People who multitask often bad at it, says varsity study
Washington: The people who multitask the most are the ones who are worst at it. That’s the surprising conclusion of researchers at Stanford University, who found multitaskers are more easily distracted and less able to ignore irrelevant information than people who do less multitasking.
“The huge finding is, the more media people use the worse they are at using any media. We were totally shocked,” Clifford Nass, a professor at Stanford’s communications department, said in a telephone interview.
The researchers studied 262 college undergraduates, dividing them into high and low multitasking groups and comparing such things as memory, ability to switch from one task to another and being able to focus on a task. Their findings are reported in Tuesday’s edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
When it came to such essential abilities, people who did a lot of multitasking didn’t score as well as others, Nass said. Still to be answered is why the folks who are worst at multitasking are the ones doing it the most.
It’s sort of a chicken-oregg question.
“Is multitasking causing them to be lousy at multitasking, or is their lousiness at multitasking causing them to be multitaskers?” Nass wondered. “Is it born or learned?” In a society that seems to encourage more and more multitasking, the findings have social implications, Nass observed. Multitasking is already blamed for car crashes as several states restrict the use of cell phones while driving.
Lawyers or advertisers can try to use irrelevant information to distract and refocus people to influence their decisions.
In the study, the researchers first had to figure out who are the heavy and light multitaskers. They gave the students a form listing a variety of media such as print, television, computer-based video, music, computer games, telephone voice or text, and so forth.
The students were asked, for each form of media, which other forms they used at the same time always, often, sometimes or never. AP
SAVE OUR NATION
Alive Earth Goes Dead
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Diet for blood pressure patients
Avoid cereals, pulses and milk products for first three months of detection of BP problems. As the digestion improves and BP normalises, start taking cereals in moderation
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Hypertension is the result of unhygienic habits of living
Obesity is the cause associated with it Recommended foods: Apples: They have a rapid and considerable diuretic effect causing increased secretion of urine and thus bringing down blood pressure to normal. Lemon: It is a rich source of Vitamin C and strengthens the arteries if consumed in moderation. Garlic: One of the most effective remedies to lower the blood pressure. It benefits more when taken raw.
Slows the pulse
Modifies the heart rhythm
Relieves dizziness, shortness of breath and formation of gas
Has the effect of making the blood vessels wider, thereby reducing the pressure Brown rice: Calcium present in brown rice soothes and relaxes the nervous system leading to a very low rate of hypertension Beet root: Excellent solvent for calcium deposits. Helpful in treating hypertension. Can be taken in salads. LOW BLOOD PRESSURE
Happens due to anaemia
In woman due to excessive bleeding during menses
Due to depression Recommended foods: Banana stem: Its juice is very alkaline and clears the arteries dissolving any toxic substance in the blood vessels. Bilva: Also known as bel patta, is a good blood purifier and can be taken in juice form. Do’s and Dont’s
Amla and aloevera juice should be taken daily in the morning to flush body toxins
Avoid cereals, pulses, gram, milk and milk products for first three months of detection of BP problems. As the digestion improves and BP normalises, start taking cereals etc in moderation
Avoid fried, processed and refined foods
Fasting on coconut water along with fresh fruits for 2-3 days minimum in two weeks
Vegetables raw/boiled or soups are also recommended
Eat at least 3 hours before sleeping
Avoid tea, coffee, soft drinks etc. If the total approach is adopted towards restoration of good health, the blood pressure will become normal in about 3 months
Avoid cereals, pulses and milk products for first three months of detection of BP problems. As the digestion improves and BP normalises, start taking cereals in moderation
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Hypertension is the result of unhygienic habits of living
Obesity is the cause associated with it Recommended foods: Apples: They have a rapid and considerable diuretic effect causing increased secretion of urine and thus bringing down blood pressure to normal. Lemon: It is a rich source of Vitamin C and strengthens the arteries if consumed in moderation. Garlic: One of the most effective remedies to lower the blood pressure. It benefits more when taken raw.
Slows the pulse
Modifies the heart rhythm
Relieves dizziness, shortness of breath and formation of gas
Has the effect of making the blood vessels wider, thereby reducing the pressure Brown rice: Calcium present in brown rice soothes and relaxes the nervous system leading to a very low rate of hypertension Beet root: Excellent solvent for calcium deposits. Helpful in treating hypertension. Can be taken in salads. LOW BLOOD PRESSURE
Happens due to anaemia
In woman due to excessive bleeding during menses
Due to depression Recommended foods: Banana stem: Its juice is very alkaline and clears the arteries dissolving any toxic substance in the blood vessels. Bilva: Also known as bel patta, is a good blood purifier and can be taken in juice form. Do’s and Dont’s
Amla and aloevera juice should be taken daily in the morning to flush body toxins
Avoid cereals, pulses, gram, milk and milk products for first three months of detection of BP problems. As the digestion improves and BP normalises, start taking cereals etc in moderation
Avoid fried, processed and refined foods
Fasting on coconut water along with fresh fruits for 2-3 days minimum in two weeks
Vegetables raw/boiled or soups are also recommended
Eat at least 3 hours before sleeping
Avoid tea, coffee, soft drinks etc. If the total approach is adopted towards restoration of good health, the blood pressure will become normal in about 3 months
Engg colleges charge govt quota students higher fees
Chennai: Making a mockery of merit-based admissions made under the government quota, some selffinancing engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu are demanding astronomical sums as fees from students allotted BE/ BTech seats through the single window counselling.
As per the fee fixed by a committee headed by retired Madras high court Judge N V Balasubramanian, constituted under directions from the Supreme Court, students admitted to BE/ BTech courses under the government quota have to pay only Rs 40,000 as tuition fees. If the course is not accredited by the National Board of Accreditation, then they have to pay just Rs 32,500 per annum.
However, several students who turn up at the admission offices of some self-financing engineering colleges in different parts of Tamil Nadu with the government quota allotment order are finding to their dismay that the managements are demanding much higher fees. In some cases, the amount demanded is over Rs 80,000.
The colleges are collecting the excess fee in black and refusing to reflect the entire amount collected in the receipts issued to students. As a result, students are unable to lodge complaints with proof of the monetary exploitation. Secondly, they are unable to raise education loans through banks for the entire sum because the excess money is not accounted for.
“When I went to a college in Namakkal district where my son was allotted a BE (Information Technology) seat, the college demanded Rs 95,000 from us. The staff told us that Rs 75,000 was the fees and Rs 20,000 must be paid for books. But they offered a receipt for only Rs 40,000,” complained Hamsavardhan (name changed), a resident of Chennai. “There was no use protesting, because when we raised questions, the staff said we were free to lodge a complaint anywhere,” he added.
