatment crucially depends on four factors: the physician, substances (drugs or diets), nurse and patient. The qualifications of physician are: clear grasp of the theoretical content of the science, a wide range of experience, practical skill and cleanliness; qualities of drugs or substances are: abundance, applicability, multiple use and richness in efficacy; qualifications of the nursing attendant are: knowledge of nursing techniques, practical skill, attachment for the patient and cleanliness; and the essential qualifications of the patients are: good memory, obedience to the instructions of the doctors, courage and ability to describe the symptoms.”[
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charaka_Samhita

Ayurveda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ayurveda (Devanagari: ????????, the 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to India,[9] and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.[10] In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda comprises the words ayus, meaning 'life' and veda, meaning 'science'.[9] Evolving throughout its history, Ayurveda remains an influential system of medicine in South Asia.[11] The earliest literature of Ayurveda appeared during the Vedic period in India.[10] The Sushruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita were influential works on traditional medicine during this era.[10] Ayurvedic practitioners also identified a number of medicinal preparations and surgical procedures for curing various ailments and diseases.[12]

Ayurveda is considered to be a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the western world, where several of its methods—such as herbs, massage, and Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine—are applied on their own as a form of CAM treatment.[13
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda
Lime Water Juice Drink, Nimbu Pani Thandai - Indian Recipes - Indian Food Recipes
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=psUuKeg9frs


Vegetable Juice Drink - Indian Recipes Shake - Indian Food Recipes
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=UZxcE-Mci9M



Ginger & Carrot Juice Drink - Indian Recipes - Indian Food Recipes
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=V-9uoZOv4IM


Cool down on a hot summer day with this very refreshing drink!NIMBU PAANI!


NIMBU PAANI

8 cups of Water
4 Juice Lemons (Nimbu)
1/3 cup of Honey (Shehed)
10 Dates (pitted & halves)


Take the lemon and cut them in halves crosswise, remove the zest from 6 of the halves and squeeze out the juice. Slice the remaining lemons into thin rounds.

Place the water and the dates in a sauce pan and gently boil it for about ten minutes. Add the zest and boil for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the honey, lemon juice and lemon slices and set aside. Loosely cover for about 8-12 hours.

Then strain it through a muslin lined sieve or strainer and serve it chilled.

NIMBU PAANI is now a PEPSICO venture! during Global recession, The news for the soft drink industry hasn't been good. With links to childhood obesity and tooth decay, soft drink sales are down for the first time in 20 years. And sales of bottled water, juices and energy drinks are continuing to eat into the soda market.But COLA CMPANIES have not to be worried as the WORLD BANK gangsters and the most Notorious Imposters planted by Washington DC run the Government of India! Indian BRAHAMINICAL System sustains all elements of ANTI Indigenous HINDUTVA based on manusmriti but has DELETED suicidally CHARVAK DRSHAN and CHARAK SANHITA! AYURVEDA is most negelcted and Mecical SERVICE is transformed into a KHULLA KHEL FRARRUKHABADI for ZIONIST Biological CHEMICAL war Fare Mafia. Public Health and Public education have been PRIVATISED to SLOW POISON the masses deprived of Production system, resources, livelihood and ultimately, PURCHASING POWR!Ayurvedic system of herbalism traces its roots to over five thousand years ago in the Himalayan Mountains of India. History reveals that charak for the first time documented this ancient science about 5000 years ago.We have forgot this!

Just Imagine, how many NIMBU PAANIwalas have to be ejected out of life and livelihood! How many more marginalised families have to sleep without FOOD in this GENOCIDE CULTURE time!Numbu Paani is a delicious thirst quencher made from freshly squeezed lemons, salt and sugar. It has a clean and refreshing flavour and is rich with vitamin C. Indians AMERICANISED also do cnsume the DESI soft drink and often make it CELEBRATION as Nimbu Paani also acts as a great mixer for cocktails specially with vodka! It is well known in the DEVELOPED world as Lemonade! Then,Lemonade is a lemon-flavored soft drink. As the name suggests, lemonade is made from lemons. It is an ade. When combined with sugar, it gives a pleasant mixture of sour and sweet to produce a flavor very agreeable to the taste buds.It is commonly available in all the towns of India, particularly in the summer season. It is very easy to prepare.

THERE is spreme POLITICAL RECIPE of BRAHAMINICAL NIMBU PAANI as the KULIN BENGALI Brahmin of the LETHAL Trio of Mass DESTRUCTION Pranab Mukherjee is at last the Working Prime Minister of India! Prime minister waiting lala Krishna Adwani and the Marxist gestapo head of West Bengal makes a PERFECT CHEMISTRY of NIMBU PAANI for the Hegemony!With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set to undergo heart surgery on Saturday to remove cardiac blockages, Congress sources indicated that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will officiate in his absence. After many years of using primarily fake claims as if they are real claims, in our economy, we have caused the ascension to power of fake leaders, trustees that cannot be trusted. These leaders appear like the real thing (good leaders or trustworthy trustees), but they are anything but the real thing. They work against the best interest of people. They seek to take peoples freedom or autonomy away.

"In the absence of Singh, Mukherjee presides over the Cabinet meetings," a senior party leader said after the Prime Minister was admitted to AIIMS, adding what was an informal arrangement was now being made formal.

Apart from the HUE and CRY for SHINING INDIA IMage, India remains in the SLUMS and the People, the COMMON Masses are treated as SLUMDOGS deprived of Life, Home, Livelihood, citizenship, Human and Civil rights, Freedom and Human DIGNITY. So much so that the DEPRIVED Indians predestined to die with inherent Injustice and Inequality, easily IDENTIFY themeselves as SLUMDOGS! Thus, Oscar nominated ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, a rags to riches story of a Mumbai slum kid directed by British filmmaker Danny Boyle opened to huge expectations in India on Friday. Winner of four Golden Globe awards and ten Oscar nominations, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ has been produced at a budget of seven million pounds. It has so far collected six million pounds at the UK box office and 40 million dollars in USA.

moreover, Tale of Varanasi girl also in Oscar race! Why? The World is interested in POR India as no less than EIGHTY CORORE of Indians are fighting with STARVATION despite the launching of India BRAND, despite INDO US Nuclear deal, despite the MILITARY Might and Strategic Realliance in US lead, despite the EMERGNING Affluent neo RICH Class belonging to FREEsenSEX uncontrolled, unregulated!While the entire country was celebrating the 10 Oscar nominations of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, the tale of a little girl here whose cleft lip made her a social outcast went almost unnoticed in spite of being shortlisted for an Academy award in the short documentary section. Made in Bhojpuri and Hindi, ‘Smile Pinki’ revolves around poor six-year-old Pinki from a village of Mirzapur district.

The 39-minute film directed by Emmy-nominated producer Megan Mylan, also tells of Ghutaru, who along with Pinki were made social outcasts due to their cleft lips. The simple surgery that can cure them is a distant dream until they meet Pankaj, a social worker travelling village to village, gathering patients for a hospital that provides free surgery to thousands each year.

It was shot in the village and G S Memorial Plastic Surgery Hospital in Varanasi where Pinki was actually operated by plastic surgeon Subodh Kumar Singh.

Singh is project director of Smile Train which offers free surgery to cleft children.

SKELETONs OVERFLOW the Indian INCs Cupboard COLA BRANDED!

The United Nations has said it has suspended tainted Satyam Computer Services from the Secretariat's vendor database and placed all ongoing contracts with the company under review.

"Satyam has been suspended from the UN Secretariat vendor database. The information has been communicated to the UN procurement system and the UN Global Marketplace.

"Ongoing contracts with Satyam are currently under assessment," UN Procurement Division's Integrated Support Service Chief Kiyohiro Mitsui said in an e-mail on Friday.

The UN, however, did not assign any reason for the action against the Indian IT company, which is smarting from the shock of a Rs 7,800 crore accounting fraud engineered by its founder Ramalinga Raju. UN Spokesperson Michele Montas has, however, said she no new information about reassessment of UN contracts with Satyam, now under investigation by Indian authorities for fraud. The UN procurement website lists contracts worth about USD six million with the Indian software firm, including a talent management software.


What about the GLOBAL Hegemony. it is run by ILLUMINITI despite the CHANGE emerged with the elevation of a Black First AFRO American President. It is the same story as we see UNTOUCHABILTY Practiced in Marxist Ruled West Bengal! Despite his frequent descriptions of his Christian faith and taking oath of office on Abraham Lincoln bible, around a quarter of people in the US believed a rumour that President Barack Obama is a Muslim. A new study by Ohio State University has revealed that nearly 91 per cent of respondents said in a survey, following Obama's November 4 election, they heard the false rumour that he was a Muslim, while 22 per cent claimed they believed it.What's more shocking is that some 59 per cent of the respondents had heard the rumour that Obama did not qualify to be US President as he was not a citizen by birth, though only ten per cent of them actually believed it. And, 41 per cent heard that the bulk of donations to the Obama campaign came from ‘a handful of wealthy foreign financiers’ and 20 per cent of them believed it, the study, led by Kelly Garrett, has found.

Obama was sworn in as the first black President on January 20 at a 150-million-dollar extravaganza watched by some two million people with a blunt message to terrorists all over the world -- "we will defeat you". Climaxing the unlikeliest of journeys to the White House, the 47-year-old African-American was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice John G Roberts Jr, 12 minutes behind schedule, on the steps of the West Front of the Capitol Hill where the US Congress sits.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has spoken to President Asif Ali Zardari to share with him the vision of President Barack Obama's administration and its policies towards the region and Pakistan. During a brief telephone conversation with Zardari on Thursday night, Clinton discussed the situation in the region and Pakistan-US relations. Clinton and Zardari agreed that the ties between the two countries, which have continued to expand in all facets over the years, would be further strengthened by the new democratic government in Pakistan and the US, state-run APP news agency reported. Meanwhile,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told new US President Barack Obama in a letter of congratulations that he hopes ties between the two countries will "strengthen further", a statement said on Thursday. New Delhi and Washington signed a civilian nuclear deal in 2008 under Obama's predecessor George W Bush, reversing decades of US non-proliferation policies, and bilateral ties are at their closest for years. India is trying to mount a diplomatic offensive against nuclear-armed rival Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks that killed 179 people in November. New Delhi wants Islamabad to crack down on the Pakistan-based militants who India and the United States say were behind the attacks. India accuses some Pakistan state agencies of involvement, a charge its neighbour strongly denies.
On the other hand,India on Friday asked the world community to cooperate in its efforts to get Pakistan act against terror outfits operating from its soil. "We expect cooperation from all world communities to get speedy results to our demands," Defence Minister A K Antony told reporters in New Delhi to a question on US President Barack Obama calling Pakistan the epicentre of terror.

"Apart from solidarity or sympathy, what India needs is results and we are waiting for the results," Antony added.

New Delhi has been telling the world that terrorists operating from across the border are not only a threat to India but also to the entire world, Antony said.

"I am happy that there is realisation in many quarters on terrorists operating from across the border. As per our information, at the moment there are 30 terror outfits operating from across the border," Antony said.

"It is not words or sympathy, India needs action, India needs results," the Defence Minister added.

Calling for strong action against terrorists who perpetrated the Mumbai terror attacks, the Defence Minister said all terror outfits in Pakistan must be dismantled. To a question, Antony denied any pressure on India from the US against using military option in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks due to the former's war on terror in Afghanistan.

"No sensible person, no responsible country will say after the 26/11 experience that India must not take any steps against terrorists," he said.

Noting that the armed forces were in a state of preparedness after the terror attacks, Antony said "they are doing their duty to the nation and they must, according to me, be ready to face any eventuality on the border".

To a poser on Pakistan seeking China's help to ward off New Delhi's pressure, the Defence Minister said there was nothing new in the move.



‘Pesticides’ found in colas had earlier sparked a major row. It is time to revive drinks like old and famous rose-flavoured ones, which can not only replace cola-drinks in India but even dominate global-market by breaking monopoly of harmful colas.


So, Pepsi, which has been making losses since its entry in India, may finally say... yehi hi hai right choice baby...

Since PEPSI wants to recover from GLOBAL Recession, we the ABORIGINAL Indigenous people have to be ROBBED OFF our most refreshing, homely soft drink! WTO, GATT, World bank, ADB, IMF and MNCs have already EXPLOITED our Nature and natural Resources! Indigenous HERBS belong no more to us! We have been deprived of NEEM, HALDI, CHANDAN, Mehendi and every thing Indian as the Worldbank GANGSTERS and the GOVERNING IMPOSTERS have sold out everything Indigenous to MNCs or corporates, the ZIONIST GLOBAL Market!

Why should we weep? No MOURNING friends! Because FREEsenSEX India is GLITTERING like GOLD. Slumdog MILLIONAIR has been nominated for ten OSCARS! It is celebration time! let us party ! let us DRINK!

My illiterate Grand Mother hailing from an unknown village on the bank of RIVER Madhumati used to pose as HERBAL Doctor. She had grown all types of HERBS at home. My Uncle, CHHOTO KAKA was a Mediacal practioner in Nainital Terai, the only one in a RURAL area of DISPLACED RESETTLED Refugees, the partition victims, spanning no less than THIRTY SIX Miles radius around Lalkuan! He would never use the Anti BIOTICS or Vaccines. Even in EMERGENCY, he used HERBS! In basantipur, my extended family, the ladies used HERBS only for Beauty care and they could never know any SHANAZ HUSSAIN!

Nimbu Pani Mystique ... cheap and skilled labour et al, quaff down that nimbu paani, before the Yanks will, and learn to join your hands right. Na-maste. ...


So what?

So who were these older girls? And what did they get for making such lovely nimbu-pani?

Our Black Untouchable Indigenous Aboriginal majority People suffer from DEMENTIA intense. being BARRED from any kind of Knowledge, we remain habitually ILLITERATE or SEMI LITERATE despite University degrees! We are never aware of our own IDENTITY! Nationality! indigenous India was a NATURAL SOCIETY barring the CIVIC societies of Harappa, Mohanjodoro and LOTHAL. We were associated to Nature. Everything associted to Nature or Natural resources had been ICONISED. Ganges and Himalayas remain DIVINE. Trees have been DIVINE! AGNI is purifying! SKY and OCEANs are GODs. Sun and MOON and all the planets and stars remained GODS for us! We worshipped every bit of STONE and Herb! We worshipped ANIMALs and Birds! We worshiped the RAPTILEs like Snake and Tortoise! Hindutva and HOLY scripts are INVOKED to KILL the INDIGENOUS people and destroy the Aboriginal Production system. But We sell out the FOLK and FOLK heritage, culture! The MOST RELIGIOUS Hindus never HESITATE to GANGRAPE a GODDESS like Ganges. Aryans DEFORested INDIA and ENSLAVED Indians in Hindutva with Manusmriti laws! We have been divided into more than SIX THOUSANDS castes so that Brahaminical Hegemony may sustain eternally, so that there happens no scope for a REVOLUTION like BUFDDHISM!

Water is a precious natural resource vital, for sustaining all life on the earth. It is in a continuous circulatory movement - hydrologic cycle. It is not uniformly distributed in time and space. Due to its multiple benefits and the problems created by its excesses, shortages and quality deterioration, water as a resource requires special attention.



On a global scale, total quantity of water available is about 1600 million cubic km. The hydrological cycle moves enormous quantities of water about the globe. However, much of the world's water has little potential for human use because 97.5% of all water on earth is saline water. Out of remaining 2.5% fresh water, most of which lies deep and frozen in Antarctica and Greenland, only about 0.26% flows in rivers, lakes and in the soils and shallow aquifers which can be readily used.



The concept of sustainable development implies development that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. This is all the more important for a resource like water. Sustainable development would ensure minimum adverse impacts on the quality of air, water and terrestrial environment. The long term impacts of global climatic change on various components of hydrologic cycle are also important.



Now see, THe entire range of the HIMALAYAS stand NACKED! Deforested! causing intense water CRISIS and Global warming! Rivers have been sold out to Multi nationals so that they may retail out POISON in every corner of the country! Rivers have been BLOCKED to create Destruction like Narmada valley, Sardar sarovar and POLAVARAM! CHEMICAL and BIOLOGICAL warfare is practiced in dense CITIES like BHOPAL! SEZ drive has been launched to make FREE KILLINGFIELDS to get the GOLDEN GOOSE NAMED INDIA!

Is this Religion? Who boast to be RELIGIOUS while every opportunity is used to GANG RAPE nature and Natural resources!


Herbs have been made MNC property. The Peasnts have to desert their HOMES, Land and Life to give way to SEZ, CHEMICAL HUBS, Nuclear parks and retail Chains!
In Bengal and all over INDIAN COAST line the NATURE provides you a NATURAL BOON, the COCONUT. In Bengal half of the population suffer from STOMACK ACHE, Indigestion and ULCER! Coconut WATER, DAAB JAL or NARIYAL PAANI is considered RAMVAAN, Perfect CURE for all kinds of Stomach related disease. The COCONUT Water works as SLINE also. But Bengalies who had been quite habitual to grow and Consume COCONIUT Water have opted for PESTICIDE Colas. It happens every where! In Orissa, Andhra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, kerala and specilly in MUMBAI!

We live on FAST FOOD and opted for Antibiotics, BOOSTER and VACCINATION. Doctors have become the CRUEL MOST BUTCHERS available. All kinds of BANNED Poisonous Drugs, chemicals and Boosters are being PRESCRIBED dictated by medical representatives only!

Pramod Mahajan, tragically killed by his own REAL brother, an ICONIC RSS leader is best known to use MINERAL WATER for water. And it is quite in VOGUE!

Thus, the NIMBU PAANI is also to be INFLIVCTED with PESTICIDE!

I never liked Indian capital region though I lived in Meerut for SIx years during 1984 to 1990 and visited new delhi very often! i landed in new delhi right in 1974. My father travelled countrytwide and he wanted to report the PRIME MINISTER Mrs INDIRA GANDHI. I had to preopare the report and then, I was jaust appeared in Class Eleven exams in GIC, nainital! I was stunned to see that everyone had to buy DRINKING WATER in New Delhi. I landed in new delhi direct from the Himalayas, the INFINITE source of Water and Life. Quite a natural life. Instantly I hated the METRO CULTURE , quite aliegn to me. I despised DELHI, though I liked the LASSI, Punjabi people, beautiful girls so abound in New Delhi and ZALEBI from CHANDNI CHOWK! But New delhi remained an EXTENDED BURNING GHAT beyond Rajghat, Vijayghat and SHANTIVANA! Contrarily, I loved KOLKATA which I visited in 1973. It looked like an EXTENDED INDIAN VILLAGE INDIGENOUS, full of life and where I had not to buy drinking water! I hardly know the HEGEMONY ruling! But I recognised the status of KOLKATA as Cultural capital of india immediately. During my stay in Dhanbad (1980 to 1984) I visited so often KOLKATA.

During this period of eighteen years in Kokata, I have made myself HABITUAL to bear with the Marxist Brahaminical Hegemony witnessing the EXTENDED VILLAGE being killed mercilessly!

During this period, amid the most hated Misinformation campaign I was actually very IRRITATED to read a report published in a Hindi DAILY that the NIMBU Paaniwalas get the SNOW from MORGUES! It was published at the time while reports relating the composition of SOF DRINKs were afloat and a BOYCUTT SOFT DRINKS was the HIGHLIGHT!

