Eastern Indian State Research Articles

Geoinformatics based detection and delineation of paleochannels in hard rock terrain of Koel River Basin, Jharkhand, eastern India

Paleochannels evoke interest in view of their geological/tectonic history, the origin of their sediments composition, and prospecting for groundwater resources. The present study demonstrates the delineation of paleochannels in hard rocky terrain in parts of the Koel river basin in the Jharkhand state in eastern India. High-resolution optical satellite data Sentinel-2 and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from Sentinel-1 have been used to carry out the visual interpretation for the identification of paleochannels in the prospects of groundwater resources. Six major paleochannels locations were identified based on flow direction, flow accumulation, drainage, closed depression area, normalized difference water index (NDWI) (pre and post-monsoon seasons), and Topographic Wetted Index (TWI). The abandoned courses were recognizable as curvilinear or meandering segments of dry channels by using the drainage map. Pre and post-monsoon NDWI exhibited water storage zones, which were generally filled after monsoon season by rainwater along the paleochannels. TWI more than 1.3 and depression more than 30 depicted wetted zones along with the delineated paleochannels locations. Both the satellite-derived (NDWI) and digital elevation model (DEM) derived (i.e. TWI, depression area, drainage) indices indicated the presence of six major paleochannels, which were further corroborated with radar data and field-based data. Areas of low topography with dendritic drainage, depth and flow direction was studied which controls the recharge potential of groundwater and pattern were investigated where the chances of occurrence of groundwater are more. This comprehensive study concluded that satellite-based information can be useful for demarcating paleochannels over hard rocky terrains and TWI performed better compared to other parameters (NDWI, drainage, and morphometric study) as an indication of potential groundwater prospects.

Analyzing vulnerability to poverty and assessing the role of universal public works and food security programs to reduce it: Evidence from an eastern Indian state

AbstractSocial protection (SP) programs have become a widespread intervention to strengthen coping strategies in developing countries to improve the well‐being of vulnerable households. Past studies have identified the positive impact of SP on ex‐post poverty reduction. However, there is relatively scant evidence of the role of SP in reducing vulnerability to poverty (VtP). This study estimates the role of SP, in particular, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and public distribution system (PDS) in reducing household VtP in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Firstly, the household VtP was estimated using the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) method. Secondly, the role of SP in reducing household VtP was analyzed using the quantile regression (QR) approach. This study utilizes cross‐sectional data of 1506 rural households from the State of Odisha. The FGLS estimates show that the household VtP rate is 42.43% as opposed to the current poverty rate of 32.87% in the state. The QR results demonstrate that the households that participated in the MGNREGA program are less likely to fall into poverty than those without it. However, household access to the PDS is observed to have no significant association with vulnerability.

A framework for the estimation of treatment costs of cardiovascular conditions in the presence of disease transition.

The current research aims to aid policymakers and healthcare service providers in estimating expected long-term costs of medical treatment, particularly for chronic conditions characterized by disease transition. The study comprised two phases (qualitative and quantitative), in which we developed linear optimization-based mathematical frameworks to ascertain the expected long-term treatment cost per patient considering the integration of various related dimensions such as the progression of the medical condition, the accuracy of medical treatment, treatment decisions at respective severity levels of the medical condition, and randomized/deterministic policies. At the qualitative research stage, we conducted the data collection and validation of various cogent hypotheses acting as inputs to the prescriptive modeling stage. We relied on data collected from 115 different cardio-vascular clinicians to understand the nuances of disease transition and related medical dimensions. The framework developed was implemented in the context of a multi-specialty hospital chain headquartered in the capital city of a state in Eastern India, the results of which have led to some interesting insights. For instance, at the prescriptive modeling stage, though one of our contributions related to the development of a novel medical decision-making framework, we illustrated that the randomized versus deterministic policy seemed more cost-competitive. We also identified that the expected treatment cost was most sensitive to variations in steady-state probability at the “major” as opposed to the “severe” stage of a medical condition, even though the steady-state probability of the “severe” state was less than that of the “major” state.

