India missed the Industrial Revolution under the British rule and is still paying
the price for it. When biotechnology revolution can offer technologies to im-
prove agriculture and food security in free India, it is dithering and procrasti-
nating to the point of self-defeat. (Opinion)
The arguments surrounding the merits and demerits of patents shift between the right of the inventor to enjoy the fruits of his labour and his duty towards the society.
The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India (GOI) has been asked to identify ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) along the Western Ghats, and to suggest how to manage them. The concept of ESAs has been extensively
discussed in the literature.
The well established excellent correlation between low-level clouds and primary cosmic ray intensity, which act a nuclei for cloud condensation, clearly shows that a decrease in primary cosmic ray intensity results in lesser low cloud cover. Reduced albedo radiation reflected back into space, due to lesser low cloud cover, results in an increase in the surface temperature of the earth.
Smallholder farming system throughout the world are believed to be potential sinks to remove atmospheric CO2. Smallholder bamboo farming system in Barak Valley, Assam, which forms a part of the traditional homegarden system, holds promise in this respect.
In India, zinc (Zn) deficiency was first reported in rice by Nene; it is now wide- spread all over the country. The latest report indicates that 49% of Indian soils are deficient in Zn. But good responses of several field and fruit crops to Zn fertilization have been reported from different parts of the country.
Methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas (GHG), is involved in a number of chemical and physical processes in the earth’s atmosphere, including global warming. In the global CH4 cycle, substantial amount of CH4 is consumed by biological processes. The only known biological sink for atmospheric CH4 is its oxidation
Introduction of non-indigenous alien species is being reported nowadays as
one of the most serious and potential sources of stress to the marine systems. They cause disruptions of native communities and detrimental economic impacts on fisheries in many temperate marine
areas.
This article provides details on a marine pollution monitoring programme, namely Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System with a long-term database being operated by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. This programme has been operational since 1991.
