Assessing Spatio-Temporal Land Cover Changes in Dhund River Basin, Eastern Rajasthan (India), Using Multi-Temporal Landsat Data

Land cover is an impression of natural cover on surface of earth such as bare soil, river, grass etc. and utilization of these natural covers for various human needs and purposes by mankind is defined as land use. Land cover identification, delineation and mapping is important for planning activities, resource management and global monitoring studies while baseline mapping and subsequent monitoring is done by application of land use to get timely information about quantity of land that has been used. The present study has been carried out in Dhund river watershed of Jaipur, Rajasthan which covers an area of about 1828 sq∙km. The minimum and maximum elevation of the area is found to be 214 m and 603 m respectively. Land use and land cover changes of three decades from 1991 to 2021 have been interpreted by using remotes sensing and GIS techniques. ArcGIS software (Arc map 10.2), SOI topographic map, Cartosat-1 DEM and satellite data of Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 have been used for interpretation of eleven classes. The study shows an increase in cultivated land, settlement, waterbody, open forest, plantation and mining due to urbanization because of increasing demands of food, shelter and water while a decrease in dense forest, river, open scrub, wasteland and uncultivated land has also been marked due to destruction of aforementioned by anthropogenic activities such as industrialization resulting in environmental degradation that leads to air, soil and water pollution.

Geochemistry of Kasnau-Matasukh lignites, Nagaur Basin, Rajasthan （India）

The distribution and verticals variation of geochemical components in the Kasnau-Matasukh lignites of Nagaur Basin, Rajasthan, were investigated using microscopy, proximate and ultimate analyses, Rock-Eval Pyrolysis, X-ray diffraction and Fourier Transform Infrared analyses, and major/minor/trace element determination. The relationship of elements with ash content and with macerals have also been discussed. These lignites are stratified, black, dominantly composed of huminite group macerals with subordinated amounts of liptinite and inertinite groups. They are classified as type-III kerogen and are mainly gas prone in nature. The concentration （in vol%） of mineral matter is seen to increase towards upper part of seam and so is the concentration （in wt%） of the volatile matter, elemental carbon and sulphur. The common minerals present in these lignitesare mixed clay layer, chlorite, and quartz as identified by X-ray diffraction study. Compared with world average in brown coal, the bulk concentration of Cu is anomalously high in most of the samples while Cd is 2-3 times high and Zn is high in one band. Based on interrelationship, different pyrite forms are noticed to have different preferential enrichment of various elements. The concentration of disseminated pyrite is more than the other pyrite forms and is followed by discrete pyrite grains and massive pyrite.

Improvements to Female Autonomy and Household Decision-Making Power from an Intervention Targeting Improved Food Security: A Gender-Based Analysis of the Rajasthan Nutrition Project

In India, women and children continue to experience food insecurity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the Rajasthan Nutrition Project (RNP) led to changes in 1) dietary habits and nutrition, and 2) indicators of gender equality, female autonomy, and empowerment. This study surveyed women belonging to self-help groups who were pregnant or who had young children. Over the course of the intervention, significant improvements were seen in the following indicators: breastfeeding within one hour of birth, exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months, food insecurity of children and mothers, household decision-making, communication, mobility, and domestic violence. These findings suggest that the RNP is a promising intervention for improving nutrition and female autonomy in Rajasthan, India. Additional research is needed to determine if the RNP would be equally as effective in other regions of India, or in populations outside of India.

Melt Inclusion Studies of Pb-Zn Ore Deposits of Rajpura-Dariba-Bethumni Belt in District Udaipur, (Rajasthan) India

The Proterozoic Aravalli-Delhi orogenic complex hosts a large number of economically important stratabound base metal sulphide deposits. In the present work, rock samples taken from Outcrop and Underground mines of Sindeskar Kalan, Vedanta Group, Rajpura Dariba-Bethumni Belt which were located at a distance of 76 Kms from Udaipur District (Rajasthan) have been studied. The chief litho units of the group were identified which contain sulfide-bearing calc-silicate and graphite mica schist, dolomite marble, calc-biotite schist and quartzite. Importance to the ore minerals like galena and sphalerite which have been reported in association with the buffer minerals like pyrite and pyrrhotite occurred in the host rocks of the study area. The study of melt inclusion (sulfide melt) of sphalerite showed the maximum temperature of melting which was 923°C on the Linkam-TMS94 (the maximum temperature limit of the system is up to 1500°C). The maximum temperature of melting of sphalerite reveals that the dolerite and/or pegmatite intrusion might have supplied sulfide rich melt during the study area in the geological past.

