Indian State Of Tamil Nadu Research Articles

An integrated approach for the characterization of groundwater quality using multivariate statistical techniques and spatial analysis

ABSTRACT. Ground water accessed via wells in areas of Tiruvallur district of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has been a subject to increase sea-water intrusion. The present study highlights the potable water crisis in the northern district evaluated using GIS-assisted determination of water quality parameters across fifty sampling sites. The most informative parameters evaluated within this study were TDS, EC, TH, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl- and SO42- while parameters such as pH, CO32-, etc. had limited correlated significance to water quality. The total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity (EC) determined in the study area indicated significantly elevated levels across the sampling sites. Weighted arithmetical indexing (WAI) of the water quality parameters indicated 30 out of 50 water sources meet the tolerance limits for both drinking and irrigation. Based on BIS standards, only 13 sites met acceptable limits for safe drinking water. Principal component analysis and piper plot analysis revealed a significant involvement of Mg2+, Na+, Cl- and SO42- in the impairment of water quality, particularly in the coastal zones. Spatial hydro-chemical profiles developed in this study reveal ‘hot-spots’ of sea-water tainted water sources, and the hydro-chemical dominance of alkali earth components. Altogether, the study findings indicate a widening water crisis on top of over-exploited water resources and discuss possible factors and remedial steps in addressing the situation.
 
 KEY WORDS: Ground water, Principal component analysis, Piper Plot, Water quality index, Irrigation suitability
 
 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(2), 241-260. 
 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i2.1

Are Remittances of Migrants from Rural Households Improving Investment in Agriculture: Empirical Evidences from Tamil Nadu State of India

A study was conducted in seven villages of Peddanayakenpalayam block of Salem district in Tamil Nadu to understand the impact of remittances of migrants on the Agricultural Well being of their families. The sample size consisted of 100 migrant farm families and the respondents were selected using proportionate random sampling method. A vast majority (87%) of respondents of this study replied that using the remittances of their migrant family members they could able to purchase cows, goats and chicks. Another conspicuous impact on agriculture due to remittances of migrant family members were purchase of new agriculture field/ land and laying of irrigation channels/pipe lines. Nearly three – fifth (59%) of respondents told that they brought un cultivated land to in cultivation using the remittances of their migrated family members. Type of family duration of migration and average pay per month had shown a positive significant contribution for impact of remittances of migrant family members on agricultural well-being at one Percent level of probability. Multiple regression analysis was resorted to find out the contribution of Independent variables on the dependent variable, Impact of Remittances on Agricultural Well-being of Migrant Househols. Working Conditions was found to significantly contributing to impact of remittance of migrant family members on agricultural well-being at five Percent level of probability. Number of destination was found to have a negative significant contribution towards the impact of remittance on agricultural well-being at one Percent level of probability

GC-MS, Phytochemical Analysis and In Silico Approaches of a Medicinal Plant Acalypha indica

The goal of this study is to look into the preliminary phytochemical and GC-MS analyses of a methanol extract of the leaves of Acalypha indica. Alkaloids, tannins, steroids, saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, and phenolic substances are found in leaf extract after phytochemical analysis. A. indica is a plant that grows in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has medicinal characteristics and is used as a diuretic, anthelmintic, and respiratory disorders like bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia. The present work is designed to investigate GC-MS. Thirty compounds are found in the leaf extract. The structure-based biological activities study supported the Pass online database findings from the current study support that the use of this plant compound responsible for the anticancer activity is based on structure-based drug development. Based on in-silico results, it was shown that the interactions of hydrogen bonds, binding affinity with JAK2 kinase inhibitors, tumor suppressor proteins pRB Retinoblastoma protein, and COX-2 target proteins were compared with known values. It can be considered an increase in the possibility of conniving potential anticancer drugs as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Becoming Bovine and Being Haunted: Herder-Bovine Relationships in South India

Abstract This paper concerns itself with the study of changing dynamics of herder-bovine relationships in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. By exploring the affective lives of Tamil-speaking herders of South India in their interaction with native Pulikulam breed bovines and foreign bred milch cows, this paper maps the sensuous ways in which these three beings make and unmake each other. At a more abstract level, this paper intends to improvise dialogue between new materialist and deconstructive techniques by exploring Karen Barad’s conception of intra-action, and Derrida’s hauntology in the context of human-animal relationships. The central argument this paper exposes is that our nuanced moments of interactions with animals are already mediated by visceral absences which we fail to take into consideration.

