Enter records

ID: 62845
Title: Influence of interface and induced seismicity on overburden dump slope stability
Author: Anupam Chaturvedi and G. S. P. Singh
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (6) 797-803 (2022)
Subject: Influence of interface and induced seismicity on overburden dump slope stability
Keywords: Coal, induced seismicity, interface, overburden dumps, slope stability
Abstract: A large volume of overlying waste material is removed to access deep-seated mineral deposits and stored near mines or eventually dumped as backfill. Overburden is stored in stacked dumps due to space constraints and high stripping ratios. The height and slope of these overburden dumps are enormous. This study is a parametric evaluation of the impact of interface and blasting-induced seismic loading on the stability of dump structures having total heights varying between 60 and 120 m. The study reveals that for 20° of internal friction of the interface, a factor of safety (FoS) of the slope structure increases with increasing cohesion (10–30 kPa). However, as the friction angle increases from 20° to 25°, the relative increase in FoS is reduced. Thus, FoS remains unchanged with increasing cohesion for a friction angle of 29°. The stability of the dump reduces when subjected to blasting-induced seismic loading. The damage is more due to the shock waves imposing seismic loading in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Coal Controller Organization, Provisional coal statistics. Ministry of Coal, Kolkata, 2021;http://www.coalcontroller.gov.in/writereaddata/files/download/provisionalcoalstat/provisional-coal%20statistics-2020-21.pdf. Power sector at a glance, all-India, 2022; https://powermin.gov.in/en/content/power-sector-glance-all-india (accessed on 3 March 2022).
Literature cited 2: Mukherjee, S. and Pahari, D. P., Underground and opencast coal mining methods in India: a comparative assessment. Space Cult., India, 2019, 7(1), 39–55; https://doi.org/10.20896/saci.v7i1.395. Gupta, G., Sharma, S. K., Singh, G. S. P. and Kishore, N., Numerical modelling-based stability analysis of waste dump slope structures in open-pit mines – a review. J. Inst. Eng. (India): Ser. D,2021, 102(2), 589–601; https://doi.org/10.1007/s40033-021-00277-y.

ID: 62844
Title: Radio-sterilized Spodoptera litura (Fabr.) as a conducive host for in vivo safe transport of viable entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema thermophilum as potential parasitoids
Author: Simran Arora, Priya Yadav, Ranjana Seth, Yogendra Singh and R. K. Seth
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (6) 791-796 (2022)
Subject: Radio-sterilized Spodoptera litura (Fabr.) as a conducive host for in vivo safe transport of viable entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema thermophilum as potential parasitoids
Keywords: Biocontrol agents, entomopathogenic nematodes, host irradiation, pest management, Spodoptera litura, Steinernema thermophilum.
Abstract: The potential of a radio-sterilized host, Spodoptera litura (Fabr.), an established noctuid pest, was ascertained for in vivo transport of the viable entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), Steinernema thermophilum. Radio sterilization (70 Gy) of the host (pest) was done to avoid any pest population build-up from the host larvae that could inadvertently miss EPN infection. The infective juveniles (IJs) derived from a radio-sterilized host took 67.3 h to induce host mortality, 132 h for incubation, and showed 87.8% parasitization with 98.9 IJs harvesting per mg host body wt, indicating almost similar parasitizing behavior of these IJs as control. The findings indicated the suitability of the radio-sterilized host, S. litura, for carrying the IJs (in vivo) in a safe mode, that could retain a substantial degree of infectivity to be utilized in the field for managing this serious noctuid pest using biocontrol measures.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Kranthi, K. R., Jadhav, D. R., Kranthi, S., Wanjari, R. R., Ali, S. S. and Russell, D. A., Insecticide resistance in five major insect pests of cotton in India. Crop Prot., 2002, 21, 449–460. Ahmad, M., Arif, M. I. and Ahmad, M., Occurrence of insecticide resistance in field populations of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) in Pakistan. Crop Prot., 2007, 26, 809–817.
Literature cited 2: Wang, X. et al., Insecticide resistance and enhanced cytochrome P450 onooxygenase activity in field populations of Spodoptera litura from Sichuan, China. Crop Prot., 2018, 106, 110–116. du Preez, F., Malan, A. P. and Addison, P., Potential of in vivo- and in vitro-cultured entomopathogenic nematodes to infect Lobesia vanillana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) under laboratory conditions.PLoS ONE, 2021, 16, e0242645

