<p>Order of the Supreme Court in the matter of Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwar Devasthanam Vs State of Tamil Nadu & Others dated 18/03/2024.</p> <p>The matter related to 3009.84 acres of land situated
Adverse weather conditions, including heavy rains, have affected mango crop in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, while the prospects in Maharashtra, the largest producer of the
Technology to collect, store, organise and analyse information is key to protecting India's biodiversity, according to the scientists and educationists who addressed a workshop on "Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Marine Biodiversity' at Loyola College here on Tuesday. "Marine biodiversity informatics can play a vital role in developing databases and designing computer software to manage and organise marine biodiversity data and information,' said National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) Chairman S. Kannaiyan. He rued the lack of a data management culture among most marine biologists, which resulted in data being lost and scattered among various scientists and institutions, and in various forms
Myristica Dactyoloides, popularly known as Ramapatre, is near-extinct and needs instant protection,writes Sandhya Hegde Almane. Myristica Dactyoloides is an indication of water sources. Myristica Dactyoloides, popularly known as Ramapatre in Kannada, is mainly found in the Western Ghats and is almost extinct. A prominent non-timber forest product species found in evergreen forests, Ramapatre is a major income generator too. In fact, people earn as much as Rs 22,000 per season from the sale of Ramapatre. Sadly, in the recent past, the branches of these trees are drying up in the forests of Bengaon, Mattighatta and Heggarani in Siddapur. Myristica Dactyoloides is one of the major non-timber forest products like garcinia gummigutta, and cinnamon. Myristica tree grows up to 15 meters in height, blossoms from March to June and fruits from October to March. The seeds of Myristica are vulnerable to temperature and humidity, while the fruit perishes very soon. Ecologically, Myristica is in a dying condition and needs immediate protection. Over extraction and the harvest of unripe fruits have endangered the survival of the species in recent days. Since unripe fruits are harvested, the branches of the trees are affected and the availability of mature fruits has decreased. About 95 per cent of fruits are harvested in the month of March. While the nutmeg and mace are dried and sold, fleshy fruits are used for pickles and sold in parts of Tamil Nadu. According to experts, fruits shouldn't be harvested early so as to lead to regeneration. They suggest that some mature fruits should be left on the trees for progeny. This fruit is also known as kadu jajika in Kannada, kattu jathikai in Tamil and pantha payin in Malayalam. Myristica malabarica and Myristica fatua are two more popular names of Myristica Dactyoloides. Now the trees are affected by a strange disease, leading to the loss of innumerable immature nuts. According to Prof R Vasudev, College of Forestry, Sirsi, Lycanidae, an insect of butterfly family, feeds on the leaves and bark of these trees, weakening them. A similar phenomenon was reported in Thirthahalli forest region three years ago. "A species, that's feared is heading the extinct way, remains only when breed cultivation is developed by resistant trees. Already, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has identified Myristica Dactyoloides as one of the about-to-be-extinct species at the international level,' revealed Mr Vasudev. In order to preserve the species, the plant is to be grown in nurseries, cultivated in home gardens and planted back in the forests. Prakruti, an NGO in Sirsi, is involved in the resource mapping of the species, raising them in nurseries and spreading awareness about the importance of the survival of the plant species among the general public through meetings and workshops.
The Tamil Nadu Agricutlural University (TNAU) has denied that its trial on Bt brinjal is based on an MoU or an agreement with private seed companies like Monsanto and Mahyco. Reacting to the remarks mady by Selvam, secretary, Erode Organic Farmers Collective, the TNAU said Genetically Engineered (GE) trials were being conducted in more than seven agricultural universities across the country on the instruction of the Centre. The GE trial in TNAU is a network research project in which many universities and research centres are involved. The GE research is closely monitored by the ICAR. The allegation that cultivation of Bt cotton or Bt brinjal will affect the soil adversely is totally unscientific and wrong. It is also wrong that Bt food is a slow poison. Moreover, the farmers can grow Bt brinjal without applying pesticides, an offi cial release said.
Behaviour of monsoon in different climates to be assessed Integrated adaptation strategies to be identified The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has initiated an inter-continental collaborative research on air pollution. The Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (Bioforsk), Norway, and the International Pacific Research Centre, University of Hawaii, will collaborate with the university in the project, which is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Indian Meteorological Department and the Department of Science and Technology will also be involved. The Monterrey Tech., Mexico, will extend technical support in nano-nutrients that will help to minimise the impact of greenhouse gases, said a release. Scientific platform "The project will provide a scientific platform for these institutes to initiate research on mitigating the negative impact of global warming on Indian agriculture, especially in rice productivity,' says S. Natarajan, Director, Centre for Soil and Crop Management Studies, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. The project will assess the behaviour of monsoon in different climates, and its impact on water availability and rice production in different meteorological sub-divisions. The research, Mr. Natarajan reckons, will lead to identification and implementation of integrated adaptation strategies to sustain rice productivity under changing climatic conditions. Vice-Chancellor C. Ramasamy and Mr. Natarajan will lead the steering committee.
