Sengol

On December 10,2020 when PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the new parliament building, the deadline for the completion of the project was October 2022 which was shifted to March, 2023. The March deadline was also not met, but everybody knows that the project is near completion, and the inauguration date could be announced any time and as per expectations 28 May is decided as the date for the inauguration of the new Parliament.

It was not surprising that as soon as the announcement was made, many opposition parties started firing allegation towards government. What came as a surprise for many of us was the pacing of ‘Sengol’ in the new parliament building. Many questions hits in mind one by one. What is Sengol? Where was it all the time? Who made it? What does it signify? Where will it be placed? Don’t worry. Your mind will be free from question related to Sengol after reading this write up as it contains answers to all your question.

The historic ‘Sengol’ that is going to be installed in the new parliament building was received by the first PM of India Jawaharlal Nehru from the then Viceroy of India Lord Mountbatten on 14 August 1947 at around 10:45 PM at his residence in the presence of many other prominent leaders of the time. PM Nehru received this as the symbol of the transfer of power from British at his residence. When the decision of the independence of India was final, Lord Mountbatten was sent as the viceroy to complete the process of independence without hinderance. Mountbatten being unaware of rituals and customs of Indian culture he asked PM Nehru about the special ceremony to be organized for the transfer of power. Nehru discussed this with C. Rajagopalachari fondly known as Rajaji, and after extensive research of Indian culture Rajaji told Pandit Nehru about the tradition of transfer of power during Chola dynasty and how ‘Sengol’ was used to mark this.

The Sengol gets its name from the Tamil word ‘semmai’, meaning righteousness. The sceptre is a historical symbol of Independence as it signifies the transfer of power from the British to the Indians. “The Sengol signifies justice, integrity and unfailing good governance of the king who holds it,” said Mani Maran, a Tamil Pandit at Saraswathi Mahal Library in Thanjavur in an interview given to Times of India on Wednesday. “Tamil emperors like Cholas were usually holding a sceptre in their hands. After crowning the new king, his predecessor or the rajaguru handed over the sceptre during the ceremonial occasion. Thiruvalluvar mentions the sceptre while referring to the rule of law. Sangam works like the Silapathikaram mentions the superiority and importance of the sceptre,” he added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing a press conference on Wednesday said, “The ‘sengol’ represents values of fair and equitable governance.”

The responsibility of arranging a sceptre was handed to Rajaji by Pandit Nehru. Rajaji reached out to Thiruvaduthurai Atheenam, a well-known mutt in Tamil Nadu’s Tanjore district for assistance and its leader commissioned the manufacturing of the Sengol to Chennai-based “Vummidi Bangaru Chetty” jewelers, as per the official document. It was crafted by two men namely, Vummidi Ethirajulu and Vummidi Sudhakar. It is made of silver with a coat of gold. The sceptre is five feet tall and has a ‘Nandi’ bull on top, symbolizing justice and goddess Laxmi is inscribed on it. It was made in 30 days. According to the official documents, the sceptre was handed to Lord Mountbatten by the Deputy high priest of the Adheenam and was taken back. It was then taken to Pandit Nehru’s house in procession and handed over to him. A special song was rendered, as specified by the high priest. The ceremonial sceptre was kept at the Allahabad Museum, along with several other historical objects associated with Jawaharlal Nehru, as part of the Nehru Gallery of the museum.

Now the Sengol has been moved to Delhi and would be placed near the Lok Sabha speaker’s chair in the new parliament building. Citing resources India Today reported that the Sengol will be ceremoniously transported to the House in a grand procession. The occasion is likely to be steeped in Tamil tradition. The Nadaswaram, would lead the procession with a group of musicians will be playing Tamil Nadu’s traditional instrument. Modi is expected to walk along with the procession. “Adheenams,” or priests from Shaivite mutts in Tamil Nadu, will be present in the Lok Sabha’s Well. The priests will sanctify the Sengol with holy water after Modi greets them at the well, India Today added. The “Oduvars,” or Tamil temple singers, will lyrically recite the “Kolaru Padhigam” in the background as the Nadaswaram musicians enchant with their soulful music. The Sengol will be presented to the prime minister after this revered ceremony and placed in a glass case next to the Speaker’s seat in the House.

After decades of anonymity, this holy sceptre will quadruple the magnificence of new parliament building. and always remind us of the hardship that our forefathers had while fighting for independence and will motivate us to defend this independence.

One need to spend 4 years instead of 3, to graduate in honours degree.

Students looking to earn an honours degree in undergraduate courses will have to pursue four-year programmes under new regulations likely to be announced by the University Grants Commission this week,  PTI reported.

“Students will be able to get a UG [undergraduate] degree in three years on completion of 120 credits (measured through the number of academic hours) and a UG honours degree in four years on completion of 160 credits,” the news agency quoted from the draft Curriculum and Credit Framework of the University Grants Commission.

At present, students get an honours degree after completing three years of undergraduate programmes. Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, universities and colleges will offer four-year undergraduate degrees with multiple exit and entry options. Several universities, including DU, and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), have already adopted the programme.

A senior UGC official, requesting anonymity, said, “There will be only one honours degree, that is four-year UG with honours or honours with research. The regulations will be applicable for students who will be enrolled under the new norms from this year onwards.”

Hydroponics

Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without soil. It generally uses less water as compared to traditional soil system. It allows faster growth and higher yield.

William Frederick Gericke is known as father of hydroponics. He grew tomato vines in his backyard in nutrient solution.

The nutrients used in hydroponics include fish and poultry excreta , duck manure, chemical fertilizers, artificial nutrient solution etc.

