Category: Health

Handling Criticism Like A Pro

Everyone of us, at some point in our lives, would have faced criticism in one form or the other (except of course if we’ve chosen to shut ourselves up in a room and not attempt anything at all in life). It might be about anything – about what you have said or done or not done or the way you dress or about your work, the list just goes on. Criticism pops up everywhere. It’s as much a part and parcel of our lives as the air we breathe, and hence learning how to deal with it gracefully is an important life skill to have.

Is Criticism good for you ?

Criticism, wrapped up and delivered even in the best of the packaging, is not something that anybody actually enjoys. The instant reaction to it in most cases is to close ourselves up and get into defensive mode. So identifying whether it’s constructive or destructive is a key step that’ll help you in figuring out whether it’s good or bad for you.

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So, what exactly is Constructive and Destructive criticism ?

Constructive Criticism is a way of giving feedback with an intention of helping you improve yourself. It not just points out your mistakes and weaknesses, but also includes suggestions for improvement and the actions that need to be taken. It can be considered as that much needed reality check which we all need from time to time. 

Destructive Criticism on the other hand is given with the sole intention of tearing you down. The reasons for doing that may be many – jealousy, insecurities, ignorance, complexes, boredom etc. Here, instead of commenting on the actions of a person, the focus mainly is on attacking the person and pulling him down. The critic in this case, is not in the least interested in your well being or improvement.

So, as you might have figured out by now, constructive criticism more often than not, represents an opportunity. It helps you in identifying your weaknesses, which you might otherwise be unaware of and enables you to see things from a different perspective. Whereas destructive criticism is more or less an attempt by a person to let his steam off at the expense of others. 

How do you identify them ?

Honestly, when you are out there at the receiving end, identifying whether it’s constructive or destructive would probably be the last thing on your mind. But before you pounce on your critic, just pause and take a deep breath. Wait, what ? Yes you read it right. Pause and take a deep breath (Remember, deep breath not an annoyed sigh ! You don’t want to worsen the situation, do you ?) Let the emotions flow through you. Do not restrict it but also do not take it out on the other person.It’s not easy but it’s definitely doable. If you find it hard to refrain yourself from blowing a fuse, excuse yourself and take some time out before responding. Setting your emotions aside and getting into a frame of mind where you are calm enough to analyse the situation rationally, is the most difficult but important step to take, while facing criticism. 

Once you have calmed yourself down, listen to the other person without interrupting. By listening, I meant active listening and not just nodding along while thinking about ways on how to attack the critic back. Allow the other person to share their thoughts and comments completely. While listening, focus on the content of the comment and not on the tone. Sometimes even the best intended criticisms may sound harsh or even worse, the most toxic comments may be presented in the most tactful manner. So it’s very important that you detach the content from the tone.

At this point, you can try and  repeat back what you have heard and understood. Be careful to do that in a non aggressive tone. By repeating back, you are not only making sure that you aren’t misinterpreting their comments, but also helping yourself understand the comment better. When you take a step back and remove yourself from the equation and focus just on the comment, chances are that you may be able to view it through a different lens. At this stage, by analysing it objectively, you will be able to figure out the intention behind it – whether you are actually being attacked or is it just your ego playing tricks on you.

If you are still confused, seek clarification. Break it down and  ask questions. When you are asking questions, do it with an open mind and not with an intention to prove the other person wrong. You can ask for specific examples to get better clarity on the issue raised or ask for suggestions on how the situation could have been handled differently. Be genuinely curious in finding the intention. If the critic actually means well, he’ll be able to give you answers or suggestions or atleast give you valid and logical reasons to back his comment, which might help you to see things from the critic’s perspective. Destructive criticism shatters under scrutiny – no logic, no reasons, nothing but just a set of toxic statements thrown at you with the sole intention of hurting your self-esteem and  pulling you down.

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How to deal with criticism ?

So now that you have calmly analysed the issue and identified whether the criticism was meant to help you or to tear you down, it’s time to take action. 

Okay, but before that, you may now take a moment to appreciate yourself for successfully pulling off the I-Can-Be-Calm-No-Matter-What version of you. A little bit of self appreciation always helps to put that vulnerable little child inside you in a better mood. 

Alright, now that you are slightly in a better mood, let’s get to business. Let’s say you have identified the criticism to be toxic, what do you think you should do next ?  Tell them that their points are baseless ? Make them understand that you are right and argue until you prove your point ? Or give them a taste of their own medicine and criticise them ? Well, the best course of action here would be to ignore. Ignore ? Seriously? But how can you just walk away when somebody is attacking you and challenging your self worth?   

Well, it might sound all philosophical and seem like something that only people roaming about with a halo around their heads can do. But trust me, it is the most logical thing to do,  given such a situation. Think about it, here is a person who is trying to derogate and destroy your self-esteem, confidence and reputation using some baseless and illogical set of arguments. Do you think if that person was logical enough he would have stooped to this level ? No matter what you do, understand that he has come with a closed mindset and a fixed agenda, that is,to insult you. Nothing you say or do is going to knock sense into that person’s head. And moreover it’s not even your responsibility to do that.There’s no point in wasting your time and energy on such people, so just let it go. Politely excuse yourself, thank the person for the feedback and move on with your life. 

Now, let’s come to constructive criticism. When you receive it, ask yourself ‘Does this align with my priorities ?’ For example, you might be criticised for not making that perfect pasta or for being lousy at tennis. Ask yourself, does it really matter ? Is this really a priority in your life ? Well, depending upon your goals, it might or might not be. In any case it is important that you identify that. And if the suggestion doesn’t align with your priorities, even though it is constructive, there is no point investing too much of your time in it. So, take note of it and ask for suggestions on how to improve, if you feel a need for that and move on.And hey, don’t forget to thank your critic !

Now, what if it aligns with your priorities ? Then set your ego aside and  ask yourself – ‘Deep down, do I agree with what is being said ?’  If you can’t bring yourself to agree to it, respectfully disagree. Present your side of the story. Engage in a constructive discussion.Chances are that when you do it, the other person may understand your perspective or vice-versa.Either way it’s a win-win. However, there are chances that you both might not come to a conclusion at all. Accept the fact that everyone is entitled to have their own opinions and perspectives and it’s perfectly okay not to be on the same page always. So just agree to disagree and peacefully move on.

Finally, let’s say that the little voice inside your head secretly agrees to all the charges that you are accused of. In that case, buckle up, it’s time for action. If you find that there is truth in what the other person has said, then do not shy away from acknowledging it. Analyse the comment, deconstruct it and figure out what needs to be addressed and what measures need to be taken to learn and evolve from your mistakes. You may even take suggestions from your critic on the steps that need to be taken. Accepting your mistakes and learning from them is a great way to kick-start your journey of self improvement. 

