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ID: 65104
Title: A study of consumer's behaviour towards green electronic prducts:An application of theory of planned behaviour
Author: Rakesh Kumar
Editor: Prof D.S.Bhargava and Dr. Jyoti Verma
Year: 2018
Publisher: Kalpana Corporation
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Indian Journal of Environmental Protection Vol 38 (4) April 18 page 302-313.
Subject: A study of consumer's behaviour towards green electronic prducts:An application of theory of planned behaviour
Keywords: Envronment-friendly products ,Green electronic goods, theory of planned behaviour, factor analysis, CFA, SEM
Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the major factors influencing consumer's behaviour towards green electronic products. The study used framework of Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behaviour, which is widely used to explain and predict individual's behaviour not only in phycology but also in many other areas of social science. As per the theory of planned behaviour main determinants of individual's behaviour are their attitude towards performing that particular behaviour, his/her control on performing a behaviour and whether this behaviour is desirable or not in the society (subjective norms) .The study was conducted using descriptive research design (cross-sectional) .The questionnaire was developed using previous studies Ajzen, 1991) and all the four constructs of the model-Attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention were measured by three statements on seven-point Likert scale. The questionnaire also inquiries about basic demogrphic information of the respondents was selected from the city of Lucknow using judgemental sampling method. Structural equation modelling with Amos 20.0 was used to analyze the data. The results of the study confirms the ability of theory of planned behaviour to explain determinants of consumer's behaviour towards green electronic products. Attitude and subjective norms were found to have a significant
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ahire, S.L.D.Y. Golhar and M.A. Waller.1996. Development and validation of TQM implementation constructs. Development and validation of TQM implementation constructs. Decision Sci., 27 (1): 23-56. Ajjan, H. and R. Hartshorne. 2008.Investigating faculty decisions to adopt web 2.0 technologies: Theory and empirical tests. The internet and higher Education.11 (2): 71-80.
Literature cited 2: Ajzen, I.1985.From intention to actions: A theory of planned behaviour. In Action control: From cognitions to behaviour. Ed J. Kuhl and J. Beckman. Springer-Verlag. New York, NY. pp 11-39. Ajzen, I.1991.The theory o planned behaviour. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes.50: 179-211.

ID: 65103
Title: Assessment of municipal solid waste management of Amravati city and sustainable remedies
Author: K.J.Gawai and D.S.Ramteke
Editor: Prof D.S.Bhargava and Dr. Jyoti Verma
Year: 2018
Publisher: Kalpana Corporation
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Indian Journal of Environmental Protection Vol 38 (4) April 18 page 291-301.
Subject: Assesment of municipal solid waste managemtn of Amravati city and sustainable remedies
Keywords: Solid waste managemnt (SWM), Sustainable, Technological options, integrated sustainable waste management (ISWM)
Abstract: Increasing population and urbanization crated various problems amongst which solid waste management (SWM) is the one. The heap of waste and resulted hills of it has become the problem all over the world. It not only arouses the problem of public health but also of environmental deterioration. Due to this solid waste managemnt has become a top priority. The waste is collected by the door-to-door collection system, transported and just dumped and levelled on the dumping site at Sukali dumping depot without any scientific process. In this paper, municipal solid waste managemnt practices of Amravati city is assessed, and sustainable remedies are put forth. Various problems associated with its management are investigated. The study was concluded with suggestions and technological options suitable for management and disposal of solid waste of the city as a step for integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) for better future.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Abazeri,M. 2014.Rethinking waste in India: Innovative initiatives in waste management .Master Degree Thesis. Science Po. PSIA. Babatunde, B.B. et al.2013.Comparative analysis of municipal solid waste (MSW) composition in three local government areas in rivers State, Nigeria. African J. Env. Sci. and Tech, 7 (9): 874-881.
Literature cited 2: Damodaran, V.K. 2010.eview of strategy, framework and technological options for municipal solid waste management. Kerala Environment Congress-2010.Thiruvananthapuram. Harilala, C.C., G. Pradip Kumar and C.P. Ravindran. 2007. Quantification, characterization and management of solid waste from Mahe, Union Territory of Pondicherry.

