DATE:22.11.2014

Projecttorestorefert i l i tyofalkalinesoil

A student of TNAU-Anbil DharmalingamAgricultural College andResearchCentre inTiruchishowing thedamagedpaddycrop.—Photo:A.MuralitharanThe Tamil Nadu Agriculture University’s Anbil DharmalingamAgriculturalCollegeandResearchInstitutenearherehastakenupa research project on using spent-wash, a distillery effluent, inreclaimingalkalinefieldsinManikandamblockinthedistrict.The block accounts for 50,000 hectares of alkaline soil and thecollege was started 25 years ago for evolving suitable ricevarieties. In fact, the institute is located at Navalur Kuttapattuvillageintheblockwithsalt-affectedsoilinabout100acres.The Institute’s Department of Soil Science has set up two plots,andpaddyisbeingcultivatedononeoftheplotswhichhasbeenreclaimed with the help of spent-wash. “The first plot has beenregisteringexcellentgrowthwhilealkalinityhindersthecropinthesecondplot,”saysP.Balasubramaniam,Head,DepartmentofSoilScience.Explainingtheproceduretobeadoptedforpreparingthealkaline fields before raising paddy, P.Pandiyarajan, dean of the

college,saidthespent-washshouldbeusedonlyonceandshouldnotberepeatedduringsuccessiveseasons.The scientists said that field should be properly ploughed beforeand after using spent-wash. The process enables to bring downalkalinecontent,enhances thepH level,andenrichessoil fertilityresultinginbettergrowthofpaddy.Informoff icialsabouthoardingoffert i l izers’ Farmers in Vellore have been asked to inform the AgricultureDepartment if they come across irregularities in the sale offertilisersoriffertiliserswerehoardedandsoldforhigherpricesContact informationIn such circumstances, the Assistant Director (Quality Control),Agriculture Department can be informed on his mobile phonenumber–9443104780,accordingtoJointDirectorofAgriculture,VelloreR.Jayasundar.After receiving 597 metric tonnes of urea last week, the districtreceived another batch of urea on Thursday. A total of 2,600metric tonnes of urea reached the Katpadi Railway Station fordistributiontovariousdistricts,saidapressrelease.Of this, Villupuram will get 500 metric tonnes, Tiruvannamalai1,000metrictonnes,Kancheepuram200metrictonnes,Tiruvallur400 metric tonnes and Vellore 500 metric tonnes. Meanwhile,sampleshavebeenliftedfromthestockandsentfortesting.Ofthetotalrequirementof3,180metrictonnesofureathismonth,Vellorehasreceived3,147metrictonnessofar.Thisisbeingsoldto farmers through private fertiliser outlets and cooperativesocieties.Nextweek,another1,000metrictonnesofureawillbesuppliedtothedistrict.

StockAs of now, the district has a stock of 1,786metric tonnes of thefertiliser. Currently, cooperative sale outlets have a stock of 559metrictonnesofurea,281metrictonnesofDAP,78metrictonnesofMOPand497metrictonnesofComplexfertilisers.Similarly,private fertiliseroutletshave727metric tonnesofurea,425 metric tonnes of DAP, 489 metric tonnes of MOP and 823metrictonnesofComplexfertilisers,thereleaseadded.Mr. Jayasundar, who along with officials of the departmentinspectedthestockonarrival,saidthegovernmentistakingstepsearly to ensure availability of fertilises to prevent shortage insupplyforfarmers.Assistant Director (Quality Control), Agriculture Dept.canbereached at9443104780 Pineapplefarmersintroubleaspriceshit newlowFloodoforangesinfruitsmarket,onsetofwinterinnorthIndiahelplowerprices

Farmers cite flood of oranges in the fruits market and onset ofwinter innorth Indiaas themajor reasons for the fall inpricesofpineapple.

PineapplefarmersintheStatearereelingunderanunprecedentedprice fall. The best of Vazhakkulam pineapple is now selling forRs.14a kg (Agrade raw fruit) in thewholesalemarket. Farmerssay that unless they realise Rs.18–20 a kg for the fruit, theirfinanceswilltakeabigblow.TheonsetofthewinterinnorthernIndia,heavyrainsinupcountrycitiesandtownsandthefloodoforanges in thefruitsmarket thisseasonareinstrumentalinbringingdownthepricessodrastically.According to Pineapple Farmers’ Association president JoseKalappura,increasedproductionwasoneoftheotherreasonsforthe fall inprices.Hesaid thatproductionwashigherbyabout10percentthisseason.Higher production is reflected in the market arrivals going up toabout1,200tonnesaday.A member of the Pineapple Farmers’ Association said thatnorthern India had been experiencing heavy rains since cycloneHudhud hit theEastCoast, cooling demand for fruits in general.PineapplefromKeralaisexportedtoDelhi,KolkataandMumbaiinlargequantities,headded.“With production costs so high, prices havenever fallen so low,”saidBabyJohn,afarmerinMoovattupuzha.He said that prices had been falling continuously for about amonth-and-a-half nowwith little intervention from State agenciesentrustedwiththetaskofsupportingfarmersintimesoftrouble.However, Mr. Kalappura said that Vazhakkulam Agro and FruitProcessing Company, a government enterprise engaged inprocessing pineapple and other fruits, had promised to procurepineapplefromfarmersatRs.18akg.Thecompanywasexpectedtostartitsprocurementdrivewithinafortnight,hesaid.

