INTRODUCTION

Social Media is a tool that is becoming quite popular these days because of its user-friendly features. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more are giving people a chance to connect with each other across distances. In other words, the whole world is at our fingertips all thanks to social media. The youth is especially one of the most dominant users of social media. All this makes you wonder that something so powerful and with such a massive reach cannot be all good. Like how there are always two sides to a coin, the same goes for social media. Subsequently, different people have different opinions on this debatable topic.

ADVANTAGES OF SOCIAL MEDIA

When we look at the positive aspect of social media, we find numerous advantages. The most important being a great device for education. All the information one requires is just a click away. Students can educate themselves on various topics using social media. Moreover, live lectures are now possible because of social media. You can attend a lecture happening in America while sitting in India.

In addition, it strengthens bonds with your loved ones. Distance is not a barrier anymore because of social media. For instance, you can easily communicate with your friends and relatives overseas. Furthermore, as more and more people are distancing themselves from newspapers, they are depending on social media for news. You are always updated on the latest happenings of the world through it. A person becomes more socially aware of the issues of the world.

Most importantly, it also provides a great platform for young budding artists to showcase their talent for free. You can get great opportunities for employment through social media too. Another advantage definitely benefits companies who wish to promote their brands. Social media has become a hub for advertising and offers you great opportunities for connecting with the customers

DISADVANTAGES OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Despite having such unique advantages, social media is considered to be one of the most harmful elements of society. If the use of social media is not monitored, it can lead to grave consequences. It is harmful because it invades your privacy like never before. The oversharing happening on social media makes children a target for predators and hackers. It also leads to cyberbullying which affects any person significantly.

Thus, the sharing on social media especially by children must be monitored at all times. Next up is the addition of social media which is quite common amongst the youth. This addiction hampers with the academic performance of a student as they waste their time on social media instead of studying. Social media also creates communal rifts. Fake news is spread with the use of it, which poisons the mind of peace-loving citizens.

CONCLUSION

In short, surely social media has both advantages and disadvantages. But, it all depends on the user at the end. The youth must particularly create a balance between their academic performances, physical activities, and social media. Excess use of anything is harmful and the same thing applies to social media. Therefore, we must strive to live a satisfying life with the right balance.

INTRODUCTION

Female infanticide is the intentional killing of baby girls due to the preference for male babies and from the low value associated with the birth of females.’ These practices arise in areas where cultural norms value male children over female children.

CAUSES OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE

This anti-female bias is by no means limited to poor families. Much of the discrimination is to do with cultural beliefs and social norms. These norms themselves must be challenged if this practice is to stop. The practice of female de-selection in India could be attributed to socio-economic reasons. Studies in India have indicated three factors of female de-selection in India, which are economic utility, sociocultural utility, and religious functions.The factor as to economic utility is that studies indicate that sons are more likely than daughters to provide family farm labor or provide in or for a family business, earn wages, and give old-age support for parents.

Upon marriage, a son makes a daughter-in-law an addition and asset to the family providing additional assistance in household work and brings an economic reward through dowry payments, while daughters get married off and merit an economic penalty through dowry charges. The sociocultural utility factor of female de-selection is that, as in China, in India’s patrilineal and patriarchal system of families is that having at least one son is mandatory in order to continue the familial line, and many sons constitute additional status to families.

The final factor of female de-selection is the religious functions that only sons are allowed to provide, based on Hindu tradition, which mandate that sons are mandatory in order to kindle the funeral pyre of their late parents and to assist in the soul salvation.

EFFECTS OF FEMALE INFANTICIDE

The major effect of female infanticide is that it is leading to an imbalance in the sex ratio which is increasing. The number of female children per male child has decreased from 972/1000 to 929/1000 in 1991 and 914 per 1000 boys in 2011 census and it is still decreasing.  Female infanticide is causing a stiff decrease in the female’s population which is a great concern. The child sex ratio is not uniform across the states in India. The states like Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, the ratio has declined to 900 girls per 1000 boys. There are more number of boys than that of girls due to which the difficulty of finding girls for marriage is increasing and this in turn is becoming one of the major causes of female trafficking in India. In areas like Haryana the females are being sold illegally from areas like west Bengal and Assam. This situation is further creating social deprivation for girls.

Talking about social effects, female foeticide pressurises women (by their own families) to have a son as a child and they are being subjected to mental, and physical torture and abandonment as well when she refuses to have sex determination test. Female infanticide thus in a way is augmenting social maltreatment of women. The gender imbalance caused due to infanticide is demonstrating patriarchal norms of the society even more strongly and women being afraid of the discrimination, ill-treatment that her girl would be facing are supporting the idea of pre natal determination of sex.  The crime rate against women are increasing and rape, abduction, trafficking, sexual exploitation are some of the major crimes women are facing right now and which is a matter of great lookout.

LAWS AND POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT

Understanding the earnestness of the situation and due to above mentioned effects various laws and policies are passed in this regard. Government passed its first law – ‘Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971’, that made abortion legal in almost all states across the country, subject to certain conditions like – medical health of the mother and rape. But as there are certain loopholes in this Act as due to the advancement in technologies there are chances of people misusing it majorly. In 1980s sex diagnosis technologies were made available which led to massive abuse and an increase in number of female foeticide cases. Due to which Government passed ‘Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act’ in 1994. The law was amended in 2004 and is now known as ‘Pre-Conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) (PCPNDT) Act.