Plants are commonly grown hydroponically in a greenhouse, on inert media, include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuces, and cannabis, usually for commercial use, and Arabidopsis thaliana, which serves as a model organism in plant science and genetics.

Advantages:

  • Does not require soil for cultivation.
  • Promotes faster and efficient plant growth.
  • It uses less water as compared to conventionally grown plants. Hence, helps to save water.
  • It does not depend on climate for favourable growing conditions.
  • Saves labour due to automatic watering and fertilizing capability.
  • Have fewer pest can can be grown closely.
Photo by Pragyan Bezbaruah on Pexels.com
  • The plant has less root and nutrient competition than grown in soil.

There are six main types of hydroponic system for garden: wicking, deep water culture (DWC), nutrient film technique (NFT), ebb and flow, aeroponics, and drip systems.

Disadvantages:

  • Involves high installation cost.
  • Need to test the solution frequently to avoid infection and damage.
  • System are prone to equipment failure and power outage.
  • Prone to water borne infection.
  • Requires constant monitoring and assistance.

Some systems, known as aquaponics involves use of nutrient-rich wastewater from aquaculture to fertilize hydroponic plants. Freshwater fish, such as tilapia, and crayfish are common aquatic animals utilized for these hybrid systems.

Nowadays, hydroponics is being implemented in large scale as a start up to meet the demand of fresh leafy vegetables as is a part of urban farming.

The rising burden of E- waste

E- waste or electronic waste refers to the waste created by discarding the electronic devices which is rather caused due to its end of useful life, high repair cost , outdated technologies etc. which makes it underrated for further use. These waste includes TV, mobile phones, computer/ desktop, electronic items, wires, machineries etc. This is one of the fastest waste generated.

Everyday lakhs and lakhs of e-waste is generated. The country’s e-waste output is growing at over 30 per cent year on year, and stood at over 10 lakh tonnes in 2019-20, according to government data, comparable to about one lakh six-wheeled truckloads of waste.

It is the third largest in volume globally and growing at a rate ten times faster than its plastic waste output.

Mountains of e-waste pile up, which are as much a threat to the environment as they are to the health of their handlers .It proves vulnerable as people are sifting and processing the waste of the privileged without knowing that it could cause them cancer, reproductive disorders, endocrine disruption and other health complications.

Problems:

The most alarming aspect of e-waste is that less than a quarter of it is being processed.It possess hazardous metals and can contaminate soil, air, water, posing significant risk to human health by entering the food chain.

Unsafe disposal of e waste: About 95% of e waste is recycled by informal sectors and scrap developers without knowing the hazardous effect and use of safe handling practice.

Concern : Majority of e waste are imported to developing countries like India, China, Ghana etc from developed countries for recycling purpose.

With advancement in technologies, standard of living people are more inclined towards use of more gadgets, phones and tend to change them more frequently.

Way forward

E waste clinics for proper segregation, processing and disposal of e waste. Effective ways to implement proper and safe handling of waste.

Initiative taken by government includes: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the LiFE or Lifestyle for Environment movement in June—a concept that he said is borrowed from the past and focuses on the future.

The right to repair is introduced to reduce the e waste and it’s proper management as it is environmental friendly too. But this also concerns the major industries involved in sector as it could lead to their loss and some technologies can’t be added to existing devices .

History of India & Indian National Movement.

Early times the Indian subcontinent appears to have provided an attractive habitat for human occupation. Toward the south it is effectively sheltered by wide expanses of ocean, which tended to isolate it culturally in ancient times, while to the north it is protected by the massive ranges of the Himalayas, which also sheltered it from the Arctic winds and the air currents of Central Asia. Only in the northwest and northeast is there easier access by land, and it was through those two sectors that most of the early contacts with the outside world took place.

Within the framework of hills and mountains represented by the Indo-Iranian borderlands on the west, the Indo-Myanmar borderlands in the east, and the Himalayas to the north, the subcontinent may in broadest terms be divided into two major divisions: in the north, the basins of the Indus and Ganges (Ganga) rivers (the Indo-Gangetic Plain) and, to the south, the block of Archean rocks that forms the Deccan plateau region. The expansive alluvial plain of the river basins provided the environment and focus for the rise of two great phases of city life: the civilization of the Indus valley, known as the Indus civilization, during the 3rd millennium BCE; and, during the 1st millennium BCE, that of the Ganges. To the south of this zone, and separating it from the peninsula proper, is a belt of hills and forests, running generally from west to east and to this day largely inhabited by tribal people. This belt has played mainly a negative role throughout Indian history in that it remained relatively thinly populated and did not form the focal point of any of the principal regional cultural developments of South Asia. However, it is traversed by various routes linking the more-attractive areas north and south of it. The Narmada (Narbada) River flows through this belt toward the west, mostly along the Vindhya Range, which has long been regarded as the symbolic boundary between northern and southern India.

India’s movement for Independence occurred in stages elicit by the inflexibility of the Britishers and in various instances, their violent responses to non-violent protests. It was understood that the British were controlling the resources of India and the lives of its people, and as far as this control was ended India could not be for Indians.

