[Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement
Chan Mahanta
cmahanta at charter.net
Mon Aug 21 13:31:48 PDT 2006
That is high math, reserved only for
"--civil/structural/hydraulic engineer" types,
like Himendra Kwaiti perhaps? Not nice to tread
on specialists territory :-).
At 11:20 PM +0530 8/21/06, mc mahant wrote:
><B: Rainwater stored on roof-tops being infested by algae due to the heat.>
>
>
> For those who are unfamiliar with algae, it is a plant organism
> and needs light to survive and multiply. Water tanks are usually dark
> ( at least the kind I have seen) and
>thus would not allow algae growth.
>
> Where is our resident scientist, Tilok
>Hatimuria, when we need him most
>
>A little arithmetic is called for.Say you have a
>roof area= 100 sq mtr. and annual normal
>rainfall =2m.You catch every drop and store.
>So to store 200 cu.mtr water in a 2.5 mtr deep
>underground tank below your house, you need Rs
>5 Lakhs etra over just the house cost.
>You have a 10 member family -need 2 cu mtr water
>daily. So your annualHarvest of Stale rainwater
>goes for 100 days! And for 265 days you
>buy-because you did not dig your ring-well for
>Rs 10,000/-. At Gau today,Bhar water
><mailto:costs at Rs>costs at Rs 20/-. Bhar= 30 litres.
>Hence you buy water--costing dailyRs 1200/-
>So much for today.
>mm
>
>
>
>
>From: Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
>To: assam at assamnet.org
>CC: mikemahant at hotmail.com, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net>
>Subject: Re: [Assam] MC Mahanta's bamboo-reinforcement
>Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 09:23:02 -0500
>
>blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li {padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;}
>Himendra Thakur charging others of personal
>attacks is a classic example of the pot calling
>the kettle black.
>
>No one in Assam net ( other than a couple of
>'seraa-paagols' who are obviously not quite
>together ) has indulged in personal attacks of
>the kind that Himendra Thakur has been engaging
>in. And that while sermonizing Assam Netters on
>vedic virtues and spouting love for all humanity
>( except them Muslims of course). Talk about
>'bhondo toposyi'! Talk about hypocrisy!!
>
>Engineers are expected to be rational people,
>not to be taken by 'fake-science'
>or old wives' tales. And here we are, HT, from
>the cutting-edge of engineering excellence from
>Boston, telling us things like:
>
> A: Rasendra Barua's 'mercury' valve holding the water back from
> leaking right out of Xiboxagor pukhuri into the artesian wells
> that supposedly feeds it!
>
> No doubt it has not been verified yet, not because the 'rox' --mercury
> detection is not yet possible --but obviously because it is more
> likely the 'rox' that replaces the ability to reason.
>
> High science it surely must be; in the great traditions of the earth
> being held aloft in the firmament by 'gojendra', standing on the back
> of a 'kaaso'. The fertile minded cartoonist who authors the
> BC comic strip in which the apteryx with
>a lazy tongue rides the turtle
> could not use the imagery more effectively.
>
> B: Rainwater stored on roof-tops being infested by algae due to the
> heat.
>
> For those who are unfamiliar with algae, it is a plant organism
> and needs light to survive and multiply. Water tanks are usually dark
> ( at least the kind I have seen) and
>thus would not allow algae growth.
>
> Where is our resident scientist, Tilok
>Hatimuria, when we need him most.
>
> C: Engineers are also the kinds of people who, when shown info.
> that they may not be familiar with, learn to change their minds.
>
> HT implied ( if not told) us once that bamboo and cement do not
> bond. In response I posted the website of US Naval Engineering which
> explains and provides extensive examples of how bamboo and cement
> do bond and can be used effectively for certain applications.
>
> Obviously this cutting-edge engineer's edge has become dull from
> dealing with too much adha-khunda bidya, to have asserted, once
> again:"--considering the lack of bond between bamboo & concrete",
> unless it was never too sharp to begin with.
