Colocasia esculenta, taro is a herbaceous plant from old world tropics,(commonly known as Chempu in Malayalam) with thick tuber (underground stem) containing much starch; cultivated for food for many centuries. Taro must be cooked to destroy the acrid crystals of calcium oxalate found in all parts of the plant. The colocasia is a crop of tropical and sub-tropical regions and requires a warm humid climate. Under rainfed conditions, it requires a fairly well distributed rainfall around 120-150 cm during the growth period. Well-drained soil is suitable for uniform development of tubers.. Inter-cultivation is essential in colocasia. Weeding, light hoeing and earthing up are required at 30-45 days and 60-75 days after planting. The leafy parts may be smothered about one month before harvest so as to enhance tuber development.

Colocasia becomes ready for harvest five to six months after planting. The mother corms and side tubers are separated after harvest. Ensure sufficient moisture in the soil at the time of planting. For uniform sprouting, irrigate just after planting and one week later. Subsequent irrigation may be given at 12-15 days intervals, depending on the moisture retention capacity of the soil.

The side tubers to be used as planting materials are usually separated from the mother corm and stored. Keep seed tuber in sand spread over the floor to avoid rotting.

Idukki: Even as the people of the Idukki plantation area suffer from the harmful effects of the use of the harmful pesticide endosulfan, report suggests that the pesticide is still being used widely in the plantations of Peerumedu.

Easy availability from the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu and its effectiveness as a pesticide make endosulfan a preferred choice of farmers. Social activists are alleging that increasing cases of cancer in the area in recent times. There is no specific checking at the Kerala-TN checkposts and pesticide bottles bought from shops in TN freely cross border.

The Central agricultural ministry had informed that a complete ban on endosulfan can be imposed only after detailed talks with all states. The Agricultural ministry expressed this during the review meeting convened by the Union Environment and Forests Ministry at New Delhi.

An all-party delegation would meet prime minister with the demand to ban the pesticide in the whole country. The meet also decided to build and distribute houses to the homeless in the affected areas. State Chief Minister V.S Achuthanandan had informed that the State government has decided to revise the pension amount of the endosulfan victims who are bed ridden, from Rs 1000 to Rs. 2000 per month.
Thodupuzha news

Aasis Vinayak-YOUNG ACHIEVER

Frequent Power cuts and load-shedding made Aasis Vinayak P.G,a plus one student at the SDA English medium school in pathanamthitta,think of a different’ water drawing system .
He thought of “a machine that could pump the trailrace wateres of the hydro-electric projects back to the reservoir by using natural forces that would not disturb the equillibrium of nature.”
And it worked .His innovative thinking led to the invention of a unique water pump ,which he named ‘Vinayak’s Hydel System’ (VHS),based on a new theory.
He made the news.Rashtrapathi Bhavan sources contacted the youngster and the National Innovation Foundation (NIF),Ahmedabad,offered him help to file a patent on his behalf in india and abroad.
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The NIF has approved Aasis’s new theory and has already signed a Non-Dislosure Agreement with him to make two additional VHS models at the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai and Guwahati
NIF invited him for the third round of the Innovation Award ceremony,which ill be held in Ahemadabad on december-10.The cheif guest will be the President,A.P.J Abdul Kalam.
The new machine works on gravitational force and atmospheric pressure.Aasis contacted NASA and conveyed his idea through the Internet.Within a few days ,he got an encouraging e-mail from Herbert Kroemer,Nobel Physics laureate.Dr.Kroemer wrote,”The principle behind the machine can solve the present energy crisis.So you get even the Nobel Prize.Then you will be the youngest person to be awarded a Nobel Prize”
‘Vinayakan effect’:- In the new system ,the phenomenon by which the piston moves automatically has been called the ‘Vinayakan Effect’
According to him, the system can pump 1000 litres of water to a height of eight meters by working the APWARD for just two seconds.It has a power of 10watts(less than that of a zero-watt bulb).So the total energy required by the system is only 20 joule,he says.

According to Aasis ,the technology can be developed for wider applications in various projects like Veeranam Project in Tamilnadu and the there will be no need for interlinking of riveres.
Aasis is the only son of B.Prafullachandran Pillai,Malayalam lecturer at the Pathanamthtta Catholicate College,and P Geetha,a high school teacher.
-courtesy The Hindu.

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