On 28 December 1885 Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on the premises of Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit School at Bombay. It was presided over by W.C Banerjee and attended by 72 delegates. A.O Hume played an instrumental role in the foundation of INC with an aim to provide Safety Valve to the British Government.
A.O Hume served as the first General Secretary of INC.
The real Aim of Congress is to train the Indian youth in political agitation and to organise or to create public opinion in the country. For this, they use the method of an annual session where they discuss the problem and passed the resolution.
The first or early phase of Indian Nationalism is also termed as Moderate Phase (1885-1905). Moderate leaders were W.C Banerjee, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, R.C Dutt, Ferozeshah Mehta, George Yule, etc.
Moderates have full faith in British Government and adopted the PPP path i.e. Protest, Prayer, and Petition.
Due to disillusionment from Moderates’ methods of work, extremism began to develop within the congress after 1892. The Extremist leaders were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh. Instead of the PPP path, they emphasise on self-reliance, constructive work, and swadeshi.
With the announcement of the Partition of Bengal (1905) by Lord Curzon for administrative convenience, Swadeshi and Boycott resolution was passed in 1905.


ONE INDIVIDUAL MAY DIE; BUT THAT IDEA WILL, AFTER HIS DEATH, INCARNATE ITSELF IN A THOUSAND LIVES.

-Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

NEW EDUCATION POLICY TO BRING EVOLUTION IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

NEW EDUCATION POLICY:
° Students are currently undergoing school exams conducted by responsible authorities in grades 3, 5, and 8.
° 10th and 12th grade board exams will continue, but will be redesigned for overall development.
° Mathematical reasoning and scientific temperament coding begins in 6th grade .Vocational training begins at school in sixth grade and includes internships.
° The 10 + 2 structure is replaced by 5 + 3 + 3 + 4. The new system consists of grades 12 and 3 years preschool / Anganwadi.
° Until 5th grade, this policy emphasizes the local / regional / native language as the teaching language.
° In schools and universities, Sanskrit is also included as a student option at all levels and consists of three language formulas.
° Under Graduate is now 3 or 4 years, with multiple degree options eligible for this period, such as a 1 year certificate, 2 years diploma, 3 years degree, 4 years bachelor’s degree in research, etc.
° An Academic Credit Bank (ABC) is created to store, transfer, and award bachelor’s degrees from digital learning achievements earned by students from various universities.
° The curriculum has been reduced to essentials for all subjects. They focus on critical thinking, discovery, inquiry, debate, and education based on analytical and holistic learning methods for education.
° Focus on e-learning so you can reduce your reliance on textbooks
Under the new policy, education will receive 6% of GDP, up from 1.7%. This definitely boosts the education system.
° By the end of 2040, all universities should be interdisciplinary institutions with more than 3000 students each. University affiliation will be phased out over the next 15 years.

Foucus on Regional /Mother Tongue Language:
As you know, young children learn new things as soon as they teach in their own language, not in another language they are unfamiliar with. This policy is aware of it, so children will be taught in their native language until the age of 5, but it can change to 8th grade .

NEW CURRICULUM STRUCTURE:
•) Rebuild the school curriculum and teaching methods into new 5 = 3 + 3 + 4 patterns.
•) The new curriculum structure is designed to attract the attention of learners at various developmental stages, such as 3-8 years old, 8-11 years old, 11-14 years old, 14-18 years old.
•) Elementary level lasts 5 years:
3 years before school, 1st and 2nd grade.
The preparatory stage lasts for 3 years: 3rd, 4th and 5th grade.
Middle school or high school lasts 3 years: 6th, 7th and 8th grade.
High school or junior high school lasts four years: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grade.
All of the above levels include Indian and regional traditions, ethical thinking, socio-emotional learning, quantitative and logical thinking, digital literacy, computational thinking, scientific manipulation, language and communication skills.

“Learning starts with failure; the first failure is the beginning of education.”

– John Hersey

Arrival of Dutch in India

The Dutch are the people of Holland (now the Netherlands). The Dutch arrived in India shortly after the Portuguese. The Dutch have long been experts in sea trading. The Dutch government granted the United East India Company of the Netherlands license to trade in the East Indies, including India, in 1602. Dutch India was more of a geographical location than a political authority. In comparison to the Portuguese and the English, the Dutch had the shortest presence in India of all the European colonial powers.

Dutch history in India
The Dutch East India Company was founded in 1602 and signified the Dutch entrance in India. They arrived in Andhra Pradesh’s Masulipatam (now Machilipatnam). From 1605 to 1825, they occupied the Indian subcontinent. Given the growing demand for Indian spices from Asia in Europe, the Dutch arrived to India with the intention of trading. The establishment of the Dutch East India Company marked the beginning of the modern multinational company (MNC). Following a pact between the Zamorin of Calicut and the Dutch chief, Steven Van der Hagen, Dutch trading in India began on November 11, 1604. The goal was to force the Portuguese off the Malabar Coast, but this was never achieved. The Dutch, on the other hand, soon built commercial facilities in various parts of India and traded cotton, textiles, silk, Indigo, and Golconda diamonds. In 1661, the Dutch conquered the Portuguese and took control of all of Malabar. They had now mastered the pepper trade and made tremendous profits selling pepper, which was known in Europe as “Black Gold.” In the 17th century, nothing could stop the Dutch from capturing Pondicherry from the French in 1693. In the East Indies, the Dutch became a large producer of sugar and coffee, as well as a big exporter of spices and textiles. During their time in India, the Dutch tried their hand at currency manufacture as well. They established mints in Cochin, Masulipatam, Nagapatam Pondicherry, and Pulicat as their trade grew. Furthermore, the Pulicat mint issued a gold pagoda with an image of Lord Venkateswara (god Vishnu). The Dutch minted coins that were all based on local coinages.

The Decline of Dutch power The Dutch East India Company began to fade in the mid-eighteenth century. It was characterised by poor corporate practices, corruption, and political upheaval. Martanda Verma, the formidable monarch of Travancore, defeated the Dutch in 1741 and reclaimed control of Malabar. The fourth Anglo-Dutch war, in which the British navy sunk Dutch ships and seized trading ports, resulted to their bankruptcy in 1799. Finally, the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1825 ended the Dutch dominance in India by transferring all Dutch assets to the British.