ID: 65102
Title: Study on altered depiction of pond water quality during post-immersion of idols
Author: Iqbal Ansari,Ritesh Kumar, Muniyam Sundarajan,Sadananad Sharma and Neha Kumari
Editor: Prof D.S.Bhargava and Dr. Jyoti Verma
Year: 2018
Publisher: Kalpana Corporation
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Indian Journal of Environmental Protection Vol 38 (4) April 18 page 278-290
Subject: Study on altered depiction of pond water quality during post-immersion of idols
Keywords: Idol immersion, water pollution, integrated water quality analysis,Pearson's correlation coefficients, Pond water
Abstract: Festivals are an integral part of rich and diverse cultural heritage of India. But this cultural activity also has a centre of pollution. The activities of immersing idols and throwing other materials of various rituals are the sources of pollution which deteriorate the quality of ponds, lakes and rivers in India. Artificial paints used for idols comprise heavy metals, which are potentially hazardous on bioaccumulation and biomagnifications as they enter into the food chain. The present study has been made to ascertain the truth that idol immersion is a source of water pollution and addresses the contamination of chemical pollutants caused by such activities. The result reveals that the water quality parameters, such as total hardness, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and chloride were found to be drastically increased after the immersion of idols in the pond. The integrated quality analysis using sensitivity functions defined for each parameter over the quality interval constituted by the lower permissible limits, desirable limits and maximum permissible limits of the accepted standards has been carried out for detecting the overall quality alteration due to idol immersion for assessing the damage to the environment in numerical value.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: APHA. 2005.Standard methods for the examination of water and waste water (21st edn).American Public Health Association, Washington D.C. pp 256 Bhattacharya, S., et al. 2014.Effects of idol immersion on the water quality parameters of Indian water bodies: Environmental health perpectives. Int. Letters of chemistry, Physics and Astronomy.20 (2): 234-263.
Literature cited 2: BIS.1981. Tolerance limits for industrial effluents.IS-2490.Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi. BIS.1981. Tolerance limits for industrial effluents. IS.2490.Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi.

ID: 65101
Title: Studies on Pongamia oil methyl ester fueled direct injection diesel engine to reduce harmful emissions
Author: M. Prabhakar, S.Sendilvelan and L.R.Sassykova
Editor: Prof D.S.Bhargava and Dr. Jyoti Verma
Year: 2018
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Indian Journal of Environmental Protection Vol 38 (4) April 18 page 269-277.
Subject: Studies on Pongamia oil methyl ester fueled direct injection diesel engine to reduce harmful emissions
Keywords: Biodiesel,Pongmia methyl ester (PME), Diethyl ester (DEE), Emission reduction
Abstract: Oil is very important item in our lives and also is a major life line in a Nation's development. It is such as essential item that without oil the entire world will come to a grinding halt. The availability of oil becoming scarce has let us to explore for new renewable sources of oil, that shall reduce the dependence on conventional petroleum sources, at the same time build and protect a harmonious relationship between nature and human lives. The environment is to be safe and clean with less toxic gas emissions. Several alternative fuels are considered for use in diesel engines. The potential alternative fuels are liquid fuels, like vegetable oil and vegetable oil methyl ester (biodiesel).In the present work, the emission characteristics were experimentally investigated using pongamia methyl ester (PME) blends with diesel (B20) along with 10 % diethyl ester (DEE) additive. From this analysis, it was found that the maximum reduction in exhaust smoke level was 22% and he carbon monoxide level decreased by 16.6% with the 20% pongamiamethyl ester as compared to that of the diesel at full load. The effect of di-ethyl esters fuel additive with 20% pongamia methyl ester showed an improvement in the emission levels with 6.6% reduction in exhaust smoke level and 50% and 17% reduction in the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions respectively as compared to that of diesel. The oxides of nitrogen emission were found reduced to 17.47% for 10% diethyl ester with B20 blend compared to that diesel fuel.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Abdullah, N.H., et al. 2013.Biodiesel production based on waste cooking oil (WCO), Int. J. Mater. Sci. Eng., 94-99. Baiseitoy ,D.A. et al.2015.The sorents for collection of oil and petroleum of the phytogenesis.Int.J.Chem.Sci.,13: 1027-1033.
Literature cited 2: Bilgin, A., et al. 2015.Determination of transesterification reaction parameters giving the lowest viscosity waste cooking oil biodiesel. Procedia-Soc..Behau Sci., 195:2492-2500. Enweremadu, C.C. and M.M. Mbarawa.2009.Technical aspects of production and analysis of biodiesel from used cooking oil-A Review. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 13: 2205-2224.

