Medicinal plants

Source : Deepika, 26th August 2009

Western ghat proposed as heritage site

Source: Malayala Manorama, 23rd August 2009

Birdcount is decreasing in Thattekkad

Source: Mathrubhumi, 23rd August 2009

Most of the wells in Kerala are polluted

Source: Mathrubhumi, 23rd August 2009

Methane is escaping from the Arctic sea-bed

Scientists say they have evidence that the powerful greenhouse gas methane is escaping from the Arctic sea-bed. As temperatures rise, the sea-bed grows warmer and frozen water crystals in the sediment break down, allowing methane trapped inside them to escape. The research team found that more than 250 plumes of methane bubbles are rising from the sea-bed off Norway. The joint British and German research team detected the bubbles using a type of sonar normally used to search for shoals of fish. Once detected, the bubbles were sampled and tested for methane at a range of depths. Writing in Geophysical Research Letters, the team says the methane was rising from an area of sea-bed off West Spitsbergen, from depths between 150m and 400m.The gas is normally trapped as "methane hydrate" in sediment under the ocean floor. Methane hydrates Methane gas is trapped inside a crystal structure of water-ice The gas is released when the ice melts, normally at 0C. At higher pressure, ie under the ocean, hydrates are stable at higher temperatures. "Methane hydrate" is an ice-like substance composed of water and methane which is stable under conditions of high pressure and low temperature. As temperatures rise, the hydrate breaks down. So this new evidence shows that methane is stable at water depths greater than 400m off Spitsbergen. However, data collected over 30 years shows it was then stable at water depths as shallow as 360m. Temperature records show that this area of the ocean has warmed by 1C during the same period. The research was carried out as part of the International Polar Year Initiative, funded by Britain's Natural Environment Research Council (Nerc). The team says this is the first time that this loss of stability associated with temperature rise has been observed during the current geological period. Infographic (BBC) 1. Methane hydrate is stable below 400m 2. Nearer the surface the hydrate breaks down as temperatures rise and the methane is released 3. Gas rises from the sea-bed in plumes of bubbles - most of it dissolves before it reaches the surface 4. So far scientists haven't detected methane breaking the ocean surface - but they don't rule out the possibility http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8205864.stm

Small story

Aquatic creatures ranging from fish to phytoplankton become smaller as their watery environments warm, scientists report. In rivers and oceans, dwindling body sizes may be as common a response to climate change as migration to higher latitudes and shifting seasonal life cycles. Martin Daufresne and colleagues at Cemagref in France analyzed reports of fish body size in French rivers and northern oceans for the past three decades. Not only were fish communities increasingly made up of smaller species, but in the French rivers, fish of the same species were about 50 per cent smaller than twenty years ago. The team ruled out commercial fishing as the sole cause of the shrinking trend, noting that the freshwater areas studied have not been heavily fished. They also found that warming affects the size of even the tiniest aquatic denizens, the zooplankton, phytoplankton and bacteria that form the base of the food web. After being kept at higher temperatures in lab experiments, these organisms tended to be smaller than their counterparts living in cooler waters.The researchers have not been able to pinpoint the link between warming and smaller body size, but they suggest that temperature may be affecting organisms' size by influencing their metabolism. http://www.nature.com/climate/2009/0908/full/climate.2009.72.html

Farmer to make mark at conclave in New Mexico

The ‘njavara rice’, which has medicinal properties and is said to be a great healer for rheumatic ailments and cultivated only in Kerala, has once again found recognition from beyond the shores. But this time the cultivator has also been recognised along with the rice. Narayananunni of Chittur who has been cultivating the ‘njavara’ rice utilising organic manure for the past eleven years, has got the unexpected invitation to attend the ‘International Conference on Plant and Animal Breeding Diversity’ to be held at Santafe in New Mexico from August 25 to 28. His paper on the details of methods of ‘njavara’ cultivation sent to the Bonn-based Isoam, an international federation of organic agricultural movement, in Germany last December won much acceptance giving him this opportunity of a life time.Agriculture assistant director in the Kuzhalmannam block panchayat M Mukundan Unni had ably-helped Narayananunni to find financial support to the tune of Rs 50,000 for his trip from the State government.
The New Indian Express. 19th August 2009

Tiger conservation plan for Periyar

A tiger conservation plan will be prepared for the Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) as suggested by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The plan is one of the conditions fixed by the Authority for extending financial support to the Reserve.The State had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, represented by the Authority, for the protection of big cats. The Field Director of the Reserve is also party to the MoU.The Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) will prepare the plan for the Reserve. The agreement makes it mandatory on the part of the State government to place in the public domain the plan and details of its execution on its official web site. The details should also be made available in the local language to promote public vigil, says the agreement. Incidentally, the State government has sought financial support of Rs.3.95 crore for the Reserve, which is home to around 35 tigers.The PTR has already achieved the four major requirements specified by the Authority, including the notification of the critical tiger habitat, formation of a steering committee for the Reserve and also the setting up of Conservation Foundation, said O.P. Kaler, Field Director, PTR. According to the agreement, the State government shall constitute a steering committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister for ensuring coordination, monitoring, protection and conservation of tiger, co-predators and prey animals. The committee was formed for Periyar much earlier, officials said.The Periyar Foundation, which was also formed earlier, will function as the “reserve-specific Tiger Conservation Foundation for the Tiger Reserve to facilitate and support its management for tiger conservation and eco development, by involving the local people,” as enlisted in the agreement. The core area of the Reserve has gone up to 881 sq km. The core tiger areas of Ranni and Gudrikkal divisions were also added to the Reserve, Mr. Kaler said. The agreement makes it mandatory for the State government to ensure the day-to-day tiger monitoring protocol in the Reserve as per advisories issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority for “facilitating forecasting of untoward happenings.”On his part, the Field Director should ensure that a “security plan would be drawn up for the Reserve, considering its strength, weakness, opportunity and threat to ensure intelligence-based enforcement for protection of tiger, other wild animals and the habitat.” The security plan would also form part of the Tiger Conservation Plan.The non-observance of the agreement “leading to loss of tiger and its habitat and violation of statutory provisions of the NTCA may lead to penal action on the Field Director through the State government, ” according to the MoU.
The Hindu, 19th August 2009

Celebrities and the naming of new species

The British naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough is increasingly the go-to man for scientists overcome by the creative challenge of naming a new discovery. Sir David has given his name to a prehistoric lizard, a parasitic wasp, an echidna (or spiny anteater), a fossilised fish and, now, a rat-eating plant. It seems a dubious honour when your name is attached to a giant pitcher plant capable of trapping rodents in enormous folds. Sir David, however, is delighted that the carnivorous species was given the scientific title Nepenthes attenboroughii by a team of botanists led by Stewart McPherson, who discovered it during a plant-hunting expedition to Mount Victoria in the Philippines. “I like these oddball plants and this is a very dramatic one. It can hold up to two litres of water in its jugs,” says Sir David. “It is a very nice, complimentary thing for this young, intrepid explorer to do and I am very touched that Stewart McPherson should have done it in my name.” Every year, more than 15,000 new species of animal alone are recognised by scientists. In the old days, they would often pay tribute to a learned colleague but by the mid-19th century many species were named after wealthy patrons who funded scientific endeavour. While modern scientists are admirably blind to the commercial potential of a new species of coffee plant called Starkbuckii or a prehistoric cow named McDonaldae, many have a weakness for honouring random celebrities. Hence we have a sea snail called Bufonaria borisbeckeri, a ground beetle named Agra katewinsletae and several dinosaurs named after Jurassic Park director Steven Spielberg. Scientists have also immortalised their dodgy music taste (a dinosaur called Masiakasaurus knopfleri, after Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler) and geeky passion for Star Wars (a wasp named Polemistus chewbacca and a beetle called Agathidium vaderi). This year, a species of lichen was named Caloplaca obamae in honour of Barack Obama’s support of science. The names given to three species of slime-mold beetle (Agathidium bushi after George Bush, Agathidium cheneyi after Dick Cheney and Agathidium rumsfeldi after Donald Rumsfeld) might not carry the same intent. It is acceptable to name a species after a public figure but not after yourself, according to Steve Tracey of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. Scientists naming discoveries after family members is also “a little bit naughty,” says Tracey, particularly as the discoverer’s name is anyway placed next to the species name so authorship is not forgotten. His personal favourites are humorous: the mollusc of the genus Abra that was given the species name cadabra, while the British naturalist Sir Peter Scott caused a stir by giving the Loch Ness Monster the scientific name of Nessiteras rhombopteryx. Supposed to mean “the wonder of Ness with the diamond-shaped fin,” it was later revealed as an anagram of “Monster hoax by Sir Peter S.” — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2009
The Hindu, 19th August 2009

