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Is the Pandemic Causing Children’s Anxiety to Go Up or Down?
The rise of
protests
09 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
nation
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The rise of protests and how authorities come to grip with them
Bhasim
As the world is moving forward towards a more integrated societies, people realize the need to exercise their ‘right’ and ‘entitlement’ to protest for or against any law, event, or action either by authorities or by general people like them. The overwhelming rise in Protests presupposes that a supportive ecosystem may exist— a system that enshrines people's right to agitate for the issues they are concerned with. Protests have become a commonplace now and thus an inextricable part of our lives. The concept of Democracy cannot be divorced from people’s freedom to protest. Recently, in the aftermath of two major events— Citizenship Amendment Act in India and the demise of George Floyd in the USA— people spilled out of their houses to express their dissent and to cherish one of their fundamental rights to disagree with authorities. The protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) broke out in mid-December, when an inflammatory bill was passed by the government of India. People in large number partook in the protests, campaigning for the reversal of government decision. CAA apparently effected the citizenship system in India, and Muslim population was at the receiving end of consequences.
Each day, protests took place in earnest, causing unrest all throughout the nation. Not only the general public and natives, but also other parties and people from other countries demonstrated their support from afar. Despite numerous fierce protests all across the country, CAA still stands. The second major event, the death of George Floyd, also caused a storm through the USA. A multitude of people thronged around the USA streets and remonstrated with the government for what was done to George Floyd. George Floyd was killed by a police official in broad daylight, right after being accused of having used counterfeit 20$ in a Store. The repercussions of George Floyd's painful death
were similar to those of CAA. Roads were blocked. Barricades were put up. Protesters were manhandled by security officials. Campaigns were quashed. The last resort for policemen at the forefront was to use firearms. Among the bona fide protests, there were people who only intended to create unnecessary chaos between the police and protesters. Amidst the protests, several shops, buses, cars, roads were set alight spitefully. Police officials were viciously beaten and thus mortally wounded. Since the mob does not have any identity, such hooligans are mostly difficult to arrest. While the constitutional right of an individual to protest peacefully can not be denied by the government,
Health Corner
B Functional with Mini is conducting outdoor Bootcamp in Gurugram for adults as well as children. Outdoor training is good for our mind and soul as it connects you to the nature and at the same time you get to breathe and workout in the fresh air. Whether you are looking to take a break from your current fitness routine or planning to add that extra strength training to your current routine, it works wonders to boost your immunity, tests your endurance and increases your stamina. So come and experience our Bootcamp culture with different functional equipment.
the time, place, and manner in which the protest is conducted must be regulated. Government must restrict the protest timing and ensure that each protester maintain the sanctity of his/her right to protest. When protests turn violent, it causes menace not only to protesters and security officials, but also to other civilians who are not indulged in such events. One of the major concern of government is the safety of all its citizens. The burning of vehicles and shops, brutally attacking police official, and raising hateful slogans, out of spite, threatens the safety of everyone involved. Government sternly clamps down on protesters who cause nuisance amidst the peaceful protests.
India-Nepal Economic Ties are Strong and Faring Well
With Covid-19 outbreak and prolonging lockdown, the lives and livelihoods have been adversely impacted in unprecedented manner. As the crisis has global nature, India and Nepal are severely impacted as well with the crisis created by the global pandemic and prolonging lockdown. In a trying time like this, the economic cooperation between India and Nepal should be further accelerated. For the economic rebounding in both the countries, the performance of MSMEs sector is going to be one of the decisive factors. Against this backdrop, under aegis of its India-Nepal Centre and in association with the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), Nepal SBI Bank Ltd (NSBL), PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) has organised the webinar "Enhancing Cooperation for MSMEs in Nepal”. Maha Prasad Adhikari, Governor, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in his Keynote Speech called the MSMEs
sector as the growth engine of Nepal’s economy. Highlighting on the recent policy measures, he assured the industry that Nepal’s MSMEs are on way to emerge stronger and can partner for registering positive outcomes. Sushil Bhatta, CEO, Investment Board Nepal (IBN) recognised the challenges MSMEs are facing with the demand and supply shocks with the ongoing crisis emerged through the pandemic. He highlighted the importance of MSME for Nepal's economy and job creation. He stressed on the need of creating awareness in MSMEs for the skill development, entrepreneurial advancement, innovative practices, new technology to give them a competitive edge at the regional and global platforms. “In the recent past, the trade between India andNepal has reached to around 85% peak of pre-Covid times both in terms of exports and imports, mentioned Mr. Kapidhwaja
Pratap Singh, Commercial Representative, Indian Embassy in Nepal. He highlighted many importers in India are dependent on exports of Nepal, making it a two-way flow of commodities between India and Nepal. He added that localized trade is happening at a fast pace. This shows the immense networking and supply chain management development by business between India and Nepal. Dr D K Aggarwal, President, PHDCCI shared about India’s
unique and deep relationship with Nepal. He calls for an enduring partnership among the MSMEs both sides where PHDCCI as the National Apex Chamber of India along with its partner CNI will provide the much needed platform. Mr. Sanjay Aggarwal, Senior Vice President, PHDCCI said that it is high time that the MSMEs be given their space as the Covid-19 has made a form ground for strengthening bilateral relations between India and Nepal and these business can play pivotal roles
in economic rebounding. Mr. Anil Khaitan, Former President, PHDCCI presented a global overview about the effect of the pandemic on the economy and the required response to mitigate the challenges being faced by MSMEs. In these adverse times, it is utmost important that businesses adopt the ways for frugal innovation, he added. He said that the MSMEs need a clear definition that will be immensely helpful for letting them avail the market conditions efficiently. It was hailed how PHDCCI’s India-Nepal Centre has taken the initiative for hosting this webinar as well as preceding two: Strategising Economic Rebounding and Cooperation in India and Nepal (30th April 2020); Exploring Hydroelectricity Potential in Nepal (23rd July 2020). The virtual conferences were attended by hundreds of participants from the government, industry, media, Think Tanks and Economic Diplomacy fraternity.