ID: 65100
Title: Implications of single-stage deep learning networks in real-time zooplankton identification
Author: Sadaf Ansari, Dattesh V. Desai , Aya Saad and Annette Stahl
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1259-1266 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: Implications of single-stage deep learning networks in real-time zooplankton identification
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, deep learning networks, imaging, marine biology, zooplankton
Abstract: Zooplankton are key ecological components of the marine food web. Currently, laboratory-based methods of zooplankton identification are manual, time-consuming, prone to human error and require expert taxonomists. Therefore, alternative methods are needed. In this study, we describe, implement and compare the performance of six state-of-the-art single-stage deep learning models for automated zooplankton identification. The highest prediction accuracy achieved is 99.50%. The fastest detection speed is 285 images per second, making the models suitable for real-time zooplankton classification. We validate the predictions of the generated models on unseen images. The results demonstrate the capabilities of the latest deep learning models in zooplankton identification
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Richardson, A. J., In hot water: zooplankton and climate change. ICES J. Mar. Sci., 2008, 65(3), 279–295. Bucklini, A., Lindeque, P. K., Rodgrigues-Ezpeleta, Albaina, A. and Lehtiniemi, M., Metabarcoding of marine zooplankton: prospects, progress and pitfalls. J. Plankton Res., 2016, 38(3), 393–400.
Literature cited 2: Knowlton, N., Molecular genetic analyses of species boundaries in the sea. Hydrobiology, 2000, 420, 73–90. Lindsay, D. J. et al., The perils of online biogeographic databases: a case study with the ‘monospecific’ genus Aegina (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Narcomed

ID: 65099
Title: GC–MS profiling of phytocompounds in the leaves of Vitex negundo L.
Author: Sangeetha Kaliyannagounder , Swaminathan Chitraputhirapillai, Renuka Raman , Vellaikumar Sampathrajan, Nivethadevi Palani and Sivasankari Baskaran
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1250-1258 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: GC–MS profiling of phytocompounds in the leaves of Vitex negundo L.
Keywords: Biopesticide, secondary metabolites, synthetic chemicals, terpenoids, Vitex negund
Abstract: The leaves of Vitex negundo L., popularly known as notchi in Tamil Nadu, India, contain a wide variety of secondary metabolites and phytochemicals. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry has been employed in the present study to detect and classify bioactive chemicals using three distinct extraction solvents: dichloromethane, milli-Q water and methanol. We have isolated 65 phytocompounds in total qualitatively. The bulk of these substances belong to the terpenoid class of secondary metabolites, which play a role in plant defence systems and natural pollination. Thus, it has been proposed that notchi leaf extracts could be used instead of synthetic chemicals and also as a biopesticide.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Singh, B. and Kaur, A., Control of insect pest in crop plants and stored food grains using plant saponins: a review. LWT Food Sci. Technol., 2018, 87, 93–101. Cothran, R. D., Brown, J. M. and Relyea, R. A., Proximity to agriculture is correlated with pesticide tolerance: evidence for the evolution of amphibian resistance to modern pesticides. Evol. Appl., 2013, 6, 832–841.
Literature cited 2: Saravi, S. S. S. and Shokrzadeh, M., Role of pesticides in human life in the modern age: a review. In Pesticides in the Modern World – Risks and Benefits (ed. Stoytcheva, M.), IntechOpen, Rijeka, Croatia, 2011, pp. 3–12. Gill, H. K. and Garg, H., Pesticide: environmental impacts and management strategies. In Pesticides – Toxic Effects (eds Larramendy, M. L. and Soloneski, S.), IntechOpen, Rijeka, Croatia, 2014, pp. 187–230