A law named ‘Female Infanticide Prevention Act 1870 was passed in British India to prevent Female infanticide in India. Some of the other Acts passed for the controlling this are – ‘Dowry Prohibition Act 1961’, Immoral Traffic Prevention Act 1986, ‘Ban on Ultrasound testing 1996’ and many more.  In Indian constitution and Indian Penal Code also there are certain provisions regarding the same. Article 21 of the constitution talks about right to life thereby giving certain rights to a pre born child as well. Section 312 read with Medical termination of Pregnancy Act,  imposes certain restrictions limiting the time of 20 weeks in every abortion other than the ones pertaining to medical conditions. Sections 312- 316 of the IPC 1860 deals with miscarriage where section 312- deals with causing miscarriage, Section 313- talks about causing miscarriage without women’s consent, Section 314 with death caused by an act with intent to cause miscarriage, Section 315 -Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth and Section 316 talks about ‘Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide.

CONCLUSION

India has always been a male dominant country and since ages women were persecuted towards the patriarchal norms. But now women are fighting back these notions of the society and are being ahead in every filed. The policies initiated by the government and laws made to fortify and escalate the women are becoming backbone of the women. But still there is a lot that is needed to be done to curb such social evils in India from the roots.

But the laws and government are not enough to eradicate these evil practices; this won’t stop unless we choose to stop it. We need to educate people, we need to create social awareness at our level and we should support girls so that they would be empowered and be independent. Women are pride of our country. Our culture considered women as Shakti, as wealth and therefore the onus is on us to save the girl and prevent a taboo in our culture. We should remember ‘Don’t kill a girl in the womb when she can bring the country to gloom’.

MEANING

Insurance is a legal agreement between two parties i.e. the insurance company (insurer) and the individual (insured). In this, the insurance company promises to make good the losses of the insured on happening of the insured contingency. The contingency is the event which causes a loss. It can be the death of the policyholder or damage/destruction of the property. It’s called a contingency because there’s an uncertainty regarding happening of the event. The insured pays a premium in return for the promise made by the insurer.  

WORKING OF INSURANCE

The insurer and the insured get a legal contract for the insurance, which is called the insurance policy. The insurance policy has details about the conditions and circumstances under which the insurance company will pay out the insurance amount to either the insured person or the nominees. Insurance is a way of protecting yourself and your family from a financial loss. Generally, the premium for a big insurance cover is much lesser in terms of money paid. The insurance company takes this risk of providing a high cover for a small premium because very few insured people actually end up claiming the insurance. This is why you get insurance for a big amount at a low price. Any individual or company can seek insurance from an insurance company, but the decision to provide insurance is at the discretion of the insurance company. The insurance company will evaluate the claim application to make a decision. Generally, insurance companies refuse to provide insurance to high-risk applicants.  

TYPES OF INSURANCE IN INDIA

Life insurance

Life insurance is insurance on your life. You buy life insurance to make sure your dependents are financially secured in the event of your untimely demise. Life insurance is particularly important if you are the sole breadwinner for your family or if your family is heavily reliant on your income. Under life insurance, the policyholder’s family is financially compensated in case the policyholder expires during the term of the policy.

Health insurance

Health insurance is bought to cover medical costs for expensive treatments. Different types of health insurance policies cover an array of diseases and ailments. You can buy a generic health insurance policy as well as policies for specific diseases. The premium paid towards a health insurance policy usually covers treatment, hospitalization and medication costs.

Car Insurance

In today’s world, a car insurance is an important policy for every car owner. This insurance protects you against any untoward incident like accidents. Some policies also compensate for damages to your car during natural calamities like floods or earthquakes. It also covers third-party liability where you have to pay damages to other vehicle owners.

Education Insurance

The child education insurance is akin to a life insurance policy which has been specially designed as a saving tool. An education insurance can be a great way to provide a lump sum amount of money when your child reaches the age for higher education and gains entry into college (18 years and above). This fund can then be used to pay for your child’s higher education expenses. Under this insurance, the child is the life assured or the recipient of the funds, while the parent/legal guardian is the owner of the policy. You can estimate the amount of money that will go into funding your children’s higher education using Education Planning Calculator.

Home Insurance

We all dream of owning our own homes. Home insurance can help with covering loss or damage caused to your home due to accidents like fire and other natural calamities or perils. Home insurance covers other instances like lightning, earthquakes etc.

TAX BENEFITS ON INSURANCE

Apart from the safety and security benefits of buying insurance, there are also the income tax benefits that you can avail. Life insurance premium of up to ₹1.5 lakh can be claimed as a tax-saving deduction under Section 80C. Medical insurance premium of up to ₹25,000 for yourself and your family and ₹25,000 for your parents can be claimed as a tax-saving deduction under Section 80D. These claims have to be made at the time of e-filing income tax returns.  

CONCLUSION

Be it life insurance, health insurance or general insurance, you can buy an insurance policy offline as well as online. Just like there are insurance agents who will help you buy a policy, there are websites as well that you can buy a policy from. Ensure that you have done your research before choosing and investing in an insurance policy.  

INTRODUCTION

Water is one of the natural resources available on earth. 97% of water is filled in the oceans in the form of salt water. These are useless to drink. Of the remaining 3% of water, 2% water is found as icebergs in the polar region of Antarctica. These are also useless for human consumption. The remaining 1% is water available for human consumption only. Even though water is a renewable source through the hydrological cycle in nature, the functioning of the cycle is disturbed due to a few reasons.

1)Overconsumption

2) Climatic changes affecting the monsoons.

As we know that water is being polluted by various sources. Therefore, we have to conserve water and minimize water pollution on earth. Even low-volume drinking water is concentrated in certain areas rather than evenly distributed over land. Due to the increase in population and volatile agricultural activities, water quality and quantity have declined. The prevalence of droughts has increased. Therefore it is the right time to conserve water.

Many methods have been adopted to conserve water for a long time. Water is collected from many sources for domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes. These include drinking water wells, borewells, ponds, rivers, irrigation lakes, and supply canals. Groundwater exploitation has also increased with the use of electric pump sets, resulting in further deterioration of water availability. Over the past 2 to 3 decades, groundwater availability has declined sharply, and many irrigation wells and bore wells have dried up. Rainwater harvesting is essential to recharge and maintain groundwater balance.