Pandas could be extinct in 2-3 generations

Beijing: China's giant panda could be extinct in just two to three generations as rapid economic development is infringing on its way of life, state media said on Monday, citing an expert at conservation group WWF.The problem is that the pandas' habitat is being split up into ever smaller patches, preventing the animals from roaming freely for mating partners and in turn endangering their gene pool.There are about 1,590 pandas living in the wild around China, mostly in southwestern Sichuan, northern Shaanxi and northwestern Gansu provinces. A total of 180 have been bred in captivity, according to earlier reports. In addition to environmental constraints, the animals' notoriously low libidos have frustrated efforts to boost their numbers.Breeders have resorted to tactics such as showing them "panda porn" videos of other pandas mating, and putting males through "sexercises" aimed at training their pelvic muscles for copulation.
The Business Line, 18th August 2009

Bar-coding plants

It may soon be possible to classify a majority of the more than 400,000 species of land plants in the world on the basis of genetic variability. The Plant Working Group of the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL) recently reached a consensus on the portions of the genes that would be used as the plant DNA bar-code. This came after four years of work by 52 scientists from 10 countries. DNA bar-coding, a technique proposed by the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, uses a short genetic sequence from a standard part of the genome to quickly identify different plant species. To become usable the chosen genetic sequences of the bar-code must vary with species but must also be conserved enough in plants for identifying most of them. Bar-coding has been used since 2003 to identify animal species, and a bar-code library of nearly 60,000 animal species has been created. But there was no agreement on which regions of the genome should be used for bar-coding plants. The short DNA sequence found in the mitochondrial gene used for bar-coding animals cannot be used in plants; this is because the gene does not vary much in plants and will not be reliable for species identification. Attention therefore turned on the chloroplast genome, which converts sunlight into chemicals. Of the seven candidates shortlisted, the Plant Working Group chose portions of two genes ( matK and rbcL) for the bar-code. But the plant bar-code is some way short of the ideal. While it can group the plants to the correct genus, it can, on average, discriminate only 72 per cent of all plant species. Though identifying closely related species is problematic in many plants and fungi, it should be less of an issue when used within a restricted region or habitat. But there is no room for complacency as this tool is yet to be tested widely in biodiversity hotspots. The gene used in the animal bar-code has the power to correctly identify over 95 per cent of the species. The task then is to find a way to increase the discriminatory power of the plant bar-code. In the short-term, using supplementary bar-codes along with the standard one can increase this power. But the biggest challenge the initiative may have to face will be funding. Most biodiversity hotspots are in developing countries that will not be able to fund such initiatives on their own. The irony is that some projects in India are yet to get off the ground for want of funding even as several agencies wait for a bar-code system to be settled to fund such initiatives. The time for determined action in this scientifically important area is now.
The Hindu, 17th August 2009

