Volume 13 | Issue 8 |

 Abstract

This paper critically examines fair trade policies in the context of Darjeeling tea plantations, highlighting their disjunction from the lived realities of vulnerable plantation workers. Although initiated with the intent of advancing justice and improving livelihoods, fair trade often reproduces the same exploitative patterns embedded in mainstream global trade, wherein structural inequalities persist and wealth remains unevenly distributed. Workers continue to experience conditions shaped by colonial hierarchies of authority, oppression and dependency, with limited empowerment. Instead of fostering collective strength, fair trade has in some instances deepened divisions between members and non-members of the Joint Body. While marketed globally as a mechanism of ethical consumption--appealing to consumer conscience--its benefits rarely reach the intended beneficiaries. The study argues that without addressing entrenched forms of exploitation and powerlessness, fair trade risks becoming a symbolic gesture rather than a transformative tool of ethical globalization.

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 Keywords

fairtrade, ethical globalisation, Darjeeling tea plantations, plantation workers.

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This study investigates the crucial function of Village Councils in rural development in Mizoram, focusing on their evolution from traditional chieftaincy to modern governance. Through a comparative analysis of four villages in Aizawl and Kolasib districts--classified as developed and underdeveloped--the research explores local governance dynamics and community advancement. It traces the historical shift from hereditary chieftaincy, marked by mechanical solidarity and subsistence economies, to contemporary Village Councils that act as vital links between state policies and grassroots execution. The findings indicate that Village Councils are crucial for governmental initiatives and basic services, especially in underdeveloped villages where a significant majority consider them essential. Conversely, developed villages exhibit mixed views, with slightly over half regarding councils as crucial, while nearly half believe in community self-sustainability. The study highlights ongoing challenges, including infrastructure deficits, healthcare and educational inequalities, and varying administrative capabilities among villages. Sociologically, the data reveal how local governance interacts with structural conditions, shaping diverse developmental experiences influenced by social capital, administrative frameworks, and political participation. The research concludes that while Village Councils are generally effective in fostering rural development, their performance varies considerably depending on socio-economic contexts, indicating that ongoing assessment, structural enhancements, and a strengthened commitment to participatory development are necessary for achieving sustainable rural transformation in Mizoram.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and The Open Definition

 Keywords

Village Councils, Rural development, Mizoram, Local governance, Participatory democracy, Traditional institutions, Chieftainship system, Community development

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and The Open Definition

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Anita Desai published her novel "Cry the Peacock" in 1963. Themes of alienation, seclusion, and dissatisfaction are the focus of the work. Maya, a young woman, is entangled in an unfulfilling marriage to Gautama, a wealthy attorney, in the narrative. Her spouse disregards her. She is of the opinion that material possessions may provide her with pleasure. This article examines the protagonist of the novel, Maya, with a particular emphasis on her internal conflict, conjugal discord, and cultural pressures. Maya experiences a sense of isolation and alienation from her spouse and society as a consequence of the neglect of her emotional needs. This article examines the topic, narrative technique, and symbolic framework.

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Feminine Sensibility, Patriarchal Norms, Alienation, Inequality, Marital Disharmony

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The convergence of nature and technology offers a promising path toward sustainable development. The demand for eco-friendly and sustainable technologies has accelerated the advancement of green nanotechnology, particularly in the synthesis of Ag and Au nanoparticles. Mangroves, with their rich phytochemical profile and unique ability to adapt to harsh environments, serve as powerful bioreactors for producing metallic nanoparticles. These biologically synthesized nanoparticles demonstrate notable antimicrobial, catalytic, and environmental remediation properties, aligning well for green chemistry and economy circular principles. Traditional nanoparticle synthesis methods often involve the use of toxic chemicals and energy processes that cause environmental problems. Green synthesis using plant extracts, microorganisms, and biopolymers provides a stable, environmentally friendly alternative. The green synthesis of metal nanoparticles from bioresources derived from mangroves is explored in this review, and it is based on the economic substitutes and environmentally friendly methods of traditional chemical and physical methods. This study reviews the fundamentals, benefits, and latest developments in eco-friendly methods for producing Au and Ag nanoparticles. It also highlights their potential applications in agriculture, water treatment, medicine, environmental engineering, and sustainable industrial practices, demonstrating their role in harmonizing technology with nature for a healthier environment.

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Medicinal plants, Metal Nanoparticles, Green Synthesis, Environmental sustainability, Biomedical applications.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and The Open Definition

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Abstract : Liver abscess presenting with pleural effusion is rare case presented itself having Liver abscess with pleural effusion with ectopic malrotated kidney . Case initially had symptoms of liver abscess but on ultrasound it was found to be accompanied with pleural effusion and malrotated ectopic kidney .In case of liver abscess diagnosis usually involves blood tests, stool examination , imaging studies such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI. Treatment typically includes antibiotics for pyogenic abscesses and anti-parasitic medication for amoebic abscess. But with added complication of pleural effusion it proved to be a challenge.