METHODS OF WATER CONSERVATION

There are several methods for conserve water. They are

Drip irrigation:- Drip irrigation is a popular micro-irrigation system used in agriculture. Through this system, water is delivered in the form of a drop to the plant roots. This can save water and nutrients.

Seepage pits:- It is possible to collect rainwater by digging seepage pits in one corner of each farm on farmland.

Check dams:- Check dams are constructed at suitable places where water is supposed to be overflowing and is wasted.

Rainwater harvesting:- Rainwater harvesting is the best method of collecting rainwater or recharging the under groundwater with rainwater.

SIMPLE TIPS FOR WATER CONSERVATION

First, we must stop wasting water in our homes. If everyone follows all these steps, we can prevent pollution on earth and conserve drinking water. Our government has set up several schemes to prevent pollution and water conservation. We must fulfill our responsibility by following the rules given below.

1.We need to avoid shower baths and tub baths. It is better to use buckets. We should minimize the use of more water as much as possible.

2.We should minimize the use of electricity because the power plants consume tons of water. We need to plant more trees.

3.Washing machines and dishwashers should be loaded fully before using them.

4.Water the plants during the morning and evening. This can reduce the evaporation of water.

5.Rainwater harvesting is one of the best methods to conserve water.

BENEFITS OF WATER CONSERVATION

It minimizes the effects of drought and water shortages. Even though our need for fresh water sources is always increasing because of population and industry growth, the supply we have stays constant. Even though water eventually returns to Earth through the water cycle, it’s not always returned to the same spot, or in the same quantity and quality. By reducing the amount of water we use, we can better protect against future drought years.

It guards against rising costs and political conflict. Failing to conserve water can eventually lead to a lack of an adequate water supply, which can have drastic consequences. These include rising costs, reduced food supplies, health hazards, and political conflict.

It helps to preserve our environment. Reducing our water usages reduces the energy required to process and deliver it to homes, businesses, farms, and communities, which, in turn, helps to reduce pollution and conserve fuel resources.

It makes water available for recreational purposes. It’s not just swimming pools, spas, and golf courses that we have to think about. Much of our freshwater resources are also used for beautifying our surroundings—watering lawns, trees, flowers, and vegetable gardens, as well as washing cars and filling public fountains at parks. Failing to conserve water now can mean losing out on such uses later on.

It builds safe and beautiful communities: Firefighters, hospitals, gas stations, street cleaners, health clubs, gyms, and restaurants all require large amounts of water to provide services to the community. Reducing our usage of water now means that these services can continue to be provided.

CONCLUSION

As human beings, it is our responsibility to conserve water and prevent water pollution. We can’t imagine our life without water. Water is an essential element of all living things. We need to conserve water to provide good quality water for our future generations.

HOW TO KEEP YOURSELF HEALTHY POST COVID-19 

Post covid-19 care:- After recovering from coronavirus infections, it is still an important thing to follow a Healthy lifestyle. After covid-19 infection, it’s important to take adequate precaution from any viruses and even fungus.

Here are 6 things you can do after recovering from coronavirus infection:- 

• Exercise consistently:-  Exercise might seem trouble When you are recovering, and your body is weak. But gradually bringing it to your lifestyle will make you both physically and mentally strong. You can try yoga as well. 
• Have a nutritious diet:- Another basic way to speed your recovery is to have a nutritious meal. Coronavirus makes your body weak and opens the body to a ton of stress. Medecine can also debilitate your body. Does try to have a well organised eating regime. Add organic products ,vegetables,eggs and safe poultry to compensate for the lost appetite.
• Ask for help:- You should understand that you need proper care and rest. That’s why I seek help whenever you need as it will help you to recover in a proper way. You need to conserve your energy and battle fatigue, accept the fact that your body needs enough time to recover.
• Try puzzle or memory exercises :- Coronavirus is also known to damage the memory cells. In order to get back to your memory, invest some time in playing daily puzzles, memory games and exercise to rack your brain. Formulate ways in which you can invigorate the mind. The goal is to be gradual yet accomplish something for your brain cell each day.
• Monitor your alarming signals:- Whether it is breathlessness or a niggling headache. It is important to pay attention to any such alarming symptoms and warning that your body is giving you. Inform your doctor as soon as possible if any such issue turns up. Do not tremble. 
• Give yourself sometime:- Do not expect a sudden bounce back to your previous life as soon as you tested negative. Give yourself some time and gradually move to your old routine. Remember you just fought a devastating illness. Be consistent yet move gradually towards your daily activities rather than just diving straight in.

School, well known as temple of knowledge, providing us with basic growth foundations like character, discipline and development.

It is a body/ institution, which accentuates us to the peak. Today, the gravest issue, mushrooming today, i.e., Emerging Tuition Centers, has been highlighted.

As we all know, ‘ change is the law of nature’ . The paradigm of educational institution has been shifted from school to tuition. About 95% students go to tuition centers. There is nothing wrong for, today competition is as lovelier in our school as once character was and everybody wants to excel. Tuition centers contain duster of pioneers, providing the students a readymade matter and tailored course, thus making them competent.

As we all know that according to Charles Darwin ;

“The theory of survival of fittest”….

prevails, hence, no student want to leave any stone unturned on their part to attain success, may it leads to their negligence the pertinence of schools and school teachers.

The flip side of these tuition centers can’t be neglected, once student enter into the nexus of tuitions, he looses his main tools- charm, self practice and value of teachers. Also, he tries to distract other students and tries to show his smartness but not every time has the same result in competence, every child joins tuition but not all succeed.