Bottom Line

Criticism comes in all shapes and forms. Neither can you avoid it nor can you control the way others perceive you. The only thing you have control over is your attitude towards it and the way you choose to respond to it. It is important that you identify the intent behind it and take action accordingly. And depending on it, you can either use the criticism as a foundation to build a better future for yourself or choose to ignore it if it’s not worthy of your time and energy. Having said that, I also want you to know that developing a positive attitude towards criticism is not something that comes easy. It takes time, patience and hell a lot of practice. So be gentle with yourself; take it one step at a time. And while you are at it, don’t forget to acknowledge and celebrate even the smallest of your milestones. Good Luck !

5 Scientific benefits of dark chocolate consumption

To all the chocolate lovers out there, did you know that consumption of chocolate can be beneficial for your health too? Well, Dark chocolate i.e chocolate containing cocoa solids and cocoa butter sans the milk and butter generally found in milk chocolate has been scientifically proven to provide potential health benefits to humans.

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Listed below are 5 benefits of dark Chocolates:

1) Good for skin

The cocoa in dark chocolate contains flavonoids which helps our body to function more effectively. It fights off toxins and stressers and acts as a natural source of anti oxidant that helps in slowing down the ageing process in humans!

2)It is good for heart

Some of the compounds in dark chocolate especially flavanols helps in fighting off high blood pressure and high cholestrol which are the two major risk factors in heart disease. Henceforth, regukar consumption if dark chocolate may lessen the likelihood of a person developing heart diseases.

3) Improves brain function

According to researchers, dark chocolate may improve brain functions and prevent neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. According to a small study held in 2018, reasearchers suggested that the flavanols present in dark chocolate may improve neuroplasticity which is the brain’s ability to reorganise itself in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli.

4) Improves blood sugar levels

Regular consumption of dark chocolate has been found to be helpful in metabolisation of glucose. A study in 2017 in the journal Appetite showed that participants who rarely consumed dark chocolate had higher risks of developing diabetes five years down the road when compared to participants who consume dark chocolate at least once per week.

5) May help with weight loss

Researchers suggest that dark chocolate may play a role in controlling appetite which in turn could help with weight loss. In the books Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight written by neuroscientist Will Clower suggests how eating a bit of dark chocolate before or after meals triggers hormones that signal to the brain you are full. However, proper diet chart and regular exercising should be done to help in successful weight loss.

How To Break The Procrastination Cycle & Get Things Done

It’s 9 in the morning. You are fresh and focused and all set to work on that challenging project which needs to be completed urgently. You sit at your desk and fire up the laptop and while waiting for it to boot, you reach for your phone and then, as if on auto pilot, you find yourself opening Instagram (or Facebook or YouTube or news or whatever that is that you are obsessed with!) and start scrolling, and bam, the next thing you realise is it’s already 11, you are exhausted and you haven’t even logged in. Sounds familiar ? What exactly do you think happened here? Where did all that morning energy go ? Did the time just fly ? Well, this trap that most of us fall into is nothing but procrastination. 

What is Procrastination ?

Procrastination usually involves doing something easy or enjoyable instead of the unpleasant but important things that you are supposed to be doing. It is the irrational avoidance of a task or an activity. Most of the time we confuse it with laziness. Though outwardly both of them may seem similar and produce almost the same outcomes, they are fundamentally different.

Procrastination vs Laziness

Laziness is when a person is unwilling to put in the effort or energy needed to carry out a task. It is about avoiding responsibilities completely.Procrastination, on the other hand, is when a person has an intense desire to do the task and is even willing to put in the effort needed, but is stopped by an inner resistance or barrier that has been put up between his mind and the task at hand. Say for example, on a Sunday if you decide that you are not going to do anything but curl up on the couch and binge watch your favourite show, then you are deliberately making a choice not to do anything else at all on that day. On the other hand when you have an important assignment to submit and the deadline is fast approaching but you decide to put it off and  watch Netflix instead, then that’s a classic example of procrastination.

Effects of Long Term Procrastination

Long term procrastination can have serious adverse effects on our mental and physical health.The longer you procrastinate, the more overwhelming the task becomes, which in turn may cause anxiety, guilt and stress. Overall productivity of the individual decreases over time with procrastination and this might even lead to depression. As our mental health and physical health are deeply intertwined, a decline in one can have a serious negative impact on the other. Over time, chronic procrastination not only has productivity costs but also impacts our physical and mental wellbeing adversely.

Causes of Procrastination

Procrastination may stem from the need of the emotional part of our brain for instant rewards. When you have to deal with a task that is overwhelming or boring or unpleasant, the brain tries to find out ways to avoid doing it by replacing it with something easy or comfortable or instantly gratifying. And the momentary relief that the brain feels while putting off the task is the reward it gets for procrastination. And it’s our natural tendency to repeat things that we are rewarded for and thus this becomes a cycle rather than a one-off behaviour.

Procrastination may also be due to underlying mental health issues. People with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) find it hard to stay organized and have difficulties with time management which can make a task seem overwhelming. Consider a chinese enrichment class to help them learn faster. 

Those suffering from depression tend to have low self esteem which makes them doubt their ability to successfully complete a task. Anxiety also plays similar tricks on the brain and instills a fear of failure and lack of confidence in the person. 

Surprisingly, perfectionists are often procrastinators.The fear of doing a task imperfectly can lead them to putting off the task indefinitely. 

Certain other traits like poor decision making skills, lack of structure, ambiguity, absence of personal meaning and lack of instant gratification may also lead to procrastination.

How to Overcome Procrastination ?

