IOSR-JESTFT   Volume-8 ~ Issue-8 ~ August 2014

Abstract: Prevention of under-nutrition has emerged as a critical challenge to India's development planners in recent times. Insufficient protein consumption results in Protein Energy Malnutrition among the children in our Country. Due to increasing cost, limited amount of animal protein and the limited potential for improving the situation through increased animal production, the need of the hour is to search for an efficient utilization of cheap and available unconventional animal protein resources. Molluscs are regarded as under-exploited source of health-benefit molecules. Present investigation attempts to evaluate the nutritive values of the fresh water bivalve Lamellidens marginalis, widely accepted as food all over India. Proximate analyses revealed that mussel meat contains moderate amount of protein (8.30±0.67%), carbohydrate (8.01± 0.38%) and reducing sugar (4.75± 0.07%), but less amount of fat (1.02± 0.20%) and crude fibre (0.01± .001%). Lipid constitutes substantial amount of omega-3-fatty acids like, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which have proven prophylactic values. Protein analysis shows the presence of several essential amino acids required for proper body growth and maintenance. Moreover, antioxidant activity of the haemolymph further established that this benthic mussel can serve as an excellent alternate food source and can thus be commercialized as low cost functional food.

Keywords: Bivalves, Functional Food, Lamellidens marginalis, Nutrition, Proximate analysis

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[3] Gopalakrishnan, S, Vijayavel, K. Nutritional composition of three estuarine bivalve mussels, Perna viridis, Donax cuneatus and Meretrix meretrix. Int J Food Sci Nutr,60 (6), 2009,458-463.

[4] Nagappan Nair K, Mahadevan S. Oyster culture in Tuticorin. Proc. Symp. Coastal Aquaculture Mar. Biol. Ass. India. 1983; 2: 427-435.

[5] Yusufzi, S.I, Singh, H, Shirdhankar, M.M. An evaluation of different methods for transportation of the freshwater mussel Lamellidens corrianus (Lea 1834), Int. J. Aqua, 18(4),2010, 676-692.

Abstract: This study presents the findings of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the proposedBhaurat Dam Project. In this study data pertaining to water and air environment within the study area 10 kms of radius from the dam site has been investigated in the upstream and downstream side of the proposed dam site. On the basis of impact analysis adopting using Matrice and Interaction Matrix approaches and results of the base-line data, it has been found that dam construction activity is more dominant over other aspects. Considered for correlation these aspects are effect on Regional Ecology and Environment, Irrigation Benefits, Forest Loss, Regional Economy, Social Aspects, Geology, Hydrology, Moreover, results indicate that there would be minimal adverse impact on regional ecology and environment following the construction of dam. Instead, it may offer benefit to this region. It may enhance irrigation activity leading to agricultural productivity, increase vegetation and green areas in this semi-arid region of the state

[1]. Abu zeid and wagdy (1999), assessment of environmental impacts for irrigation project, decision support system
[2]. Alan Bond, Juan Palerm and Paul Haigh(2004) Environmental impact assessment and the decommissioning of nuclear power plants a review and suggestion for a best practicable approach.
[3]. Chantra Tongcumpou, Nick Harvey (2006) implications of recent eia changes in thailand

[4]. Clark, B.D, Gilard, A, Bisset, R. and Tomlinson, R. (1984). perspectives on environmental impact assessment. Reidel publishing company, Holland.
[5]. Dubey, S, Newnes, D, (2003). Green democracy peoples participation in environmental decision making, environmental justice initiative

Abstract: The present attempt of study has been made to reveal the status of fresh water reservoirs from Gadhinglaj Tahsil of Kolhapur District, Maharashtra, India by using Global Positioning System (GPS) with reference to survey and mapping. Emphasis is given to survey, location, mapping and submergence area of major wetlands from the Tahsil. Comparison with secondary data is made available from Government authorities so as to study the percentage of change in the total submergence area of wetlands in this area due to anthropogenic activities and other environmental factors. The study adds multi-temporal GPS information on the reservoirs, which have paramount importance to indicate environmental changes and anthropogenic activities. The finding obtained from the survey can provide valuable information for policy makers and government authorities to implicate initiatives, management related decision-making and environmental impact assessment. The present results indicate reduction in the submergence area and changes in the landscape pattern due to influence of human activities and population pressure. The total reduction observed in water resources in present investigation from Gadhinglaj tehsil is 7.57%.

