• Dispatches cross-stage marketing campaign with an advertisement that features Sourav Ganguly.
•  Regardless of his brand ambassador role, Sourav has moreover positioned resources into Classplus in his own ability.

December 14, 2020, Kolkata: Based out of Noida, Classplus, India’s driving stage for educators and helping coaching centres to go online, has uncovered that past Indian cricket skipper, Sourav Ganguly as its national celebrity endorser and their brand ambassador. Regardless of his part as brand mediator, Sourav has correspondingly positioned resources into Classplus in his own ability. 

To begin the coalition, Classplus has dispatched a cross-country crusade, the primary focus of this being an advertisement which features Dada.  Named ‘Mrs. Banerjee’, this advertisement, which went live today, is an affirmation for the coaches we all knew as kids and while growing up, including their efforts which had an enormous effect on our lives and the work they played in tuning us into responsible people. In the wake of a lockdown which put their compensation and occupations at genuine danger, this notification makes us review correctly what we owe them. It even incorporates the potential gains of getting access to a distant learning model through Classplus and the stage’s ability to make another future for all the educators who need to start their web teaching. 

Follow this link to the video: https://bit.ly/3neXhlT

“We’re thrilled to introduce cricketing legend Sourav Ganguly as the official brand ambassador for Classplus. During his time as captain of India’s cricket team, Sourav proved himself to epitomise everything Classplus stands for – empathy, integrity, taking unexplored paths and building for the future. He’s carried these traits with him ever since, and we couldn’t be happier to have him on board,” said the Co-Founder, Classplus, Mukul Rustagi, when talking regarding the launch of their mission. “This ad reminds us of the role tutors and coaches have played in our lives. With Sourav’s association, we look forward to facilitating the shift towards online coaching, and empowering educators to mould many more leaders of tomorrow.”

Conceptualized by the inventive agency Option Design under the production of Opus Communication, ‘Mrs. Banerjee’ is made by acclaimed movie producer Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. An industry veteran of both Hindi and Bengali film, Aniruddha is well known as the chief of 2016 Hindi spine chiller ‘Pink’, which gained commercial as well as critical acclaim and went on to win the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.

On this esteemed affiliation, Sourav Ganguly said, “I am excited to launch this campaign alongside Classplus. During my time as a leader, one of the most important lessons I learned was the importance of backing my own team. Supporting players when they need it the most is critical to their future success. Classplus recognises that India’s tutors are vital to the nation’s academic success. As a category leader itself, it is applying these same lessons and providing educators with the support they need to transfer to a digital model. That’s what this ad showcases, and I can’t think of a better message to send out.”  

Classplus integrates all teachers and training institutes through a mobile application helping them to construct their internet identity, sending study material, taking live classes, and increasing the pupil base. What’s more, teachers can also sell the study material content leading to them acquiring an extra way of income.

During these times when offline ventures have pressed pause, teachers are in dire need of an integrated platform instead of them using various other tools to manage communication, sharing study material and to stream live classes. This is exactly where Classplus comes into the picture. They have created a digital identification for themselves to help 50,000 teachers and more, becoming the favourite and preferred application by all the educators in our nation.   

A little about Classplus:

Classplus, is a one of its kind mobile Operating System which enables training institutes to go online with their brick-and-mortar setup. Every year in India, almost 70M+ students go for offline training institutes to learn better, grasping a major of that market. Classplus aims to streamline this massive and fragmented market by helping tutors run all their communication, payments, assessments and online learning programmes on a full-stack mobile solution that doubles up as their online content repository. Classplus was launched in 2018 by Mukul Rustagi and Bhaswat Agarwal. With 50,000+ educators and 7M+ students across 200+ Indian cities using Classplus, they have become the category leaders in India.

Whether it is a matter of chronic diseases or accidents, efforts are being made to provide best treatments to the victim through the government arrangements in the few minutes through includes integrated referral transport system operated by Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd., which is currently operating Ambulance, Janani Express, Mobile Medical Unit and Call centre in MP. Company has completed four successful years and emergency services have been provided to 1,75,75,910 people of the state.

606 ambulances deployed across the state, helped 3 million people

In the event of any accident or emergency, every common to the special person recall

108 ambulance at the very first moment. This emergency service of Ziqitza Healthcare is available 24×7. To operate this free of charge service in every nook and corner of the state, 606 ambulances are deployed in which 51 are Advanced Life Support ambulances while remaining ambulances are operating with a basic life support system. With the help of both type of ambulance, 30,66,331 people have benefited till date.