The Union government and soft-drink manufacturers should revive drinks like the traditional and healthy rose-flavoured drinks, which can not only replace cola-drinks in India but can even dominate global-market by breaking monopoly of harmful cola-drinks.RATHER it OUSTS the NIMBU PAANIwalas to benefit the PESTICIDE COLAS! Mind you, only few years back a major controversy had erupted over the pesticide-based ingredients found in cola drinks. Noted environmentalist, Sunita Narain, had charged these multinationals of “poisoning” the young generation in Third World countries. She had also alleged that the ingredients used in the manufacture of these drinks in India were much more harmful than what was being used in Europe and USA.

Most of the INDIANS ousted from the Natural Traditional cultural Folk LIFE STYLE tend to be DIABETIC! For you kind information, Regular consumption of this drink is leading to diabetes among children at a very young age. It is senseless to exempt cola-drinks from printing ingredients on their bottles in name of trade secret when every packaged food commodity has to print ingredients on their packs. Earlier too, soft-drink manufacturers were asked to remove an oil from their products which was found to be harmful for health. Our world is filled with things that appear like the real thing, but in reality is anything but the real thing. Either they optically look like the real thing or people accept or use them as the real thing. These things, instead of working like the real things, they work in opposite of the real things or they cause other problems (side-effects).

We have bread made with bleached flour, adulterated fuels, soft drinks, coffee, and energy drinks that for many in part takes the place of pure water etc. These things cause health problems which are not immediately apparent, but take time to manifest. Do your own research regarding these things and form your own conclusions. Some of these could be the cause of some long term health problems you might have.


Compulsory printing of ingredients on cola-bottles will clear doubts about presence of any intoxicant or addicting substance in cola-drinks.

Right in 2002, COCA-COLA India (CCI) was considering launching various categories of commercial beverages in the domestic market, which could include flavoured milk, nimbu pani, tea, fruit juice under the brand name Minute Maid, and Vanilla Coke, Mr Alex Von Behr, President & Chief Executive Officer, CCI, told newspersons in New delhi on August 20, 2002, on the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Marketing Summit.However, Mr von Behr made it clear that carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) would continue to be CCI's mainstay in the domestic market. "Soft drinks account for 90 per cent of CCI's sales. Even, say, five years later, we expect that CSDs will continue to contribute up to 75 per cent of our revenues," Mr von Behr said.On packaged water, Mr von Behr said that CCI was working towards pumping in additional investments and expanding bottling capacity to meet increasing demand. He said that Kinley, CCI's packaged water brand, was likely to overtake market leader Bisleri in the next few months. According to the AC Nielsen retail audit, Kinley's current market share is 33 per cent, while that of Bisleri is 36 per cent. Mr von Behr added that the company had broken even on its investments in the water business.

But, it seems that PEPSICO has snatched the INITIATIVE at last!

However, Beverage major Coca-Cola India is readying an extensive roll-out of products for this year. The exercise will kick off next month with a fortified low-priced powder drink Vitingo (an orange-flavoured beverage powder with micronutrients), which will be followed by a phased launch of global energy drink Burn in the next quarter. The company is also working on introducing a lemonade later in the year. This would be its third lime-based drink, besides the existing Sprite and Limca brands. This lemon-based drink could be either under Coca-Cola’s juice franchise brand Minute Maid or aerated drink Fanta.The new lime-based drink would be among the company’s most ambitious launches, sources close to the development told ET. According to industry officials, the market for packaged nimbu pani in India, almost entirely unorganised till now, poses growth potential higher than most packaged drinks.

Meanwhile, the American giant has signed up cricketer Gautam Gambhir for its summer campaigns. The summer ad campaigns will coincide with the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled for April-May. Also, the company recently picked up sponsorship of GMR Sports-owned IPL team Delhi Daredevils. The company plans to launch global energy drink Burn in phases and in select outlets only. Rival PepsiCo had rolled out its own energy drink, SoBe, in October last year. Though the domestic energy drinks category is niche with the only significant brands being Red Bull, SoBe and Power Horse, it is an emerging category.


Pepsi is likely to launch nimbu pani this summer. While the bottling name has not been finalised, sources told UTVi that it is probably going to be a sub brand of 7 Up, Pepsi's lemon flavoured cola.In fact, Pepsi's advertising agency BBDO has already been briefed about the new product expected to be launched in April.Punita Lal, executive director (marketing), Pepsi, refused to comment on speculation regarding brand launches.

Why Under 7 Up brand, why not Tropicana? Well, to begin with, packaged nimbu pani is going to contain high levels of preservatives, and hence cannot come under the healthy juice category. While Pepsi is already present in the non-cola segment with its Tropicana range of juices, the prices of approximately Rs 90 per 330 ml is a bit out of reach for the aam aadmi.

To really attract the non-cola or the health-conscious consumer, nimbu paani, when launched, could probably be priced cheaper than other Pepsi colas. The market for nimbu pani in India is almost entirely unorganised till now, and it holds growth potential higher than most packaged drinks.


JThe good old Nimbu Paani and milk beverages are generating soft murmurs within PepsiCo India. If the new PepsiCo CEO, Sanjeev Chadha, is to be believed, the cola major could soon hit the retail shelves near you with localised product offerings.Samidha Sharma & Bhanu Pande reports for Economic Times:

PepsiCo is keenly looking at the traditional options to expand its product basket in the Indian market. The company had recently activated its Gurgaon-based R&D lab, one of the two outside the US, to work overtime and lead the Indian subsidiary to such localised products. “We are looking at all the needs that a beverage can fulfil,” Mr Chadha told ET in his first interaction with the media since he took over the reins of the company in January this year. “Considering that the non-cola market in India is still under-developed due to lack of choice, we want to step up the process,” he said.

That’s the big shift, partly fuelled by market and cultural dynamics. Part of this shift includes the recent setting up of a nutrition advisory board on the lines of the red ribbon board that Pepsico has globally.
The cola giant is also aggressively exploring new categories such as functional waters and healthy whites to expand its non-CSD beverage portfolio in India. The company is, in fact, going back to the drawing board to find that ‘sweet spot’ that combines the fun and ‘good for you’ proposition for the consumers to create a whole new range what is internally being referred to as ‘treat for you’.

This is in line with ‘performance with purpose’ strategy laid down by the new Pepsi Worldwide chairman, Indra Nooyi. The target is to align the company’s cola and non-cola on equal footing. While globally, Pepsi’s cola portfolio contributes 70% of the company’s business, it does 60-65% in India. Pepsi India hopes to expand its non-cola porfolio to bring the ratio to 50:50 in 3-5 years time frame.

Elaborating on the company’s expansion plans, Mr Chadha said, “There are three major opportunities which have immense growth prospects in India viz, juice and juice-based drinks, functional water and healthy whites such as soya-milk, that have been recently introduced in countries like China and Vietnam.” Besides, the company plans to strengthen its Mango-based drink brand Slice, and introduce value-added or what it calls ‘advantage’ water under Aquafina.

Chadha, through all these efforts expects to double PepsiCo’s business in three years time. He however, emphasised that innovation will not be confined to the non-cola portfolio, but spans CSDs as well. “Similarly, innovation would not be restricted to the beverage category, we are attempting the same across product, packaging and equipment,” added Chadha. For instance, the company wants to introduce its water brand, Aquafina’s in various pack sizes in the retail market.

Inorganic growth apart, the company is eyeing acquisition targets across categories after a long hiatus. “Mergers and acquisitions would be significant for us going forward. Barring water where we already have a strong brand in Acquafina, we are open to acquisitions in any other category,” Chadha said. PepsiCo is currently looking to offer smaller single packs for Acquafina besides looking at flavoured water as a growth opportunity although the low profitability in this category would be a challenge, Chadha pointed out.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/PepsiCo_takes_a_liking_to_nimbu_paani_milk_drinks/RssArticleShow/articleshow/1825593.cms

Squeeze all lemons to remove juice and strain the juice to remove seeds! Pour into a large jug.
Add all the remaining ingredients to get desired strength and sweetness and mix well! Serve in chilled glasses garnished with lemon slices!


Lemonade
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The term can refer to two different types of beverage:

"Clear" Lemonade: In France, the term limonade originally applied to unsweetened water or carbonated soda water with lemon juice added.
Cloudy" Lemonade: In the U.S., Canada, Cuba, Romania and Italy, lemonade refers to a mixture of lemon juice, sugar, and uncarbonated water. In India and Pakistan, where it is commonly known as limu paani or nimbu paani, lemonade may also contain salt. In Brazil, lemonade is sometimes made with full lemons (including the skin) instead of just lemon juice.
"Fizzy" Lemonade: In France, the modern use of the term limonade refers to sweet carbonated lemon or lemon-lime soft drinks. In the UK, Australia, and New Zealand the term mainly refers to a colourless, carbonated, sweet soft drink containing either natural or artificial lemon flavor, such as Schweppes Lemonade. In German-speaking countries there are two distinct terms: Zitronenlimonade is sweet carbonated lemon or lemon-lime soft drinks (like 7-Up or Sprite)and Brauselimonade is unsweetened lemon- or lime-flavored carbonated soda water (like Perrier).

Terminology
The French word limonade, which originally referred to unsweetened lemon-flavoured water or carbonated soda, has since come to mean "soft drink," regardless of flavour, in many languages.

In the UK, the suffix 'ade' means a carbonated sweet soft drink; hence limeade, orangeade, cherryade, etc.

American-style lemonade exists in the UK as a 'homemade' drink (also called lemonade), but is only rarely sold commercially under that name. A carbonated version is commonly sold commercially as 'cloudy' or 'traditional' lemonade. There are also similar uncarbonated products, lemon squash and lemon barley water, both of which are usually sold as a syrup which is diluted to taste. Lemonade also comes in powder packeges.

In Ireland, lemonade refers to the carbonated, lemon-flavored soft drink (as in the UK)but is further sub-divided into white (clear) lemonade and red lemonade. White lemonade equates to the colourless fizzy lemonade common in many countries, while red lemonade is particular to Ireland. Red lemonade differs slightly in taste from white lemonade and is either drunk neat or as part of a whiskey mixer.

In Vietnam, it is called nu?c chanh, a mix of water, lime or lemon juice, sugar, salt, and is usually not carbonated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade

Nimbu Paani, which is nothing but lemonade or lemon squash. It is commonly available in all the towns of India, particularly in the summer season. It is very easy to prepare. Fresh lemon is squeezed in a glass and salt and sugar is added to it. Crushed ice may also be added.Nimbu paani can be prepared with various variations. Honey can be added instead of sugar to give it a mellow taste. Ginger juice can be mixed with nibu paani too. Nimbu paani can also be complimented with mild flavoured fresh juice like pomigranate juice.






At the AICC briefing, spokesman Manish Tewari said that in the absence of the Prime Minister, there is a procedure laid down on how the affairs of the government will be carried out.

Pranab Mukherjee was given the additional charge of Finance Ministry.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said that Mukherjee would hold additional charge from tomorrow until the recovery of the Prime Minister from medical treatment.

"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of External Affairs is assigned the additional charge of Ministry of Finance from January 24, 2009 until the recovery of the Prime Minsiter from medical treatment," the communique said.

Singh was holding the Finance portfolio since last month when P Chidambaram was moved to Home Ministry in the wake of the Mumbai terror strike.

However, Chidambaram is assisting Singh in answering questions related to Finance Ministry in Parliament.

With the development, Mukherjee is expected to present the interim budget in the Lok Sabha on February 16.

A senior party leader said that this was perhaps the first time in Independent India that the Prime Minister would not be able to attend the Republic Day parade.



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CSE releases new study on pesticides in soft drinks



Last updated: 11/03/2007 13:31:17


Q. What has CSE found?
In a comprehensive study covering 12 states (see press release), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has found dangerous levels of pesticides in all samples of soft drinks tested. Click for a power point presentation of what we found. For the technical lab report, including Gas Chromatograms, click here. For the latest Down To Earth cover story, explaining the implications of this find, click here. LATEST DOCUMENTS:

Ganguly committee report recommends standards
Expert committee, chaired by N K Ganguly, director general of ICMR has made public its report today, recommending standards, vindicating CSE's study and putting the controversy to rest.
[March 15, 2007]
Press release
Ganguly committee report executive summary

CSE Rejects offer to meet Coca-Cola
[September 5, 2006]
Press release
more...

Letter to Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
more...1

President & Chief Executive Officer Coca-Cola India Inc
more...

Rebuttal to the ministry of health Expert Committee review.
[download PDF]

CSE responds to Coca-cola's offer to talk
[August 24, 2006]
Atul Singh, President & CEO, Coca Cola sends letter to CSE on August 16th 2006
more...

CSE's responds to Coca Cola's letter on August 18th 2006
more...



Q. Why this report?
CSE has worked with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the standard setting agency, for more than three years.
We have constantly discussed and deliberated all the issues raised by the soft drinks companies. The standard has been discussed and formulated by top food and nutrition scientists in the country. But it has not yet been notified. It cannot be accepted that issues that have been brought to public light are discounted. Our health forgotten.

Q. What is the standards fight about?
Three years ago, CSE found unsafe levels of pesticides in soft drinks. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), constituted to judge the CSE report, endorsed the CSE study (see JPC report) and asked for soft drinks standards to be set. After three years of deliberations and 20 meetings, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has finalised a standard for soft drinks but has abstained from notifying it. CSE, a member of the BIS committee, has fought hard to get the standard notified. Our letter to Minister of Health and Public Welfare, Anbumani Ramadoss (June 15, 2006) outlines our concern. The deliberate delay is inexplicable and is harmful for public health. Click for a chronology of the hard battle for standards

There are still no standards regulating the presence of pesticides, known toxins (click for health effects), in soft drinks.


Q. Why the 'apples have more pesticides' chant of the cola companies is dead wrong. Why must the standard for pesticide residue take into account the nutritive value of the final product?

You can't take the pesticides out of apples. But you can clean up colas.

Soft drinks contain a cocktail of pesticides above stipulated standards, and are thus considered they are unsafe. The companies say there are no stipulated standards. The reason is simple: they don’t allow standards to be formulated.

International standards for pesticide residue all over the world (including in the US and EU) recognise the trade-off between pesticides and nutrition. Read about ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) Fruits and vegetables have nutrition. They give us something in this poison-nutrition trade-off. We get nothing with colas. Just pesticides.

Download the briefing paper 'Poison Vs Nutrition' for an in-depth report on the importance of nutrition in setting pesticide standards.


Q. Why do we care about pesticides?

CSE’s pesticides campaign revolves around the issue of safety from toxins. Pesticides are tiny toxins. Even small doses have significant health effects and are known to cause cancer, neurological problems and various other disorders. Villages have been poisoned by these dangerous chemicals. Faced with evidence of poisoning from their products, industry is known to use dirty tactics. At all costs, they want to avoid being held accountable


Q. What are the health implications of the results? Read more...

Q. What are the excuses companies give? Read more...

Q. About the laboratory that found these results.
Our laboratory is accredited with ISO 9001:2000 quality management system. Secondly, the laboratory has confirmed the presence of the pesticides using state of art equipment — a GC-MS. For questions on the standards, accreditation and methodology of the lab, Click here...

Q. What has been happening since the last study on pesticide content in soft drinks was released. Click for a recap...

Q. What has the government been doing?
Read more...

Q. What is the standard set by the BIS committee?
Read more...


Post comments, views and suggestions here

STORIES THAT SHOOK INDIA


CSE finds unsafe levels of pesticides in soft drinks.
[Aug 15, 2003]
more>>



The science, sociology and politics of Acceptable Daily Intake
[Dec 31, 2003]
more>>



Pesticides found in bottled water
[Feb 15, 2003]
more>>









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Ganguly committee report recommends standards

Expert committee, chaired by N K Ganguly, director general of ICMR has made public its report today, recommending standards, vindicating CSE's study and putting the controversy to rest.
[March 15, 2007]
Press release
Ganguly committee report executive summary
Nothing has changed, says CSE, despite the Kerala High Court decision. Soft drinks as unsafe as before
[September 22, 2006]
more...
CSE rejects offer to meet Coca-Cola.Says process has been compromised.
[September 06, 2006]
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Stop threatening us, take us to court: CSE challenges pesticide industry
[August 25, 2006]
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Junk science of the ministry
[August 23, 2006]
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Government bats for cola companies
[August 22, 2006]
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If we can drink them, we can test them
[August 14, 2006]
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CSE demolishes cola company claims
[August 11, 2006]
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CSE dares cola companies to come clean
[August 7, 2006]
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CSE releases nationwide study on pesticide in soft-drinks.
[August 2, 2006]
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The street fight
[August 15 2006]
Three years since the study on pesticides in soft drinks. CSE presents the inside story.
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HEALTH EFFECTS
RECAP OF EVENTS
Briefing paper [Poison Vs Nutrition
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Government lab criticises pesticides in soft drinks study
By Chris Mercer, 10-Aug-2006
Related topics: Processing, Quality & Safety

Tests in India that found soft drinks contaminated with pesticides are 'doubtful', warns a lab affiliated to the UK government, as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola face more bans and threats of legal action across Indian states.

Central Science Laboratory (CSL), a UK government executive agency, criticised the campaigns group study that found 57 PepsiCo and Coca-Cola drinks in India containing between three and five different pesticides.

CSL, which has tested drinks for Coca-Cola, said in a letter seen by BeverageDaily.com: "There is no evidence in the report that, even if the pesticides were present, the levels were measured with any accuracy".



It added that "as written, the report does not provide unequivocal confirmation of identity of the pesticide residues claimed to be found".



The letter bolsters the position of Pepsi and Coke, which have tried to counter fierce public criticism of their drinks by politicians and almost all media organisations in India since the release of the pesticide study last week.



Average pesticide levels in drinks were 24 times above the Indian government's proposed maximum, according to the study, which was published by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).



Several Indian states have since banned soft drinks from public buildings.



One of the most vocal has been Kerala, which on Wednesday said it would ban both the production and sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi drinks across the state."We have arrived at the decision to ask both Coke and Pepsi to stop production and distribution of all their products, based on scientific studies which have proved that they are harmful," said Kerala chief minister Velikkakathu Achuthanandan.



The bans threaten to damage PepsiCo and Coca-Cola's sales in a soft drinks market growing at between seven and eight per cent per year.



It is the second time in three years that the CSE has released data showing Coke and Pepsi drinks contaminated with pesticides in India.



Both Pepsi and Coke again tried to reassure consumers this week. PepsiCo told BeverageDaily.com: "For three years we've looked very hard at this and engaged some of the best scientific minds in the world, and all the data and all the science consistently point to the fact that our products are absolutely safe."



Coca-Cola said it had been testing drinks regularly at the UK's CSL lab and no pesticides had been detected. The two drinks companies said they complied with international standards.



CSE said its Indian lab had the international quality standard ISO 9001:2000, and that it used state-of-the-art GC-MS testing equipment.



The Indian government was reportedly conducting its own tests this week in order to confirm the CSE findings.



India's Supreme Court, meanwhile, has demanded to see a complete ingredients list for the affected Coca-Cola and PepsiCo drinks. The move could force Coke to reveal its legendary secret ingredient, although the company is likely to fight hard to avoid that.



CSE's first study revealing pesticides in soft drinks, published in 2003, was eventually endorsed by India's Parliament, despite soft drinks industry criticism of the testing.



As a result, standards for pesticide levels in fizzy soft drinks were drawn up the by the Bureau of Indian Standards, but continued debate and lobbying has kept them from being implemented.



The provisional limits are 0.1 parts per billion (ppb) for individual pesticides in fizzy drinks and 0.5ppb for total pesticide content. CSE's latest test results, spread across 11 brands, found more than 11ppb of pesticides in soft drinks on average.