>
> D: Engineers could be expected to verify their source of info.,
> before charging others with engineering wrong-doing. It could
> be expected from anyone playing with a
>full deck, even barely-together
> that is. But HT displays, with nary a concern, how his political
> agenda robbed him of this fundamental
>'kando-gyan' ( common sense); when
> he accuses Mukul Mahanta of using bamboo-reinforcing in his
> experimental structures.
>
> For those who are curious about where this old-wives' tale might have
> arisen from, I may be able to provide a clue: Mukul Mahanta
> uses mats of bamboo 'gaadhoi' ( split
>bamboo) in a roll, as a slip-form
> to cast hollow concrete wall, floor and roof slabs. It as an effective
> method -- in a resource poor environment. It provides manual labor for
> unskilled workers. Bamboo 'gadhoi' rolls can be used over and over
> again --- note SUSTAINABILITY -- after pulling it out of the hardened
> slabs.
>
> But 'adha-khunda' ( half-baked), nit-wit wannabe-engineers, like HT
> probably assumed that rolls of 'gadhoi' were the re-inforcement for
> these hollow concrete slabs.
>
>It could all be hilarious, if not so very sad.
>What a sordid spectacle HT makes of himself.
>
>cm
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>At 11:57 PM -0400 8/20/06, Himendra Thakur wrote:
>
>Dear friends,
>
>
>
>
>Every time anything is discussed in the
>assam.net, Mr. Mukul Chandra Mahanta has got to
>come up with his divisive comments. Now he has
>written The Ahom King's Bamun advisers led
>them into a pile of non-Engineering. The process
>continues. Xagors at Rangpur are no good for man
>or beast. Engineering would have led them to use
>slave lbour to dig perennial Irrigation Canals
>to serve Zerenga/Jokaisuk- fed by meandering
>Dikhow's/Namdang's waters. Imagine what they
>could have done to North-bank river valleys.
>
>
>
>
>
>When I mentioned about Rasendra Barua in my
>letter, I did not even imagine that someone
>would turn this into The Ahom King's Bamun
>advisers. Rasendra Barua family was involved
>only in installing the nag in a Sagar which
>were called Rahdhala Pukhuri. They were not
>The Ahom King's Bamun advisers who led them
>into a pile of non-Engineering.
>
>
>
>
>Historically, the Chief Engineer of the Ahom
>Kingdom had a title Changrung Phukan. It was a
>very high post in Ahom hierarchy. Complete
>records of all the works of Changrung Phukan
>were maintained in Changrung Phukanar Buranji.
>
>
>
>
>Mr. Mukal Chandra Mahanta is apparently unaware
>of the Changrung Phukan and the Changrung
>Phukanar Buranji, otherwise he would have
>mentioned it. In his bliss of ignorance, he
>keeps of jabbering History is Bunk Khasi
>Christian Bamun Adviser and all other ethnic
>slurs and personal attacks, which are very
>harmful for the unity of Asomiya people today.
>
>
>
>
>Now, Mr. Mukal Chandra Mahanta is advising his
>own engineering with alternatives such as
>Engineering would have led them to use slave
>lbour to dig perennial Irrigation Canals to
>serve Zerenga/Jokaisuk- fed by meandering
>Dikhow's/Namdang's waters. Imagine what they
>could have done to North-bank river valleys.
>Well, it is no use blaming the Changrung Phukan
>for not seeing these alternatives. These
>alternatives were not considered by the British
>& Asomiya Engineers who manned Assam PWD for the
>last 150 years. Maybe the suggestions of Mr.
>Mukal Chandra Mahanta are not good alternatives.
>
>
>
>
>As for the engineering expertise of Mr. Mukal
>Chandra Mahanta, who is a trained Electrical
>Engineer (and NOT a civil/structural/hydraulic
>engineer), it is reported that Mr. Mukal Chandra
>Mahanta used bamboo reinforcement (without
>considering the lack of bond between bamboo &
>concrete) in the prefabricated reinforced
>buildings that he manufactured and marketed with
>good profit. It is also reported that a
>number of his prefabricated buildings collapsed.