748 Janani Express Ambulances serves 5 million pregnant women

Apart from helping accidental and ill person, the Janani Express is also operating in the state. This special vehicle is a boon for newborns and pregnant women. It is not only providing a facility to take pregnant women to the hospital but also offering home drop facility to them. 790 Janani Express (Ambulance) is operating to take and drop newborns, pregnant and lying women and to provide all health-related facilities to them. Through these ambulances, 50,53,070 women and children received help and treatments.

Helpline 104 is 15 seat setup that provides advice to Medical Queries

Ziqitza Limited is offering unique services by operating helpline 104. This helpline provides all types of information and solutions. In all the cities across the state, you can get help related to health department through this helpline sitting at home. If you want any information for the treatment of your disease or wants to know the address of a hospital or doctor, this helpline provides you with complete information. This is not only offering advice facility for treatment but also providing facility to make complaints. Any complaint related to any government hospital in the state can be made here and solutions are also being made through this helpline. This 15-seater call centre is providing continuous services to the people of the state from 8.00 AM to 8.00 PM. This centre has provided help to 3,25,816 people till date.

150 Mobile Medical Unit going to remote areas where there are no medical facilities

There are so many areas in the state which are not having sufficient hospital and staff facilities. Due to the excess numbers of the patients, the existing facilities are becoming incomplete. To overcome this shortcoming, Mobile Medical Units are being operated by the Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd. This is a mobile hospital in which doctors, ANM workers, pilots and Lab Assistants go to the remote areas and providing treatments. Camps are organized at such places and after making the diagnosis, checkups reports and free medicines are also provided to the needy people of these areas. If necessary, patients are referring to big government hospitals so as to provide further treatments to them. There are 150 mobile medical units are operating in the entire state and till date, 91,29,693 patients are treated through these units.

“In the case of accidents, the state stood at second place in the country. Thousands of calls are received daily and an ambulance is requiring at hundreds of places, but we are ready at every moment to offer help at every city and every village. We are pleased that we have completed four years of services for you. Call centre of the Ziqitza is the only integrated call centre of the country, where all facilities are available. We are also committed to continuing these services with best of our abilities.” – Jitendra Sharma, Project Head, Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd.

About Ziqitza Healthcare Limited

Ziqitza limited had been set up with a vision to assist in saving human lives by providing a leading network of fully equipped Advanced and Basic Life Support Ambulances across the developing world. Ziqitza Rajasthan also has played a key role in serving people in medical emergencies and pregnant women transfer through a network of well-equipped ambulances. Ziqitza limited has currently more than 10,000 people working tirelessly, day and night, to serve people in India. Ziqitza Healthcare Ltd is currently operating more than 3300 ambulances across 16 states and has served more than 30 million people till date.

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India Governor Shashikant Das on Sunday confirmed that the Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) will be operational from Monday, December 14, 12:30 am. With this move, India becomes one of the few countries in the world to operate its payment system 24*7*365.

“RTGS facility becomes operational 24X7 from 12.30 am tonight. Congratulations to the teams from RBI, IFTAS and the service partners who made this possible,” Das said in a tweet on Sunday.

RTGS, which is meant for high-value instant fund transfers, was currently available between 7.00 am to 6.00 pm on all working days of the week except the second and fourth Saturdays.

RTGS began its operations on March 26, 2004, with a soft launch involving only four banks and it presently handles about 6.35 lakh transactions per day amounting to the tune of Rs 4.17 lakh crore across more than 230 participant banks. This is a safe and secure system for funds transfer, with no upper amount ceiling though the minimum amount to be transmitted through RTGS is Rs 2,00,000. Since the fund settlement takes place in the books of RBI, the payments are final and irrevocable once made. The funds are transferred immediately after the transaction is processed. However, on the other hand, payments made through NEFT usually take a couple of hours and have an upper cap of Rs 2,00,000. 

In December 2019, RBI had made the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) service available 24X7. “Making available NEFT 24×7 is part of RBI’s vision of empowering every Indian with access to a bouquet of e-payment options,” the official handle to India’s central bank had tweeted. In October 2020, RBI had announced that RTGS will be available 24*7 from December 2020 onwards.