  • If you are procrastinating because you find it boring or unpleasant, then try to focus on the long term benefits of completing the task. Identifying the long term benefits would help in aligning your present self with the future self. Also, it is equally important to focus on the consequences of putting off the task.  Think about all the ways in which not doing this task would affect you. Listing down the impact of avoidance of the task in the major areas of your life would give a realistic view about the situation and give the brain that necessary push to get you started on the task.
  • The brain finds it easier to deal with tasks which are unambiguous and properly structured. When you have a pile of half finished or pending  tasks, your brain goes into a state of panic, which makes focusing even on a single task difficult. Setting a roadmap with well defined milestones and breaking down the task into tiny manageable units can help in tackling those tasks which might otherwise seem overwhelming. Knowing what, how and when to do a task brings about a structure and clarity to the task.
  • More often than not, procrastination may also be a result of underlying mental health issues. Emotional regulation and stress management under the guidance of a therapist may be the best course of action in such cases.
  • In most cases, the biggest challenge one may face is in getting started on a task. For those struggling with the starting trouble, taking the tiniest possible first step would help in overcoming the inertia. Keep a timer for 5 minutes and tell yourself that you would stop after 5 minutes and get started on the task. Once you are successful in getting the brain to stay focused for those 5 minutes, then you are most likely to get into the flow of the task and continue doing the task. Just push yourself to take that initial step and the rest will follow.
  • Fear in any form – The fear of failure, fear of judgement or fear of rejection- holds you back from getting out of your comfort zone and is yet another reason why most people procrastinate. List down all possible fears and  worst case scenarios that you have conjured up in your mind. Once you have it all listed out right in front of you, analyse each of the scenarios. If you feel that your fear is logical and rational, then try and find ways to combat it. Cross out the irrational ones. Think about your whys and about what really matters to you. Ask yourself – Would you rather do it and face the consequences or give in to your fears and regret not doing it, years later ? 
  • The brain often looks for instant rewards. Putting off a boring or difficult task provides a relief which gives the brain the much needed instant gratification. Unless you give the brain a better offer, it continues to find ways to satisfy its craving for quick rewards. So rewarding yourself with a treat after the completion of a milestone would be a good idea to trick the brain into doing similar difficult tasks. Also focusing on and internalising the ‘feel good vibes’ that you get once you complete a difficult task would make the brain crave for such similar experiences which would eventually help in breaking the procrastination loop.
  • Thanks to scroll-culture, the attention span of most of us today has reached almost to the level of a goldfish’s. It just takes a beep from the phone or a mail pop up or even the sound of our own internal voices for us to get distracted. Not surprisingly, people who have difficulty in staying focussed on the task at hand tend to be master procrastinators. So stay away from the phone, close all those unnecessary tabs and if possible disconnect from the internet before you start an important task. When it comes to the constant chatter of your mind, try and find ways to calm it down through meditation or other calming techniques. You can also try writing down the random thoughts that come to your mind during a task so that they can be dealt with later. Assuring the brain that you have set aside a certain amount of time to deal with those thoughts will help in calming it down and bringing the focus back to the work that you are doing.
  • Last but not the least, rephrase your inner dialogue. When you tell yourself that you have to or you need to do a task, it creates an internal pressure on you to do it. The phrases ‘Have to’ or ‘Need to’ creates an impression that you have no choice but to do the task. Most of us do not like it when somebody forces us to work, even if we like the task. The rebel in you starts to resist and finds ways to avoid doing it. The conflict here is between you and your internal voice. So, be it any task,  rephrasing the internal dialogue to ‘I want to’ or ‘I choose to’ , puts you in a position of power. Here, you are not doing it because you have to, rather you are doing it because you want to. It makes you feel more in control and you start owning the work. Once this change in perception happens, it’s much easier to do the task, because hey, you are the boss and you are doing only those things that you really want.

To sum up, procrastination can be best described as the constant conflict between your present self and the future self. While the future self  has big dreams and goals for you and constantly comes up with ideas and plans for your bigger and better future, the present self pulls you towards the most instantly gratifying and comfortable option available. To break out of this habit loop, it is important that you learn how to manage your emotions and moods. I hope and wish that the tips mentioned above would help you kick-start your journey towards curbing procrastination. Good Luck !

Let bygones be bygones..

Everywhere, everytime what we observe is nothing more than the unhappy moments. Or may be we have become habitual of seeing everything in negative perspective.

Just ask someone, “how’s life going on”, & you will get the replies like these, “Ok”, “Not good”, “Bad”, “It’s just going on, don’t ask how”. You”ll find only a few who”ll reply you,”Oh.. It’s awesome..” or “it’s fantastic”. It simply shows that if not frustrated, people aren’t really happy with their lives.

And if you starting asking them the reasons, then you’ll soon realize that a thing is common among most of their problems.

The Past, or I must say the memories of past are the reasons behind most of our problems. I’m not saying that one should forget everything about the past. But it’s not worthy to live in past at all.

Worrying about what has happened,or what you’ve said to someone, or what someone once said to you, or how you broke up with someone or something, or how you shouldn’t have wasted your time, or how you should have done this or that thing or how you shouldn’t have done this or that thing isn’t ok. These worries make one less happy & more frustrated.

The life isn’t all about your past, it’s much more than this. Ok, it’s not easy to get over the memories, how good or bad they were, doesn’t matter. But just remember, that it’s not the memories, which are bothering you, but it’s your over thinking that makes you feel frustrated.

If something has happened in past, just learn from it. Grow up, be mature, don’t over think about the past incidents.

Focus on present, let the bygones be bygones.

Happy Reading…🙂

🕊️ May the peace prevail on our Earth. May the hope abide in our Hearts. 🕊️

दुनिया के चाहने पर खत्म होगी महामारी: WHO


विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन के प्रमुख ट्रेडोस ऐडनोम घेबरियस ने बर्लिन में आयोजित अपने एक वर्ल्डहेल्थ समिट को संबोधित करते हुए कहा कि जब सभी देश उपलब्ध स्वास्थ्य उपकरणों का प्रभावी ढंग से उपयोग करना शुरू कर देंगे,तब जाकर कोरोना महामारी खत्म हो जाएगी। उन्होंने कहा कि जब दुनिया इसे खत्म करना चाहेगी, तब यह समाप्त होगा। यह हमारे हाथों में है। वह सभी उपकरण हमारे पास मौजूद है,चाहे प्रभावी सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य उपकरण हो या प्रभावी चिकित्सा उपकरण,जिनकी हमे अवश्यकता है। परंतु दुनिया ने इसका अच्छी तरीके से उपयोग नहीं किया।एक सप्ताह में करीब 50 हज़ार मौतें हुईं हैं तो अभी महामारी खत्म नहीं हुई।



उन्होंने सम्मेलन में बोलते हुए कहा कि वह को भी ने टीकाकरण के लिए एक वैश्विक रणनीति शुरू करने के लिए WHO प्रमुख में शामिल हुए,जो सभी देशों में लोगों को टीके वितरित करने के लिए एक लागत और विश्वसनीय प्रभावी योजना का सुझाव देता है।

WHO प्रमुख ने जी 20 देशों का पहले से ही 40% अपनी आबादी को कोवैक्स तंत्र में सक्रिय रूप से संलग्न कर देने के लिए भी आव्हान किया। रविवार को संयुक्त राष्ट्र महासचिव एंटोनियो गुटेरेस ने जी-20 देशों से पूरी दुनिया में कोविड-19 के टीका का उचित वितरण सुनिश्चित करने के लिए 8 बिलियन अमेरिकी डॉलर इकट्ठा करने में मदद का एलान किया।

बता दें, WHO पहले से भी कोरोना को लेकर पूरी दुनिया को चेतावनी देता रहा है। एक बार फिर से भारत में कोरोना से मरने वालों की संख्या में इजाफा देखा गया है। पिछले 24 घंटों में 443 लोगों की मौतें हुई है। वहीं एक दिन में 14,306 कोरोना के नए मामले सामने आए हैं।

अनन्या कौशल द्वारा संपादित।

No Judgement Club

Being out of the box and not following being a part of the rat race is the new black.

