More than 25 crore saplings will be planted under the ‘Mission Vriksharopan-2020’ across Uttar Pradesh today. This record plantation in a single day will be carried out with people’s participation and inter-departmental coordination.
 
AIR correspondent reports that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will inaugurate the ‘MissionVriksharopan-2020’ in Kukarel forest in capital city Lucknow. Under this mission, medicinal, fruit yielding , environmental, shady, fodder, and other important plants of more than 201 species will be planted in a day through extensive public participation and interdepartmental coordination. According to a government spokesperson ‘MissionVriksharopan -2020 will be contribution of 26 state departments including Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department and various social organizations, voluntary organizations, public representatives, students including others. Out of 25 crore plants Forest Department will plant 10 crore plant and rest of more than 15 crore plants will be planted by the other state departments and institutions.
 
Geo tagging of all plantation sites will also be done. The plantation drive is focused on prevention of malnutrition, biodiversity conservation and plantation along the banks of Ganga and tributaries. 
 
Under the specific garden plantation in each district – Smriti Vatika, Panchavati, Navagraha Vatika, Nakshatra Vatika, Harishankari will be planted.

World Health Organization (WHO) has appreciated the works done by the Indian government to contain the spread of corona virus. Chief Scientist at WHO, Dr Soumya Swaminathan said that it is an achievement for India that in the last couple of months, India has become self-sufficient in testing kits.
 
She said, Indian government took serious steps from the beginning and put in place certain measures in January itself based on the WHO recommendations. She said, India should also focus on data management originating from the pandemic.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has asserted that it is acting in accordance with the globally accepted norms to fast-track vaccine development for diseases of pandemic potential. It said, it is important to promote indigenous vaccine development while ensuring safety, quality, ethics and adherence to all regulatory requirement. 
 
ICMR and Bharat Biotech have joined hands for the development of potential COVID-19 vaccine called Covaxin. The Drugs Controller General of India has accorded permission to conduct phase-1 and 2 human clinical trial.
 
ICMR said, in the larger public health interest, it is important for ICMR to expedite the clinical trials with a promising indigenous vaccine.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched Aatmanirbhar Bharat Innovation Challenge to identify the best Indian Apps that are already being used by citizens and have the potential to scale and become world class Apps in their respective categories.
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people of tech community to participate in Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge. This will run in two tracks- Promotion of Existing Apps and Development of New Apps.
 
In a LinkedIn post, Mr Modi said, for promotion of existing Apps and platforms across the categories of E-learning, Work-from-Home, Gaming, Business, Entertainment, Office Utilities, and Social Networking, Government will provide mentoring, hand-holding and support.
 
Track one will work in mission mode for identifying good quality Apps for the leader-board and will be completed in around a month. For incubating new Apps and Platforms, Track two initiative will work to help create new champions in India by providing support in ideation, incubation, prototyping and roll out along with market access.
 
The Prime Minister added that the outcome of this challenge will be to give better visibility and clarity to existing Apps to achieve their goals, and to create tech products to find solutions to tech conundrums with the help of mentorship, tech support and guidance during the entire life-cycle.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for adoption of organic and natural farming in a cluster based approach. He said, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed a geo-referenced Organic Carbon Map of India and identified 88 bio control agents and 22 Bio pesticides which can promote organic agriculture.

Mr Modi reviewed the progress of agriculture research, extension and education in India through video conference yesterday. Prime Minister directed that start-ups and agri-entrepreneurs need to be promoted to ensure innovation and use of technology in Agriculture and allied sectors. He highlighted the need to leverage information technology to provide information on demand to the farmers. 

Mr Modi directed that Hackathons may be organized twice a year to solve identified problems and meet design needs for tools and equipment that can reduce drudgery if farming activity, given that a large number of farm workers are women. He exhorted the need to create awareness regarding inclusion of millets like Jowar, bajra, ragi and several other minor millets in diet to ensure healthy diet.

Mr Modi said ease of access to farm equipment and transport facility from field to markets shall be ensured. In this regard, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperatives and Farmers Welfare has launched an app – Kisanrath. In order to enhance water use efficiency, Prime Minister desired that awareness and outreach programs be conducted.

Mr Modi said that study of grasses and local fodder crops  should be undertaken to understand their nutritive value. He highlighted the need to study use of sea weeds for their impact on soil health apart from exploring commercial applications in nutraceuticals.

10 Healthy Lifestyle Tips for Adults
Last Updated :

1.Eat a variety of foods.

2.Base your diet on plenty of foods rich in carbohydrates.

3.Replace saturated with unsaturated fat.

4.Enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables.

5.Reduce salt and sugar intake.

6.Eat regularly, control the portion size.