ID: 65098
Title: A machine learning model for studying the seasonality of aphids in wheat-based cropping systems of the terai zone of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
Author: Biwash Gurung , Suprakash Pal , Md. Wasim Reza , Bishal Gurung and Achal Lama
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1244-1249 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: A machine learning model for studying the seasonality of aphids in wheat-based cropping systems of the terai zone of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
Keywords: Aphid infestation, forewarning model, machine learning, random forest, weather parameters, wheat-based cropping system
Abstract: The primary goal of this study is to determine the effect of weather variables on aphid populations and development of a weather-based forewarning model using a powerful machine learning technique called random forest. The developed model could be employed to formulate proper management strategies to help the farming community control aphid infestation
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Nagarajan, S., Wheat production in India: a success story and future strategies. Indian Farm., 2000, 9, 915. Khakwani, A. A., Dennett, M. D., Muni, M. and Abid, M., Growth and yield response of wheat varieties to water stress at booting and anthesis stages of development. Pak. J. Biotechnol., 2012, 44, 879–886.
Literature cited 2: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Statistics Division, FAO, Rome, 2014. Hatchett, A. H., Stacks, K. J. and Webster, J. A., Insect and mite pests of wheat. In Wheat and Wheat Important (ed. Heyne, E. G.), Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 1987, p. 625.

ID: 65097
Title: Do the information networks of farmers differ across gender? Evidence from the hills of Uttarakhand, India using social network analysis
Author: Kushagra Joshi and Jyoti Rawal
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1235-1243 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: Do the information networks of farmers differ across gender? Evidence from the hills of Uttarakhand, India using social network analysis
Keywords: Gender, hill regions, information usage pattern, social network analysis, vegetable growers.
Abstract: Vegetable growers need information on improved cultivars and production practices, and usually tend to receive this information from informal sources due to certain constraints. This study describes the information networks of hill farmers across genders for accessing data about vegetable cultivation. Through simple random sampling, two hill districts in Uttarakhand, India, were chosen and 320 vegetable growers were selected. The results showed that in comparison to female farmers, the social networks of male farmers frequently included formal information sources. The main factors determining the pattern of information network usage among women farmers were education, farming experience, hours dedicated to farming, group membership and contact with extension agencies, whereas income, landholding, access to mobile phones, contact with extension agencies and frequency of contact affected the information network usage among male farmers. The study gives suggestions for policymakers and programme planners to bridge the gender divide by devising effective information dissemination in the hill regions.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ayanyemi, O. O., The role of information in enhancing the status of women in developing countries. Nigerbiblos, 2006, 1, 151–170. Bates, M. J., Fundamental of forms of information. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci. Technol., 2012, 57(8), 1033–1045.
Literature cited 2: Taylor, S. and Boubakri, N., Women and finance: unlocking Africa’s hidden growth reserve. In Financial Inclusion in Africa (eds Triki, T. and Faye, I.), African Development Bank Group, Tunis, Tunisia, 2013, pp. 75–83. FAO, Women’s access to rural finance: challenges and opportunities, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 2019, License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.

ID: 65096
Title: Ancient megafloods of Mars: interpretations from MOM MCC data and hydrodynamic simulations
Author: Praveen Kumar Thakur, Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi , Sehajpal Singh , Pankaj Ramji Dhote and Raghavendra Pratap Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1216-1226 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: Ancient megafloods of Mars: interpretations from MOM MCC data and hydrodynamic simulations
Keywords: Ancient megafloods, hydraulic parameters, hydrodynamic model, Martian outflow channels.
Abstract: Recent studies have brought attention to the enormous megafloods and the considerable amount of water found on and beneath the surface of Mars. These ancient megafloods have not only carved out Martian surface, but also altered its climate. In the present study, ancient flooding of four Martian water channels (Mangala, Kasei, Ravi and Ma’adim) has been examined. The MCC dataset of MOM and MOLA-HRSC DEM were utilized to identify and estimate the hydraulic parameters of the channels. The estimated parameters were used in empirical equations to determine the flood velocity and discharge of Mangala (9.7 × 106 to 1 × 108 m3 /sec), Ravi (6.5 × 107 to 9.6 × 108 m3 /sec) and Ma’adim Valles (1.0 × 108 to 1.5 × 109 m3 /sec). Estimated discharge magnitudes were in line with previous studies, except for Kasei Valles (2.6 × 108 to 5.3 × 109 m3 /sec), where overestimation was observed. The two-dimensional simulations of full-bank floods were performed using the hydrodynamic model to generate scenarios of palaeomegafloods in the four valleys.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Carr, M. H. and Carr, G. B. A. M. H., Water on Mars, Oxford University Press, University of Michigan, 1996, p. 229. Nazari-Sharabian, M., Aghababaei, M., Karakouzian, M. and Karami, M., Water on Mars – a literature review. Galaxies, 2020, 8, 40.
Literature cited 2: Baker, V. R., The Channels of Mars, University of Texas Press, Austin, USA, 1982, 1st edn, p. 198. Baker, V. R. and Milton, D. J., Erosion by catastrophic floods on Mars and Earth. Icarus, 1974, 23, 27–41.