Scrub typhus seroprevalence from an eastern state of India: findings from the state-wide serosurvey.

Scrub typhus is a mite-borne infectious disease caused primarily by the obligate intracellular bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted by chigger mites. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of scrub typhus among adults in Odisha, an eastern state of India. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to analyse 1840 serum samples from five districts (Khordha, Cuttack, Ganjam, Malkangiri and Sundargarh) of Odisha collected during 2020-2021. Both immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies against scrub typhus were tested using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Point estimates of the 95% confidence interval and adjusted odds ratio were calculated. Of 1840 participants, the prevalence of IgG positivity was 1034 (56.19%) and that of IgM was 523 (28.42%). The majority of participants were in the 18-45y age group (53.7%). Cuttack had the highest IgG positivity (64.54%) and Malkangiri had the lowest (29.32%). The highest and lowest positivity for IgM were found in Malkangiri (40.84%) and Cuttack (25.30%), respectively. With an increasing number of infections detected in the state, scrub typhus is emerging as a public health threat. Increasing awareness among the general public and healthcare professionals through health education campaigns regarding scrub typhus is essential. Early detection of the disease through the establishment of a laboratory surveillance system is required to control the transmission of scrub typhus.

Geochemical provenance of an Indo-Arabian stone anchor from Manikapatna highlights the medieval maritime trade of India

India is one of the oldest maritime nations in the world, and the overseas contacts date back to the third millennium BCE. Besides several archaeological vestiges, numerous stone anchors of various types have been documented during maritime archaeological explorations along the Indian littoral. During a recent maritime archaeological exploration, a broken Indo-Arabian stone anchor, of the Medieval period, was discovered along the Manikapatna coast of Odisha, Indian eastern littoral. In an attempt to determine the provenance of the anchor, we carried out a detailed petrographic, geochemical (major/trace elements) and Sr–Nd isotopic investigation. The results of our study reveal that the stone of the anchor had been cut out of a geologically young, vesicular, subalkalic basalt lava flow. Source fingerprinting done using petrographic, geochemical and isotopic data, suggests that contrary to the general perception, the anchor rock did not come from any local rock formations. All data point to the most likely scenario that the anchor rock was sourced from one of the lava flows of the Deccan Traps at Palitana in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, western India. This result confirms the existence of Medieval maritime trading between western and eastern Indian states.

Pattern of Regional Disparities in the Level of Household Deprivation among the Scheduled Tribes of Eastern India: A District-level Analysis

This study attempted to show regional disparities in the level of deprivation among the Scheduled Tribe population in eastern Indian states (Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal). This work is based on house listing and housing table of Census of India, 2011 and Socio-Economic Cast Census data. The Wroclaw Taxonomic method was employed for measuring the deprivation index. The results show that, out of 110 districts, 55 districts are in a middle-deprived stage and 13 districts are in a highly deprived stage. Among the states, the level of deprivation is very high in Odisha, followed by West Bengal. The situation is quite better in Jharkhand. The study also shows that the districts with little better condition are either situated in agricultural plain, mining centres, power plants or tourism centres. The study also reveals that the areas with the better conditions are either in agricultural plains, mining centres, power plants or tourism centres. As a result, the research recommends enhancing previously existing tribal development programmes as well as regional general development programmes in order to reduce concerns such as tribal, rural and regional deprivation.