7.Drink plenty of fluids.

8.Maintain a healthy body weight.

9.Get on the move, make it a habit!

10.Start now! And keep changing gradually.

1. Eat a variety of food:. For good health, we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no single food can supply them all. It is not about a single meal, it is about a balanced food choice over time that will make a difference!

A high-fat lunch could be followed by a low-fat dinner.
After a large meat portion at dinner, perhaps fish should be the next day’s choice?

2. Base your diet on plenty of foods rich in carbohydrates:
   About half the calories in our diet should come from foods rich in carbohydrates, such as cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread. It is a good idea to include at least one of these at every meal. Wholegrain foods, like wholegrain bread, pasta, and cereals, will increase our fibre intake.

3. Replace saturated with unsaturated fat:
   Fats are important for good health and proper functioning of the body. However, too much of it can negatively affect our weight and cardiovascular health. Different kinds of fats have different health effects, and some of these tips could help us keep the balance right:

We should limit the consumption of total and saturated fats (often coming from foods of animal origin), and completely avoid trans fats; reading the labels helps to identify the sources.
Eating fish 2-3 times a week, with at least one serving of oily fish, will contribute to our right intake of unsaturated fats.
When cooking, we should boil, steam or bake, rather than frying, remove the fatty part of meat, use vegetable oils.

4. Enjoy plenty of fruits and vegetables:
   Fruits and vegetables are among the most important foods for giving us enough vitamins, minerals and fibre. We should try to eat at least 5 servings a day. For example, a glass of fresh fruit juice at breakfast, perhaps an apple and a piece of watermelon as snacks, and a good portion of different vegetables at each meal.

5. Reduce salt and sugar intake:
   A high salt intake can result in high blood pressure, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are different ways to reduce salt in the diet:

When shopping, we could choose products with lower sodium content.
When cooking, salt can be substituted with spices, increasing the variety of flavours and tastes.
When eating, it helps not to have salt at the table, or at least not to add salt before tasting.
Sugar provides sweetness and an attractive taste, but sugary foods and drinks are rich in energy, and are best enjoyed in moderation, as an occasional treat. We could use fruits instead, even to sweeten our foods and drinks.

6. Eat regularly, control the portion size:
   Eating a variety of foods, regularly, and in the right amounts is the best formula for a healthy diet.

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in helpless overeating. Snacking between meals can help control hunger, but snacking should not replace proper meals. For snacks, we could choose yoghurt, a handful of fresh or dried fruits or vegetables (like carrot sticks), unsalted nuts, or perhaps some bread with cheese.

Paying attention to portion size will help us not to consume too much calories, and will allow us to eat all the foods we enjoy, without having to eliminate any.

Cooking the right amount makes it easier to not overeat.
Some reasonable serving sizes are: 100 g of meat; one medium piece of fruit; half a cup of raw pasta.
Using smaller plates helps with smaller servings.
Packaged foods, with calorie values on the pack, could aid portion control.
If eating out, we could share a portion with a friend.

7. Drink plenty of fluids:
   Adults need to drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid a day! Or more if it’s very hot or they are physically active. Water is the best source, of course, and we can use tap or mineral water, sparkling or non-sparkling, plain or flavoured. Fruit juices, tea, soft drinks, milk and other drinks, can all be okay – from time to time.

8. Maintain a healthy body weight:
   The right weight for each us depends on factors like our gender, height, age, and genes. Being affected by obesity and overweight increases the risks of a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer.

Excess body fat comes from eating more than we need. The extra calories can come from any caloric nutrient – protein, fat, carbohydrate, or alcohol, but fat is the most concentrated source of energy. Physical activity helps us spend the energy, and makes us feel good. The message is reasonably simple: if we are gaining weight, we need to eat less and be more active!

9. Get on the move, make it a habit!
   Physical activity is important for people of all weight ranges and health conditions. It helps us burn off the extra calories, it is good for the heart and circulatory system, it maintains or increases our muscle mass, it helps us focus, and improves overall health well-being. We don’t have to be top athletes to get on the move! 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity is advised, and it can easily become part of our daily routine. We all could:

use the stairs instead of the elevator,
go for a walk during lunch breaks (and stretch in our offices in between)
make time for a family weekend activity.

10. Start now! And keep changing gradually.
    Gradual changes in our lifestyle are easier to maintain than major changes introduced all at once. For three days, we could write down the foods and drinks we consume throughout the day, and make a note of the amount of movement we made. It won’t be difficult to spot where we could improve:

Skipping breakfast? A small bowl of muesli, a piece of bread or fruit, could help slowly introduce it into our routine
Too few fruits and vegetables? To start with, we can introduce one extra piece a day.
Favourite foods high in fat? Eliminating them abruptly could fire back, and make us return to the old habits. We can choose low fat options instead, eat them less frequently, and in smaller portions.
Too little activity? Using the stairs daily could be a great frist move.