Being trapped inside the box of “log kya kahenge” is something that we all have faced and we still do even if we deny it. With the parents and guardians being supportive and the youth being overtly conscious and aware of their rights, we, as a generation, as a club of the 2000’s, the “gen-z club” are trying to freely reign the things that we want to do ignoring any type of judgement and pushing away the people who pull us down.   

We are conquering the world of nonlinear growth pattern and not focusing on the aligned growth pattern which means that we do not focus on just the “conservative” idea of growth. We do not indulge into working like a robot but focus on a nonaligned growth pattern which means that we not only love to work but also focus on our mental health. We understand that we are not in a rat race and believe in living our lives in a comfortable manner.

Why is mental health important? 

There is a clear connection between mental health and academic
performance. Mental health is important for person’s growth just like
a person’s physical health. Imagine working with a broken arm, will
you be able to work? No. Then why should someone with anxiety
disorders, paranoia, depression, etc., are expected to work efficiently
when they can’t even process their mind the way they want to.

Social media and positivity 

Being a generation with extreme activeness on the social media, we have made social media a happy, comforting place for everyone. Social media positivity helps us bear things. With innumerable creators creating content that helps us ignore the negativity and LIVE. 

Log kya hi keh lenge! 

When we start, when we initiate, the paradigm shifts, the pattern starts changing. We have to hold hands and work together. We all can shift the attention from “log kya kahenge” to “log kya hi keh lenge” and then see how the world changes, how we conquer the art of living and being a generation that creates better adults. 

Let It Out

We the creatures of this planet are born with numerous feelings and emotions and as soon as we get hold of ourselves we decide for ourselves if a certain emotions are important for us or not. And the emotion that gets the last place in this not so perfect ranking is the feeling that portray us as sentimental, weak, and quite vulnerable that of crying, venting out all that we have deep buried inside us through our eyes, tears as people call them are what we find the heaviest to let out and yet heavier to carry within us. The vulnerability that we believe surrounds us every time we emit sentiments or feelings that are emotionally draining turns us into some being that isn’t comfortable about their own emotions and consequently we crawl further into ourselves becoming more of an emotional wreck than an emotional person.

The salty water that is emitted every time we experience any sort of emotional trouble or low can actually turn in to the best kind of respite from the burden that this world puts on us. The relieving of our tensions through our eyes is quite normal and in fact healthy. Taking into the acceptance that we are having a bad day and that crying it out might be the best part of the day then one must do that. With all the responsibilities and tensions of the world we definitely need some type of respite from that hectic schedule and mostly people want to run away from it but crying can actually be the medicine we need on a long day. Though different people have different ways of getting themselves back after a heavy day but if letting out the tears is your way you must not shy away from it.

A common stereotype that makes people control their tears to the extent that they start getting uneasy and it becomes unhealthy is that of crying being associated with weakness, while in reality it has to be quite strong of a person to be vulnerable enough to own this emotional self that they make of themselves. Physical health has always got priority over mental health for a very long time in the past. But now as the times are changing and we as human beings are evolving the significance of taking care of our mental health has been increasing to the extent that people are normalizing the act of crying as the perfect humanly behavior and no connection whatsoever with it being the deed of the coward or the weak. In fact keeping it in is considered much less brave and as more of the action of those who are not familiar with their own weak side and in consequence do not know themselves inside out.

There is no insistence on crying out loud in front of the people we know or not know, but rather it is about letting out of the fear which resides within us, the fear of losing it all, the fear of staying the emotional wreck for the rest of our lives, the fear of going away from sanity, the fear of knowing the weak, vulnerable person that we actually are, the fear of people knowing or seeing our not so perfect side, the fear of getting everything to its worst end, the fear of not making ourselves what we thought of, the fear of not getting back on our feet, the fear of unknown, the fear that makes us let it out.

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Why has October been so rainy ?

Explained : Although the monsoon season ends in September, a delayed withdrawal and other factors have been causing severe rainfall in several states.

Western disturbances, which begin to have significant interference in local weather over the extreme northern parts of India, commonly cause either rain or snowfall. Since late last week, Ladakh, the higher reaches of Kashmir and Uttarakhand have reported the season’s first snowfall.

Last week, two low-pressure systems were active simultaneously, one each over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal regions. Collectively, these triggered severe weather events over Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha and West Bengal.

Delayed monsoon withdrawal

The four-month southwest monsoon season normally withdraws completely by early October. During the withdrawal phase, it causes thunderstorms and localised heavy rainfall.

This year, however, the withdrawal began only on October 6 against a normal of September 17. So far, the monsoon has withdrawn completely from the Western, Northern, Central and Eastern India regions. But it remains active over the southern peninsula. Thus, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have had significant rainfall during the last 10 days.

Until Monday, the monsoon had not withdrawn from Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, parts of West Bengal and Odisha and entire southern peninsular India.

“As there has been a delay in the southwest monsoon withdrawal, good rainfall has continued over Odisha, the Northeast and south India,” said Mrutyunjay Mohaptra, director general, India Meteorological Department (IMD).



Normally, by mid-October, the monsoon winds reverse their direction of flow from the southwest to the northeast.

“Even though the easterlies are beginning to replace the westerlies, the former is yet strengthen and fully establish. The easterly winds indicate the arrival of the northeast monsoon,” said D Sivanand Pai, head, Climate Research and Services, IMD, Pune.

This year, conditions for the onset of the northeast monsoon are expected to develop around October 25.

Extreme rains

For most days last week, at least two low-pressure systems remained active along the east and west coasts and over central India, bringing rains over large parts of the country.

Delhi received 87.9mm (over a 24-hour period) between Sunday and Monday, making it the fourth wettest October day for the national capital since 1901. The month of October has also been the fourth wettest so far. It has received 94.6 mm rains this month so far, which is next only to the 238.2 mm it received in 1954, the 236.2 mm in 1956, and 186.9 mm in the entire Octobers of 1910.

Likewise, Balasore in Odisha recorded 210mm in a day and it was only the second such occasion in a decade for this month.