Similarly, many colleges located in and around Chennai too are demanding up to Rs 80,000 as fees from government quota students.
When this correspondent called up a couple of colleges introducing himself as the guardian of a government quota student and sought to know the fee structure, the staff refused to disclose it. “You can come to our admission cell with the allotment card and we will tell you the fees,” said a lady staff at a college in Namakkal. When the correspondent contacted another staff of the same college and argued that knowing the fee structure will help in arranging cash when the student is admitted, he said “You don’t worry about that. If you run short of cash here, we will give you a week’s time to arrange it.”
Tamil Nadu higher education principal secretary K Ganesan said it was illegal for colleges to collect excess fees than what has been fixed by the Judge Balasubramanian committee. “It is normal for colleges to collect fees towards caution deposit, transportation, sports activities and so on. But they cannot collect excess tuition fee without justification. Students and parents can pass on information about monetary exploitation to me, the commissioner for technical education or the government constituted monitoring committee and we will certainly take action,” he assured.
Chennai: Making a mockery of merit-based admissions made under the government quota, some selffinancing engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu are demanding astronomical sums as fees from students allotted BE/ BTech seats through the single window counselling.
As per the fee fixed by a committee headed by retired Madras high court Judge N V Balasubramanian, constituted under directions from the Supreme Court, students admitted to BE/ BTech courses under the government quota have to pay only Rs 40,000 as tuition fees. If the course is not accredited by the National Board of Accreditation, then they have to pay just Rs 32,500 per annum.
However, several students who turn up at the admission offices of some self-financing engineering colleges in different parts of Tamil Nadu with the government quota allotment order are finding to their dismay that the managements are demanding much higher fees. In some cases, the amount demanded is over Rs 80,000.
The colleges are collecting the excess fee in black and refusing to reflect the entire amount collected in the receipts issued to students. As a result, students are unable to lodge complaints with proof of the monetary exploitation. Secondly, they are unable to raise education loans through banks for the entire sum because the excess money is not accounted for.
“When I went to a college in Namakkal district where my son was allotted a BE (Information Technology) seat, the college demanded Rs 95,000 from us. The staff told us that Rs 75,000 was the fees and Rs 20,000 must be paid for books. But they offered a receipt for only Rs 40,000,” complained Hamsavardhan (name changed), a resident of Chennai. “There was no use protesting, because when we raised questions, the staff said we were free to lodge a complaint anywhere,” he added.
Similarly, many colleges located in and around Chennai too are demanding up to Rs 80,000 as fees from government quota students.
When this correspondent called up a couple of colleges introducing himself as the guardian of a government quota student and sought to know the fee structure, the staff refused to disclose it. “You can come to our admission cell with the allotment card and we will tell you the fees,” said a lady staff at a college in Namakkal. When the correspondent contacted another staff of the same college and argued that knowing the fee structure will help in arranging cash when the student is admitted, he said “You don’t worry about that. If you run short of cash here, we will give you a week’s time to arrange it.”
Tamil Nadu higher education principal secretary K Ganesan said it was illegal for colleges to collect excess fees than what has been fixed by the Judge Balasubramanian committee. “It is normal for colleges to collect fees towards caution deposit, transportation, sports activities and so on. But they cannot collect excess tuition fee without justification. Students and parents can pass on information about monetary exploitation to me, the commissioner for technical education or the government constituted monitoring committee and we will certainly take action,” he assured.
INVASION OF THE AEDES
Shift in mosquito population
Malaria-Causing Vectors Replaced By Those Causing Dengue & Chikungunya
Chennai: There might have been a 49% decrease in the cases of malaria since 2005, but the directorate of public health forecasts an increase in the cases of either dengue or chikungunya this monsoon. It has even devised strategies and plans for civic bodies to tackle the breeding of vectors to prevent their spread.
“The forecast is based on some scientific data we have at hand,” says director of public health Dr S Elango. “In the last few months, our entomologists have seen a drift in the mosquito population across the state. The malaria-causing anopheles, which formed nearly 80% of the diseasespreading vectors, have been replaced by another genre, aedes, which causes chikungunya or dengue,” he said. The cases of malaria in TN recorded an all-time low in 2009.
In 2005, the state recorded nearly 40,000 cases of malaria, which came down to about 28,000 in 2006. “That year
changed the monsoon-disease dynamics even in the city. It was a year that saw maximum number of chikungunya cases,” points out Chennai Corporation health officer Dr P Kuganandam. Chennai, which records about 80% of the state’s malaria cases, has also recorded a drastic decline.
In 2006, there were 64,802 cases of chikungunya in Tamil Nadu, while dengue cases fell from 1,150 to 477. In 2007, dengue rose to 700 while malaria was down to 22,000 cases. Last year, the number of dengue cases was 650 and malaria 21,000. In 2009, until June, 483 malaria cases were recorded as against 326 dengue and 440 chikungunya cases. In July alone, the state recorded 114 chikungunya cases and 37 dengue cases. The data for malaria is yet to be assessed. “But it is surely not higher than 50,” said an analyst at the directorate of public health.
Entomologists have noticed stephensi being increasingly replaced by aedes aegypti in the most common places they were earlier sighted. “We don’t know why this happened,” says state’s chief entomologist Dr S Sridharan. “It is possibly like how the American variety of the cockroach called periplaneta americana, the brown ones that we see commonly, replaced the native Indian striped grey variety we see no more.” The department, he said, will be studying the sudden population shift with the assistance of the Institute of Vector Control and Zoonoses in Hosur.
BEWARE of the BITE
There are approximately 3,500 species of mosquitoes, grouped into 41 genera. They are vectors causing several diseases, mostly after rains, that include malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis and filariasis. The female mosquitoes draw blood, which has the protein required by them to lay their eggs AEDES: Commonly spotted species are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The flight range for this vector is 100 m from the breeding site and hence the disease it causes, be it dengue or chikungunya, is always seen in clusters
They are day biting mosquitoes, active in late morning and early evening
They are anthroprophilic, which means they feed only on human blood. But they change hosts frequently. One meal often comes from 4-5 persons
They breed in artificial containers like pots of water, holes in trees, coconut shells and all other places that have no soil content
In the case of dengue, the virus is even passed on to the progeny
ANOPHELES:
Commonly spotted species are Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles culicifacies. The flight range is up to half a kilometer from the breeding site — the reason why malarial outbreaks happen in a wider region
They are night biting mosquitos, active in early mornings and late evenings
While stephensi predominantly goes for the human blood, cuclifaces draws blood from humans as well as animals
The vector pierces into the skin with its stylus and sucks out the blood
Stephensi breeds in clear water, wells and irrigation tanks where there is no organic pollution, while culicifacies can survive in mildly saline water
Aedes aegypti
Anopheles
What is malaria?
