eChapters

Abstract

Sundarban is the largest mangrove wetland ecosystems in the world. This World Heritage site along the Bay of Bengal has evolved over the millennia through natural deposition of upstream sediments accompanied by intertidal segregation. Indian part of Sundarbans is estimated to be about 4,110 square kilometres of which about 1,700 square kilometres is occupied by water bodies in the form of river, canals and creeks of width varying from a few metres to several kilometres, which together form the complex ecosystem of this Ganges delta.. Rivers in the Sundarbans are confluence points of salt water and freshwater. Environmental crisis is caused by severe cyclones sea level rise and storm surge followed by coastal erosion, flood and earthquake phenomenon. River water is saline. Shallow aquifer is brackish/ saline, which is not suitable for drinking. Fresh potable ground water is occurring in deeper aquifer, the exploitation of which is not cost-effective. Sundarbans houses around 500 different species of mammals, fish, bird and reptiles and it is the largest habitat of royal Bengal tigers. Conservation of flora and fauna in the typical ecosystem of Sundarbans in India with emphasis on judicious use of ground water resources along with retrospection of historical trend and future sustainable management strategies is a pre-requisite.

Abstract

Never ending additional need of farmers have forced them to grow more cash crop along with crops used for the staple food. The prime crops as per the food habit, social need has to be produced in the respective locality. The micro planning for agricultural and food production has to be planned for different blocks of a district to meet above needs. The production planning has to be simulated first and programmed for trial production. After successful trail, the same has to be replicated in larger area. Mathematical model development approach is one of the solutions to predict the need of the people and plan production depending on the availability of the input materials like natural resources and other inputs. In addition to this food and nutrient security for the people living in those different areas are very important in present context. Global population is growing fast with 1.2% per annum. Feeding these people increases the responsibility of farmers for growing more crops without considering the soil health. Improper crop sequencing has resulted in imbalance in soil nutrient which results in unsustainable production of forth coming crops. 

Appendix-'H'    :    Do's & Don'ts During Commercial Nuclear Disasters

Abstract

From very ancient time the farming was practiced organically without using any chemical pesticides or fertilizers. In the mid-19th century, the chemical farming was introduced and the adverse impact of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture is in sight with deterioration of soil quality, quality of food and so on.The indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals in different crops causes numerous health hazards as well. In this context, organic farming came into existence in 20th century due mainly to produce quality foods through the rapid change in agriculture sector. Therefore, an attempt was taken through present investigation to cultivate potato without using any synthetic agro-chemicals by employing Kufri Pukhraj cultivar during kharif season. Potato is basically rabi season crop but due to climatic advantages of the south Chhotanagpurplateau of Jharkhand it can successfully grow during kharif season too.

Abstract

The per capita availability of fresh water in the World is continuously decreasing. It is reported that in the World about 69 percent of total water resources developed are used for irrigation, 23 percent for industries and the balance is used by the domestic sector. About 60 percent to 70 percent of water used in domestic sector is returned as waste water. Substantial quantities of water used by industries are also returned. To meet the increased food requirements of the global population, there is constant pressure for increase in food production. Since, agricultural productivity depends on availability of water; there is increased demand of water for irrigated agriculture. On the other hand, due to increased demand of water for other sectors, quantum available for irrigation sector is getting reduced. So, for meeting the increased irrigation demand, it is necessary to economise the use of water for irrigation by adopting improved technologies and improving the water use efficiencies. 

Abstract

Arsenic, although a non-metal, is very often referred to as a heavy metal. Its provenance and contents in recently formed or least weathered soils depend on the type of rocks and intensity of geochemical processes. The variation is exemplified in shale, where As content varies from 1 to 900 mg kg-1. In highly weathered soils, where pedochemical processes exceed geochemical processes, the content is generally below the levels that are toxic to life forms. In the Bengal basin, As content is low in soils, but high in the ground water (beneath the vadose zone). This suggests that As has been sufficiently leached from soils. The solubility of most of the As-bearing soil minerals is high, and it occurs as anions (AsO33-, or AsO43-) in soil solution. The soils of the Bengal basin are alkaline in reaction, mostly fine textured with almost even distribution of particle size fractions, and moderately drained. Minerals like micas and feldspars dominate their coarse fractions, whereas illite (40-47%) and smectite (24-30%) are dominant in clay fractions. Both inorganic and organic colloids are negatively charged that cannot retain anions. In many soils in the world, leaching of As is well documented. 

