The significance of the sword

Human aggression affects and is affected by the environment. The study of militaria can illuminate questions of social change and choice. Knowledge of history should modify behaviour.     

Component analysis of some chemical parameters influencing the stability of DDVP in sea‐sediments along the east coast of India

The component analysis of some chemical parameters such as half‐life period, pH, salinity, total organic carbon (TOC), clay mineral concentration (Kaolinite, Illite, Montmorrillonite) and the elemental concentrations (Al, Fe, Ti) showed that only three components collectively retained 98% of variation of the original data. The first component carries maximum co‐variance with salinity and TOC, the second component is due to clay‐montmorrillonite, and the third component is attributed to TOC and Fe. The first component accounted for 69%, the second 28% and the third for 3% of total variation. The impact of TOC on the stability of pesticide, DDVP is much more pronounced by its negative covariance with the half life period as revealed by the first principal component.     

The basalt stone quarries of eastern India

Quarrying of basalt stone in the Early Cretaceous Rajmahal Trap region of eastern India is increasing at an alarming pace. The quarries have created an extensive ugly landscape of pits and overburden dumps. The stone workshops continuously emit dust. These quarries generate year‐round employment in an impoverished terrain. The workforce mostly comprises the socio‐economically deprived indigenous tribal population. They are an important source of income to the State Governments of Jharkhand and West Bengal. While the need for building stone cannot be denied in a region that is rapidly industrialising and urbanising, issues of land degradation and health cannot be ignored. The paper offers measures to contain environmental degradation and generate alternative sources of income with bio‐fuel crops such as Jatropha curcas.     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of beachrock samples of South East Coast of Tamilnadu, India

Element profiles of some beach rock samples collected from South East Coast of Tamilnadu, India have been determined using single comparator method of INAA. The geo-chemical behavior of the elements in the region is discussed. The irradiations were done at thermal neutron flux of ~ 1011 cm-2·s-1 at 20kW power using Kalpakkam Mini Reactor (KAMINI), IGCAR, Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu, India. Around 19 elements have been determined from 15 samples by high-resolution gamma spectrometry. The accuracy and precision were evaluated by assaying the irradiated Standard Reference Material (SRM 1646a Estuarine sediment) and were found to be in good agreement with certified values.     

Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions from municipal wastewater treatment systems in India

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated from municipal wastewater treatment plants in India is estimated in this study. The emissions from the wastewater treatment process as well as from the electricity used during the treatment process are estimated by using the methodology of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The present treatment plants of capacity 15 997 million litres per day (MLD) contributes towards GHG emissions of 7.3 Mt of CO₂‐eq/year. The future GHG emissions would depend upon the treatment technology used for treating 34 109 MLD of untreated wastewater. The highest GHG emissions would occur if all new wastewater treatment plants are based on upflow anaerobic sludge blanket technology, 19.66 Mt CO₂‐eq/year and lowest if sequential batch reactor technology is adopted, 2.93 MtCO₂‐eq/year.     

印度土壤侵蚀与防治研究概况及其对我国的启示

土壤侵蚀导致水土资源流失和生态环境恶化,已成为危及人类生存与发展的重要问题。印度与中国都是世界上水土流失严重的国家,且具有许多相似的自然和社会条件。了解印度土壤侵蚀及其防治的有关研究进展,对促进我国水土保持研究和实践具有现实意义。本文介绍了印度土壤侵蚀的基本状况和特点,并从土壤侵蚀基础研究、土壤侵蚀预报研究和土壤侵蚀防治策略3个方面总结了印度在土壤侵蚀及其防治领域的研究成果和实践经验。在此基础上,提出了对我国土壤侵蚀防治的参考建议。     

印度导弹武器装备体系发展与前景分析

随着国际安全环境的重大变化,印度加紧了其军事战略的调整和军队建设的步伐,大力发展导弹武器体系建设,对周边国家和地区形成了安全威胁.在分析印度军事战略的基础上,重点阐述印度弹道导弹、巡航导弹、防空导弹和导弹防御系统等武器装备体系的建设情况,并分析了其发展趋势和未来前景.     

Environmental over enthusiasm

India needs large dams for water storage, hydropower and flood control. It also needs long-distance inter-basin water transfers. However, India has a complex and strict environmental regulatory system which ignores a developing economy's needs and peoples' aspirations and is often impractical. This is used by activists to thwart infrastructure building, and, when faced with development slowdown, the government tries to thwart the laws they themselves have made. India's food, water and energy security, economic, and poverty-alleviation plans are in jeopardy unless environmental regulators realize that the regulations are being misused and that environmental over-enthusiasm is benefiting neither development nor the environment.     

Identification of Fatty Acids in Edible Wild Plants by Gas Chromatography

Human beings evolved on a diet that was balanced in the omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and was high in antioxidants. Edible wild plants provide alpha-linolenic acid and PUFA. Today, we know that omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal growth and development and may play an important role in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, other inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, and cancer. Comparison of obtained results from analysis of fatty acids of edible plant oils showed that Solanum oil has the highest nutritional value because it contains high contents of linoleic acid (62.29%) and oleic acid (8.6%) and Asparagus oil has high nutritional value because it contains 66.12% oleic acid and 9.6% linoleic acid. Comparison of results of this study with reported results by Artemis (2004) showed that palmetic acid (34.48%) and estearic acid (21.71%) contents of portulaca in this study were greater than the results reported by Artemis. Therefore, we can conclude that Solanum and Asparagus oil are edible and have good nutritive values.     

Prospects for Traditional Jute Products

Abstract

The world jute production has been decreasing since the beginning of the 80s and is still declining. In such a situation it is necessary to reconsider the future prospects of the industry focusing especially on traditional jute products-sacks and bags, which production comprises 90% or more of the industry's current output.

In looking at future prospects it is usually a good idea to learn from the past. So the article will give a brief illustration of the past and present situation for the jute industry and traditional jute products.