Climate change and G8 summit

The G8 summit has delivered precious little on climate change for the developing countries even as the developed countries have hailed the consensus on the 2oC limit on global warming as a major achievement. From the perspective of international negotiations on climate change, the most significant outcome of the recently concluded G8 Summit at L’Aquila, Italy, was the acknowledgement in its declaration of the essential scientific fact that global average temperature above pre-industrialisation levels should not exceed 2o Celsius. This has at least brought the United States, a non-signatory to the Kyoto Protocol in spite of its being the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) em itter, on board. Hopefully, it will now undertake emission reductions at Copenhagen for the Protocol’s second commitment period beyond 2012.However, the Waxman-Merkey Bill (H.R. 2454), recently passed by the House of Representatives, may belie that hope. The very weak caps it proposes on U.S. domestic GHG emissions by 2050 (17 per cent of 2005 levels, which are themselves about 17 per cent above the UNFCCC baseline of 1990 levels) are a matter of concern. From the perspective of developing countries, however, there are other serious issues that emerge from the various declarations at the Summit. The unwarranted controversy around India signing the Major Economies Forum (MEF) declaration (The Hindu, July 28) has had the unfortunate effect of the more substantive issues being ignored. For instance, even as it endorses a global emissions reduction by 50 per cent by 2050, the G8 declaration is totally non-specific about targets for the developed countries (the Annex-1 countries). The espoused reduction by 2050 is only by 80 per cent and there too it is non-committal as it speaks only of supporting such a goal. This is significantly lesser than the 85 per cent global cut from the 2000 levels (equivalent to over 90 per cent cut for the Annex-1 countries) that the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls for. More pertinently, the base year has been deliberately left ambiguous. This is significant because world emissions grew by about 1.1 per cent every year in the 1990s and by about 3 per cent a year from 2000-08. Further, while the IPCC calls for peaking by 2015 and the G8 declaration speaks of peaking “as soon as possible,” there is no indication of the peaking year. Even as it mentions “robust aggregate and individual mid-term reductions,” it has not even specified what ‘mid-term’ is, let alone targets for it. According to a recent paper in Nature by Malte Meinhausen and others, with a 50 per cent reduction in global GHG emissions by 2050 (from the 1990 levels), there is a 12-45 per cent probability of global warming exceeding the 2o C. An illustrative plausible scenario predicts a 29 per cent chance of its exceeding 2o C. A 50 per cent cut from the 2000 or present levels would, obviously, mean a higher probability of its exceeding 2o C.For the scenarios considered, the paper’s method yields a 53-87 per cent probability of global warming overshooting the 2o C limit if the emissions in 2020 are still more than 25 per cent above the 2000 levels. To contain the warming under 2o C with 75 per cent chance, the estimated emission budget till 2050 is 1000 giga (billion) tonnes of CO{-2}. According to the paper, the world already emitted nearly 284 Gt during 2000-06. The danger of the world’s emissions exceeding the 2000 levels by 25 per cent in 2020 will thus remain real unless the Annex-1 countries adopt drastic reduction targets for 2020 and 2050.Indeed, the G8’s failure in stating its mid-term emission targets shows its lack of seriousness in reducing emissions. This failure elicited criticism from none other than U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. “Much more,” he said in his statement on July 9, “needs to be done if governments are to seal the deal on a new climate agreement in Copenhagen.” Welcoming the agreement by the G8 on its goal of reducing emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, he added: “For this to be credible, however, we need ambitious mid-term targets [of 25-40 per cent below the 1990 levels], and clear baselines … It is disappointing to note that thus far, the mid-term targets announced by the developed countries [of 10-15 per cent] … are not in this range.” In fact, the G5 declaration had demanded a 40 per cent cut by 2020 from the 1990 levels. Also, the approach to achieve the ambitious target of reducing the developed countries’ emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 is largely through market mechanisms despite the serious imperfections in them. This agenda is elaborated in Para 69 of the statement: “We support flexible, economically sound market-based approach to emission reductions … With a view to … facilitate action under the global post-2012 agreement, we commit to … Support the development, reform and enhancement of project, programmatic and policy-based offset mechanisms, including Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) … [and] Work with others to further develop market mechanisms under the Copenhagen agreement to possibly including sectoral trading and sectoral crediting mechanisms, to enhance the participation of emerging economies and developing countries in the market ...”Taking as an illustrative example the proposals mooted by the U.K. to meet the G8 target of reducing emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, George Monbiot of The Guardian strongly criticised the proposed offset-based emission reductions. Apparently, under its new policy on carbon reduction, the U.K. proposes to meet half of this commitment through offsets. That is, it would reduce domestic emissions only by 40 per cent. If all the Annex-1 countries were to buy reductions to this extent from the developing countries, the latter would end up cutting their current emissions by 60 per cent while the former cut emissions only by 40 per cent, he pointed out. Further, the last part of the above quote is, in fact, indicative of an attempt to push sectoral efficiency and energy intensity (carbon footprint) standards and establish new mechanisms of sectoral carbon credits and trading in them. Unfortunately, given the visible tendency in China and India to seek maximum monetary inflows through the CDM, and the undue importance India is also giving to domestic trading in credits under its mitigation programmes, the G5 declaration has refrained from emphasising the inadequacy of market mechanisms and rejecting the idea of sectoral norms. Considering that the G5 declaration was issued a day before such a position could have pre-empted the G8 statement in this regard. The MEF declaration, to which G5 is a party, in fact, has gone further to actually endorse this faulty premise. It says: “Financing to address climate change will derive from multiple sources, including public and private funds and carbon markets” (emphasis added).There is also an element of contradiction in the various declarations from the perspective of the developing countries. Take for instance the ‘burden sharing principle’ of the UNFCCC (Art. 4.7), namely access to and transfer of low-carbon and other renewable technologies, financing and capacity building. While the G5 declaration has stressed this, there is no firm commitment in the declarations involving the G8. More importantly, in none of the declarations to which the G5 is a party, including the G5 Declaration on Trade, has the key issue of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), which has proved to be the key barrier to the availability and transfer of technologies relevant to climate change, been flagged. On the contrary, the G8 declaration says: “[W]e stress the role of an efficient system of IPRs to foster innovation.”While, surprisingly, the MEF declaration does not refer to the WTO, both G5 and G8+G5 declarations have endorsed the WTO regime and reaffirmed their commitment to maintain and promote open markets and reject all protectionist measures in trade and investment that are incongruous with the WTO. This would, in particular, imply acceptance of the TRIPS regime even for low-carbon and renewable energy technologies. As regards the issue of financing mitigation measures in developing countries, the G5 declaration says: “[W]e express our interest in continuing to consider proposal to establish international financing arrangements, including Mexico’s Green Fund [MGF] proposal and to set financing goals so that developed countries will contribute a set percentage of their annual GDP, in addition to their contributions to ODA, among others, to ensure adequate, predictable and continuous financial resources …” But in the G8’s response there are only platitudes. Its declaration, in particular, mentions the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank’s Climate Investment Funds as the only appropriate funding instruments. The MEF, on the other hand, has only “agreed to further consider proposals for … international funding arrangements, including the MGF.” In sum, therefore, the G8 Summit has delivered precious little on climate change for the developing countries even as the developed countries have hailed the consensus on the 2o C limit as a major achievement.
The Hindu, 13th August 2009

Flying frog among 353 new Himalayan species: WWF

A flying frog, the world's smallest deer and the first new monkey to be found in over a century are among 350 new species discovered in the eastern Himalayas in the past decade, the WWF said .But the environmental group said the vital habitats of the mountain range were facing growing pressures from unsustainable development in the region, which spans Nepal, China, India, Bhutan and Myanmar. In a report, it said climate change, deforestation, overgrazing by domestic livestock and illegal poaching and wildlife trading threatened one of the biologically richest areas of the planet."In the last half-century, this area of South Asia has faced a wave of pressures as a result of population growth and the increasing demand for commodities," said the report, "The Eastern Himalayas -- Where Worlds Collide.""Only 25 percent of the original habitats in the region remain intact. For the unique species of the Eastern Himalayas, this means that today 163 are considered globally threatened," it said. The WWF said 353 new species were discovered in the region between 1998 and 2008, among them a red-footed tree frog known as a "flying frog" because its large webbed feet allow it to glide when falling. Another new species was a kind of caecilian, a limbless amphibian that resembles a giant earthworm and lives underground -- a significant discovery because caecilians are among the planet's least-studied creatures.Other highlights were the world's smallest deer -- a miniature muntjac standing just 60-80 centimetres (25-30 inches) tall that was found in northern Myanmar -- and the first new monkey species to be discovered in over a century. The WWF said the new species of macaque was one of the highest-dwelling monkeys in the world, living in India's Arunachal Pradesh state at between 1,600 and 3,500 metres (5,000 and 11,500 feet) above sea level. Among the 242 new plant varieties discovered was an ultramarine blue flower found by two intrepid Chinese botanists who descended into a gorge in Tibet that is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in places. The WWF described the rare bloom as "dramatic in both colour and form" and said its colour changed with the temperature, making it particularly remarkable.
The Hindu, 13th August 2009

Scientists harness car horns to warn of natural disaster

Researchers in Germany have devised a technology which activates the horns of parked cars in case of disaster. The technology is based on the eCall emergency system which new cars will be equipped with from September 2010.The eCall system was developed at the initiative of the EU Commission to help reduce the number of road traffic fatalities. It consists of a GPS sensor and a mobile phone component, activated only in case of an accident (that is, when the airbags are triggered) and which can transmit data (for example, accident time, coordinates and driving direction of the vehicle) to an emergency call centre. Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT researchers found that this infrastructure can also be used to warn the population. Once the cars are equipped with a radio receiver, their horns can be triggered in case of disaster. Guido Huppertz from the INT has worked on the system and explains the advantages of honking cars. 'All hitherto suggested solutions such as mobile phones or smoke detectors only inform the respective device user. The entire population can only be informed if 100 percent are equipped with these devices. 'The INT suggestion has a clear statistical advantage - a mere 14 percent of the registered vehicles are sufficient to provide extensive alarming, says a release of the Fraunhofer Institute. If all new vehicles are equipped with eCall from the end of next year, the warning system may be ready for use after an establishment phase of two to four years, Huppertz predicts.
The New Indian Express, 13th August 2009

