Latest news with #DaijiWorld
Mint
25-06-2025
- General
- Mint
From begging to self-reliance: How a Mangaluru man rebuilt his life sans government support
This is the story of a man who was once a beggar and now earns an honest livelihood. Manickam, a physically challenged individual, sells bondas (a deep-fried South Indian potato snack) and repairs slippers and umbrellas in Mangaluru, Daiji World reported. He lost one of his legs in childhood, but never gave up and kept moving forward. Originally from the Salem district in Tamil Nadu, Manickam has been living in the Mangaluru district of Karnataka for the past 35 years. After arriving in Mangaluru, he initially resorted to begging, as he had no work. However, after a stay at a state government-run shelter, he turned his life around and became self-reliant. At the shelter, he was discouraged from begging and encouraged to start earning through his own efforts. 'I used to beg when I came to Mangaluru 35 years ago. But after being taken to a shelter when the government enforced the anti-begging law, I decided to work and live with dignity,' Manickam said, according to the Daiji World report. He added that he never received any government support due to a lack of local documentation. He was not eligible for disability benefits or housing schemes. 'I had once applied in Tamil Nadu, but nothing came of it. All my documents are linked to my address in Salem, which made it difficult to apply for anything in Karnataka,' he added. Manickam began by repairing slippers and umbrellas. Gradually, he expanded his work to selling bondas and ice apples. He works every day from 8 AM to 8 PM to support himself. He now also owns a scooter, which helps him commute easily from his home in Hoige Bazar to his shop near the State Bank of India. Manickam further said, 'The people of Mangaluru are generous and kind. No one has ever harassed me for my work. I feel more at home here than in my native place. The people of Kudla gave me a chance to live with dignity.'
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Farmers devastated as sudden drop in key crop production threatens livelihoods: 'We need to change our mindset'
Over the last decade, the effects of the changing climate have greatly impacted many agriculture industries throughout the world. This includes India, which has seen one its most popular crops face a dramatic drop in production. As reported by DaijiWorld, the areca nut industry in India has seen production plummet by nearly 50% in 2025. This drop has been attributed to a number of reasons, including yellow leaf disease, leaf spot disease, and extreme weather conditions. DaijiWorld noted that several regions in India have endured widespread outbreaks of leaf spot disease. The bacterial infection affects the leaves of various plants, trees, and shrubs. According to a study, elevated carbon dioxide levels may play a major role in the increase or complexity of bacterial infections such as leaf spot disease. Additionally, above-average temperatures make for less than ideal growing conditions for areca nut crops that haven't been affected by bacterial infections. This combination of factors has resulted in a grim outlook for not only areca nut production but many of India's other vital crops as well. In Indian cities like Mangalore, the strength of the economy is often tied to the performance of its agriculture industry, according to Mangaluru Online. Mangalore is home to an assortment of crops such as coconut, cocoa, and areca nut. However, as the country faces forecasts of above-average temperatures, many crops could continue to struggle. In fact, meteorologists are currently predicting that the summer could bring more extensive heat waves than normal. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, chief of the India Meteorological Department, noted that many regions of India could "From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of northwest India are expected to experience two to four more heatwave days than normal," Mohapatra said, in a report from the BBC. According to Mohapatra, this pattern can be attributed to the changing climate: "Human activities, increasing population, industrialisation, and transport mechanisms are leading to increased concentration of carbon monoxide, methane, and chloro-carbons." As India continues to face severe impacts of the changing climate, the country has signaled a strong desire to reduce harmful carbon pollution. At the COP26 summit in 2021, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged for India to reduce its pollution to net zero (cutting to as low as possible and taking actions to make up for the rest) by 2070. While speaking to Bill Gates in 2024, Modi admitted that India needs a shift in what is prioritized. Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "Our current challenge is how we perceive progress," Modi said, per the Times of India. "For example, a country's development is often judged by its steel consumption and energy usage. Based on these criteria, we calculate the country's economy." He added, "If we continue to rely on these parameters, we will consume more electricity and steel, resulting in increased carbon emissions. This means we need to change our mindset. We need to make lifestyle choices and measure progress in ways that are climate-friendly. Currently, all our measures of progress are detrimental to the climate." Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
