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Modeling surface water quality has become crucial in providing better strategies for managing surface water resources, and adequate findings need accurate and geographically dispersed data. Hydrogeological modeling of these data sets is possible using empirically-based models. The other statistical models are also an alternative approach. In this study, a process with maximum probability is considered with the help of machine learning tools (MLT) to have optimized and valid output. The proposed method combines remote sensing and geographic information systems (RS and GIS) and MLT, which are appropriate for the predicament of neither small, large scale, nor long-term simulations. MLT methods such as VAR and ARIMA are developed in the Python programming with Jupyter notebook and tested according to the data in the spatial prediction for surface water quality parameters such as Tr, pH, Ec, TDS, AL, Ca++, NO−3, So, Cl, F−, Fe, and Mg2+ in the Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India—lower delta part. The delta with susceptible zones was identified using RS and GIS as those areas are prone to direct exposure to surface water contaminants from aquaculture, agricultural runoff, small- and medium-scale businesses, and household trash. Achieving effective surface water management for this ecosystem is critical for regional water management. The geographical information about the concentrations acquired via the RS and GIS was compared to the statistical modeling findings and verified using real-time measurements. MLT modeling seems more realistic than the experimental setting; data from the previous 20 years (2000–2020) were used for modeling, and the predicted values presented in the paper are predicted for the year 2021. The computed R2 value of ranges between 0.75 and 0.96% is recorded with ARIMA, and VAR posted range between 0.56 and 0.75% with the trained and tested data. The findings show the potential for MLT of geographically dispersed hydrogeological data to be used for pollution-free surface water management. From the surface water management perspective, combining RS and GIS and MLT offers an alternate data analysis approach for obtaining quick results utilizing a less laborious process that produces acceptable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents cases of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Bardhaman district in West Bengal (WB) that we argue have the potential to demonstrate alternatives to capitalist development by strengthening the community economies of women belonging to marginal groups. SHGs in Kotha Indlu village in Chittoor district have provided the Dalit and backward women an alternative to earn their livelihood from practicing sericulture with local resources, indigenous knowledge and training. In Paarhaati and Ganti, villages of Bardhaman district, some SHGs have benefitted while some others have failed to cater to the economic needs of women from marginalized communities. With the help of empirical evidence from fieldwork, the paper aims to understand in what ways SHGs have helped or hindered the Dalit and tribal communities to enhance their self-reliance in the study areas. In regions where community participation and local self-government is proactive, SHGs are seen as strong sustainability initiatives for the rural marginalised groups. However, it is also seen that implementing SHGs as a sustainability program has been difficult in certain regions due to social inequality, financial dependence on local landowners and inadequate community participation. Thus, the paper puts forth both the successes and failures of SHGs as an important sustainability program at the grassroots level in rural India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of fisheries and shrimp has been twice every 10 years for the previous five decades, making it the most rapidly expanding food industry. This growth is due to intensive farming and the conversion of agriculture into aquaculture in many parts of South Asia. Furthermore, intensive aquaculture generates positive economic growth but leads to environmental degradation without proper monitoring. Unfortunately, technical innovation is less in aquaculture than agricultural and manufacturing industries. The advent of remote sensing and soft computing has expanded various opportunities for utilizing and integrating technological advances in civil and environmental disciplines. This paper presents the aquaculture scenario in the western Godavari delta region of Andhra Pradesh and proposes various novel assessment tools to monitor the aquaculture environment. An experimental investigation was carried out on the physicochemical characteristics of the inland aquaculture ponds to evaluate water quality in the aquaculture ponds. Furthermore, to assess the intensity of inland aquaculture, the current work concentrates on the potential application of remote sensing and soft computing approaches. Geospatial models of kriging and inverse distance weighing (IDW) show higher performance in estimating ammonia levels in the intensive aquaculture groundwaters with coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.947 and 0.901, respectively. Teaching learning-based optimization (TLBO) and adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO), two of the five soft computing techniques utilized in the study, perform better than the others. Additionally, it was found that remote sensing-based assessment tools and soft computing prediction models were both trustworthy, accurate, and easy to use. Furthermore, these methods could assist in the real-time evaluation of inland aquaculture waters by stakeholders and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a hyper game analysis of the Krishna waters dispute and demonstrates its potential to yield an equilibrium solution even in the face of uncertainty that may be plausible in the intent behind the apparent position taken by contending parties. The approach can accommodate the real-world conflict situation in which players conceal their negotiating strategies and develop perceptions about apparent positions that may be misperceived. The hypergame model of the conflict formulated to resolve the water-sharing dispute amongst the riparian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, India. The paper demonstrates the potential of hypergame-based conflict resolution model to yield an equilibrium solution elegantly and which appears to have attributes of a "Fair and Equitable"" allocation. Hypergame is formulated by considering the perception of one player about the other 'players' game. All the possible perceptions are taken, and the stability analysis is carried out. The results of the stability analysis show that Fair and equitable allocation is part of the equilibrium solution. Our analysis demonstrates that the game-theoretic technique can be applied to solve any real-world conflict. Any allocation made based on "Fairness and Equity" undoubtedly lead to the equilibrium solution as seen in the present work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out some findings of a research project carried out in private unaided schools in low-income areas of Hyderabad, India. The part of the research project documented here was designed to examine the question: ‘Is the regulatory regime conducive to entrepreneurial action and market discovery’ with particular reference to the low-income schools in Hyderabad. This paper is narrowly focused, setting out the results of pattern matching empirical data with the Austrian economic concepts of entrepreneurship, rivalry, and market discovery. The research discovered that two regulatory regimes exist, one that is set out ‘on paper’ in the Education Acts and associated rules, and another that operates ‘in practice’. That is, there is a combination of regulations ‘on paper’ and regulations existing in an ‘extra-legal’ sector. Generally it was found that the regulations ‘in practice’ are consistent with market principles. Conversely the regulations set out ‘on paper’ are not conducive to entrepreneurial innovation and market discovery. Recommendations for potential policy initiatives include the possibility of legitimising the ‘extra-legal’ sector by introducing self-regulation possibly via self-evaluation systems for the private unaided schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hunting and gathering, which date back to the Middle Pleistocene, are the oldest sources of sustenance. Practically, these hunting and gathering societies have gradually expanded their settlements and culture across the country. The present paper attempts a qualitative ethnographical study on the ongoing life of the Nir Sikaris which is one of the hunting and fowling tribes in the Tungabhadra Plains of Andhra Pradesh. Primarily it focuses on their settlement patterns, subsistence strategies, and living traditions. S(h)ikar means hunting; Sikari means hunter. They populate Kurnool, Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh), Bellary (Karnataka) Districts and Maharashtra. They were labelled with a social stigma of a criminal tribe under the British Raj and were also considered ex-criminal tribe and de-notified tribe in post-independence India. They are currently classified as one of the backward classes (B.C.