Facing up to a bad monsoon

This year, the rains were exceptionally bad in June and the monsoon has been unable to recover from such a big setback. Now with half the rainy season over, the chances are that the monsoon will end in a drought. The country as a whole received little more than half the rain it usually gets in June. Mercifully, rains in July were only a little below average. Even so there was a cumulative deficit of about 20 per cent in countrywide rainfall by the end of that month. Based on an analysis of rainfall data for 130 years, leading atmospheric scientists have pointed out in a journal paper that when the June-July rainfall for the entire country has more than a 12 per cent shortfall, there is a 67 per cent probability of the monsoon ending in a drought. (Atmospheric scientists typically define a drought as a deficit of more than 10 per cent in the nationwide rainfall for the entire season.) In short, as July came to an end, it was clear the monsoon was in trouble. Moreover, the El Nino that is brewing in the Pacific Ocean appears to be affecting the monsoon. This warming of the equatorial waters of the central and eastern Pacific leads to enhanced cloud formation in that region, thereby drawing away the moisture-laden winds needed to sustain the Indian monsoon. In 1997, favourable conditions in the equatorial Indian Ocean were able to counter a strong El Nino and the monsoon enjoyed slightly above-average rains. This year, unfortunately, the Indian Ocean has not helped out and could instead be adding to the monsoon’s woes. August usually provides nearly 30 per cent of the monsoon rainfall. Poor rains in the opening days of this month have pushed the seasonal deficit for the country as a whole to 25 per cent. If the rains fail to pick up this month, a bad situation could become a whole lot worse. Northwestern India has already been badly hit, with the rainfall deficit now standing at 40 per cent. It is from this region that the monsoon starts its withdrawal, a process that often begins in early September and then extends gradually to the rest of the country. So the rains in August will have a huge impact on this region. A poor monsoon no longer brings with it the spectre of famine but droughts have been shown to significantly reduce foodgrain production and the GDP. There has been a sharp drop in paddy cultivation this monsoon. “In no case should we allow our citizens to go hungry,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh proclaimed at the recent conference of State Chief Secretaries. At a time like this, with a crisis looming, it is imperative that the central and State governments set aside their differences and work in unison for the common good.The Hindu, 11th August 2009A flying frog, the world's smallest deer and the first new monkey to be found in over a century are among 350 new species discovered in the eastern Himalayas in the past decade, the WWF said Monday.But the environmental group said the vital habitats of the mountain range were facing growing pressures from unsustainable development in the region, which spans Nepal, China, India, Bhutan and Myanmar.In a report released here, it said climate change, deforestation, overgrazing by domestic livestock and illegal poaching and wildlife trading threatened one of the biologically richest areas of the planet."In the last half-century, this area of South Asia has faced a wave of pressures as a result of population growth and the increasing demand for commodities," said the report, "The Eastern Himalayas -- Where Worlds Collide.""Only 25 percent of the original habitats in the region remain intact. For the unique species of the Eastern Himalayas, this means that today 163 are considered globally threatened," it said.The WWF said 353 new species were discovered in the region between 1998 and 2008, among them a red-footed tree frog known as a "flying frog" because its large webbed feet allow it to glide when falling.Another new species was a kind of caecilian, a limbless amphibian that resembles a giant earthworm and lives underground -- a significant discovery because caecilians are among the planet's least-studied creatures.Other highlights were the world's smallest deer -- a miniature muntjac standing just 60-80 centimetres (25-30 inches) tall that was found in northern Myanmar -- and the first new monkey species to be discovered in over a century.The WWF said the new species of macaque was one of the highest-dwelling monkeys in the world, living in India's Arunachal Pradesh state at between 1,600 and 3,500 metres (5,000 and 11,500 feet) above sea level.Among the 242 new plant varieties discovered was an ultramarine blue flower found by two intrepid Chinese botanists who descended into a gorge in Tibet that is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in places.
The New Indian Express, 11th August 2009

State lacks enforcement machinery to curb wildlife crimes

Trade in species of protected animals such as barn owl, red sand boa and Indian star tortoise and wildlife products in various parts of the State have received much media attention in recent months. However, the Forest Department lacks a clear strategy and leadership in tackling poaching and trade in wild species. Though the number of Chief Conservators of Forests has crossed 40, much of the investigation into the crimes is done by lower-level officials. They often find it beyond their means to tackle crimes that have international dimensions. Experience has shown that wildlife crimes cannot be tackled at the range level, as gangs operate across the State and inter-State boundaries. The void is being filled by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau and non-governmental organisations such as Wildlife Trust of India and the Wildlife Protection Society of India. They employ undercover agents with good financial backing, and some of their methods have come in for criticism from State forest officials. (The laws allow the NGOs to work for wildlife-crime control).The officials allege that they promise to purchase wildlife products and even offer advance for purchases to trap the sellers. This creates artificial demand for such goods and acts as an incentive for poachers to go hunting. There are reports that some of the recent capture of poachers were the result of traps laid by non-governmental organisations. P.S. Easa, member of the Steering Committee of Project Elephant and former Conservation Director of Wildlife Trust of India, notes that persuading poachers to go hunting for wild animals was a bad thing to do. “They (undercover agents) may be doing so in their enthusiasm to show results to the funding agency. This called for proper monitoring.”An undercover agent maintained that senior forest officials criticised the NGOs because they were not aware of the ground realities. “The lower-level officials criticise us because we are detecting crimes in areas under their jurisdiction.”He added that it was virtually impossible to catch a poacher with incriminating material without setting a trap. A trap is set when they learn that some wildlife product is available for sale. Even if poaching takes place on account of the demand created by them, it leads to imprisonment of active poachers for years. This will eventually reduce the crime rate. Of an estimated $20 billion international trade in wildlife and wildlife products annually, about 30 per cent is illegal. Skins, bones, skulls, fat and claws of tiger are in demand from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea and Russia. Poaching of elephants has increased in Kerala recently following a spurt in ivory prices. A market for ivory existed for long in Thiruvananthapuram with international links. Barter trade of ivory and sandalwood for items like Shahtoosh shawl is not uncommon. Now even smaller animals such as monitor lizards, snakes, owls and butterflies have come under increased risk in the State. However, no efficient enforcement machinery supervised by senior officials at the State level exists in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The Hindu, 11th August 2009

Mobile phones cause decline in honeybee population in State: Study

A sharp decline in the population of honeybees has been noticed in the state mainly because of the electro-magnetic radiation from the mobile phone towers. An experimental study conducted by Dr.Sainudeen Pattazhi, environmentalists and Reader in Zoology at the SN College, Punalur, has noticed that the massive amount of radiation produced by mobile phones and their towers is adversly affecting the navigational skills of the honeybees and preventing them from returning back to their hives. This has resulted in the Colony Collapse Disorder. In one of the experiements, Dr.Pattazhi had placed a mobile device only 10 metres away from the hives for 5 to 10 days. After a few days, it was noticed that the worker bees failed to return to the hives were left with queens, eggs and hives-bound immature worker bees only. Apiculture has developed as an important industry in India. Honey and bee-wax are the two useful products. The honeybees also do a great service in pollinating flowers, Beekeeping is worthwhile from the monetary point of view as honey and wax fetch revenue. In a bee colony of an average size, there may be around 20,000 to 31,000 bees consisting normally of a queen and a few hundred drones. Ninety percent of a population is made up of the workers. There is around 60 percent decline in the commercial bee population in the State. In Kerala there are around 6 lakh beehives and over a lakh of people are engaged in apiculture. A single hive may yield 4-5 kg of honey. Although the bees are susceptible to diseases and are attacked by enemies such as wasps, ants and wax moth, constant vigil on the part of bee-keepers could check these adverse conditions. Bees abd other insects have survived and evolved complex immune system on this planet over a span of millions of years. According to Pattazhi, it is the man-made factor which is disrupting their immune system now. Insects and other small animals are the first to be affected by the increase in ambient radiation as they have smaller bodies and less flesh. Radiation of 900Mhz is highly bioactive, causing significant alternation in the physiological function of living organisms. The behavioural patterns of bees were found much different when they are close to the mobile phones and towers. Bee keepers said that several hives were abruptly abandoned. In another experiment, Dr.Pattazhi found aluminium is capable of blocking microwave radiations. When the mobile phone wrapped in an aluminium foil it will not work.it may be possible for the beekeepers to protect their bee colonies to some extent from mobile phones and tower radiations with aluminium shielding. According to him, more research is essential for protecting the beehives from the electromagnetic exposure.
The New Indian Express, 11th August 2009