Arrival of Portuguese in India

The Portuguese State of India was a Portuguese colonial state on the Indian Subcontinent. Vasco De Gama was the first Portuguese to set foot in India in 1498. However, Portuguese control in India is considered to have lasted from 1505 until 1961. Although Portuguese colonialism outlasted its English counterpart, it had little influence outside of its territories. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India and the last to go.

Portugal’s Early Years in India
When Vasco da Gama arrived in Calicut on the Malabar Coast on May 20, 1498, Portuguese colonialism began in earnest. He met with the ruler of Calicut, the Zamorin, and received permission to trade in Calicut. But Vasco da Gama was unable to pay the customs duties and the cost of his merchandise. The Zamorin’s officials detained some of Vasco da Gama’s soldiers when the duties were not paid. This enraged him so much that he kidnapped some Indians and fisherman. However, the voyage was a success in the eyes of the Portuguese authorities in Lisbon. A sea path around the Ottoman Empire was discovered, and the expedition made a profit well in excess of its initial cost.

Expansion of Portuguese Colonialism
Vasco da Gama established a base of operations on the Malabar coast after further conflict with the Zamorin Kingdom. Francisco de Almeida, the first viceroy, placed his headquarters in what is now Cochin. Alfonso de Albuquerque, the second governer of the Portuguese territories in the East, was appointed in 1509. Off the coast of Calicut, a Portuguese fleet led by Marshal Fernão Coutinho arrives. Their orders were quite clear: destroy the Zamorin. The city was levelled and the palace of the Zamorins was taken, but the local soldiers rallied and attacked the invading Portuguese, forcing them to retreat and wounded Albuquerque. In 1510, Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the Sultanate of Bijapur, establishing Goa as a permanent settlement. It would later become the viceroy’s seat and the headquarters of the Portuguese colonial conquests in India. Modern-day Mumbai was likewise a colonial possession until 1661, when it was handed over to the British. From 1799 until 1813, the British conquered Goa for a brief while, eradicating the final vestiges of the inquisition. The capital was moved to Panjim, which was later renamed Nova Goa, in 1843, when it became the administrative center of Portuguese India. For the next century, Portuguese control would be limited to Goa and the enclaves of Diu and Daman.

Cause of Decline of Portugal in India
While the British granted independence to most of India, the Portuguese retained colonial colonies in India. Local anti-Portuguese demonstrations in Goa were violently suppressed. Despite repeated pleas from the Indian government, the Portuguese government, led by dictator António de Oliveira Salaza, refused to hand over its colonial holdings, saying that they were an intrinsic part of Portuguese territory. The invasion of Goa by the Indian troops took place in December 1961. The Portuguese attempted to resist against overwhelming odds, but were quickly crushed by the Indian Army. On December 19, 1961, the Governor of Portuguese India signed the Instrument of Surrender, freeing Goa after 450 years of Portuguese domination in India.

Structures under water

ocean - Major subdivisions of the oceans | Britannica

Oceanography is one of the largest areas of geography as it deals with the largest form on earth, Ocean. More than half of the earth’s surface is covered with water and it mainly consists of oceans. Even though it looks similar when we look from above, there are deep structures inside the water. Just like the land forms we daily see around us; oceans also have a wide variety of structures. In order to gain a clear idea about those, let us look into it in detail:

Major structures

Continental shelf

A continental shelf is the edge of a continent that lies under the ocean. Continents are the seven main divisions of land on Earth. A continental shelf extends from the coastline of a continent to a drop-off point called the shelf break. From the break, the shelf descends toward the deep ocean floor in what is called the continental slope. Even though they are underwater, continental shelves are part of the continent. The widths of the continental shelves vary.

Continental shelf

Continental slopes are regions of steeply sloping seafloor that lie between continental shelves and the deep ocean basins. Regional gradients are typically 2–5°, but locally slopes may be much steeper. Their large-scale morphology is a consequence of tectonic processes: the different elevations of continental crust and oceanic crust, the details of the original rift tectonics on passive continental margins, and the styles of subduction and accretion on convergent margins.

Continental rise

continental rise, a major depositional regime in oceans made up of thick sequences of continental material that accumulate between the continental slope and the abyssal plain. Continental rises form as a result of three sedimentary processes: mass wasting, the deposition from contour currents, and the vertical settling of clastic and biogenic particles.

Abyssal plane

The term ‘abyssal plain’ refers to a flat region of the ocean floor, usually at the base of a continental rise, where slope is less than 1:1000. It represents the deepest and flat part of the ocean floor lying between 4000 and 6500 m deep

Minor structures

Abyssal hills

An abyssal hill is a small hill that rises from the floor of an abyssal plain. They are the most abundant geomorphic structures on the planet Earth, covering more than 30% of the ocean floors. Abyssal hills have relatively sharply defined edges and climb to heights of no more than a few hundred meters. They can be from a few hundred meters to kilometers in width.

Trenches

Ocean trenches are steep depressions in the deepest parts of the ocean, where old ocean crust from one tectonic plate is pushed beneath another plate, raising mountains, causing earthquakes, and forming volcanoes on the seafloor and on land.

Submarine canyons

A submarine canyon is a steep-sided valley cut into the seabed of the continental slope, sometimes extending well onto the continental shelf, having nearly vertical walls, and occasionally having canyon wall heights of up to 5 km, from canyon floor to canyon rim, as with the Great Bahama Canyon.

