Tuesday, 28 November 2023

Pushkar Dhami, Minister VK Singh Greet First Rescued Workers With Garlands

The first workers were pulled out from the collapsed portion of the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi after 17 days. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Union Minister of state for road and highway, General VK Singh were present at the site of the rescue operation and greeted the first workers.

The first workers were garlanded by the Chief Minister and were greeted with sweets and hugged them in a sigh of relief. The first workers were pulled out around 8 pm and all the workers have been successfully taken out from the tunnel.

The Chief Minister and General VK Singh are present at the site and are greeting workers coming out of the tunnel one by one. Rescue officials said it will take around five to seven minutes to extract each worker.

A mining practice banned for being unsafe came to the aid of the 41 workers trapped inside an Uttarakhand tunnel after high-tech, imported machines broke down during the long-drawn operation.

Rat-hole mining to rescue the trapped workers began yesterday after a 25-tonne auger machine failed in the last leg of the challenging operation. This method of manual drilling has made quick progress and the diggers managed to reach the workers who have been confined for 17 days. They are being evacuated from the tunnel one-by-one.

The extraction process is taking time to allow each worker to re-acclimatise to surface conditions, where the temperature is around 14 degrees Celsius at this time.

The first three workers to be rescued were brought out on specially modified stretchers; these were lowered manually down a two-metre-wide pipe inserted into holes drilled into the hillside.

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force, or NDRF, had gone down the pipe first to assess the condition of the trapped men and guide them through rescue protocols. Each worker was strapped to the stretcher that was then manually pulled up through 60 metres of rock and debris.



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From Free Work Pitch To Co-Authoring: The Story Of Raghuram Rajan's Mentee

In 2012, Rohit Lamba was pursuing PhD in Economics at Princeton University in the US, when he wrote a letter to his "mentor" and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Raghuram Rajan to work for him for free and contribute to the country. Mr Rajan was then working as India's Chief Economic Advisor at that time. 

Mr Rajan recollected the incident and wrote on LinkedIn, "I met Dr Rohit Lamba over a decade ago, when I was India's Chief Economic Advisor, and he wrote to me as a Ph.D. student from Princeton, wanting to work for free in the Finance Ministry just to make a contribution to the nation. Since then, we stayed in touch and really started working together during the pandemic."

He added that they together wrote op-eds for newspapers and now, they have co-authored a book 'Breaking The Mould'. 

"Rohit is a great theoretical economist, who also has a strong practical sense. He is passionate about India and its development, as hopefully comes out in the pages of the book. He speaks here about the Indian success stories that we write about," he added while sharing a video of Mr Lamba.

Sharing the post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Lamba said, "Not everyday you get a shoutout from one of your favorite economists, who is also a mentor and co-author. So I'll take it :)"

Mr Rajan spoke about his upcoming book and added, "India is at a critical juncture. the decisions we make now will determine its economic future, either for the good or the bad. Our book outlines India's options -- it can either blindly follow outdated paths that other countries took, or it can chart a uniquely Indian way."

Meanwhile, the former Reserve Bank of India Governor said that India's economy is showing signs of steady growth but needs to expand at a pace of over 8% to create enough jobs for the world's most populous nation. "We should be going at 8%-8.5% given the needs of the population and the need for jobs," Mr Rajan said via video link at an event in Beijing on Friday, as per a report in Bloomberg. Economic growth at 6%-6.5% is strong compared with other countries, "but relative to our need for jobs I think it's still somewhat slow because we have a lot of young people who need to be employed."

Mr Rajan said the nation needs to train its workforce to compete with other efficient manufacturing nations, including China and Vietnam. "India is trying to move up the value chain, and you're seeing some signs of that happening," he said, citing the output of iPhone parts. But he sees "a long distance to go, to actually manufacturing full cell phones" in India.



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Here's How Adding Gond Katira To Your Winter Diet Can Boost Your Health

Gond Katira is a natural gum resin obtained from the bark of a tree called Astragalus. It is commonly consumed in India and other Asian countries for its various health benefits.

