Sweet boost for power generation

Sugar, as we all know, is a sweetener. We use it to sweeten our food and drinks. But did you know that sugar has other uses as well; for instance, that it could be used to generate electricity?

Yes, this is exactly what the government is planning to do. The Power and Energy Ministry is planning to use the sugar cane refuse discarded by sugar manufacturing factories to generate power. The project will add 50 Mwt of power to the National Grid in accordance with the five-year plan for Natural Energy Development.

The Pelwatta Sugar Corporation is already generating the electricity its factory needs, from its sugar cane waste. The government project intends to increase this to 50 Mwt and add it to the National Grid.

According to Ministry sources, the power currently generated using sugar cane refuse can provide electricity to 628 houses in the area; with the enhancement of the project, the factory would be able to provide more electricity to a larger segment.

The method of generating electricity from sugar cane refuse is already used in countries like India, America, England, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil. Between 500 and 1000 Mwt of power have been added to their national grids through this method.

The lives of small farmer communities involved in sugar cane plantations are also expected to be enhanced when this project gets off the ground.

Protect Hikkaduwa coral reef

We have already featured quite a few of the world's most famous coral reefs in our Geo Facts page. Our local coral reefs are second to none in their natural beauty and diversity, but they are also facing the threat of extinction.

Most of you would know that Hikkaduwa has some of the most beautiful coral gardens in Sri Lanka. It's rich in bio-diversity and is widely popular among local as well as foreign tourists and environmentalists.

However, these wonders of nature are on the verge of destruction due to a variety of reasons such as the deposition of refuse and solid waste and sand upon the corals. The construction of the break-water at the Hikkaduwa fisheries harbour is also cited by some as a reason for sand being deposited upon corals.

Environmentalists have warned that unless remedial measures are adopted soon, the internationally known and admired Hikkaduwa coral garden will completely vanish within a short period.

UNICEF programme to benefit children

The Japan Committee for UNICEF has initiated a project to help boost children's nutrition, as well as improve water and sanitation for families, and the thousands of schoolchildren in the country.

Of the US$ 2.3 million contributed by the Committee for this project, over US$ 1 million will go toward improving maternal and child nutrition, an area where Sri Lanka still faces many challenges; nearly one third of all women are anaemic and undernourished, while around 17 per cent of local babies are low weight at birth. One in three children below the age of five years are underweight.

Another US$ 1 million will go towards children and families in conflict-affected areas, in the North and East. The funding will help 400 families in Mannar and Vavuniya resettle in their home villages, with the provision of safe water and sanitation facilities. Hygiene promotion activities will also be launched to prevent water-borne diseases.

Over 16,000 schoolchildren will benefit from the construction of toilet facilities in 30 schools. The project to improve water and sanitation facilities at the Vavuniya District Hospital, including the construction of rainwater harvesting systems and a sewage treatment plant, will cost another US$ 200,000.

The Japan Committee for UNICEF is one of 37 national committees based in the industrialised countries which raise funds to support the organisation's work for children.

Shorter days and longer nights after Autumnal Equinox

Yesterday, September 23, was the Autumnal Equinox. Do you remember reading about the Vernal Equinox? Equinox is the day on which the Sun is directly overhead the equator. This happens on two days of the year, September 23 and March 21.

September 23 is called the autumnal equinox, because it marks the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere. March 21 marks the beginning of spring. So it is called the vernal equinox. In the Jewish calendar, the new year begins with the autumnal equinox. The vernal equinox marked the beginning of the new year in Iran.

You will also remember reading about mid-summer day, which is June 21 when the Sun is overhead the Tropic of Cancer - 23.5 degrees north of the equator.

From June 22, the Sun appears to be moving south, until it appears directly over the equator on September 23. The ancient astrologers and astronomers of India called the Sun's southward journey 'dakshinaayana.' In the course of the 'dakshinaayana,' the sun passed over Sri Lanka in the first week of September. The northward journey is the 'Uttaraayana'.

Yesterday, the Sun was directly overhead the equator. From today, the Sun will appear to rise and set slightly to the south of the equator, and its distance from the equator will increase with each day. The hours of daylight will increase with each day, south of the equator.

Now, it is the beginning of spring in the southern hemisphere. In Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and other countries of South America, the trees, which were bare in the past four months, have already put out tender shoots and will soon begin to put out buds. The countryside and the city parks will be very colourful with lovely blossoms.

In the northern hemisphere, north of the tropic of Cancer, the hours of daylight have already become shorter and after the autumnal equinox, the days will get shorter and shorter and the nights longer and longer, until December 21, which is the shortest day and longest night.

But, in the southern hemisphere, the days will get longer and the nights shorter as that part of the earth is now closer to the sun. Christmas is in midsummer in Australia, New Zealand, Argentina etc. You will notice that our evenings are also getting shorter. Darkness sets in sooner now, than a month ago.

From now on, you will notice that it gets darker sooner than the week before, because we are a few degrees north of the equator and with each day, the Sun will be a little further from Sri Lanka. Break of dawn is also later with each day. So, the hours of daylight become less and less until December 21. You must be aware of these changes in nature. Try to make a note of the time darkness sets in each day.

Sumana Saparamadu.

Books from Muthumuni family

Supushpika Muthumuni, an English teacher at St. Paul's Girls' School, Milagiriya launched her book for children, 'Dasun's Puppy Dog' at the National Library Auditorium, recently. The book is a translation of her earlier Sinhala publication 'Dasunge Balu Petiya', which won first place at the National Youth Awards 1992.

A much loved teacher at school, Muthumuni also conducts Extension Courses in English at the University of Colombo. Besides her book, several other books written by her family members, Quintus, Pushpa and Sugandika were also launched at the occasion. All four books are targeted at children and are products of Muthu Publications.