It is caused by a parasite called plasmodium, which is transmitted through the bite of infected female anopheles.
Parasites multiply in the liver and infect red blood cells. Fever, headache and vomiting usually appear 10-15 days after the bite. Can become life-threatening
What is dengue?
It is transmitted by the bite of an aedes infected with one of the four dengue viruses. Symptoms range from mild to incapacitating high fever, with severe headache and pain in muscles and joints. Dengue haemorrhagic fever is potentially lethal, affecting mainly children
What is chikungunya?
It is a mosquito-borne viral disease characterised by abrupt onset of fever and debilitating joint pain. Recovery takes a few days or weeks, but joint pain may persist for several months or even years
Shift in mosquito population
Malaria-Causing Vectors Replaced By Those Causing Dengue & Chikungunya
Chennai: There might have been a 49% decrease in the cases of malaria since 2005, but the directorate of public health forecasts an increase in the cases of either dengue or chikungunya this monsoon. It has even devised strategies and plans for civic bodies to tackle the breeding of vectors to prevent their spread.
“The forecast is based on some scientific data we have at hand,” says director of public health Dr S Elango. “In the last few months, our entomologists have seen a drift in the mosquito population across the state. The malaria-causing anopheles, which formed nearly 80% of the diseasespreading vectors, have been replaced by another genre, aedes, which causes chikungunya or dengue,” he said. The cases of malaria in TN recorded an all-time low in 2009.
In 2005, the state recorded nearly 40,000 cases of malaria, which came down to about 28,000 in 2006. “That year
changed the monsoon-disease dynamics even in the city. It was a year that saw maximum number of chikungunya cases,” points out Chennai Corporation health officer Dr P Kuganandam. Chennai, which records about 80% of the state’s malaria cases, has also recorded a drastic decline.
In 2006, there were 64,802 cases of chikungunya in Tamil Nadu, while dengue cases fell from 1,150 to 477. In 2007, dengue rose to 700 while malaria was down to 22,000 cases. Last year, the number of dengue cases was 650 and malaria 21,000. In 2009, until June, 483 malaria cases were recorded as against 326 dengue and 440 chikungunya cases. In July alone, the state recorded 114 chikungunya cases and 37 dengue cases. The data for malaria is yet to be assessed. “But it is surely not higher than 50,” said an analyst at the directorate of public health.
Entomologists have noticed stephensi being increasingly replaced by aedes aegypti in the most common places they were earlier sighted. “We don’t know why this happened,” says state’s chief entomologist Dr S Sridharan. “It is possibly like how the American variety of the cockroach called periplaneta americana, the brown ones that we see commonly, replaced the native Indian striped grey variety we see no more.” The department, he said, will be studying the sudden population shift with the assistance of the Institute of Vector Control and Zoonoses in Hosur.
BEWARE of the BITE
There are approximately 3,500 species of mosquitoes, grouped into 41 genera. They are vectors causing several diseases, mostly after rains, that include malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis and filariasis. The female mosquitoes draw blood, which has the protein required by them to lay their eggs AEDES: Commonly spotted species are Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The flight range for this vector is 100 m from the breeding site and hence the disease it causes, be it dengue or chikungunya, is always seen in clusters
They are day biting mosquitoes, active in late morning and early evening
They are anthroprophilic, which means they feed only on human blood. But they change hosts frequently. One meal often comes from 4-5 persons
They breed in artificial containers like pots of water, holes in trees, coconut shells and all other places that have no soil content
In the case of dengue, the virus is even passed on to the progeny
ANOPHELES:
Commonly spotted species are Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles culicifacies. The flight range is up to half a kilometer from the breeding site — the reason why malarial outbreaks happen in a wider region
They are night biting mosquitos, active in early mornings and late evenings
While stephensi predominantly goes for the human blood, cuclifaces draws blood from humans as well as animals
The vector pierces into the skin with its stylus and sucks out the blood
Stephensi breeds in clear water, wells and irrigation tanks where there is no organic pollution, while culicifacies can survive in mildly saline water
Aedes aegypti
Anopheles
What is malaria?
It is caused by a parasite called plasmodium, which is transmitted through the bite of infected female anopheles.
Parasites multiply in the liver and infect red blood cells. Fever, headache and vomiting usually appear 10-15 days after the bite. Can become life-threatening
What is dengue?
It is transmitted by the bite of an aedes infected with one of the four dengue viruses. Symptoms range from mild to incapacitating high fever, with severe headache and pain in muscles and joints. Dengue haemorrhagic fever is potentially lethal, affecting mainly children
What is chikungunya?
It is a mosquito-borne viral disease characterised by abrupt onset of fever and debilitating joint pain. Recovery takes a few days or weeks, but joint pain may persist for several months or even years
Monday, August 24, 2009
Need to avoid tis prod to save our ppl n nation!!!
Coca-Cola, Pepsi on Beijing's worst polluter list: Govt
BEIJING: The Beijing plants of US soft drink giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have been listed as among the top 12 factories causing major water
pollution in China's capital, the city government has announced.
The list issued by the Beijing Development and Reform Commission, the capital's economic planning agency, was published along with the top 15 energy users in the capital, which included the Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler plant.
China has set a goal of reducing average energy consumption by 20 percent from 2006 to 2010. This means it has to cut average consumption by four percent annually over the five-year period, a target it has so far failed to meet.
"2009 is a key year for fulfilling our energy-saving and pollution-reduction goals," the commission said in a statement on its website, cited by the Beijing News today.
The 27 entities will be subject to increased supervision and asked to submit plans to reduce energy use and pollution emissions, the commission said.
PepsiCo-Beijing and Coca-Cola-Beijing refused immediate comment on the issue when contacted by AFP today.
The Beijing News quoted Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler as saying it would this year "step up the scope of reducing energy use and emissions, saving energy and treating waste water and waste through technological upgrading".
BEIJING: The Beijing plants of US soft drink giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have been listed as among the top 12 factories causing major water
pollution in China's capital, the city government has announced.
The list issued by the Beijing Development and Reform Commission, the capital's economic planning agency, was published along with the top 15 energy users in the capital, which included the Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler plant.
China has set a goal of reducing average energy consumption by 20 percent from 2006 to 2010. This means it has to cut average consumption by four percent annually over the five-year period, a target it has so far failed to meet.