ID: 62843
Title: Crash risk factor identification using association rules in Nagpur city, Maharashtra, India
Author: Bahuguna Dalai and Vishrut S. Landge
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (6) 781-790 (2022)
Subject: Crash risk factor identification using association rules in Nagpur city, Maharashtra, India
Keywords: Association rules, driver characteristics, risk factors, traffic crash, urban roads.
Abstract: The increase in traffic volume in urban road networks poses a significant challenge to transportation safety. It is evident that different traffic zones experience unique crash patterns and severities. The different factors that affect crash rates are caused by the various characteristics of the drivers, weather conditions, design of roadside infrastructure and driving behaviour. Although studies have shown that various factors can affect crash rates, there are insufficient studies on the exact categorization of these factors. Accordingly, the present study focuses on traffic crashes on streets where the risks of an accident occurrence are higher, using Nagpur city, Maharashtra, India as a case study. Three levels of risk zones were selected, i.e., zone-I (low risk), zone-II (medium risk) and zone-III (high risk). The risk zones are created in ArcGIS software using the kernel density estimator function. The association rule was then used to find out the various crash risk factors within the zone. The results of the study reveal that the risk of pedestrian fatalities is higher in areas where the speed limit is more than 40 km/h and day-to-day pedestrian activity is present. Based on the results, we propose a lower speed limit in zone-I, in addition to providing pedestrian-crossing facilities such as zebra crossings or refuge islands for crosswalks. Moreover, we propose implementing an awareness campaign for road traffic safety aimed at educating road users on how to follow road discipline, especially with regard to utilizing pedestrian facilities, aggressive young motorcyclists, lane changing and overtaking maneuvers.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Transport Research Wing, Road Accident in India, Transport Research Wing, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, New Delhi, 2018. Fuller, R., The task–capability interface model of the driving process. Recherche-Transports-Sécurité,
Literature cited 2: Lord, D. and Mannering, F., The statistical analysis of crash-frequency data: A review and assessment of methodological alternatives. Transp. Res. Part A, 2010, 44, 291–305. Savolainen, P. T., Mannering, F. L., Lord, D. and Quddus, M. A., The statistical analysis of highway crash-injury severities: a review and assessment of methodological alternatives. Accid. Anal. Prev., 2011, 43, 1666–1676.

ID: 62842
Title: Exploring the forest and mapping its archaeology: Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve, India
Author: Nayanjot Lahiri, M. B. Rajani , Debdutta Sanyal and Samayita Banerjee
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (6) 772-780 (2022)
Subject: Exploring the forest and mapping its archaeology: Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve, India
Keywords: Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, caves, forests, Indian archaeology, satellite imagery.
Abstract: The archaeology of historical India has usually been perceived through the lens of cities and states, leaving forest tracts to a large extent unexamined. This article considers the historical signature in a segment of the Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India, in order to understand how histories of occupation in jungles and wilderness where no settlements presently exist can be studied. Our survey involved a combination of ground-level investigations using GPS devices along with an analysis of satellite images to explore whether such images can be used for locating structures and sites. The earliest archaeological markers in Bandhavgarh are cave shelters of the 2nd century CE, which form the subject of this article.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Rajani, M. B., Patterns in Past Settlements: Geospatial Analysis of Imprints of Cultural Heritage on Landscapes, Springer, Singapore, 2021. J.M., Notes from Rewah. Indian Forester, 1883, IX, 436–440
Literature cited 2: Chakravarti, N. P., Brahmi inscriptions from Bandhogarh. Epigr.Indica, 1955–56, XXXI, 167–186. Report 1938, 1600-year-old inscriptions – relics found in the Rewa State. The Times of India, 13 October 1938.