While Tamil Nadu normally receives good rainfall between October and December, mainly during the northeast monsoon, Coimbatore (110mm) witnessed its wettest October day in a decade even before the onset of the northeast monsoon.

The Western Ghats, northeast and central India are known as high-rainfall receiving regions. However, in recent years, it has been noted that intense spells during a short time span are increasingly becoming frequent.

“Due to climate change, there is definitely a rising frequency in the extreme weather events round the year. But these specific occurrences of heavy to very heavy rains that we are seeing right now can be attributed to the formation of low-pressure systems,” said Mohaptra.

“Whenever there is a low-pressure system, depending on its strength, it results in heavy to very heavy rainfall activity. In addition, when a low-pressure system interacts with western disturbance, further intense rainfall occurs,” he said.

Extreme rainfall in Kerala

A low-pressure system that formed in the east-central Arabian Sea moved and sustained over Kerala between October 15 and17.

Simultaneously, another low-pressure system prevailed over the north Andhra Pradesh coast and southern Odisha. The interaction between them strengthened the southwest winds which brought extreme rainfall over central and southern Kerala during the last weekend.

At some places in Idukki, Ernakulam, Kollam and Kottayam districts, the 24-hour rainfall was over 200 mm. As many of these districts are hilly and covered with dense forests, the water run-off triggered landslides and mudslides.

Rainy days ahead

The low-pressure system that affected Kerala has weakened now. But a similar system is still active over central India, because of which northern India is likely to received good rainfall this week.

Heavy rainfall events are predicted over Western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh for Tuesday, with a ‘red’ alert having been issued by IMD for these regions.


Another low pressure — located over Northern Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal — is active and its interaction with the moist easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal is expected to bring heavy rain over West Bengal, Odisha, Sikkim, and Bihar until Wednesday. The maximum impact in terms of extremely heavy rain (more than 204 mm in 24 hours) is likely over some places in West Bengal and Sikkim on Tuesday.

Written by : Ananya Kaushal

Impact of Covid-19 on the Corporate Sector in India



The impact of coronavirus pandemic on India has been largely disruptive in terms of economic activity as well as a loss of human lives. Almost all the sectors have been adversely affected as domestic demand and exports sharply plummeted with some notable exceptions where high growth was observed. An attempt is made to analyze the impact and possible solutions for some key sectors.


Food & Agriculture

Since agriculture is the backbone of the country and a part of the government announced essential category, the impact is likely to be low on both primary agricultural production and usage of agro-inputs. Several state governments have already allowed free movement of fruits, vegetables, milk etc. Online food grocery platforms are heavily impacted due to unclear restrictions on movements and stoppage of logistics vehicles. RBI and Finance Minister announced measures will help the industry and the employees in the short term. Insulating the rural food production areas in the coming weeks will hold a great answer to the macro impact of COVID-19 on Indian food sector as well as larger economy.


Aviation & Tourism

The contribution of the Aviation Sector and Tourism to our GDP stands at about 2.4% and 9.2% respectively. The Tourism sector served approximately 43 million people in FY 18-19. Aviation and Tourism were the first industries that were hit significantly by the pandemic. The common consensus seems to be that COVID will hit these industries harder than 9/11 and the Financial Crisis of 2008. These two industries have been dealing with severe cash flow issues since the start of the pandemic and are staring at a potential 38 million lay-offs, which translates to 70 per cent of the total workforce. The impact is going to fall on both, White and Blue collar jobs. According to IATO estimates, these industries may incur losses of about 85 billion Rupees due to travel restrictions. The Pandemic has also brought about a wave of innovation in the fields of contactless boarding and travel technologies.



Telecom

There has been a significant amount of changes in the telecom sector of India even before the Covid-19 due to brief price wars between the service providers. Most essential services and sectors have continued to run during the pandemic thanks to the implementation of the ‘work from home’ due to restrictions. With over 1 billion connections as of 2019, the telecom sector contributes about 6.5 per cent of GDP and employs almost 4 million people. Increased broadband usage had a direct impact and resulted in pressure on the network. Demand has been increased by about 10%. However, the Telco’s are bracing for a sharp drop in adding new subscribers. As a policy recommendation, the government can aid the sector by relaxing the regulatory compliances and provide moratorium for spectrum dues, which can be used for network expansions by the companies.


Pharmaceuticals

The pharmaceutical industry has been on the rise since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in India, the largest producer of generic drugs globally. With a market size of $55 billion during the beginning of 2020, it has been surging in India, exporting Hydroxychloroquine to the world, esp. to the US, UK, Canada, and the Middle-East.

There has been a recent rise in the prices of raw materials imported from China due to the pandemic. Generic drugs are the most impacted due to heavy reliance on imports, disrupted supply-chain, and labour unavailability in the industry, caused by social distancing. Simultaneously, the pharmaceutical industry is struggling because of the government-imposed bans on the export of critical drugs, equipment, and PPE kits to ensure sufficient quantities for the country. The increasing demand for these drugs, coupled with hindered accessibility is making things harder. Easing the financial stress on the pharmaceutical companies, tax-relaxations, and addressing the labour force shortage could be the differentiating factors in such a desperate time.


Oil and Gas

The Indian Oil & Gas industry is quite significant in the global context – it is the third-largest energy consumer only behind USA and Chine and contributes to 5.2% of the global oil demand. The complete lockdown across the country slowed down the demand of transport fuels (accounting for 2/3rd demand in oil & gas sector) as auto & industrial manufacturing declined and goods & passenger movement (both bulk & personal) fell. Though the crude prices dipped in this period, the government increased the excise and special excise duty to make up for the revenue loss, additionally, road cess was raised too. As a policy recommendation, the government may think of passing on the benefits of decreased crude prices to end consumers at retail outlets to stimulate demand.


Beyond Covid: The new normal

In view of the scale of disruption caused by the pandemic, it is evident that the current downturn is fundamentally different from recessions. The sudden shrinkage in demand & increased unemployment is going to alter the business landscape. Adopting new principles like ‘shift towards localization, cash conservation, supply chain resilience and innovation’ will help businesses in treading a new path in this uncertain environment.

Coronavirus (COVID-19), a virus that grew stealthily has become one of the deadliest viruses that are killing people worldwide. This virus took birth in Wuhan city of China and since then have traveled to more than 160 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus as a pandemic. It has become a mass scare and is leading to the deaths of thousands of people in numerous countries including China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the US, and many more. In India, this pandemic started on 30 January 2020 by affecting an individual who had a travel history from Wuhan, China.


The world economy is seeing its greatest fall ever. Coronavirus has largely impacted the growth of almost every country and is responsible for the slump in GDP worldwide. Like other countries, India is also impacted by this virus but not largely. Almost every industry sector has seen a fall in their sales and revenue. India’s GDP growth has fallen to 4.7% in the third quarter of 2020.