-A) by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh. It becomes vital to shedding light on documentation of Nir Sikaris' evolving cultural life for posterity, as they are culturally transforming due to modernization in the current globalised society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The German TanDEM-X mission's primary goal is to create a highly accurate and global digital elevation model (DEM) with global accuracies of at least 10 m absolute height error (linear 90% error). This paper provides one-of-a-kind accuracy assessment of the TanDEM-X global DEM. The assessment of the TanDEM-X DEMs over Nallamala Area, Andhra Pradesh is presented through a comparison with SRTM and TanDEM-X DEMs. TanDEM-X has a finer effective spatial (i.e., horizontal) resolution than SRTM, according to analysis, visualization, and elevation scatterplots. As a first step, digital elevation models are compared to the conventional method of GCP (ground control point) elevation. Then, any two DEMs are compared using a computational method such as R programing, which is a statistical technique that selects point locations with equal distance. TanDEM-X lower elevations indicate that the radar signal penetrates deeper. DEMs with differences allowed the identification of issues related to the production methods of the DEMs. A systematic difference in elevations between TanDEM-X 12 and 30 m, and SRTM was observed. The results show a high level of detail and consistency for TanDEM-X data, indicate that the effective horizontal resolution of SRTM is coarser than the nominal 12 and 30 m. These DEMs are then delineated in QSWAT model for stream network generation. QSWAT is a tool used for the validation of digital elevation models (DEMs) in hydrological modeling. It allows for the comparison of the topographic features of the DEM with field survey data to identify discrepancies and improve model accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a major concern the world over more so for a predominantly agrarian country like India. In this paper we analyze the time horizon dynamics of crop and climate variables at the regional level in India. We also analyze the co-movements of crop yields with temperature and rainfall to observe the coherence across heterogenous time horizons. We employ Bai-Perron structural break and Continuous wavelet transform methods on yearly data of seven crop yields and climate variables. Observed variables are analyzed from 1956 to 2010 for the un-divided state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Breakpoint analysis shows an increase of around 1.0° temperature with two observed break points. Rainfall depicts no systematic change with fluctuations being largely random. The framework of wavelets-based time–frequency analysis employed in this study captures climate and crop dynamics at heterogeneous time horizons, allowing one to study the impact of climate and crop yields at both short and longer time-horizons. Wavelet based coherence analysis exhibited significant co-movement between climatic and crop variables. Given shifts in climate patterns and subsequent shifts in co-movements across time horizons at the regional level, policy makers and crop scientists should design time specific and locally viable adaption and mitigation policies to tackle the impact of climate change on crops and livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron is the most important of all metals and ∼ 98% of it, in the form of iron ore/pellets, is used as the key raw material in making steel, with its per-capita consumption often seen as an Index for a nation's Prosperity. Salient aspects of the industries of iron ore mining and steel-production are presented. These include deposit-types and grades of iron-ore, iron ore minerals with Fe-contents, major producing-exporting-importing countries, international/national prices of iron ore; and major producing countries of steel, international/national production figures, processes of steel-making, including recent hydrogen-energy based green steel/iron ore under de-carbonisation. The less available high-grade Fe ore (>63.5% Fe), as compared to that of the benchmark or standard grade (62% Fe) and low-grade (< 59% Fe) iron ores, has many beneficial features in steel-making, carries a premium price of US $ 1–2/tonne for every 1% increase in Fe-grade over that of the standard grade and, hence, is much sought after. In this communication, two low-cost, potential alternatives to the highgrade Fe ore for steel-making are proposed from the mineral sand industry. These are: (i) placer magnetite-sand, with an example from the coastal Nizampatnam heavy mineral sand deposit in Andhra Pradesh, and (ii) by-product Fe, generated during the beneficiation of ilmenite-sand for high Ti-products such as synthetic rutile/anatase, titanium dioxide pigment, Ti-sponge, Ti-metal etc. A brief account of the mineral sand deposits, including the processes to obtain the above proposed alternatives and the consequent multiple benefits for both the steel and mineral sand industries, is presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Conflicts are inevitable concerning sharing of the resources. Most of the time, due to the opacity of the conflict resolution technique, players involved do not accept the final solution. Therefore, any method adopted for resolving a conflict should involve players to get the equilibrium solution. Besides, the conflict resolution technique needs to be transparent, and the procedure must be the same for all the players involved. Metagame Analysis has the potential to accommodate the above conditions. In this study, we have discussed Metagame Analysis and its application to resolve India's Krishna river basin dispute. Since the environment is an integral part of the river ecosystem, it has also been included as a conflict resolution player. We have also defined and derived Fair and Equitable (F&E) allocation in this regard, considering the factors that form the basis for their right as a rightful owner of the resource. The factors considered for F&E allocation are drainage area, cultivable area, and virgin runoff. The derived F&E allocation is then selected as one of the options for the Metagame Analysis. Metagame Analysis is carried out using two scenarios before and after Andhra Pradesh's reorganization (in 2014). In scenario 1, equilibrium outcomes are 454, 458, and 469. Our results show that excessive demands may harm the water allocation if it violates the total flow. Outcome 469 is the F&E outcome in which all the players are going for cooperated negotiations which maximize their share. Outcomes 454 and 458 are those outcomes in which Karnataka is benefitted as it is getting its first option share. AP's demand cannot be accommodated in any strategy as it exceeds the total flow, while there is a strategy available in which Karnataka's first option can be sustained. The paper shows that the game-theoretic-based techniques can solve real-world disputes and that too as complex as water sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper brings out the interconnection of flash rate density (FRD) with convection and stability parameters over Andhra Pradesh (AP), India. The convection parameters include rainfall, relative humidity, specific humidity, surface air temperature (SAT) and air temperature (at 850 mb). The stability parameters include convective available potential energy (CAPE), lifted index, K-index, total totals index (TTI), humidity index and total precipitable water. Both convective and stability parameters indicate good correlation with lightning activity. SAT and AT 850 mb have shown good correlations with lightning, which is a clear indication of interaction between warm air and dry air. CAPE and TTI have shown strong positive correlation with lightning activity. The correlation coefficient between FRD and CAPE is 0.81. We have also studied the influence of convective and stability parameters during lightning and no lightning activity. Later, we also attempted the estimation of lightning activity by using artificial neural network model. By using convection and stability parameters, six learning algorithms were used for training the artificial neural network. Scaled conjugate gradient backpropagation training algorithm has given the better estimation, whereas resilient backpropagation training algorithm has shown the poor estimation of FRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall is the significant parameter for climate change, meteorological and hydrological process. The present paper describes the seasonal rainfall patterns in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh state, India using the unobserved component model (UCM) with the hidden components like trend, seasonal, cyclical and irregular. The seasonal rainfall data were provided by India Meteorological Department (IMD), using daily gridded rainfall data with 10 automatic weather stations spread over the Rayalaseema region and the study deals with four seasons of rainfall as classified by IMD, namely winter, pre-monsoon, southwest monsoon and northeast monsoon. Basic Structural Model (BSM) with the components of constant trend, deterministic trigonometric seasonal, deterministic cycle and irregular is selected from the parsimonious models of UCM based on Akaike's information criteria (AIC), Bayesian information criteria (BIC), significant tests and statistical fit. The model parameters are obtained using maximum likelihood method; the adequacy of the selected model is determined through correlation and normal diagnostics. The forecast of the seasonal rainfall patterns during the years 2016–2018 has been noticed with the help of selected UCM. From the model forecast, it is observed that the pre-monsoon season receives rainfall of 96.7 mm in the years 2016 and 2018, whereas 71.3 mm in the year 2017; the southwest monsoon season receives the rainfall of 396.0 mm in the year 2016, 424.2 mm in 2017 and 419.2 mm in 2018; the northeast monsoon season receives the rainfall of 286.8 mm in 2016, 261.3 mm in 2017 and 286.8 mm in 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the problem of corruption in India from a social constructionist perspective. The constructions of corruption among five elite groups (bureaucrats, judges, politicians, industrialists, and journalists) in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh were obtained through a total of 60 interviews. Members of these five elite groups play a critical role in constructing the problem of corruption for public discourse. These elite groups, with the possible exception of the media elite, are also primary targets of public accusations of corrupt behavior. This paper examines three major issues related to corruption: the definition of corruption, the so-called functionality of corruption, and the role of culture in fostering or inhibiting corruption. Narrow/legalistic or broad/moralistic definitions of corruption, the acceptance or rejection of