Pteridophytes are the primitive vascular plants, they are found scattered all over the globe and quite many of them occur in India. However, they are not found throught the country. Pteridophytes make as important contribution to the earth’s plant diversity. Being the second largest group of vascular plants, they form a significant and dominant component of many plant communities. All human activities disturb the vegetation by eliminating many species. So an up to date study is very important for knowing about flora, especially in the case of pteridophytes. The present effort was undertaken to enumerate the pteridophytic species present in Kilavarai freshwater river situated in Palni hills of southern Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India, the study was carried out from December 2014 to January 2016. The result of the present study revealed that 36 pteridophytic species belonging to 25 genera distributed among 19 families were noted from the study site. Among the families recorded, Adiantaceae (16.67%) was found to be dominant and largest family comprising 6 species. Polypodiaceae and Pteridaceae (each of 11.11%) shared the second largest family status; they were represented by 4 species each. The third largest family was Lycopodiaceae (8.33%); it was represented by 3 species. The families Cheilanthaceae, Nephrolepidaceae and Selaginellaceae were recorded with each of 2 species (5.56%) and 11 families were represented by single species (2.78%). Moreover, terrestrial species (27 species) were found to be more in number than epiphytic (5 species), 3 species were found as both epiphytic and lithophytic species and 1 species was recorded as purely lithophytic.
The purpose of the study is to analyze the influence of co-curricular activities on the stress level among the senior secondary students (Class XI & CLASS 12). This is an empirical study which makes use of the data collected from a sample of 80 students belonging to Little Flower School, Guwahati and Gurukul Grammar Senior Secondary School, Guwahati. The sample was divided into two groups, each consisting of 40 students who are participants and non-participants in co-curricular activities respectively. A questionnaire consisting of 10 items was distributed among the students of both the groups to collect quantitative data. It was hypothesized that there is no significant difference of the influence of co-curricular activities on the stress level among the students of senior secondary level who are participants and non-participants in such activities. Significantly different results were obtained from the study. The result of the study indicates that the students who participate in co-curricular activities show lower level of stress than the students who do not participate in co-curricular activities at all.
Causes of soil pollution in selected part of Birbhum District, West Bengal
Mr. Prakash SinghThe causes of soil pollution are complex and far reaching. Actually it has economic impacts and this in term causes social impacts. Agriculture is the base of village economy. It has been evolved through different stages, from the past to this modern era.In traditional agriculture farmers used to depend on farm manure and cow dung as natural sources of plant nutrients. This traditional system of applying manure could only support low yields but there was no strain on the inherent of the soil. Modern agriculture largely depends on the use of high cost inputs such as chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides etc. The application of such inputs has undoubtedly increased the production but there is growing concern over the adverse effects of the use of chemicals on soil productivity and environment quality.Now in case of Choto Sangra, only organic manure was used for crop cultivation before forty to fifty years. So, the production of crop was less than now but now with chemical fertilizer, HYV seeds etc the production of this village has no doubt become increased. Negative effect of modern agriculture is also found that the excessive use of chemical fertilizer has reduced the fertility of field. Undergone demonstration is not practiced here. So, sometimes farmers use chemical fertilizers and pesticides unscientifically. Consumption of chemical pesticides had increased during 1990-91 and decreased during 1995-96 and further come down to about 1998-99 while it is necessary to add the required amount of plant food nutrients in the soil to increase crop production. Continuous removal of micronutrient due to excessive amount of chemical inputs application is depleting the soil fertility. It is however, easy to standardize the optimum levels of production factors at the experimental sites but very difficult to popularize them among the vast majority of farmers. Due to tropical climate, organic carbon status, phosphate status of this soil is low. Potash, a nutrient is adequate in the soils of Choto Sangra village. As remedial measure, organic agriculture should be practiced. It relies upon crop rotations with leguminous crops, addition of crop residues, animal manure, bio fertilizer and bio pesticides.
Bankruptcy prediction is the interest area for many academicians and researchers. Many researchers developed the bankruptcy prediction models from time to time. Altman (1968) is a widely used model to predict corporate failure. The present research paper examines the predictive ability of the Altman’s model and its variables as predictors of bankruptcy in the Indian corporate sector. By using the sample of 37 defaulted and 37 non-defaulted companies matched by asset size and industry classification, we find that the predictive power of the model is higher in case of defaulted companies than non-defaulted companies. Since almost all the variables used in the model as predictors violates the assumption of normality, thus by applying the Mann-Whitney test and Spearman’s Correlation test we observe that all the variables have discriminating power between defaulted and non-defaulted companies and are found to be positively related to Z-score. Predictive power of Altman’s model is weaker in the case of non-defaulted companies which leads to decrease in overall accuracy rate of the model.
Institutional Parliamentary System has been in practice in Ethiopia since the time of imperial Haile Selassie, but it was not powerful until the end of EPRDF. Empirical evidences reveal that Ethiopian parliament system did not adequately consolidate democracy to discharge constitutionally bestowed duties and responsibilities. The aim of this paper, therefore, was to examine the role of parliament in consolidating democracy under the FDRE Constitution. The study employed qualitative research method. To organize the qualitative data, secondary sources such as journal articles, legal documents, governmental, books, non-governmental reports, and media outlets were used. A descriptive data analysis technique was used for data analysis. Accordingly, the study indicated that the Ethiopian parliament highly dominated by executive organ, the safeguard of executive power and its interest rather than the guard of FDRE constitution. The study gave further insight that Ethiopian parliament under the EPRDF government has been formulating various proclamations that violate the basic democratic and human rights of the Ethiopian people. Media, political parties, anti-terrorist, and Civil Society Organization laws were cases in point; among the bottlenecks to exercise democratic and human rights. As a result, the Ethiopian parliament has failed to check whether the executive is acting with the framework of the laws. The study suggests that having autonomous institutions such as independent judiciary system, election board, human rights commission, and ombudsman as well as empowering the parliament is vital for democracy to flourish.
Coffee is essential natural resource that plays a great role in social, cultural, economic and political values in the study area. However, it is under production constraint and challenge caused by different factors. One of the most challenging factors in coffee production is coffee leaf miner (Leucoptera coffeella L.). This research was aimed to assess the Agro-ecological distribution and socio economic impact of the pest in the study areas so as to address the challenges of coffee production using pest management strategies of the pest. Both primary and secondary data were used and total of 147 sample households coffee farms were used for the investigation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics; percentage, inferential statistics and frequency rank weight method. The study discovered the spatialoccurrence of the pest is higher in Woinadega followed by Dega and Kollaagro climate zone, respectively. Woinadega agro climate zone is suitable for severe distribution of pest. This is becauseof moisthumid and warm tropical climatic conditions which is important for best proliferation or multiplication of pest. However, most of the populations in the area depend on coffee product; the pest reduces yield of coffee in relation to other factors. It is suggested that creating community awareness, strengthening the best traditional and community based management system, introducing improved coffee plant, encouraging local people to participate in the protection and management of the pest could be the possible alternatives to overcome problems caused by coffee pest.