New Delhi: A webinar was organized on ‘Challenge of Child Obesity and Packaged Food during Covid pandemic in India. Dr. Naveen Thacker, President Elect, International Pediatrics Association (IAP) , Dr Arun Gupta, pediatrician and ex-member of the Prime Minister’s Nutrition Council and many other prominent Doctors and health experts were participated in this webinar . With more than 14.4 million obese kids, India has the second highest number of children with childhood obesity in the world. This number is likely to swell to 17 million by 2025, if the government does not intervene urgently to fix scientific limits and labelling for salt, sugar, saturated fats and other harmful ingredients in packaged and ultra-processed food and beverages, public health experts and doctors have warned. Participating in a webinar on ‘Challenge of Child Obesity and Packaged Food during Covid pandemic in India,’ they also demanded front of pack labels (FOPL) on these products to ensure that parents make an informed choice before giving them to their kids to eat. “Usually, an increased consumption of unhealthy or processed food coupled with physical inactivity leads to this preventable condition. It is fast emerging as the most serious public health challenges,” Dr. Naveen Thacker, President Elect, International Pediatrics Association (IAP) said, as he enlisted various physical and mental health issues such as poor academics, mood swings and lack of alertness, less energy, depression and sleep disturbances due to rampant consumption of junk food, energy drinks, beverages, caffeine and ultra-processed food. He explained that “along with tobacco, alcohol and physical activity, an unhealthy diet is strongly linked with NCDs, which are a major challenge in India.” Recently, the World Health Assembly (WHA) globally agreed framework for evidence-based cut-offs for anti-nutrients like sugar, salt and saturated fat present in packaged food. “In India, there are many guidelines related to consumption of foods and drinks for children, but there is a need for policy recommendations and implementation,” said Dr Thacker even as he asserted on making right to have healthy food a public movement. In Corona times, the obesity has increased among children due to lifestyle changes; their physical activities are restricted to bare minimum due to lockdown restrictions and closure of schools. It’s time that the government introduces front-of-package labelling (FOPL). Lip service will not help, he asserted. World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified FOPL as “one of the policy tools that can support healthy diets.” So far 11 countries across the world have enacted laws making FOPL mandatory. India is still holding consultations with various stakeholders to find a viable model, he added. Dr Arun Gupta, pediatrician and ex-member of the Prime Minister’s Nutrition Council too made strong case for tightening the noose around the food industry. “There are various studies that shows that 10 per cent increase in the consumption of Ultra processed food increases the chances of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer by approximately 10%. “Children are particularly at risk. It is not good to blame people always that they are not eating right food. The government and food industry should be held accountable to safeguard children and enable a nutritious food system for them. For this, strong legislation backed by the will to implement is needed,” he asserted. “We need to set evidence-based limits on the high concentration of salt, sugar and fats in packaged foods so families have clear guidance when buying these products,” he added. Senior journalist Mr. Vijay Jha opined that there was a need to curb marketing strategies of the food industry while the government should come out with strong legislations and create awareness among people about the health hazardous of the junk food. As per the Burden of Packaged Food on School children, based on Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) survey Know your Diet Study (2017), 53% children consumed salted packaged food such as chips and instant noodles at an average of over twice a week. About 56% children consumed sweet, packaged food such as chocolates and ice creams at an average of over twice a week. 49% children consumed sugar-sweetened packaged beverages at an average of over twice a week sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy food choices, including increasing consumption of pre-packaged food among adults and children has increased the rate of obesity and NCDs. Global researches have proved that the packaged food, without sufficient and adequate warning labels has been dangerous and tends to increase the consumption of salt, sugar and saturated fat.