Keywords: Water bodies, survey, mapping, conservation

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Abstract: Pollution of water bodies is on the rise all over the world. In India, water pollution and lack of available safe water is particularly devastating for the health, social and economic situation of the local populations. Today, approximately seventy percent of India's surface water bodies are unfit for human consumption1 and over the past decades, people have turned to ground water as their primary source of water for everyday needs. However, increased urbanization and population growth is resulting in over-exploitation of India's ground water sources. In 1947, at the time of independence, India's water availability per person was over 5,000 cubic meters per person per year. Fifty years later, the actual usable quantity has fallen to an estimated 1,122 cubic meters per person per year2. Over-extraction of ground water is causing the ingress of salinity and other pollutants in coastal and inland areas. The decreased water availability compounded with increased pollution has sparked a search for technologies to produce clean water from polluted sources. Many consumers as well as community organizations (governmental and non-governmental) have turned to Reverse Osmosis (RO) for elimination of contaminants. However, the drawback is that RO generates concentrated effluent that must be properly managed in order to avoid environmental contamination of ground water in the long term. The deterioration in water quality is leading to a rapid adoption of more and more RO installations. This article illustrates that utilizing Reverse Osmosis as sole means of drinking water purification will only worsen the situation in the long term.

[1]. Ministry of Environment and Forest (State of Environment Report, 2009), http://moef.gov.in/soer/2009/SoE%20Report_2009.pdf (Accessed Jan 26th, 2010).
[2]. India Assessment, 2002, Water and Sanitation, Planning Commission, Government of India, 2002 Report, http://planningcommission.gov.in/reports/genrep/wtrsani.pdf (Accessed Jan 20th, 2010).
[3]. World Health Organization, Millennium Development Goals and Health – India, Chapter 5. http://www.whoindia.org/LinkFiles/MDG_Chapter-05.pdf (Accessed on Jan 27th, 2010).
[4]. Ministry of Water Resources, Ground Water Quality Scenario, http://wrmin.nic.in/index3.asp?subsublinkid=782&langid=1&sslid=801 (Accessed Jan 23rd, 2010).
[5]. Central Ground Water Board, State Ground Water Profiles, http://cgwb.gov.in/gw_profiles/st_ap.htm (Accessed Jan 23rd, 2010).

Abstract: The frequency and intensity of climate change events have overwhelmed the coping and adaptation capacity of communities resident in the arid and semi-lands of Kenya. This is evidenced by the continued over reliance on external food aid. The objective of this study was to assess constraints in climate change indigenous coping and adaptation strategies for sustainable agro-pastoral based livelihoods in Baringo County, Kenya. The study postulated that incorporation of indigenous knowledge can add value to the development of sustainable climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. A social survey research design was adopt for this study. The target population was all the households in the study area. A completely randomized cluster sampling approach was used for data collection. Data collection instruments included questionnaires; focus group discussions; key informant interviews; personal observation and secondary data review. The data collected was analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics; Pearson's Chi-square; and Correlation analysis. We therefore conclude that neither the indigenous knowledge nor the exogenous knowledge is yet fully utilized in the development process as each has inherent constraints that limit their adoption; and that conventional approaches have been perceived as more advanced and therefore have overlooked the potential in local experiences and practices. We recommend that indigenous knowledge needs to be captured, documented, preserved and transferred as well. To upscale any adaptation initiatives, there is need to improve indigenous knowledge information exchange between local communities; Community based Organizations; Non-Governmental Organizations; planners and academia. The use of the Integrated Knowledge Intervention Model (IKIM) conceptualized by the author is also recommended.

Key Words: Adaptation, Constraints, indigenous coping, indigenous knowledge

[1]. Ashley, C. and Carney, D. (1999). 'Sustainable livelihoods: Lessons from early experience'. London: Department for International Development DFID.
[2]. AUN (2014). Traditional medicine: Environment change threatens indigenous know-how. Australian National University.
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[4]. Burford, G., Ngaila, L. O., and Rafiki, Y. (2003). Education, indigenous knowledge and globalization, Tanzania: Aang Serian Community College.
[5]. Critchly, W. R. S. (1984). Runoff harvesting for crop, range and tree production in the Baringo area. Kenya: BPSAAP, Marigat.
[6]. Epstein, P. R. (2001). Climate change and emerging infectious diseases. Microbes and Infection Vol.3, Issue 9, July 2001.