ID: 65095
Title: Uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulation and rock physics modelling to explore subsurface properties of Krishna–Godavari Basin, India
Author: Richa and Satya P. Maurya
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1197-1215 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: Uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulation and rock physics modelling to explore subsurface properties of Krishna–Godavari Basin, India
Keywords: Log facies, reservoir, rock physics modelling, simulation, uncertainty analysis.
Abstract: One of the main challenges in reservoir characterization is the accurate prediction of lithology and saturation heterogeneities. In this study, a methodology has been developed that combines Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and rock physics modelling (RPM) to explore subsurface properties and characterize reservoirs of the Krishna– Godavari (KG) Basin, India. RPM and MCS were effectively applied to well-log data in this study to discriminate distinct lithologies and fluid types, as well as uncertainty analysis. Various diagnostic models, such as the contact cement model, constant cement model and friable sand model, were used for this purpose. The cementation of reservoir sand ranged from 1% to more than 4%, according to the analysis. The gas sand reservoir, cap shale and brine sand were categorized using a rock physics template (RPT) model built over VP/VS against the AI cross-plot. Gas saturation was appropriately indicated by the RPT model produced from the shallow marine environment. The present study proves that RPM developed in the first part of the study may be used to perform uncertainty analysis using MCS. We simulated three different lithologies in this study, viz. shale, brine sand and gas sand, and then categorized them using VP/VS versus P-impedance cross-plot.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Mukerji, T., Avseth, P., Mavko, G., Takahashi, I. and González, E. F., Statistical rock physics: combining rock physics, information theory, and geostatistics to reduce uncertainty in seismic reservoir characterization. Lead. Edge, 2001, 20(3), 313–319; https://doi.org/ 10.1190/1.1438938. Sarasty, J. J. and Stewart, R. R., Analysis of well-log data from the White Rose oilfield, offshore Newfoundland. CREWES Res. Rep., 2003, 15, 1–16; https://crewes.org/ForOurSponsors/ResearchReports/ 2003/2003-02.pdf
Literature cited 2: Omudu, L. M., Ebeniro, J. O., Xynogalas, M., Osayande, N. and Olotu, S., Fluid discrimination and reservoir characterization from onshore Niger Delta. In SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Los Vegas, Nevada, 2008, pp. 2001–2005; https://doi.org/10.1190/1.3059399. Mavko, G. and Mukerji, T., Bounds on low-frequency seismic velocities in partially saturated rocks. Geophysics, 1998, 63(3), 918–924; https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1444402.

ID: 65094
Title: Impact of climate change on agriculture ecosystems and resilience for sustainable development under the Global Framework for Climate Services in India
Author: Kamaljit Ray, and Shibendu S. Ray
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1190-1196 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: Impact of climate change on agriculture ecosystems and resilience for sustainable development under the Global Framework for Climate Services in India
Keywords: Agroecosystems, climate change, food security, remote sensing, sustainable development
Abstract: Agriculture is affected due to the impact of climate change on soil, land, water and the atmosphere. Agriculture is also a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, directly or indirectly. The challenge lies in the reduction of emissions without impacting food production and yield. With the increase in air temperature and extreme events of rainfall as the probable indicators of climate change, there can be impacts on various components of the agroecosystem, which include crop yield, soil quality, pest and disease infestation, crop loss, irrigation water demand, etc. This will, in turn, impact food security. The development of novel adaptation techniques and strategies for agriculture and surveillance of resources is needed to tackle the adverse effects of climate change. This article discusses the impacts of climate change on various components of the agroecosystem and how to achieve resilience for sustainable development. Various national-level programmes for climate change resilience in agriculture have been implemented in India to incorporate climate information into agricultural development by integrating climate services into practices and policies for future food security
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: FAO, AQUASTAT. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 2016; www.fao.org Hewitt, C., Mason, S. and Walland, D., The global framework for climate services. Nature Climate Change, 2012, 2, 831–832; http:// dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1745
Literature cited 2: Srivastava, P. and Kumar, R., Soil salinity: a serious environmental issue and plant growth promoting bacteria as one of the tools for its alleviation. Saudi J. Biol. Sci., 2015, 22, 123–131. Qadir, M. et al., Economics of salt induced land degradation and restoration. Nat. Resour. Forum, 2014, 38, 282–295.