Petrographic Studies of Pb-Zn Ore Deposits of Rajpura-Dariba-Bethumni Belt in District Udaipur (Rajasthan) India

The Proterozoic Aravalli-Delhi orogenic complex hosts a large number of economically important stratabound base metal sulphide deposits. In the present work, rock samples taken from Outcrop and Underground Mine of Sindeskar Kalan, Vedanta Group, Rajpura-Dariba-Bethumni Belt which are located at a distance of 76 Kms from Udaipur District (Rajasthan) have been studied. The chief litho units of the group are identified which contain sulfide-bearing calc-silicate and graphite mica schist, dolomite marble, calc-biotite schist and quartzite. Importance to the ore minerals like galena and sphalerite which have been reported in association with the buffer minerals like pyrite and pyrrhotite occurr in the host rocks of the study area. Ore petrography denotes two types of sphalerites, 1) highly deformed and dark brown colour, 2) less deformed and with light yellow colour. Galena shows high reflectance and a network of triangular pits. Pyrite shows high reflectance and anomalous anisotropism because of high brittleness.

Mode of Occurrence and Mineralogy of Northern Khetri Copper Deposits, Jhunjhunu District, Rajasthan

Copper deposits in Khetri copper belt are hosted in the proterozoic sequence of rocks belonging to Ajabgarh group of Delhi supergroup situated in foot hill zone of Aravalli mountain range North-West, India. Khetri copper belt is about 100?km long NE-SW trending metallogenic province, starting from Singhana in the north to Sangarava in the south. The study area is the northern Khetri copper belt 190 km SW of Delhi,?the capital city of India. In the present work an attempt has been made to determine the mode of occurrence and nature of mineralization with special emphasis on mineragraphic study of copper ores. The ore bodies are found in the form of multiple lodes regionally but locally in the forms of veins, stringers, dissemination, sporadic, cavity filling and replacement. Enriched mineralized zones are localized along the contact of Alwar and Ajabgarh group. Copper, the main entity in the belt occurs?dominantly as sulphides, oxides, carbonates and sulphosalts mineral hosted in pelitic and psammitic rocks. Pyrrhotite, pyrite, magnetite and sphalerite are the other ore mineral associated with the copper ore in a considerable amount. From the textural, structural and multigenerational minerals, mineral assemblage studies,?it is assumed that deposit has undergone metamorphism and multi-stage mineralization. Replacement has a profound influence on mineralization in the northern Khetri copper deposits.

Assessment of Land Use Land Cover Change Detection Using Geospatial Techniques in Southeast Rajasthan

Change analysis acquires effective information in the form of maps and statistical data which becomes the central component in spatial planning, monitoring environmental changes, management and utilization of land. The present study makes an attempt to assess the changes in land use land cover using multi-temporal satellite data in south-east Rajasthan. These maps were derived from geocoded dia-positive False Color Composites (FCC’s) of IRS 1991, 2001, 2010 & 2018 using Arc GIS platform. The present study demonstrates the extension, approach and result of change analysis which might be helpful for decision making and sustainable growth. The landscape has been divided into 12 categories. Mining and its associated features were increased whereas forest and open scrub cover shows decreasing trend during the study period. The former increased by 23.82 km2 while the later shrunk by 26.08 km2. Most significant changes are also witnessed in settlement and industrial areas which shows increment by 8.8 km2 and 1.33 km2. Stone quarrying has destroyed arable land, natural vegetation cover, topsoil, subsoil and consequently the soil profile of the area. On the other hand cultivated land is increasing due to the conversion of uncultivated land and scrub cover with facilitation of irrigation and modern agricultural activities under different government schemes. The study shows that the area of 184.88 km2 has undergone significant spatial and temporal changes during the study period.

Drainage Basin Characteristics of Dhund River Basin, Eastern Rajasthan India, Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques

Morphometric analysis is mathematical evaluation and measurement of the earth’s shape, surface and its landform’s dimension. Morphometric analysis of Dhund river basin in Jaipur district of Rajasthan India has been carried out to evaluate various morphometric parameters following the linear, areal and relief aspects. The drainage basin, which covers a total area of about 1828 km2 lies in eastern part of the district with maximum and minimum elevation of 603 m and 214 m respectively. Morphotectonic parameters like Hypsometric Integral, Sinuosity index and Asymmetry Factor have also been computed to identify the tectonic characteristics of the drainage basin. Primary and secondary data such as SOI topographic map, Cartosat-1 DEM and other relevant data were utilized. ArcGIS software (Arc Map 10.2) was used for geo-referencing of topographic maps, delineation of watershed and preparation of DEM, slope and drainage network. The basin is 6th order drainage basin having dendritic pattern of drainage network. A relatively lower mean value of Bifurcation ratio suggests that the drainage basin is formed by uniformed materials. Drainage basin area has little elongated shape and is less prone to floods. Basin has different erosional stages and levels of tectonic activity, Moderate Meandering and unstable setting.

