Districts Of Maharashtra Research Articles

Climate Risk Management among Smallholder Farmers: A Comparative Analysis of Flood-prone Alappuzha and Drought-affected Gondia in India

Climate change poses significant risks to agricultural systems worldwide, particularly in developing countries where smallholder farmers have limited adaptive capacity. This study examines the socioeconomic and demographic factors influencing climate risk management practices among smallholder farmers in two contrasting regions of India: the flood-prone Alappuzha district in Kerala and the drought-affected Gondia district in Maharashtra. Using data collected from 150 rice farmers, the research analyzes economic, social, technical, and physical dimensions shaping adaptive responses. Key findings reveal significant regional disparities in adaptive strategies. Alappuzha farmers exhibit greater resilience due to higher incomes, better compensation mechanisms, and stronger community networks. Their strategies primarily involve strengthening bunds, improving drainage infrastructure, adopting flood-resistant rice varieties, and relying on formal credit for support. Conversely, Gondia farmers face lower adaptive capacity, driven by limited access to credit, inadequate compensation, and weaker institutional support. Their climate risk management approaches include drip irrigation, planting drought-resistant crop varieties, and pursuing income diversification to reduce vulnerability. Education levels, access to insurance, and the use of localized weather information also play crucial roles in shaping adaptive capacity across both regions. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to strengthen institutional support, expand educational programs, facilitate community networks, and improve access to localized weather information to enhance agricultural resilience to climate risks. These findings provide practical policy recommendations aimed at addressing region-specific challenges and leveraging local strengths to bolster adaptive capacity.

Assessment of infrastructure and manpower as per IPHS guideline of the primary health centers in a district of Maharashtra: a descriptive study

Background: Primary health care is provided through PHCs. Primary health care includes the curative care for the diseases, preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care to the specified population of the defined area. The aim of the study was to assess infrastructure and manpower at primary health care centres as per IPHS guidelines. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in 13 PHCs randomly selected, 1 from 13 blocks of Buldana district. A face-to-face interview was conducted using the semi structured questionnaire. Results: The 13 PHCs have MBBS medical officer. There are 10 (77%) PHC having their own building. The infrastructure for counselling room and health and wellness room is available at 11 (85%) PHCs. Major of the gap in human resource was seen in staff nurse (54%), pharmacist (23%), lab technician (46%), health assistant female (15%), counsellor (85%), dresser (77%), Data entry operator DEO (77%). Interrupted drug supply was reported for some drugs. Conclusions: The infrastructure at PHC needs to be improved and manpower at PHC can be filled up for better quality of health services delivery.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices about Menstrual Hygiene among Tribal Adolescent Girls of Raigad district in Maharashtra, India

Introduction: In light of the universal experience of menstruation among girls, it remains concerning that there exists a dearth of awareness regarding the menstrual process and appropriate menstrual hygiene practices, particularly among adolescent girls hailing from tribal backgrounds. The objective of our study was to evaluate menstruation-related knowledge and practices in adolescent girls belonging to a tribal community. Materials and Methods:The present research employed a community-based cross-sectional design. The study sample comprised 400 tribal adolescent girls aged between 13 and 18. The participants were purposefully selected from different schools in the Raigad district of the Maharashtra state. A predeveloped and validated questionnaire guide was employed to evaluate the knowledge and practices about menstruation. The data was subsequently analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: The average age of menarche was 14.2 years. Notably, a mere 36% of the participants had prior awareness of menstruation before experiencing menarche. Among those who were aware, the primary source of information on menstruation was their friends, accounting for about 43% of respondents, followed by mothers. Most participants believed that they should avoid visiting holy places (67.75%), relatives, friends, or neighbors (57.75%) during menstruation. They also felt that they should not perform household activities (54.25%), bathe daily (44.75%), or practice isolation during their menstrual period (59.25%). The majority of the adolescent girls followed unhygienic practices during menstruation. Conclusions: Tribal adolescent girls exhibit a notable lack of knowledge regarding menstruation. Furthermore, their practices surrounding menstruation are influenced by a range of myths and misconceptions.

Active Prevalence of Fusarium falciforme and F. acutatum Causing Basal Rot of Onion in Maharashtra, India.