Technology, infrastructure and enterprise trade-off: Strengthening smallholder farming systems in Tamil Nadu State of India for sustainable income and food security

The complexities of smallholder farming systems pose a challenge in demonstrating the potential benefits or risks of new technologies and policies. Using Integrated Analysis Tool, a rule-based dynamic simulation model, this study tried to improve the performance of major farming systems in the Tamil Nadu State of India. Amongst the four major farming systems viz. Black gram-based (BFS), Paddy-based (PFS), and Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) in Villupuram district and Dryland Farming System (DFS) in Virudhunagar district, IFS was found to be the most profitable and resilient based on their performance simulated for a 3-year rotation. Setting IFS as a benchmark, potential interventions were evaluated under other farming systems to improve their relative performance. The analysis allowed understanding the interactions in smallholder farming systems and the potential impact of interventions in a whole farm way considering the cash flows, cost intensity, and input-output trade-offs. While multi-bloom technology in black gram increased the net profit of BFS without much stress on input and labour, area expansion under rainfed groundnut incurred high expenditure. Trading-off paddy with maize and groundnut significantly increased the net profit of PFS but replacing sugarcane with tapioca and turmeric was not remunerative. Improved livestock management practices have substantially increased the net profit of DFS wherein crop yield could not be enhanced substantially without the prospects of good irrigation infrastructure. The irrigation endowed PFS has achieved 90% performance, whereas the water-starved BFS and DFS could achieve only 65% performance of IFS. We conclude that agricultural policy must not only focus on potential interventions that are profitable but also consider what is acceptable to the farmer, considering synergies and trade-offs between competing resources at the farm level.

Multiple linear and non-linear regression analyses of various soil and terrain indices with regard to their efficiency in the determination of temporal changes in LST values within Trichy district of Tamil Nadu, India.

Land surface temperature (LST) of the terrain is the result of thermal energy received from the sun as the source. The study site was Trichy district of Tamil Nadu state in India wherein the LST values pertaining to all the belonging pixels have been calculated using generalized split window (GSW) algorithm from the Landsat-8 satellite images on two different dates with a gap of 5years between them. Along with the LST calculation on these 2 dates, corresponding NDWI, NDVI, NDBI, NDMI, BSI, DBI, DBSI, LSE, and albedo values have also been calculated. Then, changes in the dependent variable (LST) and in the each of the respective explanatory or independent variables have been undergone through the process of multiple linear and non-linear regression analysis to find out the best-fitting model set of explanatory variables that best describes the variation in LST values at a location. In this research, it has been found that a non-linear model set comprising five independent variables like change in BSI, LSE, NDWI, NDBI, and albedo seem to be the best-fitting model for predicting the variations in the dependent variable to the maximum degree and also with acceptable redundancy. Also, it has been observed that changes in LSE or albedo values at any place within the study-site could play the most significant role in having an influence in the LST value change that could be recorded in the same over any given time period, thus proving the vastness of the effect that could be made by an increase in urbanization or structural development on the extent of positive change in LST.

Rohingyas and Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu: a replicable model of semi-permanent resettlement in low-resource settings

PurposeAfter being forced to flee their respective home countries, Sri Lankan Tamils and Rohingya refugees resettled in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This study attempts to explore the extent to which the state has provided means for integration in the absence of refugee protection laws and citizenship.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research approach was used, including in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with participants from both refugee groups between 2019 and early 2020. A representative sample of male and female Sri Lankan Tamils, living in or outside government camps, in urban and rural areas, was included (total number = 75). Similarly, a representative sample of the Rohingya refugee community was included for this study (n = 44).FindingsDespite constraints imposed by inadequate infrastructure, the study finds that Sri Lankan Tamils and Rohingyas both show to be progressively integrated in local society and have been capable of fulfilling some important basic livelihood needs, especially with regards to education. Some areas for improvement are identified as well, most urgently in terms of health and accommodation.Practical implicationsOther states in India, as well as in similar low-income countries (LICs), could learn from the current case study with regards to administering workable policies for small groups of refugees.Originality/valueWith minimal state facilitation and within the context of limited legal backing, refugee groups have somewhat managed to re-built their lives. This study identifies the threshold of requirements that make this achievement possible and suggests what more could be done to further advance the current state.