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of Neoproterozoic A-type granites at Nakora in the Malani Igneous Suite,Western Rajasthan,India

The Nakora Ring Complex(NRC)(732 Ma) occurs as a part of Malani Igneous Suite(MIS) in the West-ern Rajasthan,India.This complex consists of three phases(volcanic,plutonic and dyke).Geochemically,the Na-kora granites are peralkaline,metaluminous and slightly peraluminous.They display geochemical characteristics of A-type granites and distinct variation trends with increasing silica content.The peralkaline granites show higher concentrations of SiO2,total alkalies,TiO2,MgO,Ni,Rb,Sr,Y,Zr,Th,U,La,Ce,Nd,Eu and Yb and lower concen-trations of Al2O3,total iron,Cu and Zn than metaluminous granites.AI content is ≥1 for peralkaline granites and <1 for peraluminous and metaluminous granites.Nakora peralkaline granites are plotted between 4 to 7 kb in pressure and are emplaced at greater depths(16-28 km and 480-840℃) as compared to metaluminous granites which indicate the high fluorine content in peralkaline granites.The primitive mantle normalized multi-element profiles suggest that Nakora granites(peralkaline,metaluminous and peraluminous) are characterized by low La,Sr and Eu and relatively less minima of Ba,Nb and Ti which suggests the aspects related to crustal origin for Nakora magma.The Nakora granites are characterized as A-type granites(Whalen et al.,1987) and correspond to the field of "Within Plate Gran-ite"(Pearce et al.,1984).Geochemical,field and petrological data suggest that Nakora granites are the product of partial melting of rocks similar to Banded Gneiss from Kolar Schist Belt of India.

Largest Ediacaran discs from the Jodhpur Sandstone, Marwar Supergroup, India: Their palaeobiological significance

Ediacaran discs from the Jodhpur Sandstone of the Marwar Supergroup, Rajasthan, exhibit a wide size ranging from a few millimetres to 75 cm in diameter. Exceptionally large size of the discs in these rocks represent the largest reported so far from any Ediacaran assemblage. Although, larger medu-soid discs have been reported from USA, they are from the middle Cambrian and even younger rocks. Presence of microbial mats and weed-like structures with well preserved hold fasts and horizontal rhizome-like structures in association with some of these large-sized discs support their animal affinity, which probably feed on this weed-like vegetations. This association also supports their benthic habitat. Unlike the general trend of sudden increase in size of organisms in Ediacaran period and further decrease in size during Cambrian, these discs continued increasing in size in Cambrian also.

Limiting stand density and basal area projection models for even-aged Tecomella undulata plantations in a hot arid region of India

This paper presents equations for estimating limiting stand density for Z undulata plantations grown in hot desert areas of Raj asthan State in India. Five different stand level basal area projection models, belonging to the path invariant algebraic difference form of a non-linear growth function, were also tested and compared. These models can be used to predict future basal area as a function of stand variables like dominant height and stem number per hectare and are necessary for reviewing different silvicultural treatment options. Data from 22 sample plots were used for modelling. An all possible growth intervals data structure was used. Both, qualitative and quantitative criteria were used to compare alternative models. The Akaike＇s information criteria differ- ence statistic was used to analyze the predictive ability of the models. Results show that the model proposed by Hui and Gadow performed best and hence this model is recommended for use in predicting basal area development in 12 undulata plantations in the study area. The data used were not from thinned stands, and hence the models may be less accurate when used for predictions when natural mortality is very significant.

Knowledge,attitude,and practice regarding COVID-19 among COVID-19 patients and their correlation with the outcomes:A cross-sectional study

