A retail shop for carbide free banana at Krishakor Dukan, Six Mile, Khanapara, Guwahati was inaugurated by Prabin Hazarika, Director of Horticulture and Food Processing on Thursday.
Mowsam Hazarika, Agriculture Officer informed that fruits are loved by everybody; extremely good for your health as they are loaded with vitamins and other nutrients that are essential for our growth and development. However the health benefits of fruits are being threatened by human greed. A potentially harmful compound believed to have carcinogenic properties is being used to ripen fruits by corrupt business men and shady market traders who are looking to make a quick buck.
Calcium carbide is a chemical compound that is industrially used in the production of calcium cyanamide for fertilizer and also in welding. When calcium carbide comes into contact with water it produces acetylene gas that hastens the ripening of several fruits such as mangoes, bananas and apples. This chemical is extremely hazardous because it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus which both have dangerous effects on the human body.
However, Hazarika expressed that, use of ethylene gas exogenously is considered safe when used in concentration of 10-100 PPM ( 0.001-0.01%) depending upon the crop, variety and maturity, in ripening chambers at 18-24 Degree Centigrade with 90-95% relative humidity for ripening of fruits.
The simmering protest over the move to auction 12 marginal oil fields in Assam refuses to die down when AJYCP blocked many oilfields in Sivasagar district disrupting the normal functionings on Wednesday. AJYCP activists in large number simultaneously blocked these oilfields in protest against the controversial move by the Narendra Modi Government. With banners and festoons, AJYCP leaders and workers staged demonstration in a number of oilfields opposing the auction move forcing the halt of normal functionings for several hours. They further shouted slogans asking Delhi and Dispur not to go ahead. “We are quite unhappy. The Narendra Modi Government at the Centre has downplayed the...
BJP and its like minded parties in the north eastern states held a huge convention in Guwahati two years ahead of the assembly polls in the six states of the region. Dozens of BJP leaders and their counterparts in the regional parties have rubbed shoulders in Guwahati on Wednesday to ensure a BJP-led government in the entire region. BJP president Amit Shah along with several other saffron top guns attended the meeting held under the umbrella of North East Democratic Alliance in Panjabari. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was among those who attended the meeting which pledged a non Congress government in the region. Top leaders from AGP, BPF, NPF, Arunachal Congress, MPP, NPP and...
In a major development that could put the BJP-led government in a fix, a BJP MP has demanded an enquiry into the allegations of scams during the 15 year long Congress Government.Mongoldoi MP Ramen Deka in his recent letter to Sarbananda Sonowal has urged him to constitute a probe in to the major allegations which took place during the Tarun Gogoi regime.“The allegations of corruption should be probed. This is my request. I have not taken anybody’s name individually,” Deka told Assam Times over telephone from New Delhi.But the letter bears no less significance when a section of the ministers in the Sonowal Government was known for their vital role in the erstwhile Tarun Gogoi Government.“...
At a time when flood waters have submerged the Pobitora Wildlife sanctuary, the forest department is ill equipped to counter the poaching threat. According to a section forest guards who refused to be named, they have not been in a position to counter the poaching threat in the absence of machine boats. “We don’t have machine boats either to counter the poachers or to rescue the trapped animals. How can we deal with the situation,” rued a guard. Moreover, many anti-poaching camps have been running without minimum infrastructure. Most of these camps are unfit. “If you visit the anti poaching camps at Kuchiyani, Kolabhuyan, Kukkari, Tuplung, and Nekera you would get to know the real...
There seems to be no let-up in the over flood fury in Assam which has wreaked no less havoc in 10 districts leaving almost 2 lakh people in dire-straits. The water level of the mighty Brahmputra and its tributaries have been rising at an alarming trend suggesting a worsening turn during the next couple of days. More and more areas in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sonitpur, Goalpara, Jorhat, Majuli, Golaghat, Morigaon, Barpeta and Goalpara districts have come under the surging waters displacing lakhs of people and damaging crops. The flood-hit district administrations have set up relief camps for the marooned people. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has asked the district heads to firmly deal with...
The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has gone global when the organization promoting the spirit of nationalism has launched its own website on Sunday.Noted journalist Adip Kumar Phukan launched the website at a function in Bishnu Nirmala Bhawan in Guwahati attended by many AJYCP leaders and activists.In his brief address Phukan said that the website would help the organization approach the people with a clear message at a time when a number of issues have been confronting Assam and its people.He further said that the pressure groups need to mount pressure on Delhi and Dispur to stop exploiting the valuable resources which belong to Assam.The website contains the organization’s...
Flood problem refuses to improve in Assam on Sunday following the incessant rains that lashed the state during the last couple of days. The river Brahmaputra and its major tributaries have been flowing above the danger level rendering over 2 lakh people homeless in ten district. The worst-hit districts include Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Goalpara, Dhemaji, Majuli, Sonitpur where the government steps up relief and rescue operations. Chief Minister Sarbananda Soniowakl, who reviewed the flood scene in Dispur has asked the officials to closely monitor the situation.
In a move that fetches joy for Assam and its people, a top ranked ONGC officer from Assam will head the Oil India Limited. He is none other than Utpal Borah who is all set to sit in the helm of affairs of the oil public sector unit. Borah, now Executive Director (Asset Manager) ONGC, who has been finalized for the post of OIL chairman cum managing director is expected to join within this month. OIL has been running functioning without a full-time CMD since July 1 last year. Public sector top management personnel recruiter Public Enterprises Selection Board last year conducted two interviews to select its head where Rupshikha Saikia Borah was selected. But the Prime Minister’s Office...
The Centre’s Rs 1000 crore pre poll announcement for BTAD is bound embitter relationship between BJP and BPF. Talking to reporters on Saturday BTAD chief Hagrama Mohilary said that he has not received anything from the Centre out of the Rs 1,000 crore promised in the pre poll scene. “I have not received anything. No, we are not ready to accept Rs 250 cr, Rs 350 cr in lieu of the promised amount. It will damage our image,” said Mohilary when the reporter asked whether he was ready in accept anything. Notably, BPF agreed to strike poll deal with BPF only after the ruling party at the Centre assured BTAD of Rs 1,000 crore package. Narendra Modi in his poll rally did not announce the package...
The police have unearthed a huge den of druglords hours after they arrested a notorious peddler in Tinsukia who was believed to have made some sensational revelations during interrogation.Popularly known as Md Ilahi Sheikh, he has given some stunning confession about his operation in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh when he confessed before policed after a team of police caught him at a hideout in Tipam Lalpahar in Tinsukia district. According to information, police have seized brown sugar apart from a 7.65 calibre pistol with magazine, five rounds of live 7.65 ammunition, one night vision device from his possession. His wife is absconding.
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