09 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
Mahindra Finance's subsidiary set to enter online insurance, will launch portal called PayBima nation
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Shivani Shukla
Mahindra Finance is set to enter the business of online insurance broking giving digital services to the customers of its insurance brokerage subsidiary, Mahindra Insurance Brokers, through a soon-to-be launched portal called PayBima. The move comes at a time when the demand for insurance products pertaining especially to health and life is at a high due to increased urgency among individuals and businesses to get themselves covered against medical and business risks, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
According to a senior company executive, the new portal would play a role in the transformation of Mahindra’s insurance broking services to a “phygital” model, which would leverage its feet-onthe-street agents at more than 400 locations in the country, with the digital aggregation and settlement services. “Insurance is not about selling policies as much as it is about honoring the claims,” said JaideepDevare, MD at Mahindra Insurance Brokers. “The settlement of claims will be a critical part of our operations on the portal. Through our partnership with leading public and private insurers, we would also give
our customers the options to compare and buy different policies, while the portal will also provide advanced assistance in registering and settling claims,” he said. The move to launch the portal
would put it in direct competition against leading digital aggregators and brokers such as Policybazaar, Coverfox, Paytm and the traditional players in the insurance and reinsurance market, such as Marsh and AnandRathi. The insurance broker, setup in 2004, is rural focused, with concentration in motor and tractorbased insurance products through a cross-sell model with Mahindra’s vehicle dealerships across India. The company is now actively building its health, life, twowheeler, and four-wheeler portfolios. It is also aiming to expand its reach among the urban customers through the new digital portal, said
Devare. “We would make use of all the advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, sentiment and voice analysis, and machine learning to offer our fleet of products and services on the PayBima portal,” said Devare. The insurance broker, an 80% subsidiary of Mahindra Financial Services, has serviced 3.5 lakh claims and processed premiums worth Rs 2,400 crore in FY20, the company said. It has now set an ambitious target of adding one million new customers in the next three years on the new platform, which will go live this month.
After Nearly 5-Months, The Metro Services Dance is my pran, atman and soul Resumes With Social Distancing
Pratyasha Mohanty
Metro services resumed across the country on Monday (7th Sep. 2020), after being suspended for over five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Commuters have been advised to follow the Covid 19 guidelines so as to keep a check on coronavirus spread. As the services have restarted after a gap of around 5 months, all safety norms and precautionary measures have been put in place to avoid the spread of coronavirus. With the Centre’s Unlock 4 guidelines, metro authorities in Delhi, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Noida, Ahmedabad had resumed their services from Monday in a calibrated manner. Maharashtra will not be resuming metro operation this month. The basic COVID norms which were advised to follow while travelling are like maintaining social distancing, wearing a face mask and using hand sanitiser.
Delhi and Noida Metro
Delhi Metro resumed its services on Monday and all metro services will resume in a phased manner, and the first line that opened in the system is the Yellow line, connecting Samaypur Badli and Huda City Centre in Gurugram. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is set to welcome commuters in a phased manner in three stages from September 7-12. Stations located in containment zones, as per the status on the day of journey, will remain closed.In the first stage, metro trains will operate in batches of fourhour each from 7-11 am in the morning and 4-8 pm in the evening. The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC) has also resumed its services on the Aqua Line from Monday with strict COVID-19 guidelines in place.
Jaipur Metro
The Jaipur Metro is likely to resume its operations from the third week of
September, after a gap of nearly six months in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, an official said on Monday.
Hyderabad Metro
The Hyderabad Metro resumed its services on Monday with new mandatory Covid-19 safety guidelines, but there was a big drop in the number of passengers travelling. In the first stage, metro services resumed on Miyapur to LB Nagar corridor.
Lucknow Metro
Lucknow Metro also resumed its operations from Monday after being closed for more than five months in the wake of coronavirus.It has laid special emphasis on contactless travel, sanitisation, social distancing, hygiene and cleanliness to ensure a safe and convenient commuting experience for passengers.