Over the past decade, there have been accumulating reports from researchers, farmers, and field extension personnel on the increasing incidence and spread of onion basal rot in India. Onion basal rot disease is mainly caused by Fusarium spp. This study aimed to validate the information on the active prevalence of F. falciforme and F. acutatum causing Fusarium basal rot (FBR) in Maharashtra. A survey was conducted, and the infected plants/bulbs were collected from fields of 38 locations comprising five districts of Maharashtra, namely, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur, Ahmednagar, and Pune, in 2023. This disease was prevalent in high-moisture and high-oil-temperature conditions and the symptoms were observed in most of the fields, with the FBR incidence ranging from 17 to 41%. The available data of basal rot incidence from 1998 to 2022 were analyzed, based on which the prevalence of FBR was 11-50%. Tissue from the infected samples of onion bulbs was used for the isolation. The identification was performed based on colony morphology and microscopic features and confirmed through molecular markers using ITS and Tef-1α gene primers. Of the ten Fusarium isolates collected from selected locations, six species were confirmed as F. acutatum and four as F. falciforme. The pathogenicity tests performed with onion seedlings and bulbs under moist conditions proved that both F. acutatum and F. falciforme independently could cause basal rot disease symptoms but with different degrees of virulence. Koch's postulates were confirmed by reisolating the same pathogens from the infected plants. Thus, the active prevalence of FBR was confirmed in Maharashtra and also, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of F. falciforme and F. acutatum causing basal rot of onion independently in Maharashtra, India.

Vegetation Indices Based Spatial Water Demand of Rabi Onion Crop

There are numerous methods for estimating the water requirements of crops. However, the FAO Penman-Monteith Method has been adopted worldwide but it lacks spatial variability. The accuracy can be improved by adopting VI based method. Therefore, the present study was planned to investigate the use of vegetation indices (VIs) as a surrogate of crop coefficients in place of tabulated crop coefficients and find the best VI in the case of onion crops which require the amount of water. The study was conducted in 3 districts of Maharashtra i.e. Nashik, Dhule, and Jalgaon where onion is a major rabi crop grown on a large scale, for two consecutive rabi seasons of the year 2020-21 and 2021-22. Multitemporal vegetation indices such as NDVI, NDWI, SAVI, MSAVI2, and RVI were estimated using temporal images of Sentinel 2A satellite during the growth period of onion and week-wise values were obtained by using ERDAS Imagine. Linear regression was applied on VI values versus Kc recommended by MPKV, Rahuri which resulted in linear models. NDWI-Kc model showed the strongest relation with high R2 values. The spatial crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was then calculated by applying this model. For the 2020–21 growing season, the total crop evapotranspiration for onions in Dhule, Jalgaon and Nashik was calculated to be 486.5 mm, 482.7 mm, and 488.7 mm, respectively. Whereas during 2021–22, it was estimated to be 493.7 mm, 473.9 mm, and 477.2 mm, respectively in these districts. For getting water demand crop evapotranspiration values were multiplied by the acreage estimated by remote sensing. Total water demand for rabi onion for the districts Dhule, Jalgaon and Nashik was found to be 70.54 Mm3, 43.8 Mm3 and 693.2 Mm3, respectively and 128.1 Mm3, 33.9 Mm3, and 825.7Mm3 respectively for the years 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively.

Assessment of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis elimination in the Armori and Chamorshi blocks of Gadchiroli District, Maharashtra: A cross-sectional study.

Medical colleges regularly examine mass drug administration (MDA) programs to determine their effectiveness and pinpoint areas for development. These analyses frequently show a discrepancy between the program's coverage and actual drug use. This study was conducted in the Chamorshi and Armori blocks of the Gadchiroli District in Maharashtra. This study aimed to find out the coverage and compliance of MDA in the Chamorshi and Armori blocks of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. This study was a cross-sectional study. Thirty houses from each of the three randomly chosen villages and a ward were surveyed in each implementing unit. Thus, a total of 120 households' worth of data were gathered and examined. Information was gathered from each individual in the chosen home at the individual level. Data were collected and duly filled out on questionnaire forms, which were then entered in Microsoft (MS) Excel. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 (Chicago) was used as a statistical tool in the analysis. Consumption rates in rural areas were much higher than in urban areas. A minimum consumption rate was found in the 2- to 5-year-old age range. In this study, the percentage of coverage and compliance rates was 89.5% and 99.4% and 90.81% and 99.2% for the Armori and Chamorshi blocks, respectively. In comparison, coverage was better in rural areas than in urban areas. The MDA program must therefore be significantly strengthened in urban areas, particularly by guaranteeing improved compliance through monitored drug consumption.

