A WORKFLOW MODEL TO SUPPORT LOCATION BASED PARTICIPATION TO POLICY MAKING PROCESSES

This paper aims to propose PMWF model, a new workflow model to automate ubiquitous policy making processes and facilitate citizen participation. While workflow technology has been widely adopted in public sector, the use of technology is mostly limited to supporting back-end administrative business processes. PMWF model targets front-end policy making processes that require active participation of large number of citizens. Automatic delivery of relevant policy issues into citizen’s life is expected to enhance their participation in policy formulation and implementation processes. PMWF model provides modelling constructs to link back-end admin tasks by policy makers to front-end opinion tasks whose main actors are citizens. The core constructs for linkage is opinion-tag which contains policy issues and is attached to geographical objects so that citizens can identify relevant policy issues in the middle of their every-day life patterns. The proposed model is applied to real world policy making processes in the UK and Turkey to show its generality

Bagarius bagarius, and Eichhornia crassipes are suitable bioindicators of heavy metal pollution, toxicity, and risk assessment

Abstract Water quality index (WQI) of Narora channel and health of endemic fish Bagarius bagarius and plant Eichhornia crassipes, district Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh, India were studied. Among the physicochemical properties of water, pH, D.O, Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cd were above the recommended standards. These factors lead to high WQI (4124.83), indicating poor quality and not suitable for drinking and domestic usage. In fish tissues, the highest metal load was reported in the liver (58.29) and the lowest in the kidney (33.73). Heavy metals also cause a lowering of condition indices. As expected, decreased serum protein (− 63.41%) and liver glycogen (− 79.10%) were recorded in the exposed fish. However, blood glucose (47.22%) and serum glycogen (74.69%) showed elevation. In the plant, roots (21.50) contained the highest, and leaves (16.87) had the lowest heavy metal load. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) > 1, indicates hyperaccumulation of all metals. E. crassipes roots showed the highest translocation factor (TF) > 1 for Ni (1.57) and Zn (1.30). The high mobility factor (MF) reflected the suitability of E. crassipes for phytoextraction of Mn, Cd, Zn, Fe, Ni, and Cu. Moreover, Bagarius sp. consumption could not pose any non-cancer risk. Although, lower cancer risk can be expected from Ni and Cr