Ocean has several other wonders hid under its deep waters. If we go deeper new structures unfold.

Explaining Autism

There are many people around us of different age groups that are either diagnosed or have underlying symptoms of autism. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by challenges with social communication, and by restricted and repetitive behaviours. is now considered part of the wider autism spectrum. People with autism have trouble with communication. They have trouble understanding what other people think and feel. This makes it hard for them to express themselves, either with words or through gestures, facial expressions, and touch. People with autism might have problems with learning. Their skills might develop unevenly. For example, they could have trouble communicating but be unusually good at art, music, math, or memory. Because of this, they might do especially well on tests of analysis or problem-solving. More children are diagnosed with autism now than ever before. But the latest numbers could be higher because of changes in how it’s diagnosed, not because more children have a disorder.

Autism is known to affect every one in every 60 individuals and boys are said to have more risk of developing it than girls. It can be hard to get a definite diagnosis of autism. Your doctor will focus on behaviour and development.

A developmental screening will tell the doctor whether a child is on track with basic skills like learning, speaking, behavior, and moving. If a child shows signs of a problem on these screenings, they’ll need a more complete evaluation. This might include hearing and vision tests or genetic tests. Your doctor might want to bring in someone who specializes in autism disorders, like a developmental paediatrician or a child psychologist. Some psychologists can also give a test called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).parents can also find some symptoms and unusual behaviour

Common symptoms of autism include:

  • A lack of eye contact
  • A narrow range of interests or intense interest in certain topics
  • Doing something over and over, like repeating words or phrases, rocking back and forth, or flipping a lever
  • High sensitivity to sounds, touches, smells, or sights that seem ordinary to other people
  • Not looking at or listening to other people
  • Not looking at things when another person points at them
  • Not wanting to be held or cuddled
  • Problems understanding or using speech, gestures, facial expressions, or tone of voice
  • Talking in a sing-song, flat, or robotic voice
  • Trouble adapting to changes in routine

What Are the Types of Autism Spectrum Disorders?

These types were once thought to be separate conditions. Now, they fall under the range of autism spectrum disorders including:

Asperger’s syndrome. These children don’t have a problem with language; in fact, they tend to score in the average or above-average range on intelligence tests. But they have social problems and a narrow scope of interests.

Autistic disorder. This is what most people think of when they hear the word “autism.” It refers to problems with social interactions, communication, and play in children younger than 3 years.

Childhood disintegrative disorder. These children have typical development for at least 2 years and then lose some or most of their communication and social skills.

Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD or atypical autism). Your doctor might use this term if your child has some autistic behavior, like delays in social and communications skills, but doesn’t fit into another category.

What Causes Autism?

Exactly why autism happens isn’t clear. It could stem from problems in parts of your brain that interpret sensory input and process language.. It can happen in people of any race, ethnicity, or social background. Family income, lifestyle, or educational level doesn’t affect a child’s risk of autism. Autism runs in families, so certain combinations of genes may increase a child’s risk. A child with an older parent has a higher risk of autism. Pregnant women who are exposed to certain drugs or chemicals, like alcohol or anti-seizure medications, are more likely to have autistic children. Other risk factors include maternal metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity. Research has also linked autism to untreated phenylketonuria (also called PKU, a metabolic disorder caused by the absence of an enzyme) and rubella (German measles).There is no evidence that vaccinations cause autism.

How Is Autism Treated?

There’s no cure for autism. But early treatment can make a big difference in development for a child with autism. If you think your child shows symptoms of ASD, tell your doctor as soon as possible.What works for one person might not work for another. Your doctor should tailor treatment for you or your child. The two main types of treatments are:

Behavioral and communication therapy to help with structure and organization. Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is one of these treatments; it promotes positive behavior and discourages negative behavior. Occupational therapy can help with life skills like dressing, eating, and relating to people. Sensory integration therapy might help someone who has problems with being touched or with sights or sounds. Speech therapy improves communication skills.

Medications to help with symptoms of ASD, like attention problems, hyperactivity, or anxiety.

Complementary treatments may help boost learning and communication skills in some people with autism. Complementary therapies include music, art, or animal therapy, like horseback riding and even swimming with dolphins.

It is high time that people start to embrace autism and not ostracize such individuals but give more support and kindness. Young children must be taught about it and it’s not a topic to shy away from but accept and cherish that its ok to be different because that way you are special.

Online Vs Offline Education

This is one of the most common topics nowadays on all social media like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, and also in newspapers, articles, etc… While some opt for online education and others opt for offline education. There are certain advantages to both. Let’s see some of them.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Online Education

Online education is not something that was established just after covid. It has existed before the coronavirus too, but the need for online education is not there. It was a highly considered method during this pandemic due to the inability due to spread the contagious virus. The classes which were conducted with board and chalk are replaced with PowerPoint presentations and mouse cursors. It was a bane to some, while it was a boon to others.

Advantages of Offline education

  1. Environment : May it be a school, college or work place the most important factor is the environment surrounding it. It is the environment that gives us the exposure and the needed opportunities and chances to fall and raise again. Even if we fall, we will definitely will have someone to pull up again and there are will be some who will share their experiences on the current field.
  2. Doubt Solving : In Offline, anyone can ask doubts to teachers and professors at any time. There is no need of waiting for the right place and the right time. Either as a school student or a college student , we can ask doubts at the period at that time itself.
  3. Guidance : We can always ask our doubts to our seniors who had experienced similar situations. There will be no barrier between them and us.
  4. Discipline : Discipline is one of the core principles of life and it will be taught only in offine education. Everyone will be regular to their respective places , maintaining obedience and discipline. The value of discipline is not realised until the 20’s. It will make us reach heights of life even we wouldn’t have dreamed about it.
  5. Consistency : Consistency comes together with people who are disciplined. Consistency is the way to learn any skill and be talented in that. It will not be a problem for disciplined people since they follow it everyday and keeps their day productive as possible.

