Counter affidavit on behalf of Chief Municipal Engineer, Patna Nagar Nigam in the matter of Saurav Narayan Vs Bihar Pollution Control Board & Others dated May 20, 2025. The report said that the corporation has been diligently performing its statutory duties within the limitations of the available resources and infrastructure. …
TALL and slender with a luminescent white complexion - this could be a description in a stereotype matrimonial in an Indian newspaper or it could be a vague attempt to describe the king of rice - basmati. The mystical values basmati evokes across the world, other rice varieties do not …
Some 300 farmers recently ravaged a test field of genetically modified (gm) corn in the Mindanao islands. The tests are being conducted by the biotechnology giant Monsanto. Charles Martin, corporate communications official of Monsanto, alleged that the farmers were paid for the attack by communist farmers and labour unions.
genetically modified maize can restrain the growth of caterpillars in the fields, shows recent studies conducted in North America's grain belt. The studies are the first to show damaging ecological effects of Bt maize in and around the fields. Diane Stanley-Horn of the University of Guelph, Ontario, found that monarch …
a veil of secrecy has marred the credibility of experiments conducted in the uk for ascertaining the possible adverse effects of genetically modified (gm) crops on wildlife. This allegation was made by the country's Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission, according to which residents and farmers living close to the trial …
the attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, usa, have not only changed the skyline of world's business capital, but also the world's perception of terrorism. Even as shocked Americans came to terms with the attacks, the us government issued warnings of a possible attack by terrorists using …
The ongoing debate on the role of private funding for public research is of vital importance. Already, the prestigious scientific journal, Nature , has asked its authors to disclose any financial interests related to their studies. Thirteen leading medical journals, including New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Journal of the …
buckling under the pressure of the industry, the Sri Lankan government has indefinitely postponed its plans to impose one of the world's stringent bans on genetically modified (gm) food. The ban was initially imposed in May 2001. But it was postponed a month later due to pressure from the World …
tiny bacterial parasites could serve as models for drugs effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, providing another line of defense against the threat of incurable diseases. The bacterial viruses, or bacteriophages, produce proteins that prevent bacteria from building an outer cell wall, reported researchers from Texas a&m University in the us. This …
a wide range of opinion continues to exist on whether genetically modified (gm) crops pose a significant risk to human health. But there is a growing consensus on one important aspect of the debate: greater public investment is needed in the research used to justify claims that such crops are …
How does vitamin A rice help solve poverty and malnutrition in developing countries? People whose staple diet is rice usually suffer from vitamin deficiencies. In Bangladesh, for instance, 75 per cent of the calories come from rice. Similarly, in countries like Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, rice accounts for 70 per …
Genetic traits passed from crops to their weedy relatives can persist for at least six generation, and probably much longer, according to an Ohio State University, USA, study conducted with radishes. This means genetic traits that are developed in crops, such as resistance to insect pests, can become a permanent …
the Philippines has recently passed a stringent law for labelling of products containing genetically modified organisms (gmos). In contrast, six European countries face trial for failing to protect their environment from the gmo threat. As per the new Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act of the Philippines, infringement can …
the much-awaited Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Bill 1999 was recently passed by the Lok Sabha. The bill, which is the first attempt to protect the rights of farmers, has been termed as
human genome mapping made news a while back. Science has taken a leap forward since then. Scientists have analysed all the important proteins in an organism
A UN commission has agreed on setting up, for the first time, global principles for assessing the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, a division of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has agreed that the safety of food derived …
New regulations regarding producing and using genetically modified ( gm ) farm products have been introduced in China. Under the new rules, companies will require government approval for conducting research and experiments on gm products. A committee has been set up to assess the safety of such experiments. Sellers of …
Sri Lanka has decided to suspend a ban on the use of genetically modified (GM) food, following a request made by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). But government officials maintain that strict restrictions would be imposed, which would allow them to study the health risks associated with GM foods. WTO …
Researchers at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, USA and the Martek Biosciences Corporation of Columbia, have devised a way to make one species of single-celled algae grow without light. By inserting a single gene from human red blood cells in one case and another single-celled algae in another, the researchers …
PRABHANJAN VERMAIt is a battle half-won by both the warring parties. The government has decided to go for another round of field trial of the controversial genetically modified (gm) cotton, known as Bt cotton before deciding in favour of its commercialisation. The commercialisation is being pursued by the Maharashtra Hybrid …
Caution is good but it should not take the place of good policy making. By refusing environmental clearance to genetically modified cotton from Monsanto, the government of India has treaded the path of caution but not necessarily the path of good science and good policy. This should also not be …