As we know that ;

“ Horse can be taken into river but can’t be forced to cross it”.

The burden of tuitions gnawing the minds of students could only be shifted by only focusing on school education. Parents also should feel their responsibility towards their child’s education which can’t be merely solved by tuition centers.

Hence, at length we can say that tuition centers can prove fruitful as long as they solve the purpose, otherwise wastage of time is not required with pace. Tuition centers can be avoided as we already know the fact that ;

Genius are never made, they are born alike M.K Gandhi, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Narendra Modi grew their dignity by themselves.

INTRODUCTION

Menstruation is the natural part of the reproductive cycle in which blood from the uterus exits through the vagina. It is a natural process that first occurs in girls usually between the age of 11 and 14 years and is one of the indicators of the onset of puberty among them. Taboos surrounding menstruation exclude women and girls from many aspects of social and cultural life. Some of these are helpful, but others have potentially harmful implications.

MENSTRUAL SYMPTOMS

Not every woman will experience the same premenstrual symptoms. Common symptoms include breast swelling and tendernesstensionbloatingacne breakoutsleg, back, or stomach crampingpremenstrual syndromeSome women may confuse the symptoms of menstruation with those of early pregnancy, as they can be similar. These include a missed period, breast tenderness or swelling, nausea, frequent urination, and tiredness.

Premenstrual syndrome

Some women report feeling the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). This very common condition can include symptoms such as:rapid changes in moodinsomniadizzinessbloatingsocial withdrawaldifficulty concentratingbreast tendernesstirednessThese symptoms can vary in severity. Other symptoms may include joint or muscle pain, headaches, fluid retention, constipation, and diarrhea. PMS may be caused by changes in hormone or serotonin levels.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE PROBLEMS

Women may at times experience problems or irregularities in their menstrual cycle. Common problems include:

Amenorrhea: This refers to the absence of a menstrual cycle for at least 90 days. Contributing factors amenorrhea period include pregnancy, breastfeeding, eating disorders, excessive exercising, and stress.

Dysmenorrhea: This is sometimes severe menstrual pain. Possible causes include uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and excessive levels of a hormone called prostaglandin.

Abnormal uterine bleeding: This term includes any vaginal bleeding not considered normal for a menstrual period. This might include bleeding between periods or after sex, any vaginal spotting, unusually heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, and postmenopausal bleeding.In early pregnancy, some women will also experience what is referred to as implantation bleeding, as a result of the embryo attaching to the uterine wall. Implantation bleeding can be expected around 10 to 14 days after conception.Implantation bleeding occurs as light, brown spotting and not the typical bright, red flow of a menstrual period. Implantation bleeding is short-lived and, for most women, requires no treatment.

TIPS TO MAINTAIN MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

1.Change your pad every four hours

If you use sanitary pads to soak the flow during your periods, remember to change it often. Ideally, changing it every four hours is good. If not every day, do this on the first two days when the flow is heavier. On others too, don’t wear the same pad for more than eight hours.

2.Clean reusable pads properly

There are sanitary napkins that can be reused for several menstrual cycles. If you use one of these, ensure that you clean them thoroughly after every use so that there are no germs and there is no scope of infection. Follow the instructions given and don’t reuse them after the said number of uses.

3.Keep your vaginal area clean

It is important to keep your vaginal area clean especially during periods when there is blood flow from the body. Use warm water and diluted soap to wash the area. You can also use recommended vaginal washes available in the market to keep yourself clean. If, however, they irritate your skin or vagina, discontinue the use and speak to a doctor. The vagina also has a self-cleaning mechanism, so these washes aren’t really necessary for most women.

4.Never use two pads simultaneously

No, two is not better than one. Some women who experience heavy flow, tend to use two sanitary pads at one go to control the flow and prevent staining of clothes. This, however, is a bad idea as it can cause infections in the vaginal region. Stick to one and keep changing it often if the flow is more.

5.Wear comfortable, clean underwear

While changing your sanitary pad is essential, it is also important to wear something comfortable during these days. Tight thongs or underwear made of fabric that doesn’t allow your skin to breathe will also lead to infections. Stick to clean and comfortable cotton knickers that do not stick to your skin.

INTRODUCTION

The dowry system in India refers to the durable goods, cash, and real or movable property that the bride’s family gives to the groom, his parents and his relatives as a condition of the marriage.

CAUSES OF DOWRY SYSTEM

1.Greed Factor – dowry demands often is exemplary of the collective greed of the society. Extortion in the name of social standing, compensation for the cost of groom’s education, his financial stability is a key feature of Indian marriages. Demands are put forward shamelessly and are expected to be met with silence. Threats of withdrawing the proposal looms on the bride’s family’s head at the cost of losing face in the community, and portions of the agreed upon sum is often demanded before the actual ceremony.

2. Society Structure – the dowry system is largely the manifestation of the patriarchal nature of the Indian society where men are considered superior to women in aspects of physical and mental capabilities. With the backdrop of such societal structure, women are often considered second-tier citizens, fit to assume only domesticated roles. Such perceptions are often associated of them being treated as a burden in economic terms first by the father and then by the husband. This feeling is further compounded by the dowry system which fuels the belief that girl child is a potential cause of drain of family finances.

3.Social Status of Women – the inferior social standing of women in Indian society is so deep-rooted in the psyche of the nation, that this treatment of them as mere commodities is accepted without question, not only by the family but by the women themselves. When marriage is viewed as the ultimate achievement for women, evil practices like dowry takes its roots deeper in the society.

4.Illiteracy – lack of formal education is another cause for the prevalence of the dowry system. A large number of women are deliberately kept from schools either due to certain superstitions or from the belief that educating girls will take away from their eligibility as good wives.