Some scientists have pointed out that a range of foods in India contain pesticides, and that the problem is not specifically with soft drinks but with controls on pesticide use in the food chain generally.



http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Processing/Government-lab-criticises-pesticides-in-soft-drinks-study

Soft drink
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"Soda pop" redirects here. For other uses, see Soda pop (disambiguation).
It has been suggested that Fountain drink be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)
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A soft drink is a beverage that does not contain alcohol. Carbonated soft drinks are commonly known as soda, soda pop, pop, or tonic (northeastern USA) in the United States, coke or pop in Canada, fizzy drinks in the United Kingdom and Australia[1] and sometimes minerals in Ireland. The name "soft drink" specifies a lack of alcohol by way of contrast to the term "hard drink". The term "drink", while nominally neutral, sometimes carries connotations of alcoholic content. Beverages like colas, flavored water, sparkling water, iced tea, lemonade, squash, and fruit punch are among the most common types of soft drinks, while hot chocolate, hot tea, coffee, milk, tap water, juice and milkshakes do not fall into this classification. Many carbonated soft drinks are optionally available in versions sweetened with sugars or with non-caloric sweeteners.



Various soft drinks on supermarket shelves.
Contents
[hide]
1 Regional names for soft drinks
2 History
2.1 Carbonated beverages
2.2 Soda fountain pioneers
2.3 Soda fountains vs. bottled sodas
2.4 Soft drink bottling industry
2.4.1 Automatic production of glass bottles
2.4.2 Home-Paks and vending machines
3 Packaging
4 Floats
5 Controversy
5.1 Nutritional value of non-diet soft drinks
5.2 Studies showing a correlation between non-diet soft drinks and obesity
5.3 Soft drinks linked to weight gain and type 2 diabetes
5.4 Soft drinks and dental decay
5.5 Soft drinks may affect sleep patterns
5.6 Soft drinks and bone density
5.7 Banning
5.8 Carcinogens in soft drinks
5.9 Alcohol content
6 See also
7 References
8 External links



[edit] Regional names for soft drinks
Main article: Names for soft drinks
The terms used for soft drinks vary widely both by country and regionally within some countries. Common terms include soda, soda pop, pop, coke, tonic, fizzy drinks, lemonade and cold drink.


[edit] History
This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2008)

Soft drinks trace their history back to the mineral waters found in natural springs. Ancient societies believed that bathing in natural springs and/or drinking mineral waters could cure many diseases. Early scientists who studied mineral waters included Geber, Alkindus, Rhazes, Paracelsus, Robert Boyle, Friedrich Hoffmann, Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, Hermann Boerhaave, William Brownrigg, Gabriel F. Venel, Joseph Black, and David Macbride.

The earliest soft drinks were sherbets developed by Arabic chemists and originally served in the medieval Near East. These were juiced soft drinks made of crushed fruit, herbs, or flowers.[2] The first marketed soft drinks (non-carbonated) in the Western world appeared in the 17th century. They were made from water and lemon juice sweetened with honey. In 1676, the Compagnie des Limonadiers of Paris was granted a monopoly for the sale of lemonade soft drinks. Vendors carried tanks of lemonade on their backs and dispensed cups of the soft drink to thirsty Parisians.


[edit] Carbonated beverages
In the 1770s, scientists made important progress in replicating naturally carbonated mineral waters. Englishman Joseph Priestley impregnated distilled water with carbon dioxide. Another Englishman, John Mervin Nooth, improved Priestley's design and sold his apparatus for commercial use in pharmacies. Swedish chemist Torbern Bergman invented a generating apparatus that made carbonated water from chalk by the use of sulfuric acid. Bergman's apparatus allowed imitation mineral water to be produced in large amounts.


[edit] Soda fountain pioneers
Artificial mineral waters, usually called "soda water," and the soda fountain made the biggest splash in the United States. Beginning in 1806, Yale chemistry professor Benjamin Silliman sold soda waters in New Haven, Connecticut. He used a Nooth apparatus to produce his waters. Businessmen in Philadelphia and New York City also began selling soda water in the early 1800s. In the 1830s, John Matthews of New York City and John Lippincott of Philadelphia began manufacturing soda fountains. Both men were successful and built large factories for fabricating fountains.


[edit] Soda fountains vs. bottled sodas
The drinking of either natural or artificial mineral water was considered a healthy practice. The American pharmacists selling mineral waters began to add herbs and chemicals to unflavored mineral water. They used birch bark (see birch beer), dandelion, sarsaparilla, fruit extracts, and other substances. Flavorings were also added to improve the taste. Pharmacies with soda fountains became a popular part of American culture. Many Americans frequented the soda fountain on a daily basis. Due to problems in the U.S. glass industry, bottled drinks were a small portion of the market in the 19th century. Most soft drinks were dispensed and consumed at a soda fountain, usually in a drugstore or ice cream parlor. In the early 20th century, sales of bottled soda increased exponentially. In the second half of the 20th century, canned soft drinks became an important share of the market.


[edit] Soft drink bottling industry
Over 1,500 U.S. patents were filed for either a cork, cap, or lid for the carbonated drink bottle tops during the early days of the bottling industry. Carbonated drink bottles are under a lot of pressure from the gas. Inventors were trying to find the best way to prevent the carbon dioxide or bubbles from escaping. In 1892, the "Crown Cork Bottle Seal" was patented by William Painter, a Baltimore machine shop operator. It was the first very successful method of keeping the bubbles in the bottle.


[edit] Automatic production of glass bottles
In 1899, the first patent was issued for a glass-blowing machine for the automatic production of glass bottles. Earlier glass bottles had all been hand-blown. Four years later, the new bottle-blowing machine was in operation. It was first operated by the inventor, Michael Owens, an employee of Libby Glass Company. Within a few years, glass bottle production increased from 1,500 bottles a day to 57,000 bottles a day.


[edit] Home-Paks and vending machines
During the 1920s, the first "Home-Paks" were invented. "Home-Paks" are the familiar six-pack beverage carrying cartons made from cardboard. Automatic vending machines also began to appear in the 1920s. The soft drink had become an American mainstay.


[edit] Packaging
This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008)



U.S. containers in 2008. Various sizes from 8-67.6 US fl oz (237 mL-2 L) shown in can, glass and plastic bottles
In the United States, soft drinks are sold in 2 Ls, 1.5 L, 1 L, 500 mL, 8, 12, 20 and 24 U.S. fluid ounce plastic bottles, 12 U.S. fluid ounce cans, and short eight-ounce cans. Some Coca-Cola products can be purchased in 8 and 12 U.S. fluid ounce glass bottles. Jones Soda and Orange Crush are sold in 16 U.S. fluid ounce (1 U.S. pint) glass bottles. Cans are packaged in a variety of quantities such as six packs, 12 packs and cases of 24, 36, and 360. With the advent of energy drinks sold in eight-ounce cans in the US, some soft drinks are now sold in similarly sized cans. It is also common for carbonated soft drinks to be served as fountain drinks in which carbonation is added to a concentrate immediately prior to serving.

In Europe soft drinks are typically sold in 2 L, 1.5 L, 1 L, 0.33 L plastic or 0.5 L glass bottles, aluminium cans are traditionally sized in 0.33 L, although 250 mL "slim" cans have become popular since the introduction of canned energy drinks and 355 mL variants of the slim cans have been introduced by Red Bull more recently. Cans and bottles often come in packs of six or four. Several countries have standard recycled packaging with a forfeit typically ranging from € 0.15 to 0.25: bottles are smelted, or cleaned and refilled; cans are crushed and sold as scrap aluminum.

In Australia, soft drinks are usually sold in 375 ml cans or glass or plastic bottles. Bottles are usually 390 ml, 600 ml, 1.25 L or 2 L. However, 1.5 L bottles have more recently been used by the Coca-Cola Company.

In Canada, soft drinks are sold in cans of 236 mL (8.3 imp fl oz), 355 mL (12.5 imp fl oz), 473 mL (16.6 imp fl oz), and bottles of 591 mL (20.8 imp fl oz), 710 mL (25.0 imp fl oz), 1 L (35.2 imp fl oz), 1.89 L (67 imp fl oz), and 2 L (70.4 imp fl oz). The odd sizes are due to being the metric near-equivalents to 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 64 U.S. fluid ounces. This allows bottlers to use the same-sized containers as in the U.S. market. This is an example of a wider phenomenon in North America. Brands of more international soft drinks such as Fanta and Red Bull are more likely to come in round-figure capacities.

In India, soft drinks are available in 200 mL and 300 mL glass bottles, 330 mL cans and 600 mL, 1.25-liter, 1.5-liter and 2-liter plastic bottles.


[edit] Floats
A float is created by dropping a scoop of ice cream into a soft drink. In the Midwestern United States, a soft drink with ice cream added is most often called an "ice cream soda," or soda, for short as they were made at soda fountains. In Australia and New Zealand, this is known as a "Spider." In Scotland (mainly the West Coast) it is usually referred to as a "float". For example; a "coke float". (Note: As elsewhere, 'coke' is often used generically to refer to any cola in Scotland, while 'soda' in Scotland is usually taken to mean 'soda water'). The most common of these is the root beer float. In Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, there is a regional variation: Cola (regardless of brand) and vanilla ice cream constitute a "coke afloat".

In the United States, some floats have specific names such as "Black Cow," "Brown Cow," "Purple Cow" (which is vanilla or chocolate ice cream in root beer), or Boston Cooler (vanilla ice cream in Vernor's ginger ale).


[edit] Controversy
It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled Criticism and Controversy linked to Soft Drinks. (Discuss)


[edit] Nutritional value of non-diet soft drinks
Until the 1980s, soft drinks obtained nearly all of their food energy in the form of refined cane sugar or corn syrup. Today in the United States high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is used nearly exclusively as a sweetener because of its lower cost. However, HFCS has been criticized as having a number of detrimental effects on human health, such as promoting diabetes, hyperactivity, hypertension, and a host of other problems.[3] Although anecdotal evidence has been presented to support such claims, it is well known that the human body breaks sucrose down into glucose and fructose before it is absorbed by the intestines. Simple sugars such as fructose are converted into the same intermediates as in glucose metabolism.[4]. However, metabolism of fructose is extremely rapid and is initiated by fructokinase. Fructokinase activity is not regulated by metabolism or hormones and proceeds rapidly after intake of fructose. While the intermediates of fructose metabolism are similar to those of glucose, the rates of formation are excessive. This fact promotes hepatic fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis, leading to accumulation of fat throughout the body. Increased blood lipid levels also seem to follow fructose ingestion over time. While the USDA recommended daily allotment (RDA) of added sugars is 10 teaspoons for a 2,000-calorie diet, many soft drinks contain more than this amount. Unless fortified, they also contain little to no vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, or other essential nutrients. Many soft drinks contain food additives such as food coloring, artificial flavoring, emulsifiers, and preservatives.

Soft drinks may also displace other healthier choices in people's diets, such as water, milk, and fruit juice.[5]


[edit] Studies showing a correlation between non-diet soft drinks and obesity
A study from Harvard shows that soft drinks may be responsible for the doubling of obesity in children in the United States over the last 15 years.

From 1991 and 1995, adolescent boys in the United States, on average, increased their intake of soft drinks from 345 mL to 570 mL. Most soft drinks are sweetened with sugar or corn syrup, and not artificial sweeteners. Dr. David Ludwig of the Boston Children's Hospital showed that school children drinking at least eight U.S. fluid ounces (240 mL) or more of regularly sweetened drinks daily will consume 835 calories (3,500 kilojoules) more than those avoiding soft drinks; i.e., children who drink soft drinks loaded with sugar tend to eat much more food than those who avoid soft drinks. Either those taking sugared drinks lack the same restraint on foods, or sugared drinks cause a rise in insulin that makes adolescents more hungry, causing them to eat more. Soft drinks (including diet soft drinks) are also typically consumed with other high-calorie foods such as fast food, and may also accompany television viewing. Children who drink soft drinks regularly are therefore fatter on average, in addition to being more likely to develop diabetes later in life (see below).[6]

In March 2006, Pediatrics published a paper Effects of Decreasing Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption on Body Weight in Adolescents: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study. This suggests that reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages helped reduce body mass index in the heaviest teenagers. This was reported as drinking a single 330ml can a day of sugary drinks translated to more than 1lb of weight gain every month.[7]


[edit] Soft drinks linked to weight gain and type 2 diabetes
In 2004, an eight-year study of 50,000 nurses showed a correlation that suggests drinking one or more sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soft drinks and fruit punches) per day increases one's risk of developing diabetes by 80% versus those who drink less than one such drink per month. This finding was independent of other lifestyle factors. It concludes, "Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a greater magnitude of weight gain and an increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes in women, possibly by providing excessive calories and large amounts of rapidly absorbable sugars.".[8]


[edit] Soft drinks and dental decay
Most soft drinks contain high concentration of simple carbohydrates - glucose, fructose, sucrose and other simple sugars. Oral bacteria ferment carbohydrates and produce acid, which dissolves tooth enamel during the dental decay process; thus, sweetened beverages are likely to increase risk of dental caries. The risk is greater if the frequency of consumption is high.[9]

A large number of soft drinks are acidic and some may have a pH of 3.0 or even lower.[10] Drinking acidic drinks over a long period of time and continuous sipping can therefore erode the tooth enamel. Drinking through a straw is often advised by dentists as the drink is then swallowed from the back of the mouth and does not come into contact with the teeth as much. It has also been suggested that brushing teeth right after drinking soft drinks should be avoided as this can result in additional erosion to the teeth due to the presence of acid.[11]


[edit] Soft drinks may affect sleep patterns
According to one report, soft drinks with caffeine can disrupt children's sleep and leave them feeling tired during the day.[12]


[edit] Soft drinks and bone density
There has been a hypothesis that the phosphoric acid contained in some soft drinks (colas) displaces calcium from the bones, lowering bone density of the skeleton and leading to conditions such as osteoporosis and very weak bones.[13] However, calcium metabolism studies by leading calcium and bone expert Dr. Robert Heaney determined that the net effect of carbonated soft drinks, (including colas, which use phosphoric acid as the acidulent) on calcium retention was negligible. He concluded that it is likely that colas prominence in observational studies is due to their prominence in the marketplace, and that the real issue is that people who drink a lot of soft drinks also tend to have an overall diet that is low in calcium.[14][citation needed]


[edit] Banning
In recent years, debate on whether soft drink vending machines should be allowed in school has been on the rise. Proponents believe that soft drinks are a significant contributor to childhood obesity and tooth decay, and that allowing soft drink sales in schools encourages children to believe they are safe to consume in moderate to large quantities. Proponents note that children are not always mature enough to understand the consequences of their own food choices, and should not be routinely exposed to the temptation of readily available soft drinks. They also argue that schools have a responsibility to look after the health of the children in their care, and that allowing children easy access to soft drinks violates that responsibility. Opponents believe that obesity is a complex issue and soft drinks are not the only cause. They also note the immense amount of funding soft drink sales bring to schools. Some people[who?] take a more moderate stance, saying that soft drink machines should be allowed in schools, but that they should not be the only option available. They propose that when soft drink vending machines are made available in school grounds, the schools should be required to provide children with a choice of alternative drinks (such as fruit juice, flavored water and milk) at a comparable price. Fruit drinks are often available, with a fruit juice content of less than 100%, and additives such as water and flavorings and colorings. Fruit drinks sometimes contain as much carbohydrate as the soft drinks they replace.

On 3 May 2006, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and the American Beverage Association announced new School Beverage Guidelines that will voluntarily remove high-calorie soft drinks from all US schools.

On 19 May 2006, UK Education Secretary Alan Johnson announced new minimum nutrition standards for school food. Amongst a wide range of measures, from September 2006, school lunches will be free from carbonated drinks. Schools will also end the sale of junk food (including carbonated drinks) in vending machines and tuck shops. See the Department for Education and Skills press notice for details.

In August 2006, after a controversial new report about the presence of pesticides in soft drinks sold in India, many state governments have issued a ban of the sale of soft drinks in schools. Kerala has issued a complete ban on the sale or manufacture of soft drinks altogether. In return, the soft drink companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi have issued ads in the media regarding the safety of consumption of the drinks. Since there is yet no enforcement[citation needed] of the agreed standards by Bureau of Indian Standards, the governing body to oversee the safety levels, in soft drinks in India, it is to be seen how this situation is to be resolved.[15]


[edit] Carcinogens in soft drinks
Main article: Benzene in soft drinks
Benzene is a known carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. Major soft drink companies have had documentation of benzene contamination in soft drinks since at least 1990. It was originally thought that the contamination was caused by contaminated carbon dioxide, but research has shown that benzoates and ascorbic acid or erythorbic acid can react to produce benzene.[16] (Gardner & Lawrence, 1993).

In 2006, the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency published the results of its survey of benzene levels in soft drinks,[17] which tested 150 products and found that four contained benzene levels above the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water. The agency asked for these to be removed from sale. The United States Food and Drug Administration released its own test results of several soft drinks and beverages containing benzoates and ascorbic or erythorbic acid. Five tested beverages contained benzene levels above the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended standard of 5 ppb. The Environmental Working Group[18] has uncovered additional FDA test results that showed the following results: Of 24 samples of diet soda tested between 1995 and 2001 for the presence of benzene, 19 (79%) had amounts of benzene in excess of the federal tap water standard of 5 ppb. Average benzene levels were 19 ppb, about four times tap water standard. One sample contained 55 ppb of benzene, 11 fold tap water standards. Despite these findings, as of 2006, the FDA stated its belief that "the levels of benzene found in soft drinks and other beverages to date do not pose a safety concern for consumers".[19]

Quinine, the bittering component of mixer drinks present at 60 to 80 ppm as the dihydrochloride or sulphate, undergoes photolytic degradation in strong sunlight through clear glass, typically with a half-life (i.e. time for 50% of the chemical to degrade) of 3.5 hours in strong sunlight. From its chemical structure the degradation product is suspected to be carcinogenic and is devoid of the bitter taste of quinine. For that reason quinine-containing drinks should never be stored in sunlight. Quinine is used as a bittering agent because of its clean bitter taste, devoid of any lingering after-effects. Other bittering agents are available such as quassia, also a natural product extracted from the Quassia Amara tree and sometimes used as a bittering agent in soft drinks. Its bitter attribute is exploited as a substitute for hops that provides the bitter flavor in beers (Dictionary of Science and Technology Academic Press 1992,p 1772).


