Tag: #eastindia

Bioterrorism

From the past two decades , it is stated that the threat of biological warfare is not a myth but a harsh reality of the world . Due to the outbreak , we can recognise the high risk and consequences of bioterrorism.

This editorial provides you the overview of bioterrorism , it’s symptoms , causes , measures and impact on humans in present scenario .

Introduction

A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs to cause illness or death. These germs are often found in nature. But they can sometimes be made more harmful by increasing their ability to cause disease, spread, or resist medical treatment.

Biological agents spread through the air, water, or in food. Some can also spread from person to person. They can be very hard to detect. They don’t cause illness for several hours or days. Scientists worry that anthrax, botulism, Ebola and other hemorrhagic fever viruses, plague, or smallpox could be used as biological agents.

Despite patchy intelligence, France started its own biological weapons programme in the early 1920s. It was headed by Auguste Trillat, an inventive German-educated chemist who envisioned and tested the sustained virulence of airborne pathogens.

The goal of bioterrorism is usually to create fear and/or intimidate governments or societies for the purpose of gaining political, religious, or ideological goals. Bioterrorism may have a different effect on societies than would weapons such as explosives.

Symptoms

The symptoms of exposure to a biological agent might include sore throat, fever, double or blurred vision, rash or skin blisters, exhaustion, difficulty talking, confusion, descending muscle weakness, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and coughing.

History

Historically, biological weapons have been a threat to humans for many centuries. At those times, very crude methods such as fecal matter, animal carcasses, etc. were used to contaminate water sources, but now the concentrated forms of biological agents such as dried spores and genetically modified organisms are available, which are fatal even in minute quantity.

During the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, a scrub typhus outbreak in north-eastern India came under suspicion. India’s defense and intelligence outfits were alert to the outbreak of pneumonic plague – well known in biological warfare – in Surat and Bubonic plague in Beed in 1994, which caused several deaths and sizeable economic loss.

Prevention

There are some points that you need to consider during the outbreak :

  • If you become aware of a suspicious substance, quickly get away.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with layers of fabric that can filter the air but still allow breathing. Examples include two to three layers of cotton such as a t-shirt, handkerchief or towel.
  • Depending on the situation, wear a face mask to reduce inhaling or spreading germs.
  • If you have been exposed to a biological agent, remove and bag your clothes and personal items.
  • Follow official instructions for disposal of contaminated items.
  • Wash yourself with soap and water and put on clean clothes.
  • Contact authorities and seek medical assistance. You may be advised to stay away from others or even to quarantine.
  • If your symptoms match those described and you are in the group considered at risk, immediately seek emergency medical attention.
  • Follow the instructions of doctors and other public health officials.
    Avoid crowds.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water frequently.
  • Do not share food or utensils.

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Renewable resources .

Replacing traditional sources of energy completely with renewable energy is going to be a challenging task. However, by adding renewable energy to the grid and gradually increasing its contribution, we can realistically expect a future that is powered completely by green energy.

– Tulsi Tanti

A way to live a new life . Without any destruction , without worrying about the future . Live a life where we can grow together , develop a life with renewable resources.

Introduction

A renewable resource, also known as a flow resource, is a natural resource which will replenish to replace the portion depleted by usage and consumption, either through natural reproduction or other recurring processes in a finite amount of time in a human time scale.

When such recovery rate of resources is unlikely to ever exceed a human time scale, these are called perpetual resources. Renewable resources are a part of Earth’s natural environment and the largest components of its ecosphere. A positive life-cycle assessment is a key indicator of a resource’s sustainability.

Renewable resources are an energy source that cannot be depleted and are able to supply a continuous source of clean energy.

Renewable resources also produce clean energy, meaning less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.

Examples of renewable resources.

  • Biomass .
  • Biogas.
  • Tidal Energy.
  • Wind Energy.
  • Geothermal Energy.
  • Radiant Energy.
  • Hydro Electricity.
  • Compressed Natural Gas.

Types of renewable resources.

1) Solar energy. Sunlight is one of our planet’s most abundant and freely available energy resources. 2) Wind energy. Wind is a plentiful source of clean energy. 3) Hydro energy.
4) Tidal energy.
5) Geothermal energy. 6) Biomass Energy.

Impact of renewable resources.