Inflation and Affected Industry:

China is one of the largest exporters of many raw materials to India. Shutting down of factories has damaged the supply chain resulting in a drastic surge in the prices of raw materials. Some of the other products that have seen a rise in their prices are gold, masks, sanitizers, smartphones, medicines, consumer durables, etc. The aviation sector and automobile companies are the hardest hit among the rest. With no airplane landings or take-offs globally and restricted travel has brought the aviation and travel industry to a halt.



Slump in Share market:
Share markets that include Sensex and Nifty are on nose dive since the occurrence of this pandemic (COVID-19). Sensex has declined close to 8000 points in a month. As of 12 March 2020, share market investors have lost approximately Rs. 33 lakh crore rupees in a month. This could be the beginning of a recession that the Indian market will never want to witness. Investors are advised to stay safe and invested in this virus-infected stock market. Few industries that can benefit from novel coronavirus during the time of the market crash are pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).




Cash flow Issue:
Due to this outbreak, almost 80% of Indian companies have witnessed cash flow difficulty and over 50% of companies are facing operations issues. As per the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), 53% of companies are impacted by COVID-19. Slow economic activity is resulting in cash flow problems eventually impacting repayments, interest, taxes, etc.


Coronavirus (COVID-19), a virus that grew stealthily has become one of the deadliest viruses that are killing people worldwide. This virus took birth in Wuhan city of China and since then have traveled to more than 160 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Coronavirus as a pandemic. It has become a mass scare and is leading to the deaths of thousands of people in numerous countries including China, Italy, Iran, Spain, the US, and many more. In India, this pandemic started on 30 January 2020 by affecting an individual who had a travel history from Wuhan, China.


The world economy is seeing its greatest fall ever. Coronavirus has largely impacted the growth of almost every country and is responsible for the slump in GDP worldwide. Like other countries, India is also impacted by this virus but not largely. Almost every industry sector has seen a fall in their sales and revenue. India’s GDP growth has fallen to 4.7% in the third quarter of 2020.


Efforts from CII and Govt. of India:
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested the RBI reduce repo rate up to 50 basis points and also asked for a reduction of 50 basis points on the cash reserve ratio. The government is planning to set up an amount to support MSMEs to overcome the crisis during this phase of shut down, cash flow difficulty, and working capital issues.

Written by: Ananya Kaushal

EXOTIC FRUITS OF INDIA

Fruits that are not native and are cultivated at their place of origin are known as exotic fruits, simply they are unusual or different. There are several fruits around the world that are found in a particular place, collected from the wild and usually eaten by the locals. nowadays, exotic fruits have found their way to the international audience. India too is an abode to some fruits that are different from the usual fruits like mango, banana and are rare, found in particular places.

Photo by Geraud pfeiffer on Pexels.com

Carambola (star fruit)

Thanks to social media star fruit has become a known fruit among indian locals and is quite popular. Also known as five fingers, carambola is the native to southeast asia and is consumed in many parts of the world. The whole fruits is edible, and is fleshy, crunchy and firm. It is consumed when the fruit leaves all traces of green and turns yellow, it tastes sweet and sour. It is a source of a good number of nutrients, especially vitamin C and fiber. despite being anutritiuos fruit star fruit can have negative effects on some poeple due to availability of high oxalate content.

Buddha’s Hands (fingered citron)

An unusual hand like fruit which is given as an offering in buddhist temples, and it is believed that buddha prefers fingers that are closed rather than open as they resemble praying hands. In chinese religion it is a symbol of happiness, longitivity and good fortune. It is a very fragrant fruit an is used to add fragnance to rooms and clothes, specifically in china japan and malaysia. although citrus fruits are juicy but most variety of buddha’s hands contain no pulp and usually known for their aroma and texture. It is used as a flavouring agent in dishes, desserts and beverages. It is also a part of traditional medicine.

Phalsa (Indian sherbet berries)

Phalsa is a small dark purple fruit and is helpful in balancing sweet and sour flavors. It is a good cooling agent and perfect for hot weather. It is a good source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and vitamin C. It cures diarrhea, stomachache, builds immunity and supports smooth digestion. It is also consumed in the form of squash or sugar syrup and despite numerous benefits it is a very less known fruit in India.

Bael (wood apple)

One of the most popular summer fruit, bael is a highly effective against the scorching heat of the sun. The outer covering of the fruit is hard but the inner part is sweet and soft. Every part of the plant is good for human body, high in fibre, vitamins and other essential nutrients, it cures ulcers and piles, prevents constipation, is a good source of energy and equally effective against respiratory issues. The number of benefits it provides are uncountable.

Chalta (elephant apple)

Large sized shrub that is native to southeastern asia and the fruit of this plant is loved by the local elephants hence the fruit is known as elephant apple. It is consumed in both ripe and unripe form and is usually used is usually used for making jam, chutney or pickled dishes. The fruit has a large greenish-yellow shape and consists of 15-20 carpels, the fruit pulp is bitter-sour. It consists of numerous health benefits, like lowering blood pressure, fighting flu,cold and other infections, it is also good for eyes, has vitmin C and also cures stomach related problems.

Yoga at workplace: 5 exercises to de-stress at office and regain focus

Yoga at workplace: 5 exercises to de-stress at office and regain focus(Twitter/Approach_pr)

Keep spinal pains, neck torment, muscle firmness and joint issues under control as you work extended periods. Attempt these 5 straightforward corporate Yoga asana that guarantee to lessen actual torment, work environment stress, decline non-attendance and increment usefulness alongside work inspiration.

We as a whole have utilized our office work areas to stick family pictures, our most loved munchies and heap heaps of work yet from now, it will observer a wellbeing turn as well, graciousness these corporate Yoga practices that are easy to perform and serve to de-stress at working environment and recapture center. Exactly when we Tuesday blues began to soak in, we went over some Yoga asanas that keep spinal pains, neck torment, muscle solidness and joint issues under control while we work extended periods of time.

Simply require out 10 minutes during work hours to rehearse these simple yoga stretches and breathing activities at your work area or out in the outside air and under the sun. This is on the grounds that these 5 basic Yoga asana guarantee to diminish actual torment, working environment stress, decline truancy and increment efficiency alongside work inspiration:

1.Siddhasana or Achieved pose

Method:: This is the most simple posture of Yoga where you sit leg over leg with eyes shut somewhere down in reflection and hands laying on your knees. Sit with your toes got into your thighs and set your feet next to each other while keeping your knees wide and eyes shut in a thoughtful posture to expert the situated asana.