RBI earlier decided not to levy charges on transactions through NEFT and RTGS to promote digital transactions in the country. Making RTGS 24*7 will make the payment ecosystem in India more efficient. 

To block unnecessary ambient noise, in-ear monitors (IEMs) offer a discrete listening experience as opposed to traditional earbuds. Since they slide deeper into the ear canals, wearing them for an extended period could lead to significant discomfort. Fortunately, IEM manufacturers in recent years have developed ear tips using different materials. They are available in single, double and triple flange shapes, and sized as small, medium and large. However, a proper ear tip material can largely determine a pair’s comfort while creating a barrier from the external surroundings.

Types of materials used for ear tips

1.    Rubber

To drown the exterior noise, rubber ear tips have hard surfaces. They are uncomfortable and manufacturers hardly used them anymore. Not only can they cause allergic reactions through contact, but are also quite difficult to maintain.

2.    Silicone

Silicone ear tips are widely used today, as they are soft, easy to maintain, long-lasting and cause no skin irritation. However, they do not completely prevent noise from seeping in. They are best for jogging or walking when the user still needs to be aware of the surroundings.

One of the recent in-ear monitors by PLAY – PLAYGO T20 true wireless earbuds feature high-quality silicone ear tips. They also come with Active Environmental Noise Reduction, allowing the user to enjoy a seamless listening experience. These IEMs’ ear tips also feature single flange silicone tips. While some prefer double or triple flange silicone ear tips for better isolation, the single flange tips of PLAY’s IEMs are softer and highly comfortable for any situation.

3.    Foam

In a foam ear tip, a thin rubber/plastic tube lets audio pass through and is covered by a foam material. This material slips gently, sealing the ears according to the shape of the user’s ear canals. They are one of the most commonly used ear tips, Comply™ Foam Ear Tips being the most popular manufacturer in the world.

On the other side of the spectrum, foam ear tips are infamous for reducing the trebles and increasing the bass in audio. Popularly known as the ‘funnelling effect’, it causes the sound to muffle. However, this can be avoided by pushing the ear tips towards the back and rolling only the front end before inserting them into the ear canals.

Another drawback about this material is that it is not considered to be long lasting, as earwax and dirt accumulate over time. Cleaning foam ear tips damages the surface. Hence, replacing it will be the only option.

4.     Plastic half in-ear buds

This type of earbud is a great alternative for those who don’t prefer tight in-ear monitors when on the move. Usually made of plastic, these have the benefit of letting the user be aware of the surroundings. However, not all half in-ear headphones deliver a high-quality output and nor do they fit every user’s ears.

PLAY’s latest true wireless earbuds – PLAYGO T44 feature the half in-ear design with a universal snug fit and are assembled with high-quality plastic material for added comfort.  These unique earbuds offer significant noise reduction and echo cancellation complementing the on-the-go lifestyle.

The appropriate way to wear silicone ear tips 

To enjoy a snug fit, the in-ear monitors with silicone ear tips should be slightly moistened before putting them inside the ear canals. When the IEMs seal the canals, ear wax builds up. Ideally, they should be taken out for 10 to 15 minutes after 2 to 3 hours of use. It is also important to remove the ear tips gently to avoid suction.

When using IEMs, it is essential to keep the volume in check. It should not exceed 85 dB. A high volume (above 125 dB) could lead to ear pain and permanent hearing loss.

The best ear tips

As far as comfort, sound isolation, durability and ease of maintenance are concerned, silicone ear tips effortlessly cover all in a single package and are certainly viable for day-to-day use.  

“If music be the food of love, play on,” goes a famous Shakespearean quote. There is nothing better than playing this music on a listening device that also pushes up your style quotient several notches.

We have scoured all over to bring for you the 5 most stylish headphones that will add oodles of style to your persona. Whether you use your headphones on your run or while on your office calls, with these headphones you need to get used to the admiring glances that are sure to come your way.

Top Wireless Headphone Priced Under Rs. 15,000

1. Jabra Move

Priced at 7,299 INR, the Jabra Move style edition is not just engineered for music on the move but also to raise that style bar. Its sleek form and the choice of colours – Titanium Black, Gold Beige and Navy are any fashion enthusiast’s delight.  Sport these headphones and you are sure to turn heads. Of course, its unrivalled wireless sound and long-lasting battery make it an absolutely smart buy.