Tail-endareafarmerswantwatertosavesambacropStepswillbetakentofillall168tanks,saysPWD

S.Ganesh,DistrictCollector,advisedfarmerstoinsuretheircropsat the farmers’ grievances day meeting held in Pudukottai onFriday.Farmersof tail-endareasof theGrandAnicut canalayacuthaveurged the district administration to ensure adequate supply ofwatertosavethestanding‘samba’crop.Raisingtheissueatthemonthlyfarmers’grievancesdaymeetingheldhereonFriday,acrosssectionofthefarmersalsowantedallthetankstobefilledupthroughassuredsupplyinthecanal.Initiating the discussion, M.Madhavan, district secretary, TamilNadu Vivasayigal Sangam, said the district did not receiveadequate rainfall over the past few weeks. The suspension ofwaterreleasefromtheMetturDamonaccountofrainsinthedeltaregionhad resulted in thepoor realisationofwaters,hesaid.Anofficial from the Public Works Department assured that stepswouldbetakentofillall168tanks.G.S.Dhanapathy,districtchairman,Farmers’Forumof India,saidthatstepsshouldbetakenforinterlinkingtheCauveryandKundarrivers.AppavuBalandar,afarmer,saidthatdistrictadministrationshouldtakestepsforremoving‘karuvel’treesfromtanks.WhenArunodhayan,afarmer,pleadedforextendingthedeadlineforinsuringthecrop,K.V.S.Kumar,JointRegistrarofCooperative

Societies,saidtheStategovernmenthadalreadybeenapprisedofthefarmers’demandinthisregard.S.Ganesh,DistrictCollector,whopresidedover themeeting,saidthat1,427tonnesofDAP,577tonnesofurea,and1,589tonnesofpotash had been stocked at cooperative societies and privateshopsfortimelysupplytofarmers.Againstthenormal829.40mmof rain for the11months tillNovember this year, thedistrict hasregisteredonly606mmthisyear.Heappealedto‘samba’farmerstoutilisethecropinsuranceschemetoprotecttheircrop.International Centre for Land use and Bio-resourcesmootedIndo-SwissresearchunitproposedatPondicherryUniversityAn Indo-Swiss centre devoted to basic and applied research onsustainable land use and management of bio-resources isproposedatthePondicherryUniversity.TheproposedInternationalCentreforLandUseandBio-resources(ICLUB) envisages a multidisciplinary role as a nodal centre toundertakeresearchthatisrelevantinanationwheregapsinfoodsecuritypersist inspiteofagriculturebeing the livelihood for two-thirds of the population most of whom are small are marginalfarmers.The proposed centre would work in close collaboration withPuducherryGovernment,especiallythedepartmentsofAgricultureandFisheriestoreachouttothefarmingsocietyofPuducherry.AccordingtoUniversityofficials,twopremierSwissinstitutions,theUniversity of Basel and the Research Institute of OrganicAgriculture(FiBL),Frick,haveagreedtocollaborateand inkMoUtosetupastate-of-the-artresearchcentre.“TheMoUformulationisinprocessandisduetobesignedsoon,”said Prof. N. Sakthivel who heads the Department ofBiotechnology.The broad focus of the centre would be to develop innovativesustainableandorganicsolutionsinagriculture,hesaid.The idea for an Indo-Swiss research centre was mooted duringdiscussions Prof. Chandra Krishnamurthy, Vice-Chancellor,

Pondicherry University, had with Swiss collaborators during arecentvisittoSwitzerland.Theproposalwasformalisedatarecentstakeholderconsultationhosted by the Pondicherry University under the Indo-SwissCollaboration in Biotechnology (ISCB) with a focus on ‘bio-fertilization’ and ‘bio-irrigation’ for sustainable mixed cropping ofpigeonpeaandfingermillet.The ISCB is a long-standing and well-established research anddevelopment programme, jointly funded and steered by theDepartment of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science andTechnology, Government of India and the Swiss Agency forDevelopment and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department ofForeignAffairs,GovernmentofSwitzerland.Theoverallgoalof ISCB is tocontribute towards foodsecurity inthe Indian context through innovative life sciences andbiotechnology approaches, supporting sustainable and climateresilientagriculture.TheBIOFInetworkcomprisesfiveSwissinstitutionsandsixIndianinstitutions,includingPondicherryUniversity.Thenetworkhasbeenadvocatingacombinationofbio-fertilizationand bio-irrigation as a novel biotechnological approach with aparticularly high promise for stable, sustainable yield increases,evenunderconditionsofdrought.ThegoaloftheBIOFInetworkisto deliver a ‘package’ of carefully selected plant cultivars andbiofertilizerstrains,togetherwiththeknow-howofmixedcropping.· Proposal formalised at a recent stakeholderconsultationhostedbythePondicherryvarsity · Proposed centre wil l work in close collaboration withthedepartmentsofAgricultureandFisheries