‘BARI Masur‐9’: An extra‐early lentil cultivar for a rice‐based cropping system in Bangladesh

AbstractLentil (Lens culinaris Medik) is the third‐most important grain legume in the world. In Bangladesh, it is important for human food and nutrition, animal feed, and sustainable rice‐based cropping systems. However, lentil area is declining due to competition with other winter and spring crops, particularly irrigated spring rice (boro rice; Oryza sativa L.). To increase lentil production, the extra‐early (<95 d) lentil line LRIL‐22‐70 was selected to grow in the short fallow period between monsoon and spring rice under a proposed new cropping pattern. LRIL‐22‐70 was identified from a recombinant inbred line population through rigorously evaluated in diverse agro‐ecological conditions of Bangladesh and released for commercial cultivation by Pulses Research Centre, BARI, as ‘BARI Masur‐9’ (Reg. no. CV‐36, PI 700307) in 2018. BARI Masur‐9 is a transgressive segregant for earliness (matures in <93 d) and fits well in the new monsoon rice–lentil–spring rice cropping pattern. It is a medium‐seeded (2.38 g 100–1 seed) cultivar with high tolerance to Stemphylium blight. The average seed yield of BARI Masur‐9 was 1,201 kg ha–1, with higher concentrations of Fe (73 mg kg−1) and Zn (61 mg kg−1) compared with other genotypes; thus, BARI Masur‐9 contributes to combatting micronutrient malnutrition in Bangladesh. BARI Masur‐9, the first extra‐early lentil cultivar, can successfully be grown to replace fallow between rice as a new cropping pattern monsoon rice–lentil (BARI Masur‐9)–spring rice in about 8 million ha in Bangladesh, eastern Indian states, and eastern Nepal.

‘BARI Masur‐8’: A high‐yielding and biofortified lentil cultivar in Bangladesh

AbstractLentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a nutritious food for millions of people globally. It plays an important role in Bangladesh as a good source of protein and micronutrients for low‐income populations with less access to animal protein. To enhance nutritional security, a nutrient‐dense lentil line, LR‐9‐25, was identified from a Stemphylium blight (SB) screening population developed at The International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas through a cross between ILLX955‐135 and FLIP92‐52L. The line LR‐9‐25 was rigorously evaluated in diverse agro‐ecological conditions of Bangladesh and released for commercial cultivation by the Pulses Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute as ‘BARI Masur‐8’ (Reg. no. CV‐35, PI 700306) in 2015. BARI Masur‐8 matures in 115–120 d and fits well into existing rice‐based cropping patterns. It is a medium‐height (35 cm) and medium‐seeded (1.94 g 100−1 seed) cultivar having a high level of tolerance to SB and root rot diseases. BARI Masur‐8 showed high yield potential (1,973 kg ha−1) and high concentrations of Fe (74 mg kg−1), Zn (61 mg kg−1), and Se (325 μg kg−1) in seed. Another desirable trait is the late planting potential, with sowing up to the first week of December after the harvest of long‐duration rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, which is a major area for lentil production in Bangladesh. The cultivation of this improved cultivar will play an important role for enhancing nutritional security by increasing lentil production in Bangladesh, Nepal, and eastern Indian states in South Asia.

The Pattern of Farm Investment in Livestock Enterprise: A Comparative Analysis in Two Contrasting Regions of Eastern India

This study estimated the pattern of investment in the livestock sector in progressive and less-progressive states of eastern India over the period of 2011-12 to 2018-19. The results revealed that the large farms (`83,453/farm) invested 3.7 times higher on livestock as compared to small farms (`22,475/farm) in the progressive state, whereas large farms (`45,965/farm) invested almost 2.9 times higher on livestock as compared to small farms (`15,565/farm) in the less-progressive sate. Unlike the progressive state, the percentage of investment in livestock was higher for small farms than for large farms in a less-progressive state. Annual income and borrowed capital in the progressive state, whereas irrigated land, education, and borrowed capital in the less-progressive state significantly influenced the farm investment.

