Tehelka - The People's Paper

STINK-FREE RAILWAY

Twelve-year-old K. Masha Nazeem is ‘small wonder’. She has taken up the responsibility of solving the century-old problem: that of filthy, smelly tracks at the country’s railway stations. A student of class VIII from Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu, Nazeem’s hygienic drainage disposal system in trains can finally help millions breathe easy. Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav had recently ordered his ministry to redesign the flushing system in train toilets to prevent stationary trains from soiling the tracks. But before railway engineers could get on to their job, the schoolgirl amazed authorities with the simplicity of her design. The device allows the engine driver to control the discharge of waste from the toilets. As soon as a train rolls into a station, the driver can switch off release of the waste, which will collect in a storage tank. After the train leaves the station, he can press a switch to dump the filth.
Impressed with the device, the ministry has decided to use it in trains, and has awarded Nazeem Rs 5,000 for her invention.

DOLLS TELL TSUNAMI TALES
Dolls, once a girl’s best friend, have acquired a new avatar. They are now being used as mascots to help tsunami victims. Known as Tsunamika, these dolls are designed as part of a livelihood and rehabilitation project undertaken by the Upasana Design Studio of Auroville in Pondicherry. In order to provide relief and rehabilitation to those affected, around 480 fisherwomen from seven villages around Auroville are being trained in handicrafts.

The project provides women with an income, as Auroville buys the dolls from them, and also enables them to develop business skills.Till date around 1 lakh Tsunamikas have so far been sent out. These environment-friendly dolls are made out of fabric left over from work done at the Upasana studio. They are also available as hairclips, bookmarks and paper clips. No price has been put on the dolls, people are free to order the dolls and make any contribution they want towards the project.