Ionized Calcium and Serum Electrolytes Profile in Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) of Tamil Nadu, India

Background: Serum electrolyte monitoring is essential in the health assessment of captive elephants. The major elements of calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate are playing a major role in regulation of nerve and muscle functions and in maintaining acid base and water balance. Excess levels or loss of particular electrolytes may occur as secondary changes caused by certain diseases or changes in physiological regulations. The aim of this study was to evolve the baseline reference values for serum electrolyte levels in captive Asian elephants raised in Tamil Nadu state of India. Methods: As part of the periodical health assessment blood samples were collected from auricular vein for 42 apparently healthy captive Asian elephants in Tamil Nadu, India. Serum electrolyte levels such as sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), chloride (Cl-), ionized calcium (iCa), non-ionized calcium and total calcium (tCa) were determined by using an automated electrolyte analyzer. Result: Most of the ranges of electrolyte values observed in this study were similar to that of previous reports. As not much studies on ionized calcium are available on captive Asian elephants the value of ionized calcium found this study 1.16±0.13 mmol/L could serve as reference. There was no much variation observed in various age groups. This electrolyte profile values will serve as baseline values to evaluate the health and clinical conditions of captive elephant populations.

Audiometric notch as a sign of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) among the rice and market flour mill workers in Tamil Nadu, South India

Objective This study aims to determine the prevalence of NIHL among rice and flour mill workers exposed to high decibel noise levels at the workplace. Methods One-hundred and seven workers exposed to noise from rice and flour mill machinery and 82 age-matched controls not exposed to noise at the workplace were recruited for the study from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. All the mill workers and the controls were evaluated for their hearing thresholds by pure-tone audiometry. Results The characteristic bilateral notch in 4000 Hz was detected in 25% of the mill workers, while the prevalence of the unilateral or bilateral notch was observed in 51%. The high-frequency slope (HFS) involving HL at 4000 and 8000 Hz was observed in 23.36 and 29.92% among the left and right ears of the mill workers, respectively. Years of experience and exposure to noise were strongly associated with a bilateral notch in 4000 Hz (the odds of having the notch increased with increased years of noise exposure). Self-reported HL under-represented the rates of actual HL, indicating perception of the HL was absent till audiometric evaluation revealed the loss. Conclusion Our study demonstrates exposure to high noise levels in this unorganized sector of rice and flour mill workers. Awareness education of NIHL, early detection, and the use of personal hearing protection devices can prevent HL from extending to speech frequencies.

Occurrence, Spatial Distribution and Ecological Impact of Heavy Metals in Rivers, Lakes and Marine Environments of Tamil Nadu, India

The importance of a clean environment is recognized as a “pillar” of sustainable development. There is, however, a serious public health threat associated with heavy metal releases into the environment. Aquatic environments in Tamil Nadu state of India lack heavy metals monitoring data. From year 2008 to 2022, research articles were assessed that focused at heavy metal concentrations in freshwater and marine ecosystems. It has been shown that elevated levels of heavy metals in sediments of aquatic ecosystems contribute to an increase in their abundance, which may further enter the food chain through bioaccumulation. In addition, intensifying human exploitation of the South East Coastal region (SEC) in Tamil Nadu state of India through industries, tourism, aquaculture and recreation further complicates the situation by providing ever-changing sources of contamination. As a result of analyzing all heavy metals, the levels of Cd in biota collected from ocean environments were higher. Rivers and lakes have shown increased levels of heavy metals such as Zn, Cu and Pb as a result of localized anthropogenic activities. In accordance with sediment guidelines and human health risk assessments, most of the heavy metals concentrations in sediments and aquatic biota exceeded the permissible limits. It is highly recommended that more monitoring studies are conducted to monitor the levels of heavy metals in organisms and in urban rivers, lakes and marine environments in the future, with extreme importance both for environmental health and economics. By identifying the sources of pollutants and implementing strict policies to abate pollution, local governments can implement better control measures to decrease pollution levels.

Redescription of Philyra sexangula Alcock, 1896 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Leucosiidae), with description of a new genus and species from the northern Indian Ocean

The identity of Philyra sexangula Alcock, 1896 (Leucosiidae), an inhabitant of mangrove habitats, is clarified. The redescription of the lectotype male and examination of fresh material collected from Pichavaram mangrove forest located in Tamil Nadu State of India revealed that P. sexangula shows significant morphological differences from the generic characters of Philyra sensu stricto. Therefore, a new genus Bellayra gen. nov., is established herewith for the species. In addition, one new species, Bellayra persicum gen. nov., sp. nov., is described based on a syntype male of P. sexangula collected from the Persian Gulf. Furthermore, Philyra taekoae Takeda, 1972 and Philyra nishihirai Takeda and Nakasone, 1991, described from Japan are also transferred to Bellayra gen. nov.