Bengaluru Metro
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd resumed its services from Monday. The Purple Line will function for six hours till September 10 only during the peak hours three hours in the morning from 8 am to 11 am and three in the evening 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm while the trains will operate for two days in the Green Line, only during peak hours three hours in the morning and three in the evening. Certain safety measures were made to follow during travelling for ensuring safety of the passangers, such as –
1. It is mandatory to wear masks. Orelse commuters will have to pay a fine of Rs 500 if found without face mask and a fine of Rs 100 would be paid, for spitting in trains and on metro premises. 2. Social distancing markers have been placed on alternate seats to ensure an adequate gap among passengers inside the train. Frequently touched areas inside trains like grab rails, grab poles, grab handles, passenger seats and door surfaces from the inside are sanitised regularly. 3. Thermal scanning and sanitising the passangers is done before boarding the metro. 4. To regulate flow of passengers with social distancing norms, only one or two gates will be kept open for entry /exit of passengers at a station. 5. The carrying capacity of a train drastically reduced to around 20% of the pre-lockdown period due to social distancing norms. Therefore, in this changed scenario, public is advised to:Avoid unnecessary travel as far as possible and use of arogya setu aap. 6. No services would be provided, to such stations which falls under containment zones on any given day in any of the states. 7. Public is advised to travel with minimum luggage and avoid carrying metallic items for a faster frisking at entry points.
TAC News Kolkata: “Dance is my pran, atman and soul. I loved both part of my life being a dancer and a bureaucrat. I entered the world of dancing when I was barely three-year-old and before my formal education. There is a framed lehenga of mine at home which shows how small I was when I was initiated into dancing,” said kathak guru Padma Shri, Shovana Narayan, while connecting with a crosssection of audience across India through a session of Ek Mulakat presented by Shree Cement and organized by Prabha Khaitan Foundation. Shovana was responding to a question from kathak exponent and conversationalist Shinjini Kulkarni of Ehsaas Women - “How did you manage to become a dancer and a bureaucrat?” Shovana, a woman of stupendous achievements, is a kathak guru, choreographer, former bureaucrat, author and a researcher. Belonging to the guru-shishya parampara (tradition), Shovana believes in expanding the boundaries of kathak through cross-cultural experimentation and innovation in dance styles while rooted to kathak’s ancient Indian tradition. Shovana Narayan has popularised kathak in international fora by weaving dance and philosophy in her craft. She has successfully choreographed many international collaborative works with kathak and Western classical dance, Flamenco, tap dance, Buddhist chants and so on. In 2003, she choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies of Abilympics. Shovana has won over 37 national and interna-
tional awards including Padma Shri, Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Japan’s OISCA Award, Bihar Gaurav Award and so on. Shovana started learning kathak as a child in Calcutta under the tutelage of Sadhana Bose, then she moved on to Bombay and continued under guru Kundanlal ji Sisodia of the Jaipur Gharana and later she moved to Delhi under Pandit Birju Maharaj. “I will never forget my indebtedness to Guru ji Birju Maharaj who announced my performance prior to his own performance at the Sapru House in Delhi. That was the kind of launching pad I got for my first stage performance,” she said. eflecting on her research on kathak, its antiquity, and “kathak villages”, Shovana recounted that about 17 years ago she was in Bodh Gaya for a performance and came to know about villages known as “kathak villages” for the first time from a journalist. “I found two or three such villages and later, along with an IAS colleague of mine, we started on our journey to discover these “kathak villages” and went from village to village, met people and gathered records and official documents and started delving deeper,” she said.
09 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
Is the Pandemic Causing Children’s Anxiety to Go Up or Down?
Nishica Choudhary
Anxiety happens when you think you have to figure out everything all at once. Breathe. Be strong. You’ve got this! Take it day by day – Karen Salmansohn The fear of losing loved ones to the coronavirus infection is most apparent among children who dabble with immense anxiety and emotional stress brought by the ongoing pandemic and lockdown. Doctors say that the toll on the mental health of the young ones is way more than the physical symptoms of COVID-19. It is a well-established fact that anxiety levels among schoolchildren have risen to record levels in recent years. Indeed, by some estimates, as many as a third of schoolchildren suffer from anxiety sufficient for a clinical diagnosis of anxiety disorder. During lockdown, social distancing will have meant some friendships will have deteriorated because children have been unable to see each other. Dr van Zwanenberg explained that allowing children to meet up with old friends can be very helpful. She said parents “should encourage their child back out into the outside world again as much possible within the rules; children meeting their friends at a park or in a garden, and encouraging them to run around, at a distance from their parent, is a good idea so they get used to not always having parents in close proximity”.