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Amoebic liver abscess,Pleural effusion,Pleural emphyema,ICD,Pigtail catheter

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This study examines the development and transformation of the bodhisattva concept through comparative analysis of canonical P?li texts and early Mah?y?na literature. Drawing upon philological evidence from the J?taka tales, Buddhava?sa, and foundational Mah?y?na s?tras including the Lotus S?tra and Perfection of Wisdom literature, this research traces the evolution from the historical Buddha's pre-enlightenment journey to the fully developed bodhisattva doctrine. The investigation employs textual criticism and doctrinal comparison to demonstrate how the bodhisattva ideal underwent significant conceptual expansion, shifting from describing the Buddha's past lives to establishing a universal path of compassionate awakening. Findings reveal that while the P?li tradition presents the bodhisattva path as exceptional and primarily retrospective, early Mah?y?na sources reconceptualize it as the supreme spiritual ideal accessible to all practitioners. This transformation reflects broader soteriological developments within Buddhist thought, particularly regarding the tension between individual liberation and universal salvation. The study contributes to understanding how fundamental Buddhist concepts evolved across different textual traditions and geographical contexts.

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 Keywords

bodhisattva, P?li Canon, Mah?y?na Buddhism, comparative Buddhism, Buddhist soteriology

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and The Open Definition

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Potatoes play a vital role as a staple crop worldwide, making a significant contribution to global food security. However, the susceptibility of potato plants to various leaf diseases poses a threat to crop yield and quality. Detecting these diseases accurately and at an early stage is crucial for the effective management and protection of crops. Recent advancements in Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have demonstrated potential in image categorization applications. Therefore, the goal of this work is to investigate the potential of CNNs in detecting potato leaf diseases. As neural networks have become part of agriculture, numerous researchers have worked on improving the early detection of potato blight using different machine and deep learning methods. However, there are persistent problems related to accuracy and the time it takes for these methods to work. In response to these challenges, we tailored a convolutional neural network (CNN) to enhance accuracy while reducing the trainable parameters, computational time and information loss. To conduct this research, we compiled a diverse dataset consisting of images of potato leaves. The dataset encompassed both healthy leaves and leaves infected with common diseases such as late blight and early blight. We took great care in curating and preprocessing the dataset to ensure its quality and consistency. Our focus was to develop a specialized CNN architecture tailored specifically for disease detection. To improve the performance of the network, we employed techniques like data augmentation and transfer learning during the training phase. The experimental outcomes demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed customized CNN model in accurately identifying and classifying potato leaf diseases. Our model's overall accuracy was an astounding 99.22%, surpassing the performance of existing methods by a significant margin. Furthermore, we evaluated precision, recall, and F1-score to evaluate the model's effectiveness on individual disease classes. To give an additional understanding of the model's behavior and its capacity to distinguish between various disease types, we utilized visualization techniques such as confusion matrices and sample output images. The results of this study have implications for managing potato diseases by offering an automated and reliable solution for early detection and diagnosis. Future research directions may include expanding the dataset, exploring different CNN architectures, and investigating the generalizability of the model across different potato varieties and growing conditions.

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Potato leaf diseases, leaf disease detection, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), image classification, crop protection.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and The Open Definition

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This research examines seasonal and spatial patterns of water quality over the Dindi Reservoir in Telangana using a hybrid approach that integrates Sentinel-2A satellite imagery with in-situ field sampling. Remote sensing-derived indices including the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Floating Algae Index (FAI), and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) were used to map surface water conditions across pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon periods. Ground-truthing was conducted by taking readings of physico-chemical parameters like temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, nitrates, phosphates, and total dissolved solids (TDS) at several GPS-tagged sampling sites. Statistical analysis revealed good agreement between satellite indices and measured water quality parameters, especially for monsoon months when the amount of runoff was maximum. These results present a baseline dataset for machine learning model development to forecast zooplankton abundance and ecological risk areas. This integrative strategy facilitates scalable, cost-efficient monitoring systems for freshwater ecosystems in semi-arid environments.

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 Keywords

Remote Sensing, Sentinel-2, Water Quality, Dindi Reservoir, NDWI, AI, Spatio-Temporal Monitoring, Freshwater Ecosystems, Telangana

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Hypertension is a multifactorial disease with psychosomatic origin, where both psychological and physiological components interplay in its pathogenesis. From an Ayurvedic perspective, it is not described as a separate disease but can be understood under the concepts of Ucchhr?ita Raktac?pa, Raktavaha Srotodus??i, and Manasika Bh?va-vik?ra. The imbalance of Manas Do?has (R?ja? and Tama?) leads to maladaptive stress responses, which disturb ?ar?ra Do?has--primarily V?ta and Pitta--resulting in vascular dysfunction and elevated blood pressure. This review aims to analyze the psychosomatic basis of hypertension with special reference to the interaction of Manas Do?has and ?ar?ra Do?has.

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Hypertension, Psychosomatic Pathogenesis, Manas Do?has, V?ta, Pitta, Rajas, Tamas, Ayurveda.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and The Open Definition

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Prevalence of anemia in India is among the highest in the world. Prevalence of anemia is higher among Lactating mothers,pregnant women and preschool children. Inadequate dietary iron,folate intake due to low vegetable consumption, perhaps low B12 intake and poor bioavailability of dietaryiron from the fibre, phytate rich Indian diets are the major factors responsible for high prevalence ofanemia. In India Iron deficiency is the most common single cause of anemia, the lactating mothers are suffers with maternal anemia this may impact the growth of infants. Major insight of the study is that anemia level of lactating mothers largely differs with the changes in lifestyle variables like food habits and work.

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 Keywords

Anemia, Lactating mothers and Iron

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and The Open Definition