[edit] Alcohol content
A report in October 2006 demonstrates that some soft drinks contain measurable amounts of alcohol.[20] In some older preparations, this resulted from natural fermentation used to build the carbonation. Modern drinks use introduced carbon dioxide but alcohol might result from fermentation of sugars in an unsterile environment. A small amount of alcohol is introduced to at least some soft drinks where alcohol is used in the preparation of the flavoring extracts.[21] The Turkish soft drink manufacturer whose product was listed as highest in alcohol in the October 2006 study noted that the naturally occurring alcohol level in soft drinks is 1.5 times higher than that found in Kool-Aid.[22]


[edit] See also
Diet soda
List of soft drinks by country

[edit] References
^ http://popvssoda.com:2998/countystats/total-county.html
^ Juliette Rossant (2005), The World's First Soft Drink, Saudi Aramco World, September/October 2005, pp. 36-9
^ The Murky World of High-Fructose Corn Syrup
^ Pathways for the Interconversion of Sugars, University of Illinois Chicago, Medical Biochemistry 531, Lecture 21
^ Schools Getting Raw Deal from Bottlers ~ Newsroom ~ News from CSPI
^ Lancet 2001;357:505-08. "Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis"
^ Can-a-day soft drink habit that puts a stone a year on teenagers - Times Online
^ Schulze MB, Manson JE, Ludwig DS, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu FB Sugar-sweetened beverages, weight gain, and incidence of type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged women JAMA. 2004 August 25;292(8):927-34.
^ Marshall TA, Levy SM, Broffitt B, Warren JJ, Eichenberger-Gilmore JM, Burns TL, Stumbo PJ. "Dental caries and beverage consumption in young children" Pediatrics. 2003 Sep;112(3 Pt 1):e184-91 [1]
^ "Acids". British Soft Drinks Association. Retrieved on 2006-09-12.
^ M. A. Bassiouny, J. Yang, "Influence of drinking patterns of carbonated beverages on dental erosion", General Dentistry, May-June, vol. 53, no. 3, 2005. [2] [3]
^ BBC Fizzy drinks 'affect children's sleep' 8 January 2003
^ Five Steps to Kick Your Soft-Drink Addiction
^ Heaney RP, Rafferty K. (September 2001). "Carbonated beverages and urinary calcium excretion". American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 74 (3): 343-347. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/74/3/343.
^ BBC (Sanjoy Majumder) Indian state bans Pepsi and Coke 9 August 2006
^ http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jafcau/1993/41/i05/f-pdf/f_jf00029a001.pdf?sessid=6006l3 Benzene production from decarboxylation of benzoic acid in the presence of ascorbic acid and a transition-metal catalyst
^ survey of benzene levels in soft drinks
^ http://www.ewg.org/issues/toxics/20060404/index.php
^ US FDA/CFSAN - Questions and Answers on the Occurrence of Benzene in Soft Drinks and Other Beverages
^ Today'S Zaman
^ [myMasjid.com.my] Alcohol: In soft drinks
^ SABAH Newspaper English Edition

[edit] External links
Look up soft drink in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
The Great Pop vs. Soda Controversy
The Soda Pop Mashup!
Health Focus: Toxins in Soft Drinks
State Laws & Regulations Governing Beverage Sales in Schools, American Beverage Association (PDF format)
"Beverage group: Pull soda from primary schools", USAToday, August 17, 2005
"After soda ban nutritionists say more can be done", Boston Globe, May 4, 2006
"Critics Say Soda Policy for Schools Lacks Teeth New York Times, August 22, 2005
"Soft Drinks in Schools", American Academy of Pediatrics,
[4] Sugars4Kids
Soft drinks news page
"Soft drinks linked to aging", Longevity-science.com blog by Leonid A. Gavrilov
"Unusual Soft Drinks from Japan", Japanese Innovations blog by Steve Levenstein
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_drink"


How a nimbu paani owner conquered the markets
Yogesh Chabria January 25, 2008

IT's amazing how many people believe that the stock market is an extremely complicated, boring and difficult to understand monster.

Of course, they are the ones who have never invested in the markets.

You, however, don't need to know alien terms to understand the stock market. I believe in keeping things simple.

In fact, I often try to make sense of what some analysts are saying on business television!

Let me tell you what I often tell some of my first-timer clients. It is about my first venture, The Indian Lemonade Company. I initiated it when I was at school in the Middle East.

I was 12 years old then. My school had organised a fair, where students could take a stall on rent and sell whatever they liked.

I liked the idea -- I could make money from it. A few days later, I was sipping nimbu paani, thinking what to do. That is when I got the idea of setting up a nimbu paani stall.

Read more great start up ideas: She prefers chocolates to a 9-to-5 job!


To rent the stall, including purchasing ingredients, I needed around Rs 1,000 (I have converted the currency to Indian Rupees to simplify it).

With Rs 1,000, I could make 1,000 glasses of nimbu paani. Each glass would be sold for Rs 5. So if I sold all the glasses, I would easily make Rs 5,000. But I didn't have the cash to start off. I had Rs 100. So I approached my dad with my plan. He liked the idea, but suggested sharing it with my friends and getting money from them. He said if my plan was so good, anybody would give me money.
http://wealth.moneycontrol.com/columns/equity-investing/how-a-nimbu-paani-owner-conquered-the-markets-/6043/0

Nimbu Paani
Flavoured waters are a perfect accompaniment to spicy meals since they contain fruits which are known for their digestive properties. Our Nimbu Paani is Delhi's equivalent of still lemonade. It is a delicious thirst quencher made from freshly squeezed lemons and just the right amount of sugar. It has a clean and refreshing flavour without the sugary after taste of fizzy drinks. Perfect for kids and adults alike or as a mixer for cocktails!

INGREDIENTS : Mineral water, lemons, sugar
PACKAGING : 250ml smoothie bottle
SHELF LIFE : 4 months Keep refrigerated
ADD'L INFO : You can buy this item as part of the Just Sip and Munch & Sip Kits. For further information on the above kits, click on the Let’s Go Shopping section and choose from the drop down options. Orders are dispatched within 5-7 working days of receipt of payment. 1st class or next day courier delivery options.
http://www.chaathouse.co.uk/chaathouse/productdetail.aspx?sid=15&catid=8


Rich pickings
By Joanna Blythman
Restaurant?review: The concept is totally traditional for India, but seems refreshing in Glasgow.
THALI, 42 Albion Street, Glasgow
0141 552 8332
Lunch £7.50-£9.95 Dinner £10-£20
8.5/10

I have often criticised the Glasgow curry-house scene, but there are recent signs that the city is developing a more exciting tier of Indian eateries offering an alternative to the generic proposition. Dakhin, in the Merchant City, dared to offer something better with its fairly authentic south Indian menu. The postage stamp takeaway, Banana Leaf, in the West End, lent further momentum to the "dosa" revolution. Now Thali, run by an enterprising Sikh family, opens up another front entirely.

The concept is totally traditional for India, but seems refreshing in Glasgow. The eponymous thali refers to India's classic formula meal, composed of bread, rice and little bowls of curry or "katoris", all served on a large steel tray - or, in the tradition of south India, on a banana leaf. It's only surprising, considering the success of thali-centric chains like Masala Zone in London, that this breakthrough has taken so long. Obviously, thalis are a formula ripe for commercialisation in the UK. The eating-out public falls more and more in love every day with any form of eating that is miniaturised and maximises choice, hence the spate of restaurants of all ethnic makeups rapidly restructuring their offer to feature tapas-sized portions.

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The line-up at Thali is blissfully simple for the indecisive and those who struggle when composing an Indian meal. Paper table mats double up as educational handouts, with a diagram explaining the layout and composition of the standard thali tray. You select a basic thali (rice, nan, salad, raita or dhal) then choose two to four katoris. The educational theme continues with little screens on the walls of velvety booths that flash up pictures of spices and aromatics, with both Indian and English names and a thoughtful description of their organoleptic qualities. As you sit down, you are served a glass of nimbu pani, home-made, non-fizzy lemonade. That seemed to reflect the management's desire to surpass expectations and offer you more than you thought you might get. If you aren't still in shock at your bank (im)balance, consider ordering Bollinger champagne here because Thali charges the same as you would pay in a shop. Trying to be poor but healthy, we chose a jug of mango lassi instead. It turned out to be a good one - heavy on the Alphonso mango pulp but not too sweet.

There are little tiffin-style finger foods, the sort of snacks you’d see on roadside stalls in India


There are little tiffin-style finger foods to eat before the thalis if you want, the sort of snacks you'd see on roadside stalls in India. Ours were excellent. Tiny crisp, dry puris which you fill with boiled potato, tamarind dressing and chilli sauce (gol guppa), mashed potato rissoles with gloriously softened onions topped with piquant chickpea garnish (aloo tikki chana) and exemplary spinach, cashew and potato patties (hara hara kebab).

The thalis proper were pretty good, too. The rice was natural and fragrant with cloves, innocent of lurid orange colouring, the bread crisp and light, the salad generous with cherry tomatoes. A basic dhal fitted the bill. The other katoris we selected had distinctive personalities. The prawns in the mild, coconut-milky Malabar curry actually tasted like prawns. Minced lamb and peas made Scottish mince seem pedestrian and dull. Chunks of lamb in a sauce thick with spinach had the depth of flavour of mutton, and fell apart obligingly. The vegetarian line-up was no less even: a sweet, fresh pumpkin curry; sautéed okra dressed in invigoratingly sour dried mango powder (amchoor); and voluptuous caramelised aubergine, sharpened up with tamarind. The only element lacking here is a home-made pickle. Perhaps Thali might think of adding one in.

I didn't like the look of my pistachio kulfi but it surprised me. It looked like a milky choc ice but tasted of ground nuts and rose water. I didn't go for the presentation of my phirni, a milky dessert of ground rice flavoured with saffron and served alongside a puddle of mango puree and some slices of fat mango cheek and glacé cherries. They could dump the latter. The phirni itself, though, was just as it should be. Once more, there was a generosity about it; first-rate saffron filaments had been used, colouring and flavouring the milky body unevenly and making each mouthful different and interesting.

Nice place, nice people, nice food and potentially not too expensive either.

http://www.sundayherald.com/life/people/display.var.2482465.0.rich_pickings.php

Can Soft Drinks Poison You?

Billions of bottles of beverages ate drunk in America each year—Analyzed by the Government Pure Food Board, harmful ingredients are kept out of them—This article tells why locally made drinks may prove injurious By GEORGE LEE DOWD, JR.

TO QUENCH the Great American Thirst, eleven billion bottles and glasses of soft drinks are consumed every year—enough to nil a giant bottle as wide at the base as a city block and twice as high as the Empire State Building, the world’s tallest structure! This means that, if you are a law-abiding citizen in good health between eight and eighty, you probably will drink an average of one glassful a day during the three hot summer months.

These sweet, fizzing liquids, pink, orange, green or amber, will cool your parched throat at the ball-game, at soda fountains, or at roadside hot-dog stands.

But what will they do to your health? Are they as wholesome and harmless as they look and taste?

In most cases, you may rest assured that they are. The Government sees to that. They are tested and approved (or condemned) by Government laboratory experts. Because soft drinks contain a small percentage of food value, they come under the control of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration. To enforce the Food and Drug Act, the Department of Agriculture maintains a staff of 530 administrative officers, chemists, and other specialists in Washington and sixteen other important cities. It is part of their job to analyze your soft drinks, even if they consist of nothing but charged water. Still, there remains a certain risk, but there are tell-tale signs by which you can distinguish a good drink from a possibly harmful one. Unfortunately, the Federal authorities, under the law, have control only over bottled beverages and syrups that are shipped from State to State, but lack the power to test those that are sold in the State where they are made. As State and other local laws on the subject either are sketchy or non-existent, the small local manufacturer often can let his conscience be his guide as to what he will put into his brew.

IN OTHER words, when you order a nationally distributed product, you will get a safe drink. Whether you stop for it at the humble roadside booth or at a marble soda palace in the city, makes no difference, except, possibly, in the price. But when you buy a locally made drink, and especially pink “lemonade” at a carnival, fair, or small circus, there is no way of telling with what horrible concoction you may assault the inner man How can you tell the difference when the stuff is in a bottle? The cap and label will show you at a glance whether the drink is Government tested or not.

For example, almost all fruit drinks contain artificial coloring. Cap or label will tell you whether or not any has been used in making your beverage. If it has. this is no indication of poor quality. Nor need you be frightened because it has been “artificially flavored.’” Both artificial colorings and flavorings must conform to the standards of the Food and Drug Administration. Sometimes, they are even beneficial.

A PECULIAR quirk in human nature is responsible for the use of these substances in most beverages. As a matter of fact, you would probably refuse a glass of your favorite fruit drink if they had been left out of it.

The reason is this: When the juice is crushed from strawberries, raspberries, grapes, and the like, it is cloudy because a fine residue from the fruit cells remains in it. Americans won’t buy a cloudy drink, and so the manufacturer strains the juice through a filter or treats it with a clarifying chemical, such as kaolin.

Either treatment clears the juice but robs it of much of the taste and flavor that make you like it. To replace them, the manufacturer has to resort to some harmless coloring and artificial flavoring. Fifty thousand pounds of coloring matter and five million pounds of fruit acid are annually used in this way. This increases the price of your drink, but you have your own prejudice to blame. There is no harm in cloudy fruit juice.

ANOTHER artificial process is brought • into play in the making of root beer. You like it rich and foamy? The manufacturer sees to it that you get it that way. The foam on root and birch beers and on sarsaparilla is a product of saponin called “gum foam.” Only one type of saponin is harmless or non-toxic. All other kinds cause diffusion of the hemoglobin, that is, the red coloring matter in the blood, and, consequently, anemia.

However, you may drink your favorite brand of root or birch beer or sarsaparilla with perfect peace of mind so long as it is the product of a national manufacturer,because the Food and Drug Administration considers drinks of this sort that contain toxic saponin as adulterations, and rules them out. Jealously guarding both your health and your pocket book, the Government insists on “realism” in the pictures on the labels. That does not mean that Uncle Sam sets himself up as an art critic. The authorities have laid down a hard and fast rule that the manufacturer of a fruit drink cannot display a picture of a fruit on his label unless the drink actually contains the juice of that fruit. All of this was set forth in a long Court opinion with the amusing title: “The United States of America vs Ninety-five Barrels (more or less) Apple Cider Vinegar”!

One manufacturer had been using a picture of an orange on his label for many years and describing his drink as containing the juices of oranges and orange peels. He was ordered either to change his label or add genuine fruit juices to his product. Rather than destroy the value of his established trade-mark, he is now spending more than $100,000 a year for the real juices.

Sharing the popularity of fruit juices, root beers, and other “soda pops,” are the cola drinks. Here is a question thousands have been asking for years: Do they really contain a narcotic? They do, but very little of it. In addition to sweetening, acids, and carbonated water, they contain the juices of the coca leaf and the cola nut. For the leaves the manufacturers have to send to South America, while the nuts come all the way from Africa. And all that to give you that little “kick” in your drink!

THE coca leaf contains morphine, but this is removed before its juice gets into the syrup. It is the cola nut that provides the slight stimulant—caffein, a narcotic. The question whether caffein is a habit-forming drug or not is still up in the air. In any case, the average bottle or glass of the drink containing it holds only about one-half grain, considerably less than the quantity in an ordinary cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa.

But the caffein in a cola drink does not always come from the juice of the cola nut. Sometimes it is derived from coffee, tea, or cocoa. One manufacturer of such a drink is said to be the largest importer of tea sweepings in the United States.

Are soft drinks nutritious? Do they actually stimulate? May they be taken without fear of harmful effects?

These three questions J. W. Sale, chemist in charge of the Water and Beverage Laboratory of the Food and Drug Administration in Washington, answers with an emphatic “yes,” provided, of course, that the beverages are of the Government-controlled variety.

All soft drinks contain these ingredients, or most of them: Sugar, fruit juice, acid, carbon dioxide, water, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring. Then, the cola drinks contain caffein, the ginger ales ginger, and the root drinks saponin or some harmless equivalent.

To begin with sugar, of which 250,000 tons are used in soft drinks each year, nothing but the best quality will do for making syrups, because anything else would cause the finished drink to spoil soon after bottling. Its food value averages between 58 and 175 calories, a higher caloric content than that of many foods recommended by nutrition experts. By the action of the acids in the finished syrup, the sugar is changed to “invert sugar,” meaning that it is broken down so it can be absorbed more readily by the system.

THAT is why a good drink at a soda fountain not only quenches your thirst, but also renews your energy supply, and does it so quickly. But if sugar generates energy, why does it not also generate enough heat to offset the good effect on a hot day? The answer is that the amount of heat is so small compared to the energy generated that you do not notice it.

The ice in your drink, by the way, helps little to cool you off, and is put into it merely to make it taste better. It is dissipated almost immediately by the heat of the body, which cannot digest anything of a temperature either lower or higher than its own. For some reason, Americans like their beverages either ice-cold or piping hot. This national predeliction is a never-failing source of wonder to European inn-keepers, as returned travelers, exhausted by a vain search for ice water, will testify.

Fruit juices generally constitute about fifteen per cent of the volume of a drink. To them are added fruit acid and color. These fruit juices are said by experts to be just as beneficial in a soft drink as they are in any other form.

Finally, there is the “carbonated water,” the essential part of all soft drinks that are not “ades” of one kind or another. Four hundred million gallons of it go into them a year! This is simply water charged with carbon dioxide gas, which gives it its bubbles. In connection with this “fizz water,” there has arisen one of the numerous fallacies believed by many about soft beverages.

This is the old “marble dust” story, that still survives. To this day, some people will take you aside, and solemnly warn you against “soda pop” because “it has marble dust in it.”

THERE isn’t a speck of marble dust in any soft drink, and there never was. But, like many yarns of the sort, it started with a half-truth. The fact is that carbon dioxide gas originally was produced by the action of sulphuric acid upon marble. As gas was released, it was collected and then shipped to the buyer. Word of the process got around, and imagination did the rest.

However, it is possible for carbon dioxide to contain various injurious sulphur compounds when it is made from coke, limestone, or products of the fermentation of low-grade saccharines. Fortunately, gas of such origin gives drinks an unpleasant taste, which eliminates it from use in their manufacture.

Still, there is one danger of which even the maker of syrups himself may not be aware, and which is difficult and sometimes impossible to detect chemically. That is the presence in carbonated water of minute metallic particles from vessels and pipelines used in manufacturing it.

In one case of this kind, the Department of Chemistry discovered 3.3 grains of zinc chloride in one bottle of root beer sent in for examination. A man who had drunk some of the stuff had been made very sick, though not seriously. The only cure for this trouble is to keep the charged water away from such metals as much as possible.

Carbonated water that contains pure carbon dioxide, properly made, is actually good for you. Carbon dioxide is not only stimulating, but kills certain types of harmful bacteria in the large intestine.

THERE are some places where it is never safe to take a soft drink—the carnival, the small circus, and the country fair. These places are infested with hawkers presiding over stands, usually out in the dust-laden air, who invite you to “wet your whistle” from a huge punch-bowl and, more often, a doubtfully clean tin tub. It is filled to the brim with a pale pink liquid in which a few forlorn and tired looking lemons are floating.

Keep away from such stuff. You wouldn’t buy a bottle of orangeade that had a cloudy appearance. You would return to the soda clerk a bottle of “pop” in which you saw a black dust particle. But at the fair, all is gaiety and excitement; you don’t care!

It is this mental attitude of which the hawker takes shrewd advantage. He makes you pay him several thousand percent on his investment. He makes you swallow enough real dirt from the trampled midway to cause you to fire the cook if you found it in your spinach. He makes you believe this mixture is “lemonade.”

He buys it in powder form from houses that sell carnival equipment wholesale. In any carnival trade magazine you will find this powder advertised—not as lemon or orange powder. Oh, no. That would get the wholesaler in trouble with the Food and Drug Administration. It is cleverly advertised as “fruit flavor,” and is shipped to the buyer as such. He mixes about two dollars’ worth of it with thirty gallons of water from the nearest faucet (or from the buckets used to water the elephants), adds a few slices of real lemon for effect, a quarter’s worth of ice, and sells it as “lemonade” at ten cents a glass.

You can readily see that the Food and Drug Administration is powerless to stop this racket. There has been no misrepresentation, misbranding, or mislabeling of a product shipped from one State to another. All misrepresentation has taken place locally.

