Latest news with #Sajeevan
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
UDF suffers a blow in Vaikom as Kerala Congress councillor joins CPI(M)
With just a few months to go for the local body elections in Kerala, the United Democratic Front (UDF) has suffered a major setback in Kottayam with a Kerala Congress councillor in the Vaikom municipality switching allegiance to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. This move has left both the UDF and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) with an equal number of members in the municipal council. Sindhu Sajeevan, who represents Ward 13 and serves as chairperson of the municipality's development standing committee, joined the CPI(M) at a reception held at the Vaikom Boat Jetty on Wednesday evening. CPI(M) Kottayam district secretary T.R. Raghunathan handed over the party flag to Ms. Sajeevan, welcoming her into the party. Spat over graft charges Ms. Sajeevan decided to leave the Kerala Congress and the UDF following a public spat with municipal vice-chairman P.T. Subash over alleged corruption charges raised against her. While the allegations had initially been brought up by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ms. Sajeevan maintained that she had received no support from the ruling council. Upon exiting the UDF, she alleged corruption running into crores of rupees in municipal projects, including grass cutting along the backwaters, mini MCDF, bed distribution, and construction of public toilets. UDF dismisses claims The UDF leadership, however, dismissed these claims. Municipal chairperson Preetha Rajesh stated that the civic body had spent only ₹25 lakh in total on the four projects cited by Ms. Sajeevan. In the 26-member municipal council, the UDF and the LDF now have 10 members each, while the BJP has four. The remaining two seats are held by a Congress Independent and a CPI(M) Independent respectively.
India.com
31-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Meet India's richest farmer, Nituben Patel, has annual turnover of Rs...., she farms only ..
Farmers in India face numerous challenging issues in their everyday lives. Low incomes and increasing costs can be very difficult to deal with. Sometimes, they protest, demanding fair pricing mechanisms or assistance from the government. Moreover, natural disasters such as floods and droughts further add to the challenges. Some farmers feel hopeless and may resort to taking their own lives as the only way out. Amidst these layers of challenges, one woman stood up and refused to quit. She faced adversity with courage in every sense of the word. Her name is Nituben Patel from Rajkot, Gujarat, India. She shattered all barriers to enter a world dominated by males and moved ahead with her farm using impactful farming techniques. In 2024, Nituben Patel was awarded 'India's Richest Farmer' at the Millionaire Farmer of India (MFOI) Awards. She was the first woman to achieve this prestigious accolade, which is remarkable in a domain heavily influenced by men. There were two pivotal innovations in her farming success a) ' Amrut Krushi ' and b) 'Magical Mitti ' techniques. Amrut Krushi or Nectar Farming is a sustainable agriculture that works to enhance soil quality and produce more food through natural methods. Magical Mitti is a process developed by Nituben based on state-of-the-art techniques for improving soil to establish fertile land and productivity. Nituben Patel grows a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables and is also involved in dairy farming. Her farm products, including mustard oil, ghee, and Khapli wheat, are available online and are widely sought after due to their natural purity. Her depth of knowledge pertaining to medicinal plants further enhances the uniqueness and value of her farm. Built over 20 years, Nituben's farm is so superiorly planned and self-sustained that it could last for decades without human intervention. Her success story will not only be a role model for farmers in India but may also serve as an example of how tradition and innovation can reshape the future of agriculture. Sajeevan Life Pvt Ltd is India's most dynamic agri-innovation enterprise, combining climate-smart agriculture, certified organic production, carbon credit farming, clean energy solutions, and a full-fledged farm-to-fork e-commerce brand — all under one regenerative ecosystem, as reported by the official website of Sajeevan Life Pvt Ltd. Nituben Patel founded Sajeevan Life Private Limited to promote natural farming and rural development. As NGO, Sajeevan has made huge impact in Gujarat through their grassroots contributions. According to the media reports, the NGO registered 84 Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs) in 45 days. FPOs not only help farmers to access government schemes but also teach them sustainable and cost-effective farming practices to codify a better livelihood. 'We empower tribal and smallholder farmers across India to grow organically, earn more, and heal the Earth — while giving consumers access to 100% traceable, toxin-free food and helping businesses achieve their ESG goals,' reads the website. Under Nituben's leadership, her agriculture ventures attained an impressive yearly turnover of more than Rs 100 crore. Through her Rushi Krushi program, she trained more than 10,000 farmers throughout India in organic and pesticide-free farming, promoting the benefits of natural, sustainable, and eco-friendly agricultural practices.