Environmental impact

Renewable energy projects have also contributed in improving environmental impacts such as reduction of carbon dioxide gas, awakening community about the climate change. The study observed very small impacts on the people living in a particular area, tourism, cost of energy supply, and educational impacts. Significant impacts were observed in improvement of life standard, social bonds creation, and community development. They also observed that the renewable energy projects are complex to install and are local environmental and condition sensitive. Their forecasting, execution, and planning require more consideration and knowledge as compared to other projects.

Social impact

These resources also provide social benefits like improvement of health, according to choice of consumer, advancement in technologies, and opportunities for the work, but some basic considerations should be taken for the benefit of humans, for example, climate conditions, level of education and standard of living, and region whether urban or rural from agricultural point of view. Social aspects are the basic considerations for the development of any country. The following social benefits can be achieved by renewable energy systems: local employment, better health, job opportunities, and consumer choice.

Advantages of renewable resources.

  • Renewable energy won’t run out.
  • Maintenance requirements are lower.
  • Renewables save money.
  • Renewable energy has numerous health and environmental benefits.
  • Renewables lower reliance on foreign energy sources.
  • Higher upfront cost.
  • Intermittency.
  • Storage capabilities.

Conclusion

Renewable energy is becoming an important resource in all over the world . I do agree that people might exploit the resources for there own benefit . But the government is working on that aspect and trying to provide resources that can help our future households .

There are a lot of different ways of building a prosperous society, and some of them use much less energy than others. And it is possible and more practical to talk about rebuilding systems to use much less energy than it is to think about trying to meet greater demands of energy through clean energy alone.

– Alex Steffen

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Environmental pollution

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”

~ Chief Seattle

What is environmental pollution ?

Is it degrading our lifestyle ?

How can we improve our environment ?

Let’s get through the topic .

Introduction

One of the greatest problems that the world is facing today is that of environmental pollution, which is causing grave and irreparable damage to the natural world and human society with about 40% of deaths worldwide being caused by water, air and soil pollution and coupled with human overpopulation has contributed to the malnutrition of 3.7 billion people worldwide, making them more susceptible to disease.

Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the physical and biological components of the earth/atmosphere system to such an extent that normal environmental processes are adversely affected.”

From: Environmental Management, 2017

We all are well known about the word Environmental pollution . It is not some kind of new phenomenon , yet it is a greatest problem facing by our society . Still , people are avoiding the topic to its utmost.

Environmental pollution is one of the most serious global challenges. Wild-type organisms have a slower degradation rate of hazardous materials.

Both developed and developing nations share this burden together, though awareness and stricter laws in developed countries have contributed to a larger extent in protecting their environment.

Reasons behind environmental pollution

  • The Burning of Fossil Fuels. Industrial Emission.
  • Indoor Air Pollution.
  • Wildfires.
  • Microbial Decaying Process.
  • Transportation.
  • Open Burning of Garbage Waste.
  • Construction and Demolition.
  • Urbanization and industrialization. Since the era of industrial revolution, man has continued to introduce hazardous materials into the environment at an alarming rate.Mining and exploration.
  • Agricultural activities.
  • Particulate matter.
  • Plastics.
  • Energy production.
  • Deforestation.
  • Mining.
  • Over population.
  • Increase in global average temperature.

Effects of environmental pollution

Environmental pollution is an incurable disease . It can only be prevented.

Barry commoner

1. Effects on Humans. The effects of environmental pollution on humans are mainly physical, but can also turn into neuro-affections in the long term. The best-known troubles to us are respiratory, in the form of allergies, asthma, irritation of the eyes and nasal passages, or other forms of respiratory infections. Other rarer diseases include hepatitis, typhoid affections, diarrhea, and hormonal disruptions.

2. Effects on Animals . Environmental pollution mainly affects animals by causing harm to their living environment, making it toxic for them to live in.

3. Effects on plants . As for animals, plants, and especially trees, can be destroyed by acid rains (and this will also have a negative impact on animals as well, as their natural environment will be modified), ozone in the lower atmosphere block the plant respiration, and harmful pollutants can be absorbed from the water or soil.

Solutions for environmental pollution.

  • Evironment planning.
  • Shifting to eco-friendly transportation.
  • Air pollution must involve moving away from fossil fuels, replace them with sustainable fuels .
  • Solar power .
  • Wind power.
  • Go green.
  • Storage facilities for solid waste.
  • Environmental friendly products.
  • Policies implimentation for environmental pollution.
  • We also need to work on electromagnetic radiation (ER) reduction.
  • Awareness through mass media.
  • More green parks and areas.
  • Environmental education, etc,.