Misuse of Prescription Drugs and Illicit Sales without Prescription in Amravati District

There are major public health problems associated with the misuse of prescription drug abuse problem and the illegal sale of medications without valid prescriptions. This paper analyzes theproblems, focusing on how they affect people's health, healthcare systems, and the pharmaceutical sector. The study focuses on the Amravati District in Maharashtra, India, where concerns regarding public health interventions and regulatory frameworks are raised by a rise in prescription drug usage. The study looks at the prevalence, underlying causes, and effects of misuse in order to pinpoint trends, contributing elements, and the size of illegal sales. The interaction of socioeconomic factors, cultural influences, and healthcare accessibility is explored to provide insight into prescription drug misuse in the local environment.The global context explores how prescription drug abuse is recognized by the World Health Organization, with a focus on the risks associated with addiction, overdose, and negative health outcomes.The influence of COVID-19 on the pharmaceutical sector is discussed in the research, with an emphasis on the rising usage of telemedicine and the greater reliance on online platforms.

Groundwater flow simulation for artificial recharge: a GIS, remote sensing, and MODFLOW integration

ABSTRACT Groundwater (GW) emerges as a sustainable resource to meet water demand, yet current GW reservoirs fall short of projected population needs. Artificial GW recharge, bolstered by Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) technologies, stands out as a pivotal solution. Examining Aurangabad district in Maharashtra, India the study uncovers distinct challenges: Aurangabad faces escalating water demand due to population growth, leading to GW over exploitation. Leveraging hydrogeological parameters, rainfall analysis, and GW availability, the study proposes tailored GW recharge techniques. Utilizing MODFLOW simulation, the study explores diverse recharge rates and existing GW availability, showcasing promising results. Integration of stream augmentation, bladder pillow tank methods, and dug well recharge is examined via GIS and RS techniques. Simulation outcomes project significant GW level increases (11.55–23.70 m) with varying recharge rates, effectively meeting region-specific water demand projections. The findings underscore the imperative of sustainable water management practices and technological advancements in addressing water scarcity crises.

IJCM_44A: Analysis of Health System and Community Readiness for Adhering to Government Guidelines on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in India

Background: GDM affects approximately 7% of all pregnant women worldwide. India has one of the highest prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in the world. In a field study in Tamil Nadu, the prevalence of GDM was 17.8% in the urban, 13.8% in the semi urban and 9.9% in the rural areas. It is estimated that at any given time, approximately 4 million women in India are affected by GDM. Though there is availability of national guidelines, screening and management of GDM is challenging and controversial in India due to conflicting guidelines and treatment protocol. There are huge challenges in GDM management both at the individual and provider level. Objective: To understand the challenges and possible solutions for successfully implementing the GDM program Methodology: Data were collected from both public and private health facilities in two districts of Maharashtra. Self-administered questionnaire, IDIs and FGDs were conducted with medical officers and staff of PHCs, RH, SDH and District Hospital. Thematic analysis was done. Results: There were lack of training to Staff and Doctor of the government and private health system regarding GDM guidelines. Infrastructure was lacking for conducting the OGTT. Staff were not willing to conduct OGT and MNT(Medical nutrition therapy) on regular basis. Conclusion: Improvement in infrastructure, manpower and training of the staff is needed. Training in OGTT and MNT is must for the filed staff. More involvement of private players is needed for better implementation of GoI guidleines.

A Cross-sectional Study to Understand the Reasons for Failure to Vaccinate Eligible Children with Measles-containing Vaccine among the Clinically Diagnosed Measles Cases during the Outbreak (2022) in a District of Maharashtra

A Cross-sectional Study to Understand the Reasons for Failure to Vaccinate Eligible Children with Measles-containing Vaccine among the Clinically Diagnosed Measles Cases during the Outbreak (2022) in a District of Maharashtra

Extreme value analysis of annual precipitation in districts of Maharashtra, India

Extreme value analysis of annual precipitation in districts of Maharashtra, India

Impacts of Agricultural Practices (Pesticides and Fertilizers) and Amalnala Stream on Amalnala Lake in Gadchandur, India

