Ranchi Diary: Purifying ground water, Mandar bypoll, and more

Absorbent developed to purify ground water
IIT (ISM) scientists have succeeded in developing an absorbent that helps in the removal of Arsenic from groundwater. A four-member team of researchers, led by Associate professor of Environment Science Engineering Department Dr SR Samadder, claimed that arsenic can be removed through coating of nano-manganese on calcinated laterite soil. Notably, Arsenic has been identified as Class-I human carcinogen and the WHO has set the permissible limit to 10 microgram per litre in drinking water. Unfortunately, most of the Arsenic-affected population belong to rural areas and they do not have access to safe drinking water.

Yadav honours bonded labour survivors
Three youth leaders and children from Jharkhand, who were forced to live in bondage and deprivation of child labour, have emerged from the darkness of child labour to become catalysts of social change. They once toiled in the mica mines in exchange for a few morsels of food.  But, now they are leading the fight against child labour. Another young girl from a marginalised family is now spearheading the movement against child marriage. These four children were felicitated by the Union Minister of Labour Bhupender Yadav on the eve of June 12, the World Day Against Child Labour. Acute poverty forces such boys to work in inhuman conditions. 

Triangular fight likely in Mandar by-election
The Mandar by-poll is is likely to become tougher as the seat will witness a triangular contest after BJP leader Deo Kumar Dhan filing the nomination paper as independent candidate. Dhan has filed the nomination as Independent candidate after BJP decided to field its 2014 MLA Gangotri Kujur as party candidate. The Congress has fielded Shilpa Neha Tirkey, daughter of former Mandar MLA Bandhu Tirkey. This by-election, it is believed to be a tough contest between Congress, BJP and independent Dev Kumar Dhan. In 2019, BJP had denied ticket to its sitting MLA and had fielded Dhan as party candidate, but he lost to then JVM candidate Bandhu Tirkey by more than 23,000 votes. 

Mukesh Ranjan
Our correspondent in Jharkhand
mukesh.r@newindianexpress.com