The Wire – Online

It is challenging to quantify and manage non-point sources of water pollution – pollution that does not come from industrial and sewage treatment plants – due to their fuzzy flow, uncertain distribution area and variable pollution load. In rural India, livestock waste, on-site sanitation systems, and agricultural runoff are major contributors. The dry and wet weather flows carry and infiltrate contaminants from these sources and contaminate groundwater and surface water resources. Numerous studies have reported nitrate and faecal contamination above WHO drinking water standards in groundwater and surface water sources in rural and peri-urban India.

The New Indian Express – Online

With the cotton harvest picking up pace in the district, the farmers hope that the crop price will surge in the coming weeks. At present, cotton is sold for an average of Rs 65 per kg, while the same season last year witnessed the price rise up to Rs 103 per kg. Being the most widely cultivated crop in the district after paddy and chilli, cotton was cultivated on about 8,800 hectares this year. Usually, cotton is cultivated in two seasons; the first season starts in January-February and lasts till April. Agriculture officials said the acreage for cotton cultivation soared this year owing to the high prices the crop fetched last year. The ...

Mint – Online

Most recent estimates of national income present a mixed picture of our post-pandemic recovery. Economic growth in 2022-23 is expected at 7% with gross value added seen rising 6.6%. However, a sectoral break-up of the data suggests unevenness. Manufacturing is expected to increase by only 0.6%. What should also worry us is that this sector has seen a contraction for the second consecutive quarter. Data also suggests weakening in key drivers of demand, such as private consumption and exports. Therefore, any exuberance based on India’s aggregate GDP data may be misplaced. This is also because our GDP data has shown significant fluctuations in provisional estimates compared to final estimates.