ID: 62841
Title: Economic gain apropos socio-ecological pain: expansion of plantation crops in biocultural jhumscape of Northeast India
Author: D. K. Pandey, Shantanu Kumar Dubey, A. K. Tripathi, Barun Singh and B. N. Hazarika
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (6) 767-771 (2022)
Subject: Economic gain apropos socio-ecological pain: expansion of plantation crops in biocultural jhumscape of Northeast India
Keywords: Bioeconomy, food security, jhum, multipurpose landscape, plantations crops.
Abstract: Northeast India is a biodiversity-rich zone and a part of both the Himalaya and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. It is a large-scale multipurpose landscape consisting of a mosaic of crops, livestock and forest. The landscape also ensures almost all the ecosystem services that contribute to the well-being of more than 100 diverse ethnic groups (indigenous people) in the region. However, in recent years, rapid transition in the form of promotion and expansion of oil palm and rubber plantations as mooted and supported by the state has posed threats to the ecosystem and biodiversity especially the biocultural landscapes. Supported by empirical evidence (primary and secondary data), this study argues that as we increase the intensity of production or harvest of such crops, the environmental cost becomes unprecedented and immense to be offset by economic gain. The use of renewable biological resources as the foundation for a bioeconomy must be regulated in terms of environmental impact rather than short-term financial dividends. Therefore, we need to develop optimization models for the biocultural landscape(s) that determine land use based on what is both economically and environmentally optimal.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: FSI, India State of Forest Report 2021, Forest Survey of India, Dehra Dun, India, 2021. Hore, D. K., Rice diversity collection, conservation and management in northeastern India. Genet. Resour. Crop Evol., 2005, 52,1129–1140
Literature cited 2: Myers, N., Russel, M. A., Cristina, M. G., Gustavo, A. B. F. and Jennifer, K., Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 2000, 403, 853–858. Nath, A. J., Sahoo, U. K., Giri, K., Sileshi, G. W. and Das, A. K., Incentivizing hill farmers for promoting agroforestry as an alternative to shifting cultivation in Northeast India. In Agroforestry for Degraded Landscapes, Springer, Singapore, 2020, pp. 425–444

ID: 62840
Title: Traffic operations at mainline toll plazas
Author: Chintaman Santosh Bari, Satish Chandra, Ashish Dhamaniya and Yogeshwar Navandar
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (6) 754-766 (2022)
Subject: Traffic operations at mainline toll plazas
Keywords: Capacity, level of service, mixed traffic, toll collection, toll plaza.
Abstract: Most projects across the world are built under the public–private partnership (PPP) module. In the highway sector, the highway projects are built by the concessioner, and in lieu of that, he generates revenue by collecting tolls from road users. The toll plazas built across the highways to collect tolls act as a bottleneck in highway facilities. Although the toll collection system has been improved worldwide, users are still experiencing an enormous delay at toll plazas due to congestion, especially in developing countries like India. This congestion is caused due to various factors such as long service time, an inadequate number of windows, traffic volume, categories of toll rates, etc., which lead to delay, degradation of capacity, and level of service. Different researchers in their countries have analysed all these factors. The present article gives a detailed literature review summarizing various studies on the different parameters related to toll plazas and proposes research gaps from the perspective of developing countries. The challenges and methodology for evaluating various parameters are also discussed, and a way forward for future research is suggested.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bari, C., Navandar, Y. and Dhamaniya, A., Service time variation analysis at manually operated toll plazas under mixed traffic conditions in India. J. East. Asia Soc. Transp. Stud., 2019, 13, 331–350. Bodas, T., Ganesh, A. and Manjunath, D., Pigouvian tolls and welfare optimality with parallel servers and heterogeneous customers. J. Indian Inst. Sci., 2021, 101(3), 1–12.
Literature cited 2: Bari, C. S., Chandra, S., Dhamaniya, A., Arkatkar, S. and Navandar, Y. V., Service time variability at manual operated tollbooths under mixed traffic environment: towards level-of service thresholds. Transp. Policy, 2021, 106, 11–24. Indian Roads Congress (IRC): SP: 84, Manual of Specifications and Standards for Four Lanning of Highways (Second Revision), 2019, pp. 1–219.

ID: 62839
Title: Agroforestry in India: area estimates and methods
Author: A. Arunachalam, R. H. Rizvi A. K. Handa S. Suresh Ramanan
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (6) 743-744 (2022)
Subject: Agroforestry in India: area estimates and methods
Keywords: agroforestry, India
Abstract: With the adoption of the National Agroforestry Policy in the country, India became a pioneer in promoting the inclusion of woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms and bamboos) in food production systems, i.e., agricultural land. Effective planning and management are vital for the success of any policy and in this regard, it is mandatory to estimate the area under agroforestry.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Coe, R., Sinclair, F. and Barrios, E., Curr. Opin. Environ. Sustain., 2014, 6, 73–77. Rosenstock, T. S. et al., Agric. Ecosyst. Environ., 2019, 284, 106569.
Literature cited 2: Zomer, R. J. et al., Sci. Rep., 2016, 6, 29987. FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, 2020.

