FAO's report estimates that an additional 40 million tonnes of aquatic food will be required by 2030, just to maintain current levels of consumption. Nearly half of all fish eaten today is farmed and not caught. While in 1980 just 9 percent of the fish consumed by human beings came from aquaculture, today 43 percent does, the report shows. Globally, consumer demand for fish continues to climb, especially in affluent, developed nations which in 2004 imported 33 million tonnes of fish worth over US$61 billion .But levels of captures of fish in the wild have not gone up since the mid-1980s, and continues to cling on around 90-93 million tonnes annually. We are already nearing the day when one will have to wait, even for a shrimp in the plate.

Source: FAO

Every minute, a person is killed by illegal use of small weapons .There are 639m illegal small weapons in the world. In short there are 2 bullets per person on Earth. According to the national Crime Records Bureau's (NCBR) unique 'crime clock'. No wonder, India reports one crime every 17 seconds.

Source: Oxfam and Control Arms Foundation of India & NCBR

A survey conducted by National Sample Survey Organization, uncovers the miserable state of the hospitals in the capital. Survey finds that 60% of Health centres don't have taps on their premises. Moreover 66% of the surveyed local hospitals in Tonk district of Rajasthan and all three in Lalitpur in UP were dependent on public handpumps for water. So, the next time you visit a hospital do not forget to carry your bottle of water.

Source: NSSO

Afghanistan's opium harvest this year has reached the highest levels ever recorded, showing an increase of almost 50 percent from last year. The figures can be described as "alarming" "appalling" and "awful" for the Afghan government and international donors who have poured millions of dollars into programs to reduce the poppy crop since 2001. May the inebriated Afghan rehabilitate.

Source: UN

Think again before you commit a crime. Tihar Jail is bursting of inmates. Eight prisoners share the cell meant for three. Does that mean Delhi needs more prisons or is it that it needs to check the growing crime rate of 497.6 crimes per 100,000 population, 2.7 times the national rate of 183.2(NCRB).

Source: National Crime Records Bureau

In Orissa 10,000 of the 40,000 schools have no school buildings, and 40% of classrooms do not possess a blackboard.3000 schools are single-room schools with just one teacher.55% of schools do not have drinking water facility. Does not our nation have much vital issues to take care of rather than debate on, whether to sing Vande Mataram or not?

Leaving the Nawanshahar district of Punjab ,the state has the male female ratio of 784 women to every 1000 men. Its only Jalalmajra (village in Nawanshahar district) that has achieved the commendable and unattainable rate of 1100 per thousand males. The village was awarded with Rs. three lakhs for registering more female than male births. This actually is a good lesson for jaipur ,where a few days back female foetuses were found dumped in a lake.

Source: Punjab Newsline

All the rice gobblers beware .Around 85% of the rice produced by FCI in Punjab and Haryana in some cases during the period 2000-2005 was "beyond rejection Limit" (not fit for human consumption).As the trend goes this figure is expected to increase further.