5.Propulsion Towards Adhering to Customs – Indians value traditions a lot and they tend not to question customs. They follow traditions blindly and provide dowry because it is the norm handed down through generations.

EFFECTS OF DOWRY SYSTEM

The following are problems pertaining to marriage and family dowry which are effecting our society seriously. So look at the effects of the dowry system on our women’s life.

Domestic violence against women

Dowry is not a one time process. It keeps continuing after marriage as well. A few greedy families harass married women to bring more dowry or in case of failure to meet dowry demands. As a result, the in-laws family does fight with her, beat her hard, or even they kill her. Every day many women harassment cases are registered due to dowry. In some cases, married women commit to suicide due to continuous harassment, some are burned or injured badly by in-laws family. Dowry deaths are found predominantly in Pakistan, India, Iran, Bangladesh, and a few more countries in the world.

Financial burden

It is a big financial burden on our society. The bride’s family starts collecting goods and saving money for dowry on her marriage from the day she takes birth. In many cases, her parents have to take borrow money from relatives and friends, a loan from the bank, and even sell their property for doing just her marriage. An average middle class spent 20 lakhs (2 million) on girl marriage.

Waste of money

Yes, it is totally a waste of money. People don’t spend money as much money on their child’s education and career as they spend on dowry and marriage expenses. An average gathering of 300 to 1000 guests in normal Indian marriage and bride family take care of all these meals, sitting and comforts. It is also another type of dowry. We can save this money to the bank or use it for their education

Encourage to gender discrimination and female foeticide

A girl’s parents get separated from her precious child forever but still, we need dowry along with her. This is not fair and encourages gender discrimination. Our society gives more preference to the boy child. Dowry culture also encourages female foeticide due to gender inequality and most families can’t afford wedding expenses.

PREVENTION OF DOWRY SYSTEM

The following are some important steps to eradicate dowry which we and our Government will need to take together.

All Groom need to take step up and “say no to dowry”. Boys need to convince their parents that they will not take or give dowry. They should have the confidence to earn their living. They should do a simple marriage without doing extra expenses and show-off.

Educate your daughter so she can become self-dependence and starts getting some earning which will help her financially and build confidence and self-esteem. A well-educated girl is also able to make her own decision and fight against any violence.

The government needs to implement the dowry law strictly. However the dowry prohibition act is already a presence in every county, but people don’t follow because it is not enforced strictly. Giving and taking dowry is illegal in some countries and he shall be punishable. The government needs to amend the law and describe marriage expenses level, identify the culprit and punish them hard, and solve out dowry cases very quickly so that culprit can go to jail.

Say ‘No’ to those greedy grooms. Yes, stay away and don’t make any relation with those greedy people who ask you for giving dowry. Make everything clean before marriage to avoid further issues. If still, they pressurize you for giving dowry, you can take strong action against them.

Social awareness activities. The social awareness campaigns can also help to educate the people and get rid of this dowry tradition. It is the result of awareness, people have started doing simple marriages without taking/giving dowry.

DOWRY LAWS IN INDIA

The Dowry Prohibition (DP) Act 1961

This legislation prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry, “as consideration for the marriage”. Here “dowry” is defined as a gift demanded or given as a precondition for a marriage. Gifts given without a precondition are not considered dowry, and are legal. Asking or giving of dowry can be punished by an imprisonment of up to six months, a fine of up to Rs. 15000 or the amount of dowry (whichever is higher), or imprisonment up to 5 years.

Dowry and Indian Penal Code

Apart from the Dowry Prohibition (DP) Act 1961, the menace of dowry has been covered in three sections of Indian Penal Code viz. Section 406 {recovery of the Streedhan}, Section 304-B {Dowry deaths} and Section 498-A {cruelty on the basis of demand of dowry}. However, there are some major issues with these laws as discussed under.

CONCLUSION

The dowry system is a social stigma that can be removed with all our contributions and awareness. It is in our blood so it will take more time to clean. Don’t make any daughter’s father poor or borrower. Our desires are never going to fulfill with other money and things.

lNTRODUCTION

Global warming is a term almost everyone is familiar with. But, its meaning is still not clear to most of us. So, Global warming refers to the gradual rise in the overall temperature of the atmosphere of the Earth. There are various activities taking place which have been increasing the temperature gradually. Global warming is melting our ice glaciers rapidly. This is extremely harmful to the earth as well as humans. It is quite challenging to control global warming; however, it is not unmanageable. The first step in solving any problem is identifying the cause of the problem. Therefore, we need to first understand the causes of global warming that will help us proceed further in solving it. 

CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming has become a grave problem which needs undivided attention. It is not happening because of a single cause but several causes. These causes are both natural as well as manmade. The natural causes include the release of greenhouses gases which are not able to escape from earth, causing the temperature to increase. Further, volcanic eruptions are also responsible for global warming. That is to say, these eruptions release tons of carbon dioxide which contributes to global warming. Similarly, methane is also one big issue responsible for global warming.

After that, the excessive use of automobiles and fossil fuels results in increased levels of carbon dioxide. In addition, activities like mining and cattle rearing are very harmful to the environment. One of the most common issues that are taking place rapidly is deforestation. So, when one of the biggest sources of absorption of carbon dioxide will only disappear, there will be nothing left to regulate the gas. Thus, it will result in global warming. Steps must be taken immediately to stop global warming and make the earth better again.

EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

The greenhouse gases will stay in the atmosphere for many years since hundreds years ago. However, the effect that global warming will cause on earth are extremely serious. There are many effects that will happen in the future if global warming continues. That includes polar ice caps melting, economic consequences, warmer waters and more hurricanes, spread of diseases and earthquake. First effect is polar ice caps melting. As the temperature increase, the ice at the North Pole will melt. Once the ice melt the first effect will be raise on sea levels because the melting glaciers become oceans. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center “if the ice melted today the seas would rise about 230 feet”. It affects many low lying areas such as the Netherlands. In future, the Netherlands will be cover by water once the North Pole is melted. However, it is not going to happen so fast but the sea level will continue to rise.