Abstract: It is now widely recognized that climate change is real. The frequency and severity of droughts, floods and unpredictable seasons in the recent past is a clear manifestation of the climate change. It is expected that these climatic events have negative implications on the indigenous coping and adaptation strategies of the communities residing where the events occur. This study was therefore carried out to establish whether any indigenous coping and adaptation strategies existed with the agro-pastoral communities in Baringo County, Kenya, and evaluate how they have coped and adapted to climate change using the indigenous knowledge. A social survey approach was adopted in the conduct of the study. Data was collected from 377 agro-pastoralists from 15 locations. Each of this location was used as a cluster. The sample was proportionately apportioned to each cluster, and simple random sampling procedure was adopted within the cluster. Data collection was done using questionnaires, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, observation schedules and secondary data review. On analysis of the data, the study revealed existence and use of various indigenous coping and adaptation strategies. Among the strategies were, livestock relocation to wet or dry season grazing areas depending on the climatic event, diversification of both livestock and crops; herd adjustments through sale or herd splitting; use of local crops seeds; specialized food storage methods and controlled food rations during food insecure periods. From this revelation, it was concluded that there exits great wealth of indigenous knowledge with the local communities on adaptation to climate change. It was recommended that this indigenous knowledge should be used in complementarity with scientific knowledge while formulating socially acceptable and sustainable interventions.

Key Words: Climatic events, Drought, Floods, Resilience, Variability, Vulnerability

[1]. Abebe, D., Cullis, A., Catley, A., Aklilu, Y., Mekonnen, G. and Ghebrechirstos, Y. (2008).Impact of a commercial destocking relief intervention in Moyale district, southern Sudan. USA: Blackwell Publishing.
[2]. Aklilu, Y. and Wekesa, M. (2002).Drought, livestock and livelihoods: lessons from the 1999–2001 emergency response in the pastoral sector in Kenya. United Kingdom: Overseas Development Institute.
[3]. Anderson, S., Gundel, S. and Vanni, M. (2010).The impacts of climate change on food security in Africa: A synthesis of policy issues for Europe. IIED.
[4]. ATPS (2013).Indigenous rain water harvesting practices for climate adaptation and food security in dry areas: The case of Bahi district. ATPS Research Paper No. 22.
[5]. Benson, C. and Clay, E. J. (1998).The impact of drought on sub-Saharan economies. The World Bank Tech Paper No. 401, Washington, DC: World Bank.

Abstract: Aquatic toxicity studies with two different sizes of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles were conducted on Rainbow trout fish Oncorhynchus mykiss, water flea Daphnia magna, and green algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata as model organisms. Author (1) along with co-authors (2,3)conducted this research work at IIBAT as a part of PhD. The results of these studies indicated that MWCNTs are low concern whereas, silver nanoparticles are of high concern to the aquatic species tested (Rainbow trout fish, Water flea and Green alga). The present aquatic studies demonstrated the hazard potential of silver nanoparticles to the aquatic species, following acute exposure and calls for surveillance on the impact of the wide release of nanomaterials into the environment.

Key words: Aquatic toxicity, Silver nanoparticles, MWCNT, Silver nanoparticles, Rainbow trout fish, Water flea Daphnia, Green alga, Nanotechnology.

[1] Colvin L, The potential environmental impact of engineered nanomaterials, Nature biotechnology, 21, 2003, 1166-1170.

[2] Oberdorster G, Oberdorster E and Oberdorster J, Nanotoxicology an emerging discipline evolving from studies of ultrafine particles. Environ. Health Perspect. 113, 2005, 823–839.
[3] US EPA, Nanotechnology White Paper Science Policy Council, Nanotechnology Workgroup. Report No: EPA 100-B-07-001, 132 pp, Feb 2007 US EPA Nanotechnology White Paper [displayed February 2007] http://es.epa.gov/ncer/nano/ publications/whitepaper12022005.pdf

[4] Oberdorster E, Zhu S, TM, Blickley P, McClellan-Green and ML, Haasch, Ecotoxicology of carbon-based engineered nanoparticles: effects of fullerene (C60) on aquatic organisms. Carbon. 44, 2006, 1112–1120.

[5] Templeton R., Leeferguson P, Washburn K, Scrivens W and Thomaschandler G, Life-cycle effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on an estuarine meiobenthic copepod. Environ Sci Technol. 40, 2006, 7387– 7393.