World Tiger Summit in Ranthambore next year

India will host the World Tiger Summit next year and wildlife experts from various countries are expected to congregate to deliberate on conservation of the diminishing striped cats.“Rajasthan will host the World Tiger Summit at Ranthambore next year in October or November. About 200 experts from across the world are to participate in the summit, including those from the world renowned organisation, Global Tiger Initiative,” Minister of State (Independent charge) for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told PTI. The Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, having over 44 royal cats, would be showcased as a role model to the delegates. The summit is being held for the first time in the country, which is home to around 1,400 endangered species. Mr. Ramesh said India would not accept any funds from the World Bank for the tiger conservation programme. He said the country was capable of protecting the animals. The summit is likely to seek strengthening and expansion of a patchy system of tiger reserves across 13 countries, including India, Indonesia, Thailand, China and Russia, that are home to the world’s rapidly diminishing tiger population. Mr. Ramesh said that during the summit, the tiger census, based on new methodology, would be released. “We plan a three-tier system exclusively based on a scientific system to carry on the tiger estimation work.”— PTI
The Hindu, 10th August 2009

Threat of ‘foreign invasion’ on rivers

Exotic fish species from South America and Africa — red piranha, pacu and catfish, to name a few — are posing serious threat to the State’s fish biodiversity. Piranhas were netted by fishermen from Kanakkankadavu, Muzhikulam, Annamanada and Pothassery areas of the Chalakudi river last fortnight. “We get 5 to 10 piranhas every day from the river,” said K.M. Devassia, a wholesale fish trader in the region. Each fish weighs up to 150 gram. Anglers had hooked the fish from the Kandakadavu region too, said Mr. Devassia. Piranha, a native of South American rivers, is suspected to be clandestinely introduced to the country. The species is also available in most aquariums across the city. “Piranha feeds on anything that comes its way. It tears its food at lightning speed with its conical, canine and razor sharp teeth,” said B. Madhusoodana Kurup, director, School of Industrial Fisheries of the Cochin University of Science and Technology. If established in the natural waters, it would destroy endemic population and cause gene contamination by crossbreeding, he said. CUSAT proposes to study whether piranhas have matured and spawned in Kerala waters, Dr. Kurup added. “With its powerful dentition, piranha can inflict serious bites. It has a highly evolved hearing capacity too,” according to scientific literature. Horrifying stories of piranha attack have set the box office ringing in Hollywood. The movies have also triggered lurid fascination for the species worldwide. African catfish, another invasive carnivorous variety, was recently caught from Anavalchal, the canal that connects Periyar Lake with Kumili town, Idukki. Large number of fish swarmed the paddy fields of the area during the beginning of the monsoon. Catfish has established itself in the water bodies of the State, said V.S. Basheer, senior scientist of the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Kochi centre.“Piranhas caught from the Chalakudi river might have escaped from some farms. We need to get regular catch of the fish, with adults and fishlings, to prove that they have bred here,” Mr. Basheer said. The bureau plans to include piranhas in its monitoring programme on impacts of exotic fishes in India. Black Pacu, another native of South America, is also available in the aquariums. However, scientists certify that it is a harmless variety. Panjasium, popularly known as Malasian Vala, is another variety that was illegally introduced to the State. It is now widely farmed here. “Wholesalers supply pacu and piranha to the city aquariums from neighbouring States” said Bejoy, an ornamental fish vendor.
The Hindu, 10th August 2009

Move to tap non-conventional energy sources

The city Corporation has launched a project to prepare an integrated energy master plan for the State capital, with proposals to tap and promote the use of non-conventional energy sources. The project will be taken up under the Sampoorna Oorja Suraksha Mission, a State-level initiative aimed at achieving total energy security. The mission, which was launched in Thiruvananthpuram district panchayat in 2007, focuses on total electrification, energy conservation and tapping of renewable sources to meet the growing energy demands of the city. The Corporation council has approved an organising committee for the mission. An amount of Rs.35 lakh has been earmarked for the project in the People’s Plan Campaign for the year 2009-10.The two-year programme, to be implemented in association with the Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) and the Energy Management Centre (EMC), will begin with a sample survey of energy end use consumption pattern. The sample survey will be conducted among 10 per cent of consumers in the Corporation area. This will be followed by GIS mapping of power line networks in the city. The first phase of the mission programmes also include IEC (Information Education Communication) programmes for creating awareness among consumers regarding optimum usage of electricity and energy conservation efforts. Based on the energy reports devolved from the surveys conducted in the first phase, the Corporation will develop an integrated energy master plan. Projects will be evolved to tap and promote non-conventional sources of energy, like solar energy and biomass gasifiers, in the second year. Mandatory energy auditing in public institutions and small and medium scale business establishments is another significant component of the mission. The State government scheme to distribute free CFL lamps to every BPL (Below Poverty Line) and SC/ST families will also be integrated into the mission programme. “The basic objective of the mission is to achieve, at an affordable cost, a power consumption of a minimum of one unit electricity a household a day and an energy equivalent of 10 LPG cylinders a household a year by the year 2012. The mission was launched in the State in selected local bodies in 2007 as per the guidelines of the State Planning Board,” said ANERT project director R. Harikumar. Although the primary responsibly of implementing projects under the mission is vested with the local bodies, they are often unable to do this because of lack of expertise or absence of coordination with other energy management agencies, Mr. Harikumar said. The mission has already been launched in 446 grama panchayats in the State.“In panchayats, the mission focuses on electrification of remote areas and tapping locally-available renewable sources of energy like micro and mini hydro electric projects and biogas plants. In municipalities, the focus is on urban street lighting,” said mission district coordinator Ramachandran Nair. He said that ANERT had already identified around 49 sites for small hydro electric projects in the district panchayat.
The Hindu, 10th August 2009

Endangered vulture ready to fly

one of the most world's best conservation stories is being scripted at a wildlife centre in Haryana's Pinjore, where a slender billed vulture nestling a rare species, has for the first time hatched in captivity and is ready to fledge.The nestling at Pinjore is about five-month old and is ready to fledge while the nestling at Rajabhatkhawa in West Bengal has already fledges.The eggs hatched after an incubation period of 55-56 days. Two pairs had laid eggs at each of the centres but only one hatched at both the centres, said B.G. Deshmukh, President of a wildlife group, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) which is running the centres. The checks will be released in wild once they mature.Slender-billed vulture is, perhaps, the most endangered vulture in the world with less than, 1,000 birds left in the wild, prompting the BNHS to take up their breeding programme in captivity in Rani Centre near Guwahati in Assam, besides Pinjore and Rajabhatkhawa with the help of the respective State governments and the Union Environment Ministry. The species has almost disappeared from most parts of its range north of Indo-Gangetic plains from Himachal Pradesh to Assam, it is now mostly found in small numbers in Assam. Its not only Slender-billed vultues, but even the population of white backed vultures and long billed has crashed in the country, thus, causing ecologicalconcerns for they are highly efficient scavengers. Asad.R.Rahmani, Director, BNHS, said the population of white backed had declined by more than 99 percent and long billed and slender billed by over 97 percent, during the last 15 years mainly due to the consumption of carcasses of dead animals exposed to diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
The Business Line, 9th August 2009