ID: 65093
Title: Unknown urban cavities – formation, problem and possible mapping
Author: P. Anbazhagan, H. Thakur, K. Panjami, Malashree and V. Logu
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1180-1189 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: Unknown urban cavities – formation, problem and possible mapping
Keywords: Cavities/sinkholes, mapping, soil density, subsurface flow, urban living.
Abstract: Urban living captivates the younger generation due to its wealth of prospects and attractive lifestyles. However, it is important to acknowledge that many familiar and unforeseen challenges accompany urban living. This study discusses the most pressing issue of the collapse of urban roads due to the formation of cavities/sinkholes on the subsurface, with scientific reasons and advanced approaches to mapping such cavities in order to reduce urban risk. Sinkhole formations are common in many cities in India, and several such incidents are being reported. Naturally formed sinkholes in lateritic deposits and urban cavities are due to improper handling of the subsurface soil. Typical reasons for the formation of urban cavities are summarized here with scientific explanations based on the density of filling and subsurface water flow. Further, scientific techniques available for identifying such cavities in advanced geophysical methods and the usual procedure for closing these cavities are presented. Regular inspection to focus on the triggering cause and comprehension of the underlying causes and technically designed treatments based on site soils can help prevent cavities from collapsing and subsequent disasters
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Chow, D., The African continent is very slowly peeling apart. Scientists say a new ocean is being born. 2020; https://www.nbcnews. com/science/environment/african-continent-very-slowly-peelingapart-scientists-say-new-ocean-n1234128 (accessed on 26 December 2022). Anbazhagan, P., Divyesh, R., Prabhakaran, A. and Vidyaranya, B., Identification of karstic features in lateritic soil by an integrated geophysical approach. Pure Appl. Geophys., 2018, 175(12), 4515– 4536; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-018-1908-8.
Literature cited 2: Sankar, G. et al., Studies on land disturbances due to soil piping affecting the critical zones in Western Ghats of Kerala. Project report submitted to Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, Thiruvananthapuram, 2020. The Hindu, BBMP identifies over 500 dilapidated structures in preliminary report, 2021; https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/bbmp-identifies-over-500-dilapidated-structures-in-preliminaryreport/article37083189.ece (

ID: 65092
Title: ‘Reach the Unreached’: a perspective for public outreach in Earth and space science
Author: B. Kakad, S. Devanandhan, C. Nayak and A. P. Dimri
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1175-1179 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: ‘Reach the Unreached’: a perspective for public outreach in Earth and space science
Keywords: Earth and space science, geomagnetism, public outreach programme, research organizations, young students
Abstract: Conducting public outreach activities for students and the general public has been an integral part of several research organizations. It is a way to communicate with common people to make them aware of the research work at any institution. However, the COVID-19 pandemic affected these activities. Even during the post-pandemic period, the response to public outreach programmes has been poor. To deal with this situation, an initiative called ‘Reach the Unreached’ has been implemented at the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), Navi Mumbai, which has helped boost participation in public outreach activities. This low-budget programme has been well-received by many schools. Moreover, it is found to be an effective way of reaching a large number of students. In this article, we share our post-COVID-19 experiences and information about different programmes implemented by IIG to reach a maximum number of people with basic concepts in the field of space science and geomagnetism, and their applications. The public outreach team of any institution must be energetic to adopt and implement different methods to attract and motivate young minds. The experience shared in this article will be useful to public outreach teams from other institutions.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Cook, D. P., Steed, K., Read, C., Baysarowich, R., Redway, T., Robineau-Charette, P. and Carnegie, J., Science outreach: six examples of programs that enrich the learning environments of students and educators. HAPS Educator, Human Anatomy and Physiology Society, LeGrange, GA, 2020, pp. 16–25. Dusenbery, P., Harold, J., McLain, B. and Curtis, L., Space weather outreach: an informal education perspective. Adv. Space Res., 2008, 42(11), 1837–1843; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2007.06.015.
Literature cited 2: Varner, J., Scientific outreach: toward effective public engagement with biological science. BioScience, 2014, 64(4), 333–340; https:// doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biu021. Gawali, P., Bhaskar, A., Dhar, A. and Ramesh, D. S., Science outreach and capacity building in geomagnetism and space sciences – an Indian Institute of Geomagnetism endeavour. Space Weather, 2016, 14(5), 324–329; https://doi.org/10.1002/2015SW001326.