The formation of white foam in the Yamuna river is not something new. However, what's worrying is that the formation of this foam is not a natural phenomenon. New Delhi: A layer of toxic foam has been floating on the surface of the Yamuna near Kalindi Kunj in Delhi for the last few days. Following this, the Delhi government Tuesday banned fishing in parts of the Yamuna citing high pollution levels in the river. However, the formation of toxic foam in the Yamuna is not new. Every year, during the Chhath Puja, images of devotees standing in waist-deep toxic forth in Yamuna make headlines. Even Sanskrit poet Avaghosa in his poetry, dating as far back as the 1st century, mentioned the presence of foam in Yamuna’s waters. ThePrint explains the science behind this froth. Phosphates in water Under natural circumstances, the formation of lines of foam on the surface of water is very common. VDO.AI Dead and decaying parts of plants contain fats molecules that do not mix with water. They form an invisible floating layer on the water surface. When the water gets disturbed by waves, natural waterfalls, or artificial falls from river barrages, this fatty layer gets beaten into a froth — similar to how shaking up soapy water causes air to get trapped in tiny bubbles that form a layer of foam. The foam made from organic matter in rivers and lakes can last for a long time. However, the amount of foam visible in present-day Yamuna cannot be explained by such natural phenomenon. According to Sushmita Sengupta, a scientist working with the Water Programme at Centre for Science and Environment, the high level of phosphates in the Yamuna is what causes such foam to build up. Phosphates are an ingredient used in many detergents which are designed to reduce the surface tension of water. These compounds make cleaning a lot easier. However, these phosphates persist in water, which leads to eutrophication — a process by which a water body becomes enriched with minerals and nutrients, causing the growth of algae that in turn cuts off oxygen from mixing with the water and sunlight from reaching the depths of the water body. This lowers the oxygen content, killing off marine life that is essential to maintain the quality of water. These phosphates are responsible for the alarming amount of foam that forms on the surface of the river, similar to the foam created by detergents. “Raw, untreated sewage is constantly dumped into the Yamuna in Delhi. The sewage contains detergents from households as well as industries,” Sengupta said. According to Sengupta, several detergents that make their way into the river are not approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards, which regulates the content of phosphates in detergents. Also read: Why Delhi Jal Board is just not able to clean up the Yamuna mess Concentration of phosphates in Yamuna According to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee report, the concentration of phosphates in the Yamuna varies from 6.9 mg/l at Okhla to 13.42 mg/l at Khajoori Paltan (downstream of Najafgarh drain). In 2020, the Bureau of Indian Standards prescribed Sodium Tripolyphosphates percentage for the household laundry detergents should be 5 for detergent bars, 2.5 for powder, and zero for household detergents for woolen and silk fabrics. Anshuman, Senior Fellow and Associate Director of Water Resources Policy & Management Area at TERI, explains that along with the presence of phosphates, the water also needs to be agitated to form the foam. This can be achieved if strong winds blow over the surface of the water, or heavy rain pours on the surface, he told ThePrint. The Okhla Barrage, from where the water is released also plays a part in churning up the waters — leaving a foamy cover downstream of the barrage. In a healthy flowing river, Anshuman said, the phosphates can get diluted over time, which would eventually cause the froth to disappear. However, if the amount of such compounds is too high in the water, the river cannot clean itself, he added. Anshuman also explained that phosphates is a skin irritant, and the presence of sewage and other pollutants in the river can make the foam toxic.
Dialogo sulla Terra Madre con Carlo Petrini e Nicola Lagioia, modera il direttore de La Stampa Massimo Giannni. Ad introdurre Giovanni Quaglia, Presidente della fondazione Crt e con gli interventi di Giorgio Brizio, Alessia Cucciòla e Ottavia Pieretto. Durante la conversazione saranno proiettati contributi dell’ambientalista indiana Sunita Narain, l’architetto Carolyn Steel e lo scrittore Jonathan Franzen.
La Terra non è una tavola sulla quale banchettare abbuffandosi a sazietà ma un ambiente da proteggere affinché possa continuare ad essere l’habitat in cui vivere, e il futuro non può accogliere soltanto chi è ricco e benestante, ma dev’essere inclusivo, capace cioè di assicurare cibo buono, pulito e giusto a tutti: ecco i temi del dialogo, promosso ieri alle Officine Grandi Riparazioni di Torino, da Slow Food e Fondazione Crt, con la collaborazione del Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino, dal titolo “Il futuro non è un pranzo di gala”, un’occasione per riflettere sui principali spunti di Terra Madre - Salone del Gusto 2020, l’edizione straordinaria lunga 7 mesi (chiusa ad aprile 2021), e per mettere a fuoco i pilastri da cui partire per immaginare il futuro del cibo e non solo. La prima arma di cui disponiamo, secondo Slow Food, o meglio la condizione