Chair on ecology, environment at varsity in J&K

The Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) in this remote area of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday earned the distinction of getting the first-ever chair on ecology and environment. This was announced by Union Minister for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh. He said several mega projects for conservation of forests and environment in the State were in the pipeline and negotiations were on with Japan for one of them.Mr. Ramesh, who inaugurated the Masters Degree programme on Biodiversity and Biotechnology at the University, announced that the chair would be named after Mahatma Gandhi. “This will be a tribute to the Father of the Nation,” he said. Mr. Ramesh also announced a Rs. 5-crore grant for the Pir Panchal Biodiversity Park, which has come up at 470 acres of land, and exuded confidence that it would soon graduate into National Biodiversity Park. He said it was a unique project in any University and India. The Minister lauded the role of BGSBU Vice-Chancellor Masud Chowdhary in making the University a centre of excellence in a short period. He assured full support to the University in carrying forward its programme on forest, ecology and environment.Talking about the Centre’s initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Ramesh said the The Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) in this remote area of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday earned the distinction of getting the first-ever chair on ecology and environment. This was announced by Union Minister for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh. He said several mega projects for conservation of forests and environment in the State were in the pipeline and negotiations were on with Japan for one of them.Mr. Ramesh, who inaugurated the Masters Degree programme on Biodiversity and Biotechnology at the University, announced that the chair would be named after Mahatma Gandhi. “This will be a tribute to the Father of the Nation,” he said. Mr. Ramesh also announced a Rs. 5-crore grant for the Pir Panchal Biodiversity Park, which has come up at 470 acres of land, and exuded confidence that it would soon graduate into National Biodiversity Park. He said it was a unique project in any University and India. The Minister lauded the role of BGSBU Vice-Chancellor Masud Chowdhary in making the University a centre of excellence in a short period. He assured full support to the University in carrying forward its programme on forest, ecology and environment.Talking about the Centre’s initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Ramesh said the Centre was serious in the development of the State and it had been kept on the priority of the list of developments.
The Hindu, 6th August 2009

Forest and wildlife conservation should moderntize

Source: Deshabhimani, 19th August 2009

Mosquitos and Kerala

Source: Mathrubhumi, 20th August 2009

District map on disasters

Source: Mathrubhumi, 20th August 2009

River-wetland protection authorities soon

Source: Mathrubhumi, 21st August 2009

Corruption in Environmental clearance

Source: Mathrubhumi, 19th August 2009

To save environment

Source: Mathrubhumi, 20th August 2009

National Environment Protection Authority soon

Source: Mathrubhumi, 19th August 2009

Ordinance on Environmentally fragile areas

Source: Mathrubhumi, 13th August 2009

TBGRI in Tourism sector

Source: Kerala Kaumudhi, 19th August 2009

World rivers

Source: Deepika, 19th August 2009

Attappady is rejuvenating

Source: Mathrubhumi, 9th August 2009

Sand mining killing Neyyar

Source: Mathrubhumi, 9th August 2009

Unidentified frogs found in Sendhuruni Forest

Source: Deshabhimani, 11th August 2009

Earthquake in Andaman-Tsunami warning to India

Source: Mathrubhumi, 11th August 2009

Bhuvan: Indian Earth Observation Visualization portal

What is Bhuvan?
Bhuvan is a geoportal that provides medium to high resolution satellite imagery of virtually the entire India over the internet. You can "fly" around using mouse and keyboard on a simple desktop computer with virtual globe in front draped with IRS images over Indian region. Many other features are built in, including 3D terrain and information on many thematic data.

What can Bhuvan do for me?
Bhuvan is a free web based image portal. Most Image visualization programs are very expensive and complex. Bhuvan provides a fast and friendly way to look at IRS satellite data and thematic information in geographic context, which is invaluable for management, planning and visualization. Additionally, Bhuvan makes it easy to share digital data between people and computers anytime, anywhere. Over a period of time a lot more unique functionalities will be added into this tool to address common man’s problems, particularly in the rural setup of India and addressing natural resources management issues.

Go to Bhuvan homepage

Awareness rally

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: One of the five car rallies that the Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya is organising as part of its nationwide health education programme — My India Healthy India 2009 — is from Thiruvananthapuram. The others are from Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Lucknow and Dehradun. The rallies are meant for educating the people on five major areas of health — general health, lifestyle diseases, de-addiction, maternal and women’s health and child health.

The Thiruvananthapuram rally will be inaugurated by Uthradam Tirunal Marthanda Varma, head of the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family at the Karthika Thirunal Theatre on August 16.

The rally is bound for Mumbai. A team of doctors accompanying the rally will conduct health programmes.

Source: The Hindu, Sunday, Aug 16, 2009
URL: http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/16/stories/2009081657590200.htm

Swine flu: Symptoms and prevention

The high level committee, presided over by Health Minister, Smt. P. K. Sreemathi has decided to improve preventive measures against swine flu attack in the State. The meeting informed that as swine flu is curable, there is no need to be panic about it. Enough drugs are available to tackle the virus. The number of screening centres and treatment centres will be increased. Screening facilities will be extended to the private hospitals also. As the drugs for swine flu has been regulated by the Central Government, private hospitals will be given drugs free of cost. At present, the swabs are sent to National Institute of Communicable Diseases for testing. This facility is available at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology at Thiruvananthapuram. But the Central Government has not given sanction to conduct this test. The State Government is trying to avail this sanction. Round-the-clock help line will be provided through out the State. People coming from abroad with symptoms are advised to take proper screening.
[Source]

What is swine flu?
Swine flu is a respiratory disease which infects pigs. Caused by influenza type A virus, there are regular outbreaks among herds of pigs, where the disease causes high levels of illness but is rarely fatal.There are many different types of swine flu and like human flu, the infection is constantly changing.

Human to human transmission of swine flu thought to spread in the same way as seasonal flu – through coughing and sneezing.

An outbreak in Mexico seems to involve a new type of swine flu that contains DNA that is typically found in avian and human viruses. The World Health Organization has confirmed at least some of the cases are caused by this new strain of H1N1.

There is no vaccine that specifically protects against swine flu, and it was unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer.

However, the CDC says two flu drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, seem effective against the new strain. Roche, the maker of Tamiflu, said the company is prepared to immediately deploy a stockpile of the drug if requested. Both drugs must be taken early, within a few days of the onset of symptoms, to be most effective. There have also been concerns that some forms of flu have been developing resistance to the drugs.

Scientists have long been concerned that a new flu virus could launch a worldwide pandemic of a killer disease.

A new pandemic flu virus could evolve when different flu viruses infect a pig, a person or a bird, mingling their genetic material. The resulting hybrid could spread quickly because people would have no natural defences against it.

The most notorious flu pandemic is thought to have killed at least 40 million people worldwide in 1918-19. Two other, less deadly flu pandemics struck in 1957 and 1968.

It tends to spread in autumn and winter but can circulate all year round.

How the influenza A H1N1 virus spreads?
Flu viruses are always changing, and new strains emerge every year. The current swine influenza A H1N1 virus is one of these. If a flu virus appears that is very different from the others, most people will not have immunity to it, and it may spread quickly and become a pandemic.

Concerns have recently increased due to the spread of swine flu in Mexico, which has now reached other countries including the UK. A strain of flu that usually only affects animals has infected people and caused serious illness and deaths. This new virus could potentially cause a pandemic.