Areaundercult ivationexpectedtogrowAgricultureofficialattributesittofavourablemonsooninthedistrict

Morearea isexpected tocomeundercultivation in thedistrictbyMarch 2015 when compared to last year, Department ofAgriculturehaspredicted.While paddy was cultivated in 35,835 hectares last year, thepredictionfor2014-15indicatesthatnearly55,000hectaresoflandwillcomeunderpaddycultivationbyMarch.“Weseeariseinlandundercultivationbecausethemonsoonhasbeen favourable in thedistrict.While the total rainfall received in2013was615.72mm,asofNovember7thisyearthedistricthasreceived 666.92 mm,” Jaisingh Gnanadurai, Joint Director ofAgriculture,said.While the prediction for cultivation of paddy, millets, pulses,oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane for March 2015 is high whencompared to March 2014, the area under cultivation till Octoberremainslow.While the area under paddy cultivation in October 2013 was17,329 hectares, the figure for October 2014 stands at 10,877hectares.“ManyfarmersinMelur,KottampattiandTirumangalamareyettostart paddy cultivation since they are expecting more rains and

waitingforthetankstofillup.ButwiththestorageinMullaperiyardamnearing142feet,manyfarmersinthePeriyarayacutinMelurhavecommencedfarmactivities,”Mr.Jaisinghsaid.Aproductiontargetof3.16milliontonneshasbeenfixedforpaddycultivatedinanareaof62,100hectares.Whileaproductiontargetof1.36milliontonneshasbeenfixedformilletsraisedinanareaof62,700hectares,thetargetforpulsesin10,893hectaresis8,474milliontonnes.‘Sirukizhangu’growstobefarmer’schoicewhocultivtaed‘Sirukizhangu’onhisfieldatManthiyoorvillagenearKadayam.Withgoodrainfall,cultivationofSirukizhangu(Coleusparviflours),alsoknownasChinesepotato,hasyieldedthedesiredresultsforthe farmers of Ambasamudram taluk in the district. SinceSirukizhangu became the choicest horticultural crop amongfarmers of Kadayam, Ambasamudram and Pappakudi blocks, itscultivationincreasedconsiderablyoverthelastyear.Thisyear,theareaundercultivationofthiscrophasgoneuptoanextentof300hectares, whereas it was only 160 ha during the last year,according toDeputyDirector ofHorticultureS.RajaMohammed,Tirunelveli.Conducive agroclimatic conditions, especially red sandy soil withgood drainage, water resources, photoperiodic response andpositive activation of tuber development, humid warm weatherduringthevegetativephasewithcoolanddryweatherduringtuberdevelopmentperiod,haveall togethercontributedtothesuccess.“It is a herbaceous annual crop, spreading or prostrate withsucculent stem. Unlike other tuber crops, this is a transplantedvegetable. The tubers are rich source of carbohydrate. TheAfrican-originplantisalsogrowninIndia,SriLankaandalongtheIndo-China border. The optimum temperature for the growth anddevelopmentrangesfrom25to30degreeCelsius,”hesaid.Awelldrained loamy soil health condition with a pH range of 5.5 to 7wouldbe ideal for the tuberization.Tuberscouldbeharvested infivemonthsafterplanting,hetoldTheHinduonThursday.

Farmers of these blocks preferred this 180-day crop, since itrequiredlesswaterwhencomparedtoothercrops.Moreover,thefarmerswerealsocontentwithabettermarketpriceatAlangulamandPavoorchathram.S. Gomathinayagam, a successful farmer of Manthiyur village,Kadayamblock,saidhewasharvestingthecropcultivatedontwoacres during late April and expecting about 14 to 15 tonnes ofyield. “The crop fetches a good price of Rs. 26 per kilo at thePavoorchatram market. About 60 to 70 kilograms of tubers arebeingsolddaily.”Farmers seek separate budget for agriculture at State,national levelsItisexpectedtogoalongwayinaugmentingfoodproduction

Seeking a solution:N. Perumal, a progressive farmer ofPuliyankurichi, explains his views at the farmers’ grievancesmeeting,inSalemonFriday.-PHOTO:E.LAKSHMINARAYANANThe farmers’ representatives who participated in the monthlyfarmers grievances day meeting held here on Friday made aforcefulpleaforaseparatebudgetforagriculture,bothatthestateandnationallevel.C. Vaiyapuri, president, United Farmers Association of TamilNadu, who set the ball rolling, said that a ruling BJPMP, whilespeaking in the Lok Sabha recently, had demanded a separatebudgetforagriculture.