Traumatic Stress Symptoms:
Intrusive fearful thoughts Anger, frustration, moodiness or continual irritation g Sleeplessness or disturbing dreams g Fear, anxiety or panic g Poor concentration or difficultly remembering the most basic of tasks g Indecision or second guessing every decision g Inability to embrace complex concepts g Detachment or emotional numbness g Hyper-vigilance of danger, for instance when someone sneezes g Hopelessness, dread or selfdestructive thoughts g Sadness or continual waves of grief (lost graduations and prom) g Inability to listen to instruction, or emotional distancing g Chronic exhaustion or energy loss g g
lifestyle
5 steps to help your kids manage lockdown stress
1. Maintain Routines - To the extent possible, maintain a regular schedule to reassure children and promote physical and mental health. 2. Keep them connected - Develop plans for them to connect with friends or extended family in safe way, whether it’s by phone, text or video chat. 3. Watch your words - be aware of any comments that other adults are making around your children, explaining what those comments mean if they are different from the values you teach. 4. Manage media consumption - Limit the amount of screen time focused on COVID-19. Too much information can lead to unnecessary anxiety. 5. Give them tasks to do - Keeping children’s minds focused on specific tasks eliminates a lot of their stress. You can structure playtime, assign chores or ask them to create something, anything. Their minds can become hyper-focused to stimuli around them – good or bad.
The Benefits of Puzzles in Early Childhood Development
Puzzles are also an important educational learning tool for toddlers and young children as they provide many skills and cognitive learning benefits and opportunities. People have long known that puzzles present many benefits for children as they develop. Children usually start out with simple knobbed puzzles that are outlines of simple shapes that fit into corresponding board cutouts. From there they go to more complex silhouettes of real world objects that take more consideration.
The three basics of what puzzles do for children When a child is alone with a puzzle parents can expect three basic skills to be built: g Physical skills -- from holding puzzle
pieces and turning them until they fit g Cognitive skills -- as they solve the problems of a puzzle g Emotional skills -- they learn patience and are rewarded when they complete the puzzle These three basic skills are the building blocks for a well-rounded person. As Nancy Maldonado states in an article External link, puzzles allow “an opportunity for young children to focus on an activity that has an ending,” completing the pleasing image.
Advantages of Puzzles for Your Child Development
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g g g g g g g g
Concentration. Spatial Awareness. Shape Recognition. Topic-Specific Knowledge. Fine Motor Ability. Hand-Eye Coordination. Problem Solving Skills. Language.
One of the many benefits of puzzles is that they build social development skills. Puzzles provide a great opportunity for children to work together to accom-
plish a greater goal, which enhances and promotes cooperative play. Research also shows that a child’s brain development is influenced greatly when they act or manipulate the environment around them Coronavirus can connect your family in new ways during the lockdown. Family dinner conversations can go deeper into conversations that will build mental wellness and resiliency. To quote Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” It is the same for your family. This can be the best or worst of times, – that choice is up to you.
Healthy Lifestyle: A new way of life
09 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
Health
5
years should get a minimum of seven hours of sleep every night.
Diet and Nutrition
It is said that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body. So, diet and nutrition also play an important role in ensuring a healthy body. Practicing self-discipline by refraining from emotional eating due to stress is one of the ways of having a healthy and happy body. The Centre for Disease Prevention recommends whole foods like dark, leafy greens, oranges and tomatoes and fresh herbs because they contain essential nutrients like vitamins, fibre and minerals. Instead of processed snacks or fast food, try including whole grains and green vegetables in your diet.
Stay connected
Dr Shruthi Gowda
The COVID-19 Pandemic has prompted us to adopt newer ways of living by making changes in our sedentary lifestyle; thereby shifting towards healthier alternatives.
Rhythima Agrawal
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lifestyle practices in a way, no one anticipated. Yes, it is true that a healthy lifestyle will be a new way of life because the pandemic has made people more conscious of their food habits. People have become mindful of what they are consuming, how they are consuming and if it is healthy or not. The ongoing pandemic has confined us to our comfort zones; affecting our mental and physical health. There exists a direct relationship between diet, physical activity, and health. Nutrition becomes a key element when it comes to physical, mental, and social well-being. A sedentary lifestyle is usually associated with an increased risk for chronic disease, loss of movement, and decreased i m mune health. F o r those reasons, physical activity is essential during the coronavirus pandemic. Gyms and various places of fitness have been closed. So, how to stay fit and healthy, amidst following the nec-
essary protocols of COVID-19? Here are some tips which you can follow to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. Physical activity: The gyms may not be open. However, there are other safe alternatives available for physical activity which can be adopted while practicing social distancing. Aerobics can be done successfully at home. Going for a brisk walk or a jog within the four corners of your house is safe. Push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, burpees are some exercises which can be performed easily at home.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that inadequate sleep anxiety, depression, mood swings and increases the risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart diseases. The Centre for Diseases Prevention, a branch of the U.S. Public Health Service, recommends that adults aged between 18-60
The pandemic has taught us the true meaning of a family. Talking with loved ones while in isolation can help reduce the anxiety and loneliness. There are multiple video calling apps available in the market to help you stay in touch with your loved ones. So, utilize your time to build new relationships and also connect with those friends or family members, which you could not talk to because of your hectic work schedule.