2. JBL Endurance DIVE

If you are a water baby, these sport headphones are a must-have accessory. Its sleek power hook design and a secure wireless neckband, keep it firmly in place.  Its sporty colours and the entire look and feel is meant to add to your style quotient. Hit the pool, the track or the gym and you are sure to have a wide following. These neckband earphones retail for Rs. 7,399/-

3. PLAYGO BH70

There couldn’t be a better mix of form and function than in PLAYGO BH70. In fact, this is the only noise cancelling headphone in the list that can stand up to the more expensive counterparts and yet not burn your pockets. While the headphone is known for its superior audio quality on account of the EBEL (Enhanced Bass, Extra Loud) drivers and its 30-hour Playtime, it is also a hot favourite for its sleek design. If your fashion style is no-fuss, this is your go-to headphone. Smart, quiet and brilliant – that is how this headphone is described by its makers! Apart from the style quotient, these headphones are Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation enables, for an out of the world audio experience. Available now at a discounted price of Rs. 14,400/-, these Noise Cancelling Headphones not only look good but sound better!

Top Wireless Headphone Above Rs. 15,000

4. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

These headphones are the most expensive the list, priced at Rs. 35,000/-, it’s made for those that don’t shy away from adulation, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is the go-to accessory.  There can be no easier way to flaunt your style quotient than with these headphones, housed in a sleek design and subtle colours. Its ergonomic design and thumping bass are the perfect coming together of style and function.  They scream uber chic!

5. Beats Solo 3

“Designed for sound, tuned for emotion” describes this headphone the best.  With these headphones, you aren’t just embracing bold sound and bold colours but also a whole new bold you. Go ahead and make a style statement with their club yellow Beats Solo 3 headphones. The comfort cushion ear cups, of course, buffer the outside noise, so you may miss the many compliments you may be getting for your sartorial choices. This stylish headphone retail for Rs. 23,800/-, but you can find them a few good deals should you wish to own a pair. All you now need is a preppy playlist and you are all sorted.  From sound quality to your sartorial choices, you have got a lot going for you. If you are planning a trip,  there is absolutely no fear of getting bored or sitting through some excruciating layovers. With that headphone in your ear (and your mask on), you would be having a personal party. That many will be in awe of you, is an added perk! The only other thing that you need once you choose any of these headphones, is the ability to ac

The biggest 3-day beauty event of the year, Mrs. India International Queen 2020, concluded in New Delhi on 4th December with Punjab’s Upaasana Kalia and Haryana’s Manju Upadhyay showing titular performances in two separate categories. While Kalia was adjudged the winner in the Mrs. Category, Upadhyay was the winner in the Classic Mrs. Category. Both the winners took home Rs. 1 lac prize money each. The First and Second Runners up in the Mrs. Category were Mrs. Pooja Gangyan (Uttar Pradesh) and Mrs. Rajni Jha (Delhi), respectively, bagging Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 25,000 prize money each. On the other hand, Goa’s Mrs. Sevana Jacques and Delhi’s Mrs. Amrit Kaur were the 1st and 2nd Runner Ups respectively in the Classic Mrs. Category, winning the respective prize money of Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 25,000 each.

The brain behind this unique event, which provides a readymade platform to married women from across the world, is Mrs. Ankita Saroha, the Founder-Director. Her motto for this event remains “Be Confident, Be Strong, Be YOU.” Mrs. Ankita, while talking about MIIQ 2020, said, “This is a platform to promote all married women, so that even after marriage, the women are able to showcase their skills and talents and live their dreams. Not only from India, a lot of women from outside India also participated in our event.” The colossal participation of live as well as offline audiences in the event, that took place between Dec. 2 and 4, 2020, in New Delhi’s Hotel Crowne Plaza, was thanks to this beauty pageant with a difference. The extensive coverage of MIIQ 2020 was also due to its telecast by Kanshi TV of the UK.

Mr.Rohit Khandelwal (Mr. World 2016) and Miss Suman Rao (Miss World Asia 2019, Miss World 2nd Runner Up 2019) were the Celebrity judges at the event while Mrs. Saroha led the jury whose members were as follows – Mr. Tarun Choudhary, Director of Shiv Med Private Limited, Mr. Ravi Shankar, Actor, Advocate & Businessman and Mrs. Sonali Sherry, Celebrity Makeup Artist.