Another effect is the species loss of habitat. Species that include polar bears and tropical frogs will be extinct due to climate change. Besides, various birds will migrate to other places because animals are not like humans. They cannot adapt the habitat that changes their living or temperature. Next effect is more hurricanes will occur and economic consequences still affect as well. Hurricane causes damage to houses and government need to spend billions of dollars in damage and people need places to stay or have been killed. Once a disaster happens many people have died and diseases happen. Diseases are more serious because it can spread to other people very fast and more people will get the disease and the disease maybe come more serious because of different weather.

SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL WARMING

As stated earlier, it might be challenging but it is not entirely impossible. Global warming can be stopped when combined efforts are put in. For that, individuals and governments, both have to take steps towards achieving it. We must begin with the reduction of greenhouse gas. Furthermore, they need to monitor the consumption of gasoline. Switch to a hybrid car and reduce the release of carbon dioxide. Moreover, citizens can choose public transport or carpool together. Subsequently, recycling must also be encouraged.

For instance, when you go shopping, carry your own cloth bag. Another step you can take is to limit the use of electricity which will prevent the release of carbon dioxide. On the government’s part, they must regulate industrial waste and ban them from emitting harmful gases in the air. Deforestation must be stopped immediately and planting of trees must be encouraged. In short, all of us must realize the fact that our earth is not well. It needs to treatment and we can help it heal. The present generation must take up the responsibility of stopping global warming in order to prevent the suffering of future generations. Therefore, every little step, no matter how small carries a lot of weight and is quite significant in stopping global warming.

India vs New Zealand: Play was called off on Day 1 due to rain without a ball being bowled in Southampton.

The opening day of the WTC Final was called off because of inclement weather without a single ball being bowled. 
The toss was delayed as rain held firm since the beginning, with the players turning into spectators till late in the evening. 
As the day progressed, rain stopped and players stepped out to take a stroll and observe the situation, which didn’t improve much.
Finally, BCCI confirmed via tweet that Day 1 would be called off. BlackCaps revealed that 98 overs would be bowled on Day 2.
Hopefully we’ll have some cricket under our belt.

INTRODUCTION

Child marriage usually refers to a social phenomena practised in some societies in India , where a young child (usually a girl below the age of fifteen) is married to an adult man. A second form of practice of child marriage is that in which the parents of the two children (the girl and boy) arrange a future marriage. In this practice, the individuals (the boy and girl) do not meet one another until they reach the marriageable age, when the wedding ceremony is performed. As per law, the marriageable age is 21 for males and 18 for females. However, if any partner(s) engages in marriage at a younger age, (s)he can ask for the marriage to be declared void / annulled.

REASONS FOR CHILD MARRIAGE

Poverty

Low level of education of girls

Lower status given to the girls and considering them as financial burden

Social customs and traditions

EFFECTS OF CHILD MARRIAGE

Girls who get married at an early age are often more susceptible to the health risks associated with early sexual initiation and childbearing, including HIV and obstetric fistula. Young girls who lack status, power and maturity are often subjected to domestic violence, sexual abuse and social isolation. Early marriage almost always deprives girls of their education or meaningful work, which contributes to persistent poverty. Child Marriage perpetuates an unrelenting cycle of gender inequality, sickness and poverty. Getting the girls married at an early age when they are not physically mature, leads to highest rates of maternal and child mortality

GOVERNMENT AND NGO INITIATIVES

Framing laws against child marriages

Increasing access to girls education

Changing harmful cultural norms

Supporting community programs

Maximizing foreign assistance

Providing young women with economic opportunities

Addressing the unique needs of child brides

Evaluating programs to determine what works

CHILD MARRIAGE ACT

CHILD MARRIAGE ACT, 2006

Child marriage has been an issue in India for a long time. Because of its root in traditional, cultural and religious practises it has been a hard battle to fight. Child marriage is also associated with other problems like dowry and child widowhood. It is also associated with malnutrition, poor health of mothers and high fertility and hence over-population. The following is an overview of the act.

According to the act a child is a male who has not completed twenty one years of age and a female who has not completed eighteen years of age. Child marriage is a contract between any two people of which either one or both parties is a child. Child marriage that took place before or after this act can be made void by the person who was a child at the time of marriage. But the marriage must be voided before the person who was a child completes their second year of maturity.A court can decree that if it is the husband that is asking for a void of marriage then he or his family are responsible to pay for the maintenance of the girl until she is remarried. The amount of maintenance is to be determined by the district court. If there were any children born of the marriage, it is the court’s discretion as to where the child shall reside, with which parent, and how visits will be organised all in the best interest of the child. The court may also decide for one of the parties to provide maintenance for the child. Every child conceived before the voiding of the marriage is considered a legitimate child.

If a male adult above eighteen years contracts a child marriage shall be punishable unto two years imprisonment and/or a fine with may extend to Rs. 1 lakh. The same punishment will be given to person who performs, conducts or directs a child marriage. Unless proved otherwise, the parents or guardian of the child are considered to have failed to prevent the child marriage and hence are also held accountable.

There are certain situations in which a child marriage is deemed void even without a petition from one of the parties. If a child was detained away from her/his parents or guardians, forced to go to a different place, sold into marriage, or made to marry after which they are used for immoral purposes or trafficked then that marriage is considered to be null and void. The court has the power after the application of an officer or any person to issue an injunction prohibiting a suspected child marriage against any person, including a member of an organisation or an association of people. The court may also act against a suspected child marriage on its own motion but must provide the person/association with time to respond to the injunction. Ignoring a notice or injunction is a punishable offence. If the marriage is still carried out after the injunction, it is automatically voided.

