Does Assignment of Individual Property Rights Improve Forest Conservation Outcomes?

The past few decades have seen significant changes in the governance of forests in India. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Rights on Forest) Act (FRA), 2006, was a landmark act passed in the Indian Parliament to assign individual property rights over forest resources that have been de facto used by local communities. This paper examines whether the assignment of individual property rights results in positive outcomes for forest conservation using village-level forest patta (forest land title) and census data from Bankura district in West Bengal. Vegetation Continuous Fields data has been used to measure the change in forest cover from 2006 to 2012. The results show that the percentage of forest patta land in the village, distance to markets, the existence of pucca roads, and the presence of forest protection committees (FPCs) are negatively and significantly related to forest degradation, implying improvement in forest conservation outcomes. The presence of tribal people, a larger population, and higher literacy rate are positively associated with forest degradation, meaning that they have an undesirable impact on forest conservation outcomes..

Vitamin D status in outpatient department patients: a retrospective study

Background: Although there are innumerable studies on vitamin D deficiency in India, there is limited data in Eastern Bihar and North Bengal. Keeping this in view, the aim of our study is to find out the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in our region.Methods:  Patients attending the  outpatient departments (OPDs) in MGM Medical College, Kishanganj, Bihar, India and Medica North Bengal Clinic, Siliguri, West Bengal (January 2014 to December 2015) for various ailments and who were advised vitamin D estimation were included in our study.Results: Out of 485 patients, 187 were male and 298 were female. Age of the study population ranged from 1 month to 83 years. Maximum number of patients was in the age group of 21 to 60 years. Vitamin D deficiency was seen in 74.44 % out of which 54.22% had frank deficiency and 20.22% had insufficient levels with 46.4% female and 28.04% male subject.Conclusions: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is very high in our region that is in Eastern Bihar and North Bengal, as is reflected from our study. This is the pattern seen in other parts of our country too.  Also, the deficiency is high in the age group 21 to 60 years and females outnumber the male.

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Not AvailableVARIOUS TILLAGE PRACTICES VIZ . MOULD BOARD PLOUGH, COUNTRY PLOUGH, HEAVY DUTY DISCS, HEAVY DUTY CULTIVATOR, NOBLE VIDE BLADE ALONG WITH NO TILLAGE WERE TESTED. RESIDUAL SOIL WATER CONTENT AFTER MAIZE REMAINS MORE THROUGHOUT THE SOIL PROFILE IN THE PLOTS GIVEN DEEP TILLAGE WITH MOULD BOARD PLOUGH AS COMPARED TO NO TILLAGE OR SHALLOW TILLAGE WITH COUNTRY PLOUGH. IT COULD NOT ONLY CONSERVE MORE MOISTURE IN SOIL PROFILE BUT ALSO HELPS ROOTS TO UTILISE MORE MOISTURE FOR HIGH YIELDS. THE EFFICACY OF DEEP TILLAGE WITH MOULD BOARD PLOUGH WAS ALSO HIGHER IN CONTROLLING WEED GROWTH.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableIT DISCUSSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER HARVESTING DURING RAINY SEASON IN DOON VALLEY AND ITS USE AS IRRIGATION WATER FOR MAXIMISING THE CROP PRODUCTION . IT IS INDICATED WITH THE SUPPORT OF RESEARCH DATA THAT WITH LIMITED WATER TOGETHER NITROGEN APPLICATION, THE YIELD CAN BE INCREASED CONSIDERABLY.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableIT DISCUSSES THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER HARVESTING DURING RAINY SEASON IN DOON VALLEY AND ITS USE AS IRRIGATION WATER FOR MAXIMISING THE CROP PRODUCTION . IT IS INDICATED WITH THE SUPPORT OF RESEARCH DATA THAT WITH LIMITED WATER TOGETHER NITROGEN APPLICATION, THE YIELD CAN BE INCREASED CONSIDERABLY.Not Availabl

Human coexistence with leopards and elephants: Losses and coping strategies in an Indian tiger reserve

Conflicts between humans and wildlife, particularly involving common leopards (Panthera pardus) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Himalayan region, pose significant challenges for both communities and conservation efforts. This study fills crucial gaps in existing research, extending beyond landscape-level predictors of these conflicts. By examining patterns of losses due to leopard and elephant encounters and assessing the effectiveness of coping strategies, along with socio-economic factors associated with these conflicts in the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR), this study aims to inform more targeted policy approaches for forest communities. Conducting face-to-face interviews with 345 households across 10 forest villages in the BTR, the study revealed that leopards predominantly target cows during the day and goats during both day and night, while elephants raid crops, particularly during crucial agricultural phases like paddy transplantation and harvesting. Financial losses prompt the adoption of coping strategies, with traditional measures showing limited effectiveness. Visual deterrents like flashing bright LED torchlights for elephants and night lights for leopards prove more promising. Larger households with substantial livestock are more vulnerable to leopard attacks, and rice cultivation areas and the eastern division of the BTR face heightened elephant-related crop damage. The study recommends immediate measures like visual deterrents and long-term strategies such as sustainable livelihood support and habitat restoration to mitigate conflicts. Its global significance lies in advocating for tailored policies worldwide that balance conservation with livelihood protection