Advantages of Online education

  1. Recorded Sessions : The main advantage of online education is the videos can be seen any number of times at any place. If some doubt sarises, we can refer the videos. Most of the online classes nowadays are recorded to provide the students this wonderful facility to clear doubts.
  2. Time Saving : Online classes saves a lot of time such as travelling time. Students can use this time to upskill themselves and to be productive.

Disadvantages of Online education

  1. Non-availability of Phone : Even though online education is a convenient,flexible and cost efective method of education, not everyone can afford smart devices like Phone, Laptop, Tablet etc… This disadvantages is mainly for people who face difficulty in even afford daily expenses. This was quite proven in many places during this pandemic.
  2. Network facilities : After Smart devices, internet facility is another important thing to see online classes.
  3. Lack of Discipline
  4. Lazyness
  5. Losing the ability to think
  6. Increased usage of devices

Conclusion

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. If we think and follow online classes just like offline classes, the productivity will be maximum and there will be no issue .

The Dark Side of Ghana

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Ghana is well known for it’s dark chocolate. Infact, it is the 2nd largest chocolate exporter in the world. Several children are forced into child labour for the extraction of cocoa seeds and they are made to work from the crack of dawn till night. To keep the price of chocolate minimum, child labour is infused since children are not paid for their work. Top international chocolate brands such as Nestle, Hershey’s and Mars buy cocoa from them. Apart from child labour, there is another ritual since prevalent in Ghana that is inflicted upon young women.
Trokosi or female ritual servitude still exists in parts of Ghana, Togo , Benin and parts of Nigeria too till this very day. It takes place when a member if a family commits a crime. The crime can be rape,theft , murder etc. And once the crime is uncovered the family members fear punishment from the gods. So in order to please the gods, the father of the family would take one of his virgin daughters and give her to a local shrine as atonement for the crimes made by the family member. The shrines are run by old male priests. The young girls are forced to work for these priests without any proper education, food or clothing and often raped and sexually assaulted and in many cases leaving her with children  who continue to live and work in these shrines. However NGO’s and other human rights organizations are fighting this practice. Many individuals and private groups in Ghana have had successes in persuading priests to stop this practice.
Since 1998, International Needs Ghana which is a local group played an integral part in a campaign which led to the release of around 2,800 Trokosi girls and the banning of the Trokosi practice in Ghana. Even Today, International Needs help many of the liberated girls by providing education and vocational training.At the Adidome Vocational Training Centre, the girls can take free training courses to learn new skills. They can learn how to bake, sew , make beauty products and so on.
They are also given literacy classes.The centre also offers medical check-ups counselling and support for the girls. And once they are done with the training and leave the centre they are supported with equipments so they can begin their own small business and make a living.

All about James Webb Space Telescope

History

The success of Hubble Space Telescope after its repair mission in 1993 motivated the organizations to make a larger infrared light telescope that could see the past better. Hubble telescope system’s temperature interfered with the infrared radiation it received from the outer space. A new innovative next generation telescope was needed which was faster , better and cheaper. In 2003, NASA’s initial contract for James Webb Space Telescope(JWST) was $824.8 million collaborating with European Space Agency (ESA) , Canadian Space Agency(CSA). in 2005 after major redesign and re-planning , the mission cost reached a hefty amount of $4.5 billion. The telescope has a history of major cost overruns and delays due to backlashes from people and lack of funds.

Nevertheless, JWST launched on December 25, 2021 in Ariane 5 rocket from NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, French Guiana. this orbiting infrared observatory will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble space telescope.

The telescope will cover a wavelength of 0.6 – 28.5 microns for the light falling from red till mid infrared wave spectrum .

Location

JWST will not orbit earth but will be move in a orbit of second Lagrange point(L2 point) which is about 1.5 million km away from the earth. The L2 point is sufficiently near to the earth allowing proper signal communication and the sun shield will prevent any infrared radiation coming from the Sun.

Sun-shield protection

For it to make observation in the infrared spectrum , it must be kept under 50K (−223.2 °C) otherwise the infrared radiation from its system , the earth , moon and sun will interfere with the data. It uses a large 5 layered tennis court sized sun-shield to block that radiation and maintains its surface temperature. the single layer is as thin as a human hair and made with polyamide films . the membranes are coated with aluminium from both sides and a silicon doped layer facing the sun. the shield can be folded 12 times to fit in the Ariane rocket .

The Honeycomb mirrors

The primary optical mirror is beryllium reflector with area 25.4 m2 . gold is used to coat all the 18 mirror segments because it is a highly reflective material for infrared wavelength. The honeycomb pattern utilizes the best use of space available and are also deployable .

Mission goals

  1. Search for galaxies formed after the big bang . It can look 13.5 billion years into the past , about 400 million years after the big bang.
  2. How galaxies evolve.
  3. Observe the formation of stars.
  4. Measure physical and chemical properties of the planetary systems including the Solar System.

This mission will take the Space Science to the next level, thanks to our Scientists……

The Era Of Digitalisation

Even those who remain in their current positions will need to be trained in the emerging new technologies of the digital age. This transformation could be a key proposition as organizations seek specialized skills in their workforce to achieve their business goals and add value to the business. Of course, improving the quality of solutions through digital transformation is not only about technology companies.