The act calls for the instatement of a Child Marriage Prohibition Officer, who is responsible for ensuring no child marriage takes place in their jurisdiction by approaching the courts for an injunction, collecting evidence against people, creating awareness about the negative effects of child marriage, collect data concerning child marriages, etc. A child marriage prohibition officer is deemed a public servant in this act. Rules of this act are to be made by the respective state governments. The act calls for the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 to be amended to meet its provisions as well as the repeal of The Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929.

“Writing is powerful, but it can also be terrifying.”

• Writer’s Doubt, The Book

Writing can be complex if not done in a particular fashion or without a set of rules. Not only writing, but also all other tasks follow a pattern which we are expected to follow, in order to be more efficient. Let us know some ‘Writing Fails’ through a step by step approach.

Writing Too Much!

Sometimes, we lose balance and exceed the word count just because we suddenly feel the need to say it all. But we must remember that maintaining the word count and explaining your point in fewer words is what we call creativity.

Giving Too Many Descriptions!

When writing, sometimes we tend to give too much description to a particular facet of the story which makes reading a boring task. We must remember to provide short and elaborate description that is relevant to the context instead of allotting an entire page for the description of a single object.

Providing Too Many Supporting Characters!

While writing, we tend to come up with too many supporting characters because we feel the need to introduce the relatives and the close ones of the protagonist in the story. But that only ends up making the story boring. Imagine having to introduce each and every member of the household and remembering each and every name! Grrrhh. You are sure to mess up!

Writing Without Understanding The Topic Fully!

A common mistake that comes with a simple solution. Only choose topics that you are acquainted with, instead of going for alien topics. However, if you do wish to go for such topics then it is advisable to go for appropriate research and read more and more, because when you read, can you write. ‘Books are our best friends’. They won’t judge us on the basis of our incomplete knowledge. So, don’t hesitate to open your friend at least once before beginning to write. Know your topic fully!

Compromising On The ‘Creativity’ Factor!

Sometimes, writers tend to just provide messages simply without incorporating any form of creativity. I do understand that according to them, it is good for readers to grasp the concept faster. However, some amount of creativity in the content is always welcome. Using some interactive, humorous, innovative, and indirect way of explaining the concept will glue the readers more to your content instead of simple imparting. In short, the message conveyed here is to incorporate creativity in your ‘content’ even if the topic is ‘straightforward’. That is what is termed as Talent, isn’t it?

Writing Anything!

Another mistake in the list that needs to be amended. Yes! You are allowed to write anything but there are certain limits to that as well. You are not permitted to write vulgar or aberrant content that could arouse the mob. You are not permitted to write on highly controversial topics or criticize any important leader or an organization through your content (unless you yourself are a public figure). Thus, you must select only relevant topics which you feel would leave an ‘impact’ and not those which could leave ‘aggression’. It is good to not select topics that are highly subjective because humans carry differing perspectives which could perhaps clash or collide in the future. Topics or genres should pertain to universal acceptance. Fiction is a great example for widely accepted genre. You could try your hands on that.

Writing Once In A Month!

Another grave mistake that reduces your efficiency in the task. Some people state that they are out of time and thus, are unable to write. I do understand that managing the daily chores and schedules is a tough job but then if, after a month or so, you decide to write a book, then sorry fellas! You can’t be efficient in that. You need to practice daily in order to open the windows of your mind to creative imagination. Not writing for an entire month and then suddenly claiming to write a book in the next, isn’t actually right because then it will be difficult to maintain a word count and lengthy manuscripts would seem a hard task to write! So, one must write frequently!

Thus, I would conclude stating that writing needs to follow a set of rules in order to make it escalate at a higher level of creativity and imagination. Now that you know some of the writing fails, vow to never repeat them, get your pen and notebook out and start writing as soon as possible!

Thank You For Reading!

INTRODUCTION

A Natural disaster is an unforeseen occurrence of an event that causes harm to society. There are many Natural disasters that damage the environment and the people living in it. Some of them are earthquakes, cyclones, floods, Tsunami, landslides, volcanic eruption, and avalanches. Spatial extent measures the degree or severity of the disaster.

CAUSES OF NATURAL CALAMITIES

The disasters are different according to their occurrence. For example, the causes of an earthquake cannot be the same as that of forest-fire. Natural disasters are caused due to different reasons like soil erosion, seismic activity, tectonic movements, air pressure, and ocean currents etc.Natural activities taking place in the earth’s crust, as well as surface, are the main reasons for these disasters. Flooding and erosion can occur are really prone to the areas where mining, deforestation, and manufacturing have taken place.

LEVELS OF DISASTER

The severity or degree of damage can be further divided into three categories:

Small Scale Disasters: Small scale disasters are those that extend from 50 Kms. to 100 Kms. So this kind of disasters does not cause much damage.

Medium-scale disasters: Medium Scale disasters extend from 100 Kms to 500 Kms. These cause more damage than a small scale disaster. Moreover, they can cause greater damage if they occur in colonial states.

Large Scale Disasters: These disasters cover an area of more than 1000 Kms. These cause the most severe damage to the environment. Furthermore, these disasters can even take over a country if the degree is high. For instance, the wiping out of the dinosaurs was because of a large scale natural disaster.

TYPES OF DISASTER

Earthquake: An earthquake is the shaking or vibrating of the earth. An earthquake can range in sizes. As a result, some are so weak that they go unnoticed. But some are so strong that they can even destroy the whole city. Earthquakes can cause disruption of ground. Moreover, the can also cause landslides, avalanches, and Tsunami. However, the center of an earthquake falls mostly offshore.