indispensabile per poter affrontare il futuro, è la consapevolezza di quanto immorale e ingiusto sia il modo in cui gli effetti della crisi climatica impattano sulla vita delle persone: esserne a conoscenza è importante affinché si possano ridurre gli squilibri esistenti. “Oggi, in Italia, il consumo pro capite di carne è pari a 95 kg annui, più del doppio di quanta se ne mangiava a metà degli anni ‘50, il momento storico in cui, secondo l’Istituto nazionale della nutrizione, nel nostro Paese ci si è nutriti meglio dall’Unità in poi - spiega il fondatore e presidente di Slow Food, Carlo Petrini - occorre ridurre il consumo di carne, sia per ragioni di salute sia ambientali, ma non possiamo certo chiedere di farlo ai Paesi dell’Africa, dove il consumo è di appena 5 kg a testa. È il momento, dunque, che chi ha goduto fin troppo intraprenda un percorso di contrazione, nel consumo di carne ma in generale nei livelli di benessere, e che al tempo stesso si avvii un processo di convergenza per chi fino a oggi ha avuto meno”. Che occorra ripensare al modello occidentale lo sostiene anche Nicola Lagioia, direttore del Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino. “Non sempre lo sviluppo coincide con il progresso - sottolinea Lagioia - anzi, a volte finisce per erodere il principio di giustizia sociale, come testimonia la forbice sempre più ampia tra i ricchi e chi vive in povertà. Non solo: gli stili di vita adottati negli ultimi decenni hanno contribuito ad accelerare la crisi climatica eppure, anche di fronte all’evidenza e all’urgenza di farne fronte, non a tutti è chiaro che è l’uomo a rischiare l’estinzione”. La seconda arma, quella per così dire operativa, è la tutela della biodiversità, uno dei capisaldi dell’impegno di Slow Food: “siamo cresciuti facendo della difesa della biodiversità contro l’omologazione la nostra bandiera - continua Petrini - un’omologazione che, agli albori della nostra associazione, in ambito culinario vedeva nei fast food il modello di sviluppo. Più di trent’anni più tardi, l’omologazione e la perdita di biodiversità non riguardano soltanto il cibo, le varietà vegetali e le razze animali, bensì anche la cultura: i colossi dell’e-commerce, ad esempio, stanno distruggendo la biodiversità dei nostri centri urbani, specialmente nei borghi più piccoli che, giorno dopo giorno, perdono vitalità trasformandosi in cittadine-dormitorio”. La terza arma è l’attivismo delle persone, specialmente delle nuove generazioni, e la testimonianza è arrivata da tre giovani presenti al dialogo di Torino: Giorgio Brizio, studente di 19 anni in Scienze internazionali dello sviluppo e della cooperazione, esponente del movimento “Fridays for Future Torino” e autore del libro “Non siamo tutti nella stessa barca” edito da Slow Food Editore, Alessia Cucciòla, 24 anni, allevatrice, casara, contadina della Valsesia e produttrice del Presidio Slow Food del Macagn, e Ottavia Pieretto, 24 anni, gastronoma laureata all’Università di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo e membro della rete giovani di Slow Food. “Dobbiamo smettere di considerare le istanze, come le politiche alimentari, quelle per il clima o quelle per i diritti umani, singolarmente, e cominciare a ragionare in modo olistico”, ha dichiarato Giorgio Brizio, che ha esortato a “pensare globale e ad agire locale”. Chi certamente agisce in questo modo, rappresentando un esempio da seguire, è Alessia Cucciòla che, in Valsesia in provincia di Vercelli, alleva la razza bovina Bruna Alpina Originale con il cui latte produce il macagn, tipico formaggio di montagna delle zone la cui particolarità sta, tra le altre cose, nella produzione che avviene dopo ogni mungitura, quindi due volte al giorno. “Viviamo in mezzo alla biodiversità con gli animali che pascolano all’aperto e che, così facendo, contribuiscono a mantenere curati i prati fermando l’avanzata del bosco - ha raccontato - spero di poter continuare a contribuire alla salvaguardia della montagna”. Il futuro, però, non è nelle mani soltanto di chi produce: “Come consumatori, troppo spesso ignoriamo i meccanismi e le distorsioni che caratterizzano i sistemi produttivi e la filiera alimentare dei cibi che portiamo in tavola - ha aggiunto Ottavia Pieretto - in mano, però, abbiamo uno strumento: l’educazione alimentare. Un esempio? Smettere di rincorrere il risparmio: il cibo a basso costo non può esistere, e c’è sempre qualcuno che paga il conto di ciò che non troviamo sul cartellino. Un prezzo che spesso ha a che fare con la violazione dei diritti dei lavoratori o con lo sfruttamento dell’ambiente”. Il dibattito è stato poi arricchito dagli spunti offerti dai contributi di tre dei relatori intervenuti a Terra Madre - Salone del Gusto 2020: l’attivista indiana Sunita Narain, che denuncia l’impatto della crisi climatica sui più deboli, lo scrittore americano Jonathan Franzen, che esorta a proteggere la biodiversità, e l’architetta britannica Carolyn Steel, che invita a ripensare ai rapporti tra città e campagna. “Fondazione Crt lavora con Terra Madre per ridisegnare il futuro nel segno della tutela dell’ambiente, la nostra casa comune, portando avanti un’idea di società aperta alla dimensione non dell’io, ma del ‘noi insieme’, con al centro le persone e le comunità - ha dichiarato il presidente della Fondazione Crt, Giovanni Quaglia - un modello realmente sostenibile, inclusivo e orientato al bene comune, che si può sintetizzare con la formula “neo-personalismo comunitario”.