Advantages: Siddhasana or Yoga’s Cultivated posture or Siddhi’s posture is ideal situation for contemplating. It is amazing for expanding adaptability in hips and crotch/internal thigh muscles.

It not just opens the expert’s hips, chest and shoulders yet in addition extends the spine, further develops pose, extends the front of the lower legs, reinforces lower leg muscles, initiates the chakras, keeps the brain alert, diminishes pressure and uneasiness and assists with adjusting the exercises of the conceptive organs.

  1. Situated Sickle Moon Posture

Method:: Situated in your work area seat, breathe in and lift your chest upstanding, taking your arms upwards, either corresponding to one another or palms joined. With each breathe out, twist further into the posture, squeezing your tailbone towards the floor.

On the off chance that conceivable, take your head back and turn upward. To emerge from the posture, return and rehash by inclining toward to the opposite side and hold this posture for a few breaths prior to exchanging sides once more.

Advantages: This asana further develops adaptability around your shoulders and neck. The posture gives a profound stretch to the hips, thighs and crotches.

It assists with extending and open the chest and shoulders, gives recuperation post-exercise and lifts energy while deliberately working to better the body pose. The asana additionally works on the equilibrium of the body.

3. Seated Backbend Pose

Method:: Like you perform Ustrasana or camel present, sit in your office seat with feet on the floor and back off the seat while the spine is kept straight and not bended. Incline forward, arrive at your arms back behind you, snatch the rear of the seat and keep your elbows straight

Watch your shoulders unwind into the posture as you pull your shoulder bones back and breathe in. Clutch this stance prior to delivering the posture and sitting upright.

Advantages: From extending to reinforcing the shoulders, this activity further develops breath by opening up the chest. It relaxes up the vertebrae, mitigates lower back torment and further develops pose and lessens fat on thighs.

4. Seated Figure Four Pose

Method:: Track down a steady seat where you can put the two feet on the floor and not a seat with wheels or with a ton of padding. Sit ahead on the edge of your seat, keep your back nonpartisan, roll your shoulders both clockwise and counter-clockwise and slacken your neck to further develop portability.

Cross your right leg by establishing your left foot firmly on the floor and lifting your right leg to twist it at the knee as you place your right lower leg to your left side thigh. Inhale profoundly, extend your stomach then, at that point, rehash similar developments with the other leg.

Advantages: This activity extends the exterior of the professional’s hips just as their butt as it explicitly focuses on the gluteus medius, the muscle that guides in hip development and hip portability. It soothes strain in the muscles encompassing the sacrum and decreases lower back torment.

5. Prasarita Padottanasana or Wide-Legged Forward Bend

Prasarita Padottanasana or Wide-Legged Forward Bend(Twitter/Cian_Chaos)

Method: Keep an equal distance of around 3 to 4 feet between your legs and spot your hands on your hips. With your legs and spine seriously extended, breathe in, lift your chest up tall through your entire middle and crease gradually over your legs. Start to extend your middle forward by setting your hands level on the floor and keeping them shoulder-width separated. Crease further, bringing your head toward the floor.

Advantages: This wide-legged remaining forward twist is a decent get ready for other wide-position standing postures as it extends the backs of the legs and the inward crotches. It quiets the mind and facilitates exhaustion while further developing dissemination of blood and conditioning the stomach organs.

A Harvard research uncovered that “Yoga brings mental advantages like diminished nervousness and sadness. Might be seriously astounding that it really makes your cerebrum work better.” As per the examination done in Word related Medication, work environment yoga intercession can decrease apparent pressure and back torment and further develop mental prosperity.

Benefits of Running VS Benefits of Jumping Rope – Which Workout Style is More Effective For Weight Loss?

Benefits of Running VS Benefits of Jumping Rope – Which Workout Style is More Effective For Weight Loss?

As children, we all loved hopping rope. This has now transformed into an exceptionally keen and probably the best exercise for exercise. Running and bouncing rope are demonstrated valuable. With such countless choices accessible, you may be thinking which is better, running or bouncing rope. Fret not, we have you covered.Also Read – Advantages of Having Sattvic Food: How it Works Like an Insusceptibility Sponsor And as an Instrument For Successful Weight reduction

Weight reduction Exercise: Advantages of running

Running is viewed as a vigorous movement. It helps the lungs and the heart. Alongside this, runs will likewise help in working on cardiovascular perseverance. Be that as it may, a treadmill or an open region will be required. Running additionally helps in psychological well-being alongside actual wellbeing benefits. Likewise Read – Genuine Weight reduction Excursion: I Lost 32 Kilos, Switched my Diabetes by Eating Dull Chocolate And Appropriate Food

Advantages of running: Keeps a tab on mental just as actual wellbeing

Running aides in delivering synthetic substances like endorphins and serotonin in your cerebrum. These synthetic substances diminish feelings of anxiety and nervousness. Running aides in decreasing sensations of sorrow, dejection, and confinement. This additionally works on the nature of rest. Likewise Read – 5 Motivations behind Why Crash Diet Ought to be Totally Stayed away from For Weight reduction

Advantages of running: Helps in purifying lungs

Running aides in eliminating abundance carbon dioxide, decongesting bodily fluid, and even mucus. Running aides in building perseverance limit in respiratory muscles, productive breaths, and forestalls lung problems.

The Digital Well Being

We the people of new, technologically developed world have a way around the advance, next-gen, electronic in such a fashion that it has started affecting our health to the extent of the worst.  The toll that excessive screen-time can have on being’s health is of major concern in today’s highly advanced times. Be it a small town or a big city, be it a young kid or an old man, be it the middle-class or the rich, be it a third-world citizen or a first world citizen, everyone has an excessively disturbing effect on health. With the rays that are responsible of the operation of these electronics are said to be harmful as that causing a heart-attack. Along with many other health- problems the cutting- off from the real world around has to be one of the most unwanted affect. As the world moves forward in the digital world, it moves backward in the health status in the real world.

Ramifications

There are numerous effects in a variety of ways on the human being because of the too much interaction with the virtual world. These effects are not only too harmful but sometimes even life-threatening.

 Repercussions on Physical health=

The prolonged hours in front of the screen can lead to a number of physical health problems. These can cause health issues like obesity, weak eyesight, neck and back problems.

With people sitting in front of the screens for hours in the same place can lead them to eat unhealthily and excessively. They become more prone to junk food as an instant food is better than the one taking time to cook. The unhealthy food habits that develop because of the increased hours of sitting, makes the person obese sometimes to the extent of no return to a healthy body.