Amalnala lake is situated in the Gadchandur town of Chandrapur district in Maharashtra, India. The lake water was turning green in colour in the month of september. This study gives an insight into the causes and factors responsible for the greening of the lake adjacent to Manikgarh limestone mine in the month of September. It was noted that, phosphate concentration in lake water showed rise after July (2020, 2021) and peaked in August (2020, 2021). The phosphates were mainly contributed by organophosphate pesticides such as monocrotophos, profenofos, and chlorpyrifos, which were identified by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC MS/MS). The rise in phosphates showed complete correlation with the rainfall and chlorophyl a (chl a) content in September (2020, 2021). Similarly, the nitrate concentration of the lake showed peak in August (2020, 2021) followed by the rise in chl a content in September (2020, 2021). Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) of the lake was calculated and represented in terms of COD/BOD. The COD/BOD were highest in September (2020, 2021). Positive correlation was observed between the pH, total dissolved solids, and electrical conductivity of Amalnala Lake and Amalnala Stream which flows into the lake. This stream mainly carries the contaminants from open cast Manikgarh limestone mines to Amalnala Lake. Chl a was mainly contributed by two dominant species of cyanobacteria, Phormidium species CCALA 726 which was identified by 16S rRNA sequencing and Microcystis aeruginosa which was identified by using the keys given by Desikachary and Komarek and Anagnostidis. This study thus concluded that the pesticides, nitrates, and Amalnala Stream contributed in the growth of cyanobacteria which causes the greening of the lake.

Compliance of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics with National and International Standards: Quantitative findings from the i-Saathiya study

ObjectiveIndian adolescents experience several health challenges requiring acceptable, equitable, appropriate and effective healthcare services. Our objective was to assess the compliance of Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) in two of...

Marketing management of onion seed production

The present study titled ‘Marketing management of onion seed production’ is based on a sample of 90 onion seed growers drawn from Shrigonda, Parner and Nagar tehsils of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. The primary data was collected through a survey and pretested questionnaire for the agriculture year 2021–22. The analysis was completed using data gathered from market intermediaries by calculating marketing cost, marketing margin, marketing efficiency, price spread and producer’s share in consumer rupee. Production and disposal patterns of onion seed showed that 90.43 per cent of the produce was marketed. The total amount of onion seed available for sale was 255.18 kg, with 191.54 kg of onion seed sold through channel I, this included Producer  Consumer and was the most efficient method for onion seed distribution. Channel II, included Producer  Wholesaler Retailer  Consumer and accounted the sale of 63.64 kg of total onion seed production. The marketing cost for channel-II was 10.60 per kg followed by channel-I 1.09 per kg. The average per kg price spread for onion seed was 1.09 and 606.37 for Channel I and Channel II, respectively. The marketing efficiency for channel II was 3.

Removal of fluoride from groundwater by chemically functionalized sugarcane bagasse biochar and bagasse pellets in a fixed-bed sorption system

This study aimed to investigate the design parameters for a filter intended to remove fluoride from groundwater. Water fluoridation notably influences groundwater, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas that exacerbate the challenge of availability of safe drinking water from Groundwater resources in numerous developing nations. Experiments were conducted to determine the fluoride concentrations in groundwater sources in the arid region of Maharashtra, India. Samples were collected from seven villages in three districts of Maharashtra. This study utilized chemically functionalized sugarcane bagasse biochar adsorbent (SCBB), which is low-cost and easily accessible, to remove fluoride from groundwater in a column setup. The recommended design parameters for the packed-bed column flow rate (Q) are 100 ml min−1 and bed height (d) is 30 cm.

E-readiness Evaluation and Training Needs Assessment among Goat Bank Pashusakhis in Maharashtra

ICTs and e-readiness assessments guide organisations in maximizing their digital potential, ensuring a competitive edge in a dynamic economy. In line with this, a study was carried out in 2023 to assess the e-readiness index of Pashusakhis (Livestock para-extension professionals) working for the goat bank in five districts of Maharashtra. Pashusakhis serve as intermediaries between beneficiaries and the goat bank. Six out of 15 ICT-related indicators influencing e-readiness were selected, applying the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) based on rank scores. The analysis revealed a calculated index of 0.34, indicating a relatively lower level of e-readiness among Pashusakhis. Logistic regression identified three determinants, including experience, innovativeness, and economic motivation; which significantly influenced the Pashusakhis’ e-readiness. Additionally, the study identified the training requirements of Pashusakhis based on the significance they attributed to job related areas. Credit and marketing management, kid management, and digital literacy emerged as the most important areas requiring training. These findings highlighted the importance of targeted training in areas such as credit and marketing management, and digital literacy to enhance the e-readiness of Pashusakhis to improve their efficiency as intermediaries in the goat bank ecosystem.

