JAYANTA BASU

The Salt Lake puja that drew crowds last year by building a replica of Harry Potter

By Satish Shile, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Chemistry students of MES College in Malleswaram were into a rude shock after conducting an experiment to check the quantity of lead in a Ganesha idol...

They immersed a painted Ganesha idol weighing one kg in fresh water only to find that the quantity of lead had gone up from 3 micro gram per deci litre (100 ml) to 8.6 micro gram deci litre! However, permitted limit of lead quantity in drinking water is only 1 micro gram per deci litre. This sums up the ill-effect of using painted Ganesha idols.

US trade arm throws weight behind toxic petrol additive to prevent a ban on it in Europe in what looks like a diplomatic offensive to protect toxic trade, us -based Afton Chemicals has lobbied hard with the American government to mount pressure on European regulators to prevent the proposed ban on its product, Manganese Tricarbonyl Methylcyclopentadienyl (mmt). Afton, producer of fuel

Hyderabad, June 24: It's seems that Andhra Pradesh is in a treasure hunt with more than a dozen companies hunting for diamond, gold and other precious stones and metals in the state. Among the renowned companies are De Beers India, Geo Mysore, Adi Gold Mining, Deccan Gold Mining, Amil Mining, CRA, Anglo American Exploration, NMDC, Ramgadh Mining and Navarathna Minerals.

A study by NGO Toxics Link has found extremely high levels of lead in the dust collected from Delhi homes. Lead is known to be harmful, especially for children and pregnant women, and the study indicates that the primary cause for high lead levels was paints.

A study by Toxics Link has revealed alarmingly high levels of lead in household dust in the Capital that may have serious consequences for the health and well-being of its residents. Since leaded petrol was banned in 2000, the findings of the study have indicated an alternative source of the dreaded element -- paints and toys. The study was conducted across 57 households in Delhi that were sampled for levels of lead in floor and windowsill dust.