The MP had also demanded priority for organic farming. Hisdemand was totally justified and the government should comeforwardtopresentaseparatebudgetforagriculture,whichwillgoa long way in augmenting food production. His demand wassupportedbyotherfarmers.N.PerumalofPuliyankurichicondemnedthedecisionofKarnatakatoconstructtwonewdamsacrossriverCauvery.Hepleadedforaresolution urging Karnataka Government to do away with thismove.Hesaidthatplantaincrophadbeenaffectedbysomediseaseandpleadedwith theagriculturedepartment to takeeffectivesteps tocheckthesame.Mr.PerumalsaidthattheTANGEDCOisannouncingmonthlyloadshedding for undertaking maintenance work on the week days.Thisaffectedtheworksinthegovernmentoffices,banksetc.S. Govindarajan of Ammanpalayam said that the agriculturedepartmentwasgivingfiguresofwidespreadrainfall inthedistrictin the recent past. In reality, the district has got very minimumrainfall.Manypartsofthedistrictarereelingunderseveredroughtconditions.Providing exaggerated figures on rainfall received will harm thefarming community, as the governmentmay refuse to implementdroughtreliefmeasurescitinggoodmonsoon.A. R. Shanmugam of Panaimarathupatti and S. Jayaraman ofAbinayamsupportedtheviewofMr.Govindaraj.EvenwhiletheDeputyDirectorofAgricultureclarifiedthathewasonly mentioning the figures provided by the MeteorologicalDepartment,K.Maharabushanam,Collector, said that64systemtanksandtheirwatersourceswererenovatedinall the16blocksin thedistrictunder theMNREGS.Butonlyonesystemtankhadreceivedadequatewaterintherecentrainfall.Mr. Govindaraj expressed serious concern at the falling price oftapioca. Last year the tapioca farmers got bumper crop.But thisyearitistotallyopposite.ThepriceoftapiocahasfallendrasticallyfromRs.430toRs.210perpoint.Thesituationwillonlyworsenifthistrendcontinuedforanothermonth.Inasimilarsituationintheearly 1990s, the then Central regime intervened and procured

tapioca from the farmers and stored it in its cold storages. Itmarketed the same when price increases. Similar arrangementshouldbemadethistimetoo,headded.Mr.JayaramanurgedtheCollector to convene a special meeting for fixing the price oftapioca.BlueberriesmaynothelpnightvisionScientistshaveclaimedthatthebeliefthatblueberrieshelphealthypeopleseebetterindark,maynotbetrueafterall.Wilhelmina Kalt and colleagues note that studies publisheddecadesagoprovidedthefirsthintsthatblueberriesmightimprovepeople’snightvision.Later,labexperimentsappearedtoshoreupthese early findings. For example, anthocyanins, which arepigmentmoleculesinblueberriesandotherplants,encouragetheregeneration of key molecules in the eye involved in perceivinglight. But reviews of the earlier clinical research that tested theeffect of blueberries on night vision in human subjects revealedthat the studies were poorly controlled. Kalt’s team wanted torevisitthematterwithanewsetofcarefullydesignedexperiments.Theresearchersfoundthatablueberry-supplementeddietdidnotimprove sight in the dark, but they did help subjects recovernormal vision after exposure to a bright light. The findings arepublished in ACS’Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.-ANICMsetsuppanelonsolarpumpsetsKCR seeks an estimate of the cost-effectiveness of replacingabout20lakhagriculturepumpsetsintheStateChiefMinisterK.ChandrasekharRaohas,onFriday,constitutedacommittee to study all aspects related to installation of solaragricultural pumpsets, and take decisions about government’sinvestmentinthem.

ThecommitteewillbeheadedbyPrincipalSecretaryofIndustriesPradeep Chandra, and will have as members the principalsecretaries of Finance, Energy, and Agriculture namely NagiReddy,S.K.Joshi,andPoonamMalakondaiahrespectively.The decision came after a review meeting conducted at theSecretariatwith representativesofKirloskarBrothersLimitedandgovernmentofficials.Going throughvariousproposals submittedby thecompanyoversolar pumpsets, Mr. Rao sought an estimate about the cost-effectivenessof replacingall the20 lakhagriculturalpumpsets intheStatevis-à-visthecurrentsubsidyforfreepower.As per official information, cost of seven-hour power supplyworkedout toRs.15 croreperday for 30millionunits.However,costcomparisonisyettobecarriedout.The Chief Minister reminded that the budget allocation for theschemewasRs.240croreandsuggestedapilotprojecttocheckthe feasibility, before being replicated throughout the State. Forthis, the associated vice-president of the company Rajendra V.MahajanandGMAjayShirodkarsaidonelakhpumpsetsmaybeinstalledinthefirstyear,andtheprojectmaybecompletedinthecomingtenyears,apresscommuniquéfromtheCMOinformed.The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Rajiv Sharma,Advisor to thegovernmentB.V.PaparaoandPrincipalSecretary,CMO,S.NarsingRao,apart fromfouraforementionedcommitteemembers.

Dietdiary:Switchtosugar-freeI am often asked if consuming a certain amount of sugar isessential in our diet. During digestion in the body, allcarbohydrates including starches like cereals— bread, roti, rice,pulses,dals,fruitsandpotatoesbreakdownintosugars.Thebodyusesthesesugarsforenergy.Sugarscanbeused inmoderationbymosthealthyactivepeoplebut must be used sparingly by weight watchers, those withabdominal obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia (abnormal cholesterollevels)andinactivepeople.So ifyoudecide toeatasugar-freediet,whetherdue tomedicalreasons or personal preferences, you need to get ‘sugar-wise’.Don’t get fooled by taste or appearances and claims on foodlabels. There is plenty of sugar in disguise which you may notaccountfor.Herearesometipstomakeyourtransitiontoasugar-freedieteasier:Tip 1:Cut back slowly on your sugar consumption. If youcurrentlyeatalotofsugar,itcanbehardtostopeatingitallofasudden.So,stepdownyoursugarconsumptionslowlyoverafewweeks.Tip 2:Learn how to decode the word ‘sugar’. Just becausesomethingislabeledassugar-freedoesnotmeanthatitdoesnothavesomeformofsugarinit.Thefollowingtermsareallwordstodescribevariousformsofsugar:honey,jaggery,molasses,barleymalt, brown sugar, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn or agavesyrup,sucrose, lactose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, maltose,galactose,grapesugar,mannitol,sorghumsyrupandmaplesyrup.