Cope with stress and anxiety
Virtual offices have become an in-thing in the pandemic, which has lead to high levels of stress and sleep disor-
Take out time for your favourite hobby, like reading books, cooking your favourite food or listening to music. Research has shown that devoting time to extra-curricular activities can reduce the stress levels and related mental health issues.
Self-Care
If you have medications prescribed for any condition, be sure to take them as directed by your doctor. Chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma and many others can be kept in check with the help of prescribed medicines. If required, do reach out to your doctor. In the age of COVID-19, teleconsulting apps like Practo, DocsApp, MFine and Aayu are available through which you can consult a doctor at odd hours as well. There is no doubt that COVID19 has confined us to our homes. Still, it has given a chance to stay fit and healthy while following the necessary guidelines like maintaining social distance and using a mask and sanitizer when entering crowded places. Indeed, the grass is always greener on the other side, i.e. the pandemic has become an escape mechanism for many of us to shun our healthy lifestyle. Instead, the pandemic should be seen as an opportunity to search for
Adequate Sleep
Good sleep is essential for our overall health. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the
ders. The best way to deal with stress and anxiety issues is through a hobby.
better ways of improving our lifestyle.
Future of Schools after
09 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
2020 Outbreak opinion
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Bhoomika Mohan
Bhoomikamohan88@gmail.com
Many states are starting to make plans to reopen the schools, giving proper consideration to required perquisites, trying to come up with possible ways to inculcate a culture of distance learning, remote schooling or a balanced combination of the two. Emerging school life requires that schedules, accommodation arrangements, curriculum schedules and other items be very different from what was the case before the coronavirus epidemic forced many schools across the country (and the world) to close. Schools across the country have pledged to focus on addressing students' social and emotional needs as they return to school, at the same time prioritising to put students back on track by recognising the number of coronavirus epidemics. But parents and teachers are still concerned that the epidemic could spark a new wave of discipline. Schools are under increasing pressure to keep students and teachers safe, and some forms of misconduct can pose significant health risks. Removing the mask or deliberately coughing may spread the disease. Young kids especially below the grade of 8, are most likely to not be able to understand the seriousness of wearing masks and taking precautions. Seeing young children grabbing each other’s food at lunch, nudging and poking their bench mates while classes, hitting and showing affection through hugs and touches is not at all uncommon. But the new reality is harsh and unexplainable. Even public displays of affection in the primary school corridor can now be considered a security risk. According to a recent study conducted by Chalkbeat, it’s likely that there will be an uptick in misbehaviour. With their movement restricted, students will have fewer avenues to de-stress. Some students will be experiencing new or added trauma, which can cause students to act out. Teachers, many of whom will be concerned about their own health, may certainly be at risk. In addition, Teachers will have fewer tools to conduct classes at their disposal. Conventional interventions like tap on the
back or intimate gestures of affection are difficult now. And while some schools are still holding peace rehabilitation rallies, it is unclear how those will work in a visible or distant environment.
Need for understanding at the receiving end
One cannot determine whether a student wilfully spits, sneezes or coughs at someone else. In these stressful situations, it gets hard for the school management to find defaulters because there are personal limitations. It is new for the schools and hence, there is a lots of discretion in these decisions because there’s not clear guidance, and everyone is making things up for themselves as they go.
Transportation
In many schools, taking children to school will be one of the most difficult challenges during the after-pandemic new normal life. Parents will be asked
to consider whether they can arrange alternative routes, such as dropping their kids personally at school or arranging van pools.
School temperature testing
Another important factor for schools to consider will be that students who do not pass the test should be kept in solitary confinement while waiting for someone to pick them up, as the guidelines say. Doing so would require schools to give a re-touch on rooms assigned for the same. There will be a need to designate both safe indoor and outdoor areas to keep sick and infectious children whilst following the government guidelines of maintaining social distances. In a conversation with TOI, Dr Guleria advocated hefty fines, he said “a problem governments face is that the virus has now spread to poorer areas and it doesn’t seem to have the capacity to enforce mask wearing. With people struggling to earn a livelihood,
paying a fine is beyond the poor. So government must look at options like free distribution of masks in public places. Awareness campaigns are also sorely needed. Politicians posing in public without masks are not just big culprits in violating mask rules, they are a lost opportunity to drill the message into the public mindset.” Speaking to a new york newspaper, Dr. Dahl admitted, "It's going to be a big challenge," given the natural desire of children and youth to work together, to compete, to tease, to flirt and to push boundaries. But young people have a strong sense of right and wrong, he said, and they have a passion for helping others, which can encourage them to accept rules that keep their friends and teachers healthy. Sadly, failure to wear a mask will soon be considered a 'violation of the dress code' in schools, with growing consequences for repeated cases. But at the same time new truths must be embraced and nurtured for the great benefit of the nation.
