STAFF REPORTER

FORESTS Medicinal Plants under the climate change threat

Conservationists are aware that depletion of jungles and over harvesting limit the capacity of medicinal plants to proliferate. But a larger threat is the sensitivity of rare species to changes in temperature and humidity. With herbs and plants responding negatively to warming cycles, we are probably on the brink of losing not only our plants but also our legacy of traditional knowhow.

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ENVIRONMENT Community Forests

Joint Forest Management (JFM), the cornerstone of forest management in India since 1990, is facing new challenges to provide an innovative approach coupled with timely fund dissemination for effective community participation.

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SURVEY OF INDIA Tidal Predictions: Geodetic and Research Branch Survey of India

The Geodetic and Research Branch of Survey of India has a long history of over 130 years, since 1877, of maintaining tidal data generated from the tide gauge network along the Indian coast and islands. This data is being used by 30 Indian and 14 foreign ports for subsequent processing and analysis for various purposes.

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TRAVELLER'S DIARY Monsoon Cascades in Bastar

The Chitrakot boasts of delightful year round cascades, rising to a muddy monsoon crescendo as the waters tumble over a craggy arc. A little beyond are the romantic Tirathgarh falls that surge down forested tracts in a translucent gush of foaming waters.

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AGRICULTURE Contract Farming

On an average an increase of 25 per cent in productivity and 40 per cent in profit have been noted for the farmers who have opted for contract farming. The contracting companies too are finding it lucrative to make huge investments in advanced technologies and inputs. The success of such operations in the field can be gauged from the fact that over 150 seed production companies are vying for business with the contracting companies.

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CONCEPT COUNTER Risk Assessment through Children

A culture of disaster safety is yet to be inculcated in our country. Disaster risk reduction however can become a reality if introduced in institutions like schools and colleges.

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT Preparing to Face a Disaster

A brief outline of a plan of action for combating natural disasters has been presented for young readers.

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ENERGY Renewable Updates

Solar lights for NPA: The Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy installed 90 solar streetlights along its five kilometre boundary to make the job easier for CISF personnel on patrol. Placed at a distance of 50 metres from each other, the Tata BP lamps will glow automatically once the sunlight fades as they are fixed with sensors to measure natural light. At its optimal level, the battery can provide for two continuous nights even if it isn’t charged during the day. With a luminosity of 10 lumens per square foot, the lamps can attend to the Academy’s security requirement. This will provide an example to the many city based institutes and corporate organisations characterised by sprawling landscape, to use solar power to illuminate its campus.

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FOODS Geography of Food

Indian Council of Agricultural Research, in collaboration with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Mexico has taken steps to identify varieties possessing resistance against the new race of the stem rust fungus.

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SCIENCE Single Window Solution : The Spatial Data Infrastructure Strategy

To develop and maintain standard digital collection of data, National Spatial Data Infrastructure Secretariat envisages the development of common solutions for discovery, access and use in response to the needs of diverse user groups.

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