Tip 3:Watchwhatyoudrink,not justwhatyoueat.Drinks,eventhose that sound healthy like fruit juices, are often loaded withsugar.Most people know toavoid soft drinks, but you should bemindful of the amount of sugar in your tea, coffee, shakes andjuicesaswell.Sugarcanbefoundevenin“diet”drinksandsomekinds of flavored waters. Sweetened wines, beer, liquors andmixedalcoholicdrinksaddtosugarcaloriesindirectlyaswell.Tip 4:Make your own foods. Processed foods containpreservativesandmassiveamountsofsugar toprolong theshelflife and better taste. Buying fresh ingredients to prepare snacksandmealsdoesnottakethatmuchmoretimeanditistypicallyalothealthier.Tip 5:Limit refined carbohydrates. Carbohydrate rich foods likewhitebreads,pastas,andsoforthmightnottastesweet,buttheyare forms of sugar. Choose healthy carbohydrates like wholegrainsandpulsesrichinfiber.Tip 6:Nourish your body adequately. Sugar cravings can oftenresult as a consequence of missing nutrients. These includeproteins,goodfats,B-vitamins,magnesium,chromiumandzinc.Tip 7:‘Sugar free’ fixes include mouth fresheners like fennel,cardamom,tea,coffeeandsugarfreesweetsandgumsTip8:toyourdoctor—Ifyouarediabeticorhaveanothermedicalreason for wanting to cut the sugar, you should not suddenlyswitch to a drastic diet to avoid all sugars. Your doctor or aprofessionalnutritionistcanhelpyoucomeupwithagreatsugarfreeplanthatwillfityourlifestyle.

Breakfast l ike a king: Here’s how to makeAalooParantha

Inmy kitchen Aaloo Parantha presides over all other paranthas.

It’sundisputably thekingofparanthas.Sincepast fewweekswe

havebeenhavingthematleastonceeveryweekforbreakfast.As

theysaybreakfastlikeaking;weneedakingtodojusticetoit.

Potato is a quintessential part of Indian cuisine, especially for a

vegetarian. Breakfast, snack or main course – the menu is

incompletewithoutpotatodishes.

Highincarbohydrates, it’snot toogoodforyourwaistlinethough.

Have you heard this Hindi saying – “aaloo khayega, aaloo ho

jayega”? (If you eat potato, youwill become like potato). So, it’s

recommendedforbreakfastwhenyouneed lotsofenergyfor the

day.Alsoonthedayswhenindulgenceisonyourmenu.

AalooParantha/PotatostuffedIndianBread

Preparation:10mins|Cooking30mins|Makes6-8

Ingredients

250gmswholewheatflour+~50gmsfordusting

3mediumsizedpotatoes

1-2greenchillies,chopped(optional)

½cupfreshcorianderleaves,chopped

1tspcorianderpowder

½tspcuminpowder

¼tspredchillipowder

1tspchaatmasala

1tspajwain(carom)seeds

Salttotaste

Oil/gheeforcooking

Method

Boil/Pressurecookpotatoesinwateruntilsoft.

Remove from water and keep aside on a plate to cool down.

Removingthemfromhotwaterwouldletthewateronthepotatoes

evaporatequicklywhiletheycool.

Inadeepplateorbowl,mix together flour,caromseeds(ajwain)

andsomesalt.(Keepabout50gmsflourdryasyouwouldneedit

forrollingouttheparantha/bread)

Kneadintoamediumsoftdoughusingwarmwater.

Keep the dough coveredwith a damp cloth/ tea-towel while you

preparethestuffing.

Peelthepotatoesandmashthemwithyourfists.Youwantthemto

break down into small pieces but not as mashed as mashed

potatoes.

Add to the potatoes, chopped chillies, coriander leaves and all

spices(exceptcaromseeds).Mixwell. Isimplyusemyhand,but

youcanalsouseafork.

Nowdividethedoughinto6-8balls

Roll out a ball into an approximate 4 inch diameter circle. Put a

spoonful of potato stuffing in the middle. Bringing the edges

towardsthecentreofthecircle,closetheballandsealittight.

Dustthe,now,stuffed,doughballwithalittledryflourandrollout

intoanapproximate6inchdiametercircle.Youwouldneedtodust

moredryflourinbetweenwhilerolling.

Heat a flat non-stick pan or a tava. Sprinkle a little oil. Put the

rolledparanthaontothehotpanandcookonbothsides,usinga

littleoil/gheeuntilitbecomesgoldenbrown.

Repeatfortheremainingdoughandstuffing.