ID: 65091
Title: Geoscience education and workforce development for energy transition
Author: Rasoul Sorkhabi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1173-1174 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: Geoscience education and workforce development for energy transition
Keywords: Geoscience education, workforce development, energy transition
Abstract: Driven by the gravity of global warming and the need for national resilience against disruptions in resource supply chains , the transition from today’s fossil fuel-dominated world to a low-carbon world with environment-friendly and secure energy supplies is at the forefront of public and policy debates, research and development (R&D) and international attention. This would necessitate an increase in the number of geoscience graduates who provide critical knowledge and skills for exploring and developing energy resources. However, according to the 2022 Geoscience Currents, a report published by the American Institute of Geosciences, student enrollment and graduates in geoscience programmes have sharply declined in recent years3 . This decline is partly related to the COVID-19 pandemic but largely due to a slowdown in the oil and gas industry, which has historically hired a vast number of geology and geophysics graduates. The employment of geoscience graduates in the oil and gas industry has decreased from 40% for undergraduate and 70% for postgraduate degree programmes in 2013 to merely 6% in 2020 for both groups. As a result, many universities in the US and Europe have closed their petroleum geoscience and engineering programmes.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: IPCC, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis, The Workgroup 1. Contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Geneva, Switzerland; https://www.ipcc.ch/ report/ar6/wg1/ Jasiunas, J. et al. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., 2021, 150, 111476.
Literature cited 2: Keane, C. et al., Status of recent geoscience graduates 2021. American Geosciences Institute, Alexandria, Virginia, 2022. IEA, Net zero by 2050: a roadmap for the global energy sector, International Energy Agency, Paris, 2021

ID: 65090
Title: A universal primer set for specific vis-à-vis simultaneous differentiation of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species
Author: Rajib Deb, Gyanendra Singh Sengar, Soumendu Chakravarti, Linda Ningthoukhongjam, Seema Rani Pegu, Swaraj Rajkhowa, Pranab Joyti Das and Vivek Kumar Gupta.
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2023
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 125 (11) 1157-1157 10 Dec (2023)
Subject: A universal primer set for specific vis-à-vis simultaneous differentiation of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species
Keywords: Universal primer,simultaneous differentiation,Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species
Abstract: Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species are major human and animal pathogens that produce broad-spectrum antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance spreads rapidly, owing mostly to horizontal gene transfer across populations of competent bacteria, i.e. from faecal germs to environmental isolates or vice versa . The horizontal gene transfer approach is well recognized for producing extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), which are resistance determinants and have clinical value in the family Enterobacteriaceae, particularly Klebsiella pneumoniae and E. coli2
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Baquero, F., Martínez, J. L. and Cantón, R., Curr. Opin. Biotechnol., 2008, 19, 260–265. Carattoli, A., Int. J. Med. Microbiol., 2013, 303, 298–304.
Literature cited 2: Jonas, D., Spitzmüller, B., Daschner, F. D., Verhoef, J. and Brisse, S., Res. Microbiology., 2004, 155(1), 17–23. Neog, N., Phukan, U., Puzari, M., Sharma, M. and Chetia, P., Curr. Microbiol., 2021, 78(4), 1115–1123.