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Researchers at the Indian Science Congress discussed technologies that could help the country achieve its goal of cleaning River Ganga and the Swachh Bharat mission. Technologies, which are generally used to reduce pollutants, sewage and industrial waste that enters river, are crucial for this. To this effect, the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) in Chennai has developed some technologies that are ready for commercialisation. Dry tanning, which eliminates the use of polluting chromium and water, is one of the techniques. Enzymes are used for dehairing and opening up of the leather fibres for further treatment. Calling it a game-changing technology, B Chandrasekaran, director of the institute, informed that it has been given to 50 tanneries in Kanpur. According to him, the industry is not only controlling pollutants, but it is also saving 20 per cent of the operational cost as they now do not have to import chromium. To adopt the technology, the industry would need to mod...

Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam declared every district of the state drought-hit owing to the failure of the northeast monsoon in 2016 and reports of farmers’ deaths. About 144 farmers have reportedly died in the state in the past three months due to crop failure. The chief minister assured a relief assistance of Rs 300,000 to each of the bereaved families. "Reports have been sought from the district collectors on the deaths reported in media. Upon getting the reports, the assistance will be extended to those families as well," he said. Land tax will also be waived off. His decision comes after the reports are submitted by high-level teams comprising ministers and senior bureaucrats in all districts, barring Chennai. Tamil Nadu government will shortly request the Centre for relief assistance and a petition will be sent to the Centre at the earliest, Panneerselvam said in a statement. According to the data by Regional Meteorological Centre, most districts in...