Serve hot with plain raita (plain yoghurt seasoned with a pinch

each of salt, roasted cumin powder and red chilli powder) and

pickle.

Whywedon’tneedmilk

Almostnoonewilldisputethatwhenababyisborn,breastmilkis

thebestnutritionamother canprovide.Allmammalsnurse their

young, and breastmilk benefits a newborn infant inways above

and beyond nutrition. In fact, until 1 to 2 years of age, the

AmericanAcademyofPediatrics, theWorldHealthOrganization,

the Institute of Medicine and more promote breast-feeding as

optimal.

More and more evidence is surfacing, however, that milk

consumption may not only be unhelpful, it might also be

detrimental.More than 10,000 years ago, when human beings

began to domesticate animals, no adults or older children

consumedmilk.Manypeopledon’tdrinkittodaybecausetheyare

lactoseintolerant.Theydojustfine.

But if you believe the advertising of the dairy industry, and the

recommendationsofmanyscientificbodies, theyaremissingout

onsome fantasticbenefits tomilkconsumption: thatmilk isgood

for bones, contains calcium and vitamin D, and “does a body

good.”

There’s not a lot of evidence for these types of claims. In 2011,

The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published a meta-

analysis examining if milk might protect against hip fracture in

middle-aged and older adults. Six studies containing almost

200,000 women could find no association between drinkingmilk

andlowerratesoffractures.

Morerecentresearchconfirmsthesefindings.Astudypublishedin

JAMA Pediatrics this year followed almost 100,000 men and

womenformorethantwodecades.

Subjects were asked to report on how much milk they had

consumedasteenagers,andthentheywerefollowedtoseeifthat

wasassociatedwithareducedchanceofhipfractureslaterinlife.

Itwasn’t.Ajust-releasedstudyinTheBMJthatfollowedmorethan

45,000menand61,000womeninSweden,age39andolder,had

similarresults.Milkconsumptionasadultswasassociatedwithno

protectionformen,andanincreasedriskoffracturesinwomen.

It was also associated with an increased risk of death in both

sexes. This wasn’t a randomised controlled trial, and no one

should assume causality here. But there’s no association with

benefits,andasignificantassociationwithharms.

Evenstudies thatexamine thenutrients inmilk, trying to look for

protective effects, often come up short. A 2007meta-analysis in

the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined high-quality

studiesofhowcalciumintakewasrelatedtofractures.

Themany studies of more than 200,000 people, age 34 to 79,

couldfindnolinkbetweentotalcalciumintakeandtheriskofbone

fractures. It is true that vitamin D is necessary for calcium

absorption,and forbonehealth,but thatdoesn’tmean thatmost

peopleneedtoconsumemore.

Ameta-analysis published this year in The Lancet examined the

effect of vitamin D supplementation on bone mineral density in

middle-agedandolderadults.

Itfoundthat,forthemostpart,consumingextravitaminDdidnot

improvethebonesofthespine,hiporforearm.

It did result in a statistically significant, but less clinically

meaningful,increaseinbonedensityatthetopofthethighbone.In

addition,milkisnotalow-caloriebeverage.

Even if people drink nonfatmilk, three cups a day canmean an

additional250caloriesconsumed.Low-fatorwholemilkhaseven

more calories. In an era when every other caloric beverage is

beingmarginalizedbecauseofobesityconcerns,it’soddthatmilk

continuestogetapass.

Yes, it’s full of protein. Most Americans aren’t protein deficient,

though. Even people who avoid animal milk are worried they’re

missingsomething.Rather thanacknowledge that theygetalong

justfinewithout it,manyseekout“milk”substitutes, likesoymilk,

aroundwhichwholeindustrieshavebeenbuilt.

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5Must-havespicesinyourkitchenOutlined below are some of themost commonly usedAyurvedicspices,whichwhenusedincooking,notonlyenhancethetasteofthe meal, but also make it nutritious and balancing:Coriander (Dhania):Thecoriander seed is trulya cook'sbestfriendasitaidsintheassimilationofotherherbsandspicesusedduringcooking.Knowntobegracioustoallthedoshas,thisspiceisfamousinAyurvedaforitsuseinbalancingthebodyandmind.Coriander is also beneficial in digestive, respiratory and urinarydisorders, as well as treating skin ailments caused by Pittaaggravation.Ginger (Adrak):An irreplacable spice in any kitchen, Gingerbrings flavor and pungency to food and is used widely as adigestive. Known as 'the universal medicine' for its healingproperties, Ginger provides an excellent remedy for respiratoryconditionscausedbyaggravationofKaphaandVata.Apart fromvegetablesandlentils,thisinvigoratingspiceisalsousedinherbaltea to treat common cold and cough.Cumin (Jeera):Widelyusedasaflavoringagentandcondimentin curries and lentils, Cumin is known for its aromatic qualities.Thisspiceisusedasastimulantfordigestivedisordersandevenasanantiseptic. Italsoenhances the functioningof the liverandpancreas, enabling the body to cleanse accumulated toxins andabsorbnutrientsbetter.Fenugreek (Methi): Fenugreekishighlyvaluableforitshealingproperties. It is helpful in treating digestive, respiratory, nervous,and menstrual disorders, as well as purifying the skin andfacilitating weight loss. Drinking water with Fenugreek seedssoakedovernighthelpsinreducingbloodsugarlevelsinthebody.