>
>
>
>
>Before considering some
>Non-Electrical-Engineering advice from Mr. Mukal
>Chandra Mahanta, the assam-net has a right to
>know the whole truth about his
>bamboo-reinforcement. Instead of sprouting
>ethnic slurs and personal attacks, and instead
>of giving engineering advise on a topic he does
>not know, Mr. Mukal Chandra Mahanta should make
>a complete report under oath in the net about
>how many of his prefabricated buildings
>collapsed and how many people died or got
>injured.
>
>
>
>
>With the best wishes,
>
>Himendra Barthakur
>
>----- Original Message -----
>
>From: <mailto:mikemahant at hotmail.com>mc mahant
>
>To: <mailto:dilipdeka at yahoo.com>dilipdeka at yahoo.com
>
>Cc: <mailto:assam at assamnet.org>assam at assamnet.org
>
>Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2006 9:28 PM
>
>Subject: Re: [Assam] Dry Spells in Assam-- Rain Water Harvesting
>
>
>Dilip,
>
>I share the agony of missing the substance of
>the 600 year of Ahom(our very own) Buranji.
>
>You raised thi question many a time.
>
>I made enquiries at knowledgeable circles .
>Every time I drew a blank.OXX know nothing of
>Xahitya!
>
>Lately the alibi going the rounds is that the
>Brits had the Tai-Bhaxa Buranjis destroyed
>and got the process of Oxomiya- Bhaxa-
>Xaasipaat- Buranji writing started. Forget about
>dailyweather Data listings therein .
>
>The whole is a mess. Let's hope they wrote in
>Tai-Bhaxa Buranjis --NON-Bunk stuff. Let's hope.
>
>The Ahom King's Bamun advisers led them into a
>pile of non-Engineering. The process
>continues.Xagors at Rangpur are no good for man
>or beast. Engineering would have led them to use
>slave lbour to dig perennial Irrigation Canals
>to serve Zerenga/Jokaisuk- fed by meandering
>Dikhow's/Namdang's waters. Imagine what they
>could have done to North-bank river valleys.
>
>Oxom has all the waters needed for 12 month-a
>-year lush agriculture. It's only Engineering
>which can save us from disaster and take us to a
>position of a hard- working people
>purveying healthy foods to the hungry world.
>
>Think!
>
>mm
>
>
>
>
>From: Dilip/Dil Deka <dilipdeka at yahoo.com>
>To: Rajen & Ajanta Barua
><barua25 at hotmail.com>,Himendra Thakur
><hthakur at comcast.net>
>
>CC: assam at assamnet.org
>Subject: Re: [Assam] Dry Spells in Assam-- Rain Water Harvesting
>Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 17:49:52 -0700 (PDT)
>
>
>Barua,
>
>
>
>How about the famous "Ahom Buranjis"? I heard
>throughout my high school days that writing down
>everything as history was a trait with the Ahom
>rulers that no one else in India could compare
>to. Can someone open the Buranjis stored in
>Xibaxagor, Jorhat and Golaghat and tell us how
>weather treated Assam from the 1200's to 1826,
>before the British took over?
>
>
>
>600 years of data would be a lot more
>comprehensive than the 60 years of data that
>government of India metereological department
>(IMD) is keeping. Don't you think so?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I am being facetious but why do we blame GOI
>always for everything that is missing, including
>things before 1947? If we the Assamese think of
>ourselves as superior to the other Indians, why
>don't we start pioneering in areas that other
>Indians have not thought about? Oh, I get it. We
>will start it once Assam is a sovereign state
>and we will not share our secrets with the
>
>lousy Indians.
>
>
>
>Dilip Deka
>
>
>
>
>
>Rajen & Ajanta Barua <barua25 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>Himenda:
>
>
>
>I think you are missing the perspective of the issue.
>
>
>
>We are talking about what Assamese are doing now.
>
>
>
>Is there anybody in Guwahati NOW who keeps
>records of Guwahati weather on a daily basis?
>
>
>
>Are we concerned at all about our present condition including the weather?
>
>
>
>Simply hoping for things to happen out of the
>blue does not work and will not work even when
>one does not debunk history.
