Prof Ashok Kumar Ghosh by Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh Waste water is a significant pollution source that has serious adverse impact both on the environment and local residents. In urban area of Bihar raw waste water is disposed in small nallas or left to infiltrate through cesspits into the underlying vulnerable ground water aquifers. These aquifers are the only water sources and suffer from over exploitation and contamination. The problem is further complicated by the poor economical conditions that prevent the construction of infrastructure and burden the locals with the costly expenses of waste... 

Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh by Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh A significant factor in the waste management practices of low income countries like India is the presence of extensive informal sector activities, either in the form of recycling enterprise of itinerant waste buyers and dealers, or through self employed and municipal sweepers collecting solid waste against an agreed payment from household. The “informal sector in solid waste management” refers to individuals, families, and private sector (micro-) enterprises working in waste management services and valorisation, whose activities are neither... 

Prof-Ashok-Ghosh Eco-Scope Bihar by Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh Biofuels are produced from living organisms as metabolic by-products, and have been around as long as cars have. At the start of the 20th century, Henry Ford planned to fuel his Model Ts with ethanol, and early diesel engines were shown to run on peanut oil. But discoveries of huge petroleum deposits kept gasoline and diesel cheap for decades, and biofuels were largely forgotten. However, with the recent rise in oil prices, along with growing concern about climate change and global warming caused by carbon dioxide emissions, biofuels... 

Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh Eco-Scope Bihar “The Tipping Point – Alarming signals for life on Earth” By Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh Earth is an exquisitely beautiful planet, washed in water and surrounded by a thin atmosphere with swirling white clouds. This planet is a system of moving gas, liquid, and solids with numerous interconnected and interdependent components. Earth operates as a constantly changing dynamic system since its origin. Changes are going on in its physical as well as biological characteristics. It has gone through change in temperature – sometimes we talk of global warming... 

Eco-Scope Bihar Ganga: our  lifeline is threatened By Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh   The Ganga, one of the major rivers of the world, has been venerated as the holiest through the ages and is bond with countless beliefs and faiths. It occupies a unique position in the ethos of the people of India. Emotional attachment to the river and to the centers of pilgrimage on its bank runs deep among the people of India. Its water has traditionally been regarded as inexhaustible gift of nature. Recent evidences do not, however, admit of such complacency. The water resources are strained to unsustainable... 

Eco-Scope Bihar Current Status of Arsenic Contamination in Ground Water of Bihar By Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh In Bihar, India, like in many areas downstream of the Himalayas, arsenic is contained in fluvial deposits, mainly of Holocene age. The problem of arsenic contamination can be attributed to excessive withdrawal of ground water both for drinking and irrigation purpose. People in India used surface water until 1970s, but millions of tube wells were sunk with the help of financial support from International bodies like Unicef and world Bank to decrease the incidence of water borne diseases... 

  Eco-Scope Bihar Deepawali & Chhath:let there be more light than noise By Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh   Deepawali – the festival of Light was celebrated last week. Since my early childhood I am fascinated by the display of light and firework. I used to go to market the purchase earthen Diyas, Diyas were soaked in water to save oil, my mother used to make bati from old cloth or cotton, and in the evening our modest home was lighted with these Diyas. There was no candle light culture and even the quantity of atishbaji was limited due to economic constraints. Time changed... 

Eco-Scope Bihar Spirituality with Environmentalism: Eco-friendly Durga Puja by Bangiya Samaj, Suraj Kund   By Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh   Durga Puja vacation is over and I am back at home after a week of hectic travel. Wherever I went during Durga Puja, I saw many colourful idols, which indeed looked very attractive. But behind all this glitter, my concern for ecology made me hear the sound of warning bells, an experience I want to share with readers of my column. Now a days, most of the idols are made of Plaster of Paris, which allows excellent finish and distinct shine due... 

Eco-Scope Bihar Will Climate Change Activate Spread of Malaria?   By Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh Climate change, as defined by climatologists, is “a fundamental shift in the mean state of the climate that generally pertains to longer term trends”.  Emissions of some gases like CO2, N2O, H2O, HCFC, etc. collectively described as Green House Gases (GHG) act as a “blanket” that keeps the heat inside the atmosphere of the Earth because of their ability to absorb and emit infrared radiations. Continuous emissions of GHG are projected not only to increase the global surface... 

Eco-Scope Bihar When Nature strikes…human beings have no answer… By Prof. Ashok Kumar Ghosh I was working in my home (Third Floor) on my computer in the evening on 18th September, 2011 when suddenly the computer screen started shaking. My home has many rodents, and first I thought that it is mischief by some of them. I knocked the screen a few times and kept working. But the screen of computer continued its trembling, and then it came to my mind that it is not a mischief by rodents, but it is earthquake. I ran for my life downstairs shouting that it is earthquake. By the time...