The event had 30 finalists, all of whom were accomplished, married women, who wanted a fresh lease on their lives. Other titles winners at MIIQ 2020 are – Mrs India Mesmerizing Eyes – Mrs. Surbhi Malhotra, Mrs India Goodness Ambassador – Mrs. Upaasana Kalia, Mrs India Shining Star  – Ms. Amaayra Yadav, Mrs India Fashion Icon – Mrs. Madhuparna Hore, Mrs. India Congeniality – Mrs. Kuljit Bhamrah, Mrs India Best Ramp Walk – Mrs. Rajni Jha, Mrs India Intelligent – Mrs. Baljit Kaur Talwandi, Mrs India Vivacious – Mrs. Pooja Gangyan, Mrs India Glamorous – Mrs. Priyanka Shoor, Mrs India Talented – Mrs. Manju Upadhyay, Mrs India Glowing Skin – Mrs. Sevana Jacques, Mrs India Photogenic – Mrs. Pubali Chakravarty, Mrs India Ravishing – Dr. Abhilasha Maharshi, Mrs India Sensational – Mrs. Laboni Saha, Mrs India Alluring – Mrs. Neelam Malik, Mrs India Beautiful Hairs – Mrs. Srishty Kesari, Mrs India Popularity Queen & Mrs India Tenacious – Dr. Nita Hazarika, Mrs India Fabulous – Dr. Goma, Mrs India Brilliant – Mrs. Maya Ayappa, Mrs India Courageous – Mrs. Rinku Barman, Mrs India Inspiring – Mrs. Priyanka Sinha Roy, Mrs India Diligent – Dr. Deepalee Das, Mrs India Adorable – Dr. Simmy Khaneja, Mrs India Perfectionist – Mrs. Amrit Kaur, and Mrs India Renaissance – Dr. Sujata Kapoor.

Mrs.Saroha further said, “I wish all my contestants luck and a lot of thanks to Lakme Academy Rohini who was the makeup sponsor and played a great role in making this show successful.” She also thanked Dr Zahida Johal, sponsor from Zaesthetics London UK, Mrs. Shalu Pandey from Pagdandiyan NGO, Kanshi TV from the United Kingdom, her team Mrs. Antara & Mr. Keshav Sharma and media partners Aaj Tak, India News, Delhi News Express, Hindustan Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Sur Sangam Radio Canada, Malaysia World News, Aap ki Awaaz Radio UK, Apni Dilli News, News 1 Express, Punjabi National for the constant support and encouragement for making this event a huge success.

Renowned Emcee Mr Debojyoti Dasgupta was the official host for the show. Mr. Prasantt Ghosh, the celebrity choreographer & catwalk trainer, trained the 30 finalists. Mr Lalit Rana of Imagesque took care of the photography and videography at the event while Mr. Pradeep Negi, famous Self – defence Trainer for the show, and event managers Mr. Sunny & Mr. Vivek of the Dreamcatchers Private Limited made up the rest of the team.

Kamlesh Patel, spiritual guide, author, and the founder of the Heartfulness Movement, has received the award of India’s Most Admirable Leader for his inspiring work in spreading spiritual and yogic values worldwide. 

Born in 1956, in the state of Gujarat, India, Kamlesh Patel, who is known to many today as Daaji, discovered his spiritual calling early on in life. When he was a pharmacy student in Ahmedabad, a fateful encounter with an associate of Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur in 1976 changed Daaji’s life forever. Shri Ram Chandra is known to many as Babuji, and he was the founder and first President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission. As a spiritual Master, he extended his enlightened teachings to Daaji. 

Upon successful completion of his graduate studies with honours in 1980, Daaji moved to the US to practice pharmacy in New York City. He also continued the practices of Heartfulness under Babuji’s guidance, with supreme devotion. Since that time, Daaji has excelled in both his professional and spiritual life. After Babuji’s passing in 1983, Daaji continued with Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari (Chariji), the second President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, holding a number of responsibilities in the organization. Over the years, Daaji has helped so many people on the path to achieving life’s true meaning and continues to do the same today. In October 2011, Daaji was proclaimed as Chariji’s successor, and after Chariji’s passing in December 2014 he became the spiritual guide of the Heartfulness Movement and the third President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission.