>
>
>
>Thanks
>
>
>
>Rajen
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>
>
>
>From: <mailto:hthakur at comcast.net>Himendra Thakur
>
>
>
>To: <mailto:barua25 at hotmail.com>Rajen & Ajanta Barua
>
>
>
>Cc: <mailto:assam at assamnet.org>assam at assamnet.org
>
>
>
>Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2006 9:14 AM
>
>
>
>Subject: Dry Spells in Assam-- Rain Water Harvesting
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Dear Rajen and Ajanta,
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Dry spells in the weather of Assam were not
>uncommon historically. The situation was
>addressed by our Swargadeva Kings by excavating
>large tanks named as "sagar" (meaning a sea),
>like Jaysagar, Shivasagar, etc. These "sagar"s
>were revered, dedicated in the name of gods and
>respected dignitaries. Joysagar was named after
>Queen Mother Jaymati by her son Swargadev
>Rudrasingha. These artificial lakes were
>maintained with utmost care and respect.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Considering that the water level of the
>artificial lake in Shivasagar is several feet
>above the water level of the surrounding paddy
>fields, it appears the tank is fed by some
>artesian well. In the historical records, there
>is reference to "naga"
>
>(meaning a serpent) at the centre bottom of the
>tank. The family of Rasendra Barua was expert
>in installing the "naga" --- which could have
>been some kind of an inverted filter that also
>served as a valve to control the upward flow of
>water from the artesian well --- where they
>probably used mercury to hold down the filter
>sand. Mercury was a mysterious liquid in those
>days, called "rasa" --- generating the name
>"Rasendra Barua". The technique was so strictly
>guarded as a "family secret" by the family of
>Rasendra Barua that now nobody knows about it !
>I have several cousins in the dynasty of
>Rasendra Barua and they know nothing about the
>technique !! But, we still have crystal clear
>water in Joysagar, Sivasagar --- thanks to our
>bygone Swargadevs and Rasendra Barua dynasty.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>We must not give up hope. Young engineers of Assam today
>
>can invent & devise a "Rainwater Harvesting
>System" and save the excess water of the rainy
>days for the dry spells. They must be carefull
>not to store water in overhead tanks exposed to
>sunlight which will cause growth of algaes and
>ruin the system, like what happened in Hawaii
>islands at one time. Overhead storage has the
>great advantage of distribution without pumping.
>However, location of overhead water thanks on
>flat-roof of buildings today will be a terrible
>earthquake hazard because these buildings were
>not designed for that kind of oscillating
>top-load. All these points must be considered
>while designing a "Rainwater Harvesting System".
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Dry spells of Assam were so common that history
>ran into mythology. One instance is the
>symbolical story of Kamala Kunwari where the
>princess (kunwari) sacrificed her life to please
>the Jalkunwari (water goddess) so that the
>
>"sagar" (tank) would be filled up with water.
>Seven decades ago, my father, the late
>Kumudeswar Barthakur of Shivasagar Vishnu Doul
>(temple), made a Senola Gramphone record to tell
>the story of Kamala Kunwari where my older
>sisters, Saujanyamayi & Hiranyamayi, sang the
>songs. This gramphone record was very popular in
>Assam in the late 30s & early 40s in the last
>century.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Your querry about the "records of weather in
>Assam for last 200 ywears" may not be available,
>but we do have the records of intelligent
>leadership of Swargadevs, technique of Rashendra
>Barua family --- we must never say "history is
>bunk" --- we must go ahead to the future with
>hope, glory, self-confidence, inventions,
>intelligent planning, self-sacrifice and a
>strong determination.
>
>
>
>
>
>With love to everybody,
>
>
>
>Himendra
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>
>From: "Rajen & Ajanta Barua" <<mailto:barua25 at hotmail.com>barua25 at hotmail.com>
>
>
>
>To: <<mailto:assamonline at yahoogroups.com>assamonline at yahoogroups.com>
>
>
>
>Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2006 12:10 AM
>
>
>
>Subject: Re: [asom] Assam witnesses hottest summer in 132 years
>
>
>
>
> > I wonder where we can get the records of
>weather in Assam for last 200 ywears?
>>
>> Rajen Barua
>>
>>
>>
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>
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