Parasite distribution and histopathological studies on certain commercially important fishes of cochin area

In order to check the damage caused by the parasites, even though it is difficult in open waters, a proper understanding of the seasonal variation in the distribution of the parasite and other factors like age of the host, sex of the host, which affect distribution of parasite is a must. Although several workers have carried out investigations on the taxonomy of metazoan parasites of marine and brackish water Fishes of India, very little attempt is made to correlate such investigations with the host and the environment. In this thesis such an attempt is made by the researcher. In chapter one the literature related to the prevalence, mean intensity of infection, and histopathological changes caused by the metazoan parasites, in particular by helminths, copepods and isopods, was reviewed. Chapter two contains observations on the distribution pattern of parasites in relation to the season, sex, and size of the host. It was found that the prevalence rate of radiorynchus_indicus infecting the alimentary canal of Tachysurugs mgacuglatus, Ergasilus sp. infecting the gills of T maculatus, and Lernaeeniicus ramosus found on the body surface of Qeimgipteirfugs jagonicus was higher during monsoon season. But agarna malayi found in the opercular chamber and Ehilometra cephalus infecting the gonads of valamugil speiglari showed a higher prevalence rate during the postmonsoon season. This was discussed on the basis of the hydrographical characteristics prevailing in the study area during the three different seasons. It was also observed that the sex of the host did not influence significantly the distribution pattern of the parasites. The reasons for this were also discussed. Invariably, the size of the host was found to influence the parasite distribution pattern. It was observed that the prevalence rate showed an increase with increase in size of the fish. This was discussed on the basis of food habits of the host, along with other aspects An attempt was made in chapter three to study the histopathological effects of‘ the various parasites on their respective sites of attachments on host Fishes. It was found that except Rhadinorhyhchugs indicus, all other parasites produced damages of varying intensity, in the form of hypertrophy, rhyperplasia, haemorrhage, tissue disruption and ulcers. Interestingly, E. indicus, an acantho— cephalid with a powerful proboscis for attachment was found not to cause any serious damage to the intestine of the host Fish. All these aspects are included in the third and final chapter of the thesis.

Studies on the foraminifera of the south west coast of india

The present investigations confine to a study of the distribution of foraminifera in the estuarine environment and the interstial area of the sandy beaches of the south west coast of India with a view to correlate the distribution and the intensity of occurrence of the various species with hydrographic conditions and the substrate characteristics of the area. Studies on the foraminifera of the estuarine environment were carried out in the vembanad lake ,a major estuary in the south west coast of india extending for about 60km from cochin barmouth in the north to Alleppey in the south.Fortnightly collections of hydrographical data and grab samples of bottom deposit were made for a period of 2 years (july 1973 to june 1975) from fifteen stations chosen along the length of the lake.

Customer perceptions of Banking Products and Services in Kerala with reference to Specific Customer Segments in the Urban Area

As of 1999. the state of Kerala has 3210 offices of scheduled commercial banks (SCBS). In all, there are 48 commercial banks operating in Kerala, which includes PSBs, OPBs, NPBS. FBs, and Gramin Banks. The urban areas give a complete picture of the competition in the present day banking scenario with the presence of all bank groups. Semi-urban areas of Kerala have 2196 and urban areas have 593 as on March 1995.“ The study focuses on the selected segments ofthe urban customers in Kerala which is capable of giving the finer aspects of variation in customer behaviour in the purchase of banking products and services. Considering the exhaustive nature of such an exercise, all the districts in the state have not been brought under the purview of the study. Instead. three districts with largest volume of business in terms of deposits, advances, and number of offices have been short listed as representative regions for a focused study. The study focuses on the retail customer segment and their perceptions on the various products or services offered to them. Non Resident Indians (NRIs), and Traders and Small—ScaIe Industries segments have also been included in the study with a view to obtain a comparative picture with respect to perception on customer satisfaction and service quality dimensions and bank choice behaviour. The research is hence confined to customer behaviour and the implications for possible strategies for segmentation within the retail segment customers