Bitter-sweetinflavor,thisspiceispopularlyusedinIndiancookingforvegetablesanddals.Turmeric (Haldi):ReferredtoastheIndianSaffron,Turmericisbitter, astringent and pungent in taste. It has been known forcenturies for itsmany therapeuticqualities, includinganti-oxidant,anti-inflammatory and anti-septic properties. Widely regarded asan indispensable part of Indian cuisine, Turmeric enhancesmetabolism and helps the body to reduce undesirable fattydepositswhenusedincooking.

HowtomakeaquickSindhidish!SailorSeyalistheprocessofadishslowcookedinitsownjuiceswithout the use of water. Says food aficionado Saloni Malkani,"Slow cooked is very important as themeat or any preparationsslowlycooksinitsownjuices,givingthedishandoutstandingandtypicalflavour."Hereisherrecipetotry...RecipeofSeyalMuttonIngredients:500to750Gramsmuttonor lamb-withboneordebonedasperyourchoiceThe lamb should be cut in cubes, or sized pieces as desired3-4 normal medium sized onions chopped and then puree in amixer4 medium sized tomatoes chopped and pureed200 grams curd (either hung or thick)4 garlic pieces finely chopped1 tablespoon garlic paste and 1 tablespoon ginger paste1 cup coriander leaves and 2 green chilies finely chopped andpureed

1 teaspoon garam masala, jeera powder and dhania powder1/2 teaspoon of cardamon which should be powdered1/2teaspoonofajwainpowder3tablespoonsgheeApinchofhaldiSalttotasteMethod:1.Marinatethemuttoninamixtureoftheginger,garlic,corianderleaves puree along with the curd , leave in the for a few hoursoutside or if overnight refrigerate the mixture.(Overnight marination does wonders to the dish)2.Saute the onions in ghee, when slightly brown add thetomatoesandmasalasandsautebetween4-6min.3.Cool the sauteed onions, tomatoes and masala mixture thenaddtothemarinatedmuttonandmix.4.Keepaside45minutesandcookthemixtureoverhighheatfor7-10minutes.5.Reduce theheatandcover thedischarge tosimmer for60-75minutestoensurethemuttonistender6.Once tender, serve in a nice bowl and garnish with freshcorianderleaves.Yourseyalmuttonisready.

Theriseofhigh-risegardensResidents of high-rise buildings in the city aremaking their owngardenpatchesandensuringthat theytoohaveaccesstoa littlebitofgreeneryandhomegrownfruitsandflowersoftheirchoice."Alushgreenlawnwithplantationallaroundisabeautifulsighttowakeup to," saidSwapnilRane,aSavarkarNagar residentwhohas a 460 sq feet terrace garden in his fifth floor apartment.Swapnil'sterraceplantationthatboastsofstarliteficus,blackficus,chafaandpudikaplants, hasemployedprofessional help to takecare of his garden. "Other than adding to the aesthetic beauty,plantshelpinreducingstresslevelsandaterracegardenprovidesall thesebenefitswithout theneedof even steppingout of one'shome. It is for the same reason that the demand for apartmentswith terrace gardens is increasing," Swapnil added.While apartments equipped with terrace gardens are abundantlyavailable, it is not too difficult to build one's terrace garden.MahatmaNagarresidentSanjivaniDeodharhassetupherterracegarden from scratch. "It beganwithmy search for hurda (tenderjowar),thatIcouldnotfindanywhere.Myrequirementforitpushedme to grow it onmy terrace."Sanjivani's gardennowhasplantslike cucumber, bottle gourd and lemon grass. "Gardening is astressbusterformeandthankstoitmyterracelooksbeautifulandthere is always fresh food available. It is also a great way torecycle household organic waste such as used tea leaves andvegetablewastewhichInowuseasmanureformygarden,"saidSanjivani.Forstartinga terraceplantationoneneedsapatchofspace thatgetsamplesunlight.Regularwateringofplantscoupledwithsomeprofessional advice is enough to yield good results. "A terracegarden provides a lot of scope for experimenting with differentplantations,"addedSanjivani.

With proper planning and maintenance one can grow their ownorganic and pesticide free vegetables that are rich in nutrients.Dependingon theseason,onecancultivateotherplantsaswell.These terrace gardens or the new age home accessory withmultiple benefits can also be used for practicing yoga or hostingparties.