PROHIBITION, of course, has greatly increased the consumption of soft drinks. But a paradoxical feature of the situation is that each and every one of them contains alcohol. This is because the flavoring extracts are almost insoluble in water, but readily soluble in alcohol. Therefore, alcohol is used to dissolve them, and some of it remains in the drinks. But even if you are a confirmed Dry, you can take your “soda pop” with a clear conscience, for the residue of alcohol is not sufficient to constitute anything approaching a violation of the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act.

Also, whether you are a Dry or a Wet, you may drink your “pop,” or whatever it is you like, without fear for your health. The Government watches out for its purity, and it is to the maker’s advantage that it should be wholesome so that you, like Oliver Twist, will come back for “more.”
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/04/18/can-soft-drinks-poison-you/

Soft Drinks, Hard Poison
« H E » email
posted Sunday, 9 July 2006
Benzene in drinks killing you softly







Kirsty Needham
June 10, 2006









BENZENE, a poison more often found in tobacco smoke and air pollution, has been discovered in half the soft drinks tested on the shop shelves.




In some cases, the benzene level was 40 times the level recommended for safe drinking water by the National Health and Medical Research Council.



The national food regulator, Food Standards, said 10 per cent of flavoured beverages had benzene traces at "undesirable levels" that exceeded World Health Organisation guidelines.



The regulator's sampling found that fruit juices and fruit-flavoured soft drinks with added vitamin C were likely to contain more benzene. Sodium benzolate (additive 211) is used as a preservative. When it is combined with Vitamin C, the likelihood of benzene being created increases.



Food Standards has asked the soft-drink industry to reformulate its products and take steps to lower benzene levels. The chief executive of the Australian Beverages Council, Tony Gentile, said the council had "advised manufacturers of how to minimise the incidence of benzene".



The NHMRC website states that benzene causes leukaemia, and as such "there is no safe or acceptable concentration for it in drinking water".



Food Standards did not name the soft drinks, but Mr Gentile said most manufacturers were affected.



http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/benzene-in-drinks-killing-you-softly/2006/06/09/1149815319222.html



image - http://www.health.qld.gov.au/PoisonsInformationCentre/img/house/h_poisbottle.JPG


tags: soft poison drinks illuminati new ram benzene ayana


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Please TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK - click here now! (2)



1. KATHIE left...
Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:41 am
MONA VIE IS A NEW JUICE THAT HAS THIS POISON IT IT AS A PRESERVATIVE. IT IS HELPING ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH HEALTH CHALLENGES, HOWEVER, IF TAKEN FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, WILL IT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF GETTING CANCER?



2. new illuminati left...
Thursday, 29 March 2007 1:01 pm :: http://newilluminati.blog-city.com/
Of course - if you keep drinking it or putting it on your skin. Remember - the key is in your visualisation. Imagine yourself healthy, wealthy wise and long-lived and you'll have a better time. All the crap we eat and drink ends up in the environment. That's the real crime of thoughtless consumption. Save yourself by saving the planet!
http://newilluminati.blog-city.com/soft_drinks_hard_poison.htm

Soft drinks: Unsafe beverages
As featured on http://www.supplecity.com

Amazingly, Americans (and people in other countries) actually drink a product that can rightfully be called Osteoporosis In a Can. And, it gets worse from there. Read on.

This poison goes by many brand names, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi. Generically, this poison is on the market in formulations known as soda, pop, and soft drinks. It includes all carbonated beverages--even carbonated plain water. The various substances in sodas compound the problem, especially the typical formulations with their carbonic acid or phosphoric acid.

Reading the rest of this article may be the best use you've ever made of 5 minutes. Yeah, we know Pepsi will never sponsor an ad on this site. But your health is more important to us.

It's tragic that the "beverage" industry shoves this toxic brew at human beings. Let's take a closer look at what it does.

The carbonation in all soft drinks causes calcium loss in the bones through a three-stage process:

The carbonation irritates the stomach.
The stomach "cures" the irritation the only way it knows how. It adds the only antacid at its disposal: calcium. It gets this from the blood.
The blood, now low on calcium, replenishes its supply from the bones. If it did not do this, muscular and brain function would be severely impaired.
But, the story doesn't end there. Another problem with most soft drinks is they also contain phosphoric acid (not the same as the carbonation, which is carbon dioxide mixed with the water). This substance also causes a drawdown on the store of calcium.

So, soft drinks soften your bones (actually, they make them weak and brittle) in three ways:

Carbonation reduces the calcium in the bones.
Phosphoric acid reduces the calcium in the bones.
The beverage replaces a calcium-containing alternative, such as milk or water. Milk and water are not excellent calcium sources, but they are sources.
Diabetes in a can
The picture gets worse when you add sugar to the soft drink. The sugar, dissolved in liquid, is quickly carried to the bloodstream, where its presence in overload quantities signals the pancreas to go into overdrive. The pancreas has no way of knowing if this sugar inrush is a single dose or the front-end of a sustained dose. The assumption in the body's chemical controls is the worst-case scenario. To prevent nerve damage from oxidation, the pancreas pumps out as much insulin as it can. Even so, it may not prevent nerve damage.

But, this heroic effort of the pancreas has a hefty downside. The jolt of insulin causes the body to reduce the testosterone in the bloodstream, and to depress further production of it. In both men and women, testosterone is the hormone that controls the depositing of calcium in the bones. You can raise testosterone through weight-bearing exercise, but if you are chemically depressing it via massive sugar intake (it takes very small quantities of sugar to constitute a massive intake, because refined sugar is not something the human body is equipped to handle), then your body won't add calcium to the bones.

Add this to what we discussed above, and you can see that drinking sweetened colas is a suicidal endeavor. And now you know why bone damage formerly apparent only in the very old is now showing up in teenagers.

Cancer in a can
In the spring of 2005, research showed a strong correlation between esophageal cancer and the drinking of carbonated beverages. We aren't providing extensive detail here yet, because the subject is still rolling through the medical community. Basically, it works like this:

You drink soda.
It makes you burp (acid reflux, actually).
The burping carries acid into the esophagus, causing lesions.
The lesions become cancerous.
So, maybe it's not so bad if you sip sodas instead of guzzle them. By the time this issue settles out through double blind studies (rather than statistical analysis only), that is probably what researchers will conclude. It's common sense.

Of course, the softdrink companies have conducted their own flawed studies using flawed methods to obtain the flawed results they want. This way, they can deny that their toxic products also cause esophageal cancer in addition to other diseases their beverages cause. I wonder if these folks have flawed sleep at night, or if they are just psychopathic?

Do a Yahoo or Google search on softdrinks + esophageal cancer, and you'll get several thousand pages of results. Most of the articles say softdrinks "may" cause esophageal cancer. And that's true--in the sense that lying down on a railroad track "may" get you run over by a train or holding a revolver with one bullet in it and pulling the trigger "may" blow your brains out. It's a game of chance. How many chances do you want to take?




You can search online for data on the number of esophageal cancer cases per year and the startling increase in this cancer occurring with the huge ramp-up in soft drink consumption. This disease was unheard of two generations ago--now, it's common. You can also search for the source reports and articles. But, that's not really necessary because basic science is at work here:
Mechanical damage to cells is a huge risk factor for cancer. It's why asbestos particles, for example, cause lung cancer.

Soft drinks cause acid reflux (stomach acid rising up past the esophageal valve). This is more pronounced when the body is horizontal (as in sleeping), but the sheer volume of soft drinks consumed in the USA means the acid reflux is well past the danger point. Any time you ingest a gassy drink, you are going to get belching--and acid into the esophagus. How much is too much? The research doesn't say where the limit is--it only shows that most Americans are far, far, far past it.

Stomach acid dissolves tissue--that's its purpose. The stomach lining does not extend into the esophagus, so the lower esophagus gets damaged by acid far more frequently in soft drink users than in non soft drink users. This results in a radical increase in cell mutations, along with a far higher level of free radicals.
This isn't an attack on the Coca-Cola or Pepsi corporations. It's a revealing of the truth about all carbonated beverages. This has been widely reported in many authoritative sources.

Remember, soft drinks kill.


Stop doing acid!
Reader Jim Faulkner contributed the following to this article:

Refer to "The pH Miracle", Balance Your Diet, Reclaim Your Health, written by Robert O Young, PhD and Shelley Redford Young (copyright 2002 by Robert Young, PhD, published by Warner Books Inc.)

We all know that our average body temperature is about 98.6 degrees F., but how many of us know our normal pH (Power of Hydrogen scale which measures Hydrogen from 0 to 14)? A rating of 7 is neutral. Healthy human bodies should be slightly alkaline at 7.365. Whenever your body moves away from 7.365, your system takes action to move you back to that value.

Water in most areas has a value of 7 or neutral. Carbonated drinks have a value of about 2.8, but the difference isn't just 4.2. The pH scale values vary exponentially. As the scale moves from 7 to 6, the difference is multiplied by 10. Food or beverage at 6 is 10 times as acidic as that at 7. So that carbonated beverage is approaching 100,000 times more acidic than water. With this information, the osteoporosis condition takes on greater LIGHT.

Ron Howell, a senior vice president at New Vision Inc elaborates on these ideas in "New Vision News Magazine" Vol 1 -issue 4 2002 in introducing new products that improve pH.

My wife Jan is a Diamond Independent Distributor with New Vision. She is 71 (married 50 years, May 2003). I read everything they send to her. We have both done the Bill Phillips "Body For Life" program since my 69th birthday, and we ballroom dance three nights a week. Neither of us take any pharmaceutical drugs. Life is good!

Kindest regards, Jim Faulkner

Let's compare soft drinks to water:




Soft drinks Water
1. The salt in these "beverages" may reduce the amount of water in your cells. Salt increases dehydration, which is why sailors don't drink seawater. 1. The National Institute of Health reports that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. However, this figure is likely understated.
In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

Even mild dehydration will slow down your metabolism, speed up aging, reduce resistance to disease, and reduce muscle recovery after exercise.

2. The sugar in these "beverages" (other than the diet kind) increases hunger. 2. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
3. All sodas promote the symptoms shown in the box at right. The insulin response from the sugary versions compounds them. 3. Lack of water is a major trigger of daytime fatigue, mid-day munchies, leg and toe cramps, and inability to mentally focus.
4. The obesity and nutritional deficiencies typically suffered by heavy soda drinkers bring on back and joint pain. 4. Research indicates drinking half a gallon of water a day would significantly ease back and joint pain for 80% of sufferers.
5. Sodas cause the body to lose water, thereby promoting the symptoms shown at right. 5. A 2% drop in the amount of water retained in the body (other than as subcutaneous or intercellular water due to excess sodium) can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on printed or video text.
6. The various colorings and other substances in sodas aren't noted for cancer prevention. 6. The NIH says drinking a quart of water daily reduces the risk of colon cancer by 45%, reduces the risk of breast cancer by 79%, reduces the risk of bladder cancer by 50%.



The author talks about his credentials:

Here's how my aversion to softdrinks got started. Wa-a-ay back in the late 1960s (when I was in grade school), I put 2 + 2 together (that is, carbonation and calcium carbonate) and concluded that drinking soft drinks would cause the loss of calcium in the bones. I was delighted to read in such august publications as the American Journal of Nursing in the mid-1980s that the AMA publicly reached this same conclusion. Note here that I'm not telling you about any false conclusions I also reached.... :)


You are probably used to reading articles that have a fair number of references in the backnotes. I realize that the medical establishment looks for peer-reviewed references (so do the engineering and management professions, which is where my formal training lies). That is one way to filter information, and it is certainly helpful. But it isn't perfect.

On the other hand, the Internet is full of articles that are poorly researched, riddled with errors, and written by crackpots. It sometimes is hard to tell if someone is just an idiot writing opinion or a knowledgeable person writing something that can be validated by experts.

The subject of credentials requires a bit of an open mind, and I think you have that. I haven't taken any medical classes. My undergraduate is in electrical engineering, and I have an MBA. No medical training. Now, here's where it gets interesting...

My gamma globulin is well below the "acceptable" limit. It's been that way my whole life. I was always sick when I was little. But I have not been sick even one day, since 1971. This has amazed every doctor who has seen my blood work and medical history side by side. Asking me how to stay well is like asking Tiger Woods how to play golf. There are some other "markers" along these lines, but this gamma globulin one makes the point.

My expertise here has come the old-fashioned way: reading absurd amounts of authoritative materials. I have pored over thousands of books and articles on health (at one time, I had library cards for 5 different library systems and used all of them regularly). Due to my personal condition, I have been conducting this research now for about four decades.

You can find many of my articles, plus a fairly recent photo of me at www.supplecity.com.

The scientific method requires using a control group. The "credentials" I gave don't comply with that and are thus anecdotal. But I think they are compelling nonetheless.




Health Books Sampling
Touch For Health: The Complete Edition by John F. Thie and Matthew Thie (Spiral-bound - Oct 15, 2005).
With over 1/2 million copies in print since 1973, John Thie’s "Touch for Health" phenomenon has flourished worldwide to help more than 10 million people in over 40 countries restore their natural healing energies and enjoy vibrant health through his unique treatment of posture and muscle balancing that combines simple aspects of acupressure touch and massage. From this book, you will learn the techniques that chiropractors, alternative health specialists, athletic trainers, and massage therapists have found invaluable in preventive health-care treatment.


Access to Health (MyHealthLab Series) by Rebecca J. Donatelle and Patricia Ketcham (Paperback - Feb 3, 2007).
Often those interested in purchasing a general health book are overwhelmed by the medical jargon and size of the references that are on the shelves. And today, more emphasis is being placed on people to eat right, exercises properly and maintain their health. Access to Health provides readers with a comprehensive overview of all aspects affecting their health in this easy-to-understand guide. Key Topics: Readers will learn to develop healthy behaviors through a variety of practical activities and exercises. The first personal health book to include full chapter coverage of communication, violence, and addictions, this book provides additional assessments, maintains its contemporary focus and continues to emphasize current trends in personal health and their direct impact on the reader.

Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice by Karen Glanz, Barbara K. Rimer, and Frances Marcus Lewis (Hardcover - Sep 9, 2002).
Since it was first published more than a decade ago, Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice has become the leading resource in the field of health promotion and education. This thoroughly revised third edition provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of health behavior theories relevant to health education and includes the most current information on developments in theory, research, and practice.
http://www.mindconnection.com/library/health/softdrinks.htm
Tibet, Kosovo inspired Malegaon accused
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Smita Nair
Posted: Jan 23, 2009 at 0853 hrs IST
Mumbai The transcripts of alleged conversations between those accused in the Malegaon blast case, the forensic examination of Mahant Sudhakar Dwivedi’s laptops and statements of witnesses show that the main conspirators sought to gain inspiration from conflicts and campaigns around the world to justify their need for a new constitution and a new government-in-exile. For instance, the Tibet issue allegedly found prominence at conspiracy meetings and the accused are believed to have talked about the plight of Tibetans under the Chinese rule, the influence of those given refuge in India and the platform at which they have to lobby international opinion in their favour. Dwivedi’s laptop also contained a text file named “Tibet ki durdasha ke jimmedar” (those responsible for Tibet’s plight), which has been submitted to the court as evidence, according to the chargesheet.

One of the files Dwivedi allegedly accessed on his laptop on February 29 last year is entitled “Government of India-Kosovo”, coinciding with the time Kosovo became the world’s newest country after gaining independence from Serbia following years of conflict that led to the break-up of Yugoslavia. A file entitled “Kosovo aur Kashmir” was also allegedly accessed around the same time.

Like Kosovo, the conspirators are accused by the police of wanting to create a “nuisance group” which would create passive resistance to gain international assistance and recognition of its demands for independence.

In their case, it was Hindus allegedly wanting to gain the sympathy of the international community due to what they claim are atrocities by Islamic terror groups attacking Indian cities and towns with serial blasts. They also allegedly discussed ethnic conflicts involving Kurds, Shiite Arabs and other ethnic groups at their meetings.

Dwivedi and Lt Col Prasad Purohit, named the main conspirators in the chargesheet, along with some unnamed witnesses, allegedly discussed how they “were hoping that Cambodia, Nepal, Thailand, Bharat, Bhutan, Japan and Korea become one Hindu nation”, at a conspiracy meeting said to have been held on January 26 last year.

The group also sought “unconditional support from Nepal” and wanted a point man to be the co-ordinating chief from the Himalayan country, the chargesheet alleges.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Tibet-Kosovo-inspired-Malegaon-accused/414233/

Pak central front in war against terror, says Obama
Washington US President Barack Obama said Afghanistan and Pakistan are the central front in the America's war against terrorism and deteriorating situation in the region poses grave threat to the global security.
"This is the central front in our enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism," Obama said reiterating that the Afghan-Pak problem can't be resolved in isolation.

There has to be regional approach to it, he argued.

Addressing the officials of the State Department after Richard Holbrooke was appointed Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Obama said, "There, as in the Middle East, we must understand that we cannot deal with our problems in isolation."

Obama said his administration is committed to refocusing attention and resources on Afghanistan and Pakistan and to spending those resources wisely. "That's why we are pursuing a careful review of our policy," he said.

Terming it as an international challenge of the "highest order", he said, "There is no answer in Afghanistan that does not confront the Al-Qaeda and Taliban bases along the border, and there will be no lasting peace unless we expand spheres of opportunity for the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan."

However, Obama said the situation can't be resolved so quickly in the region.

"The American people and the international community must understand that the situation is perilous and progress will take time. Violence is up dramatically in Afghanistan. A deadly insurgency has taken deep root. The opium trade is far and away the largest in the world," he observed.

Obama alleged that the Afghan government had been unable to deliver basic services. "Al-Qaeda and the Taliban strike from bases embedded in rugged tribal terrain along the

Pakistani border. And while we have yet to see another attack on our soil since 9/11, Al-Qaeda terrorists remain at large and remain plotting," he said.

Giving an inkling of his yet to be Afghan policy, Obama said, "We will seek stronger partnerships with the governments of the region, sustain cooperation with our NATO allies, deeper engagement with the Afghan and Pakistani people, and a comprehensive strategy to combat terror and extremism."

He said, "We will provide the strategic guidance to meet our objectives, and we pledge to support the extraordinary Americans serving in Afghanistan, both military and civilian, with the resources that they need."

Microsoft to cut up to 5,000 jobs
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Reuters
Posted: Jan 22, 2009 at 2018 hrs IST

New York Microsoft Corp posted quarterly results that missed Wall Street expectations, announced it would cut up to 5,000 jobs and said it could no longer offer profit forecasts for the rest of the fiscal year. Shares of Microsoft fell 8.5 per cent in pre-market trading.

Microsoft posted a profit of $4.17 billion, or 47 cents per share, in its fiscal second quarter ended Dec. 31, versus a profit of $4.71 billion, or 50 cents, a year earlier. Analysts were looking for earnings per share of 49 cents, according to Reuters Estimates.

Revenue rose 2 per cent to $16.63 billion, missing the average analyst forecast of $17.1 billion.

To cut costs, Microsoft said it will eliminate up to 5,000 jobs in research and development, marketing, sales, finance, legal, human resources and information technology over the next 18 months, including 1,400 jobs on Thursday.

Rahman nominated for three Oscars, Slumdog for 10
DIPTI NAGPAUL-D’SOUZA AND PRIYANKA PEREIRA
MUMBAI A R Rahman today became the first Indian to get three Oscar nominations for his score in British-Indian movie Slumdog Millionaire which also got the nod in seven other categories, including best film and best director. The film is being released in India tomorrow.