Occurrence of E. coli in marine prawns (Penaeus monodon) from Satpati, Vadarai and Palghar fish markets of Palghar district in Maharashtra, India

The marine prawn’s Penaeus monodon was used as sample to analyzed outbreak of E.coli. Total 840 isolates of E.coli from 26 samples of P. monodon were isolated from Satpati, Vadarai and Palghar fish markets from Palghar district. The prevalence of E. coli in varies sea food may be due to fecal contamination, may also be due to water quality, fishing methods and storage facilities. In the present paper it was attempt to evaluate the incidence of E. coli in locally available prawn species (P. monodon), with a view to provide potential approaches for improving the quality assurance and create awareness among the consumers.

Detecting drought-prone regions through drought indices

Abstract Climate change has led to heightened variability in global rainfall patterns, resulting in greater unpredictability and inconsistency, and it has led to the origin of meteorological drought situation. This has amplified the frequency of droughts or drought-like conditions worldwide. India, being primarily agrarian, faces significant challenges due to drought, affecting various regions intermittently. Given the urgency of addressing recurring drought issues, it is crucial to determine specific ‘drought-prone’ areas through the analysis of historical and current meteorological data. It is still a challenge to quantitatively understand where and to what extent the impact of rainfall patterns could lead the drought. Whether any region likely comes under drought-prone area or not? Can we help policy makers to apply their knowledge effectively? It will help to undertake the long-term mitigation measures for drought assessment and management which encompasses early warning, monitoring, and relief toward the good health of the society. The present study is a further step in the same direction in which Akola district in Maharashtra, India has been assessed for drought-prone declaration using two drought measuring indices; seasonality index (SI) and aridity index (AI). For this, the measured meteorological data precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration, from 1952 to 2002 is made available from India Water Portal.

Identification of trait specific accessions from safflower germplasmcollected in Maharashtra

A set of 59 safflower germplasm accessions collected during exploration tour to nine districts of Maharashtra during 2017 were evaluated for two seasons (2017-18 and 2018-19) alongwith two checks. Trait specific accessions for seed and oil yield (14) and early flowering (8) were identified for utilization in breeding.

Distribution of COVID-19 Cases According to Environmental Pollutants and Meteorological Factors in Districts of Maharashtra

Abstract Introduction: Environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, and various other pollutants in the air like nitrogen dioxide (NO2), CO2, etc., have been studied for sustenance and transmission of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). Studies from India are lacking about the distribution of COVID-19 cases according to air pollutants and meteorological factors. Hence, the present study was conducted to study the relationship between COVID-19 and environmental factors with the objectives of Cluster mapping of the COVID-19 cases district-wise for the state of Maharashtra. Methodology: The air pollution variables NO2 column density (mol/m2), sulfur dioxide column density (mol/m2), Aerosol absorbing index (Ai), Carbon monoxide (CO) column density (mol/m2), and Ozone column density (mol/m2) were extracted from Sentinel-5P datasets available in Google Earth Engine (GEE) (https://code.earthengine.google.com/). The meteorological variables precipitation (m), temperature (t), and humidity (k) were extracted from the European Environmental Agency 5-Land reanalysis dataset in GEE, which provides data at a resolution of 1113.2 m. The preprocessing and retrieval of data were carried out in GEE. These values were correlated with daily cases, density, and other demographic factors. Results: The study identified a cluster of cases in few districts of Maharashtra. These districts were Pune, Ahmednagar, Mumbai, Nashik, and Nagpur. Population density and NO2 were important factors in most of the monthly data. Conclusion: The present study used data available on public platforms to assess the association between COVID-19 and environmental factors. The study found that various environmental factors such as NO2, CO, and Ai may be associated with increase cases of COVID-19 in the district. However, ecological bias may be kept in mind.