Companies that understand the technologies of the digital age know that customers have a choice. This is why digital marketing and strategy is mainstream and the focus for starting digitalization. To succeed in this new digital age, businesses must use digital technologies in everything. Start digitizing, the truth is that innovation will never stop.

The era of digital transformation has arrived for companies of all sizes and types, from Fortune 500 companies to startups. The influence of digital technologies prevails in all areas of our lives, and therefore the current era is also called the “digital age”. The process of digitization began about fifty years ago with the advent of information technology and digital electronics.

Today, we are probably alone in the midst of a transformation between the pre-digital era and the post-digital era. To truly understand this progression, it is important to see where we come from and where we are going. When trying to understand what the digital age is, it is important to understand that it is driven by technology.

India’s industry has shifted to digitalization, with some industries able to recognize and capitalize on the benefits earlier than others. With access to “big data” and artificial intelligence algorithms, companies in the digital age can make data validate almost any conclusion they want. In 2020, we have been consuming more information through digital data and video at home, in our hands, and on demand. Digital technologies open up enormous opportunities in accessing, storing and transmitting information, and digital reading environments offer ways to present information that is difficult or impossible to obtain in the form of text on paper.

Digitization improves many processes in several ways, email and automation being one of them. Just like electricity and its impact on corporate and individual life, digital technologies will also become ubiquitous. Along with these advances, the changes in network speeds with the deployment of 5G and the devices capable of accessing those speeds will further advance the technology of the digital age. Social networks are taking over the digital world and their population is increasing year by year.

With multiple social media platforms available around the world, many companies are considering social media as an integral part of their marketing strategy. It is a wise decision for a company to include social media in their marketing campaign as they are online 24/7 waiting for a customer to check out a product to purchase or a potential customer who is looking for a service to use in their business.

From time to time, no matter which social media platform a company uses, the algorithms change. Well, digitization is any process in which information is converted into a virtual or digital format and organized into bits. To explore this new form of work, characterized by rapid change and transformation, mainly digital publications of literature and statistics were used.

Based on this data, several papers are being prepared, some of which have already been presented at the Digilog talks, the EPSA conference and the DVPW congress. The practical part presents the advantages and disadvantages of digital nomadism, opportunities and challenges, and based on this, possible recommendations for action and possible future strategies for employees, self-employed workers and traditional companies are obtained. The theoretical part explains and delimits the terms underlying the work, and presents the concept and development of digital nomadism.

Digitalization targets a wide range of cutting-edge issues seen by the Company, which include ensuring adequate broadband bandwidth to provide legitimate and versatile association administrations (correspondence administrations) with data for all segments of the population at large, which varies by age, gender and occupation. . Government agencies have sent out various plans to people working in different fields to promote digitization and also to reassure people that this is a reliable, fast and beneficial change. In all scenarios, it seems to be beneficial to enhance the digital skills of stakeholders.

We show that digital agricultural policies do more than replace analog technologies used in traditional agricultural policies. In particular, it provides opportunities for better spatial targeting and tool customization, including results-based grants.

Digital transformation can also improve the quality of solutions through managed and incremental product launches. Every company’s path to digital transformation will be different because each company has unique needs and goals.

As digitalization disrupts society and business models, it presents both a challenge and an opportunity for compliance managers. This transformation is more than ever a compelling argument to emphasize the importance of business ethics in the conduct of any business. Walk the Talk management sets the tone for values ​​throughout the organization, not just by maximizing efficiency, monitoring business processes, and automating compliance reviews. He will explain what will be required of traditional employees and digital nomads in the future, what opportunities and risks will present and what adjustments traditional companies will have to make.

In the near future, companies as a relevant target group will be interested in digital nomads on two fronts. Using digital technology and understanding them are two completely different beasts. Nearly 80 percent of companies are reportedly pursuing digital initiatives, and nearly 70 percent believe they need to invest in digital strategies to remain competitive.

This era of modernization is being supported in Belgium by the rebuilding plan of Wallonia, a community organization created to provide direct support to local authorities in the field of information technology and digitization in order to achieve the following dual goal. Hence, in order to promote and work with this developing new idea of ​​digitization, the government sent a program called “Computerized India”. However, it remains unclear what the digitalization of the sector will mean for future agricultural policy.

These include 1) digitalization of the sector in line with current directions at current rates as a base case, 2) strong digitalization of the regulatory government, 3) use of autonomous agricultural technologies, and 4) digitalization of the food business. Technology-based pricing strategies, such as dynamic pricing, have become widespread across industries around the world. If you want to find your products and/or services on search engines like Google, Bing, and others, you can include search engine optimization (SEO) in your list of digital marketing strategies and strategies. The search engine is definitely and will be on the list, especially in digital marketing.

They do this to make it easier to manage, control and monitor water consumption in real time. An amplification of this is digital or modern nomadism, in which people work multi-locally from home, in the office, in specially equipped co-working spaces or on the street in so-called transit zones, such as at the airport. However, if a company invests resources in alleviating its operational and implementation weaknesses by leveraging digital transformation (in this case, by automating manual processes), it can bring the continuous added value of mobile capabilities to market faster.

Covid-19: Biodiversity Conservation– Our Solutions Are In Nature

The social energy generated by the COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to develop and implement many new ways to build sustainable and adaptable relationships between people and the rest of nature. The public can be prepared for a recovery that includes effective and sustainable biosecurity with elements of human health, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation as a package based on sustainable development principles. A biosecurity approach that simultaneously tackles the COVID-19 pandemic, biodiversity loss, and climate change crises can leverage economic incentives for greener national economies.