Temples offering Marijuana as Prasad news
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Evlyn Ann
Mouneshwara temple at Tinthini in Yadgir district in Northern Karnataka offers small packets of marijuana as prasad to its devotees during its annual fair in January. The state’s Home Ministry had ordered strict restrictions on the illegal supply of drugs, following the Sandalwood drug racket case. The news about the recreational use of Marijuana has turned over so many heads as social media is drowning with the recent advancement in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Marijuana or Ganja is considered sacred and devotees prefer consuming it in the belief of achieving enlightenment. The temple is a famous pilgrim
center for many and a large number of devotees gather during the fair to worship Mouneshwara or Manappa after which they smoke together. Gangadhar Nayak, a member of the temple committee, said that the usage is traditional as the Manappa himself introduced it and is widely consumed
Devastated Gujarat Travel Firms Alter Business Itinerary
Basim Sheikh
Economic upheaval all across the world is taking place against a backdrop of Covid-19 consequences. India is facing the similar economic issues in most of the sectors. Nearly 40% of tour operators and travel agents in Gujarat are diversifying their business on account of liquidity crisis. As revenue sources have drained for tour operators, a large proportion of them is short on working capital as their funds are stagnant. One of the early decision makers regarding the diversification of business, Sanjay Shah, is the founder of a city-based travel company. Shah contended, “Tourism sector will take time to revive and we are not sure how things will pan out. To keep business running, it is
important to diversify and ensure revenue sources don’t dry up. We have begun offering IT solutions for several industrial applications.” Concurrence of both economic crisis and health crisis has drifted several sectors into oblivion, and at present, it seems complicated to arise out of such befuddled situation. Nevertheless, an explosive growth in start-ups may prove to be important adjunct to restore the economy to a healthy condition. The economy can bloom as speedily as it had contracted, but drastic measures with respect to improving economic condition need to be taken by the government. As the world has just experienced a glimpse of normalcy after four consecutive lockdowns, there is a prospect of eventual recovery for the tourism sector.
in the region now. It is believed as an agent that assists meditation, enhances happiness and shows the path to ultimate spirituality. Other than being smoked, devotees consume marijuana either by eating it after boiling or like tobacco powder. However, he denied the sale of ganja to outsiders for recreational purposes, reported
the Times of India. Many devotees pay no heed to the addictive side of the psychoactive drug as they think that the medicinal values outweigh the harm and they even consider smoking in temples as non-addictive. In India, the consumption, production, and distribution of the drug are governed by the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Even though it is not legal here, unlike Canada or South Africa, cultivation for industrial purposes such as making industrial hemp or for horticultural use is permitted. The country saw an attempt to le g a l i z e m a r i j u a n a in 2015 but was put on hold due to the fear of an increase in deaths due to addiction.
09 September, 2020 Faridabad/Delhi NCR THEASIANCHRONICLE.COM
WB comes to a grinding standstill on first complete lockdown of Sep.
Maithillee Zaveri
The West Bengal government has pronounced complete lockdown across the state on 7, 11 & 12. Kolkata law enforcement officers conducted checkpoints in various districts of the capital city, while mobile units visited various vicinities to affirm that individuals remained indoors on the first day of lockdown this month. Citizens of Kolkata by & large complied with the state – wide lockdown obtruded in West Bengal on Monday, even as occurances of infringment of the limitations were deliniated in a few districts. West Bengal government has pronounced complete lockdown across the state on
September 7, 11 & 12. Kolkata law enforcement officers conducted checkpoints in various districts of the capital city, while mobile units visited various vicinities to affirm that individuals remained indoors on the first day of the lockdown this month. Additionally, 775 individuals were apprehended in Kolkata for ridiculing lockdown conventions, while 2,175 were arrested in other districts, law enforcement officers claimed. West Bengal law enforcement officers took litigation against offenders in various places, including Purulia, South 24 Parganas, Malda & seized vehicles found plying without any substantial reasons, they claimed.
a high-touch industry,” said Sunil Kataria, the chief executive of Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) which has a 30% stake in salon chain BBlunt. GCPL has advised its partner salons to use onetime-use personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times and disinfect high-touchpoint zones every three hours. The industry estimates the number of salons in India at 65 lakhs, of which only 30% are registered. Like liquor retailers, salons may see serpentine queues once they reopen. Nonetheless, most organised players expressed no ambition to pursue athome service model offered by the likes of Urban Clap. The new safety protocol will, however, increase their operating cost, resulting in a price
hike and straining the customer wallet amid salary cuts and layoffs. “Our consumable cost will increase the overall material cost by 30%, thereby increasing the tariff by 810%,” Enrich founder Vikram Bhatt said. The salon chain posted Rs 50 lakh in revenue in April through tele-consultations and home delivery of hair and skin care products, compared with Rs 20 crore a year earlier According to B&WSSC, the beauty industry was growing at 18.6% in preCovid times, higher than the international CAGR of 15%. The industry had recently made a representation to the Ministry of Home Affairs to permit reopening of salons stating that the jobs of nearly a crore professionals, twothirds of which are women, were at stake. While the beauty industry may be in a relatively stronger position than other consumer categories, 2020 will be one of the worst years it has ever endured. The COVID-19 crisis is likely to accelerate trends that were already shaping the market, such as the rise of the global middle class and the use of ecommerce, rather than mark entirely new ground. Even before the pandemic, the definition of “beauty” was becoming more global, expansive, and intertwined with individuals’ sense of well-being. The COVID-19 crisis is not likely to change these trends-and in that, there is reason for hope.