In terms of its health benefits, Gond Katira is believed to have cooling and soothing properties, making it beneficial for the digestive system. It is often used to treat conditions like diarrhoea, constipation, and inflammation in the stomach. Additionally, it is believed to help in relieving urinary problems and respiratory disorders.

Gond Katira is often recommended to be consumed in winter due to its warming effect on the body. During the colder months, our metabolism slows down, and this resin is said to provide warmth and energy, thus keeping the body warm. It is also known to help in preventing common winter ailments like coughs and colds. In this article, we discuss the many benefits of consuming Gond Katira in winters.

10 benefits of consuming Gond Katira in winter:

1. Boosts immunity

Gond Katira contains antioxidants that help strengthen the immune system and protect against common winter illnesses such as cold and flu.

2. Provides warmth

Consuming Gond Katira during winters can increase body heat and provide a natural way to keep warm. This makes it a great addition to your winter diet.

3. Supports digestion

Gond Katira acts as a natural laxative and helps in maintaining a healthy digestive system, preventing constipation and indigestion.

4. Increases energy

Gond Katira is a rich source of carbohydrates and provides a quick burst of energy, making it an ideal winter snack to combat fatigue.

5. Regulates blood sugar

Gond Katira contains fibre which helps regulate blood sugar levels, making it a suitable food for diabetics during winters.

6. Relieves respiratory issues

Adding Gond Katira to your diet can provide relief from respiratory problems like cough, asthma, and bronchitis by soothing the respiratory tract.

7. Strengthens bones

Gond Katira is a good source of calcium, which is essential for maintaining healthy bones and teeth, especially during the winter months when bone strength can be compromised.

8. Improves skin health

Gond Katira helps moisturise the skin from within, making it an excellent remedy for dry and flaky skin during winters.

9. Controls weight

Gond Katira creates a feeling of fullness, reducing cravings and overeating, which can aid in weight management during the winter season.

10. Supports postpartum recovery

Gond Katira is traditionally used in postnatal diets as it helps in healing and strengthening the body after childbirth, making it beneficial for new mothers during winters.

However, it is important to note that scientific evidence supporting these claims is limited, and the effects of Gond Katira may vary from person to person. Additionally, individuals with specific medical conditions should consult their healthcare provider before incorporating it into their diet.

Overall, Gond Katira is considered safe for consumption in moderate amounts, but it is always advisable to seek professional advice when adding any new food or supplement to your diet.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.



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'Homework Zones' Established In China's Hospitals As Respiratory Infections Spread

In a unique move, hospitals in China have begun setting up "homework zones" for students who are sick with respiratory infections. The move has sparked a heated debate on social media, with some people arguing that it is putting too much pressure on students to keep up with their schoolwork even when they are ill. Others argue that the homework zones are a valuable resource for students who want to continue learning even when they are sick. They say that the zones can help students avoid falling behind in their studies and can also provide them with a sense of normalcy during a difficult time.

The debate is likely to continue as more and more hospitals in China adopt the practice of setting up homework zones. It is important to consider the needs of both students and their families when making decisions about these zones.

As reported by state broadcaster CCTV, desks, chairs, and infusion stands have been set up in hospitals in eastern China to allow students to study while they are sick. Parents are helping their children with their schoolwork, and the hospitals are providing a supportive environment for both learning and recovery.

“I did not intend to let my kid do homework here. But seeing that the studying atmosphere is so good in the hospital, I pushed my kid to do his homework too,” one parent was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.

“My kid had to do his homework this way because if he did not finish it, he would have to do a lot more when he returns to school after he recovers,” another father said.

“This is a societal issue. We ordinary families cannot change the unwritten rule that whatever the circumstances, you need to complete your homework,” he added.

Meanwhile, China's National Health Commission spokesperson, Mi Feng, said on Sunday that the surge in acute respiratory illnesses was linked to the simultaneous circulation of several kinds of pathogens, most prominently influenza.

The spike became a global issue last week when the World Health Organization asked China for more information, citing a report on clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children by the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases.

China and the WHO have faced questions about the transparency of reporting early in the pandemic, which emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. The WHO said on Friday that no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent illnesses.



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