Even as the Union government is struggling to boost the country's agriculture extension system, pesticide and crop chemical manufacturers have joined hands with rural ngos to promote safe and judicious usage of pesticides among the farmers.
Even as the issues of Genetically Engineered (GE) paddy crop raised at Alandurai village here last year are still fresh in the minds of farmers and environmentalists, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has came in for severe criticism for raising Bt Brinjal using the GE technology in its premises on a trial basis. A handful of farmers and environmentalists under the banner of Tamizhaga Velan Kappu Kuzhu (Tamil Nadu Agricultural Protection Committee) entered the Bt Brinjal trial field inside the university campus without obtaining prior permission and shouted slogans against it holding placards on Friday. Vice Chancellor Prof C Ramasamy and scientists as well as the police were clueless as what to do as the majority of the activists belonged to Pasumai Thaayagam (an environmental wing of PMK. The activists stuck a banner on the entrance board of TNAU, which read the university is owned by Monsanto, a multinational company. The university has raised the Bt brinjal crop on experimental basis for Monsanto company. The university employees removed the banner on the instructions from higher authorities. R Selvam, coordinator, Erode District Organic Farmers Federation, and Sathirya Sekar of Pasumai Thaayagam, who were part of the agitating group, said that last year the same company had done the trials of Bt rice at Alandurai village in Coimbatore. They alleged that the TNAU is working for the profit of multinational company contaminating the soil and health of the people. When contacted, V-C Ramasamy said that a group of persons entered the university fields without permission creating unnecessary problems. He said that Bt cotton is a hundred percent success across the country. Following Bt cotton cultivation, the production has increased by an additional 100 lakh tonnes, he said, adding that the university is using the global technology with clear permission and sending a report to the Centre.
Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Friday released the much-awaited State policy for the micro, small and medium industries (MSMI), aimed at a multi-pronged approach for the growth of industries. Minister for Rural and Small Industries Pongalur N Palanisamy told journalists at the Secretariat that such a policy was formulated for the first time in the State. He said the incentives announced in the policy would be given to the industrial units which had taken effective steps to set up their units on or after August 1, 2006 and commenced commercial production on or after February 22, 2008. Establishment of multistoreyed flatted industrial estates for micro industries, creation of a rehabilitation fund for sick enterprises, reservation of up to 20 per cent of land in all SIPCOT estates for MSMI and up to 30 per cent of area for micro industries in SIDCO estates are some of the key measures. The main would be on enhancing competitiveness and scalable capacity of MSMI besides encouraging agrobased industries for increasing value addition and giving better income to the farmers, he said. The policy also aims at a sustained annual growth rate of over 10 per cent for MSMI and to promote 10 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities during the Eleventh Plan period. Salient features of the policy Setting up of multi-storeyed flatted industrial estates for micro industries Creation of Technology Development Fund Setting up of rehabilitation fund for sick enterprises Establishment of industrial clusters and mini tool rooms under public-private partnership mode Help for creating centres of excellence and technology business incubators Export policy being evolved to encourage export of micro, small and medium (MSMI) industries Subsidy schemes for agro-based industries set up in 385 blocks 15 per cent special capital subsidy for 10 thrust sector industries 50 per cent subsidy on cost of filing a patent application and trade mark registration 50 per cent rebate on stamp duty and registration charges for MSMI in backward areas Subsidy schemes for micro industries set up anywhere in Tamil Nadu
The cost of making Amirta karaisal for an acre comes to Rs. 5-8 Cost-effective concoction: Ms. Rajareega mixing the karaisal at her farm at Muthupatti in Tamil Nadu When the application of even some of the best technologies fails to yield a good harvest, farmers tend to either sell their land or borrow money for planting a second crop. With successive failures and mounting debts, agricultural activity comes to a grinding halt. In extreme cases some poor farmers go to the extreme of committing suicide to escape from problems. Immediate need
The State will get 122 MW of power from a mega power project at Tuticorin at Rs.2.92 a unit, Electricity Minister A.K. Balan has said.