Makeup industry to undergo seismic shift in the new normal
Nishica Choudhary
There's probably no industry that hasn't faced the wrath of COVID-19. Businesses have been forced to shut due to lack of earnings, owing to the lockdown. Mannerisms and tactics are undergoing shaking changes. One among the many industries is that of makeup. In most major beauty-industry markets, in-store shopping accounted for up to 85 percent of beauty-product purchases prior to the COVID-19 crisis, with some variation by subcategory. Richa Sharma, owner of Rdiva by Richa Sharma, Salon, Makeup Studio & Academy has two makeover studios and salons. Additionally, she takes, on-location makeup appointments for weddings and shoots. She told us "Whole industry is suffering and we are no different. Flow of customers to Salons is down at least by 60%-70%. Additionally, as all the wedding and social gatherings are off, so makeup bookings are minimal." Change at the workplace and work methods have to be brought. The prime focus is customer and staff safety. She has given exhaustive training on hygiene for Covid to all the staff members including adoption of CPC kits, Thermal scanning for customers, sanitization of all booths and stations before and after every service. Additionally, they are taking ut-
most care to sanitize all our makeup products and brushes before and after every service. Her staff is trained and certified by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) Government of India and Barbicide. Leading salons such as Lakme, BBlunt, Enrich and Bodycraft are planning a seismic shift in day-to-day operations to inculcate safety measures, as they seek to woo back the fear-enveloped customer amid the coronavirus outbreak. The fivebillion-dollar salon industry, which has been under lockdown for eight weeks, anticipates sales to recover only by fourth quarter. “Post Covid-19, salons will be expected to maintain a high level of hygiene as it is
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FSSAI to soon come up with regulations to fortify processed foods: Director, FSSAI
TAC News: Inoshi Sharma, Director, FSSAI had said that an overview of the food safety is need of the hour and FSSAI is soon coming up with regulations, whereby cereals, bakery products, etc can also be fortified. Speaking at a webinar on Tackling the Impact of COVID-19 on Micronutrient Deficiencies through Food Fortification, organized by FICCI in collaboration with World Food Programme (WFP) and DSM India, Ms Sharma said, "'As of now, five staples-salt, oil, milk, flour and rice are being fortified. The FSSAI in the process of passing a regulation for processed foods and the industry would be happy to know that very soon we would be coming up with regulations, whereby cereals, bakery products, buns, breads, biscuits, pasta, noodles, etc., commodities consumed by the people for which wheat or rice is used as a
base for creating, can also be fortified. The need for research is very important and we need to figure out how we can adopt the process of fortification effectively." It is time for the industry to come forward and promote fortification with +F brand products and spread consumer awareness. "The only condition we have put for processed food is that they should not be HFSS- high in fat, salt and sugar. If they do not fall in this category, all other processed food can be fortified," Ms Sharma added. Ms Sharma said that while on one hand it is important that the government push forward the programme through PDS and other measures, it is also important that the industry adopts these fortification programmes and adds fortificants so that awareness for health benefits of fortified products is created among people.
"The regulations are very simple," she said. "The amount of fortification, which is added, is restricted to 30-50 per cent of the RDA. So, if there is a concern that by consuming a lot of fortified products, it might lead to toxicity levels, we want to assure that all that has been taken care of. These regulations are passed only after a scientific pattern has gone through them," added Ms Sharma. While emphasizing the need for fortification from a policy perspec-
tive, Ms Sharma said that a proposal for mandatory fortification of oil and milk, encouraging processed food manufactures to undertake fortification, training of staff on food fortification, retail expansion for availability of fortified staples and checking and sampling of premix quality were some of the crucial key pointers and way forward. "We are making sure that slowly the process of fortification becomes mandatory," she further added. Speaking at the event, Ms Maaike Bruins, Lead Scientist F&B/NI NSA Global, DSM said that the COVID pandemic has been undermining nutrition across the world, especially in the low-income and middle-income countries and has aggravated malnutrition across these countries. "This is an opportunity for fortified staple foods such as rice or wheat flour to be included
Youngsters of white-collar workers of India in firing line of the front row
Lakshmi Prabha Swaminathan
Due to the COVID-19 hardship, the Indian job market has been discerned with enormous job failures and looming unemployment for the present few months. Entirely over the tale, one segment prevails specifically and its hazard appears to persist a tremendous disproportionate which is called as white-collar jobs and is immediately in the firing line of the front-row. According to a combined report declared by the Asian Development Bank and the International Labour Organisation, while the possibility of employment has been received a hardly challenging in the Asian continent, around 41 lakh of youngsters forfeited their jobs. Three-quarters of internships and the two-thirds of firm-level training have been halted entirely in the epidemic situation of lockdown. The ILO-ADB report asserts that 15-24 years old youth will strike harder than the grown-ups in the pandemic and was about to face a risk of broadened of social costs and long-term economic growth. In the month of July, almost 50 lakh jobs with salary were abandoned in accordance with the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy(CMIE), this brought the total loss of jobs around 1.89 crores, in spite a rescue of borderline in the employ-