डॉ. संजय वर्मा। मर्ज बढ़ता गया, ज्यों-ज्यों हुआ इलाज-यह एक चर्चित कहावत है। इधर कोरोना वायरस से पैदा महामारी कोविड-19 के संदर्भ में कुछ ज्यादा ही सटीक बैठ रही है। पूरी दुनिया में एक ओर इसके टीकाकरण के अभियान रफ्तार पकड़ रहे हैं तो दूसरी तरफ कोरोना के नए से नए स्वरूप (वैरिएंट्स) आम लोगों, विज्ञानियों, चिकित्सकों और सरकारों तक को चिंता में डाल रहे हैं। कहा जा रहा है कि इलाज और टीकाकरण के प्रयासों के बीच कोरोना वायरस अपना रूप बदल रहा है। वायरसों के संदर्भ में इसे म्यूटेशन (उत्परिवर्तन) कहते हैं। खतरा सिर्फ नए वैरिएंट सामने आने का नहीं है, बल्कि यह है कि अपने भाई-बंदों के मुकाबले ये नए रूप ज्यादा खतरनाक साबित न हों। इसलिए आशंकाओं का दौर जोरों पर है। तीसरी लहर का संकट आसन्न माना जा रहा है। हमारे ही देश में कहा जा रहा है कि कोरोना का नया रूप ‘डेल्टा प्लस’ तीसरी लहर का कारण बन सकता है। Facebook twitter wp koo Email affiliates कैसे टूटेगा कोरोना संक्रमण का यह सिलसिला, जानिए कहानी ‘कप्पा’ और ‘डेल्टा’ की कोई नहीं जानता कि कोरोना वायरस अभी कितने रूप बदलेगा। प्रतीकात्मक Publish Date:Thu, 01 Jul 2021 09:47 AM (IST)Author: Sanjay Pokhriyal डेढ़ साल पहले दुनिया में जब कोरोना वायरस का प्रसार शुरू हुआ था तो उम्मीद नहीं थी कि इतनी जल्दी कोरोना के नए और खतरनाक वैरिएंट सामने आएंगे पर इसके संक्रमण की रफ्तार संहारक क्षमता और रूप बदलने की प्रवृत्ति ने दुनिया को सकते में डाल दिया है। डॉ. संजय वर्मा। मर्ज बढ़ता गया, ज्यों-ज्यों हुआ इलाज-यह एक चर्चित कहावत है। इधर कोरोना वायरस से पैदा महामारी कोविड-19 के संदर्भ में कुछ ज्यादा ही सटीक बैठ रही है। पूरी दुनिया में एक ओर इसके टीकाकरण के अभियान रफ्तार पकड़ रहे हैं तो दूसरी तरफ कोरोना के नए से नए स्वरूप (वैरिएंट्स) आम लोगों, विज्ञानियों, चिकित्सकों और सरकारों तक को चिंता में डाल रहे हैं। कहा जा रहा है कि इलाज और टीकाकरण के प्रयासों के बीच कोरोना वायरस अपना रूप बदल रहा है। वायरसों के संदर्भ में इसे म्यूटेशन (उत्परिवर्तन) कहते हैं। खतरा सिर्फ नए वैरिएंट सामने आने का नहीं है, बल्कि यह है कि अपने भाई-बंदों के मुकाबले ये नए रूप ज्यादा खतरनाक साबित न हों। इसलिए आशंकाओं का दौर जोरों पर है। तीसरी लहर का संकट आसन्न माना जा रहा है। हमारे ही देश में कहा जा रहा है कि कोरोना का नया रूप ‘डेल्टा प्लस’ तीसरी लहर का कारण बन सकता है। Ads by Jagran.TV स्कूलों ने नए सत्र के नाम पर बीस से चालीस फीसद तक फीस बढ़ा दी है। MP School Fees: मध्य प्रदेश में स्कूल फीस की वृद्धि पर तकरार, उलझन में शिवराज सरकार यह भी पढ़ें दावों के मुताबिक भारत में कोविड-19 की दूसरी लहर की वजह कोरोना वायरस का डेल्टा वैरिएंट (म्यूटेशन से पैदा हुआ नए किस्म का कोरोना वायरस) था। अब आठ से दस राज्यों में अपनी पहुंच बना चुका इसका नया