"2009 is a key year for fulfilling our energy-saving and pollution-reduction goals," the commission said in a statement on its website, cited by the Beijing News today.
The 27 entities will be subject to increased supervision and asked to submit plans to reduce energy use and pollution emissions, the commission said.
PepsiCo-Beijing and Coca-Cola-Beijing refused immediate comment on the issue when contacted by AFP today.
The Beijing News quoted Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler as saying it would this year "step up the scope of reducing energy use and emissions, saving energy and treating waste water and waste through technological upgrading".
Went is wil come into action???
India must invest in green technology: PM
NEW DELHI: India's prime minister said on Tuesday the country must invest in its own environmentally friendly technologies, the latest in myriad
pledges from one of the world's biggest polluters to fight climate change.
Manmohan Singh's comments underlined how India was seeking to undercut demands by rich nations for it to do more to curb carbon emissions. New Delhi has constantly resisted emissions targets, saying it will take its own unilateral action to cut pollution.
Global negotiations for a new U.N. agreement on climate change are stuck on the question of how much cash or technology rich nations will provide the poorer countries.
Singh's comments also signaled that India, the world's fourth-largest polluter, was willing to put in money to develop expensive clean technologies to supplement what it might get from rich countries.
"Our growth strategy can be different. It must be different," the prime minister said, referring to the western world's decades of industrialization that is blamed for climate change.
He said India's energy use will rise sharply in the coming decades as it tries to lift a multitude out of poverty, but stressed a different development path must be walked.
"For this we need access to new technologies that are already available with developed countries. We must also make our own investments in new environment-friendly technologies," he told a national conference on environment and forests in New Delhi.
India has already announced several steps to fight global warming, such as ramping up solar power investment, expanding forest cover and bringing in domestic energy efficiency trading.
"In dealing with the challenge of climate change and environmental degradation we face the unfair burden of past mistakes not of our making," Singh said.
"However, as we go forward in the march of development we have the opportunity not to repeat those mistakes."
With about 500 million people, or about half the population lacking access to electricity and relying on dirty coal to expand the power grid, India's booming economy has huge potential to leap-frog to a low-carbon future.
But it says it needs a little hand-holding by rich countries to keep it on the right path.
NEW DELHI: India's prime minister said on Tuesday the country must invest in its own environmentally friendly technologies, the latest in myriad
pledges from one of the world's biggest polluters to fight climate change.
Manmohan Singh's comments underlined how India was seeking to undercut demands by rich nations for it to do more to curb carbon emissions. New Delhi has constantly resisted emissions targets, saying it will take its own unilateral action to cut pollution.
Global negotiations for a new U.N. agreement on climate change are stuck on the question of how much cash or technology rich nations will provide the poorer countries.
Singh's comments also signaled that India, the world's fourth-largest polluter, was willing to put in money to develop expensive clean technologies to supplement what it might get from rich countries.
"Our growth strategy can be different. It must be different," the prime minister said, referring to the western world's decades of industrialization that is blamed for climate change.
He said India's energy use will rise sharply in the coming decades as it tries to lift a multitude out of poverty, but stressed a different development path must be walked.
"For this we need access to new technologies that are already available with developed countries. We must also make our own investments in new environment-friendly technologies," he told a national conference on environment and forests in New Delhi.
India has already announced several steps to fight global warming, such as ramping up solar power investment, expanding forest cover and bringing in domestic energy efficiency trading.
"In dealing with the challenge of climate change and environmental degradation we face the unfair burden of past mistakes not of our making," Singh said.
"However, as we go forward in the march of development we have the opportunity not to repeat those mistakes."
With about 500 million people, or about half the population lacking access to electricity and relying on dirty coal to expand the power grid, India's booming economy has huge potential to leap-frog to a low-carbon future.
But it says it needs a little hand-holding by rich countries to keep it on the right path.
Carelessness of our ppl n govt…
Siachen has receded 800 m in 20 years: UN official
JAMMU: Siachen Glacier in Ladakh has receded by about 800 m in the last 20 years and is facing threat of climate change caused by military
activities in the region, claims a UN official.
Considered most strategic in terms of defence needs of the country and manned round-the-clock at temperatures of minus 50 to 60 degrees during winters, the meltdown is a "warning bell to the health and security of Siachen," writes Bansi Lal Kaul of the UNDP India's Solutions Exchange wing in his book, "Biodiversity Conservation in Himalayas".
"It is unfortunate that Siachen Glacier nowadays has receded more than 800 m during 20-year period from 1988 to 2008," the 326-page book says.
With over 3,000 troops living and operating there, hundreds of machines and scores of choppers flying daily over the region, the whole of its environment and eco-system have deteriorated, former chief scientist at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture R D Gupta writes in one of the chapters titled "Global Warming and Melting of Himalayan Glaciers".
The book blames military activities for depositing tonnes of chemicals on the surface of the glacier, thereby not only polluting the headwaters of Indus river but also raising the temperatures in the area.
JAMMU: Siachen Glacier in Ladakh has receded by about 800 m in the last 20 years and is facing threat of climate change caused by military
activities in the region, claims a UN official.
Considered most strategic in terms of defence needs of the country and manned round-the-clock at temperatures of minus 50 to 60 degrees during winters, the meltdown is a "warning bell to the health and security of Siachen," writes Bansi Lal Kaul of the UNDP India's Solutions Exchange wing in his book, "Biodiversity Conservation in Himalayas".
"It is unfortunate that Siachen Glacier nowadays has receded more than 800 m during 20-year period from 1988 to 2008," the 326-page book says.
With over 3,000 troops living and operating there, hundreds of machines and scores of choppers flying daily over the region, the whole of its environment and eco-system have deteriorated, former chief scientist at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture R D Gupta writes in one of the chapters titled "Global Warming and Melting of Himalayan Glaciers".
The book blames military activities for depositing tonnes of chemicals on the surface of the glacier, thereby not only polluting the headwaters of Indus river but also raising the temperatures in the area.
its hightime to follow this !!!
'Green Economy' can aid environment, create jobs
WASHINGTON: A recent report suggests that a 150 billion dollars national investment in a "green economy" could not only boost the employment
picture in the US, but also create new pathways out of poverty for many low-income workers in the country.
The report of the Political Economy Research Institute's study on green economy investment, was analyzed by Dr Sekou Franklin, assistant professor of political science, from Middle Tennessee State University. Subsequently, among other outcomes, he's determined that such an investment has the potential to create nearly 15,000 new jobs in his region alone.