District Level Planning In Kerala And Karnataka - A Comparative Study

When we consider Kerala and Karnataka States according to their levels of decentralisation. Kerala is at the beginning of the scale of decentralisation whereas Kamataka has moved far ahead along this scale. Therefore I in order to conduct a comparative study of the SUbject under analysis t Kamataka has been selected owing to the fact that it is in an advanced stage in the experience of district planning compared to Kerala , Karnataka could successfully implement district planning and it is me of the pioneering states in this regard. But Kerala has not gained much experience in the field of decentralised district planning till now. Furthermore Kerala and Kamataka states are selected for the present study due to operational reasons I besides the author I s familiarity with the socia-economic conditions of these states. Thus. an analysis of the district planning experience of Kamataka will provide constructive and valuable information. which will be of great importance to Kerala State, which is now aspiring to introduce ful.I-f'Iedge district planning by constituting elected District Coancils in every district of Kerala. Moreover. the findings and policy implications of the present study will be of immense help to planners, politicians. administrators, academicians and people at large.

Marketing orientation of small Firms- a study with reference to Trivandrum district

The small business has attracted very little attention of the historians in the ancient times, or public mind inspite of the fact that its impact on the various civilisations has been phenominal. Even in recent times economists considered the small firms as inappropriate, obselate and anacronistic as it cannot assimilate the full potential of technological change in the production system. But today everybody agrees that the small business has a definite role in shaping the human destiny and enhancing the quality of life in any society. In a developing country like India small firms are necessary to generate employment for millions, high standared of personal choice to consumers, provide competition and act as a check to monopoly power; further the small firms provide an important source of innovation and in turn it paves the way for entrepreneur development in the society. In many countries the small enterprises played a significant role in the growth and development of their economic system. Italy and Japan are quoted as classic examples . In India, too, with the abundance of labour and scarce capital resources small firms have been promoted and protected by the government. But one must say that the small firm owners/managers in India have been shy in developing a market orientation in themeselves. Due to this many firms failed and closed. The alarming rate of sickness among the small firms in India may be attributed to the lack of market driven/customer orientation approach among the owner/managers of small business. So the study on the market oreintation of the small firms has never been in the mind of marketing experts and academicians. Thus, an attempt is made to enquire into them systematically and scientifically. For the study, Trivandrum district in Kerala has been selected. The data for the study has been collected by the help of a schedule which has been prepared after consulting the relevant literature and after consultation with experts in the field, academicians and practising managers.

Dynamics Of Pesticides In The Backwaters Of Kuttanad

The tremendous growth in industrial production and the consequent improving in the standards of living have provoked worldwide discussion on environmental quality. The question of abusive use of pesticides for crop protection and vector control programmes is only one aspect of this entire complex. Inspite of this, tendentious publications such as Rachel Carson’s Silent spring have brought crop protection into the foreground of environmental discussions. The persistence and high stability of organochlorine pesticides are regarded as problematic and the accumulation of pesticides residues and its metabolites in the different compartments of the environment is one of the major concerns. Because of their persistence in the aquatic environment and biomagnifications in food chain, the continuous use of pesticides will have wider implications not only in aquatic environmental quality but also on human health. The residual levels of these persistent chemicals exceed their permissible limits, and get partitioned among the constituent phases of the aquatic systems. Crop protection is only part of the agricultural economy and in agriculture itself has led to the most fundamental changes in the human environment. So, in all areas of life one must weigh the desired advantages against possible disadvantages. The proposed thesis is based on the investigations on the distributions of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in the waters and sediments of Kuttanad backwaters. Kuttanad, a unique agricultural area, which forms the southern part of the Vembanad lake, is a deltaic formation of four river systems entering the southern part of the Cochin estuary. No systematic study has ever been done to assess the ecotoxicological impact of these diverse chemicals and their metabolites in Kuttanad area. So, a detailed systematic and rigorous investigation on the distributions of these persistent chemicals is carried out. The thesis is divided into 7 Chapters