Objective:To assess the knowledge,attitude,and practice(KAP)regarding COVID-19 among COVID-19 patients and their relation with the outcomes.Methods:This cross-sectional study was carried out among COVID-19 patients(18-year-old or older)consecutively admitted to a dedicated COVID-19 hospital located in northwest Rajasthan,India.Data regarding socio-demographic parameters,KAP,and primary composite outcome(admission to intensive care unit,mechanical ventilation,or in-hospital death)were collected.KAP scores were compared between different demographic variables and primary composite outcomes.Association between different demographic variables,primary composite outcomes,and KAP scores were determined through multivariate linear regression.Besides,the correlation among KAP scores was analyzed.Results:Out of the total 222 patients,most of them(65.76%)had average KAP scores towards COVID-19.The mean scores for knowledge were 7.88,with an overall correct rate of 71.63%;the mean attitude scores were 2.42,with an overall correct rate of 60.50%;the mean practice scores were 5.12,with an overall correct rate of 64.00%.Patients who met the primary composite outcomes had higher knowledge scores,but lower attitude and practice scores.The result showed a significant positive correlation between the level of education,socioeconomic class,and knowledge,attitude,and practice towards COVID-19.Knowledge towards COVID-19 was significantly associated with a positive attitude and good practice.Conclusions:Our findings show that adult COVID-19 patients have average KAP towards COVID-19 among COVID-19 patients.Poor attitude and practice towards COVID-19 are associated with adverse outcomes,so it is suggested to strengthen attitude and practice towards COVID-19 to improve the outcomes.

Geochemistry of Palaeoproterozoic Rocks of Aravalli Supergroup: Implications for Weathering History and Depositional Sequence

The Paleoproterozoic Aravalli Supregroup of rocks, hosted in Aravalli Craton of NW shield, is deposited in shallow and deep water conditions. The major lithologies are phyllites and quartzites with significant components of greywacks and dolomite. Geochemical indices in particular, CIA (Chemical Index of Alteration) values (avg. phyllites: 51.6 - 81.5, avg. quartzites: 57.4 - 95.5) calculated from the data of clastic rocks of ASG suggest minimum to highly intense weathering in the source region. Other indices including PIA, CIW and ICV along with plot patterns on the A-CN-K diagram also nearly endorse CIA based interpretation. These rocks possess relatively high Th/U ratios compared to that found in fresh igneous rocks or their high grade metamorphic equivalents. This high Th/U ratio is neither a source inheritance nor a result of oxidation state rather a manifestation of Th hosting mineral accumulation through sorting. Viewed in the context of present stratigraphic succession, the weathering history adduced from geochemistry does not seem compatible but matches well with earlier classification scheme wherein the evolution of Aravalli Supergroup was considered episodic.

象村,斋浦尔,拉贾斯坦邦,印度

在斋浦尔附近的阿米尔宫堡的山丘上,有一个为驯象人(看护者)和他们的大象建造的住房项目,叫做“Hathigaon”(或象村)。设计策略首先致力于构建景观。这里以前曾是采砂场,致使周围景观被破坏。设计的想法是创造一系列的水体来收集雨水溢流.

Cenozoic flora of western India and its significance in palaeoclimatic and palaeophytogeographic interpretation

The Cenozoic flora of western India(Rajasthan and Gujarat) is adversely affected by the tectonic activity such as collision of the Indian subcontinent with the Eurasian plate which is responsible for the Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau uplift. This collision and its resultants affected the ubiquitous tropical lowland vegetation of the Indian subcontinent(including western India) and are responsible for different types of topographic regions as seen today in the Indian subcontinent. The region is important as it has witnessed a drastic change in climate of the region since the Cenozoic time and also provided opportunities to the western and eastern flora to intermingle. The main basins in western India comprising Cenozoic sequences are: Bikaner-Nagaur, Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan and Kachchh, Mainland and Saurashtra in Gujarat. These basins are very rich in lignite which is the main source of electric power generation in western India. This lignite is mainly of Eocene in age. The Cenozoic flora of western India was almost tropical growing in well drained areas as compared to arid to sub-humid regions with xeric vegetation today. The reported fossils are represented by leaves, woods, fruits and seeds. The leaves are abundant in the Palaeogene as compared to the Neogene. The Neogene period can be marked by the abundant legumes and dipterocarpaceous remains. The important families viz., Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Arecaceae, Calophyllaceae, Clusiaceae, Combretaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Flacourtiaceae, Icacinaceae, Lauraceae, Lythraceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Myrtaceae, Pandanaceae and Sonneratiaceae have been reported from the Palaeogene sediments, whereas Anacardiaceae, Araucariaceae, Arecaceae, Combretaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Fabaceae, Lauraceae, Lecythidaceae, Lythraceae, Malvaceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Podocarpaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rhizophoraceae, Rutaceae, Sapindaceae and Sonneratiaceae are known from the Neogene sediments. All the recovered elements strongly indicate the presence of much better climatic conditions in the region during the Cenozoic as compared to the present. More importantly, a fossil fruit of Cocos L. described from the Eocene sediments of Rajasthan further indicates the presence of sea in the nearby area at the time of deposition of the sediments. The recovery of a few African elements from western India provides the evidence of establishment of land connections between India and Africa up to the Plio-Pleistocene through which these elements could enter the Indian subcontinent.