KottaramAgrolaunchesmil let-basedfoods

MSSwaminathan,agriculturalscientistandFounder,MSSRFandPrashantParameswaran,MD,KottaramAgroFoods,atthelaunchof 'Soulfull' brand of breakfast products, in Chennai on Friday.BijoyGhoshChennai,November21:Nutritionliteracyistheneedofthehour.Throughconsistentpolicyadvocacy, the Indian Food Security Act now provides forenlargement of the food basket under the Public Distribution

System by including a wide range of millets that were terriblyunder-utilised but much healthier than rice and wheat, saideminentagriculturalscientistMSSwaminathan.Launchingarangeofragiflakes,manufacturedbyKottaramAgroFoodsunder thebrandSoulfull,hesaid theconsumptionofsuchmilletswouldenablethemovementtowardsbothfoodandnutritionsecurityanderadicatehungerpangs.Kottaram Agro Foods is a Bangalore-based company that hasbeenproducingandmarketingtraditionalIndianfoodsbasedonawide range of under-utilisedmillets. It has a variety of breakfastproductssuchasdosamix,adaiandidli.“Ourintentionistobringtraditional millets back into Indian homes, and we work withvariouseminentnutritionresearchscientistsforthepurpose,”saidPrashant Parameswaran, Managing Director of Kottaram AgroFoods.ThecompanyleanedheavilyonthegoodnessoftraditionalIndianfoods,andhasreworkedthemtomakeitexcitingandacceptablefor the modern palette, and convenient for the modernhomemaker.Thecompanyhasso far investedoverRs.12croreandplanstoinvestanotherRs.25crorenextyear.

Kerala planters seek import ban on tea, rubber,cardamomKochi,November21:Planters in Kerala have asked the Government to ban forthwithimportsoftea,rubberandcardamom,inviewofthecrisisfacedbythesector.The Association of Planters of Kerala (APK) called for animmediatebanon theaboveplantationcrop imports till domesticpricesreachcostofproduction.The planters’ body also urged the Centre to implement therecommendationsoftheinter-ministerialgrouponsharingofsocialcostswithout further delay. ThePlantation LabourAct should beamendedsothatpartoftheexpenditureonsocialcostisbornebytheCentre,GilbertD’Souza,Chairman,APKsaid.

He was speaking toBusinessLineon the sidelines of a pressconference to announce the APK’s Platinum jubilee celebrationson December 4 in Kochi. According to D’Souza, the plantationsectorwasheading for a serious financial crisis,whichwouldbeworsethanthepreviouscrisisof1999-2006.TheteaindustrywastodaymakingalossofRs.25akg;thegrossmismatch between cost of production, which is betweenRs.110andRs.120,andaverageauctionpriceofteaoflessthanRs.85,hadledtoaseverecashcrunch,hesaid.Onrubber,theindustrywasincurringalossofaboveRs.50/kgofnatural rubber produced. The average cost of production wasaboveRs.150/kg, whereas the average price realised by thegrowerisaroundRs.103.The lower prices and oversupply in the international markets,coupled with uncontrolled imports, had brought about this crisissituation, he said. Cardamom growers are also suffering a lossofRs.200/kg due to cheaper imports, especially inferior qualityGuatemalancardamom.“Wearenotagainstimports.Buttheyshouldberegulatedsothatgrowers’ interests are also protected,” C.Vinayaraghavan, ViceChairman,APK,said.TheAssociationhadalreadytakenstepstobringdownproductioncosts,buttheindustryfeelsthatimmediateandinnovativestepsneedtobetakenbyallstakeholdersincludingthegovernmentandthetradeunionstohaltfurtherdeteriorationofthesituation,hesaid.

HeavyraininSouthasNorthremainscoldThiruvananthapuram,November21:HeavytoveryheavyrainfalloverpartsofsouthernTamilNaduandKeralamay continue for the next couple of days as a causativeweathersystemhungoverthewatersoffSriLanka.AUSClimate PredictionCentre assessment said that Sri Lankawould bear the brunt of the rain generated by the cycloniccirculationperchedintheupperairoversouth-westBayofBengal.

MoretocomeThe island nation and the coast of adjoining Tamil Nadu inpeninsular India would remain variously wet through the weekending November 26. Extended forecasts suggested that a rainwave may emerge from the equatorial Indian Ocean in thesubsequentdayswithpotential tohitSriLankaandcoastalTamilNaduforasecondround.This could be the handiwork of a passingMadden-Julian (MJO)OscillationwavefromWestAfricatothePacificandtraversingtheequatorialIndianOceanconcurrently.HeavyrainAn India Met Department update on Friday afternoon said thatconvective (rain-driving)cloudsroseabovemanypartsofKerala,TamilNadu,southArabianSea,Comorinarea,andsouthBayofBengal.Duringthe24hoursending inthemorning,moderatetoheavytovery heavy rain lashed Tuticorin (9 cm); Kanyakumari (8 cm);Palayamkottai(7cm);Tondi(5cm);andNagapattinam(3cm).IntheNorth,however,fogtoshallowfogconditionsprevailedoverPunjabandHaryanaandoverTripura in theNorth-East.Minimum(night) temperaturescontinuetobebelownormalatmanyplacesin the North-West and North-East as these regions await thearrival of a weather-altering western disturbance. Normally, thelow-pressure and therefore warmer western disturbance has afavourable impact in weather over the cold plains of North-WestIndia.FeeblebuildBut the feeble build of the system meant that it would sign offwithoutmuch impact, except dropping some rain and snow overthehighreaches(Himalayas).North-West Indiaalongwithcoldercentralpartswillnowhavetowaitforthenextwesterndisturbanceto come in by Monday to infuse some warming in the nightaccompanied by the odd showers during the day. Till such time,thecoldwaveoverMadhyaPradeshmaysustain.