functionality, and modernist or nationalist responses to the question of culture are shown to constitute the varied structures of reality constructed by the different elite groups. These constructions of the corrupt reality in India are ciplained with reference to specific interests of the elites and their positions in the social structure. Instead of treating corruption as an objective condition, this study seeks to view corruption as a process in which strategic elites in society, define the problem and negotiate solutions to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a newly available technique to adjust for bias in non-probabilistically selected samples. To date, applications of this innovative technique-termed entropy balancing-have been restricted to evaluation settings, where the goal is to reduce model dependence prior to the estimation of treatment effects. In a novel application, we demonstrate the technique's utility in cases where the goal is to correct for sample bias originating in coverage error. The appeal of entropy balancing in this latter setting lies in its capacity to optimise the twin goals of improved balance in covariate distribution and maximum retention of information. Entropy balancing combines the opportunity to incorporate a large set of moment conditions in the calculation of weights, with the ability to directly implement exact balance. The technique thus builds upon the theoretical appeal of the more widely known and applied propensity score adjustment method, while addressing that method's practical limitations. We demonstrate the utility of the entropy balancing technique empirically, through an example using the Young Lives Project survey data for rural Andhra Pradesh, South India. We conclude by summarising the potential of this procedure to contribute to robust survey-based research more widely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoride (F) is essential for normal bone growth, but higher concentration in the drinking water causes health problems which are reported in many states of India. Andhra Pradesh is one of the states which suffer from excess fluoride in groundwater particularly in the hard rock terrain. In this context, a study was conducted in Andhra Pradesh based on chemical analysis of water samples from hydrograph net work stations (dug wells) and exploratory bore wells. The concentration of fluoride in groundwaters ranges from traces to 9.75 mg/l. The occurrence of fluoride is mostly sporadic, uneven and varies with depth. The highly affected districts include Nalgonda and Warangal in Telangana region, Prakasam in coastal region, Anantapur and Kurnool in Rayalaseema region. In certain areas of Nalgonda district, 85% of wells have fluoride more than permissible limit (> 1.5 mg/l) for drinking water. High F is present in all the geological formations, predominantly in granitic aquifers, compared to the other formations. The average value of fluoride is high in the deeper zone (1.10 mg/L), compared to the shallow zone (0.69 mg/L). The fluoride-rich minerals present are the main sources for fluoride concentrations in groundwater. Residence time, evapotranspiration and weathering processes are some of the other supplementary factors for high fluoride concentrations in groundwater. Long-term data of hydrograph net work stations (dug wells) reveal that fluoride concentrations do not show any marked change of trend with respect to time. The concentration of fluoride is found to increase with increase of Naand HCO, and decrease with increase of Ca. Sodium bicarbonate waters are more effective in releasing fluoride from minerals into groundwater. High fluoride waters are of Na type. The paper presents a brief account of the study and its results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the impact of coffee plantation undertaken in tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh in convergence with MGNREGS. It explains various aspects of plantation and maintenance activities undertaken through MGNREGS. It makes a comparative assessment between the PVTG and non-PVTG households with regard to provision of labour through MGNREGS, financial benefits in the presence and absence of convergence, income levels and changes in non-monetary benefits due to the extended benefits of coffee plantation. The study also highlighted some challenges in the implementation process that need to be addressed to reach more and needy people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessment of pollutants and groundwater quality has attracted much attention worldwide as it is directly linked to human health. In view of this, groundwater samples were collected from a part of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India, to assess groundwater pollution levels and groundwater quality, using Water Pollution Index (WPI) and Water Quality Index (WQI), respectively. Groundwater chemical composition results indicated that groundwater quality was characterized by alkaline and very hard categories with Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+: HCO3 - > Cl - > SO42 - > NO3 - > F - facies. TDS, TH, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3 - , Cl - , NO3 - , and F - were above the recommended threshold limits in 100%, 100%, 35%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 95%, 85%, and 75% of groundwater samples, respectively, for drinking purposes. The geochemical diagram showed base exchange water type (Na+–HCO3 - ) in 50% of groundwater samples resulting from weathering and dissolution of plagioclase feldspars under the influence of soil CO2 and ion exchange process. The remaining groundwater samples showed saline water type (Na+–Cl - ) due to the influence of evaporation, sewage sludge, septic tank leaks, irrigation-return flows, agrochemicals, etc. Ionic relationships of Ca2+/Na+vs HCO3 - /Na+, Ca2+/Na+vs Mg2+/Na+, higher Na+ than Ca2+, and occurrence of CaCO3 concretions further supported geogenic processes that alter groundwater chemistry. The positive linear trend of TDS vs Cl - + NO3 - /HCO3 - and the relationship of TDS with TH showed anthropogenic input as the main factor, causing groundwater contamination. The WPI indicated two categories of water quality: moderately polluted water (WPI: 0.75–1.00) and highly polluted water (WPI: > 1.00) in 60% and 40% of groundwater samples, which were 81.49% and 18.51% of the study area, respectively. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified three clusters: Cluster I (pH, F - , Ca2+, K+, NO3 - , Na+, and SO42−), Cluster II (TH, Mg2+, Cl - , and HCO3 - ), and Cluster III (TDS) support WPI. Following WQI, 75% and 25% of groundwater samples fell under poor groundwater quality type (WQI: 100–200) and very poor groundwater quality type (> 200), respectively, especially due to the increased concentrations of Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO32−, Cl - , NO3 - , and F - ions, thereby increasing salinity (TDS) and hardness (TH) in groundwater. Spatially, they covered 85.84% and 14.06% of the study area. The quality of this groundwater is not suitable for drinking purposes. Therefore, the present study suggests preventive measures (safe drinking water supply, desalinization, defluoridation, denitrification, calcium food, and rainwater harvesting) to protect human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy has the potential to play a vital role in fulfilling the world's rising energy needs. Due to the cubic relationship between wind speed and power, slight wind speed variations substantially impact power generation. Various wind speed assessment methods are available in the literature, and the Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) methods are among them. However, its sensitivity analysis is required under the NWP model to estimate wind speed effectively. The planetary boundary layer (PBL) scheme is crucial in the sensitivity analysis. This work used a strategic approach with sensitivity analysis to estimate wind fields in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, India, using the NWP model. The wind field is simulated using the WRF model, and the best configuration is determined by simulating nine distinct PBL parameterization combinations for four locations. Despite overestimation from 3 am to 8 pm and underestimation from 8 pm to 3 am, the mean absolute percentage errors are determined to be 6%, 9%, 14%, and 16%, respectively. The Weibull distribution mean, shape parameter, and scale parameter all have relative errors of 9.2%, 8.9%, and 15.36%, respectively. The developed methodology would be valuable in assessing wind resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed field and petrological studies in Vanambayi-Lingala-Lopatnutala section and old Kadiri Ghat-Pulivendela section in SW part of the Proterozoic Cuddapah basin of Eastern Dharwar craton brought to light the occurrence of hitherto unreported two significant phases of pyroclastic volcanic activity associated with the Vempalle Formation in Papaghni sub-basin. Occurrence of a significant pyroclastic agglomerate at the contact zone of Vempalle dolomite of Papaghni Group and Pulivendela quartzite of Chitravathi Group represents a significant event of the mafic phase of pyroclastic volcanic activity, while the finely laminated felsic tuff within the intercalated reddish siltstone, chert and dolomite sequence in the lower part of Vempalle Formation represents the felsic phase of pyroclastic activity. Studies indicate that the pyroclastic agglomerate zone in Vanambayi-Lingala-Lopatnutala section is a classical example of pyroclastic volcanism wherein the highly vesicular rock with rounded basalt clasts often exhibit embayed contact of welded nature with the matrix. The pyroclastic zone reported in the present paper particularly at the interface of Vempalle Formation and Pulivendela quartzite in Vanambayi-Lingala-Lopatnutala section represents a significant tectono-magmatic event of explosive volcanic activity that is contemporaneous with the culmination of the carbonate precipitation of Vempalle dolomite and marks the termination of sedimentation in Papaghni Group in southwestern part of Cuddapah basin during