“We say we love flowers, yet we pluck them. We say we love trees, yet we cut them down. And people still wonder why some are afraid when told they are loved.”

~ Paul Morley

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Agriculture

When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.”

— Daniel Webster

Introduction

It all started thousand of years ago , when the human civilization came into existence . Agriculture was a key to survival . People were farming for there domestic purpose , not for the others .

As the civilization started to grow accustomed of agriculture , they grew food in surplus that enabled people to live in cities. Plants were independently cultivated in at least 11 regions of the world.

The development of agriculture enabled the human population to grow many times larger than could be sustained by hunting and gathering.

It was the beginning of different civilization in different parts of the World. From those civilizations , one of them was our’s The Indus Valley Civilization . Vedic literature provides some of the earliest written record of agriculture in India. Rigveda hymns , describes plowing, fallowing, irrigation, fruit and vegetable cultivation.

Some of the ancient and historical evidence suggests rice and cotton were cultivated in the Indus Valley.

Agriculture : In India and World today .

India ranks second worldwide in farm outputs. As per 2018, agriculture employed Indian work force and contributed 17–18% to country’s GDP.

In 2016, agriculture and allied sectors like animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries accounted for 15.4% of the GDP (gross domestic product) with about 41.49% of the workforce in 2020.India ranks first in the world with highest net cropped area followed by US and China.The total agriculture commodities export was US $ 3.50 billion in March – June 2020.

Agriculture is the primary source of livelihood for about 58% of India’s population. Share of agriculture and allied sectors in gross value added (GVA) of India at current prices stood at 17.8 % in FY20.

During 2019-20 crop year, food grain production reached a record of 296.65 million tonnes. In 2020-21, Government of India is targeting food grain production of 298 million tonnes.

India is among the 15 leading exporters of agricultural products in the world. Agricultural export from India reached US$ 38.54 billion in FY19 and US$ 35.09 billion in FY20.

Agriculture is an important industry in the United States. The agriculture industry, which includes both crops and livestock, is responsible for producing most of the world’s foods and fabrics. Agriculture impacts so many things that it’s hard to imagine a world without this important industry.

Schemes and Initiatives

Due to the high requirement of agriculture . It is important for the government to take initiatives and provide better infrastructure to the farmers. However , the required level of investment for the development of marketing, storage and cold storage infrastructure is estimated to be huge.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), established in 1905, was responsible for the search leading to the “Indian Green Revolution” of the 1970s. The Union Minister of Agriculture is the president of the ICAR. The Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute develops new techniques for the design of agricultural experiments, analyses data in agriculture, and specialises in statistical techniques for animal and plant breeding.

Schemes by government for Indian agriculture :

  • Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme.
  • Rainfed Area Development Programme (RADP)
  • Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY)
  • National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)
  • Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan yojana.
  • Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
  • Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme.
  • Pashu Kisan Credit Card Scheme.
  • PM-Kisan Scheme.

Conclusion

Agriculture sector is one of the prominent sector in India as well as all over the world . India is becoming self – sufficient in pulses and other crops .

Gone are the days , when India was unable to provide sufficient amount of food to the citizens . Gone are the days , when people used to think agriculture was not as important as other sectors . Gone are the days , when people used to think less of farmers . And gone are the days , when people were less educated about agriculture.

Farming is a profession of hope.

— Brett Brian

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Climate change : In India and World today .

Let’s double down on solar energy, let’s be more energy-efficient, let’s weatherize our homes. We can build a better, healthier economy based on good-paying, clean energy jobs.”

Ian Somerhalder, Actor

Being one of the second largest country , climate change in India is having profound effect on India and all over the world . India is ranked fourth among the list of countries most affected by climate change in the period from 1996 to 2015 .

With 7% of global emissions , India emits about 3 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2eq of greenhouse gases each year; about two and a half tons per person, which is half the world average.

Due to the rise in temperature , the Tibetan plateau are causing problem to Himalayan glaciers . It directly effect in increasing the flow rate of the Ganges , Brahmaputra, Yamuna and other major rivers.

The Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research has reported that, if the prediction of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is correct about Global warming than it may cause fall of GDP upto 9%.

In all over the world , climate change is drastically affecting the change in temperature of the globe 🌎 . Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns.