How the flu virus spreads?
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) says the new swine flu virus is highly contagious and is spreading from person to person. The swine flu virus is spread in exactly the same way as ordinary colds and flu.

A flu virus is made up of tiny particles that can be spread through the droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when someone coughs or sneezes.

If someone coughs or sneezes and they do not cover it, those droplets can spread about one metre (3ft). If you are very close to the person you might breathe them in.

Or, if someone coughs or sneezes into their hand, those droplets and the virus within them are easily transferred to surfaces that the person touches.

Everyday items at home and in public places may have traces of the virus, such as door handles, the TV remote control, hand rails and computer keyboards. Viruses can survive for several hours on these surfaces.

If you touch these surfaces and touch your face, the virus can enter your system, and you can become infected.

Why it can spread quickly?
Evidence from previous pandemics suggests that one person will infect about two others, and that influenza spreads particularly rapidly in closed communities such as schools or residential homes.

People are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms, although they can spread the virus for up to five days after the start of symptoms (for children this is seven days).

What are the symptoms of swine flu?
The symptoms of swine flu are broadly the same as those of ordinary flu, but may be more severe and cause more serious complications.

The typical symptoms are:
Sudden fever (a high body temperature of over 38C or 100.4F) or a sudden cough.

Other symptoms may include:
- headache
- tiredness
- chills
- aching muscles
- limb or joint pain
- diarrhoea or stomach upset
- sore throat
- runny nose
- sneezing
- loss of appetite

Most people who have contracted swine flu recover within a week and do not suffer complications, even without being given antiviral medication.

However, experts point out that as this is a new virus, its behaviour cannot be predicted with certainty.

Swine flu is different from seasonal flu in that most serious illnesses have been in younger age groups, as happened in all three 20th-century influenza pandemics.

A doctor faced with a symptomatic patient cannot yet predict with certainty the course of their illness and whether or not they will be in the small proportion who may become more seriously ill.

Antiviral medication is still being given to all those with swine flu in the UK, subject to their doctor’s discretion.

If you feel unwell:
If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned that you may have swine flu:

* Read up on swine flu symptoms then use the NHS Direct swine flu symptom checker.

* If you are then still concerned, stay at home and call your GP who will be able to provide a diagnosis over the phone.

* If the GP confirms swine flu by telephone, they will give you a voucher reference number entitling you to antiviral medication.

* Give this number to a healthy friend or relative and ask them to pick up the antivirals for you from a designated local collection centre.

* In the meantime, take paracetamol-based cold remedies to reduce fever and other symptoms, drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest.

High-risk groups
Some groups of people are more at risk of serious illness if they catch swine flu, and will need to start taking antiviral medication as soon as they are confirmed with the illness.

Scientists are still learning more about the risk profile of the virus, but it is already known that the following people are particularly susceptible:

* people with:

- chronic lung disease,
- chronic heart disease,
- chronic kidney disease,
- chronic liver disease,
- chronic neurological disease (such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease)
- immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment) and
- diabetes mellitus,

* patients who have had drug treatment for asthma within the past three years,
* pregnant women,
* people aged 65 years and older, and
* young children under five years old.

It is vital that people in these higher-risk groups who catch swine flu get antivirals and start taking them as soon as possible.

How to prevent swine flu?
Preventing the spread of germs is the single most effective way to slow the spread of diseases like swine flu until a vaccine is developed.

According to the NHS website , you can protect yourself and your family from swine flu by

* ensuring everyone washes their hands regularly with soap and water
* cleaning surfaces regularly

You can prevent a virus spreading to others by:

* always carrying tissues
* using tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze
* binning the tissues as soon as possible
* washing your hands regularly

CATCH IT. BIN IT. KILL IT. is a simple way to remember this.

You can also prepare now and in the build-up to a pandemic by:

* Confirming a network of ‘flu friends’ – friends and relatives – who could help you if you fall ill. They could collect medicines and other supplies for you so you do not have to leave home and possibly spread the virus.

* Knowing your NHS number and those of other family members and keeping them in a safe place. You will be able to find your NHS Number on your medical card or other items such as prescribed medication, GP letter or hospital appointment card/letter.

* Having a stock of food and other supplies available at home that will last for two weeks, in case you and your family are ill.

Masks
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) recommends that healthcare workers should wear a facemask if they come into close contact with a person with symptoms (within one metre) to reduce their risk of catching the virus from patients.

However, the HPA does not recommend that healthy people wear facemasks to go about their everyday business.

Why shouldn't the general public wear facemasks?
Because there’s no conclusive evidence that facemasks will protect healthy people in their day-to-day lives.

The virus is spread by picking up the virus from touching infected surfaces, or by someone coughing or sneezing at very close range – so unless you are standing close to someone with the virus, wearing a facemask will not make a difference.

There are concerns about the risks posed by not using facemasks correctly.

Facemasks must be changed regularly as they are less effective when dampened by a person’s breath. People may infect themselves if they touch the outer surface of their mask, or may infect others by not disposing of old masks safely.

Finally, wearing a facemask may encourage complacency. People need to focus on good hand hygiene, staying at home if they are feeling unwell, and covering their mouth when they cough or sneeze.

Vaccine

A vaccine to protect against swine flu is being developed, but it is not available yet.

The first batches of vaccine are expected to arrive in the autumn, and 30 million double doses – enough for half the population – are expected to be available by the end of the year.

The government has ordered enough vaccine for the whole population and, when it becomes available, will focus on those at the greatest risk first.

[From ExpressBuzz]

Need for disaster management plan

 STED Project is preparing a plan for Kozhikode. Biju Govind says this has attained importance after the July flooding in the district.The flooding and other calamities that befell Kozhikode during the heavy rain in July call for a disaster management plan for the district. Although the Centre had enacted the Disaster Management Act in 2005 and asked the State governments to set up disaster management units, only a few have done so. The Kerala government entrusted preparation of disaster management plans to the district administrations in January 2009. People believe that casualties and damage to property can be minimised with such a plan. After having experienced flooding year after year, the district administration is now in the process of formulating a district disaster management plan.The Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development (STED) Project has been entrusted with the task.It has drafted a proposal by making a geo-demographical profile detailing housing patterns, roads, means of transport, hospitals and government and private services available in the district.In consultation with various departments, including that of geology, the project officials will record the hazards the district had witnessed.They will do an analysis of the worst cases and find the areas vulnerable to natural calamities.Such steps will help the district administration take preventive measures, says Mohanan Manalil, project director.There will be a non-structural disaster mitigation plan focussing on preparedness methodology, awareness campaign, disaster recovery inventory and enforcing existing codes and laws. The structural mitigation measures include retrofitting and earthquake-resistant constructions, he says.The management plan will concentrate on short- and long-term responses. The short-term plan centres on rescue operations, relief operations and rehabilitation, while the long-term plan emphasises action plans for the departments of Police, Fire and Rescue Services, Revenue, Irrigation, Education, Health Service, Food and Civil Supplies, Transport and Public Works, the Kerala State Electricity Board, the Red Cross, the National Cadet Corps and the Scouts.