ment rate which was driven by the sector of informal. CMIE instructs, "While the jobs with salary are not forfeited easily, although if they mislay, those jobs are very tough to regain back and so, therefore, their numbers of ballooning are a hazard source". Additional ILO report confesses that India has persisted a country of lower-middleincome stretches more distress for its own educated youngsters and also the job market. The report also affirms that the rate of unemployment for the youngest generation is being huge for the low-income and lowmiddle income countries with the level of progressive education. ILO also added that the workers who are being struggled to find adequate jobs with a level of pro-
gressive education in low-income countries. An unemployed carries a huger share of an advanced education than the employed and the progressively educated people are over-represented in the 82 per cent of unemployed in low-income countries, moreover, jobs with skills may be inadequate in low-income countries which generates a mismatch between the jobseeker's skills, expanded ILO. "About 23 per cent of Indian companies schedule to bestow increments in between the year 2021-2022 in accordance with the Deloitte India's 2020 workforce and the survey of Increment trends. Due to organisations shortly taken the accomplishment of the future into the account while the decision of increment is incredible", says
Anandorup Ghose, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu of India's partner. Given the priority to the pandemic, many companies are mostly to assume the budgets of increment at the performance of the past year. Large-scale targeted criteria are to induce jobs for the youngsters and to preserve the future gained vacancies for the country, summons the ILO-ADB report. The ADB NGO's head and leading ADB's youth for the enterprise of Asia and also the centre of civil society confessed that the prioritizing youth employment in the rescue of COVID-19 procedure will enhance the future of the Pacific and Asia's possibilities for the endurable and extensive growth and the evolution of demographic as well as the social stability.
in the food-based safety net as part of COVID-19 response. Integrating fortified foods as part of safety nets in COVID-19 response can support resilience among most vulnerable of population," she added. Ms Purnima Menon, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute, said, "In India, the context for fortification is both what happens in the foods that go in the private markets also, very substantially, what happens to foods & products that go in the public programs. There is a need to invest in understanding the implementation research and factors affecting its impact and outcome." Mr Rajesh Kumar Sahetiya, Senior Business Director, South Asia, DSM Nutritional Products, said, "We need to provide access to safe, healthy and affordable nutritional solutions, which can optimize nutritional levels of all communities."
Looking beyond Q1, economy reshaping fast: ASSOCHAM
New Delhi: Looking beyond the first quarter (202021) GDP numbers, the rate of decline in output of key core segments of the economy has been arrested significantly in subsequent periods, if not completely stopped, an ASSOCHAM analysis has shown. Cement, steel, coal and crude oil which suffered heavy drop in the threemonth period of April-June in the midst of severe lockdown, witnessed major recovery in July 2020, even though the annualised numbers reflect contraction. After a contraction of 15 per cent in the Q1 of 2020-21 over the same quarter in the previous fiscal, coal production dropped at a much lesser pace of 5.7 per cent in July, analysis of the official data shows. Likewise, cement output in July dropped yearon-year by 13.5 per cent after witnessing a sharp contraction of 38.3 per cent in the Q1. "Even as we are waging an unprecedented war against Covid-19; to safeguard human lives and making best possible efforts to minimise the economic impact, key sectors of the economy are responding well to the new normal. Whether it is a factory shop floor workman or an office-goer, or a CEO, they are finding ways to cope up with the new reality. Steady restoration of confidence should help, going forward," ASSOCHAM secretary general, Mr Deepak Sood said. Fall in steel output
too has been arrested to 16.4 per cent in July, after the drop of 56.8 per cent for the AprilJune period. The ASSOCHAM analysis, however, takes production and consumption at the same level for absence of data about the possible inventory. Within the broader index of industrial production, manufacturing has the largest of the weight. Having fallen off the cliff by 40.7 per cent during the April-June quarter, it is likely to witness a rebound when July IIP data is released, turnaround to positive growth trajectory could be some time away. Data dissection showed that for June itself, the fall was 17.1 per cent, against 40.7 per cent fall in the Q1 period. "Things are surely challenging, but certainly not alarming and we will reshape quite well. This is not to under-estimate the unknowns about the pandemic. We hope a break-through in vaccine is achieved sooner than later," said Mr Sood, adding he has full confidence in the scientific capabilities of Indian scientists, doctors and the pharmaceutical industry. Other vital sectors of the economy like electricity and construction too are expected to restore much of their lost traction. The agriculture and allied sector which remains the bright spot, even in the challenging times, is likely to retain the positive trajectory, leaving crucial advantages to sectors like tractors, chemicals, fertiliser, two-wheelers and nondiscretionary consumption.
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