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Business Standard
22-06-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Kerala's fishing economy reels from back-to-back maritime disasters
Kerala's coastal communities are on edge after two major maritime accidents in the Arabian Sea within a short span, threatening not only fragile marine ecosystems but also the livelihoods of thousands who depend on them. The back-to-back incidents—first involving the MSC Elsa 3, followed by a fire aboard MV Wan Hai 503—have triggered bans on fishing, fears of contamination, and disruptions to the state's marine economy. According to Kerala Fisheries Statistics 2021, over one million people in the state depend directly or indirectly on fisheries, including more than 2.4 lakh active fishermen across 222 marine fishing villages. When did the incidents occur? The MSC ELSA-3, a Liberian-flagged container ship carrying 640 containers (including hazardous materials like calcium carbide), capsized and sank on May 25, about 38 nautical miles southwest of Kochi, off Kerala's coast. The MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged container vessel, caught fire on June 9, roughly 78 nautical miles off Beypore, Kerala, following an under-deck explosion. After the MSC Elsa 3 shipwreck, authorities imposed an eight-day fishing ban within a 20-nautical-mile radius of the wreck site. The timing could not have been worse—it coincided with the onset of the monsoon season, typically a peak period for fish catch. In 2020-21, Kerala produced 6.15 lakh tonnes of fish and prawns, highlighting the scale of economic activity now at risk. The government's interim relief included ₹1,000 and 6 kg of rice per family, a measure many in the fishing community criticised as inadequate. 'June to September is when we earn the most. This amount doesn't even cover two days of work,' said a fisherman from the Alappuzha-Kollam region, highlighting how compensation fell below the daily minimum wage. Meanwhile, ongoing efforts to remove marine sediments from affected coastlines in Alappuzha, Kollam, and parts of Thiruvananthapuram have made uneven progress. Although communities have resumed fishing in some areas, fears of contamination persist. Environmental fears mount Experts say that while no mass fish deaths have been reported so far, the real danger may lie in delayed ecological impacts. 'If the water is not treated and sediments are not properly removed, this could lead to long-term consequences,' said a local fishing union representative. 'It's not just our community—this could affect people inland too, through the food chain and market supply.' Kollam, which usually lands around 35,000 tonnes of fish daily, has seen a steep drop in supply and demand alike. Several fish markets have reported little or no demand for days, as people are worried about possible contamination from hazardous cargo and oil spills. This has led to a direct loss of income for thousands of families who depend on fishing. According to Dr Sajeevan, professor at Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), misinformation about contamination is already hurting fish sales. Many regular fish eaters are switching to alternatives like meat or avoiding fish from affected areas altogether, he said. Scientific teams deployed to assess impact The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has deployed teams to assess environmental and economic fallout. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board and the National Institute of Oceanography are also expected to conduct studies on water quality and ecological recovery. 'Proper scientific monitoring and treatment are essential to contain long-term damage,' Dr Sajeevan added. 'We may not be seeing marine organism deaths now, but that doesn't rule out contamination. The impact on spawning, migration, and species diversity could emerge over time.' The way forward While cleanup operations are underway, fishers and environmentalists alike are demanding stricter regulation of maritime traffic near coastal zones and faster relief mechanisms. Experts are also calling for a contingency plan to protect coastal economies from future maritime mishaps. 'The government must establish a coordinated response framework that includes emergency cleanup, livelihood protection, and scientific risk assessments,' said a CMFRI official. 'Kerala's marine economy cannot afford repeated shocks.' For now, coastal families wait anxiously—not just for fish to return to their nets, but for assurance that their waters, and their futures, remain safe.