Prof K C Dube Poster Award

Aim/ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to estimate the age of onset of illness and to examine the various socio-demographic, biological and clinical variables associated with the age of onset of illness among patients with schizophrenia from the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu.Materials and methods:This is a cross-sectional study with data collected from different rural and urban settings in Tamil Nadu, including 947 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM IV TR. The age of onset of schizophrenia obtained via patient and informant history, was studied in relation to socio-demographic, biological and clinical variable including gender, family history, consanguinity, birth order, parental age and severity of symptoms collected using semi-structured interview, SANS and SAPS.Results:The study showed a mean age of onset of 25years (SD = 8) in our population. Univariate analysis showed significant relation between age of onset and gender with a preponderance of early onset in men(p=0.017). The results showed no significant association with the other variable under study. The age of onset was seen to have significant negative correlation with the severity of illness (r=-0.75, p=0.021).Discussion and Conclusion:The male preponderance for early onset of schizophrenia, has been supported by prior literary evidences indicating various genetic, social and hormonal underpinnings. However the absence of association between age of onset and family history, consanguinity and its degrees, which are strong genetic determinants, alludes to the influence of other environmental factors on onset of schizophrenia. Despite the known influence of parental age in de novo mutations leading to increased risk of schizophrenia, no observed association with parental age and birth order, only reinforces the need to further explore other direct influencers on the age of onset, as the negative correlation between age of onset and symptom severity seen in the study, suggests that prolonging the age of onset may in-turn have desirable effect on disease outcome.

Revisiting the food security system in India in the pandemic era: the case of a Southern Indian state

PurposeThe objective of this paper was twofold-revisiting the in-kind public distribution system (PDS) – India's flagship food security intervention and seeking beneficiary perspectives on its efficacy. The feasibility of cash transfers as an alternative mechanism is also examined, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachPrimary and secondary data from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu were used. In-depth interviews with beneficiaries using phenomenology were conducted to evaluate their perception and willingness to shift to a cash-based PDS in the pre and post-pandemic periods. Secondary district-level data were also used to ascertain institutional preparedness for this shift.FindingsIn-depth interviews of 105 beneficiaries revealed valuable insights, which seem to have significantly changed post-pandemic. Beneficiaries in the post-pandemic period seem much more inclined toward cash transfers, though a combination of cash plus in-kind benefits seems to be strongly preferred. Secondary results pointed out to the lack of institutional preparedness in financial inclusion. The research suggested that while the existing PDS needs to be overhauled, policymakers should look at a model of cash plus in-kind transfers as a probable alternative to pure cash transfers.Originality/valueThere is a dearth of in-depth state-specific studies on beneficiary perception of PDS, and this is important since the economic and sociocultural milieu in each region is unique. Being the only state with universal food security, its experience could yield important insights for other states or even middle or low-income countries similar to India.

Species Complex of Coccinellids on Major Tropical Fruits in Different Agro Climatic Zones of Tamil Nadu state of India

Studies were undertaken on the occurrence of coccinellids on various hosts of fruit crops in different zones of Tamil Nadu, bio-ecology of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and Scymnus coccivora, behavioural response of C. montrouzieri to different species of mealybugs, toxicity of insecticides to the grubs and adults of C. montrouzieri and field efficacy of C. montrouzieri on guava mealybugs. Survey made in various zones of Tamil Nadu revealed that eight species of coccinellids viz., Chielomenes sexmaculatus, S. coccivora, C. montrouzieri, Scymnus nubilus, Scymnus lateomaculatus, Calvia sykesii, Anegleis cardoni and Chilochorus melas were found to feed on different species of mealybugs and aphids. C. montrouzieri followed by S. coccivora and C. sexmaculatus were recorded as predominant predators. Aphids species viz., Aphis gossypii, Aphis punicae, Toxoptera citricidus, T. aurantii and T. odinae and mealybug species viz., Planococcus citri, P. lilacinus, Ferrisia virgata, Rastrococcus iceryoides and Maconellicoccus hirsutus were observed in the surveyed locations. Among the different mealybug and aphid species, P. citri and A. gossypii were found to be the dominant prey for the coccinellids.

Is the Anti-Incumbency Sentiment Changing in Tamil Nadu? A Case Study of 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections

Elections are the most important pillar of democracy. A voter's behaviour is influenced by many parameters that can turn the outcome of the election. Many constituencies follow a certain voting pattern. The voters of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, have often been categorized as having an anti-incumbency sentiment, where the ruling party has often switched in every consecutive election. However, there seems to be a gradual shift in this sentiment. This paper presents a case on the relaxation of the anti-incumbency sentiment by analyzing the voting data across the constituencies in the five elections of the last two decades. Some aspects which could have contributed to this voting behaviour are also discussed.