Paleoproterozoic times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory and practice of sustainability involves the understanding and management of the coupled relationship between the environment and humans. This relationship is very evident in respect to mining where the impacts of operations, both positive and negative, are environmental and socioeconomic in nature. In recent years, evaluating the sustainability of a mining operation has grown within the literature due to the impacts that mining has upon a local community. However, the literature has been often characterised by a variety of case study-specific approaches to define and evaluate the sustainability of mining operations. This is due to the fundamental problem of defining what is sustainability. The paper applies, based on our previous research, a mathematical model of sustainability to the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of a proposed bauxite mining project in the Andhra Pradesh province, India. The model's application to the impact assessment, which used the rapid impact assessment matrix, was undertaken for the purpose of determining the level and nature of sustainability (if appropriate) of the proposed project. The results indicated that the project was considered as unsustainable in its current form, based on an obtained E value of 0.249 and an H value of 0.500. The results suggested that the project would greatly benefit from an environmental management plan in order to mitigate the extensive negative environmental and social impacts of the project. The results also indicated the potential of the model in assisting in the resolution of questions of the sustainability of local projects, which are assessed through quantitative-based EIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global changes are already having an impact on South Indian farmers. Climate change is affecting the agricultural sector since it is dependent on climatic conditions and water resource availability. The impacts tend to be greater in semi-arid hard rock areas with few water resources. Furthermore, South India area is experiencing a profound agrarian crisis, which is linked, among others, to debt and credit problems. The study reported in this paper aims to develop a methodology to compare and rank farmers according to their ability to adapt to global change. The definition of adaptive capacity is based on a livelihood assets approach. Indicators are evaluated through individual surveys among farmers, then, weighted using the analytic hierarchy process and aggregated via compromise programming. The result is a standardized score measuring the distance of each farmer from an ideal adaptive capacity. Farmers are ranked according to this distance, which allows a comparison of their relative ability to adapt. At the basin scale, it shows that the geographic position of farmers is a significant factor in adaptation performance. The proximity of an administrative center contributes to an increase of their adaptive capacity. Small farming areas limit the adaptive capacities of marginal and small farmers while the largest farmers are constrained by economic factors such as large loans. These study findings offer interesting indications on the variability of farmers' weaknesses and are bringing a better understanding of the causes of poor performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper elucidates the compositional studies on clinopyroxene, plagioclase, titaniferous magnetite and ilmenite of basalts of Pangidi area to understand the geothermometry and oxybarometry conditions. Petrographic evidence and anorthite content (up to 85%) of plagioclase and temperature estimates of clinopyroxene indicate that the clinopyroxene is crystallized later than or together with plagioclase. The higher An content indicates that the parent magma is tholeiitic composition. The equilibration temperatures of clinopyroxene (1110-1190°C) and titaniferous magnetite and ilmenite coexisting mineral phases (1063-1103°C) are almost similar in lower basalt flow and it is higher for clinopyroxene (900-1110°C) when compared to titaniferous magnetite and ilmenite coexisting mineral phases (748-898°C) in middle and upper basalt flows. From this it can be inferred that the clinopyroxene is crystallized earlier than Fe-Ti oxide phases reequilibration, which indicates that the clinopyroxene temperature is the approximate eruption temperature of the present lava flows. The wide range of temperatures (900-1190°C) attained by clinopyroxene may point out that the equilibration of clinopyroxene crystals initiated from depth till closer to the surface before the melt erupted. Pangidi basalts follow the QFM buffer curve which indicates the more evolved tholeiitic composition. This suggests the parent tholeiitic magma suffered limited fractionation at high temperature under increasing oxygen fugacity in lower basalt flow and more fractionation at medium to lower temperatures under decreasing oxygen fugacity conditions during cooling of middle and upper basalt flows. The variation of oxygen fugacity indicates the oxidizing conditions for lower basalt flow (9.48-10.3) and extremely reducing conditions for middle (12.1-15.5) and upper basalt (12.4-15.54) flows prevailed at the time of cooling. Temperature vs. (FeO+FeO)/(FeO+FeO +MgO) data plots for present basalts suggested the lower basaltic flow is formed at higher temperatures while the middle and upper basalt flows at medium to lower temperatures. The lower basalt flow is represented by higher temperatures which shows high modal values of opaques and glass whereas the medium to lower temperatures of middle and upper flow are caused by vesicular nature which contain larger content of gases and humid to semi-arid conditions during cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoride (F) is essential for normal bone growth, but its higher concentration in the drinking water poses great health problems and fluorosis is common in many parts of India. The present paper deals with the aim of establishment of facts of the chemical characteristics responsible for the higher concentration of F in the groundwater, after understanding the chemical behavior of F in relation to pH, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), carbonate hardness (CH), non-carbonate hardness (NCH), and excess alkalinity (EA) in the groundwater observed from the known areas of endemic fluorosis zones of Andhra Pradesh that have abundant sources of F-bearing minerals of the Precambrians. The chemical data of the groundwater shows that the pH increases with increase F; the concentration of TH is more than the concentration of TA at low F groundwater, the resulting water is represented by NCH; the TH has less concentration compared to TA at high F groundwater, causing the water that is characterized by EA; and the water of both low and high concentrations of F has CH. As a result, the F has a positive relation with pH and TA, and a negative relation with TH. The operating mechanism derived from these observations is that the F is released from the source into the groundwater by geochemical reactions and that the groundwater in its flowpath is subjected to evapotranspiration due to the influence of dry climate, which accelerates a precipitation of CaCO and a reduction of TH, and thereby a dissolution of F. Furthermore, the EA in the water activates the alkalinity in the areas of alkaline soils, leading to enrichment of F. Therefore, the alkaline condition, with high pH and EA, and low TH, is a more conducive environment for the higher concentration of F in the groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

low grade siliceous limestone sample from the Jayantipuram mine of Andhra Pradesh, India, has been investigated for its suitability for cement making. Petrological as well as X-ray diffraction pattern studies indicated that the limestone sample was crystalline and dominantly composed of calcite and quartz. They are simple in mineralogy, and yet they have variable silica and lime contents. Geochemical analysis results of twenty five hand picked samples indicated that the limestone from the Jayantipuram mine shows a wide range of variations in LOI (29.94% to 40.64%), SiO (6.14% to 27.18%), CaO (37.93% to 50.78%), AlO (0.49% to 2.27%) and FeO (0.28% to 2.4%). MgO, KO, NaO, TiO and MnO are present in traces. CaO with LOI shows a strong positive correlation where as CaO with SiO shows a strong negative correlation because of mineralogical factors. The chemical composition of the limestone reflects its mineralogical composition. The distribution of various elements in the acid-soluble fraction has been studied by the factor analysis method in order to interpret in terms of their mineralogy, sedimentary environment and diagenesis. Mineralogy, recrystallization and other diagenetic changes are the main factors affecting the distribution of the elements and their mutual relationships in the limestone. The aim of this paper is also to analyze how significantly the two parameters, silica modulus and lime saturation factor, influence this low grade siliceous limestone sample from the Jayantipuram mine of Andhra Pradesh, India, for the cement making process from the geochemical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of fluoride (F) in groundwater is a common phenomenon in India and worldwide. Its location can be identified through a direct hydrochemical analysis, which was carried out in Kurmapalli watershed (located 60 km SE of Hyderabad city), Nalgonda district, Andhra Pradesh, India affected by F contamination. The results of the hydrochemical analysis showed that F varied from 0.71 to 19.01 mg/l and its concentration exceeded the permissible limit (i.e., 1.5 mg/l) in 78% of the total 32 samples analyzed. The highest F value (19.01 mg/l) was found near Madnapur village, which is located in the central part of the watershed. Resistivity and induced polarization (IP) surveys were also carried out to reveal the zones where elevated F-contaminated groundwater exists. The objective of this paper was to highlight the utility of resistivity and IP surveys, using hydrochemical constituents as constraint, for the successful delineation of such contaminated/polluted groundwater zones in the granite area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing concern over the potential accumulation of trace element concentration in groundwater of coastal aquifer owing seawater encroachment in the last several decades. A total of 29 groundwater samples collected from Pesarlanka Island, Krishna delta, Andhra Pradesh, India were analyzed for 13 trace elements (B, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, Ba, and Pb) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results reveal that B, Fe, Ni, As, Sr, and Pb vary from 11.22 to 710.2, 1.25 to 684.6, 0.02 to 37.33, 27.8 to 282.3, 164.1 to 7,009, and 1.97 to 164.4 μg/l, respectively. Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn are almost within permissible limits for drinking water, but As, Fe, Mn, Pb, B, and Sr are above the permissible limit. The toxic element Pb is 1.64 times more than the maximum permissible limits of drinking water. The minimum value of As is also 2.78 times more, whereas the maximum is 28.2 times the permissible limit. The spatial distributions of alkaline earths (Sr, Ba), transition metals (V, Co, Ni, Fe), metallic elements (Cu, Pb), and (As) were found in considerable variation in the entire Island. Good cross-correlations were found between As, B, Co, and Sr with total dissolved solids and among other trace elements such as B, As, Co, and Sr. The variability observed within the groundwater samples is closely connected to the sea spray input; hence, it is primarily a consequence of geographical and meteorological factors, such as distance from the ocean and time of year. The trace element levels, in particular those of heavy metals, are very low, suggesting an origin from natural sources rather than from anthropogenic contamination. A few trace elements (Sr and B) are found as sensitive parameters responding to changes in fresh to saline groundwater environment. The highly elevated trace elements in this area which may be attributed to marine sediments or death and decay of plants are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Fumonisins are a group of fungal toxins, occurring worldwide in maize infected mainly by Fusarium verticillioides. This paper describes the level of fumonisins in maize seed samples and the ability of F. verticillioides strains isolated from maize seeds grown in India to produce fumonisins. Forty-three seed samples intended to be used for consumption were collected from different regions of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The samples were subjected to the agar plate method for the detection of F. verticillioides. Identification of F. verticillioides was done based on morphological characters and further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The majority of the samples were infected by F. verticillioides and infection percentage in the individual samples ranged from 5 to 51%. Twenty-three out of 35 (65%) strains were positive for fumonisin production in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and competitive direct-enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (CD-ELISA). Fumonisin level in seed samples ranged from 200 to 1,722 μg/g using CD-ELISA. HPLC could differentiate FB1 and FB2 toxins; out of 35 strains, 14 (40%) showed both FB1 and FB2 production. These findings indicate that there may be a risk of human exposure to fumonisins through the consumption of F. verticillioides infected corn-based foods in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to report and compare the immunization coverage of various vaccines among tribal and rural children in a distinct socio-economic environment in India. The study was conducted in two tribal and two rural developmental blocks of Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, India, by employing both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques. Data collected included the immunisation coverage and the associated socio-demographic factors. The majority of mothers was aware of vaccination of children, and usually the primary heath centres and their health workers were the source of vaccination. Vaccination cards were received by 79.2% of tribal and 71.3% of rural children. Some of the socio-demographic characters of mothers, such as habitat, caste and occupation, were associated with the reception of a vaccination card. The coverage of various vaccines was higher among the tribal than among the rural population. Of the eligible children aged above 9 months, 63.3% of tribal children and only 14.5% of rural children were fully vaccinated [three doses of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT), four doses of oral polio vaccine, Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) and measles vaccine]. The coverage of vaccination against measles and vitamin-A supplementation were very low among rural children (19.6% and 15.2%, respectively) when compared to tribal children (69.2% and 64.2%, respectively). The qualitative data indicated that the community was not satisfied with regard to vaccination services, particularly in the rural area. The coverage of various vaccines was moderate in tribal areas and poor in rural areas. The sole dependence on and demand for public health services was responsible for relatively better coverage of immunisation in tribal areas compared to rural areas where the private sector plays a major role. The existing strategies of health-care delivery including delivery of vaccination services need to be examined and improved. Improvements in physical access, infrastructure, quality of care and increased use of mass media and interpersonal communication are indispensable for improvement in the provision of services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of fluoride (beyond 1.5 ppm) in ground water as source of drinking water are common in many parts of Andhra Pradesh, India, causing fluorosis. The study carried out in endemic Nalgonda District, Andhra Pradesh, has indicated that the fluoride-rich ground water present in the wells located down stream and close to the surface water bodies is getting diluted by the low-fluoride surface water. Encouraged by this result, check dams were constructed upstream of the identified marginally high fluoride bearing ground water zones in Anantapur District to reduce fluoride levels as an alternate solution for safe drinking water.In this paper, an attempt is made to study the utility and effect of these check dams in dilution of fluoride concentration in drinking water and its resultant impact on the health aspects of certain villagers of Anantapur District through the analysis of their blood serum and urine. Ground water samples from three fluoride-affected villages, blood and urine of males and females from the same villages were collected and analyzed for fluoride using ion selective electrode method. The results indicated that the fluoride levels in blood serum and urine of males in the age group of 5-11 years are found to be the highest. The concentration of fluoride in ground water is directly proportional to the concentration of fluoride in blood serum and urine. The concentration of fluoride in ground water with depth of the aquifer is a function of lithology, amount and duration of rainfall, rate of infiltration, level of ground water exploitation in the area etc. The construction of check dams upstream of the identified marginally high fluoride waters will not only cause additional recharge of ground water but also reduces the fluoride concentration eventually improving the health of the villagers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research region is located in hard rock terrains of the Eastern Ghats mobile belt in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh state, India, and it occupies an area of 2645.3 sqkm. The rocks of this region are complex granite gneiss and khondalites. The people living this region are facing sever water problem. The objective of this research is to investigate the location of groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) as the region is hard rock terrain, and weathering or fracturing of rocks is the only source of groundwater. Electrical resistivity values alone may not be sufficient for locating the GWPZ. Therefore, in order to locate GWPZ of the study area precisely, remote sensing and Dar-Zarrouk parameters are more useful. From the analysis of remote sensing imageries, surface geomorphological features and lineaments have been identified. These features control the storage and movement of groundwater in complex hard rock terrains. Dar-Zarrouk characteristics have been used to explore hydrodynamic parameters (hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity), which determine the aquifer potentiality of an area. Based on the values of transmissivity together with lithologic data, the study area has been divided into four categories of groundwater potential as high, moderate, low, and negligible. In most of the study area, the availability of groundwater is moderate (Transmissivity—50–500 m2/day). At a few locations (about 46) of the hard rock region, the transmissivity is high (> 500 m2/day). However, almost all the locations surveyed in sedimentary formations are found to be good potential of groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pellets (MPPs) are one of the significant sources of plastic pollution on shorelines worldwide. In this study, for the first time, we have examined the occurrence of MPPs and their spatial and seasonal distributions, adsorbed contaminants, polymer composition, and ecological risks at eight renowned beaches of Andhra Pradesh, central east coast of India. A total of 3950 MPPs were collected from eight beaches along the central east coast of India during October 2020, representing pre-northeast monsoon (pNEM), and during January 2021, representing the northeast monsoon (NEM). The abundance of MPPs was higher during the NEM than those found in the pNEM. ATR-FTIR and SEM analyses were conducted to characterize the polymer types and weathering patterns of MPPs. Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) results show the MPP adsorbance of heavy metals such as Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn. The degree of contamination and polymer hazard risks of MPPs were assessed using the pollution load index (PLI) and polymer hazard index (PHI). The conducive wind and currents during the NEM lead to higher MPP abundance than during the pNEM. However, the spatial variations of MPPs showed significant differences among the beaches. This study revealed that the presence of MPPs on the beaches along the central east coast of India might pose a considerable polymer hazard risk to the ecosystem. The substantial surface weathering features of MPPs would lead to more toxic nanoplastics in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Krishna delta along the east coast of India presents a complex hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical situation with Holocene marine transgression events marked by paleo strand lines and subsequent evolutionary trends of the delta marked by numerous paleochannels/lobes. These paleochannels/lobes act as huge repositories for groundwater in the near surface aquifer systems with depth levels varying between 10 and 80 m bgl (below ground level) with high recharge potentials and are underlained by brackish water aquifers deposited during the marine transgressional events. These near surface aquifer systems have been subjected to over abstraction of groundwater to meet the irrigation and drinking water demands through multiple shallow well field systems resulting in vertical migration of brackish water and mixing with near surface freshwater aquifers. These processes are dominant in the regions with high abstractions and relatively low or insignificant mixing in the low abstraction and high recharge regions. Sixteen trace metals Beryllium (Be), Cobalt (Co), Strontium (Sr), Boron (B), Nickel (Ni), Molybdenum (Mo), Lead (Pb), Vanadium (V), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Zircon (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Arsenic (As), Iron (Fe), Selenium (Se) and Barium (Ba) were analyzed from the groundwater of the near surface aquifer systems at 29 sites covering the entire delta complex. Almost all the trace metals incorporated lie within safe and acceptable limits prescribed by WHO/BIS excepting Sr, B, Mo, Pb, V, Mn, As, and Fe located at few isolated sites due to localized pollution impacts prevailing in the low-lying delta regions. The spatial distributional trends, intensity levels and their impacts on natural/ anthropogenic processes are analyzed and presented. Pollution indices related to Contamination Factor (CF) and Pollution Load Index (PLI) are estimated and applied to arrive at different levels of contamination against each element. A number of graphical cross plots are also drawn between TDS and different trace metal levels to assess the trends of each element in relation to fresh and brackish water zones and their impacts on salinization and anthropogenic processes. Multivariate statistical analysis (correlation matrix and factor analysis) are also used to assess the natural/ anthropogenic impacts. The overall analysis indicates dominant brackish water mixing processes and low to moderate impacts due to several automobile units, agro-based fertilizer units, aqua forms, electro chemicals and coal-based industries in addition to municipal wastes and sewerage disposal sites existing in the delta region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, moribund mud crab (Scylla serrata) samples were collected from various farming systems, brooders from wild and hatchery quarantine section, located in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The infected crabs showed clinical signs of lethargic movement with the sleeping position in the culture ponds, tanks, and wild-caught. In the wet mount study, massive numbers of viral giant cells were observed in the infected crab hepatopancreas and connective tissue. Mud crab reovirus (MCRV) inclusion bodies were noticed in the connective tissue of hepatopancreas, gill lamellae, muscle and gonads in histopathology analysis. Also, viral particles proliferated into the cytoplasm of the cells, but they did not affect the host nuclei. The infected crab samples were confirmed in the PCR using specific primers (ReoF and ReoR) and rDNA sequence analysis showed 99% similarity with mud crab reovirus and Scylla serrata reovirus (OL466868 and OL466869). The ultrastructural study (TEM) revealed that MCRV viral particles ranged between 70 and 75 nm in diameter, icosahedral shape, and non-enveloped with two capsid layers located in the cytoplasm of the cells. The prevalence of mud crab reovirus infection was recorded between 80 and 100% in cultured farms within 25 days and 19–33% in the wild from the collected samples. In the pathogenicity study, intramuscular injection bioassay reached 100% mortality and a co-habitation assay was 70% mortality on 14 days of MCRV post-infection. Thus, our results suggest that MCRV is highly pathogenic to mud crab culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a grassroot agrarian movement and a state backed extension in Andhra Pradesh, and has been claimed to potentially meet the twin goals of global food security and environmental conservation. However, there is a lack of statistically evaluated data to support assertions of yield benefits of ZBNF compared to organic or conventional alternatives, or to mechanistically account for them. In order to fill this gap, controlled field experiments were established in twenty-eight farms across six districts, spanning over 800 km, over three cropping seasons. In these experiments, we compared ZBNF (no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, home-made inputs comprising desi cow dung and urine with mulch) to conventional (synthetic fertilisers and pesticides) and organic (no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, no mulch, purchased organic inputs, e.g. farmyard manure and vermicompost) treatments, all with no tillage. Comparisons were made in terms of yield, soil pH, temperature, moisture content, nutrient content and earthworm abundance. Our data shows that yield was significantly higher in the ZBNF treatment (z score = 0.58 ± 0.08), than the organic (z= −0.34 ± 0.06) or conventional (−0.24 ± 0.07) treatment when all farm experiments were analysed together. However, the efficacy of the ZBNF treatment was context specific and varied according to district and the crop in question. The ZBNF yield benefit is likely attributed to mulching, generating a cooler soil, with a higher moisture content and a larger earthworm population. There were no significant differences between ZBNF and the conventional treatment in the majority of nutrients. This is a particularly important observation, as intensive use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers comes with a number of associated risks to farmers' finances, human health, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. However, long-term field and landscape scale trials are needed to corroborate these initial observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrips are economically important pests of crops and vectors of viral diseases worldwide. Invasion and outbreak of thrips have recently caused havoc in agricultural and horticultural ecosystems in India. Species identification is challenging due to their small size and subtle morphological differences. The present morphological and molecular studies revealed that, the thrips species which had created havoc on chilli at Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states of India during 2021–22 was an invasive thrips, Thrips parvispinus (Karny). The mean population of thrips ranged from 18.46 to 37.16 per five terminal leaves across the surveyed chilli fields. The most affected fields were noticed in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh followed by Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana with > 75 per cent foliage showing curling symptoms due to thrips feeding at both the locations. Genomic sequence variation in terms of haplotype diversity and nucleotide complexity was observed among 51 T. parvispinus GenBank accessions from India and Indonesia using mtCOI as molecular marker. A total of 12 haplotypes were identified from the 51 sequences of T. parvispinus. Nucleotide diversity of the Indian sequences as observed to be higher (π = 0.00585) than that of Indonesia (π = 0.00396). Similarly, haplotype diversity was also observed to be maximum in Indian accessions (Hd = 0.856) compared to Indonesia (Hd = 0.580). The genetic diversity and demography of T. parvispinus from India revealed the populations from India having more haplotype diversity than populations from Indonesia with a weak genetic structure observed between the populations among India and Indonesia. The shared haplotype H8 between Indonesia and India assumes a flow of genetic material, and implies Indonesia could be a plausible source of T. parvispinus invasion into India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current survey, different hydrogeochemical processes governing the geochemistry of aquifers, the usefulness of groundwater for regular consumption, and agricultural purposes were evaluated around the Tummalapalle area. One hundred forty-four borehole locations were chosen to characterize the major physicochemical components of the aquifer water. The analysis results of pH inferred that the groundwater is nominally acidic to basic, and pH ranged from 6.6 to 8.4. The average concentrations of TDS, Ca2+, Mg2+, total hardness (TH), HCO3−, and total alkalinity (TA) are within the allowable limits of potable water quality as prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and WHO. However, the average concentrations of Na+, K+, Cl−, and SO42− were all below the permissible limit. All samples were analyzed with the help of Piper and Chadha charts to determine the dominant hydrogeochemical components of groundwater. The dominance of cations in groundwater in this region is in the sequence of Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+, followed by anions HCO3− > Cl− > SO42−. The