INDIA

Aquatic weeds need no longer be just a nuisance. Kaiser Jamil, a scientist from the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, reports that weeds such as water hyacinth can remove toxic inorganic and organic pollutants from waterbodies.

Air pollution ruins medicinal plants, says a study conducted by the botany department of the Jamia Hatudard College. The study shows that airpollotion causes various illnesses and decreases the curative chemicals in plants.

The Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon is fast vanishing. Data collected in six different years, between 1975-92, reveals a shrinkage of its wetland from 4.84 sq km in 1975 to a meagre 0. 14 sq Ion in 1992.

The Central Pollution Control Board has drawn up a list of technologies required urgently to check runaway pollution. Vehicular pollution control technology tops the list, the others being flue gas desulphurisation, foundries and small boilers.

The Union ministry of water resources has floated a tender for building a 125 MW hydro-clectric power plant in West Bengal without obtaining a green signal from the environment ministry. The ministry's explanation: there are no serious environmental concerns.

The Rs 27-crore National River Action Plan does not have a strat to check industrial effluc According to higher-ups in Karnataka State Pollution Coal Board, the cleansing drive wiff limited to sewage treatment.

T P Rajendran, senior scientist a crop protection division of Central Institute of Cotton Rese has found that cotton crops do better with biotic, rather synthetic insectides.

Kerala has 44 rivers but suffers months of acute droi conditions, due to decline in the state's forest cover. while, destruction of forests nues unabated for building to dams like the proposed Pooyaml project.