PHYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON SOME SELECTED SPECIES OF ASTERACEAE FAMILY OF RAJASTHAN, INDIA

The Asteraceae is a large and widely spread family of vascular plants. The Plants of this family are known to have a variety of pharmacological activities. Verbesina alternifolia, Parthenium hysterophorus, Tridax procumbens is collected from Ajmer district and identified with taxonomical characters. Alkaloids (Wagner’s test, Mayer’s test, Hager’s test), Steroid (Libermann Burchard test, Salkowaski), Glycosides (Keller kilani test ), and Flavonoids (Lead Acetate test) are isolated from the Verbesina alternifolia,, Parthenium hysterophorus, Tridax procumbens plant material collected from Ajmer district.

Why We Lack in Basic Sanitation? An Assessment of Challenges in Ajmer and Solution Strategies

Purpose of the study: The paper attempts to find the answer to the question – Why do we lack in basic sanitation? What are the reasons for it? Paper introspects the challenges encountered in sanitation services for Ajmer district in Rajasthan. It identifies the key bottlenecks of the sanitation system to the ground realities of implementation for a non-metropolitan city. The article also outlines the way forward which is suggested to make the sanitation system in the city more available to all. Methodology: The paper is drawn on policy document analysis, urban sanitation policy and other Indian government promotional materials on urban sanitation, Indian municipalities, and a number of public-private partnerships. The paper reviews the extant literature on urban sanitation and thereafter examines challenges met in Ajmer district of Rajasthan. Main findings: It emphasizes the major challenges of access to sanitation, lack of private sector engagement, lack of regulation and standardization, treatment of wastewater and septage, low infrastructure, weak institutional framework etc. The Paper also proposes suggestions for meeting these challenges so that a proper system of sanitation may emerge. Applications of this study: This study will be useful for all those agencies who are involved with sanitation system governance. The paper contributes to the literature by addressing a neglected theme of investigating the challenges and their probable solution strategies about Ajmer district of Rajasthan. The study will provide background of various challenges faced in various cities in Indian perspectives and how they can be dealt by proposed suggestions. This study will be beneficial in the area of sanitation systems, urban governance, etc. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study is significant in highlighting the type of challenges and what could be possible solutions in Indian perspectives with special reference to Ajmer.

Why We Lack in Basic Sanitation? An Assessment of Challenges in Ajmer and Solution Strategies

Purpose of the study: The paper attempts to find the answer to the question – Why do we lack in basic sanitation? What are the reasons for it? Paper introspects the challenges encountered in sanitation services for Ajmer district in Rajasthan. It identifies the key bottlenecks of the sanitation system to the ground realities of implementation for a non-metropolitan city. The article also outlines the way forward which is suggested to make the sanitation system in the city more available to all. Methodology: The paper is drawn on policy document analysis, urban sanitation policy and other Indian government promotional materials on urban sanitation, Indian municipalities, and a number of public-private partnerships. The paper reviews the extant literature on urban sanitation and thereafter examines challenges met in Ajmer district of Rajasthan. Main findings: It emphasizes the major challenges of access to sanitation, lack of private sector engagement, lack of regulation and standardization, treatment of wastewater and septage, low infrastructure, weak institutional framework etc. The Paper also proposes suggestions for meeting these challenges so that a proper system of sanitation may emerge. Applications of this study: This study will be useful for all those agencies who are involved with sanitation system governance. The paper contributes to the literature by addressing a neglected theme of investigating the challenges and their probable solution strategies about Ajmer district of Rajasthan. The study will provide background of various challenges faced in various cities in Indian perspectives and how they can be dealt by proposed suggestions. This study will be beneficial in the area of sanitation systems, urban governance, etc. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study is significant in highlighting the type of challenges and what could be possible solutions in Indian perspectives with special reference to Ajmer.

Variability and trends of rainfall using non-parametric approaches: A case study of semi-arid area

The analysis of variability and trends of rainfall can be used to assist better decision for climate risk and agricultural water management. This study makes an attempt to evaluate the trend and variability of annual, seasonal and monthly rainfall of 19 stations of Ajmer district, Rajasthan based on 44 year’s monthly rainfall data (1973-2016). Non-parametric Mann-Kendall (MK), Modified Mann-Kendall (mMK) and Spearman’s rho (SR) tests were used to achieve if there was an increasing or decreasing trend in the time series and the Sen’s slope (Q) estimator was applied to identify the quantity of the trend. From the results, it was found that annual and monsoon rainfall both showed an increasing trend at three stations, located in the central part and a decreasing trend at two stations, located in the north-western and south-western part of the study area. The magnitude of maximum increasing trends in both annual and monsoon rainfall was observed at Goela (Q=+10.17 mm/year and+9.50 mm/year) while Jawaja (Q = - 6.76 mm/year and -5.21 mm/year) appeared with the maximum decreasing trends. On a monthly scale February showed an increasing trend at maximum number of stations (seven) and July showed a decreasing trend at maximum number of stations (seven). The information gathered from our study will help in future to estimate hydraulic procedures as well as to make sustainable water resource planning and management in this region.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factor Associated with Endemicity of Theileria equi Infection in Horses in Rajasthan State, India

Background: Equine piroplasmosis is a haemoprtozoan disease of equids and enzootic in Rajasthan prefecture of India. In endemic areas, the subclinical condition is more common, as infected equids recover from the disease and become latently infected. This study aimed to investigate the seroepidemiology and risk factors associated with the endemicity of Theileria equi infection in Rajasthan state. Methods: A cross-sectional study on the seroprevalence of Theileria equi, was performed. Total of 151 serum samples collected from different areas of Rajasthan. The serum samples were screened by ELISA for assessment of seroprevalence of T. equi infection.Result: Overall seroprevalence of T. equi was 49.66%. A total of 75 T. equi seropositive horses were detected and one horse was clinically positive for T. equi infection. The clinical signs observed were - fever, haemoglobinuria, mild colic, anaemia and icteric conjunctival mucous membrane. Theileria equi infection is endemic among horses in Rajasthan state and Ajmer district found the most endemic. Haematological observations in T. equi clinically infected and healthy horses were studies. A decreased haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, total erythrocytic counts were observed in T. equi infected horse in comparison to healthy horses. This observation showed anaemic condition in T. equi clinically infected equine. An increased concentration of liver enzymes – AST, ALP, GGT in T. equi infected equine was also recorded, which indicated the liver damage.

STUDIES OF THE AVIFAUNA IN URBAN LIMITS OF AJMER, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

The urban sprawls are common in the present age. The urban biodiversity conservation is a challenge for the urban planners. The habitats formed within the green and blue spaces are home for the wide variety of floral and faunal diversity. In the series of the conservation actions, the present investigation was undertaken in the urban areas of the central Rajasthan, i.e., Ajmer. It aimed to review and prepare comprehensive database through assessment of the avifaunal species of the municipal area of Ajmer. The seasonal surveys and periodic sampling observations were recorded for twenty-four months from February 2017 to January 2019. The urban area was classified into three regions namely, the Urban Green Patches (UGP), Urban Aquatic Area (UAA) and Human Settlement Area (HSA). The UGA & HSA harbored 104 species and 41 species respectively whereas the UAA harbored 95 species. The Relative Diversity Index of the various species was calculated. The present investigation recorded 167 species from 58 families. With the earlier studies with a reporting of 235 species from 62 families, there was addition of 13 new species and two families. Thus, the cumulative list of Ajmer District presented an account of 243 bird species from 64 families.