Search

In recent years, many countries have tightened the rules against harassment at the workplace and violence in the home. On the other hand, the incidences of sexual harassment in public places have not been paid sufficient attention, specifically against women. Developing countries like India have recorded the increment of sexual harassment cases in public places due to the increment in participation of women in outside activities such as education and employment. In India, the term ‘Eve-teasing’ is a euphemism that is used for sexual harassment in public places. Eve-teasing is identified as a significant problem in the patriarchal society of India that causes dreadful implications on women. The daily encounter with sexual harassment leads to a decline in their career and also socio-economic and political opportunities for them. In recent years, these misdeeds have been spread at every corner of our society and have become a national problem. Eve-teasing is not considered atrocious and strong laws have not been enacted to counteract it. To this end, this study has been conducted to identify the socio-psychological repercussions of Eve-teasing on girl cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) aged between 19 and 24 years. Moreover, the significance of NCC in empowering the girl cadets in dealing with daily harassment is also the focus of the investigation. Particularly, the structural feminist approach is adopted to offer a critical framework to examine the patriarchal socialization of men and women as the most common cause of Eve-teasing. A total of 262 women participated in this study. The data were collected at the national camp of NCC held in New Delhi through a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions from January 18 to 29, 2020. Out of the total respondents, 83.20% were exposed to Eve-teasing in their lives, while 15.26% of them did not disclose about such incidents. The study concludes by highlighting the negative implications of Eve-teasing on the life of adolescent females and also with disclosing their suffering and struggle. Although, the respondents were the cadets of the National Cadet Corps (NCC), which helped them to shape self-confidence to fight against such sexual harassment acts. Therefore, it is suggested to the governments (state and central) to emphasize the involvement of the agencies having similar goals as NCC in empowering the females in the early years.

This paper discusses the cultural practices of prostitution as an occupation among the Bedia community. They involved in institutional prostitution from long ago. Qualitative and quantitative methods have been used to examine the source of authority and power to continue such deviant practices as an occupation. We also enlighten some factors behind the women's support to the system or justification of their natives to prostitution as a usual occupation. The analysis of data reveals that respondents consider their long history and experiences of prostitution as an ordinary occupation. They were forced to live like a nomadic group due to the relegation of the king from the kingdom. In colonial duration, British Government formatted law against them, and after the independent government still did not do something for them. Their traditional occupation has played a primary role in their survival, so Bedia managed a system to continue the tradition.

Experiment was conducted to assess drought-tolerance in two common bean genotypes by inducing stress at flower initiation stage on the basis of inherent stress tolerance characters viz.total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll stability index, nitrate reductase activity, total free proline content and drought susceptibility index. Foliar spray of ABA, calcium and potassium was also applied to check whether they enhance drought tolerance by showing their impact on these parameters. Seeds of fifty common bean genotypes were evaluated for drought tolerance in laboratory by simulation with two PEG-6000 osmotic potential levels (−0.3 MPa and-0.5 MPa). Reduction in germination percentage, plumule and radicle length was observed in KR 84 and KR 257 genotypes. Pot trial revealed that drought stress at flower initiation stage significantly reduced total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll stability index, nitrate reductase activity and drought susceptibility index whereas total free proline content was significantly enhanced. Foliar application of ABA, calcium and potassium effectively ameliorated the negative effects of drought stress in both genotypes. Reduction in drought susceptibility index was also observed under these treatments as compared to stressed and non-treated plants. Foliar application of ABA, calcium and potassium effectively elevated various biochemical parameters, however these foliar treatments displayed lower accumulation of total free proline conferring lower drought sensitivity of genotypes after foliar application. Abscisic acid 20 ppm and CaCl2 0.5% were found to be most effective and surpassed other treatments.

An investigation was carried out to study consequences of 2,4-D on nitrate reductase activity and nitrogen content in wheat and its relationship to grain protein in the Department of Agronomy, Forages and Grassland Management, CSK HPKV, Palampur. The field experiment consisting of four treatments viz. 2,4-D 0.5 Kg ha -1 (35 DAS), 2,4-D 1.0 Kg ha -1 (35 DAS), 2,4-D 2.0 Kg ha -1 (35 DAS) and control was laid out in randomized block design. A significant increase in nitrate reductase activity and nitrogen content in wheat was observed on application of 2,4-D 2.0 kg ha -1 (35 DAS) at all the stages of development. Irrespective of treatments, in general, an increasing trend of nitrate reductase activity, nitrogen content and protein content in wheat was observed upto 30 days after herbicide application and thereafter declined upto 120 days after spray. Protein content in grain was positively correlated with nitrate reductase activity and nitrogen content in wheat leaves.

From the ethanolic extract of the defatted leaves of XEROMPHIS SPINOSA (Thunb.) Keay two new oleanolic acid based glycosides have been isolated and characterized with the help of FABMS, (13)C-NMR and chemical studies.