Relevance of developing public health service cadres alongside a more prevention oriented Indian health system: an overview

The relevance of public health has been emphasized in the wake of the global epidemic COVID-19. There are several success stories that we often tend to forget, such as the fight against various infectious illnesses like smallpox, poliomyelitis, and current human-immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, to name a few, public health has played a significant impact. Diarrheal diseases, for example, which contributes significantly to India's under-five mortality rate and is one of the leading causes of malnutrition, can be effectively handled by improving access to safe water and sanitation. Because public health encompasses more than just health, we require a workforce with managerial and leadership skills as well as training in public health as a specialty. This paper explores some of the successes and lessons learned from systematic investments in public health in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, namely The Tamil Nadu model and other countries, as well as the system's flaws. In India, a feasible framework for establishing dedicated public health cadres has also been explored. Evidence was acquired from PubMed, Google Scholar, newspaper stories, and publicly released government orders and papers. The recruitment of cadres may resemble that of the Indian economic/statistical services (IES/ ISS) by the UPSC. Another area to emphasize for health professionals interested in public health is training. Starting from frontline workers, block level workers to district and state we need dedicated public health workforce. Moreover, the need of the hour is to establish such a system which will work alongside pre-existing clinical fields.

Investigations on Off-Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy Microgrid for Sustainable Development Growth

The principal aim of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals is to attain a much better and more sustainable future for all. In recent times, microgrids have attracted much attention, given the transformation of software systems and raising the bar for customers in terms of sustainability, reliability and cost predictability. Consequently, there is a need for microgrid development in remote areas. Our paper proposes a hybrid renewable energy microgrid (HREM) that focuses on the affordable, efficient, reliable and sustainable growth of energy systems. This paper presents an optimized off-grid HREM for a remote locality in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The proposed approach employs a configuration of photovoltaic (PV) arrays, AC loads, a diesel generator set, a wind turbine and a battery energy storage system (BESS) connected to AC/DC buses and designed to satisfy the power requirements of a remote, rural community residential area. The primary objective was to carry out a cost optimization of the designed system. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to obtain a feasible solution from the optimized results and evaluate the robustness of the design. The primary objective was to carry out a cost optimization of the designed system. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to obtain a feasible solution from the optimized results and evaluated the robustness of the design. A detailed analysis was made by comparing the [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] and it was found that the former offered better results for the particular location. Overall, it was observed that our proposed system offers renewable energy for residential loads that is relatively inexpensive, reliable and sustainable.

LIVELIHOOD DIVERSIFICATION OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH GENDERED LENS: A CASE STUDY ON KOVALAM VILLAGE, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

This study has assessed livelihood diversification occurred in Kovalam, which is a coastal village in Tamil Nadu state in India. Livelihood diversification is a strategy which enables people to surmount the vulnerability of conventional income-generating activities by diversifying and expanding the number of activities for an improvement in their standard of living. Participatory Rural Appraisal tools, which are focus group discussion, key-informant interview and semi-structured questionnaires, have been used to collect primary data. The result suggested that fishing and fishing allied activities are the major livelihood in Kovalam village, whereas nowadays, small business, services, day laborer, vendors and other different activities are also practiced as livelihood options on a smaller scale. The emerging issue of freshwater insecurity interlinks with the gender division of labor corresponding to livelihood strategies. Gender can be integrated in a better way to ensure sustainable livelihood which will safeguard the wellbeing of coastal communities.

Offshore wind speed forecasting at different heights by using ensemble empirical mode decomposition and deep learning models

Comparison of six different variants of deep learning based models namely Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Stacked Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Bidirectional LSTM, CNN-LSTM, Multilayer Perceptron, and Two-dimensional Convolutional LSTM based forecasting models is done in this paper for offshore wind speed forecasting. Models are developed and trained for one-step ahead short-term offshore wind speed forecasting. Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) of wind speed data is also done. All models are verified at two different offshore sites. At site-1 located near Gulf of Khambat (India), four experiments are performed by using offshore wind speed data of four heights (180, 160, 140, and 120 m) that are measured by a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) installed at 25 km off the coast of Gujarat state in the Arabian Sea. At site-2 located near Gulf of Mannar at Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean, two experiments are performed by using wind speed data of two heights (102 and 80 m) that are measured by a seashore meteorological mast located at Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu state of India. Experimental results confirm that EEMD reduces the forecasting error. The superiority of deep learning model is site specific and changes with change in site.

First record of Psechrus hartmanni Bayer, 2012 (Araneae: Psechridae) from India

The spider Psechrus hartmanni Bayer, 2012 is recorded for the first time from India. The species is redescribed and illustrated based on female specimen collected from Tamil Nadu State of India.