• A Brief Description of Visual Basic
• Types of Application in VB
• Creating the Project
• Steps in Building a Visual Basic Application
• Visual Basic Data Types
• Managing Variables 
• Constants
• String Functions
• Operators in Visual Basic 
• Controlling Program Flow
• Looping
• The InputBox( ) Function
• Methods
• Procedur
• Control Array
• Msgboxes
• Data Access
• Data Access Objects (DAO)
• Microsoft Jet Database Engine 
• Remote Data Objects
• Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects
• Data Control
• Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)

Abstract

In view of the fast depletion of ground water reserves, uncertainty of rains and growing food demands due to human population explosion, efficient use of water available for crops has become highly relevant. In recent years, the use of superabsorbent polymers (saps) has been viewed as an innovative tool to improve water use efficiency in agricultural operations. Pusa Hydrogel, an indigenous superabsorbent hydrogel technology, has been developed for improving water use efficiency of agricultural and horticultural crops. They can absorb a minimum of 400 times of their dry weight of pure water and gradually release it according to the needs of the crop plant. So, it is used as soil moisture conservator and reduces number of irrigation. Because of their neutral ph, they do not affect nutrient availability, soil chemical composition, action of other agro chemicals, viz. fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc. Pusa hydrogels are found to improve the physical properties of soils. Increase in porosity results in improvement in seed germination and rate of seedling emergence, root growth and density, and reduced soil erosion due to reduction in soil compaction. It also increases biological/microbial activities in the soil, which increase oxygen/air and nutrient availability in root zone of the plant. So, ultimately it is helpful for increasing crop productivity. 

Abstract 

The district Murshidabad lies within the Younger Deltaic Plain and the Bhagirathi Recent Surface has been considered as the severe flood affected district of West Bengal state, India. Murshidabad is highlighted one in terms of occurrence of flood due to its typical geographic location and diverse geomorphological characteristics. The district witnessed frequent floods because of high intensity of rain fall in the basin area of Bhairavi-Jalangi-sealmari rivers. Inflow of flood water from Ganga-Padma in high spate condition further aggravates the congestion of drainage. Lack of proper drainage is also responsible for flood in the upstream side in the western part as well as beyond the Berhampur town. Flood management may be undertaken through physical and socio-economic measures, which includes the scientific control of reservoirs; construction of new barrages, improvement of river channels, removal of human encroachment along river side, timely flood warning and forecasting, preparedness of essential services along with proper flood plain planning are indispensable. Addressing of socio-economic problems may help to combat the flood situation in an effective way.

Abstract

More than 73% of its total population lives in rural areas and depends primarily on agriculture for livelihood. The performance of agriculture determines food and nutrition security which is important for reducing poverty and achieving sustainable growth. Production and productivity has increased manifold and yields of major crops like paddy, pulses, oilseeds and vegetables have more than trebled in the last four decades. The impressive long term growth in agriculture helped in taking the state out of famines and serious food shortages into one of the food surplus states and ensuring food, nutrition and livelihood security. The state is characterized by wide diversity and considerable spatio-temporal variations in growth and productivity. In fact, agriculture isincreasing with public investment in infrastructure including irrigation, establishing appropriate farming systems, developing suitable and affordable technologies and crop varieties, augmenting credit delivery and designing region and crop-specific plans. In this backdrop, a study was conducted to document the indigenous and organic farming technologies in selected communities of the state in tribal dominant Gajapati district of Odisha intended to help the farmers to be aware of their own innovative technologies for weakening balances on the environment due to intensive use of fertilizers and agrochemicals. 

Abstract

The utilization pattern of common property water resources revealed interesting pictures in different agro climatic regions of the eastern region. The group activities for utilization of water resources in Keonjhar district of Orissa indicate that the 10 different groups of farmers have been benefited differently from the utilization of common property water resources. The group nearer to sources utilized water resources intensely to their maximum benefit. The study reveals the different benefit level for different user groups under WTCER developed water resource. It is revealed that the use of CPR revealed a highest benefit cost ratio of 3.88 against lowest benefit cost of 1.24 for different groups. A case study of use of CPR water resources under irrigation tanks for different economic activities carried out by WTCER in Ganjam, Gajapati of Orissa and South 24 Praganas of West Bengal reveals that, the relatively poor HH (having land holding <1 ha) constituting about 76% of the population under the command of the sources completely depended on the system for livelihoods and for agricultural purpose in comparison to 54% of the households having land holding more than 1 ha. In most of the systems of irrigation tanks, the dependency on common property tanks for livestock rearing was found out to be more than 90% which sometimes goes as high as 100% for poor households.

Appendix-'K'    :    Supreme Court Directions on School Safety
    
Case Study    :    Kumbakonam School Fire Tragedy

Abstract

In a developing country like India with exploding population pressure and shrinking availability of resources per capita, agricultural intensification maintain soil health is the only way to solve hunger and poverty. Soil is a fundamental resource base for agricultural production systems. Besides being primary medium for crop growth, soil functions to sustain crop productivity, maintain environmental quality and provide for plant, animal and human health. Soil organic matter (SOM) content is frequently identified as a primary attributes of soil quality assessment. It is evident that SOM influences various soil physical,chemical and biological properties. Besides, SOM serves as a slow release reserviour for macro-, secondary and micronutrients to plants.