Daaji is always on the move in his noble pursuit of teaching people to meditate and transform their lives, all over the world. He speaks at many centres and ashrams, and guides the general public through media sources such as television, radio, online webinars and newspaper articles. Daaji has been playing a vital role in the lives of people who want to become better human beings, from reducing stress and anxiety, to finding higher inner peace and enlightenment. He is a catalyst and an example of someone who has the balance of both the spiritual and scientific approaches to knowledge. He connects with people from all walks of life and backgrounds, while paying special attention to help the youth strive for living a holistic and purposeful life.

Daaji is the spiritual guide of the Heartfulness Way, a set of meditative practices that unlock a person’s true potential. The Heartfulness Way is practiced by over 1 million people worldwide, and it has considerably helped them to live a purposeful and fulfilling life. A force for good and a spiritual leader, Daaji unifies people from all backgrounds and walks of life with simple teachings that have the power to change lives. 

A researcher and true innovator, Daaji has popularized spirituality by offering people a scientific experiential approach to the inner world of the spirit. As a successful entrepreneur, who built a very successful pharmaceutical business in New York City from the ground up, over three decades, Daaji now devotes his time and energy to helping people to discover the inner spiritual world and expand their consciousness. He also guides a team of scientists that research the physiological and psychological benefits of Heartfulness meditative practices and the effect of yogic Transmission, the specialty of Heartfulness.

With a vision to bringing human societies in tune with nature, Daaji has also popularized a sustainable green initiative at the international Heartfulness headquarters at Kanha Shanti Vanam, near Hyderabad, India. He is a prolific speaker, who regularly shares his profound insights on a wide range of topics, such as corporate success, management, relationships, child development and education, spirituality and yogic philosophy. Daaji also writes articles and books, regularly, and his articles appear regularly in leading publications such as the Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Business Standard, and Speaking Tree. He is also the bestselling author of two books, The Heartfulness Way and Designing Destiny.

The Brand Story acknowledges the excellent contribution made by Daaji in enabling people to discover their life’s purpose, with the help of spirituality and yoga. Mr. Abhay Kaushik, Editor in Chief and Director, The Brand Story, said, “Daaji has been relentless in his pursuit of helping people life better lives by walking on the spiritual path. His contribution has been monumental in helping millions understand the benefits of practising yoga and meditation. The Brand Story is honoured to award Daaji as India’s Most Admirable Leader. You can watch his exclusive interview, soon to be telecasted on NDTV Profit.”

New Delhi: Day after farmer-leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the centre sent a draft proposal to the former. In its latest proposal, the govt. Has assured the farmers that the Minimum Support Price system will continue to regulate and also is ready to make relevant necessary amendments in the law. However, the farmers have rejected the proposal and announced to intensify the agitation in and around the national capital region.

In an interaction with the media, Darshan Pal, president of Krantikari Kisan Union said “We reject the government’s proposal and we will block Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra Highway on 12 December, no tax to be paid at any toll plaza on that day”.

Another leader protesting at the border said that “we will block all roads in Delhi one by one of the three farms laws are not scrapped.” They also showed uncertainty regarding the next round of talks with the centre.

What are the farmers protesting for

The protest by the farmer community, mainly hailing from the states of Punjab and Haryana, has been going on since November 26. Farmers have gathered around the national capital region’s border on several sides, putting a stop to all kinds of cross-border traffic movement. The farmers are protesting against three newly enforced farm laws: The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020.

What centre offered in its proposal

The Center, on Wednesday, released a draft proposal addressing the seven major issues and concerns of the farmers. 

The proposal states that the centre will provide written assurance about continuing the MSP system. The farmers fear that mandis will weaken after the regulation of new laws, to which the centre is ready to make amendments, wherein state governments can register the traders operating outside mandis. The state can also impose the tax as done by the Agricultural Produce Market Committee. 

Other issues addressed in the draft are availing access to civil courts and the prohibition of the lease, mortgage, and selling of farmer’s land.

What Delhiites have to take care of

Since the farmers have announced to intensify the agitation, people travelling on the highways should keep a check on centre and state advisories. Also, taxi and cab facilities may remain affected. One should keep a check on traffic updates and metro updates before moving through the national capital region.