Coronavirus live: India latest news – 4 July 2020

India Covid-19 update: 06:30 IST on Sunday 5 July (03:00 CEST)

According to the latest figures published by John Hopkins University,11,199,698 cases have been detected worldwide, with 528,953 deaths and 6,037,614 people recovered.

In India, there have been 648,315 cases confirmed, 18,655 people have died and 394,227 people have recovered from the virus.

WHO team in China next week to investigate coronavirus origins.

A team from the World Health Organisation will visit China next week to investigate the origins of coronavirus and its subsequent spread to human beings. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, WHO said that a “thorough investigation” needs to be done into the origins of the virus.

“What is needed now is a good investigation going back before December to find out where and how it jumped from animal to human. Was there any intermediate animal or not or it directly jumped from bat to humans which are also possible? Bats have been implicated in other viral diseases — Nipah for example. It is possible it came directly. It is also possible that there was an intermediate animal-like in the case of SARS. That thorough investigation still needs to be done,” she said.

According to experts, Delhi’s geographical location makes it prone to frequent earthquakes, as it lies in the Himalayan foothills. Scientific studies have highlighted that the Indian plates are continuously driving towards the Eurasian plates at a rate of 5-6 cm per year.Delhi earthquakes: 11 mild earthquakes in Delhi since May have raised speculation about a big one, but scientists say these are not unusual. A look at why predicting an earthquake is difficult, and how an area should stay prepared.An earthquake of magnitude 2.1 was detected near Delhi on Monday. It was the eleventh minor earthquake recorded in and around Delhi since May, the most powerful of which happened to be of magnitude 3.4. These recent earthquakes have triggered discussions on the possibility of increased seismicity around Delhi, and fears of an impending big earthquake sometime soon. None of these apprehensions have any scientific basis.

• 

Scientists are unequivocal in asserting that no unusual seismic activity is taking place around Delhi in the last few months. “There is absolutely nothing happening in Delhi that can be called unusual or abnormal,” said Vineet Gehlot, former head of the National Centre for Seismology in Delhi, who is now at the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI).

“If you look at the earthquake catalogue, Delhi and its surrounding areas, and this would extend till Jaipur, Ajmer, Mount Abut and the Aravallis, usually experience between two and three earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 and above every month. But there are monthly and annual variations as well. Geological and seismological processes are not very smooth. So sometimes you would expect to see higher number of earthquakes as well. I am pretty sure nothing special has happened in Delhi in the last couple of months,” he said.

Detection of earthquakes, especially those of smaller magnitude, being recorded in an area also depends on the number of seismic recorders installed in that area. The area around Delhi has the most dense concentration of seismometers anywhere in the country, even more than the Himalayan region which is seismically much more active. Out of the 115 detectors installed in the country, 16 are in or around Delhi. As a result, even the earthquakes of smaller magnitude, those that are not even felt by most people, are recorded, and this information is publicly accessible.Earthquakes of magnitude four or below hardly cause any damage anywhere and are mostly inconsequential for practical purposes. Thousands of such earthquakes are recorded around the world every year, and most of them are uneventful. And, they certainly do not signal any big upcoming event.

“The concept of foreshocks is something that is largely applied in hindsight. When a big event happens, all the smaller earthquakes that have occurred in that region in the near past are classified as foreshocks. Foreshocks are post-event definitions. The description does not exist before any big earthquake has happened. So all this talk of these being foreshocks of a big earthquake in Delhi have no basis at all,” said Harsh Gupta, one of India’s foremost experts on earthquakes and a former director of NGRI.

“A big earthquake might still occur. No one can rule it out. But they cannot be predicted. So to say that these small earthquakes are precursors to the big one is totally unscientific,” he said.

What, then, is a signal to an upcoming earthquake?

Scientists have been working for years to identify “precursors” to an earthquake, but have so far met with no success. Some special earthquakes, the ones that are triggered by volcanic activity, can be predicted to some extent — Gehlot calls them “much more well-behaved” than others — but nothing else.

Predicting earthquakes in a region like Delhi is all the more difficult because the place does not lie on any faultlines. “I would say we still understand a little bit about the tectonics in the Himalayan region, where two tectonic plates are meeting each other. But Delhi does not lie on a plate boundary. It is located on a single plate, and the seismic activity is generated by internal deformities. Here, we understand even less. Therefore, predicting earthquakes in advance is out of the question,” Gehlot said.

