Birth Rate is a crude measure of fertility of a population and is a crucial determinant of population growth. It gives the number of live births per thousand population in a given region and year. The Birth Rate at all India level has declined drastically over the last five decades …
This paper is based on the empirical findings from the Supervision Mission of a project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The mission visited the two project districts from 3 May to 17 May 2004 and conducted assessment on the on-going programmes in Karbi Anglong District of …
golden danger: The fragile eco-system of Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana's largest natural lake, is in danger. Ghana's mineral commission has reportedly permitted a Canadian exploration and development company, Norcan Resources Limited, to explore the area around the lake for gold deposits. The company now needs only the clearance of Ghana's environmental …
Papaya or Carica papaya is a soft-wooded, evergreen tree. It is mostly cultivated in tropical countries for its easily digestible fruit. In Manipur, there is a belief that papaya flowers are the perfect remedy for diabetes. Slightly bitter in taste, the flowers keep sugar levels in control when consumed regularly …
The much-awaited AIDS control programme takes off. So why are drug companies still miffed? On the first of April, the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), rolled out its long-awaited campaign to reach anti-retroviral drugs to India's victims of the AIDS virus. Called the art initiative (art for anti-retroviral therapy, which …
on august 30, while inaugurating a hydropower project at Omkareswar in Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister (pm) Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared that every village in the country would be electrified by 2007 and every house illuminated by 2012. The announcement
toxic taint: Green Indian seedless grapes have been taken off supermarket shelves in Belgium following the detection of high levels of pesticide residues in the product in the Netherlands recently. The Belgian Food Safety Authority took this decision over fears of high chemical residue levels, leading to stomach cramps in …
Bamboo flowering is considered a bad omen in several northeastern states of India, especially when accompanied by an increase in rodent population. It is believed to lead to famines and natural calamities. The next bamboo flowering is expected around year 2003-04. Should we prepare ourselves? On October 29, 1958 the …
The hills are alive with tradition. One method killsslashes and burnsthe other is healingand sustains. In the northeast hills of India are found medicinal plants that are treasured for their life giving potential. Tribals use these plants to kill pain and treat diseases. On these hillspeople also practice the age-old …
Unquiet woods With the ban and without access to forest revenue, Northeast economy is in doldrums THERE is an unusual quietness in the forests of India's northeast, arguably the country's best timberlands and one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Brought about by the Supreme Court's blanket ban on tree felling …
THE ban comes at a time when the region's economy is in an inertia and is desperate for an economic miracle. The post-ban realisation of the economic potential of forests and the apex court's instruction to measure the sustainability of forests comes as a reminder of the development model that …
Ban blessing Some people in the region regard the ban as a blessing in disguise. Though the situation was difficult initially, they have ventured into other sources of income. In Tirap district, many people once involved in timber trade have now switched to tea cultivation. Says Mithi: "We are promoting …
Reinforcing laws The court acted methodically. First, it asked states to define forests. Interestingly, a clear definition of forests is not given in the existing legal instruments - Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980, Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act, 1988, and the Indian Forest Act, 1927. Under Section 2 of the FCA …
the Manipur government has renewed its interest in setting up the 1,500 mw Tipaimukh multi-purpose project on the Barak at an estimated Rs 2,899 crore (at July 1995 levels). The project was held up due to the agitation led by R K Priyabrata Singh, chairman of the Manipur-based Action Committee …
there is no respite for Manipur. The state reported 75 per cent aids cases out of the total number of hiv-positive cases determined in the country till December 1996. Two anti-aids activists pointed out recently that most cases involved injecting drug users (idu). Annie Mangasatabam and Jayant Kumar - both …
irate locals demonstrated at the Keibul Lamjao national park in Manipur on January 8, blocking the entry of government vehicles and tourists. The park is a natural habitat of the brown-antlered deer. Apparently, the locals were piqued because of the alleged failure of the state government in checking rampant poaching …
RECENTLY, I was in Mao, the first town across the Manipur border - and a picturesque hill village south of Kohima in Nagaland. At the highway hotel we were told that the last bus had just left, and now there was no way of getting to Imphal till the day …
IF THE anti-dam movements built around the Narmada and Tehri projects have made people aware of environmental issues, they have also managed to detract attention from similar movements in other parts of India. Two such movements have taken shape in the northeast, a region that has the potential to meet …
IN MANIPUR, drinking is more than being merely dangerous to one's health. It can be utterly embarrassing because a man caught drinking there is likely to be stripped, have his face blackened, be paraded seated on a donkey and then handed over to the police for prosecution. Nupi Lan, the …