Andhra Pradesh: More than 450 people have been rushed to hospitals in the past 48 hours post an unidentified disease outbreak in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. Having claimed a life already, the outbreak is being suspected, as per the reports, to be caused by the chemical, DDT, generally found in Organochlorine pesticides.

So far, the majority of the infected population were found to be between the age of 20-30 years besides 45 children below 12 years of age.

Common Symptoms Observed 

As per the initial observations, reported patients suffered from fits and nausea followed by sudden fainting. Additional symptoms include epilepsy and memory loss for a span of 3-5 minutes, with a mild headache, back pain, vomiting, and anxiety.

Recovery Rate

Over 140 patients have already been discharged after the necessary treatment. The remaining patients at the hospitals are also observed to be in a stable condition. While none of the admitted patients tested positive for Covid-19, an exclusive team of medical experts has been rushed to Eluru to treat the victims. Also, a door to door survey has been initiated to identify prospective patients, well in advance.

CM Y.S. Jagan on the ground

After interacting with the affected people on his visit to GGH, Eluru, CM Jagan addressed a high-level meeting, alerting the officials to be on toes for any situation that could arise. He assured the patients of all the essential help, on their road to recovery.

Centre’s Action

A team of three medical experts has been rushed to Eluru to assess the ground reality of the situation and accordingly formulate a further plan of action. The mentioned team comprises namely, Dr. Sanket Kulkarni, the deputy director and a public health expert from the National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi; Dr. Avinash Deoshtawar, a virologist from the National Institute of Virology, Pune and Dr. Jamshed Nayar, an associate professor (emergency medicine) from AIIMS. A team from the Indian Council of Medical Research is soon expected to be there as well.

Steps being taken

A 24 x 7 control room has been set up in Eluru for timely monitoring of the outbreak situation. Milk samples were collected at random and sent for examination to Vijayawada. Experts from the National Institute of Nutrition and the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad are expected to dive in for a detailed diagnosis of the cause behind the disease.

Despite the sheer unexpectedness of this abrupt outbreak, the situation on the ground in Eluru seems to be in control as per the present statistics. Both Centre and the state governments are rigorously working to tackle the existing and possible foreseen situations on this front. However, the impact of this mysterious disease at its peak potential is yet to be estimated.

Six decades after India measured Mount Everest in 1954, earlier this week  Nepal and China have announced a new height of the peak. And it turns out that the world’s tallest peak has grown almost two feet taller than before. In fact, the Himalayas are growing taller every year almost by an inch due to the continental drift. Yes, you read that right! The Himalayas are growing! So, the new height of Mt. Everest is 8,848.86 meters.

The new height of the peak has rekindled the decades-long dispute between the neighbouring countries with whom the mountain shares its border. Chinese Premier Xi Jinping has already described Mount Everest as an important symbol of China-Nepal traditional friendship and announced that both countries have agreed to Mt. Everest being a boundary peak and the ‘Peak of China-Nepal Friendship’.

The History of Himalayas

About 200 Million years ago when Eurasian Plate and Indian tectonic Plate collided due to high buoyancy, neither of the plates could be subducted and instead led to thick sedimentations in between. The continued crumpling and collision of tectonic plates over time caused the continental crust to thicken. Such compressional forces led to folding and faulting, pushing the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau upwards.

Every Year the Himalayas rise by an inch but at the same time forces like weathering and erosion are also lowering the height at almost the same rate, thus making not a significant change in the height for decades now.

The Controversy

The peak has remained a matter of conflict between China and Nepal as it plays a significant role in the settlement of the boundary between the two countries since 1950 when Beijing gave up its claim over the mountain.

The conflict continued until the ruling Communist Party of China founder Mao Zedong suggested that the ‘boundary line should pass through the summit of Mt. Everest in 1961 which was agreed upon by Nepal.

In 1847, British surveyors in India declared the height of Mount Everest (then Peak XV) to be 8778 meters and ever since then there has been a dispute regarding the height of the same. 

This revised height of 8,848.86 meters has put an end to all the discussions and controversies regarding the same between the two countries.

Method Used

Joint Secretary of Nepal’s Department Survey said that they have used the previous methods applied in ascertaining the height as well as Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS)and the latest data available. The fact that needs to be highlighted here is that both Chinese and Nepali data tallied accurately.

The officials in a virtual event announced the new height and marked the day as a historic day.