Sustainable livelihood security in Odisha, India: A district level analysis

Sustainable livelihood security (SLS) is an integrating framework that encompasses current concerns and policy requirements for ecological, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development. It carries particular importance for developing economies. This study intends to verify the relative status of SLS of the 30 districts in Odisha, which is a backward state in eastern India. In this study, a total of 22 relevant indicators relating to the three components of SLS—ecological security, social equity, and economic efficiency have been taken, based on various kinds of government reports. The principal component analysis (PCA) has been used to ascertain the indicators and the importance of each of them to the corresponding component of SLS. The ecological security index (ESI), social equity index (SEI), economic efficiency index (EEI), and composite sustainable livelihood security index (CSLSI) of each district of Odisha were calculated through the min-max normalization technique. The results revealed that there are wide variations in SLS among the districts of Odisha. In this study, the districts are categorized into four levels based on scores of ESI, SEI, EEI, and CSLSI as very low (<0.400), low (0.400–0.549), medium (0.550–0.700), and high (>0.700). According to the classification result of CSLSI, 2 districts are found to be in the very low category, 20 districts are under the low sustainability category, 8 districts are in the medium category, and none of the districts are found to be in the high sustainability category. The district of Sambalpur ranks the highest with a CSLSI score of 0.624. The bottom five districts are Gajapati, Bolangir, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, and Malkangiri, having the CSLSI scores of 0.438, 0.435, 0.406, 0.391, and 0.344, respectively. The result of this study suggests that region-specific, systematic, and proactive approaches are desirable for balanced development in Odisha. Further, policy intervention is required to implement more inclusive tribal welfare policies.

Mid-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy for Estimation of Soil Properties of Alfisols from Eastern India

Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is emerging as one of the most promising technologies, as it is a rapid and cost-effective alternative to routine laboratory analysis for many soil properties. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of mid-infrared spectroscopy for the rapid and nondestructive measurement of some important soil properties of Alfisols. A total of 336 georeferenced soil samples fromthe 0–15 cm soil layer of Alfisols that were collected from the eastern Indian states of Odisha and Jharkhand were used. The partial least-squares regression (PLSR), random forest, and support vector machine regression techniques were compared for the calibration of the spectral data with the wet chemistry soil data. The PLSR-based predictive models performed better than the other two regression techniques for all the soil properties, except for the electrical conductivity (EC). Good predictions with independent validation datasets were obtained for the clay and sand percentages and for the soil organic carbon (SOC) content, while satisfactory predictions were achieved for the silt percentage and the pH value. However, the performance of the predictive models was poor in the case of the EC and the extractable nutrients, such as the available phosphorus and potassium contents of the soil. Specific regions of the MIR spectra that contributed to the prediction of the soil SOC, the pH, and the clay and sand percentages were identified. The study demonstrates the potential of the MIR spectroscopic technique in the simultaneous estimation of the SOC content, the sand, clay, and silt percentages, and the pH of Alfisols from eastern India.

Changing patterns of household transmission of tuberculosis in an eastern state of India: The impact of COVID19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 Pandemic has affected many components of the Tuberculosis (TB) control program. Due to lockdown and restrictions, people, including TB patients, might have spent more time in the household. There might be an increased TB transmission among the household contacts (HHC). The current study was conducted to measure the household transmission of TB and also find out the relationship with several clinico-social factors. MethodsContact tracing data of West Bengal, India, was extracted from Nikshay portal of Central TB Division, Government of India. The anonymized data was divided into two parts, firstly before the lockdown initiation in India and secondly during the lockdown. A modified Poisson regression model was developed to determine the statistical association between clinico-social variables and the pandemic with household-level secondary TB cases. ResultsThere was a 30% reduction in daily TB case notification, but the proportion of HHC screened was 4% higher during the pandemic than the pre-pandemic period. The secondary attack rate of household TB disease transmission was 34% lower during the pandemic period. Index TB patients aged under ten years, microbiologically positive, Drug-Resistant TB, having three or more HHCs, treatment delay more than seven days, notified from the private sector, and diagnosis during the pre-pandemic period was found to be independently associated with a higher risk of having a secondary TB case at household. ConclusionThe risk of household TB transmission was significantly lower during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period, which may be due to better infection prevention and control practices.