ID: 62838
Title: Saraswati: The River Par Excellence.
Author: S. K. Acharyya, Kunal Ghosh and Amal Kar reviewed by S.K.Tandon
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 715-716 (2022)
Subject: Saraswati: The River Par Excellence.
Keywords: Saraswati river
Abstract: The Saraswati River, labelled as ‘The River Par Excellence’ in this edited volume, has also been previously referred to as ‘The Lost River’ and ‘The Prehistoric River Saraswati’ but more of that later in this review. What then is the Saraswati River? Is it an active river system in the present geography of northwestern India or is it a fluvial palaeodrainage of the distant past that supported the Harappan Civilization almost four millennia ago and left behind archives of its geologic records? Is it a mythical entity or was it a real large river with ample discharge that supported the Harappans for about a millennium? And then, there is also the most unresolved question of how and when the decline of this large river took place and how that decline was related to the collapse of the Harappan/Saraswati Civilization? Such are the intriguing questions that have continued to engage for over a century, the scholars from the disciplinary diversity of archaeology, climate science and paleoclimate, geology and palaeohydrology, geomorphology and remote sensing, as well as ancient Indian history and cultures. The scientific study of this palaeodrainage system alongside the archaeological studies of the excavations of the Harappan cities and settlements in the region has led to considerable crossdisciplinarity exchanges resulting in continuous and ongoing dialogue, debate, and controversy in the past few decades.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1:
Literature cited 2:

ID: 62837
Title: Is crop diversification vulnerable to climate, agricultural and socio-economic factors in Himachal Pradesh, India?
Author: Pardeep Singh, Pradipkumar Adhale, Amit Guleria and Manoj K. Vaidya
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 707-711 (2022)
Subject: Is crop diversification vulnerable to climate, agricultural and socio-economic factors in Himachal Pradesh, India?
Keywords: Agricultural development, climate change, crop diversification, panel regression, socio-economic factors
Abstract: Crop diversification is essential for long-term farm income, rural livelihood and agricultural development in Himachal Pradesh (HP), India. The present study aims to examine the effect of climate, agricultural and socioeconomic factors on crop diversification. Sirmaur district was found to be diverse, Kangra and Mandi districts were highly diversified, but Solan district was highly specialized in agriculture in HP. The fixed effects were found to be significant, indicating the role of farm-level changes in agronomic and cropping practices as a result of climate change. Crop diversification was led by population density, percentage of marginal and small farmers, cropping intensity, cultivators, marginal workers and total main workers. The important climate parameters like rainfall and minimum temperature, as well as other factors such as irrigation intensity and food crop productivity, had a negative impact on crop diversification, implying crop specialization.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Bhandari, H., Pandey, S., Sharan, R., Naik, D., Hiwray, I., Taunk, S. K. and Sastri, A. S. R. A. S., Economic costs of drought and rice farmers’ drought-coping mechanisms in eastern India. In Economic Costs of Drought and Rice Farmers’ Coping Mechanisms: A Cross Country Comparative Analysis (eds Pandey, S., Bhandari, H. and Hardy, B.), International Rice Research Institute, Manila, Philippines, 2007; http://books.irri.org/9789712202124_content.pdf Amare, M., Jensen, N. D., Shiferaw, B. and Cissé, J, D., Rainfall shocks and agricultural productivity: Implication for rural household consumption. Agric. Syst., 2018, 166, 79–89; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2018.07.014.
Literature cited 2: Birthal, P. S., Negi, D., Kumar, S., Aggarwal, S., Suresh, A. and Tajuddin, Khan, How sensitive is Indian agriculture to climate change? Indian J. Agric. Econ., 2014, 69, 474–487; http://dx.doi. org/10.22004/ag.econ.229948. World Bank, Turn down the heat: climate extremes, regional impacts, and the case for resilience: a report of the World Bank. World Bank, Washington DC, USA, 2013; https://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/document/Full_Report_Vol_2_Turn_Down_The_Heat_%20Climate_Extremes_Regional_Impacts_Case_for_Resilience_Print%20version_FINAL.pdf