Rahman was nominated for best original score while both Jai Ho and O Saya were shortlisted for the best original song. The film also won nominations in cinematography, sound mixing, sound editing and film editing.

With 13 nominations, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, based on a F Scott Fitzgerald short story with Brad Pitt playing a man who ages backward, led the field. Apart from best actor for Pitt and best director for David Fincher, Benjamin Button has also picked best supporting actress nomination for Taraji P Henson and best adapted screenplay for Eric Roth and Robin Swicord. Batman sequel The Dark Knight and the gay-rights saga Milk each got eight nominations.

Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire and Milk will vie for best picture at the 81st annual Academy Awards on February 22 alongside The Reader and Frost/Nixon. All five also have best director nominations. Australian actor Heath Ledger, who died of an overdose of prescription pills exactly a year ago, was nominated for his supporting role as the villainous Joker in The Dark Knight.

The Indian hero among the nominees is Rahman, with three nominations — one for original score and two for original songs (Jai Ho and O Saya). “I’m happy to have done India proud. But I’m happier for Boyle, Resul (Pookutty) and every Indian crew member involved in the project. It’s all a team work. I hope we will bring the Oscars home,” Rahman told The Indian Express by phone. “I’m surprised at the same time because I didn’t expect three nominations. Credit should go to Gulzarji who wrote Jai Ho.”

Only two Indians have won the Oscar till date — Bhanu Athaiya (for costume design in “Gandhi”) and Satyajit Ray who was given an honourary Oscar for his contribution to films. In 1982, “Gandhi” was nominated for 11 and won eight.

The Slumdog Millionaire nominations, on the eve of the Indian release of the film, turned its star-studded premiere today at the Imax theatre in Mumbai into a celebration party. A beaming Boyle, introduced, raved about and rooted for his cast and crew, especially the six young actors and his co-director Loveleen Tandan.

“I’m so excited,” Boyle said. “There are so many people behind making the film successful whom I would like to introduce,” he said. His only regret at such a great occasion was the absence of Rahman, who was in Chennai. “It’s sad that Rahman couldn’t be here as he has to work on his next film Dilli 6. Without his music, the film couldn’t have achieved so much.”

The news of 10 nominations took time to sink in. Actor Frieda Pinto found it very hard to believe. “I’m glad I wasn’t standing on the edge of a cliff when I got the news. I would have definitely toppled down with the excitement,” she said.

What makes this film special for Indian film industry is that the cast was mostly Indian while the crew was a mix of Indians and foreigners. “No international director would usually take an Indian for an assistant director, unlike Boyle. The film has everything that makes a Bollywood masala movie. But what made it different was the way Boyle has added multiple layer — making it appealing for both the international and Indian audience,” said actor Irrfan Khan, who plays a minor role in the film.

Tandan echoed that sentiment. “It was the biggest achievement of Indian cinema. It’s amazing that the cast and crew, who were a mix of Indian and international members, completed the shooting in 102 days,” she said. Director-actor Mahesh Manjrekar, who does a cameo in the film, said, “Slumdog Millionaire will make the world take notice of Indian cinema.” Dev Patel, the lead actor, who was full of boyish charm, found the happenings of the evening “truly exhilarating”.

(with inputs from Alaka Sahani)
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Rahman-bags-3-nominations-for-Slumdog-at-Oscars/414048/

Manmohan to undergo heart surgery, Pranab to officiate
New Delhi With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set to undergo heart surgery on Saturday to remove cardiac blockages, Congress sources indicated that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will officiate in his absence.
"In the absence of Singh, Mukherjee presides over the Cabinet meetings," a senior party leader said after the Prime Minister was admitted to AIIMS, adding what was an informal arrangement was now being made formal.

At the AICC briefing, spokesman Manish Tewari said that in the absence of the Prime Minister, there is a procedure laid down on how the affairs of the government will be carried out.

Pranab Mukherjee was given the additional charge of Finance Ministry.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said that Mukherjee would hold additional charge from tomorrow until the recovery of the Prime Minister from medical treatment.

"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of External Affairs is assigned the additional charge of Ministry of Finance from January 24, 2009 until the recovery of the Prime Minsiter from medical treatment," the communique said.

Singh was holding the Finance portfolio since last month when P Chidambaram was moved to Home Ministry in the wake of the Mumbai terror strike.

However, Chidambaram is assisting Singh in answering questions related to Finance Ministry in Parliament.

With the development, Mukherjee is expected to present the interim budget in the Lok Sabha on February 16.

A senior party leader said that this was perhaps the first time in Independent India that the Prime Minister would not be able to attend the Republic Day parade.

Easy to criticise, but tough to act: PC on Kandhahar
New Delhi The NDA government's decision to release dreaded terrorists in exchange for hostages in the Kandahar hijack 10 years ago had come under attack from several quarters but Home Minister P Chidambaram is "not sure" saying it is a "very difficult" decision.
"I do not know how I would have reacted if 150 families came to my door and pleaded that their loved ones in that aircraft must be saved. It is easy to criticise but if one is in that position, it is a very difficult decision," he said at the NDTV's Indian of the Year Awards function on Wednesday night.

He was asked about some governments in the world having taken a pledge not to ever negotiate with terrorists and whether India should also embrace that principle or was it far too over simplisitic.

"It is a wholesome principle but I agree that it is an over-simplification....I am not sure. I don't know whether it can be applied in all situations," Chidamabaram said.

The decision of the Vajpayee government to release three dreaded terrorists including Jaish-e-Mohammad Chief Masood Azhar in December, 1999 received a lot of flak from various political parties including the Congress, more so because the then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh accompanied them (terrorists) to Kandahar.

Azhar's name has subsequently figured in the December 2001 terror attack on Parliament and the attack outside Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in Srinagar in the same month.

Satyam close to securing funding, top management

Reuters
Posted: Jan 23, 2009 at 1745 hrs IST

Hyderabad The new board of fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services said on Friday that additional funding arrangements and the appointment of the top management were in the final stages of being concluded. The board said in a statement it had narrowed the shortlist of candidates for chief executive and chief financial officer to the final three and the decision would be made in the coming week. Existing customers continue to release new work orders and collections from receivables were robust, it said.

Global changes to pull GDP to 7.1%: PMEAC

New Delhi Painful adjustments to the abrupt changes in the international economy will pull down India's economic growth to 7.1 per cent this fiscal, down from 7.7 per cent forecast earlier, the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council said on Friday.
Even in the coming fiscal, the growth is likely to be in the range of 7 to 7.5 per cent, the PM's panel said, adding that inflation will moderate to four per cent by February-end.

The GDP growth was 9 per cent in 2007-08 and inflation has already declined to below six per cent in January from the peak of 12.91 per cent in August 2008.

The combined fiscal deficit of the Centre and states, on account of fiscal stimulus and tax concessions given to the industry to combat slowdown, will be in excess of 10 per cent of GDP during the current financial year.

The slowdown, it said, was "caused by painful adjustments to abrupt changes in international economy...(following) financial meltdown and deeper than anticipated recession in the advanced industrial countries in the second half".

As regards inflation, the panel said, "Expected decline in consumer prices is unlikely to match that in the wholesale prices."

The wholesale prices-based inflation for the week ended January 10 stood at 5.6 per cent.

Bid to paint Bhagat, Gandhi as rivals decried
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Amrita Chaudhry
Posted: Feb 25, 2008 at 0255 hrs IST

Ludhiana, February 24 “Sikhs are either the Sikhs like Bhagat Singh or they are the Sikhs of Bhai Randhir Singh.” Expressing this Sumel Singh, a scholar from Jawahar Lal Nehru University, New Delhi, explains his statements as, “Bhagat Singh has actually followed the spirit the Sikh rehat maryada. While he (Bhagat Singh) was shunned by the some Sikh leaders of those time like Bhai Randhir Singh (Bhai Randhir Singh had refused to meet Bhagat Singh in jail for the latter had shorn his hair during freedom struggle) yet here was a young boy who explained his process of cutting his hair as his first step towards fulfilling the basic tenet of Sikh philosophy that preaches band band katva dena. For Bhagat Singh giving up his hair was the first band that he had sacrificed for the independence struggle.
Sumel Singh was speaking at a panel discussion organised by the Punjabi Sahit Academy on “Bhagat Singh and his ideologies.” At the centre of this panel discussion was the book titled “Martyr and bridegroom: A folk representation of Bhagat Singh” authored by Prof I.D. Gaur. Talking about his book, Gaur said, “Bhagat Singh even today for he still responds to non conformist, non-sectarian, and counter-hegemonic ethos of Punjabi people. Punjabis throughout the world remember Bhagat Singh through their folk songs.”

Adding to this, senior leftist and intellectual, Charan Gill remarked, “The fact that Bhagat Singh has once again become a role model leader for the masses draws our attention to the fact that the present set of leadership has totally failed to provide a hero. This is a disturbing sign. Civilization need heroes to survive and in case they do not find one in present time they bring alive a hero from history and for present youth. Bhagat Singh is a perfect icon.” Gill however warned, “The force by which people have tried to put Bhagat Singh and Gandhi as rivals will only hamper the advancement if India. The five films that we saw on Bhagat Singh all tried to do so for their commercial gains but then this idea that if we glorify Gandhi, Bhagat Singh’s stature is lowered and vice a versa is baseless.”

Prof Rajinder Pal Singh from Punjabi University meanwhile averred, “These fascism that Bhagat Singh belongs to only one section and not the other is false. Bhagat Singh can be and is as much of the left and as he is of the Sikhs or the Hindus. The intellectuals need not fear and condemn the current posters and slogans that are being pinned on Bhagat Singh in present times like “much da swaal” and “anakh.” All we need is to analyse the direction in which this young scholar is being taken to.

Also present at the seminar were Dr Surjit Patar president, Punjabi Academy, Dr Surjit, Amarjeet Grewal and others.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Bid-to-paint-Bhagat-Gandhi-as-rivals-decried/276854/

Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire
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Shubhra Gupta
Posted: Jan 22, 2009 at 0901 hrs IST
January 22 Cast: Anil Kapoor, Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto, Irrfan Khan, Saurabh Shukla
Director: Danny Boyle

Dharavi boy Jamal Malik, server of ‘chai’, keeper of secrets, is one of the wise. He’s learnt his wisdom on the streets, and he uses it to become a millionaire.

Director Danny Boyle takes the bare bones of Vikas Swarup’s novel, and turns the film into an electric, visceral, kinetic feast, and an all-get-out entertainer. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is ‘Salaam Bombay’ on speed. Only it’s called Mumbai now.

Blood, sweat, tears. And that other bodily fluid—shit— that no one likes to acknowledge, least of all mainstream meisters. Danny Boyle uses these elemental qualities to construct call centre ‘chaipau’ Jamal ( Dev Patel) , and his ‘bizarrely plausible’ ( in the delightful phrase of one of the characters) world, constantly teetering on the edge of collapse, constantly being shored by the grit and gumption of those who live in it. And gives us an unlikely hero who is a metaphor for our times. Yes, Jamal can.

So can Latika ( Freida Pinto), his childhood sweetheart, who is also a product of the same sewage and lineage that he and his brother Salim come from. Their journey to young adulthood, fraught with many dangers, is not new for those who’ve seen Bollywood’s tryst with slum-homeless kids being blinded and maimed by beggar cartels is one of Hindi cinema’s oldest saddest tales, along with fresh virgins being readied to be deflowered by the highest bidder. Boyle invests old tropes with a welcome matter-of-factness, and is willing to learn on the job : his inordinate glee at showing his young urchin wallowing in human excrement is overtaken by Jamal’s unchecked exuberance - the slumdog conquers both the smell and the moment.

When he first opens his mouth, the UK based ‘desi’ debutant Dev Patel seems all wrong, because of his clipped cadences. But almost immediately he settles into his groove, and, along with the marvellous young kids who play the leads’ younger selves, grows into being the film’s high point : Jamal is vulnerable yet strong, the fragile skin peeling off to reveal the steel underneath. Pinto is real, and keeps him able company. Irrfan Khan and Saurabh Shukla as the hectoring cops, and Mahesh Manjrekar as the brutal ‘bhai’, fit right in. Anil Kapoor, as the devious host of the game-show, turns in one of his most vivid, precise performances. And A R Rahman’s score is a triumph.

The romance and rags-to-riches story of a Mumbai slum dweller comes to India via it’s meteoric sweep of the world, having ratcheted up applause and awards at break-neck speed. ( Last evening, it was nominated for 10 Oscar awards, including three for A R Rahman, one for Resul Pookutty for Best Sound Design, and the three biggies - Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay).

The fact that it has a director ( Boyle), screenplay writer ( Simon Beaufoy) and producer (Christian Colson) owing allegiance to the West could have made this is a bloodless, distanced copy of a fun book, but one look at ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, and you know that its spirit and soul is flagrantly, proudly Indian : the Empire has been finally, overwhelmingly trounced.

It’s not about poverty pornography. It’s not about a White guy showing us touchy Brown-skins squatting by the rail-tracks. In the end, it’s just about a film, which sweeps you up and takes you for an exhilarating ride on the wild side. Jai Ho.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Movie-Review-Slumdog-Millionaire/414049/

Ayurveda
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Ayurveda—intertwined with mythology and religion—traces the origin of traditional Indian medicine to the legendary Dhanvantari, who received his knowledge from Brahma—the Hindu God of creation.
Hundreds of vegetable drugs are used in Ayurvedic medicine—including cardamom and cinnamon, both of which are believed to stimulate digestive enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules in the Human body.[1]
Several philosophers In India combined religion and traditional medicine—notable examples being that of Buddhism and Ayurveda. Shown in the image is the philosopher Nagarjuna—known chiefly for his doctrine of the Madhyamika (middle path)—who wrote medical works The Hundred Prescriptions and The Precious Collection, among others.[2]
Research suggests that Terminalia arjuna is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris and in treating heart failure and coronary artery disease. Terminalia may also be useful in treating hypercholesterolemia[3]
The seven chakras (Devanagari: ????) and the Mahabhuta (Devanagari: ???????) in Tantric tradition. Yoga and Tantra have influenced traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
Azadirachta indica—believed to have immunopotentiating abilities and used often as an anti-infective—has been found to enhance the production of IL-2 and increase immunity in human volunteers by boosting lymphocyte and T-cell count in three weeks.[4]
Cataract in Human Eye—magnified view seen on examination with a slit lamp. Cataract surgery was known to the physician Sushruta.[5] In India, cataract surgery was performed with a special tool called the Jabamukhi Salaka, a curved needle used to loosen the lens and push the cataract out of the field of vision.[5] The eye would later be soaked with warm butter and then bandaged.[5]
Black pepper and long pepper are combined with ginger to form the traditional trikatu mixture in Ayurveda. This mixture increases appetite, promotes the secretion of digestive juices, and cures certain gastric disorders—particularly Achlorhydria and Hypochlorhydria.[6]
The mantra ? ??? ????? ??? written on rocks. Chanting mantras has been a feature of Ayurveda since the Atharvaveda—a largely religious text—was compiled.[7]
Oils—such as sesame and sunflower oil—are extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine. Studies show that both these oils contain substantial amount of linoleate in triglyceride form. Oils rich in linoleic acid may have antineoplastic properties.[8]
Chemical structure of curcumin used in Ayurvedic medicine. Shown here in its keto form.Ayurveda (Devanagari: ????????, the 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to India,[9] and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.[10] In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda comprises the words ayus, meaning 'life' and veda, meaning 'science'.[9] Evolving throughout its history, Ayurveda remains an influential system of medicine in South Asia.[11] The earliest literature of Ayurveda appeared during the Vedic period in India.[10] The Sushruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita were influential works on traditional medicine during this era.[10] Ayurvedic practitioners also identified a number of medicinal preparations and surgical procedures for curing various ailments and diseases.[12]

Ayurveda is considered to be a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the western world, where several of its methods—such as herbs, massage, and Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine—are applied on their own as a form of CAM treatment.[13]

Contents [hide]
1 Overview
2 Practices
3 History
4 Current status
4.1 Within South Asia
4.2 Outside India
4.3 Patents
4.4 Scientific evidence
4.5 Safety Concerns
5 Notes
6 External links
7 References



[edit] Overview
Ayurveda believes in 'five great elements' (Devanagari: ????????; earth, water, fire, air and space) forming the universe, including the human body.[9] Blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, chyle, and semen are believed to be the seven primary constituent elements (Devanagari: ????????) of the body.[14] Ayurveda stresses a balance of three substances: wind/spirit/air, phlegm, and bile, each representing divine forces.[14] According to Ayurvedic beliefs, the doctrine of these three Doshas (Devanagari: ????????)—vata (wind/spirit/air), pitta (bile) and kapha (phlegm)—is important.[15] Traditional beliefs hold that humans possess a unique constellation of Doshas.[15] In Ayurveda, the human body has 20 Guna (Devanagari: ???, meaning quality).[16] Surgery and surgical instruments are employed.[16] It is believed that building a healthy metabolic system, attaining good digestion, and proper excretion leads to vitality.[16] Ayurveda also focuses on exercise, yoga, meditation, and massage.[17]

The concept of Panchakarma (Devanagari: ????????) is believed to eliminate toxic elements from the body.[18] Eight disciplines of Ayurveda treatment, called Ashtanga (Devanagari: ???????), are given below:[19]

Surgery (Shalya-chikitsa).
Treatment of diseases above the clavicle (Salakyam).
Internal medicine (Kaaya-chikitsa).
Demonic possession (Bhuta vidya): Ayurveda believes in demonic intervention and—as a form of traditional medicine—identifies a number of ways to counter the supposed effect of these interferences.[20] Bhuta vidya has been called psychiatry.[10]
Paediatrics (Kaumarabhrtyam).
Toxicology (Agadatantram).
Prevention and building immunity (rasayanam).
Aphrodisiacs (Vajikaranam).

[edit] Practices
Buddhism may have been an influence on the development of many of Ayurveda's central ideas—particularly its fascination with balance, known in Buddhism as Madhyamika (Devanagari: ????????).[21] Balance is emphasized and suppressing natural urges is seen to be unhealthy and doing so may almost certainly lead to illness.[21] To stay within the limits of reasonable balance and measure is stressed upon.[21] Ayurveda emphasizes on moderation in food intake, sleep, sexual intercourse, and the intake of medicine.[21]

Ayurveda incorporates an entire system of dietary recommendations.[9] Chopra (2003)—on the subject of Ayurveda dietetics—writes:[22]

Ayurvedic dietetics comprise a host of recommendations, ranging from preparation and consumption of food, to healthy routines for day and night, sexual life, and rules for ethical conduct. In contrast to contemporary practitioners of New Age Ayurveda, older Ayurvedic authors tended to be religiously neutral. Even Buddhist authors refrained from trying to convert the patient to follow their particular religious ways.


