Tourism has been worst hit in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand, with pilgrims fleeing the disaster-struck state and tourists cancelling their bookings. May and June are considered peak season for tourism in the state with hotels registering 100 per cent occupancy, but now, most wear a deserted look and several have also been washed away in the floods. … Read more
Economic Times Bureau | 10 Jul, 2013 NEW DELHI: The government is constituting an expert panel to examine if plastic and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles used for packaging pharma products are safe. The Drug Technical Advisory Board, the apex body on drug safety, has recommended in a recent meeting that a scientific expert committee should … Read more
NGOs abandon flood-hit Uttarakhand: How 80 per cent have left the district they promised to rebuild Non-Government organisations seemed to be omnipresent after Rudraprayag was hit by flash floods last year.They all expressed their desire to be part of the reconstruction initiatives, and signed hundreds of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the district administration. But … Read more
Current Science: Recent climate changes have had significant impact on high-mountain glacial environment. Rapid melting of snow/ice and heavy rainfall has resulted in the formation and expansion of moraine-dammed lakes, creating a potential danger from dammed lake outburst floods1. On 16 and 17 June 2013, heavy rains together with moraine dammed lake (Chorabari Lake) burst … Read more
The recent news of the suspension of a professor of Aligarh Muslim University for allegedly having consensual sex with a rickshaw puller at his home in the university campus has raised the some social and legal issue in the country. The news has also raised the issue of HIV/AIDS in the country as men having … Read more
The migratory trends and settlement pattern in the state of Uttarakhand has not changed despite the creation of the new state. The emerging nuclear families, changing support system and new occupational patterns are changing the values, beliefs and relationships. All these are influencing the behaviour and adjustment of the nuclear family and hence also changing … Read more
Historically farmers used the soil bacteria bacillus Thuringiensis or Bt to kill pests like moths and worms which were destroying their crops. It was part of pest control and useful in organic farming. The problem started when the gene from this bacterium was isolated and used in Genetically Modified (GM) crops as method to control … Read more
The Infant Mortality in the state of Uttarakhand is a cause of concern, as the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-III), has revealed. The survey reports that the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of the state has in fact increased from the previous years. It is a matter of serious concern as the new state was expected … Read more
The recent debate or shall we call it ‘Halla’ between minister of state for women and child development Renuka Chowdhury and the Planning Commission over her ministry’s proposal to introduce packed pre-cooked food for children under the Integrated Child Development Scheme, well known under the acronym ICDS, in government and development sector, has been limited … Read more
In many hill villages of Uttarakhand, the agricultural activities have been reduced considerably. The unused and abandoned agricultural fields have been invaded by Lantanas. These Lantanas has also entered/occupied much of the village forest area. It has become a big menace for the people/Families, which are still staying behind for various reasons. I don’t know … Read more