Role of institutional factors in climate‐smart technology adoption in agriculture: Evidence from an Eastern Indian state

Climate change threatens rural livelihoods by adversely affecting agricultural production through reduced crop yields, harvest loss, and increased cost of production. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices have emerged as a possible solution to ensure food security by adapting to climate risks on the one hand, and mitigating GHG emissions from agriculture, on the other hand. However, resource-poor farmers often face both financial and knowledge constraints to adopt CSA practices, and thus, institutional support plays a crucial role in overcoming those barriers. Therefore, this study uses primary data collected from 248 farm households in the Eastern Indian state of Odisha to examine the role of institutional factors in CSA adoption. Almost 95% of the sample farmers experienced the effects of climate change, and many have adopted CSA practices such as rescheduling planting (78%), crop rotation (56%), crop diversification (35%), micro-irrigation (17%), and drought-resistant seeds (16%). Probit models are estimated to explore the key determinants of the adoption of these five major practices. Results show that factors such as government extension service, farmer field school participation, subsidies, access to energy, and perception of climate shocks are the major determinants. Further, the coefficient of interaction between landholding and credit availability on the decision to adopt CSA is positive. Thus, agricultural policies to improve institutional support, such as subsidies on farm machinery, extension support, credit facility, and field demonstration of technologies, are crucial to upscale CSA adoption in the region.

Planform changes and alterations of longitudinal connectivity caused by the 2019 flood event on the braided Brahmaputra River in Assam, India

The longitudinal connectivity of rivers facilitates the downstream transfer of discharge and sediment. Any alterations to this component can potentially impair/block sediment movement, resulting in deposition and planform alterations. This effect is more enhanced in braided rivers, which usually convey large sediment volumes. In this study, we use Graph Theory to analyze the impact of a big flood event (July 2019 flood) on the channel planform configuration of the Brahmaputra River in the eastern Indian state of Assam. The in-betweenness centrality and structural sediment connectivity of the nodes (channel confluences/diffluences) and links were computed using different indices. The node accessibility was enumerated using the Shimbel Index. Sedimentographs were devised to simulate the likely sediment outflow volumes and its duration in the post-flood scenario. Our results reveal that significant changes in the channel planform were caused by this flood event, which repositioned mid-channel and bank-attached bar deposits and realigned the river's entwined multiple threads. These engendered alterations in the existing channel bifurcations and inter-node connections, thereby impacting on how the sediment was transferred and its pathways. The enumerated accessibility index and simulated sediment volumes reflected the above changes, with reach-wise variations apparent in these aspects. This study helps comprehend the flood-induced planform morphological changes in braided streams, which has implications for navigation. The framework used here can also be applied to assess other braided rivers.

Explaining Rice and Wheat Yield Gaps in Eastern Indian States: Insights from Stochastic Frontier Analysis

Explaining Rice and Wheat Yield Gaps in Eastern Indian States: Insights from Stochastic Frontier Analysis

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment at Bedrock Level Using a Logic Tree Approach: A Case Study for Odisha, an Eastern State of India

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment at Bedrock Level Using a Logic Tree Approach: A Case Study for Odisha, an Eastern State of India

Determinants of farm-level adaptation strategies to flood: insights from a farm household-level survey in coastal districts of Odisha

Abstract Farmers choose different strategies to cope with disasters. The scientific information on what adaption strategies do farmers across different socio-economic and regional strata choose to cope with disasters can help policymakers to make informed farm-level support interventions. Odisha is a flood-prone state in eastern India. The flood adaptation strategy choices of farmers in Odisha have not been much studied in the literature. Along with identifying the most commonly adopted ex ante and ex post adaptation strategies of farmers, we also identified the common factors influencing the choice of these adaptation strategies. We used the Likert scale and the ordered probit model to analyse the primary data collected from the field survey conducted at the three selected coastal districts. It finds that migration, reduction in food consumption, and pest and disease management are the most common ex post strategies, whereas stocking of foodgrains and usage of flood-resistant seeds are the most common ex ante strategies adopted by the farmers. It also identifies that education, family size and the size of landholding are the main determinants of ex post adaptation strategies, whereas age, the size of landholding and family income are the major determinants of ex ante coping strategies.