Gibbs plot analysis suggested the predominance of rock aquifer interaction as the major hydrogeochemical process governing groundwater geochemistry in this region. The water quality index (WQI) of all groundwater samples in the Tummalapalle region was estimated, with 55% of the samples being potable grade. The different irrigation indices were analyzed for the groundwater samples to estimate their desirability for agriculture. The maximum number of water samples was found to be well-suited for cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the trends, patterns, and factors of labour absorption in the crop sector of undivided Andhra Pradesh, where most people still depend on agriculture for employment. During the past three decades, the sector has undergone a remarkable change, and crop employment/labour absorption has been significantly affected. Labour absorption per hectare has declined in all major crops, despite a significant rise in yield levels among major crops and a small rise in the irrigated area of a few crops. Crop employment has fallen, primarily because labour intensity in major crops has declined, notwithstanding the small rise in gross cropped area and change in the cropping pattern towards labour-intensive crops. Labour absorption in the crop sector is positively influenced by annual rainfall and the area ratio of labour-intensive crops. This kind of shrinking labour absorption in the crop sector causes under-employment and inability of the present form of the crop sector to provide additional employment in the state's agriculture. This situation calls for crop diversification towards labour-intensive crops and speedy development of the non-crop sector within agriculture-such as post-production processing, storage, value addition, and marketing-to absorb labour from the agricultural sector in the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Correlation Analysis was carried out in this study by considering Pearson Correlation Methodology for the Land Surface Temperature (LST). In this different Spectral Indices such as Normalised Difference Urban Index(NDBI), Normalised Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI) and Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI) were carried out for correlation on Landsat-8 (TIRS and OLI)data of three seasons in one calendar year. The Land Use Land Cover (LULC) classification done following on-screen visual interpretation technique using Sentinel-2A and 2B satellite data for the comparison of LST. The LST variation on LULC depends upon the surface type of the classes. Some classes like the built-up area and the bare land supports the increase of LST where as the Vegetation cover and the water body classes reduce the LST values. It is concluded that the NDBI shows a positive correlation with LST i.e. R2 = 0.985, 0.986 & 0.973 in January, April and October, 2018 irrespective of the seasons. In case of NDVI and NDWI negative correlation observed i.e., R2 = 0.940, 0.914, 0.977 and 0.934, 0.886, 0.95 for all three seasons respectively. NDVI reveals a seasonal vegetation effect upon the correlation with LST as we can observe R2 = 0.914 in summer season. Also the case with NDWI whose R2 value is strongly correlated when compared to other seasons i.e., 0.977 in the month of October. Study revealing that the scatter plot and the R coefficient played a vital role in examining and retrieving the correlation results. The rising temperature is the causative factor for global warming, vector borne diseases and ecological changes, etc.on Earth. LST can best be studied using different wavelength regions of satellite data products in urban areas for human comforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mathematical model based on the three-dimensional (3-D) boundary element method (BEM), including porous and non-porous breakwaters, is developed to determine the wave trapping characteristics of porous breakwater over the partially reflecting walls with variable bathymetry. In this formulation, a special form of Green's function is utilized to solve the Laplace equation in the 3-D domain to enhance the numerical accuracy. The order of convergence of the present numerical scheme shows a better convergence rate than simple Green's function. The numerical scheme with and without the porous breakwater is compared with the analytical studies of Yu et al. (1994) and Lee (1969), respectively. In addition, the numerical simulation for sloping bathymetry is conducted and compared with the analytical results of Wang et al. (2011). The numerical validation exhibits good agreement with and without porous breakwaters. Based on validation, the current numerical scheme is implemented on the realistic Visakhapatnam Port, Andhra Pradesh, India, at four different synthetic key locations S1 to S4 to analyze the hydrodynamic performance of porous and non-porous breakwaters. Wave amplification is determined for different porosity parameters, including variable linear resistance and inertial coefficient, and different reflecting coefficients of the port wall. Moreover, the wave amplitude within the Visakhapatnam Port is also estimated through a contour plot with and without porous breakwaters to identify the safe location for the moored ship. Overall, the porosity of the breakwaters and partial reflection coefficient on the port wall plays a significant role in inducing or reducing the resonance inside the port. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the groundwater quality for domestic and irrigation purposes in a coastal aquifer in the West Godavari delta region based on geochemical evaluation, integrated multivariate statistical analysis and entropy water quality index (EWQI). The study area is underlain by the Quaternary sediments with unconsolidated to semi consolidated sand, silt and clay formation. In the study, the significant hydrochemical facies of groundwater observed were Na-Mg-Cl-HCO3−, Na-Cl-HCO3− and Mg-Na-Cl-HCO3−. The results revealed that the area occupies high salinity groundwater controlled mainly by evaporation and also by rock weathering-solubilization to some extent. The concentrations of major cations and anions decreased in the order: Na+ > K+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ = Cl− > HCO3− > SO42− > NO3−. The chemical constituents of the samples TA (85%), TDS (100%), TH (83%), Mg2+ (91%), Cl−(81%) and SO42 (12%) exceeded the limits, making them unfit for drinking. Based on EWQI (53.3–143.4), nearly 70% of groundwater samples were of poor to very poor quality for drinking, which required treatment, and the remaining 30% of samples were unsuitable for domestic purposes. Some samples of the irrigation suitability parameters (Na%, SAR, RSC, PI, CAI, KR and CCR) exhibit moderate to good categories, which can be used for irrigation with proper management. The multivariate statistical analysis was performed to understand the relationships among the chemical constituents present in groundwater. TDS is highly correlated with EC, TH, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3− and Cl−. Principal component analysis (PCA) applied to the datasets showed that the first three PCs accounted for 65% of total variance cumulatively 94.5% for a total of 7 PCs. The PCA results indicate that the variation of groundwater quality is possibly attributed to various anthropogenic and geogenic factors, rock–water interactions and ion exchange processes in groundwater. The uncontrolled drawl of subsurface waters and aqua forming at an advanced rate when compared with recharge has led to this coastal aquifer being in a critical stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mango leaf diseases have a negative impact on mango quality and yield. It is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis of mango leaf disease diagnosis with the naked eye. A lot of computer-aided and machine learning techniques have recently been used by researchers for the classification of mango leaf diseases. However, it has been reported that these approaches have some limitations to their performance which can be attributed to problems due to higher feature dimensionality, overfitting, computational complexity, and lack of feature qualities. To overcome these issues, we proposed a novel framework for mango leaves disease classification. The images were taken from Andhra Pradesh, the largest mango cultivating land in India. The proposed framework is categorized into four stages: data preparation stage, feature selection stage, learning and classification stage, and the performance evaluation stage. We selected 380 images from the categories of healthy and diseased (Mango Anthracnose, Bacterial black spot, and Sooty mold). Different data augmentation techniques are applied to prevent overfitting and improve generalization. Next, a convolutional neural network with crossover-based levy flight distribution is applied for better feature selection. Further, the pre-trained MobileNetV2 model is used for the learning stage and leaves diseases classification is done via support vector machine at the final stage of the MobileNetV2 model. The experimental results demonstrate superior classification performances over other state-of-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifty groundwater samples were obtained pre and post-monsoon seasons in parts of hard rock terrain in Andhra Pradesh, South India, in order to assess the drinking water quality. PIG values of groundwater samples ranged from 0.95–1.53 and 0.83–1.28 during pre and post-monsoon seasons. PIG values are slightly higher in the pre-monsoon season when compared to the post-monsoon season. In the pre monsoon season, 96% of the groundwater samples showed insignificant pollution class (< 1), 4% of the groundwater samples are low pollution (1–1.5). 