Private and Co-operative Granite Quarries in Thrissur District - A Comparative Study

The study is confined to non-mechanised private and cooperative granite quarries in Thrissur district. There are 90 non -mechanised quarries in Thrissur district. Data were collected for the period from 1994-'95 to 1999-2000. 315* March of every year was considered as the closing date of the year. It envisages an analysis of various problems connected with quarrying operations, financial analysis, cost analysis, demand and supply position of quarry products and socio-economic background of workers. It also suggest some measures to improve the working conditions of granite quarrying.

Study on the Socio-Psychological Background of Entrepreneur - Managers of Small Scale Industrial Units in Ernakulam District, Kerala

The understanding of the theory of entrepreneurship depends upon one set of definitions which provide the base for analytical study. The main objective of the study was to understand the distribution of entrepreneurship in the manufacturing sector among different categories of people in kerala and to differentiate the socio - psychological background of successful entrepreneur- managers from unsuccessful entrepreneur-managers. The purpose of the study, a sample of 150 entrepreneur-managers of SS1 units spread over Ernakulam district was surveyed through a specially designed questionnaire.

Marketing Management in Small Scale Industrial Units of Women Entrepreneurs in Kerala - A Study with Reference to Ernakulam District",

The women entrepreneurs, who set up business units with encouragement and institutional support, find it difficult to market their products. The marketing concept is yet to be grasped in its entirety. Women entrepreneurs especially find the marketing fiinctions difficult to carry out. Hence, this study is carried out to understand the marketing management in SSI units of women entrepreneurs

Petrochemistry related mineralization and genesis of the Ambalavayal granite and assoiated pegmatites, Wynad district, Kerala

The Kerala region which forms a significant segment of the south—western Indian shield, dominantly comprises charnockites, khondalites and migmatitic gneisses of Precambrian age. Recent investigations have revealed the occurrences of a number of younger granite and syenite plutons in this region, .spatially related to regional fault—lineaments. The granite of Ambalavayal in Wynad district of northern Kerala is a typical member of this suite of intrusives. The thesis is based on a comprehensive study in terms of geology, petrology, geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Ambalavayal granite, basement gneisses, associated pegmatites, quartz veins and related mineralization that together cover an area of about 90 sq km in wynad district of northern Kerala

“Population Characteristics, Fishery and Post larval distribution of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) and M. idella (Hilgendorf) of Vembanad lake”

Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) and M.ide77a (Hilgendorf) form two commercially important Palaemonid prawns of the Vembanad lake (9 28' and 10 10’ N and 76 13' and 76 31' E). Both of them were known to have contributed to a very lucrative fishery during the sixties, however, in recent years these natural resources have badly depleted owing to the impact of many man made alterations brought about in the ecosystem such as habitat reduction, physical obstruction imposed in the migratory pathway of these species, pollution hazards, etc,. Changed environmental conditions and increased fishing pressures caused persistent alterations in the stock size of these prawns during the past so many years, however, no serious attempt was made to monitor the stock size from time to time and also to bring out the resource characteristics. Though, the morphotypic differentiation in grow out male population of M.rosenbergii has been documented, no similar studies were conducted with regard to natural male and female population. Based on the data collected during fishery cruise surveys conducted in Vembanad lake from March '94 to February '96, population characteristics. postlarval distribution, fishery and population dynamics of M.rosenbergii and M.ide77a of the lake were studied in detail.