ID: 62836
Title: Observation of bee pollinators (Apoidea) on a medicinal plant, Lippia alba (Mill.) (Verbenaceae)
Author: A. Rameshkumar, S. Sardar, B. Majumder, S. Dey and S. I. Kazmi
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 703-707 (2022)
Subject: Observation of bee pollinators (Apoidea) on a medicinal plant, Lippia alba (Mill.) (Verbenaceae)
Keywords: Bees, floral association, Lippia alba, pollinators, traditional medicine
Abstract: Lippia alba, an introduced species of Lippia has widely been used in traditional and folk medicine. Being incompatible with self-pollination, these plants rely on pollinators, particularly bees, for reproduction. In this study, floral association of the bee pollinators/visitors belonging to four families of Apoidea with L. alba has been examined
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Atkins, S., Verbenaceae. In The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Flowering Plants. Dicotyledons. Lamiales (Except Acantharean including Avicenniaceae) (ed Kadereit, J. W.), Springer, Berlin, Germany, 2004, vol. VII, pp. 449–468. Gibson, D. N., Verbenaceae. In Flora of Guatemala (eds Standley, P. C. and Williams, L. O.), Fieldiana Botany, Chicago, IL, USA, 1970, Part IX: Numbers 1 and 2, vol. 6, pp. 167–230.
Literature cited 2: Vit, P., Silva, B. and Meléndez, P., Lippia alba N.E. Br. Ficha botánica de interés apícola en Venezuela. Rev. Facult. Farmacia, 2002, 43, 13–14. Vattakaven, T., George, R., Balasubramanian, D., Réjou-Méchain, M., Muthusankar, G., Ramesh, B. and Prabhakar, R., India biodiversity portal: an integrated, interactive and participatory biodiversity informatics platform. Biodivers. Data J., 2016, 4, e10279; https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e10279 (accessed on 15 March 2022).

ID: 62835
Title: Weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) headspace volatiles deter oviposition in female Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Author: P. D. Kamala Jayanthi, P. Saravan Kumar and Meenal Vyas
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 694-702 (2022)
Subject: Weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) headspace volatiles deter oviposition in female Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Keywords: Fruit fly, headspace volatiles, oviposition deterrent, predator–prey interactions, weaver ant
Abstract: Natural predator–prey interactions in the insect world provide interesting insights into how female herbivores avoid ovipositing in places where a predator’s presence can be perceived. Several insects show such innate behavioral traits that can be harnessed to formulate safe pest management strategies in agriculture. Using customized oviposition assays, we studied the innate oviposition avoidance behaviour of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, a frugivorous pest. Fruit flies preferred to lay eggs in a test region smeared with γ-octalactone (an oviposition stimulant used as a positive control) over one smeared with a mix of γ-octalactone and headspace volatiles of the weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, a generalist predator in orchard ecosystems. A combination of the electrophysiologically active odour cues n-undecane and n-tridecane from the headspace volatiles of weaver ants were found to deter female fruit flies from ovipositing. Using these behaviour-modifying chemicals in a blend as a pre-harvest spray could potentially prevent egg-laying by the oriental fruit flies in ready-to-harvest fruits.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Apfelbach, R., Blanchard, C. D., Blanchard, R. J., Hayes, R. A. and McGregor, I. S., The effects of predator odors in mammalian prey species: a review of field and laboratory studies. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev., 2005, 29, 1123–1144. Takahashi, L. K., Nakashima, B. R., Hong, H. and Watanabe, K.,The smell of danger: a behavioral and neural analysis of predator odor-induced fear. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev., 2005, 29, 1157–1167
Literature cited 2: Amo, L., Galván, I., Tomás, G. and Sanz, J. J., Predator odour recognition and avoidance in a songbird. Funct. Ecol., 2008, 22, 289–293. Liu, Z. et al., Predator-secreted sulfolipids induce defensive responses in C. elegans. Nature Commun., 2018, 9, 1–13.

