Informatics Publishing Limited

R. Sarmah , A. Arunachalam , U. Melkania , M. Majumder , D. Adhikari

Abstract

Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh is one of the largest reservoirs of plant biodiversity in the North-East India. A large number of medicinal plants, rare and endemic taxa occur here in the wild. The Chakma community inhabiting the North-western periphery of the park has been utilizing a large number of medicinal plants from the park area for their day-to-day life. This paper documents the medicinal use of 63 plant species belonging to 38 families in different ailments by the Chakma community in Arunachal Pradesh. It is suggested that the traditional ecological knowledge pertaining to the medicinal plant utilization needs further exploration and warrants recognition of an incentive based community conservation of medicinal plants.

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Ch. Subba Rao ¹, M. Majumder ¹, J. Roy ¹, M. S. Chaudhari ¹, R. S. Ramteke ¹

Affiliations
1 Geophysics Division, Central Water and Power Research Station, Khadakwasla R.S., Pune 411 024, IN

Abstract

In the present study, continuity of coal seams was established in the area adjacent to the existing open cast coal mine at Talabira, Odisha situated close to Hirakud reservoir. Water tightness of the strata in the zone between the reservoir and the mine needs to be verified to prevent inundation by subterranean seepage and ensure safety. Multi electrode resistivity imaging technique was used to establish continuity of coal seams and verify water tightness. From the studies conducted in and around the mine along 13 profiles, coal seams with relatively high resistivity ranging from 500 to 1500 Ohm-m at depths varying from 10 to 31 m were delineated. The intervening strata between the reservoir and the open cast mine was found to be fairly tight without any significant zone susceptible to seepage.

Keywords

Coal Seam, Electrical Resistivity Imaging, Open Cast Mine, Reservoir, Water Tightness.

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S. Halder ¹, M. Majumder ²

Affiliations
1 State Water Investigation Directorate, Govt. of West Bengal, IN
2 Freelance Environmental Psychologist, Kolkata, IN

Abstract

Frequency and severity of natural hazards are increasing worldwide, in particular for hydro-meteorological extremes, posing a serious threat to the groundwater hazards in many countries and regions. Adequate fresh groundwater losses have been increasing as a result of groundwater-related hazardslike long-term depletion of groundwater level and groundwater contamination mainly due to high concentration of arsenic, fluoride, total dissolved solids etc. But it has beenexperienced that changes or variability in the climate are also responsible for the increasing losses of sufficient fresh groundwater. In particular groundwater resources are vulnerable to climate change, compounding changes in groundwater use in domestic, irrigation, industrial sector as part of its development.Groundwater conditions in some parts of West Bengal is also in vulnerable due to some hazards like groundwater crisis during frequent drought-like situation; groundwater depletion due to excessive withdrawal; and higher concentration of arsenic, fluoride and salinity in groundwater. Therefore, groundwater hazardsrisk management is the issue of groundwater security in the state of West Bengal, which must be addressed on a groundwater basin basis through a strong and properly enforced groundwater regulatory systemby modernizing the governance structure, combined with a strategic groundwater resource plan.For sustainable development, access to fresh groundwater and the protection against groundwater related hazards from quantitative and qualitative point of view are very crucial. Therefore, a productive approach to groundwater hazards risk management and adaptation strategies would reduce the risk through development of short-term action plan and long-term preventive actions e.g. a risk-based groundwater resource plan. In this paper, the review focuses on groundwater-related hazards, including impacts, current management and policies to reduce the risk, and opportunities for strengthening integrated groundwater hazards risk management in West Bengal.

Keywords

Hydro-Meteorological Extremes, Groundwater Hazards Risk Management and Groundwater Security.

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