82% of the groundwater samples showed insignificant pollution status (< 1), 18% of the groundwater samples fall under the low pollution (1–1.5), is noticed in post-monsoon season, respectively. WQI values of groundwater samples ranged from 108.5–204 mg/L and 112.6–170 mg/L during pre and post-monsoon seasons; its shows that 100% are very poor for drinking purpose. Piper diagram reveals that groundwater is majorly mixed Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl−, Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl−-SO42−, Na+-K+-Cl−- SO42− type in this region. The Gibbs plot indicates that groundwater samples fall within the field of rock dominance. Through applying GIS techniques, the spatial distribution of groundwater quality analysis reveals that most of the groundwater samples do not comply drinking water quality standards and water needs to be prior treatment before consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A micropropagation is a powerful tool in the era of the biotechnology revolution. It has a broad range of potentiality as compared to conventional vegetative propagation attracting researchers, industrialists, governmental and nongovernmental organizations at the national and international level. The potential methods of organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis, primarily through callogenesis, allow the production of genotypically identical and pharmacologically conserved disease-free healthy stocks in shorter times. Pterocarpus santalinus, the pride of Andhra Pradesh, has become endangered due to medicinal and commercial overexploitation. The micropropagation of P. santalinus poses many cultural challenges due to limited regeneration potential through callogenesis, organogenesis, and somatic embryogenesis. The lack of proper explant treatment and the effect of plant growth regulators limit the application of published protocols to reproduce the results. The challenge, such as heavy contamination of mature explants with endophytic fungi, forced us to explore the potential of immature tissues for regeneration through induction of somatic embryogenesis. We observed that immature tissues (zygotic embryo, petal, ovary, and anther) are better responsive than mature tissues with the scantiest contamination and phenolic release. The present study analyzed, evaluated, and interpreted the different parameters applied in the micropropagation of P. santalinus. The aim is to solve the discrepancies of existing protocols to present complete insight for future needs in the successful regeneration of the species. The review also compared various treatments to overcome dormancy and promote germination. It also discussed the possibilities of induction of somatic embryogenesis for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green lacewing, Pseudomallada astur (Banks) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is a potential predator of the invasive rugose spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) infesting coconut palms. A meridic diet for its mass production was standardized. Highest fecundity (393 eggs), larval hatch (324.60 larvae), pupation (279.20 pupae), male longevity (23.25 days) and female longevity (59.62 days) of P. astur were recorded when reared on adult diet comprising honey, protein X, glucose, coconut pollen and yeast. In the laboratory, each P.astur larva fed on 705 and 996 eggs of Corcyra cephalonica and A. rugioperculatus in a period of 13.23 and 21.19 days, respectively. About 7.26 lakh and 17.76 lakh P.astur eggs were distributed to farmers during 2019 and 2020, respectively in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India to combat A. rugioperculatus. Field evaluation indicated significantly low population of A. rugioperculatus (19.96 nymphs) on coconut palms inoculated with P. astur eggs than un-released control palms (158.5 nymphs) on 28th day after inoculation and thus established successful predatory potential on rugose spiralling whitefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dolomite hosted talc deposits of the Vempalle Formation (VF), Cuddapah basin, Andhra Pradesh produces nearly 6% of total talc demand of India. The strata bound talc zones extending over kilometers along strike have tabular geometry and are concordant with the stratification and primary depositional contacts, though sometimes the talc bodies locally cross-cut the stratification. Field and petrographic evidences suggest that the strata-bound talc deposit, located at the flank of the basin, was formed by replacement of platformal carbonate sequences of the passive margin (stromatolitic dolomite), preserving the primary texture and structure of the host. Lack of anomalous concentrations of V, Fe, Ni, Cr and Co; depletion of Ta, Hf, Zr and Th and Ni, Cu, Pb, Zn in the talc and talc bearing dolomites may be indicative of the absence of magmatic and/or metamorphic source for the mineralization fluid. The igneous intrusions within the Vempalle Formation (VF) - earlier thought to be the source of mineralization fluid - thus are neither coeval with talc mineralization nor they acted as the heat source. Furthermore, depletion of REE, Al3+, K+, Na and Sr in the talc and talc bearing dolomites suggest that the mineralizing fluid was probably evolved from Paleoproterozoic ocean water that was super-saturated with respect to talc and had higher dissolved silica concentration. This evolved fluid source can also explain the supply and sustenance of large volume of water needed for the talcification of the host dolomite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A biography of Indian mathematician K. G. Ramanathan is presented. He was born on November 13, 1920 in Andhra Pradesh, India and studied at Wesleyan Mission High School in Secunderabad. In 1940, he got his Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics at Nizam College in Hyderabad. During 1945-1946, he worked as assistant lecturer in mathematics at Annamalai University and became a research scholar in mathematics at the University of Madras in 1948.

Technical and environmental efficiency of some coal-fired thermal power plants in India is estimated using a methodology that accounts for firm’s efforts to increase the production of good output and reduce pollution with the given resources and technology. The methodology used is directional output distance function. Estimates of firm-specific shadow prices of pollutants (bad outputs), and elasticity of substitution between good and bad outputs are also obtained. The technical and environmental inefficiency of a representative firm is estimated as 0.06 implying that the thermal power generating industry in Andhra Pradesh state of India could increase production of electricity by 6/ while decreasing generation of pollution by 6%. This result shows that there are incentives or win–win opportunities for the firms to voluntarily comply with the environmental regulation. It is found that there is a significant variation in marginal cost of pollution abatement or shadow prices of bad outputs across the firms and an increasing marginal cost of pollution abatement with respect to pollution reduction by the firms. This result calls for the use of economic instruments like pollution taxes instead of command and control regulation used currently in India to reduce air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visualization of present state of aquifers and identification of groundwater depletion hotspots are important tools in preparing an effective groundwater management plan. Therefore, this study developed an integrated framework by bridging a number of relevant factors to characterize and visualize groundwater depletion hotspots in Andhra Pradesh, India. Firstly, the groundwater status was assessed by detecting spatio-temporal trends in groundwater levels of 429 dug well sites from 2004 to 2018 using Mann-Kendall (MK)/modified Mann-Kendal (mMK), Spearman's Rho test, and the magnitude of the slope was determined by Sen's slope estimator. Subsequently, multiple decision factors were considered in the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method for producing the groundwater stress zone map. A multicollinearity test was performed prior to the incorporation of these factors in order to improve the decision-making power of the AHP method. The results of the groundwater stress zoning map showed that 19.99%, 16.93%, 24.63%, 18.86% and 19.59 % of areas were classified as low, moderate, high and very high stress zones, respectively. Results also identified the south-western parts as groundwater depletion hotspots. Furthermore, validation results using Sen's slope map, evaluation metrics of ROC (receiver operating characteristics) and AUC (area under curve) showed that AHP method had exhibited a reliable performance with an accuracy of 76.7%. Thus, the applied integrated approach can be used to explicitly characterize groundwater status by integrating different factors. The findings of our study also would be helpful for water resources managers and planners who need to design proper and sustainable management of groundwater resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal vulnerability to multi-hazard study aims to assess the coastal zones of Andhra Pradesh that really are vulnerable to various oceanogenic hazards. Using high-resolution coastal elevation, the maximum extent of coastal inundation during extreme high waves of cyclones & tsunamis, shoreline change, and sea-level rise can be computed. Vulnerability impact up to the village level was assessed based on future projection (return period) of multi-hazard impact using a holistic approach with geospatial techniques. The current study results revealed that 706 villages and 8 towns that are completely falling under CMZ are at risk. A total of 9682 km2 of coastal zones of Andhra Pradesh coast are exposed and prone to inundation as recorded under CMZ. Krishna, Godavari, Guntur and Prakasham districts comprise 70% of the total CMZ area are large low-lying areas exposed to ocean hazards. CMZ area along Andhra Pradesh coast recorded a significant negative correlation of − 0.65 with coastal elevation and a positive correlation of 0.34 with coastal exposure index. Shoreline change assessed from 1972 to 2019 across the study area reveals the 7% under high erosion along the headland and low-lying area of Krishna-Godavari delta. The outputs and maps produced in this study provide vital input for coastal disaster management and necessary policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]