Good Food is First Food. It is not junk food. It is the food that connects nature and nutrition with livelihoods. This food is good for our health; it comes from the rich biodiversity of our regions; it provides employment to people. Most importantly, cooking and eating give us pleasure. …
The Supreme Court today allowed export of unused stock of endosulfan insecticide, while retaining the complete ban imposed by it on its production, sale and use in the country. While allowing the export, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Mr S.H. Kapadia said the “dilution, packaging and export” of …
Twelve sewage and soil isolates belonging to genus Pseudomonas were screened for their ability to degrade and dechlorinate 2-chlorobenzoic acid (2-CBA), 3-chlorobenzoic acid (3-CBA) and 2,4-chlorobenzoic acid (2,4-DCBA). On the basis of growth of the isolates of three chlorobenzoates and their subsequent dechlorination rate, an aerobic Pseudomonas strain PNK-3 was …
The research group at Physics Department, Panjab University, Chandigarh did studies related to presence of uranium in drinking water from the Malwa belt. The analysis technique used is Energy dispersive X-ray Fluorescence, which is capable of detecting many elements simultaneously. The detection method is further improved by analyzing the residue …
A Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) research spanning over 14 years has shown considerable decline in the level of contamination in different food commodities. Conducted by the university’s Department of Entomology between 1997 and 2010, the researchers, after analysing 3,300 food samples, found that the contamination level had come down to …
Bt cotton was officially approved for cultivation in Tamil Nadu in 2002, when the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee, the apex regulatory body pertaining to transgenics (renamed as Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee in 2010) allowed three Bt cotton hybrids to be cultivated in the southern zone of cotton cultivation in India.This …
Faced with the potential use of a dangerous pesticide methyl iodide to spray crops in their backyards, a group of Californian teenagers decided to stand up to the might of industrial agribusiness. Rosie Spinks reports It's a short walk - about five or six steps - from the neat and …
The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the export of nearly 1100 tonnes of endosulfan but retained the ban on manufacture, sale and use of the controversial pesticide. The exports are subject to conditions pertaining to safety. These include the prevention of poisoning and environmental pollution. A three judge Bench headed …
The popularity of tropical shrimp – often marketed as scampi, giant shrimp, gambas or tiger prawns - is having a devastating impact on local communities in Bangladesh, reveals a new investigation produced in conjunction with the Ecologist's film partner.
Santosh Jadhav, 35, of Mothegaon village in Resode taluka would always spray pesticides thrice in his soyabean fields. But this time Jadhav changed the decades-old schedule — he has cut it down to just one spray — following the advice of experts. And he isn’t regretting taking the risk. “With …
The joint committee on endosulfan, in its interim report submitted to the Supreme Court, has favoured export of the pesticide. “The industry has no experience in disposing pesticides and the Ministry of Environment and Forest has not provided any definite procedure for the purpose,” the committee noted in its reply …
In May when Kerala banned seven highly toxic insecticides so that it switches to safer chemicals, it did not fare better. It ended up replacing them with six others, banned or severely restricted in most parts of the world. For instance, it replaced carbofuran, a pesticide that affects the nervous …
The 'Immokalee babies' were born with severe deformities after their mothers were each exposed to pesticides whilst harvesting tomatoes. Barry Estabrook reports on the case that shocked the US.
AFTER imposing a ban on endosulfan, the Supreme Court is now examining the possibility of allowing export of the pesticide. On August 5, the court-appointed joint committee was given a three-week deadline to submit an interim report on the possibility of exporting and disposing of the endosulfan stocks with the …
Global concern about climate change has risen only very slightly over the past two years, as consumers have focused on more immediate economic worries, according to an opinion poll published on Sunday. Nielsen's latest global online environment and sustainability survey showed that 69 percent of 25,000 Internet users in 51 …
The Department of Economics and Statistics has begun work on the ninth Agricultural Census in the State. The main thrust of the enumeration relates to ascertaining ownership of land, its utility on agriculture, details of crops, mode of irrigation, usage of fertilisers, pesticides etc. The survey is significant as Kerala …
A Bill to prohibit the use of endosulfan pesticide in agricultural activities with a view to preventing its harmful effects on human beings, environment and to provide relief to persons affected by the harmful effects of endosulfan and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.
Affidavit filed in the Supreme Court of India dated 4/08/2011 in re: Endosulfan - W.P.(C) NO.213/2011 Democratic Youth Federation of India Vs. Union of India & Ors which includes the Interim Report of Joint Expert Committee on Endosulfan.
Indian agriculture has been under stress quite for long time. Decline in public investment, poor extension net work, lack of marketing facilities, erratic input supply and others have all collectively contributed for decline or stagnant in Indian agriculture. Increasing use of synthetic inputs and non-judicial use of natural resources including …
Cotton has been the biggest success story in Indian agriculture since the Green Revolution. In a country struggling with stagnant yields in most crops, cotton has been the one bright spot. Production has soared from 13.6 million bales (each bale is 170 kg) in 2002-03 to 31.2 million bales in …