The Himalayan region, extending from the Hindu Kush to the Northeast and going south to Southeast Asia, is seismically one of the most active regions in the world. The region has experienced several big earthquakes in the past, most recently in 2015 in Nepal.

A magnitude 6 earthquake is typically associated with the kind of energy that was released by the atom bomb in Hiroshima. Since the magnitude of earthquakes are measured on a logarithmic scale, a magnitude 7 earthquake is about 32 times more powerful than a magnitude 6 earthquake. Accordingly, a magnitude 8 earthquake would be almost 1,000 times more powerful than a magnitude 6 event.

So, is a big one coming to Delhi?

No one knows, but a more relevant question, Gupta said, is what even if we knew. “Supposing we know that a magnitude 6 earthquake is going to occur in Delhi at 11 am tomorrow. What can we do after that? Can we get the entire city evacuated? Is that possible? Prediction is not going to make us safe against earthquakes. What is important is that we need to make our structures earthquake resistant, we need to follow prescribed drills when an event happens, everyone must know what is the best place to run to when we are in office, or at home, or in open spaces. It is these kinds of discussions that are meaningful. Instead, what we see is speculation, rumours and half-baked information in public discussions,” he said.

So a big earthquake is very much possible in Delhi. No one is ruling out that possibility. But they would occur when they have to. Earthquakes still like to come unannounced. They do not like to knock on our doors with foreshocks.

“Wherever you are, be there. Lifestyle is not something we do; it is something we experience. And until we learn to be there, we will never master the art of living well.” ~Jim Rohn

I have been told again and again that our time is our most precious asset. But I disagree.

The blogosphere is filled with tips on time management—how to get more for our time. I am willing to bet my life that you have come across many such tips online yourself.

You have probably even adopted some of them.

I myself am notorious for scouting the internet to find any new tip to help me manage my time better. And yet I find that I am struggling. Yet I find myself constantly being a prisoner to my devices.

There is one thing that will beat time any day—presence. Time might be important, but our presence is paramount.

Tell me if you can relate: You are at a family gathering or a reunion and you cannot help but notice how disengaged everyone around is. Your cousin is busy taking selfies while your aunt is on the phone with her friend. Your dad is catching up on all the Donald Trump tweets and your sibling is making a tik tok video.

So, what do you end up doing? You pull out your phone and start checking Instagram.

I know it because I have been there myself.

Social gatherings are no longer what they used to be a decade ago. We are constantly connected now. Anxiety kicks in if we cannot find our phones or if the battery is about to die.

I am sitting in a cafe typing this and when I look around, I see a bunch of people sitting but busy on their phones. Present but only physically. Technology has made our worlds smaller, yet at the same time, made us more distant.

We have come to believe that just showing up is enough. As if just being present physically will make things better. It rarely ever does!

It is infuriating and frustrating at the same time—being there, yet not being present.

We show up to fit in, but if given a choice, we would rather not be there. Physically, we are in one place but mentally, we are busy wondering how life might be greener on the other side.

Mentally, we are busy trying to stay “up to date” with god knows what.

Presence is a big deal.

Imagine you’ve made a reservation at a fancy restaurant for a special night. You’ve heard good things about the food and the ambience of the place. You’re excited for one hell of a night, only to be served by a preoccupied server who ignores your table, messes up your order, and ruins your dining experience.

We have all been there, haven’t we?

Now, think back to the last time you got someone’s full attention. How did that make you feel? Tell me that the experience wasn’t memorable and pleasant.

It’s easy to tell the difference when someone is mentally absent versus when someone is fully present because presence cannot be delegated. You simply cannot hand it off to someone and get away with it.

You also cannot cut corners with your presence, because then you are as good as not there. You are either there or you are not. There is no in between!

All of us have to own our presence and choose to be in the moment.

In a world that is becoming more isolated, presence becomes a big deal because it is now a scarce commodity. There simply isn’t enough of it going around, which makes it more valuable than time.

As Maya Angelou said:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Unlike gifts, our presence cannot be copied, imitated, or replicated. Just like our fingerprints, our presence is unique to us and without us, there is a void that nobody can fill.

Every opportunity you get—and trust me, they get fewer and fewer as you grow older—you should make a choice to be present.

Your relationship doesn’t need time, it needs you to be present. It needs you to take notice of the smiles, the laughter, the hugs, the sadness. It needs you to be an active participant in the uncomfortable moments, the difficult conversations, and the embarrassing pictures.

Next time, when you find yourself reaching for your phone, reach for it, switch it off, and put it away. This will allow you to one, be present and two, catch up with the people present in the room rather than stay up to date with the ones outside. In most cases, the ones that matter are right there with you.

Next time, choose presence because time only matters if you’re really there to enjoy it.