Abstract
 
Rice fallows are those land which remain uncultivated during rabi after harvesting of kharif paddy. Several reason for not taking second crops such as early withdrawal of monsoon rains leading to soil moisture stress at planting time of rabi crops, water logging and excessive moisture in the months of November and December, lack of appropriate varieties of winter crops for late planting, and socio-economic problems like stray cattle, blue bulls etc. India accounts for 11.65 million ha (79%) of the total rice fallows of South Asia. The rice fallows offer good scope for area expansion of chickpea. The residual soil moisture left in the soil after rice harvest is often sufficient to grow chickpea in low to medium land soil. It is also beneficial for chickpea where short duration paddy grown which vacate fields in September-October. In long duration paddy, chickpea could be grown under Utera cultivation (relay cropping) in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and Assam. Optimum plant population can only be ensuring in well levelled land, sufficient soil moisture and good seed under Paira (Utera) cropping. 

Abstract 

The on-farm programme on SRI was carried out in the village Narayanpur under RLI command area in Karimpur II Block of Nadia district in the year 2016 during summer season. The soil of farmland is clay loam and situated having latitude of 23°54’26.5"Nlongitude 88°30’24.1"Eat an average elevation of 9.75 m above the mean sea level. Monsoon ceases during October and cool season sets in by November. The average rainfall of this region is about 1500 mm and normal monsoon breaks in the first week of June. Though water resources in this area are generally satisfactory and 90% of these resources are tapped form the ground water source through deep and shallow tube wells. However, due to faulty crop planning and lack of scientific water management approach, a significant portion of agricultural area is identified as gray zone from hydrological point of view. Even many tube wells are becoming dry due to over exploitation of valuable water from the lower depths of confined aquifers. Rice is predominant crop during kharif season becoming less profitable because of high input costs involved. Summer rice gave satisfactory yield but also profitable proposition because of more input cost and less farm gate prices.  

Case Study    :    Indian Ocean Tsunami - 2004

The United Nations had declared the decade of 90s (1990-1999) as the International Decade for National Disaster Risk Reduction to enable developing countries to build up their capacity to cope up with disasters. The Government of India also set up a High Powered Committee (HPC), in August 1999, to review the preparedness and mitigation of natural and manmade disasters and recommend measures for strengthening the organisational structures and a comprehensive model plan for management of disasters at national, state and district level. The HPC after due deliberatons submitted the report in Feb. 2001. The HPC identified the disasters under the following types (categories) :

Abstract

Present water scarcity is one of the most important world issues, and according to climate change projections, it will be more severe in future. In several parts of the world, freshwater crisis is largely due to increasing water consumption and pollution by rapidly increasing population and aspirations for economic development, but, attributed by and large to the climate change.  Climate change is considered as one of the most serious challenges confronting the present world and is expected to impact hydrological processes such as precipitation, and evapo-transpiration.  Increasing human activity and industrialization have led to a broad range of physical, chemical, and biological pollutants entering water bodies and affecting human lives. The groundwater crisis is reaching an alarming stage in many parts of the country. The indiscriminate and every now and then excessive use of groundwater has led to questions concerning its sustainability.  The sustainability of groundwater utilization must be assessed from an interdisciplinary point of view, where hydrology, ecology, geomorphology, and climatology play a very vital role. Further, water management strategies ought to be specified keeping aquifer-scales in mind. 

Abstract

The effect of watershed management programme was studied with introduction of new crop-cultivars including six rainy season crops namely direct seeded rice (drilled rice), transplanted rice, arhar, groundnut, sesamum and maize and two winter season crops namely mustard and wheat. The crop demonstration programme were undertaken for consecutive four years during 1988 to 1991 to utilize different land situations and for effective use of created irrigation potential at a drought prone tract of West Bengal (India). The results of the crop demonstration revealed that with selection of crops and its suitable varieties, adopting improved agronomic practices including scientific management of fertilizers and irrigation water, plant protection measures, the productivity of both land and crops markedly increased. The crop production strategy on the basis of land capability classification changed the land use, cropping pattern and crop intensity in the watershed area.

Abstract

Watershed development and management programme appeared to an effective and integrated approach to manage all natural resources like land, water, vegetation, animal and human for sustainable benefit and maintaining balanced eco-system. The main principle of the programme is based on starting from its planning, making design outlay, formulation of technical works, execution and development of land along with creation of water resources developing a hydrological unit at downstream making a common drainage points for the purpose of sustainable development of agriculture. The present case study dealt with the integrated water resources management with specific guidelines to the farmers for clear understanding of installing small-scale irrigation system based on their own resources in accordance with actual land situations as well as judicious use of irrigation with adoption of water-saving technology for sustainable crop production through watershed approach. The work was carried out under National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Area (NWDPRA), one out of 21 watersheds was identified for development of rainfed agriculture with mobilization of all natural resources like soil-plant-water-animal-human to uplift socio-economic status of the farmers.