Mineralogical And Sedimentological Studies Of Innershelf And Beach Sediments Along The Coast Between Paravur And Kovalam, South Kerala, India

Continental shelf is of particular significance in marine geology , because it links the two basically different structural zones in the earth's crust; the continents and ocean basins. The shelf area has much wider importance in many fields of activity such as scientific, economic, social, political and strategic. The pace of development has ultimately put pressure on mankind to look for exploitable resources and accessibility to the continental shelf area and beyond. Added to the above, the developmental activities in the coastal area would readily and directly influence the innershelf sediments. This situation demands a thorough geological knowledge of the continental shelf area. Moreover, a successful management of the continental shelf zone requires an optimum data base on the physico-chemical nature of the shelf sediments. Although sedimentological studies were carried out along the western continental shelf of India, a well documented systematic study of the inner shelf off Trivandrum coast is still found to be lacking. Considering the physiographic settings and the vicinity of two renowned placer deposits at Chavara and Manavalakurichi, such a sedimetological inventory has become all the more vital. In view of the above, a research programme has been drawn up to account the salient sedimentological and mineralogical aspects of the innershelf and beach sediments between Paravur and Kovalam, Trivandrum district, Kerala (latitudes 8° 7'00" to 8° 47'45" and longitudes 76°43'00" to 77° 40'45"). The findings are presented in six chapters formatted to address the aim of this research.

Petrochemistry, related mineralization and genesis of the Ambalavayal granite and associated pegmatites. Wynad district, Kerala

The Kerala region which forms a significant segment of the south—western Indian shield, dominantly comprises charnockites, khondalites and migmatitic gneisses of Precambrian age. Recent investigations have revealed the occurrences of a number of younger granite and syenite plutons in this region, .spatially related to regional fault—lineaments. The granite of Ambalavayal in Wynad district of northern Kerala is a typical member of this suite of intrusives. The thesis is based on a comprehensive study in terms of geology, petrology, geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Ambalavayal granite, basement gneisses, associated pegmatites, quartz veins and related mineralization that together cover an area of about 90 sq km in wynad district of northern Kerala.

Solid Waste Management: A Case Study of Arppukara Grama Panchayat Of Kottayam District, Kerala (India)

The rising pressure of Population, together with the constantly changing technologies, and development perspectives, contribute to the ever increasing volumes of wastes in different forms. The solid and liquid wastes generated in the urban areas were considered a burden to the society, and hazardous to the environment. The fact is that the growth of consumerist culture and aimless throwing of refuse by the people created the outbreak of environmental pollution. Unhygienic environment and solid waste accumulation coincided with mosquito breeding which causes, the spread of most epidemics. The rationale behind most of the diseases is the unhygienic pattern followed by the people both in rural and urban areas. As an environmental package, the disposal of solid waste from different sources, such as house holds markets, commercial areas, slaughter houses, hospitals and industries, therefore assumed crucial importance. So as a part of the theory and practice, a study on the area, solid waste management of Arppukara Grama Panchayat of Kottayam district is taken into consideration. The study conducted here proposes, to examine the quality and quantity of the solid waste generated in the panchayat and also it's impact on the existing social, economical, environmental and ecological systems

Studies on fish waste management practices in Aroor Seafood Industrial Belt, Kerala and conversion of seafood waste into a liquid plant growth supplement

This study was materialized to analyze the management issues regarding the seafood processing waste generated including its impact on the coastal community in one of the important seafood hubs of India Aroor Seafood Industrial Belt Alappuzha District Kerala The area has witnessed serious pollution issues related to seafood waste and seldom has any action been implemented by either the polluters or the preventers Further this study is also intended to suggest a low cost eco friendly method for utilizing the bulk quantity of seafood solid waste generated in the area for the promotion of organic farming The high nutritional value of seafood enables the subsequent offal to be considered as an excellent source for plant nutrition The liquid silage accepted worldwide as the cheapest and practical solution for rendering fish waste in bulk for production of livestock feed is adopted in this study to develop foliar fertilizer formulations from various seafood waste The effect of seafood foliar sprays is demonstrated by field studies on two plant varieties such as Okra and Amaranthus