ID: 62834
Title: Risk assessment of drowning incidents at Aksa Beach, Mumbai, India
Author: Deepali Gadkari and Subhankar Das
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 687-693 (2022)
Subject: Risk assessment of drowning incidents at Aksa Beach, Mumbai, India
Keywords: Beaches, drowning hazard, moon phase, prevention policy, risk assessment, tide time
Abstract: The Aksa Beach is one of the most drowning incidentprone beaches in Mumbai, India. From 2006 through 2018, an average of 38 people drowned annually. A total of 445 non-fatal drowning victims have been rescued and 47 have died. No studies about these drowning incidents in Aksa Beach have been published. The incidences are classified according to various parameters such as season, tide time, lunar day, gender and age of victims, and locations on the beach to assess drowning hazards. The result is that both natural and demographic factors are responsible for drowning incidents. This study assesses the natural and social causes of drowning and suggests a prevention policy.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: WHO, The Injury Fact Book, A Graphical Overview of the Global Burden of Injuries, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2012. Short, A., Handbook of Beach and Shore Face Morphodynamics, John Wiley, Chichester, 1999.
Literature cited 2: Surisetty, A. K. and Prasad, K., Rip current-related fatalities in India: a new predictive risk scale for forecasting rip currents. Int. Soc.Prev. Mitiga. Nat. Hazards, 2014, 70(1), 313–335. Indo-Asian News Service, World’s most treacherous beach claims. Hindustan Times, 6 May 2013; https://web.archive.org/web/2014- 0228110214/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/World-s-most-treacherous-beach-claims-3/Article1-1055373.aspx(accessed on 28 September 2018).

ID: 62833
Title: Traffic noise pollution assessment along the Ring Road of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Author: Reeta Singh, Dipesh Raj Pant and Resham Baniya
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 677-686 (2022)
Subject: Traffic noise pollution assessment along the Ring Road of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Keywords: Noise pollution, traffic noise index, sound level, Nepal.
Abstract: Sound or noise pollution has become a pressing issue in the major cities of the world. The rapidly growing and densely populated Kathmandu city in Nepal is no exception. Traffic noise level data were recorded in the field using sound-level meters. Each observation session was for 3 h (8–11 am) and (3–6 pm) at an interval of 10 sec on working days. The vehicle flow status was studied by direct observation, while the time series of noise pollution data and vehicles registered were updated from secondary sources. Further, various noise descriptors like traffic noise level, noise pollution level, equivalent continuous sound level (Leq), minimum sound level and maximum sound level were determined to assess noise pollution. It was found that there was no significant difference in the descriptors between the morning and evening traffic flow periods at a 5% level of significance. At all the 20 studied road junctions, Leq exceeded 70 dB(A) surpassing the recommended levels of national as well as international noise standards. If the present noise pollution level persists in Kathmandu with the growing population and number of vehicles, it will increase the chances of adverse health effects on the population.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Ozer, S., Yilmaz, H., Yesil, M. and Yesil, P., Evaluation of noise pollution caused by vehicles in the city of Tokata, Turkey. Sci. Res. Essays, 2009, 4(11), 1205–1211. Phan, Y. T. H., Yano, T., Sato, T. and Nishimura, T., Characteristics of road traffic noise in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Appl. Acoust., 2010, 71(5), 479–485.
Literature cited 2: Ramakrishna, V., Ashwani, D. and Durga, M., Vijayawada: a study on ambient and traffic noise pollution in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. Int. J. Curr. Res., 2017, 9(7), 53943–53951. Bhosale, B., Late, A., Nalawade, P., Chavan, S. and Mule, M., Studies on assessment of traffic noise level in Aurangabad city, India. Noise Health, 2010, 12, 195.