Increase investment in the conservation, sustainable use, and restoration of biodiversity. Set biodiversity spending targets for COVID-19 stimulus measures and recovery plans. . For example, the German International Climate Initiative (IKI) is implementing a €68 million Crown response package that will, among other things, provide financial support for the conservation of nature reserves in IKI partner countries to address the immediate impacts of COVID-19 (Platform Redesign 2020, 2020 [101 ]). For example, the EU has introduced a new biodiversity strategy as part of its Green Deal, which proposes introducing new conservation and land-use planning targets, including a commitment to ensure that at least 30% of Europe’s land and seas are protected areas by 2030.

In other countries, the integrated protection of biodiversity has been recognized as a key component of a successful green recovery from COVID-19. While the overall environmental impact of the blockade and other pandemic policies has been mixed, COVID-19 has helped highlight the importance of protecting biodiversity. Because the COVID-19 pandemic is similar to the COVID-19 pandemic but is of greater global concern than recent past zoonotic pandemics such as SARS, the current pandemic provides additional opportunities to reframe conservation monitoring in favor of public health (Jones et al.., 2008; Morse et al. al., 2012; Zinsstag et al., 2011), as well as to understand the biodiversity changes associated with the global extent of human isolation and the long-term effects of sustaining the social and behavioral changes associated with the pandemic (Bates et al., 2020; Cheval et al. ., 2020; Soga et al., 2021; CS1, CS2, CS3, CS5, and CS6).

Understanding how the current epidemic will affect biodiversity conservation in the short and long term, and to what extent this impact will differ from past disturbances, is critical to achieving biodiversity conservation outcomes in an uncertain future. The global COVID-19 pandemic shows how changes in the scale, type, and extent of human activity can affect biological conservation. Conservation of natural habitats, in turn, requires profound changes in human food production and human encroachment on remaining natural habitats.

Decisions to prevent pandemics and protect nature must be permanently elevated to the highest levels of government. In the absence of this awareness, protecting the environment and biodiversity in a post-COVID-19 world may be pushed further down the national and international agenda. Conservation research is unlikely to be a government priority during the post-pandemic economic recovery, and conservation biologists need to communicate the many benefits that this research and biodiversity itself brings to society.

The diversion of funds for more urgent purposes, as well as travel restrictions, are likely to have a direct impact on research activities such as long-term monitoring programs, prioritizing conservation of species and ecosystems, social-ecological research involving humans, and poorly studied expeditions. places. Immediate impact Conservation and development projects that require human presence, such as monitoring protected areas, treating plant and wildlife diseases, and eradicating invasive alien species, may fall by the wayside. Concerns persist that the COVID-19 pandemic will trigger hasty government action that will harm conservation efforts or spark a social backlash against species considered to be vectors of zoonoses, with negative consequences for the local conservation of these species and their habitats (MacFarlane & Rocha, 2020). ). There are huge risks that when COVID-19 vaccines are available and memories of the crisis fade, so will the resolve to prevent pandemics while conserving biodiversity.

There is no doubt that our immediate priority in dealing with the pandemic must be to protect people and prevent its spread, but our long-term strategy must be to combat deforestation, biodiversity loss and the illegal wildlife trade. There are countless benefits to strategizing and investing in natural solutions for the planet’s holistic well-being. We need to understand the simple fact that nature does not need people, but people need nature.

Covid-19 has provided us with a great opportunity to re-examine our lost relationship with nature and to put nature at the center of our decision-making. COVID-19 is our opportunity to redefine our relationship with nature and rebuild a more environmentally responsible world. Combatting the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and protecting against future global threats requires proper management of hazardous medical and chemical waste; robust integrated management of nature and biodiversity; A good recovery”, a clear commitment to creating “green” jobs and facilitating the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

The current pandemic is a wake-up call for all of us to build a resilient economy together, conserve nature and biodiversity, to regain lost glories. Because the theme of the International Day for Biodiversity 2021 suggests that we are part of the solution for nature, and solutions are indeed nature’s. Other zoonoses and devastating global pandemics are inevitable unless we fundamentally rethink our relationship with nature.

The emergence of COVID-19 has highlighted the fact that by destroying biodiversity, we are destroying the system that sustains human life. The positive and negative impacts of Covid-19 on biodiversity resources are predictable as the current pandemic intensifies as population grows around the world. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected virtually every sector and sector of biodiversity conservation at the local, regional and global levels (Corlett et al., 2020).

Its impact on biodiversity conservation is numerous and can be both negative and positive, but the negative impact outweighs the positive (Muhumuza and Balkwill, 2013; Roe et al., 2015; Corlett et al., 2020). Like previous outbreaks, Covid-19 has resulted in the inability to manage protected areas and implement conservation programs due to a complete lockdown (Corlett et al., 2020). The consequences of Covid-19 are inevitable as anthropogenic pressure on the natural ecosystem is reduced due to the blockage of social and economic activities. Protecting biodiversity contributes to social and economic resilience4 Integrating biodiversity into the recovery from COVID-19 is important not only to prevent future pandemics; it is also vital to economic sustainability and human well-being.

Investing in nature has immediate and long-term benefits for economic development and social stability, health and well-being, and climate resilience and biodiversity conservation. Based on this experience, we must be part of the solution to create nature through reforestation, preserving existing forests and other landscapes that are home to biodiversity.

These civil society engagement efforts can become more effective tools for biodiversity conservation and awareness raising. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been numerous changes in national and international conservation policy and practice. Growing political interest in biodiversity conservation is fueled by the recognition that our economy is heavily dependent on nature and that proper protection and management of biodiversity ecosystems can help address other social challenges, including climate change.