For diagnosis the patient is to be questioned and all five senses are to be employed.[23] The Charaka Samhita recommends a tenfold examination of the patient.[23] The qualities to be judged are: constitution, abnormality, essence, stability, body measurements, diet suitability, psychic strength, digestive capacity, physical fitness and age.[23] Hearing is used to observe the condition of breathing and speech.[14] The study of the vital pressure points or marma is of special importance.[16]

Chopra (2003) identifies five influential criteria for diagnosis: 'origin of the disease, prodrominal (precursory) symptoms, typical symptoms of the fully developed disease, observing the effect of therapeutic procedures, and the pathological process.'[23]

Hygiene—also a component of religious virtue to many Indians—is a strong belief.[14] Hygienic living involves regular bathing, cleansing of teeth, skin care, and eye washing.[14] Occasional anointing of the body with oil is also prescribed.[14]

Ayurveda stresses on vegetable drugs.[14] Fats are used both for consumption and for external use.[14] Hundreds of vegetable drugs are employed, including cardamom and cinnamon.[14] Some animal products may also be used, for example milk, bones, and gallstones etc.[14] Minerals—including sulfur, arsenic, lead, copper sulfate, gold—are also consumed as prescribed.[14]

Alcohol is used as a narcotic for the patient undergoing operation in some cases.[14] The advent of Islam introduced opium as a narcotic.[19] Both oil and tar are used to stop bleeding.[14] Oils may be used in a number of ways including regular consumption as a part of food, anointing, smearing, head massage, and prescribed application to infected areas.[24]

The proper function of channels—tubes that exist within the body and transport fluids from one point to another—is seen as vital, and the lack of healthy channels may lead to disease and insanity.[25] Sushruta identifies that blockages of these channels may lead to rheumatism, epilepsy, paralysis, and convulsions as fluids and channels are diverted from their ideal locations.[25] Sweating is favored as a manner in which to open up the channels and dilute the Doshas causing the blockages and harming a patient—a number of ways to take steam bathing and other steam related cures are recommended so that these toxins are released.[25]


[edit] History
Ayurveda traces its origins to the Vedas—the Atharvaveda in particular—and is connected to religion and mythology.[26] The Sushruta Samhita of Sushruta appeared during the 1st millennium BCE.[12] Dwivedi & Dwivedi (2007)— on the work of the surgeon Sushruta—write:[12]

The main vehicle of the transmission of knowledge during that period was by oral method. The language used was Sanskrit — the vedic language of that period (2000-500 BC). The most authentic compilation of his teachings and work is presently available in a treatise called Sushruta Samhita. This contains 184 chapters and description of 1120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparations based on animal sources.


Underwood & Rhodes (2008) hold that this early phase of traditional Indian medicine identified 'fever (takman), cough, consumption, diarrhea, dropsy, abscesses, seizures, tumours, and skin diseases (including leprosy).'[14] Treatment of complex ailments—including Angina pectoris, diabetes, hypertension, and stones—also ensued during this period.[27][12] Plastic surgery, cataract surgery, puncturing to release fluids in the abdomen, extraction of foreign elements, treatment of anal fistulas, treating fractures, amputations, cesarean sections, and stitching of wounds were known.[14] The use of herbs and surgical instruments became widespread.[14]

Other early works of Ayurveda include the Charaka Samhita, attributed to Charaka.[14] The earliest surviving excavated written material which contains the works of Sushruta is the Bower Manuscript—dated to the 4th century CE.[28] The Bower manuscript cites directly from Sushruta, and is of special interest to historians due to the presence of Indian medicine and its concepts in Central Asia.[29] Vagbhata—the son of a senior doctor by the name of Simhagupta—[30] also compiled his works on traditional medicine.[14] Early Ayurveda had a school of physicians and a school of surgeons.[10] Tradition holds that the text Agnivesh tantra—written by the legendary sage Agnivesh, a student of the mythological sage Bharadwaja—influenced the writings of Ayurveda.[31]



The Chinese pilgrim Fa Hsien (ca. 337 - 422 CE) wrote about the health care system of the Gupta empire (320 - 550 CE) and—in process—described the institutional approach of Indian medicine which is also visible in the works of Caraka, who mentions a clinic and how it should be equipped.[32] Madhava (700 CE), Sarngadhara (1300 CE), and Bhavamisra (1500 CE) compiled works on Indian medicine.[29] The medical works of both Sushruta and Charaka were translated into Arabic language during the Abbasid Caliphate (750 CE).[33] These Arabic works made their way into Europe via intermediaries.[34] In Italy the Branca family of Sicily and Gaspare Tagliacozzi (Bologna) became familiar with the techniques of Sushruta.[34]

British physicians traveled to India to see Rhinoplasty being performed by native methods.[35] Reports on Indian Rhinoplasty were published in the Gentleman's Magazine by 1794.[35] Joseph Constantine Carpue spent 20 years in India studying local plastic surgery methods.[35] Carpue was able to perform the first major surgery in the western world by 1815.[36] Instruments described in the Sushruta Samhita were further modified in the Western World.[36]


[edit] Current status

[edit] Within South Asia
In 1970, the Indian Medical Central Council Act was passed by the Parliament of India, which aims to standardize qualifications for Ayurveda and provide accredited institutions for its study and research.[37] In India, over 100 colleges offer degrees in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.[17] Indian Government supports research and teaching in Ayurveda through many channels—both at the national and state levels—and helps institutionalize traditional medicine so that it can be studied in major towns and cities.[38] The state-sponsored Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) is the apex institution for promotion of traditional medicine in India.[39] The studies conducted by this institution encompass clinical, drug, literary, and family welfare research.[39]

Many successful clinics are run by professionals who qualify from these institutes—both in the urban and the rural areas.[37] Mukherjee & Wahile cite World Health Organization statistics to demonstrate the popularity of traditional medicine, on which a significant number of the world's population depends for primary health care.[40] In Sri Lanka the number of traditional Ayurveda practitioners is greater than trained modern medicine professionals.[41] The manufacture and marketing of Ayurvedic medicine has been commercially successful for several pharmaceutical companies.[37]


[edit] Outside India
Ayurveda practitioners require a license in another stream of health care in the United States of America.[17] Academic institutions related to traditional medicine in India have contributed to Ayurveda's international visibility.[42] Kurup (2003) comments on the role of Gujarat Ayurved University:[42]

The Gujarat Ayurved University has signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with nine Ayurvedic institutes functioning in Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, Argentina, and Germany to coordinate and facilitate the globalization of Ayurveda through academic collaboration. Earlier, Medical (Ayu) Institute of Russia had signed the MoU with the Government of India, in which Gujarat Aryurved University is also one of the implementing authorities.


Ayurveda gained recognition in the Western world as medical scholars researched and outlined its various postulates.[43] In the United States of America, the NIH NCCAM expends some of its $123 million budget on Ayurvedic medicine research. In addition, the National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine, established by Dr. Scott Gerson, is an example of a research institute that has carried out research into Ayurvedic practices.[44] Gerson has published part of his work on the antifungal activities of certain Ayurvedic plants in academic journals.[45] The postulates and history of Ayurveda have also been outlined by foreign scholars—such as Dominik Wujastyk in the United Kingdom.[46]


[edit] Patents
In December 1993, the University of Mississippi Medical Center had a patent issued to them by United States Patent and Trademark Office on the use of turmeric for healing.[47] The patent was contested by India's industrial research organization, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R), on the grounds that traditional Ayurvedic practitioners were already aware of the healing properties of the substance and have been for centuries, making this patent a case of bio-piracy.[48] The Government of India had become involved in promoting traditional medicine by 1997.[49] Sharma & Bodeker report on the various government activities in relation with Ayurveda:[49]

In India the government became involved in traditional drug production when the Central Drug Research Institute patented two new drugs from ancient Ayurvedic formulas. One, a mixture of black pepper, long pepper, and ginger, allows for the dosage of the antibiotic rifampicin to be halved in the treatment of tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections. The other is a memory tonic produced from the traditional plant called brahmi. Overseas patenting of turmeric and products of the neem tree caused controversy in India and other nations. In August the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled a U.S. patent on the wound-healing properties of turmeric when the Indian government proved that records had existed for this use for centuries.



[edit] Scientific evidence
As a traditional medicine, many Ayurveda products have not been tested in rigorous scientific studies and clinical trials.[50] In India, research in Ayurveda is largely undertaken by the statutory body of the Central Government, the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), through a national network of research institutes.[51] A systematic review of Ayurveda treatments for rheumatoid arthritis concluded that there was insufficient evidence, as most of the trials were not done properly, and the one high-quality trial showed no benefits.[52] A review of Ayurveda and cardiovascular disease concluded that while the herbal evidence is not yet convincing, the spices are appropriate, some herbs are promising, and yoga is also a promising complementary treatment.[53]

Despite these misgivings, some ayurvedic products, mainly herbs used for phytotherapy, have been tested with promising results. Turmeric and its derivative curcumin appears to have beneficial properties.[54] Tinspora cordifolia has been tested.[55] Among the medhya rasayanas (intellect rejuvenation), two varieties of sage have been tested in small trials; one trial provided evidence that sage may improve word recall in young adults,[56] and another provided evidence that Spanish Sage may improve symptoms in Alzheimer's patients.[57] In some cases Ayurvedic medicine may provide clues to therapeutic compounds. For example, derivatives of snake venom have various therapeutic properties.[58] Many plants used as rasayana (rejuvenation) medications are potent antioxidants.[59] Neem appears to have beneficial pharmacological properties as well.[60]

Mitra & Rangesh (2003) hold that cardamom and cinnamon are believed to stimulate digestive enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules in the Human body.[1] Research suggests that Terminalia arjuna is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris and in treating heart failure and coronary artery disease.[3] Terminalia arjun may also be useful in treating hypercholesterolemia.[3] Azadirachta indica is believed to have immunopotentiating abilities and is used often as an anti-infective.[4] It has been found to enhance the production of IL-2 and increase immunity in human volunteers by boosting lymphocyte and T-cell count in three weeks.[4] Both black pepper and long pepper find application in Ayurvedic medicine in conjunction with ginger to form trikatu—a traditional mixture.[6] Trikatu has been suggested to increase appetite, promote the secretion of digestive juices, and cure certain gastric disorders—particularly Achlorhydria and Hypochlorhydria.[6]

Scientist Richard Dawkins has openly criticized Ayurveda medicine, saying “The idea that ancient equals years of accumulated wisdom is a fallacy...Resuscitating Ayurveda today is rather like bringing back bleeding with leeches.”[61]


[edit] Safety Concerns
Major safety concerns include adulteration of herbal medicines with toxic metals, and intrinsic toxicity of herbal medications. Some traditional Ayurvedic remedies use toxic metals, herbs, and minerals as part of their remedy. Rasa shastra, the practice of adding metals, minerals or gems to herbs, increases the likelihood of toxic metals such as lead, mercury, or arsenic in the remedy.[62]

A 2004 study found toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic in 20% of Ayurvedic preparations that were made in South Asia for sale around Boston and extrapolated the data to America. It concluded that excess consumption of these products could cause health risks.[63] A 2008 study found that approximately 20% of remedies (and 40% of rasa shastra medicines) purchased over the internet from both US and Indian suppliers were contaminated with toxic metals.[62]

Traditionally the toxicity of these materials are believed to be reduced through processes such as samskaras or shodhanas (for metals), which is similar to the Chinese pao zhi although the Ayurvedic technique is more complex and may involve prayers as well as physical pharmacy techniques.[64] Rigorous evidence that the metals may be rendered nontoxic is not available, and case reports describe adverse effects to these metals.[62]

There is evidence that using some Ayurveda medicine, especially those involving herbs, metals, minerals, or other materials involves potentially serious risks, including toxicity.[65][50] Adverse reactions to herbs due their pharmacology are described in traditional Ayurveda texts, but Ayurvedic practitioners are reluctant to admit that herbs could be toxic and the reliable information on herbal toxicity is not easily available.[66]

Following concerns about metal toxicity, the Government of India ruled that Ayurvedic products must specify their metallic content directly on the labels of the product.[67] The harmful effects of the samples is attributed in part to the adulterated raw material and lack of workers trained in traditional medicine.[68] In a letter to the Indian Academy of Sciences, Patwardhan Bhushan—director of the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, University of Pune—stated that the metal adulteration is due to contamination and carelessness during the modern manufacturing processes, quicker than the safer traditional methods of preparation, is to blame for the heavy level of toxicity in traditional medicine.[69] Bhushan further wrote: "Presence of spurious substances in market samples is not new. However, it does not reflect adversely on the importance of modern medicine. For instance, cyanide tainted Tylenol5. Therefore, conclusion of Saper et al. that ‘users of Ayurvedic medicine may be at risk for heavy metal toxicity’ is certainly not justified. It only relates to certain samples of Ayurvedic medicines from certain companies in certain locations."[69] The flawed output has resulted in decline of Ayurveda in India as well as abroad.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda

Herbal Encyclopedia >>
Medicinal Herbs with initial "A"

[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M]
[N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [Y]

Agrimony
Scientific name: Agrimonia eupatoria

Medicinal value

It is a blend of the leaves that is used to treat liver ailments including jaundice, ulcers, diarrhea and skin problems. The leaves are also used as a diuretic. For external purposes it is used as a fomentation for athlete's foot, sores, slow-healing wounds, and insect bites.

Religious importance
It is believed that Agrimony is used for protection form spells, to banish negative energies and spirits. It also reverses spells and reverts them back to the sender. If Agrimony is put under head a deep sleep is caused that continues until it is removed.

Habitat
Most of the United States and Southern Canada has tremendous growth of Agrimony, which is a perennial and reaches 2 to 3 feet tall. Complete sunshine and average soil is good for its growth.

Alfalfa
Scientific name: Medicago sativa

Medicinal value
It is used for treating anemia, fatigue, kidneys, peptic ulcers, pituitary problems, and for building general health, retaining water in the body, relieving urinary and bowel problems. This herb is effective for the treatment of narcotic and alcohol addiction.

Religious importance
It is believed that if this herb is kept in a container and placed outside home it prevents the house from poverty and hunger. Scattering the ashes of burned alfalfa protects property.

Habitat
Sunshine, regular watering are the necessary conditions for the growth of this 1 to 3 feet tall herb which is not picky about the soil and is cultivated in many parts of the world..

Allspice
Scientific name: Pimenta dioica

Medicinal value
It relieves toothache and is used as a mouth freshener for fresh breath.

Religious importance
It is believed that allspice enhances healing and is used to ask for money and good fortune it is used as a mixture.

Habitat
It is derived form a tree that grows Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Aloe Vera
Scientific name: Aloe vera, Aloe spp.

Medicinal value
The gel obtained from the inner part of the aloe leaf is used to treat burns, skin rashes, insect bites, healing wounds by drawing out infection, and preventing infection from starting and chafed nipples from breast-feeding. This gel can also be used internally to keep the bowels functioning smooth. It must be noticed that this medicine when taken internally causes intestinal cramping and there are other herbs that do this job better. This gel is best effective when used fresh rather than "stabilized" gels found in the stores. The fresh gel was used by Cleopatra to keep her skin soft and young.

Religious importance
It is believed that this plant if grown in the kitchen garden prevents burns and mishaps while cooking. It also prevents household accidents and safeguards against evils. It is reported that aloe was used to embalm the body of Christ.

Habitat
It is bets to be grown inside home in pots. The climate of South, as in southern Texas or southern Florida is best for the growth of aloe outside. Aloe being a succulent needs water to keep the leaves fleshy and juicy.

Amaranth
Scientific name: Amaranthus spp.

Medicinal value
It is best to treat stomach flu, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis. This herb is also helpful in stopping menstruation and for contraception. It reduces tissue swelling caused due to sprains and tick bites when applied externally. It is advisable not to be used by pregnant or lactating women.

Religious importance
Amaranth is associated with immortality and is used to decorate god and goddesses. It is also used to repair broken heart. Woven into a wreath, it is said to render the wearer invisible. Also used in pagan burial ceremonies.

Habitat
This 1 to 5 feet tall annual has to be sown inside soil to grow. It is generally not picky about soil type, and tolerates heat and drought well.

Angelica
Scientific name: Angelica archangelica

Medicinal value
It is a herbal tea that is used to treat colic, gas, indigestion, hepatitis, and heartburn. It is also a remedy for afflictions of the respiratory system, liver problems and digestive difficulties. This herb also promotes circulation and energy in the body, often stimulates circulation in the pelvic region and also stimulates suppressed menstruation. It is advisable not to be used by pregnant women or diabetics.

Religious importance
If grown in garden it is believe this herb protects the garden and home. The leave is burnt to banish evil and root is used as protective amulet. It is also used to lengthen life and for protection against diseases and spirits. Adding it to a ritual bath will break spells and hexes.

Habitat
This plant needs shade partially, rich and moist soil, wet bottomland, swamps and cool temperature grow. It grows to a 6 feet tall perennial.

Anise
Scientific name: Pimpinellaa anisum

Medicinal value
Like angelica this herb is good for the treatment of colic, gas, and indigestion. It is a trusted remedy for cough being the mildest of the herbs used for these purposes.

Religious importance
It is believed that if anise is blended with bay leaves it provide an excellent bath additive prior to ritual. Anise grown around the home keeps off evil and is it is placed in the sleeping pillow at night it chases away nightmares. Also in most parts of the world anise seed head is hanged on the bed pot to restore youth.

Habitat
It prefers warm, sunny, rich sandy soil and well-drained areas. North America has an abundance of this annual plant with the height of 1-2 feet. It needs 120 days to produce fully ripened seed heads.

Apple
Scientific name: Pyrus spp.

Medicinal value
It is used to treat constipation, lower cholesterol level, cures heart diseases and prevents infection if rubbed after crushing apple leaves on fresh wound.

Religious importance
It is used as a healing incense and an offering on samhain to the dead, since it is a symbol of immortality. Apple blossoms are used in love as well as gift for everlasting love. Apple wood is used to make magical wands.

Habitat
The climatic conditions of North America are best suited for the growth of apple. A cool climate is just perfect for its growth.

Astragalus
Scientific name: Astragalus membranaceous

Medicinal value
This herb strengthens metabolism and digestion, raises metabolism, aids in strengthening the immune system and is used in the healing of wounds and injuries.

Apocynum (Black Indian Hemp)
Scientific name: Apocynum cannabinum L. or A. androsaemifolium L.

Medicinal value
It is used to treat congestive heart failure as it contains cardio- active glycosides This herb doesn't have an edge over digitalis and hence is not advisable to be used by any human.

Habitat
This perennial herb grows up to five feet tall in the climate of North America that is best suited for them.

Arnica
Scientific names: Arnica spp.

Medicinal value
If used externally this herb reduces inflammation and pain of bruises, aches, and sprains. While usage it must be kept in mind that internal application of this herb has a toxic effect on the heart and causes very high blood pressure.

Habitat
The climate of meadows and mountainous regions of Europe and western North America is appropriate for the growth of this herb.
http://www.ayurveda-herbal-remedy.com/herbal-encyclopedia/
History of Herbs Enquire Now

From prehistoric days, plants are used for shelter, food and medicine. The use of plants for medicinal purposes is as old as our civilization. The first known written record of curative plants was of Sumerian herbal of 2200 BC. In the 5th century BC, The Greek doctor Hippocrates list out some 400 herbs in common use. Dioscorides, in the Ist century AD, wrote a herbal by using 600 plants which ultimately became the base for many later works. Herbs have been used for uncounted time for various purposes like healing the sick and infirm. Most of the people still continue to use herbs to benefit their bodies. People thought that herbs keep the body in tune with nature as nature intended and maintain proper balance. Many scientific studies are still continued with modern research following the lead of old folklore and herbal uses to help finding new western medicine. Man has also been aware of the effects of Herbs on the body, mind and emotion. For example - Flowers were utilized to attract love, food and protection. Fragrant plants were worn to heal the body and give a sense of well being. The most costly flowers are offered to gods and goddesses and the use of aromatic incense is recorded from the earliest of times.

