Microplastics major threat to oceans: Expert at Mangaluru Lit Fest
Mangaluru (Karnataka)(PTI): Marine pollution is rising at an alarming rate, with microplastics emerging as one of the most serious threats to ocean health, environmental expert Raghu Murtugudde said at the Mangaluru Lit Fest on Saturday.
Speaking during a session titled 'Netravathi-Nile: Local Rivers, Global Stakes', Murtugudde said large quantities of waste were being dumped into the seas by ships, significantly worsening marine pollution.
"The impact on marine life is severe. Microplastics, in particular, are creating multiple ecological problems and are gradually entering the human food chain through fish," he said.
While efforts are being made globally to reduce plastic waste, Murtugudde stressed that microplastics require specific regulatory attention.
"Plastic use is being addressed to an extent, but there is an urgent need for stricter measures to curb microplastics," he added.
Highlighting the historical interconnectedness of riverine and maritime civilisations, environment writer Udayaraj drew parallels between India’s Netravathi River and Egypt’s Nile.
"Centuries ago, trade flourished between India and Egypt. Indian muslin cloth was exported to Egypt, showing how waterways connected civilisations long before modern transport," he said.
The speakers underlined that environmental challenges today are not confined by borders and that local ecological damage can have global consequences.
The session was moderated by Prashanth Vaidyaraj, with C J Giridhar Kamath also participating.
The discussion was part of a series of thematic conversations at the ongoing fest, which brings together scholars, environmentalists, and public intellectuals.
The eighth edition of the two-day Mangaluru Lit Fest, organised by the Bharat Foundation, began on January 10 at the TMA Pai International Convention Centre.
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Three juveniles held for stabbing 16-year-old over past grudge in northwest Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI): Three juveniles, including one who was recently out on bail in a murder case, were apprehended in connection with the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar over to past dispute, an official said on Wednesday.
A PCR call on March 12 reported a stabbing incident in Ashok Vihar area in which one Altaf (16) sustained grievous injuries.
Police said the victim was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. With no eyewitnesses, and the victim initially unfit to give a statement, the case posed a challenge for investigators.
An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and a team was constituted to probe the matter.
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After regaining consciousness, the victim disclosed the name of one of the assailants, providing a crucial lead. Acting on local inputs and surveillance, police conducted raids and tracked down the suspects.
Subsequently, three juveniles were apprehended and, during interrogation, they confessed to their involvement in the crime, police said.
The accused disclosed that they knew the victim and had a prior altercation over a trivial issue, which escalated into bitter enmity. Nursing a grudge, they conspired to attack him and stabbed the boy after intercepting him on the day of the incident.
Police said one of the apprehended juveniles had recently been released on bail in a murder case registered last year at the same police station.
The weapon of offence, a knife, was recovered at the instance of the accused.
