Feature Article

Enriched compost produced with use of municipal solid wastes (MSW) recorded narrow C:N ratio at the end of decomposition period than municipal solid wastes decomposed without enrichers. To enhance the decomposition rate, quality of municipal solid wastes and enrichers/amendments are found very significant for production of compost.

In ancient India, agriculturists were quite aware of the relation between soil properties and crop production. Several systems of soil classification were in vogue. Ancient Indian scriptures contain elaborate injunctions regarding the use of various kinds of manures for crop production.

In 2005, road traffic injuries resulted in the death of an estimated 110 000 persons, 2.5 million hospitalizations, 8-9 million minor injuries and economic losses to the tune of 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in India.

Underground drinking water samples at six different sites of hand pump at J.P. Nagar were collected and analysed for thirteen different water quality parameters following standard methods and procedures. Water quality index (WQI) has been calculated for all the sites using the statistical data of all thirteen parameters and WHO drinking water standards.

Water being a good solvent, is prone to physico chemical and microbial contamination. Municipal sewage, both treated and untreated is often released into the receiving water bodies, which influence water quality.

The authors assessed (i) the risk of cardiovascular disease in an industrial population in Chennai, southern India and (ii) whether the status of treatment and control of diabetes and hypertension would be different in an industrial population, which is provided free healthcare, compared with the general population of Chennai.

Aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity in the Bhagirathi river was monitored for the period of twelve months (September 2004 to August 2005) for assessing the impact of Asia's highest dam, Tehri Dam. Comparative data on diversity of macroinvertebrates revealed that the number of taxa in the downstream stretch, especially close to the dam was significantly reduced.

Weekly variations in free and total chlorine residuals and their impact on microbial concentrations were monitored for the IIT Kharagpur water supply to determine possible correlations between heterotrophic bacterial density, total and faecal coliform density, and total and free chlorine residuals.

The present study was undertaken to know the effect of concentration of lead (Pb) and different organic materials on the maize yield, concentrations of lead on maize plants and diethylene triamine penta-acetic acid (DTPA) extractable lead (Pb) on the post harvested soils.

Teak leaves (Tectona grandis) abundantly available in India showed high sorption capacity for lead ions and were found efficient for the removal of lead ions from aqueous solutions. The extent of removal was found to be dependent on pH, temperature, concentration of metal ions and the dose of adsorbent.