According to Dr Franklin, "The PERI Group out of Massachusetts was responsible for doing a 12 stage study on clean energy investment, and Tennessee was included in that 12stage study, so we used that to write a proposal that I did research for on a green-jobs program for low income workers."
Related to Franklin's green-jobs proposal, there exists a variety of "clean-energy" jobs that require only a high-school degree or less, including roofers, electricians, insulation workers and sheet-metal workers, among other occupations.
Moreover, according to the MTSU professor's Tennessee-related study, mass-transit investment is an area ripe for development when it comes to creating environmentally sound practices.
Such green investment, Franklin notes, can lead to far-reaching outcomes that ultimately reduce unemployment and raise the overall standard of living for lower socio-economic households.
Plus, with the aforementioned 150 billion dollars investment in what has been dubbed the "clean-energy economy," Nashville and its 6th Congressional District has the potential to generate some 15,000 new jobs, per the national report issued by PERI.
Franklin, similarly, agrees with the national study's findings, asserting that a renewed commitment to mass transit in Middle Tennessee is an area that would provide a significant and sustainable return on any green-economy investment.
"We need a broader public-transportation system that links Nashville to Murfreesboro to Cookeville, so that low-income workers can get to work and also in order to reduce fossil fuels," he said.
With such a system, not only the economy but also the environment would benefit by the reduced number of "people in cars spending money on gas and oil, (and) having that released into the environment," he added.
WASHINGTON: A recent report suggests that a 150 billion dollars national investment in a "green economy" could not only boost the employment
picture in the US, but also create new pathways out of poverty for many low-income workers in the country.
The report of the Political Economy Research Institute's study on green economy investment, was analyzed by Dr Sekou Franklin, assistant professor of political science, from Middle Tennessee State University. Subsequently, among other outcomes, he's determined that such an investment has the potential to create nearly 15,000 new jobs in his region alone.
According to Dr Franklin, "The PERI Group out of Massachusetts was responsible for doing a 12 stage study on clean energy investment, and Tennessee was included in that 12stage study, so we used that to write a proposal that I did research for on a green-jobs program for low income workers."
Related to Franklin's green-jobs proposal, there exists a variety of "clean-energy" jobs that require only a high-school degree or less, including roofers, electricians, insulation workers and sheet-metal workers, among other occupations.
Moreover, according to the MTSU professor's Tennessee-related study, mass-transit investment is an area ripe for development when it comes to creating environmentally sound practices.
Such green investment, Franklin notes, can lead to far-reaching outcomes that ultimately reduce unemployment and raise the overall standard of living for lower socio-economic households.
Plus, with the aforementioned 150 billion dollars investment in what has been dubbed the "clean-energy economy," Nashville and its 6th Congressional District has the potential to generate some 15,000 new jobs, per the national report issued by PERI.
Franklin, similarly, agrees with the national study's findings, asserting that a renewed commitment to mass transit in Middle Tennessee is an area that would provide a significant and sustainable return on any green-economy investment.
"We need a broader public-transportation system that links Nashville to Murfreesboro to Cookeville, so that low-income workers can get to work and also in order to reduce fossil fuels," he said.
With such a system, not only the economy but also the environment would benefit by the reduced number of "people in cars spending money on gas and oil, (and) having that released into the environment," he added.
Save our extint – tiger, but wen???
66 tigers dead in 8 months
NEW DELHI: Tiger deaths continue at an alarming rate. Statistics collated from different parts of India by a prominent wildlife NGO show that
between January 1 and August 19 this year, at least 66 tigers lost their lives.
Of these, 23 died due to poaching. The list includes seizures of skins, bones, claws, skeletons, canines and paws by police and wildlife authorities during this period. The remaining 43 died of a variety of reasons such as infighting, old age, tiger-human conflict, accidents and disease, according to statistics provided by Wildlife Protection Society of India.
"In the last few months, Uttarakhand in the north and Karnataka in the south have recorded particularly high numbers of tiger deaths, which illustrates that the problem exists throughout the country," says Belinda Wright of WPSI.
One incident occurred near Pataur area in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh where a tigress was found dead on Tuesday. "It could be a case of poisoning. But right now we can't say for sure. The samples have been sent to the forensic lab in Sagar and to the veterinary college, Jabalpur," says S K Patil, field director of the reserve. The tigress had three cubs. "Two have been spotted. We are trying to trace the third," says Patil.
National tiger census figures released in Jan 2008 showed a mere 1,411 tigers alive as compared to 3,508 in 1997, a drastic drop of 60%.
K Ullas Karanth, Bangalore-based senior conservation scientist, says decline of tigers since 1990s can be
attributed to "the collapse of field protection and patrolling." This, he says, is fallout of "a mission drift in forest department" which has moved away from its "core task of protection, towards eco-development, needless habitat modifications and such other distractions." He also points out that both tigers and prey are being poached where field protection has collapsed.
"In areas where these protective measures are still reasonably in place tigers are doing okay. The key issue is not just poaching of tigers, even more important is the issue of their prey species being hunted out. There are vast extents of forests in India where tigers are absent not because of direct poaching, but because their prey has been hunted out," Karanth says.
NEW DELHI: Tiger deaths continue at an alarming rate. Statistics collated from different parts of India by a prominent wildlife NGO show that
between January 1 and August 19 this year, at least 66 tigers lost their lives.
Of these, 23 died due to poaching. The list includes seizures of skins, bones, claws, skeletons, canines and paws by police and wildlife authorities during this period. The remaining 43 died of a variety of reasons such as infighting, old age, tiger-human conflict, accidents and disease, according to statistics provided by Wildlife Protection Society of India.
"In the last few months, Uttarakhand in the north and Karnataka in the south have recorded particularly high numbers of tiger deaths, which illustrates that the problem exists throughout the country," says Belinda Wright of WPSI.
One incident occurred near Pataur area in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh where a tigress was found dead on Tuesday. "It could be a case of poisoning. But right now we can't say for sure. The samples have been sent to the forensic lab in Sagar and to the veterinary college, Jabalpur," says S K Patil, field director of the reserve. The tigress had three cubs. "Two have been spotted. We are trying to trace the third," says Patil.
National tiger census figures released in Jan 2008 showed a mere 1,411 tigers alive as compared to 3,508 in 1997, a drastic drop of 60%.
K Ullas Karanth, Bangalore-based senior conservation scientist, says decline of tigers since 1990s can be
attributed to "the collapse of field protection and patrolling." This, he says, is fallout of "a mission drift in forest department" which has moved away from its "core task of protection, towards eco-development, needless habitat modifications and such other distractions." He also points out that both tigers and prey are being poached where field protection has collapsed.