Causes :

Human envision and green house gasses are two important causes in the climate change. Greenhouse gases affect Earth’s energy balance and climate .Human activities have added greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Human activities are changing the climate.

Other causes :

  • Power Plants.
  • Farming .
  • Deforestation.
  • Fertilizers.
  • Oil drilling.
  • Natural gas drilling.
  • Permafrost.
  • Garbage .
  • Volcanic eruption.
  • Pollution.

Campaigns

There are many campaigns that are going on . One of them is The ActNow campaign . It was launched at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 24) in December 2018, with a call from Sir David Attenborough in conjunction with the award-winning “People’s Seat” initiative.

It signifies individual action on climate change and sustainability. By changing our habits and making choices that have less harmful effects on the environment, we can tackle the climate emergency and build a more sustainable world.

It is also working with other campaigns like The Good life goals , Anatomy of action , 170 actions to combat climate change , lazy person guide to saving the world , connect4climate , climate neutral now , trash hack , stop the waste , Think. Eat. Save. , Clean seas , breathe life , glowing glowing gone . Their may be others as well .


Prevention :

Becoming more energy efficient is a great way to prevent pollution. It causes the power plants to expend less energy that can lead to the production of greenhouse gases. … Replace your light bulbs with energy-efficient light bulbs that help you save electricity too.

  • Speak up!
  • Power your home with renewable energy.
  • Weatherize, weatherize, weatherize.
  • Invest in energy-efficient appliances.
  • Reduce water waste.
  • Actually eat the food you buy—and make less of it meat.
  • Buy better bulbs.
  • Pull the plug(s).

Conclusion

In the times , where the world is changing and taking measurements for saving the globe . Many Environmentalist , Actors , Politicians , Countries are taking precautions and actions on the climate change . It is our duty to prevent our world from falling . Take Initiative To Save The World .

Climate change is real. It is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating.

Leonardo Di Caprio, Actor & Environmentalist

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The Rebellion of 1857

The Rebellion of 1857 was among some of the major yet unsuccessful uprisings against the British Rule that contributed in the course of bringing Independence to India. The rebel was actually against the East India Company that worked on behalf of the British Crown Rule.

Many mistakes the Rebellion of 1857 to be the first rebellion of the country against British Rule. But the truth is that many small regional rebellions had already occurred before the 10th May of 1857. And all these small uprisings indicated that agitation among Indians had started throughout the country.

Some of the mentionable revolts that occurred before the Rebellion of 1857 are the Sanyasi Revolt, The Jungle Mahal Rebellion (1767), Nayak Rebellion, Chuad Rebellion, Santhal Rebellion, the Second Military Rebellion of Bengal (1795), the Vellore’s Rebellion (1803), the Great Rebellion of 1824, Mahikant Rebellion of Gujarat (1836), and Military uprising of 1855.

But it was the Rebellion of 1857 that recorded the most unified support from the Indian population. It was not one reason that caused such massive uprising. Rather the people had multiple reasons to revolt against the British Government by then.

Some of the causes of the revolt were the Britishers looting Indians of their rightful properties like land and imposing an excessive amount of taxes on the people. The sense of fear among regional rules heightened with the introduction of the Doctrine of Lapse by Dalhousie.

The orthodox conservative families of India were also threatened when Britishers started banning some of the then social norms. Other than this, the Indians working in the military of the British Government were treated very poorly.

One of the major incidents that enraged the Indian people, including Mangal Pandey and his mates, was that the British made them use cow and pig fat covered of bullets. These bullet covers were required to be broken using teeth, and the army did so. The British did this, knowing that it would be going against most people’s religious beliefs in India.

The Britishers imprisoned those who did not use those bullets and also hanged them. Thus such injustice gave rise to rebellions in several parts of India. And the Rebellion of 1857 did start in Meerut when the arrested soldiers broke out of the jail and killed several British officers.

The revolt was led by Dhan Singh Gurjar, who was a Katowal in the British army himself. The revolting soldiers went to Delhi to spread the notion of revolt. And they succeeded in doing so because the revolt started in other parts of India as well.

The Britishers were stunned since they were outnumbered compared to the number of Indian soldiers in the British Army who were all revolting. But the British Government wasn’t letting the satiation get the best of them so easily, so they played dirty politics by using several tactics. Lord Canning ultimately suppressed the Rebellion of 1857. It was because the tactics of the British Government succeeded in creating a massacre as they lured Sikh and Madrasi soldiers in their favor.