 

The Hindu, 1st August 2009 

Mosquitoes deliver malaria 'vaccine' through bites

In a daring experiment in Europe, scientists used mosquitoes as flying needles to deliver a "vaccine" of live malaria parasites through their bites. The results were astounding: Everyone in the vaccine group acquired immunity to malaria; everyone in a non-vaccinated comparison group did not, and developed malaria when exposed to the parasites later. Mosquitoes deliver malaria 'vaccine' through bites The study was only a small proof-of-principle test, and its approach is not practical on a large scale. However, it shows that scientists may finally be on the right track to developing an effective vaccine against one of mankind's top killers. A vaccine that uses modified live parasites just entered human testing.Malaria kills nearly a million people each year, mostly children under 5 and especially in Africa. Infected mosquitoes inject immature malaria parasites into the skin when they bite; these travel to the liver where they mature and multiply. From there, they enter the bloodstream and attack red blood cells - the phase that makes people sick.People can develop immunity to malaria if exposed to it many times. The drug chloroquine can kill parasites in the final bloodstream phase, when they are most dangerous.Scientists tried to take advantage of these two factors, by using chloroquine to protect people while gradually exposing them to malaria parasites and letting immunity develop.

 

The Business Line 31st July 2009

Wildlife Act to be amended: Jairam

Forest preservation, curbing poachers and relocation of forest-dwellers were the three major challenges before the government, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said. The Minister said amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act were on the anvil to deter poachers further and for anti-wildlife smuggling activities."We are in talks with the concerned stakeholders to bring comprehensive changes in the Act and also in the process to strengthen Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to develop intelligence," he said. Long judicial procedures and paltry sums as penalty do not help curb this problem.With the help of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General of India and other judiciary members, efforts would be made to introduce heavy fines and sections like attaching property. Mr. Ramesh said the States had got over Rs. 11,000 crore for protection and restoration of natural forest cover under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Fund. The fund offers a unique and historic opportunity to invest in forests exclusively since the word 'plantation' did not figure in the guidelines. In the next six years, 6 million hectares of land will be brought under green cover, providing one of the largest carbon sinks in the world.On the relocation of close to 80,000 families living inside the core areas of protected forests, he said they had been offered Rs.10 lakh or a piece of land as a compensation package to move out of the reserves.

 

The Hindu, 29th July 2009 

Satellite-based system to guide fishermen

Fishermen in the coastal belt of the district will now be better equipped with information on fishing zones and weather conditions, thanks to a satellite-based system set up by the Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environment Centre (KSRSEC) and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Department of Space.The digital system uses the data beamed down from the Oceansat 1 (IRS P4) satellite to provide fishermen with real-time information on location of shoals, direction of wind and weather changes. The data will be disseminated through a network of electronic display boards to be installed at select locations along the coast.Fisheries Minister S. Sarma inaugurated the first display board at the Maryanad-Perumathura Fisheries Society on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, he said the government would take steps to extend the network across the coastal belt of the State.In the first phase, display boards will be set up at Anchuthengu, Vizhinjam and Pozhiyoor.

 

The Hindu, 29th July 2009

Pokkali buffer zones likely to be redrawn

  A redrawing of the buffer zones of Pokkali fields is under the consideration of a subcommittee of the State Coastal Zone Management Authority. The aim is to explore the possibility of permitting construction of houses for fishermen in the land thus freed. At present, 50 metres from the landward side of the fields is treated as the buffer zone. The restriction should be lifted for providing houses for the fishermen, a subcommittee member said.On Pokkali fields, around 5,000 hectares near the backwaters in Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts, paddy- and prawn-farming is carried out in turns. The rice is cultivated in an organic way, the tidal flow nourishing the crop.The Coastal Zone Management Authority has submitted a few recommendations to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests with focus on housing needs of the fishermen communities. One of these is to reduce by half the no-development zone in Coastal Regulation Zone III areas (panchayats) to 100 metres landwards from the high-tide line. The reduction in the zone area will help to construct houses for fishermen, the member said.As many as 35,000 fishermen families in the State own neither land nor houses. There are 18,000 others who have land but no houses.The recommendations of the authority assume significance in the wake of reports that the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification will be modified with focus on housing issues and space for ancillary activities of fishermen, the member said.The Coastal Zone Management (CZM) notification, intended to replace the CRZ notification, on the basis of the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan committee, lapsed last week. It was feared that the new norms would deny a large number of fishermen their livelihood and dwelling areas.The member said CRZ notification had been found effective in protecting the coastal ecosystem and coastal resources and ensuring livelihood security of the coastal population. However, there was a pressing need for incorporating packages to meet housing needs.

 

 The Hindu, 27th July 2009

Disaster management plan for district

 A disaster management plan for the district is taking shape with the collaboration of several government departments, the Centre for Earth Science Studies and the India Meteorological Department. The plan is being prepared by a body called the Science and Technology Entrepreneurship that functions under the Science and Technology Department.The plan was discussed at a meeting presided over by District Collector P.B. Salim. Additional District Magistrate P.M. Babu, Revenue Divisional Officer K.P. Remadevi, Geological Survey of India geologist C. Muralidharan and heads of various government departments were present.

 

The Hindu, 27th July 2009 

Forecast panels to be set up

The Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environment Centre (KSREC) and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Department of Space are jointly setting up electronic display boards at Mariyanad and Anchuthengu in the district to provide real-time information on fish availability, direction of wind and change in weather to fisher folk.The display boards would have information secured through Oceansat I (IRS P4) The project can also be used for early tsunami warning and predicting adverse weather.The first of the display boards would be inaugurated by Fisheries Minister S. Sarma at Mariyanad on Tuesday, a press release said.

 

The Hindu, 26th July 2009

Adding value to jackfruit

James P. Mathew has over 60 jackfruit trees in his farm at Kanhirapuzha in Palakkad district. Every year, the farmer and his family watch the fruits ripen and fall to the ground where they end up rotting.Mr. Mathew had half a mind to cut down the trees, but then he thought of processing the fruit into value-added products. Last year, he approached the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) with a project to manufacture wine from jackfruit. With an assistance of Rs.3.5 lakh that was sanctioned by the council, Mr. Mathew successfully completed a pilot project, only to discover that he would need a licence from the Excise Department to market the wine that has an alcohol content of 12.4 per cent.The farmer is now awaiting the government's response to his request to exempt jackfruit wine from the purview of the Abkari Act. The pilot project required little investment and employed a simple technology using sugar, water, spices, potassium meta bisulphate and yeast to make wine."Out of the 30 lakh jackfruits that are produced in Kerala every year, more than half are allowed to perish. There are few buyers for this tasty and highly nutritious fruit and farmers earn no income. By processing the fruit into a range of value-added products, the farmers can be assured of a regular income from the trees. Besides generating employment, it will also ensure the survival of this endemic species that requires virtually no care or maintenance".Mr. Mathew, who heads the Kanhirapuzha Grama Panchayat Farm Club, says the seeds of jackfruit could also be used to make food products. "The waste generated from the process could help produce vermicompost", he added.Mr. Mathew is planning to apply for a patent on the jackfruit wine."A couple of companies have approached me for the technology," he said.

 

The Hindu, 25th July 2009 

Tigers disappearing

The Indian government admitted this week that nobody has seen a Royal Bengal tiger in Panna National Park since January. Only a year ago, there were calculated to be 24 tiger reserves. A century ago, India had about 40,000 tigers by 1988, extensive hunting and poaching pulled the figure down to just 4,500. now  the true figure is probably 1,000 panna, located near Khajuraho is the second reserve in which there are now no tigers. Sariska National Park in Rajasthan lost its tigers in 2005.

 

The New Indian Express, 25th July 2009

National Disaster Management Authority

Directives to tackle disasters

 

Source: Malayala Manorama, 4th August 2009

 

National Disaster Management Authority

Directives to tackle disasters

 

Source: Malayala Manorama 4th August 2009

 

Epidemics in Kerala

Source: Malayala Manorama, 4th August 2009