"In areas where these protective measures are still reasonably in place tigers are doing okay. The key issue is not just poaching of tigers, even more important is the issue of their prey species being hunted out. There are vast extents of forests in India where tigers are absent not because of direct poaching, but because their prey has been hunted out," Karanth says.
Black money not being revealed 2 develop our nation even aft our govt asked???
Govt will talk to Swiss banks on disclosing details: Pranab
NEW DELHI: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said the government will look into the rejection by Swiss banks to hand over details of
their Indian clients.
Speaking to newsmen before entering his North Block office Mukherjee said, "What can I comment? I will look into the matter and discuss the Swiss banks’ rejection to disclose details with authorities in banking sector."
This reaction from the finance minister comes after Swiss banks declined India's request to unearth its black money parked in their banks. India has also been told not to come on 'fishing expeditions'.
Swiss bank authorities rejected India's request to disclose details of clients, saying Swiss law and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Model Tax Convention do not permit fishing expeditions.
The Swiss authorities added that they would not co-operate in the indiscriminate trawling through bank accounts
in the hope of finding something interesting.
"This means that India cannot simply throw its telephone book at Switzerland and ask if any of these people have a bank account here," a top Swiss bankers’ association official said.
According to sources the Swiss bank-client confidentiality has never been 100 percent absolute and Swiss legislators have built in provisions for it to be lifted during criminal investigations and also in many civil cases and it has also evolved over time.
"The key for the exchange of information in tax matters is the Double Taxation Agreement between Switzerland and India," said SBA's Head of International Communications James Nason.
Double Taxation Agreements are being currently revised to incorporate the OECD standard on the exchange of information in tax matters according to the OECD's own Model Tax Convention.
NEW DELHI: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said the government will look into the rejection by Swiss banks to hand over details of
their Indian clients.
Speaking to newsmen before entering his North Block office Mukherjee said, "What can I comment? I will look into the matter and discuss the Swiss banks’ rejection to disclose details with authorities in banking sector."
This reaction from the finance minister comes after Swiss banks declined India's request to unearth its black money parked in their banks. India has also been told not to come on 'fishing expeditions'.
Swiss bank authorities rejected India's request to disclose details of clients, saying Swiss law and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Model Tax Convention do not permit fishing expeditions.
The Swiss authorities added that they would not co-operate in the indiscriminate trawling through bank accounts
in the hope of finding something interesting.
"This means that India cannot simply throw its telephone book at Switzerland and ask if any of these people have a bank account here," a top Swiss bankers’ association official said.
According to sources the Swiss bank-client confidentiality has never been 100 percent absolute and Swiss legislators have built in provisions for it to be lifted during criminal investigations and also in many civil cases and it has also evolved over time.
"The key for the exchange of information in tax matters is the Double Taxation Agreement between Switzerland and India," said SBA's Head of International Communications James Nason.
Double Taxation Agreements are being currently revised to incorporate the OECD standard on the exchange of information in tax matters according to the OECD's own Model Tax Convention.
Imp but good law
Hindi should be taught in all schools: Sibal
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Kapil Sibal on Monday strongly batted for teaching Hindi in all schools, saying fluency in the national language will
help integrate students from across the country and it could become the lingua franca once India becomes "producer of knowledge".
"Our education system should change from MOTS (More of the Same) to HOTS (High Order Thinking Skills). We should create knowledge which will be used by other people. Now we are a recipient of knowledge and in the future we should produce the knowledge," the HRD minister said while addressing the Council of Boards of Secondary Education here.
"Hindi should be taught alongwith the regional language. Some students are exceptionally good in their mother tongues. They should learn other languages too," Sibal said.
He said there was a need to bring a level of quality in education that will generate the knowledge needed for the future.
"We should ensure greater emphasis on Hindi. All children are not fluent in Hindi as they are in their mother tongues. Hindi is necessary for students to integrate with the rest of the country. The same students integrate with the rest of world through English," he said.
"Now the lingua franca is English for professionals. When we become producers of knowledge then we can set our language as the lingua franca," Sibal said.
He said it was time for the country to start thinking about the children instead of imposing a system on them.
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Kapil Sibal on Monday strongly batted for teaching Hindi in all schools, saying fluency in the national language will
help integrate students from across the country and it could become the lingua franca once India becomes "producer of knowledge".
"Our education system should change from MOTS (More of the Same) to HOTS (High Order Thinking Skills). We should create knowledge which will be used by other people. Now we are a recipient of knowledge and in the future we should produce the knowledge," the HRD minister said while addressing the Council of Boards of Secondary Education here.
"Hindi should be taught alongwith the regional language. Some students are exceptionally good in their mother tongues. They should learn other languages too," Sibal said.
He said there was a need to bring a level of quality in education that will generate the knowledge needed for the future.
"We should ensure greater emphasis on Hindi. All children are not fluent in Hindi as they are in their mother tongues. Hindi is necessary for students to integrate with the rest of the country. The same students integrate with the rest of world through English," he said.
"Now the lingua franca is English for professionals. When we become producers of knowledge then we can set our language as the lingua franca," Sibal said.
He said it was time for the country to start thinking about the children instead of imposing a system on them.
Crime in its peak
Fake driving licence in Rahul Gandhi's name in Bihar
PATNA: A fake driving licence has been issued in the name of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi in Bihar's Saran district, officials said on
Monday. The Congress MP's address on the licence is the official residence of Saran's district magistrate.
The district administration was not aware of the incident till a week ago.
"A driving licence (1847/09) in the name of Rahul Gandhi was issued by Saran district transport officer Puneeta Srivastava on May 18, 2009," a district official said.
The licence, which was stated to be valid from May 18, 2009 to May 17, 2022, also mentioned Rahul's father Rajiv Gandhi as the father of the licence holder. His permanent residence was given as Sansad Bhawan Marg, New Delhi.
"There is a signature of Saran district transport officer Puneeta Srivastava and her official seal is also on the driving licence issued in Rahul Gandhi's name," the official said.
The picture in the driving licence is not of the Congress MP, but of an unidentified youth.
Srivastava, however, denied having issued any such driving licence.
"It is a fake licence with my fake signature and official seal. In the past also several fake driving licences have been reported to defame me," Srivastava said.
This is not the first time a fake driving licence in the name of a well-known person is being issued in Bihar. In the early 1990s, a fake licence was issued in the name of then Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief V Prabhakaran.
A motorcycle licence had been issued in Prabhakaran's name by Dhanbad district transport officer Ramji Prasad Aug 21, 1993.