ID: 62832
Title: Can farm mechanization enhance small farmers’ income? Lessons from Lower Shivalik Hills of the Indian Himalayan Region
Author: Pinaki Roy, B. S. Hansra, R. R. Burman, Sangeeta Bhattacharyya, T. N. Roy and Rouf Ahmed
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 667-676 (2022)
Subject: Can farm mechanization enhance small farmers’ income? Lessons from Lower Shivalik Hills of the Indian Himalayan Region
Keywords: Efficacy measure, farm mechanization, labour cost, socio-agro-economic impact, synchronous bootstrapping
Abstract: Indian agriculture being fraught with fragmented land holdings, the economic viability of farm mechanization has forever remained a debatable issue. Here we determine the socio-agro-economic impact of seed-cumfertilizer drill and zero tillage through different methods with ex-ante and ex-post approaches. Results depict that labour costs had reduced by almost 80% and seed usage by 20%. The seed-cum-fertilizer drill and zero tillage adopter saved Rs 3764.10 and 4047.54 respectively, from 1 ha. The machinery also increased the yield of HD 2967 wheat variety by 13.39 and 6.0 q/ha, and decreased seed rate by 27.71 and 24.20 kg/ha respectively, as evident from the results of the SUR model. The growth of the farm machinery sector is hindered by machine cost, resource-poor farmers and inaccessibility of agricultural technology. A few suggestions on the critical aspects are made here based on the application of technology in different states of India to implement suitable policies for the economic benefit of farmers.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: . Bhattacharyya, S., Venkatesh, P., Aditya, K. S. and Burman, R. R.,The macro and micro point of view of farmer suicides in India. Natl.Acad. Sci. Lett., 2020, 6(164), 489–495; https://doi.org/10.1007/ s40009-020-00920-4 Prasad, Y. G. et al., Smart practices and technologies for climate resilient agriculture. Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Hyderabad, 2014
Literature cited 2: Mittal, S., Cost–benefit analysis of agriculture interventions in Andhra Pradesh. Working draft on Andhra Pradesh Priorities, An Indian Consensus Prioritization Project, Copenhagen Consensus Center, Creative Commons Attribution CC BY. 4.0, 2018. Feder, G., Richard, J. and David, S., Adoption of Agricultural Innovations in Developing Countries: A Survey, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, USA, 1985, vol. 2, pp. 255–295; https://www. journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/451461.

ID: 62831
Title: Physiological, biochemical and molecular manifestations in response to seed priming with elicitors under drought in cotton
Author: Himanshu Kumar, Pooja Verma, Suchit A. John and D. Blaise
Editor: S.K.Satheesh
Year: 2022
Publisher: Current Science Association and Indian Academy of Sciences.
Source: ENVIS, CES & EWRG, CES
Reference: Current Science Vol. 123 (5) 658-666 (2022)
Subject: Physiological, biochemical and molecular manifestations in response to seed priming with elicitors under drought in cotton
Keywords: Drought responsive gene, Gossypium hirsutism, methyl jasmonate, paclobutrazol, seed priming.
Abstract: Water stress has a detrimental effect on growth and development, which alters physio-biochemical activities. Seed priming with elicitors such as methyl jasmonate and paclobutrazol can mitigate the impact of drought stress. Therefore, pot-culture studies were conducted with drought-tolerant (DTS-155) and drought-susceptible (IC-357055) cotton genotypes to assess the seed priming effects of elicitors (methyl jasmonate and paclobutrazol) on the physio-biochemical changes and gene expression. The dose (50, 100, 150 and 200 mM) and time interval (1.5 and 2.5 h) experiments of both the elicitors were performed separately. On the basis of germination, seedling growth and vigour, a 150 mM elicitor for 1.5 h time interval was found to be the best. Biochemical and physiological parameters confirmed an increase in relative water content, total antioxidant activities, chlorophyll, superoxide dismutase, catalase and proline under drought stress in both the enotypes, but a decrease in lipid peroxidation. Among the elicitors, methyl jasmonate improved drought tolerance as compared to paclobutrazol. Gene expression studies with Rub-S, Rub-L and Osmotin confirmed the results. Transcript abundance of Osmotin and Rub-L was upregulated under drought stress in both the genotypes and was highest in methyl jasmonate primed samples. These findings suggest that priming with methyl jasmonate enhances drought tolerance in cotton.
Location: T E 15 New Biology building
Literature cited 1: Baffes, J., Tanzania’s cotton sector: reforms, constraints and challenges. Dev. Policy Rev., 2005, 22(1), 75–96. Gillham, F. E., Cotton Production Prospects for the Next Decade, World Bank Publications, 1995, vol. 23.
Literature cited 2: Li, X., Cai, J., Liu, F., Dai, T., Cao, W. and Jiang, D., Cold priming drives the sub-cellular antioxidant systems to protect photosynthetic electron transport against subsequent low temperature stress in winter wheat. Plant Physiol. Bilchem., 2014, 82, 34–43. Muscolo, A., Junker, A., Klukas, C., Weigelt-Fischer, K., Riewe, D. and Altmann, T., Phenotypic and metabolic responses to drought and salinity of four contrasting lentil accessions. J. Exp. Bot., 2015, 66(18), 5467–5480.