Present Status
Herbalists today, believe to help people build their good health with the help of natural sources.Herbs are considered to be food rather than medicine because they're complete, all-natural and pure, as nature intended. When herbs are taken, the body starts to get cleansed, It gets purifying itself. Unlike chemically synthesized, highly concentrated drugs that may produce many side effects, herbs can effectively realign the body's defenses. Herbs do not produce instant cures, but rather offer a way to put the body in proper tune with nature.

For thousands of years, humans have used herbs. Herbs have been used in the following ways - In cooking for flavouring foods, as perfumes, as disinfectants, to protect us against germs, as medicines to heal when we are sick.

Herbalism Today
Herbs are generally defined as non-woody plants, which die after blooming. This definition has been expanded to any of the plants of which part or whole can be used in medicinal treatments, culinary preparations (as seasonings), nutritional supplementation, or used as a coloring or cosmetic agent. Fresh herbals and medicinal plants can be acquired by gathering them in wild conditions, growing them in your own personal garden, or buying them from other gardeners and health food stores

From the germ theory of disease and the advent of antibiotics to combat various infections, it appeared as if infectious diseases were a thing of the past. With the realization that chemical medicines are not always "magic bullets" and may carry serious side effects, herbalism and ancient medicines are making a comeback. Our challenge now is to ensure that valued botanicals should remain abundant for future generations.

There are several ways to prepare herbs for consumption and use in medicinal remedies. When herbs are prepared by steeping in boiling water to be drunk as a tea, they are known as an infusion. If these dried herbs get simmered in hot water, they are called as decoction. If gets incorporated in with other ingredients and made into cream, they are viewed as a herbal ointment. Sometimes used a Herbal compress where piece of cloth is soaked in an infusion or decoction and is wrapped and applied externally. If herbs are used to cleanse and heal externally, they are called herbal wash. Herbal infusions and decoctions can also be used as herbal bath for relaxation and healing. Always follow the recommended dosages on your preparations and recipes because over-use of herbs can defeat the purpose for which you are using them. Some of the most beneficial herbs can prove to be toxic if over used.
http://www.motherherbs.com/history-of-herbs.html

River Basin Map of India

India has sizable resources of water and a large cultivable land but also a large and growing population to feed. Erratic distribution of rainfall in time and space leads to conditions of floods and droughts which may sometimes occur in the same region in the same year. India has about 16% of the world population as compared to only 4% of average annual runoff in the rivers.

With the present population of around 1000 million, the per capita water availability comes to about 1170 m3/person/year. Here, the average does not reflect the large disparities from region to region in different parts of the country. Against this background, the problems relating to water resources development and management have been receiving critical attention. With a view to have a systematic and scientific development of its water resources, the country has prepared and adopted a comprehensive National Water Policy in the year 1987.





LAND AND WATER RESOURCES OF INDIA

PARTICULARS
QUANTITY

Geographical Area
Flood Prone Area
Ultimate Irrigation Potential
Total Cultivable Land Area
Net Irrigated Area
Natural Runoff (Surface Water and Ground Water)
Estimated Utilisable Surface Water Potential
Groundwater Resource
Available Groundwater resource for Irrigation
Net Utilisable Groundwater esource for irrigation 329 millon ha.
40 millon ha.
140 millon ha.
184 millon ha.
50 millon ha.
1869 Cubic km.

690 Cubic km.

432 Cubic km.
361 Cubic km.

325 Cubic km.




Hydrologic Cycle







Hydrology is the science that treats the waters of the Earth, their occurance, circulation, movement and distribution, their chemical and biological properties and their reaction with their environment, including their realtion to living things. The domain of hydrology embraces the full life history of water on the earth.



Hydrological Studies vis-a-vis Water Resources Problems

Many of the country's problems seem to circle around water. Water resource constitutes one vital natural resource that has not been utilised as efficiently as in some developed countries. There is a lack of awareness in public about optimal use of water as well as less emphasis is being given to hydrology at the time of planning, designing and operation of water resources projects. Hydrology touches every human activity in some manner. Incomplete information and lack of awareness of principles of hydrology often result in mis-management of water and wastage of money. Some of the common examples are: over irrigation of fields by farmers by cutting canals which may result in water logging of the field; in many places taps are left running or there are no taps at all etc. Apart from these, wastage of water by evaporation; erosion of fertile soil; losses due to droughts and floods; degradation of water quality; failure of hydraulic structures etc. are some of the areas which can be tackled effectively if sufficient knowledge about hydrology is available. More and more increasing demands for food grains and water due to increase in population, increase in per capita consumption of water due to rise in living standards, and increase in industrial development provide opportunities and challenges for hydrologists.

Why Water is Scarce?

Increase in water requirements due to increase in population
Easily available sources of water tapped already
Delay in project initiation time due to increasing social and environmental concern
Contamination of available water sources due to increase in human activities
Industrial development
Human needs and desire for higher standards of living



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Population and Food Grain Requirement
Various studies by demographers in India and abroad suggest that world population will continue to rise atleast till 2050 AD. The United Nations has projected world population in "World Population Prospects" the 1992 revision upto 2050 AD. This has been further extrapolated to 2050 AD in the publication "Sustaining Water-An Update (1994)". This indicates India's 2050 AD population as 1349 million (low projection), 1640 million (medium projection) and 1980 million (high projection). In India the food grain availability is at present around 525 gms per capita per day whereas the corresponding figures in China & USA are 980 gms & 2850 gms respectively. Assuming the same level of consumption, which although is supposed to rise with improvement in economy and resultant higher standard of living, the annual food grain requirement will be about 315 MT. If small raise is made in per capita consumption to 650 gms, the food grain requirement will be about 390 MT. Taking the projection of about 1800 million by 2050 AD as reasonable, it would require about 430 MT of food grain annually at the present level of consumption. The present productivity of irrigated land is about 2.5 T/ha and less than 0.5 T/ha for rainfed lands. Assuming that these levels can go upto 3.5 and 1.0 T/ha respectively by 2050 AD, it is imperative that we create an irrigation potential of atleast 130 m.ha for food crop alone and 160 m.ha for all crops to be able to meet demands of the country by 2050 AD.

Thus the question which needs to be asked is : are we capable of producing these amounts of foodgrains for the consumption in the country on a sustainable basis. This will mean a much greater use of available inputs. First input is water, the second input would be fertilizers and third input would be much larger emphasis on research. But even if it is taken for granted that no "Wonder" foodgrain seed will be available, we will have to increase the area under irrigation from present 28% to roughly about 40 percent by the year 2050. The possible options available to meet the future irrigation and food needs may, therefore include drip and sprinkler irrigation, change of cropping pattern, evaporation control and reduction of conveyance losses, recycling of water, inter-basin transfer, de-salinisation of sea water and ground water in coastal areas, rainfall by cloud seeding, improved technology etc. Loss of top soil due to erosion is one of the forms of degradation which can be contained on a limited scale but problems of salinity, alkalinity, water logging etc. reduce the productivity. The future lies in considering and bringing additional area under cultivation and considering intensified production on existing good agricultural land which would require in depth studies by hydrologists and water resources researchers.

Land and Water Resources
The total geographical area of land in India is 329 (exactly 328.762) m.ha. which is 2.45% of the global land area. The total arable land ( as per Food and Agriculture Organization estimate) is 165.3 m.ha. which is about 50.2% of total geographical area against the corresponding global figure of 10.2%. India possesses 4% of the total average annual runoff in the rivers of the world. The per capita water availability of natural runoff is atleast 1,100 cu.m. per year (year 2000 estimates).

The utilizable surface water potential of the country has been estimated to be 1869 cubic km. But the amount of water that can be actually put to beneficial use is much less due to severe limitations imposed by physiography, topography, inter-state issues and the present state of technology to harness water resources economically. The recent estimates made by the Central Water Commission indicate that the water resources utilisable through surface structures is about 690 cubic km. only (about 36% of the total). Ground water is another important source of water. Quantum of water which can be extracted economically from the ground water aquifers every year is generally reckoned as ground water potential. The preliminary estimates made by the Central Ground Water Board indicate that the utilisable ground water is about 432 cubic km. Thus, total utilisable water resource is estimated to be 1122 cubic km.

Of the total 329 m.ha. of land, it is estimated that only 266 m.ha. posseses potential for production. Of this, 143 m.ha. is agricultural land. It is estimated that 85 m.ha. suffers from varying degrees of soil degradation. Of the remaining 123 m.ha., 40 m.ha. are completely unproductive. The balance 83 m.ha. is classified as forest lands, of which over half is denuded to various degrees.

India has a large cattle population. The 419 million heads of livestock (as per 1982 census report) have to be supported on 13 m.ha. i.e. less than 4% of the land which is classified as pasture lands, most of which is overgrazed. Thus, out of 266 m.ha., about 175 m.ha. (66%) is degraded to varying degrees. Water and wind erosion account for the degradation of almost 150 m.ha. out of this. Soil erosion has increased from 6,000 million tonnes in 1972 to 1,2000 million tonnes in 1985. Per capita availability of land is half of what it used to be some 35 years ago. The challenge of prevention of erosion and indeed of restoration of India's land resources is therefore intimately related to strategies for the management of land, water and vegetative cover. At present 141 m.ha. are used for cultivation purposes. Between 1970-71 and 1987-88 the average net sown area has been 140.4 m.ha. with a maximum of 143.21 m.ha. in 1983-84 and a minimum of 136.18 m.ha. in 1987-88. The need for production of food, fodder, fibre, fuel and urbanisation will put severe competing claims on the land. Moreover, water logging, salinity, alkalinity of soils on account of inadequate planning and inefficient management of water resource projects in conjunction with over adverse physical factors, will severely constrain the growth of net sown area in the future.

National Water Policy
The National Water Policy deals with establishing standardised national information system, data collection, establishment of basinwise organisations with multi-disciplinary approach to the planning. formulation, clearance and implementation of projects, rehabilitation, ground water development, water zoning, flood and drought management, research and development including training. The National Water Policy provides a framework for coordinated water development across States and alternative uses of water, and it emphasises the need for river basin planning. However, the National Water Policy has had little operational impact due to lack of institutional mechanism to plan, coordinate and implement water development across State boundaries and among users. Another problem is limited data and mechanisms for sharing data between States and between users within the States. Each State has to reaffirm that National Water Policy fitting within the framework of that policy and river basin plans built so far. Madhya Pradesh has prepared a draft State Water Policy. Bihar has taken initiative in setting up of a Second Irrigation Commission and Water Resources Commission. Apart from these, no other State has taken any initiative to draft a State Water Policy. The National Water Policy may require some updating on certain issues in near future.

The National Water Policy in its present form appears to be a statement of intentions as it is not supported by any legislation and does not have an action plan. It does not provide any authority or makes anybody responsible for its implementation. The Policy does not provide the economic cost of water and investment scenarios. The constitutional provisions and legal issues have also not been addressed in the Policy.

Hence there is a need for evolving and operating the Policy according to a feasible action plan.

Development Trends and Urbanization
As per the recent estimates presently half of the world population is living in urban areas. In India also, there has been a major shift of population from rural areas to urban areas with a view to have better livelihood and better standards of living. As a result of this large human concentration there are changes that are likely to occur in the urban environment, with in its physical and socio- economic aspects.

This would necessitate integration of urban drainage, water supply, solid wastes and sewage disposal in order to cope with the increasing demands for municipal and industrial water uses. Most urban centres in the developing countries like India still lack the facilities that are adequate for proper collection and disposal of domestic and industrial wastes. Also, urban runoff is typically highly polluted with pathogenic and organic substances that are health threats during high flood events.

In India, in 1901 there were 1827 urban agglomerations with a population of 25.85 million which was 10.84% of the then total population, whereas as per 1991 census there are 3768 urban agglomerations/towns covering a population of 217.8 million which works out to about 25.72% of the country's population. The class-I (population of one lakh and above) towns account for 65.2% of the total urban population of the country in 1991. There are now 23 metropolitan cities with a population of one million or more each as compared to 12 such cities in 1981. These 23 cities account for roughly one-third of country's urban population and one-twelfth of country's total population. There are 5 mega cities with a population of 5 million each and almost one fourth of the population living in class-I towns in the country lives in these mega cities. This clearly indicates towards a shift from rural areas to urban areas.

In India less than half of the urban population has access to sewage disposal system. Most of the existing collecting systems discharge directly to the receiving water without treatment. Garbage, domestic and otherwise, is directly dumped into water bodies or roadside which can often later be washed into streams and lakes. This vulnerable environment requires special attention and the solution of such complex and interdisciplinary problems call for an integrated water resources management approach.

In India, till now very little emphasis has been laid on research on hydrology of urban areas. Taking into account that the trends of urban population concentration increase will continue in the future, a programme for encompassing all hydrological, ecological and socio-economic aspects of future urban planning and management needs to be taken up in right earnest.

This would require improvement in the management of existing urban drainage systems, disseminate knowledge of integrated urban water management, identify the impact of urbanization on surface and ground water quality through point and non-point sources, to study impact of storm water (wastewater discharges) on ecosystem health of receiving water courses and to establish experimental urban catchments.

Demands and Availability
The average annual surface water flows in India has been estimated as 186.9 m.ha.m. of which only 69 m.ha.m. can be utilised if appropriate storages can be created. The reason for this vast difference between potential and the conditional availability has been well recognised - the monsoonic climate, besides topographical and geological limitations. What is important to note is that not only does the whole rainfall occur in about 4 months in a year but the spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall is so uneven that the annual average have very little significance for all practical purposes. In fact, one - third of the country is always under threat of drought not necessarily due to deficient rainfall but many times due to its uneven occurrence. This is the peculiar phenomenon of "scarcity amidst plenty", manifesting often in the form of droughts and floods.

In addition to surface water, there is a dynamic (rechargeable) ground water resource. Its potential has been estimated as 43.2 m.ha.m. including recharge due to canal irrigation. This means that the total water availability would be 230.1 m.ha.m. in 2050 or the per-capita availability of 1403 m3. The country will thus be water stressed even if the total availabile water is taken into account.

The 1640 million population of India in 2050, half of them urban and half of them rural, would need 9 m.ha.m. of water to meet their domestic needs based on conservative estimates of 200 litre per capita per day (lpcd) for urban areas and 100 lpcd for rural areas. The latter includes demands of live stock. It may be noted that the ground water makes marginal contribution to urban demands but, meets almost the entire rural demand.

Surface waters shall have to be harnessed to meet the urban requirement of nearly 6 m.ha.m. keeping in view the fierce competition and sometimes, the conflicting demands of irrigation and domestic sectors. Drinking water being given first priority in the National Water Policy (NWP), does not mean unlimited quantities being appropriated to this sector. Only 20% of urban demand is for consumptive use. A major concern will, therefore, be treatment of urban domestic effluents, which would make or break the system. This has been discussed in the following sections.

Major industrial thrust to steer the economy is only a matter of time. By 2050, India would be a major industrial power in the world. Industry needs water - fresh or recycled. Processing industries depend on abundance of water. It is estimated that 6.4 m.ha.m. of water will be needed by 2050 to sustain the industries. In fact, the pollution caused due to industrial effluents is a far more serious problem, than the one due to domestic effluents because of their higher potential to damage the natural land-water resource system. Again, the actual consumptive use of water by industries is only about 20% of their demand.

Notwithstanding the present impasse in respect of storage based hydro-power due to environmental concerns, future plans for energy can not ignore a major thrust in this direction. The country lacks quality fossil fuel to meet the long term energy needs, besides their being no more friendly to the environment. The country also can not afford to deplete the fossil fuel, without adversely affecting sustainable development.

However, from the point of view of water resource potential, hydropower does not involve consumptive use except evaporation losses and flow from tail race. Thermal power generation needs water including a small part being consumptive. Taking into account the electric power scenario in 2050, energy related water requirement (evaporation plus consumptive use) is estimated at 15 m.ha.m.

http://www.nih.ernet.in/water.htm

Is Privatisation and Water Pricing a Sensible Policy?
Community Rights are Vital for Ecology and Democracy
VANDANA SHIVA / Financial Times 22mar2005


The language of the ‘price’ of water has emerged in the context of water privatisation. Ecologically and culturally speaking, water is priceless. When society stops treating it as priceless and stops conserving every drop, society ends up polluting and over-exploiting this precious resource. This is how we have created a water crisis.



Vandana Shiva
photo: Nic Paget-Clarke

Now we are being told that putting a ‘price’ on water is necessary to overcome the crisis and provide clean drinking water to all. Privatisation of water services, and commodification of water is being offered as a solution by the World Bank, ADB and other donors.

There are a number of flaws and fallacies with the paradigm of water privatisation.

The current push to privatise water is a recipe for destroying our scarce water resources and for excluding the poor from their water share. Parading as the anonymous market, the rich and powerful use the state to appropriate water from nature and people through the prior-appropriation doctrine. Private interest groups systematically ignore the option of community control over water. Because water falls on earth in a dispersed manner, because every living being needs water, decentralised management and democratic ownership are the only efficient, sustainable, and equitable systems for the sustenance of all. Beyond the state and the market lies the power of community participation. Beyond bureaucracies and corporate power lies the promise of water democracy.

Water is a commons because it is the ecological basis of all life and because its sustainability and equitable allocation depend on cooperation among community members. Although it has been managed as a commons throughout human history and across diverse cultures, and although most communities manage water resources as common property, or have access to water as a commonly shared public good even today, privatisation of water resources is gaining momentum.

First, water is a common resource, a public good. Privatisation in effect is ‘enclosure’ of the water commons, with inevitable consequences of exclusion of those who cannot access the ‘water market,’ due to lack of purchasing power. Instead of leading to equitable distribution of scarce resources, privatisation rewards the rich waster, and punishes the poor. It creates a hydrological divide, taking water from poor rural regions to rich metropolitan cities and within cities, to rich localities.

The 24x7 project for south Delhi being financed by the World Bank with a $110 million loan, and the Sonia Vihar plant, which will serve south Delhi with commodified Gangajal brought from the Tehri dam is an example of this ‘cherry picking’ of profitable customers. The Delhi privatisation also exposes the myth of ‘full cost recovery’.

According to this myth, prices of water must go up because private investors must get a return on their investments. However, all investments related to the Sonia Vihar plant, being contracted to Suez, the world’s biggest water corporation, have been made by the public. The company has made no investment. It was paid Rs 200 crore by the government, when the Jal Board could have built it for Rs 100 crore. If the ‘full cost recovery’ argument had to be carried to its logical conclusion, Suez owes the people of India Rs 1 trillion for the public expenditure on Tehri Dam, the Ganga canal, new pipelines from Murad Nagar and the plant at Sonia Vihar.

Increase in rates, does not reflect costs of operations and maintenance either. The rate increase announced by the Delhi government will mop up 10 times more than is needed to run water supply. This 10-fold increase is not necessary for running a public service, but for guaranteeing super profits to greedy corporations, through the pressures of the World Bank.

Creating enclaves of water markets for the privileged, with huge subsides and a huge debt burden, will not solve the water problem for the poor. We need water democracy, not water privatisation.

Community rights are necessary for both, ecology and democracy. Bureaucratic control by distant and external agencies and market control by commercial interests and corporations create disincentives for conservation. Local communities do not conserve water or maintain water systems if external agencies—bureaucratic or commercial— are the only beneficiaries of their efforts and resources.

Higher prices under free-market conditions will not lead to conservation. Given the tremendous economic inequalities, there is a great possibility that the economically powerful will waste water while the poor will pay the price.

The writer is director, Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, Delhi

source: http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=85835 23mar2005