After that issue hit the headlines, the State Legislative Council set up a committee to inquire into it and the case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
PATNA: A fake driving licence has been issued in the name of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi in Bihar's Saran district, officials said on
Monday. The Congress MP's address on the licence is the official residence of Saran's district magistrate.
The district administration was not aware of the incident till a week ago.
"A driving licence (1847/09) in the name of Rahul Gandhi was issued by Saran district transport officer Puneeta Srivastava on May 18, 2009," a district official said.
The licence, which was stated to be valid from May 18, 2009 to May 17, 2022, also mentioned Rahul's father Rajiv Gandhi as the father of the licence holder. His permanent residence was given as Sansad Bhawan Marg, New Delhi.
"There is a signature of Saran district transport officer Puneeta Srivastava and her official seal is also on the driving licence issued in Rahul Gandhi's name," the official said.
The picture in the driving licence is not of the Congress MP, but of an unidentified youth.
Srivastava, however, denied having issued any such driving licence.
"It is a fake licence with my fake signature and official seal. In the past also several fake driving licences have been reported to defame me," Srivastava said.
This is not the first time a fake driving licence in the name of a well-known person is being issued in Bihar. In the early 1990s, a fake licence was issued in the name of then Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief V Prabhakaran.
A motorcycle licence had been issued in Prabhakaran's name by Dhanbad district transport officer Ramji Prasad Aug 21, 1993.
After that issue hit the headlines, the State Legislative Council set up a committee to inquire into it and the case was later handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
HI
|
|
Friday, August 21, 2009
Green Investments
For The Future
Considering green investments? There seems to be a pandemic need to reach for greater and greater profits in all areas of our lives, but this is none more apparent than when looking at investing in stocks.
As far as I can see, it has been the continual reaching for profit that has caused a lot of the environmental destruction and human suffering that we are now faced with.
That doesn't mean we should throw away our hard earned money through careless investment or through a sense of guilt. However we do need to act responsibly toward the environment and future generations. For this reason I suggest that we do not invest merely as a short term money making venture but rather as a means of contributing both to the future and to our own wellbeing. After all, the two are not separate.
For the future's sake, investments should include the following:
1. Have a long time frame
2. Be with companies or organizations that promote clean technology and fair trade
3. Provide a reasonable long term Return On Investment (ROI).
Needless to say finding green investment opportunities in line with these ideas is not as easy as it sounds.
I am not a stock trader and the companies reviewed here are just those manufacturers and / or suppliers of green energy technology that look to be in a strong position. The information given in this section is about the companies only and is not intended as investment advice.
Abengoa Solar
Abengoa Solar is a very well established and international solar power station construction company based in Spain. The parent company was founded in 1941.
BrightSource Energy
BrightSource Energy is set to expand in a massive way in the next few years with contracts of over 2.5 GW of concentrated thermal solar power to be built in southwest USA.
Coulomb Technologies
Coulomb Technologies is a young company in the electric car charging field. They produce the ChargePoint units that are looking set to be adopted widely in both Europe and the US.
Evergreen Solar
Evergreen Solar produces solar panels made from silicon using their own String Ribbon technology. Recently this company signed some very large contracts with China that promise to expand their operations greatly.
First Solar
First Solar Inc has been powering ahead on the thin film manufacturing front for several years. In 2009 it is expected to double its total output to date to a whopping 1 GigaWatt of panles. The scale of this company and the technology used allows them to drastically reduce the per watt cost of solar power.
Konarka Technologies
Konarka is researching new ways to improve the efficiency and lifespan of plastic-based solar cells. Companies partnering with Konarka will be worth watching.
Motech Industries
The Taiwan based company Motech Industries has been producing solar cells steadily for over 25 years. They also supply inverters to the United States based company groSolar.
Skyline Solar
The Taiwan based company Skyline Solar is a small startup company with an excellent idea to join concentrated solar power and photovoltaics together in a water free method of power generation.
Solar Power Partners
Based in California, Solar Power Partners builds and maintains small commercial power stations for a range of customers. The company has over 12 MW of installations to its credit at present.
Suntech Power
China based Suntech Power is one of the largest manufacturers of solar cells in the world. They sell panels all around the globe and have a large annual R&D budget.
Solar Vest Charges Gadgets, Shreds Cred
This is the Solar Vest. If you didn’t know that it was a solar vest, may we draw your attention to the giant, two-inch high letters on the back which spell out “SOLAR VEST”. This is, incredibly, touted on the product site:
In case your friends think this is only an ultra-fashionable vest, the words “SOLAR VEST” in big stitched lettering on the back let them know this is really a high-tech solar battery.
The vest, as you’d expect, is covered in expandable “nerd-pockets”, suitable for all kinds of devices, including the honking great charger and battery pack that comes with it. Also supplied are various tips to hook this charger up to your devices, and the pack will output 5V, 6V, 9V and 12-20V from its 8800mAh battery (roughly equivalent in storage to a nine-cell netbook battery).
It’s easy to scoff, but if you think of this as a replacement for a be-pocketed photo vest, only with added charging power, then it comes out looking a lot better, and at €100 ($140) it is actually quite a deal, considering I paid around that for just a netbook battery. Available now, possibly not washable,
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Hackers make the most of the bleak job scene
Identity thieves and hackers are setting increasingly sophisticated traps to dupe the jobless, who are evidently off guard
New Delhi: Identity thieves and hackers are turning the bleak employment situation to good account by attacking job portals and obtaining information about applicants, for which a subterranean market is in operation.
Amid the current recession, hackers are attacking corporate job sites and also setting up fake ones for collecting applicants’ personal information, Internet security firm Trend Micro said.
“Continued rising unemployment has led more people to apply online for jobs, both through online job aggregators and individual corporate sites, thus turning the job portals into a gold mine for collecting personal data,” Trend Micro Product marketing manager Abhinav Karnwal said.
Karnwal further added that in a difficult hiring climate, applicants may feel constrained to give a potential employer whatever information asked for — even if it’s her/his social security number or bank account number.
An analyst tracking the sector feels that identity thieves and hackers are setting increasingly sophisticated traps to dupe the jobless, who are evidently off guard.
The hackers usually sell the important data collected from resumes, like mobile numbers, addresses, email IDs and other personal details, in the underground economy.
Moreover, the hackers are also targeting job seekers by sending fake ‘work from home’ offers.
While the leading job portal Monster.com was not available for comment, Naukri.com said that it has not faced any incident of hacking recently.
To avoid falling prey to hacking, Trend Micro suggested that applicants should contact employers directly rather than posting resumes on a large career site that can be easily trolled by hackers.