The darker side of agricultural intensification - disappearance of autumn or aus rice, entry of HYVs, and implications in terms of environmental sustainability in a ‘Green Revolution' state of eastern India

Agricultural intensification riding on the Green Revolution ushered bountiful production of selected staples (rice, wheat, maize) in the developing nations and caused a significant economic growth. It showered a new hope through a package of high-yielding seeds of rice and wheat, laying networks of irrigation and facilitating ground-water usage, over-dependence on agro-chemicals, primarily nitrogenous fertilizers, and broad institutional support that claimed to have changed the trajectory of agricultural growth of India. However, its negative impacts have become apparent now.Looking closely and locally at the eastern state of India, I examine various detrimental effects, in terms of agricultural biodiversity, HYV acceptance, and water, and agrochemical usage. In summarizing, I also analyze the findings in terms of environmental sustainability. The major shrinkage of aus or autumn rice acreage and near extinction of landraces, the establishment of a few high-yielding varieties are a few key changes overly visible in the rice cultivation system of West Bengal state. It has also become heavily dependent on groundwater, nitrogenous fertilizers, and pesticides. The side-effects of indiscriminate use of groundwater took a toll on human health through heavy metal poisoning. Monocropping of HYVs also accelerated a heavy onslaught of pests causing major crop loss. Building on these results, it does not seem to grow endlessly and remain sustainable in the long run. The study reinforces its snowballing vulnerability to climate change endangering food systems.

Growth Prediction of Under-5 Children Using Statistical Models for Eastern Region of India.

Percentile curves are often used to assess variances in children's growth pattern. This study is aimed at explaining effect of the respondents' sociodemographic characteristics on under-5 children's birth weight and identifying most suitable models, out of 11 statistical models reviewed, for estimating children's growth in terms of height and weight of a given birth-weight category and obtain estimated growth curves. The study used National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4 data from four Eastern States of India, consisting of 54,075 under-5 children. Estimated growth curves were obtained, using best-fit models. Birth weight was found to be associated with children's age, gender, birth order, body mass index, mother's education, living place and wealth index. Two models - Cubic Model and Power Model - showed best fit to the height and weight measurements. We obtained estimated growth curves of boys and girls for a given birth-weight category. All socio-demographic factors studied, except respondent's occupation, were associated with children's birth weight. Cubic and Power Models were most suitable for assessing growth in terms of height and weight of boys and girls, belonging to a given birth-weight category.

Bhagwat Award Abstracts for Journal

BackgroundResponsible media reporting is one of the effective population-level suicide prevention strategies. This is the first study exploring quality of newspaper reporting in West Bengal, an eastern state of India with high prevalence of suicides.Methods A deductive content analysis was performed in articles reporting suicide deaths from seven leading newspapers of West Bengal (WB), based on circulation (study period: six months. Quality of reporting included adherence to the WHO 2018 and Press Council of India (PCI) 2019 guidelines.Results 499 articles were retrieved. Most were brief and not in the headlines. The average number of articles per week was 2.6. While 77.1% of articles had potentially harmful characteristics, 50.2% also reported helpful features based on the WHO guidelines. 39% of the articles did not follow PCI guidelines. 70% of articles linked suicide to mental health, however it was often a direct link and monocausal. Details of location, assumptions, misinformation and interviews of bereaved were common. Even though two-thirds of articles contained statements from professionals; research data and prevention strategies were rare.Conclusion Quality of media reporting in WB was a mixed bag, with scope for improvement. Recommendations for constructive suicide reporting are highlighted based on these findings.