Landslides: Landslides is the moving of big boulders of rocks or debris down a slope. As a result, landslides occur on mountains and hilly areas. Moreover, landslides can cause destruction to man-made things in many ways.

Avalanches: Avalanches are like landslides. But instead of rocks thousand tons of snow falls down the slope. Moreover, this causes extreme damage to anything that comes in its way. People who live in snowy mountains always have fear of it.

Tsunami: Tsunami is the production of very high waves in oceans and seas. Moreover, the displacement of the ground causes these high waves. A tsunami can cause floods if it occurs near shores. A Tsunami can consist of multiple waves. Moreover, these waves have a high current. Therefore it can reach coastlines within minutes. The main threat of a tsunami is if a person sees a Tsunami he cannot outrun it.

PREVENTION OF NATURAL CALAMITIES

The best that we can do is to stop the practices that are harmful to our environment and leading to environmental degradation and at the same time, we should also be prepared for a disaster with our disaster management plan. It is also required to dispose of the dead animals as well human bodies properly before an epidemic outbreak. Our environment should be saved from pollution. Stop burning plastics and save the earth. Stop cutting trees. The risk factors for increased infectious diseases transmission and outbreaks are mainly associated with the after-effects of the disasters

INTRODUCTION

The ancient Hindu tradition called sati, wherein a widow would throw herself on her husband’s pyre and burn to death, was initially a voluntary act considered courageous and heroic, but it later became a forced practice. Although sati is now banned all over India, it has a dark history.

MEANING OF SATI

“Sati” originally meant a woman who performed the act of immolating herself after her husband’s death. The word is derived from the Sanskrit word “asti’, which means “She is pure or true”.

In mythological terms, Sati was the name of the wife of Lord Shiva. Her father never respected Shiva and often despised him. To protest against the hatred that her father held for her husband, she burned herself. While she was burning, she prayed to be reborn as Shiva’s wife again. This did happen, and her new incarnation was called Parvati. People used to justify the practice based on this tale, but when Sati burned herself, she wasn’t a widow, and thus the practice is quite unrelated to this tale.

FROM VOLUNTARY TO FORCED

According to ancient Hindu customs, sati symbolised closure to a marriage. It was a voluntary act in which, as a sign of being a dutiful wife, a woman followed her husband to the afterlife. It was, therefore, considered to be the greatest form of devotion of a wife towards her dead husband.

With time, it became a forced practice. Women who did not wish to die like this were forced to do so in different ways. Traditionally, a widow had no role to play in society and was considered a burden. So, if a woman had no surviving children who could support her, she was pressurised to accept sati.

HISTORY OF SATI

Historical records tell us that sati first appeared between 320CE to 550CE, during the rule of Gupta Empire. Incidents of sati were first recorded in Nepal in 464CE, and later on in Madhya Pradesh in 510CE. The practice then spread to Rajasthan, where most number of sati cases happened over the centuries.Initially, the practice of sati was confined to royal families of the Kshatriya caste and only later spread to the lower castes, becoming widely practised among all social classes. Sati was at its peak between the 15th and 18th centuries. During this period, as many as 1000 widows were burned alive every year, most commonly in India and Nepal. However, records show that the practice was also popular in other traditions and in countries like Russia, Fiji and Vietnam.

SOCIETAL EXCEPTIONS TO SATI

There were, however, certain rules that exempted some women from this practice. The first sati rule stated that any widow who was pregnant, menstruating or had very young children, couldn’t partake in this ritual.

Women who committed sati were said to have died chaste, which, people believed, meant she would have good karma and a much better life in her next birth. But this justification didn’t work for Brahmin women as they already belonged to the highest caste, so karmically they couldn’t benefit from sati and thus did not have to practise it.

SATI HANDPRINTS AND SATI STONES

Sati was frequently practised in Rajasthan, more specifically by the women of royal families. A sati stone was created, which was a memorial of all the wives of the kings who died this way. Before giving up their lives, the queens left their handprints on the wall, to be remembered as valiant and devotional wives. Some of these handprints can still be found inside the Mehrangarh Fort.

DIFFERENT VERSION OF SATI- JAUHAR

Rajputs from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh practiced Jauhar. This was collective suicide by the widows of the royal families who preferred dying, rather than being captured, raped and disgraced by soldiers who defeated their kings in the wars. This practice grew in the 14th and 15th centuries, when the Hindu-Muslim wars were at their peak in northwest India. To commit Jauhar, special flammable rooms were built inside the forts out of lacquer and other combustible materials. The practice of Jauhar has been well depicted in the Bollywood movie Padmavat.

PROHIBITION OF SATI

If historical facts are to be believed, the practice of sati was prohibited many times between 15th and 18th centuries. In 1582, Mughal Emperor Akbar outlawed sati, and in 1663, Aurangzeb tried to end it again. Even the Portuguese, French and British, who came to India during the European colonial period, tried to stop sati. In 1850, the British hardened their rules against the practice. Sir Charles Napier ordered to hang to death any Hindu priest who presided over a widow burning. The princely states of India during that time were also pressurised to rule out sati completely. Raja Ram Mohan Roy was one of the key reformers who opposed the practice.

PREVENTION OF SATI ACT (1987)

In 1987, in the village of Deorala in Rajasthan, an 18-year-old married woman named Roop Kanwar was forced to become sati when her husband died after eight months of marriage. She refused. Consequently, a group of men from the village forcefully drugged and immolated her. Police investigated the case and those men were arrested. In light of this incident, the government created the Prevention of Sati Act, making it illegal to force or encourage a woman to commit sati, and anyone doing so would be punished by death. And yet, some widows still choose to become sati – at least four such cases were recorded between 2000 and 2015.