It further suggested that if applicants do get a call, they should do some research before calling them back.
Really?
The claims, the facts, the bottom line
THE CLAIM
Some dogs look like their owners
THE FACTS
It is one of those eternal quirky questions, at least for dog owners. But only recently have scientists taken a close look at actual studies of the resemblance between dog owners and their pets. In 2004, researchers in San Diego found that subjects in a study were able to correctly match pictures of dog owners with their pets more often than not, but only when the dogs were pure-breds. Simple traits such as hair and size played a smaller role than facial expressions. The same year, a University of South Carolina psychologist challenged the findings in a separate study. The San Diego researchers countered with a reanalysis that confirmed their initial findings.
Earlier this year, a scientist in England undertook a study in which 70 subjects were asked to match pictures of 41 dog owners with a breed. They were able to match successfully at least half the time, far better than chance. Similar to the San Diego study, the subjects said they matched the pictures mostly by personality traits that they believed the dogs and their owners shared. Scientists suspect that some people look for certain traits, which reflect their own personalities, when choosing a dog.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Some studies argue that dogs can resemble their owners, but the research is debatable.
*********
THE CLAIM
Drinking tea can lower your iron levels
THE FACTS
With its bounty of antioxidants and relatively moderate levels of caffeine, tea is one of the healthiest beverages around. But drinking tea is said to block the body’s absorption of dietary iron, potentially causing a deficiency.
Studies have shown that there is some truth to the idea. Compounds in tea called tannins can act as chelators, binding themselves to minerals and inhibiting the body’s ability to absorb them. In one study, scientists examined the effect by getting people to have a meal consisting of a hamburger, string beans and mashed potatoes with various drinks. When the subjects had tea, there was a 62% reduction in iron absorption. Coffee resulted in a 35% reduction. Orange juice increased iron absorption by approximately 85%.
But there was a twist. Coffee and tea affected only levels of non-heme iron, the kind found in grains and vegetables. Heme iron, found in meat, fish and poultry, was unaffected.
In India, where anaemia is common across age, gender and economic levels, it may pay to limit these beverages, particularly for vegetarians dependent on non-heme iron.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Compounds in coffee and tea can affect iron absorption.
********
THE CLAIM
Eating parsley can eliminate bad breath
THE FACTS
People have long tried to freshen their breath with parsley. Its fresh, strong flavour would seem to make it a natural deodorizer. And its green colour is a sign of chlorophyll, thought to have antibacterial properties (sulphur compounds that cause bad breath are produced by various strains of bacteria in the mouth). But researchers have found little evidence to corroborate this. While it may have an initial effect on odour by masking it, it does little to reduce the concentration of volatile sulphur compounds. One unlikely food that has been shown to reduce levels of sulphur compounds is green tea, although the effect may be temporary, lasting no more than an hour or two.
Mouthwashes can be effective when they contain two ingredients in particular— zinc and chlorhexidine. But those that contain alcohol may make the problem worse by drying the mouth. Several studies have also identified a number of other factors that contribute to bad breath, including being overweight, drinking heavily and smoking.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There is little proof that parsley counteracts bad breath.
4 states drawing too much groundwater
Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi are depleting at least 30% more of their groundwater resources than previously estimated by the government
New Delhi: Four north Indian states — Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi — are depleting at least 30% more of their groundwater resources than previously estimated by the government, a new report from the US National Aeronautical and Space Administration, or Nasa, says.
The study, conducted by a team of Nasa scientists is being published in Friday’s edition of Nature, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
Unequal sharing: While only 58% of the country’s groundwater is recharged every year, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana are the only three states digging beyond the dynamic zone for groundwater. Ramesh Pathania / Mint
The scientists used satellite imagery from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, a pair of satellites launched by the space agency in 2002, that has to-date monitored Antarctic ice and the sea-floor displacement that triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.
The scientists report these states depleted on average 17.7 billion cu. m. (bcm) of water annually between August 2002 and October 2008, more than the government’s estimates of 13.2 bcm in the same period.
They conclude that groundwater depletion in the region was equivalent to a net, irreplaceable loss of 109bcm, or nearly 20% of India’s annual water consumption of 634bcm.
The four states account for almost 114 million people, or almost 10% of the country’s population, and are dependent largely on irrigation for farming.
According to the Planning Commission, irrigation consumes 83% of the country’s annual water budget.
“We computed the uncertainty in our estimate to be about plus/minus 4.5 km3 per year, so the two estimates are reasonably close, but based on our analysis the annual deficit is a bit larger than previously believed,” Matthew Rodell, lead author of the study said in an email to Mint.
The authors of the study say that average rainfall was nearly the same during the period, thereby ruling out climate variability as the culprit for these depleting storage levels.
“The paper clearly says there’s a plus/minus 4.5 bcm error in the estimate. So on the lower side, that’s close to our estimate,” said B. N. Jha, chairman of the Central Groundwater Board, which monitors groundwater levels, using a reliable method of measuring water levels in a national network of 15,000 wells.
“When you take satellite measurements over such a large area, as opposed to physical measurement, there are bound to be errors,” Jha added.
Economic boom threatens water crisis: study
The study of three states in northwest India, found water was being extracted at an unsustainable rate as the region undergoes rapid economic development
New Delhi: Rocketing domestic use and farm irrigation have seriously damaged groundwater supply, and drinking water may become scarce, according to a study released on Wednesday.
The study of three states in northwest India, including the capital New Delhi, found that water was being extracted at an unsustainable rate as the region undergoes rapid economic development.
Water shortages are a growing concern in the country, with this year’s monsoon so far delivering only a fraction of the rainfall needed by farmers to save their crops.
Satellite and land data between 2002 and 2008 showed that the groundwater level was being depleted by about four centimetres a year, said the report by three US scientists and published in Nature magazine.
The extraction in the states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana was the equivalent to 109 cubic kilometres (26 cubic miles) of groundwater which is far more than government estimates.
“The consequences for the 114 million residents of the region may include a reduction of agriculture output and shortages of potable (drinking) water, leading to extensive economic stresses,” the study’s authors said.
They said population growth, irrigation and development had put pressure on water supplies across India, where groundwater management is poor, and added that shortages could trigger social conflict.
In the short-term, the government this week warned that 80% of the country was threatened by drought due to the weak monsoon.
India’s hundreds of million farmers rely on the annual rains to soak the rock-hard earth and turn it into fertile soil.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh moved to quash fears of hunger, saying that grain stores were adequate after two years of good harvests.
The study was conducted by Matthew Rodell of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and Isabella Velicogna and James Famiglietti of the University of California.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)