Pattern of Serum Vitamin D in Hospitalised Patients: A Retrospective Study

Background: To find out the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients hospitalised in two tertiary care centres for various ailments in Eastern Bihar and North Bengal. Methods: Hospitalised patients in MGM Medical College, Kishanganj, Bihar and Medical North Bengal Clinic, Siliguri, West Bengal (Jan 2014 to Dec 2014) who underwent blood sampling for vitamin D estimation in their work up for various ailments were included in the study. Result: Out of 108 patients, 65 were female and 43 were male in the age group ranging from 1 month to 85 years. Maximum number of patients was in the age group of 41 to 60 years. Seventy two percent patients had low vitamin D levels with 54.63% having frank deficiency and 17.59% had insufficient levels. Diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension were the most common diseases associated with hypovitaminosis D followed by diseases of respiratory system. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was seen in 72 % of the subjects with female preponderance. No age was spared as the age of the subjects ranged from 1 month to 85 years with majority in the 41 to 60 years age group. Among subjects with hypovitaminosis D, diabetes mellitus and /or hypertension were the most commonly encountered diseases

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Not AvailableThis study examines the energy use pattern in wheat crop cultivation in the Himalayan Tarai region of India among different farmer groups. A total of 250 farmers from 59 villages were interviewed and information on various inputs in wheat crop production was collected during 2015–16. Based on the information, all the inputs in wheat crop production were identified and converted into energy using standard energy equivalents. Results showed that the total energy expenditure in wheat crop production in the region was 20497.1 MJ/ha in which fertilizer, fuel and seed shared 85% of the total energy. Fertilizer alone accounted for 50.2% of total energy followed by fuel (22.6%). It was estimated that farmers of the large and medium category used more energy compared to those having small landholding, but also produced more grains. Operation-wise, fertilizer application consumed maximum energy followed by tillage operation. The average value estimated for output-to-unit input energy ratio was 3.02, whereas it was 3.26, 3.15, 3.14, 3.11 and 2.95 for large, medium, semi-medium, small and marginal category farmers respectively. It can be concluded from the present study that energy consumption has a positive relationship with yieldNot Availabl

Ataxia due to vitamin E deficiency: A case report and updated review

Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency (AVED) is a rare cause of hereditary ataxia in developing countries with unknown prevalence. AVED is an autosomal-recessive disorder, which is characterized by ataxia, areflexia, and proprioceptive and vibratory sensory loss. The disease is characterized clinically by symptoms with often resembling to those of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). Vitamin E supplementation improves symptoms and prevents the progression of the disease. In this case report, we reviewed the recently updated findings in AVED in regard to the management and present a case of AVED in a 16-year-old boy, who was initially misdiagnosed as FRDA, prior to the genetic test

Decadal terminus position changes and ice thickness measurement of Menthosa Glacier in Lahaul region of North-Western Himalaya

Glacier ice-thickness measurement and distribution is one of the essential variables to assess present status of glacier-water equivalent and its volumetric reserve as well as to model the future glacier dynamics under the climate changing scenario. Yet, substantial gaps in ice thickness information exist for the Himalayan glaciers. The present study provides a long-term assessment (1965–2016) of recessional and area change patterns, as well as the detailed field-based (2016–2017) Ground Penetrating Radar(GPR), derived ice-thickness measurement of the Menthosa Glacier, Lahaul Himalaya. Additionally, the study examines whether the modelled ice thickness from remote sensing data is consistent with the field-based GPR measurement and how can it be improved. The extensive field surveys coupled with the multi-temporal high (Corona KH-4A) to medium resolution (Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper+ (ETM+)/Operational Land Imager (OLI), Sentinel 2A-Multispectral Instrument (MSI)) remote sensing data and cross-sectional GPR surveyed profile measurements have been used to examine past half a century (1965–2016) glacier fluctuation and the recent ice-thickness estimations, respectively. The results show that the Menthosa Glacier receded by 301.5 ± 19.2 m during the past half a century (1965–2016) with an average annual retreat of 5.9 ± 0.4 m a−1, whereas glacier lost 0.09 km2 ice in the frontal section. Field measurement over the past one decade (2006–2017) also conforms to a continuous recessional pattern and substantial glacier degeneration particularly the extensive surface lowering and significant appearance of ice-cliffs in the ablation and lateral zones over this period. The GPR measurements (2017) show the minimum glacier ice thickness of 24 meters at 4691 m a.s.l. (in the lower part of ablation area) and maximum glacier ice thickness of 55 meters measured at 4758 m a.s.l. (in the upper left-side tributary part of ablation area). Moreover, the modelled ice thickness derived from remotely sensed data is having Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between 38 to 72 ± 10 m as compared with GPR measured ice thickness