Weakening of the eyesight is one of the most disturbing affect when more than enough hours are spent in front of the screen. The blue light from the screen can cause problems like eye fatigue and blurry vision. Fatigue can cause inability to look clearly at night.

People usually sit in one place for hours while using screen and those positions can cause neck and back problems as sitting in not so comfortable positions can lead to neck, shoulder and back pains, these pains can be higher than we think. Too much screen time snatches away the person of the sleep that comes to them naturally. As studies have found that people generally tend to stretch their screen time by spending time late at nights, causing sleep related problems, generally loss of sleep.

Mental health =

Depression has been indicated as one of the worst effects of increased screen time along with anxiety. The use of too much of phones, laptops, etc can lead to drop in mental health as they tend to damage the brain cells and thereby making the case of one’s mental health further worse.

Students have generally experienced lack of concentration while studying as the excess of screen time robs them off their focus while learning something new and for the first time. The attention span reduces and the sitting hour for actually learning or studying suffers.

With sleep deprivation and lack of focus as is the effect of some drug addiction, screen time leads to irritable behaviour along with person becoming an emotional wreck. People usually involved in screen time addiction end up staying alone for hours and there by affecting their mental stability and health.

Detoxification

The screen time usage can be restrained by detoxification. There are a number of ways of detoxifying, which is the act of staying away from the screen for a specific period of time so as to reduce the effects that it might have on physical and or mental health.

Switching off the applications is proved to be one of the best ways of staying away from the screen when not so required. Turning them off gives people to more time to spend on other things than just the screen.

Resorting to other activities whenever the person finds some free time instead of gadgets can help them restore their concentration and focus. With recreational activities such as reading, writing, painting, playing any instrument etc can be beneficial for the recharging of the brains.

Making a proper routine to follow including the correction of sleep cycle has to be one of the best ways to regain the lost mental and physical health. With a good night sleep, the less strain on the eyes could bring down the eyes fatigue and irritability levels.

Physically being active is very important if you spend hours in front of the screen. Exercising has been a proven treatment to a lot of health problems and here too definitely is going to be beneficial. With the hours of sitting at least one hour of exercise makes the person gain the lost stamina and physical abilities.

Yoga and meditation have had been famous in India now for quite a long time. These two have proved to be the best cure for most the mental health related problems. Thus even only fifteen to twenty minutes of meditation shows tremendous positive effect on mental health of a being.

Sustainable Development Goals

Times are not just difficult but also alarming for every sphere of our existence. At first glance, it might appear that the raging pandemic has temporarily paused climate action and initiatives related to other environmental issues. Sustainability, it appears, may have taken a back-seat too. However, with a decade left for the end of ‘Agenda 2030’, achieving sustainable development has become even more important.



A significant feature of the raging pandemic is that it has disrupted the hyper-interconnected world characterized by globalization. Supply chains are badly affected and global markets are under severe stress. Evidently, the virus has laid bare the vulnerabilities and risks of a globalized world order. In fact, it has put under scanner not just globalization but also the Sustainable Development Goals. Nevertheless, this could be a turning point for the international community to unlearn and revamp its basic conduct on global governance and make it more inclusive in nature. Besides, the pandemic has also thrown open an opportunity to give impetus to a glocalized framework of global governance to protect the ‘global commons’ in the light of the broader debate on sustainability.

This is where glocalization can fill the gap. Simply put, glocalization refers to the interpretation, representation and replication of the global elements at the local level.

The term, glocalization, is used quite frequently in business parlance but it has begun to gain momentum in cultural, social and political arenas too. Utilizing it appropriately in the environmental domain is the need of the hour.

The term, glocalization, is used quite frequently in business parlance but it has begun to gain momentum in cultural, social and political arenas too. Utilizing it appropriately in the environmental domain is the need of the hour.



Covid-19 has brought about the necessity of refining and revising globalization. This can be done by integrating glocal elements to achieve global good, be it sustainable development or climate action, by roping in local actors, such as subnational agencies, grassroots bodies, non-governmental organizations and other relevant non-State actors in the discussion on sustainability. Localizing economies would provide leverage to the development targets of those like India. This can help attain the much-needed balance between ecological equity and economic growth. Additionally, it is hard to overlook the expertise and knowledge offered by local populations that are located at ground zero and are in tune with ground realities. This kind of resource efficiency could prove to be useful in operationalizing the potential glocal elements of global governance. Factors like accountability, transparency and trust-building among the State and non-State actors are also vital in this context.



Considering the changes in modern living, starting from working remotely to radically cutting down on carbon footprints, glocalization could turn out to be a viable alternative to globalization, thereby creating innovative pathways for sustainable development in the near future.

Written by : Ananya Kaushal

दिल्ली को अगले 3 साल में प्रदूषणमुक्त कर देंगे: गडकरी

सड़क परिवहन मंत्री नितिन गडकरी ने गुरुवार को कहा कि केंद्र सरकार अगले तीन साल में दिल्ली को वायु, जल और ध्वनि प्रदूषण से मुक्त करेगी। उन्होंने कहा कि मौजूदा समय में प्रदूषण देश के लिए सबसे बड़ी चिंता की बात है।



इंडस्ट्री पीएचडी चैंबर ऑफ कॉमर्स के सालाना कार्यक्रम में गडकरी ने कहा कि उनके मंत्रालय ने सड़क बुनियादी ढांचा विकास पर 60,000 करोड़ रुपये खर्च किए हैं। इस प्रयास से दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण को कम करने में भी मदद की। वायु प्रदूषण, जल प्रदूषण और ध्वनि प्रदूषण देश के लिए चिंतित करने वाले मुद्दे हैं। हम दिल्ली को अगले तीन वर्षों में वायु, जल और ध्वनि प्रदूषण से मुक्त कर देंगे।



गडकरी ने कहा कि सरकार सुप्रीम कोर्ट से मंजूरी मिलने के बाद सभी वाहन निर्माताओं के लिए फ्लेक्स फ्यूल के अनुकूल इंजन बनाना अनिवार्य कर देगी। फ्लेक्स-फ्यूल, पेट्रोल और एथेनॉल को मिलाकर बनने वाला एक वैकल्पिक ईंधन है। अब एक एथेनॉल अर्थव्यवस्था विकसित करने पर काम किया जा रहा है। गडकरी ने सुझाव दिया कि सेना को डीजल इंजन वाले वाहनों के इस्तेमाल पर प्रतिबंध लगाना चाहिए और एलएनजी, सीएनजी और एथनॉल पर चलने वाले ट्रकों का उपयोग करना चाहिए। मंत्री ने कहा कि इथेनॉल, पेट्रोल और डीजल की तुलना में काफी सस्ता है।

अनन्या कौशल द्वारा संपादित।