संस्करण डेल्टा प्लस नई चिंताओं के केंद्र में है। कोई नहीं जानता कि ग्रीक वर्णमाला के आधार पर किए जा रहे कोरोना वायरस के नए रूपों के नामकरणों की यह सूची अभी कहां तक जाएगी। फिलहाल बात डेल्टा और लेम्डा तक पहुंच चुकी है। डेढ़ साल पहले दुनिया में जब कोरोना वायरस का प्रसार शुरू हुआ था तो उम्मीद नहीं थी कि इतनी जल्दी कोरोना के नए और खतरनाक वैरिएंट सामने आएंगे, पर इस संक्रमण की रफ्तार, संहारक क्षमता और रूप बदलने की प्रवृत्ति ने दुनिया और मेडिकल साइंस की अब तक तरक्की को सकते में डाल दिया है। संक्रमणों के पिछले तीन दशकों के इतिहास पर नजर डालें तो पता चल रहा है कि दुनिया में एक वायरस का खौफ थमता है और दूसरा कोई अन्य संक्रामक रोग कई गुना ज्यादा ताकत के साथ आ धमकता है। इस तरह दो सवाल पैदा होते हैं। एक, नए वायरस क्यों पैदा हो रहे हैं और क्या हमारे आधुनिक चिकित्सा विज्ञान के पास नए संक्रमणों को रोकने का कोई तरीका है? दो, वायरसों का म्यूटेशन क्यों होता है और उसे कैसे रोका जाए? करीब सौ साल पहले दुनिया में पेनिसिलिन के आविष्कार के साथ यह माना जाने लगा था कि मानव सभ्यता को अब संक्रामक रोगों से निजात पाने में कोई मुश्किल नहीं होगी, बल्कि यह राय बनी कि रोगाणुओं (विषाणुओं-जीवाणुओं) को अब अपनी मांद में चले जाना होगा, क्योंकि इंसान को इलाज की एक ऐसी मुकम्मल विधि मिल गई है, जिसमें रोग पनप ही नहीं सकते। स्कॉटिश चिकित्सक और माइक्रोबायोलॉजिस्ट अलेक्जेंडर फ्लेमिंग ने 1928 में पेनिसिलिन का आविष्कार करके संक्रामक रोगों से लड़ने और उन पर काबू पाने का जो रास्ता सुझाया था, वह चेचक, पोलियो, फ्लू सरीखे कई संक्रामक रोगों के टीके और दवाएं विकसित करने का जरिया बना। इस उपलब्धि के बावजूद समय के साथ साबित हुआ है कि मनुष्य ने संक्रमणों के खिलाफ जितने हथियार बनाए, वायरसों के नए रूपों ने सारे उपायों को बौना साबित कर दिया। जोर वायरस मारने पर, प्रक्रिया समझने पर नहीं : आधुनिक विज्ञान ने संक्रामक रोगों (विषाणुओं) को खत्म करने पर तो जोर दिया, लेकिन रोगाणुओं (माइक्रोब्स) के जीवनचक्र को समझने की कोशिश नहीं की। यह जीवनचक्र बताता है कि किसी संक्रमण के लंबे समय तक जीवित रहने, एक प्रजाति से दूसरी प्रजाति में छलांग लगाने और उत्परिवर्तन की कार्यप्रणाली क्या होती है। इसका परिणाम यह निकला कि संक्रमण की श्रंखला टूटने के बजाय वह और मजबूत होती चली गई। शायद यही वजह है कि बीते चार दशकों में बर्ड फ्लू, स्वाइन फ्लू, इबोला, मलेरिया, डेंगू बुखार, जीका और एचआइवी-एड्स आदि से होने वाली मौतों में कई गुना बढ़ोतरी हो चुकी है। दावा यह भी है कि 1970 के बाद से 30 नई संक्रामक बीमारियों ने मानव समुदाय को घेर लिया है। कोरोना वायरस को इस गिनती में सबसे नया ठहराया जा सकता है। चूंकि वायरस म्यूटेशन का रुख अपना रहे हैं। यानी हालात के मुताबिक खुद को समायोजित कर लेते हैं और अपना स्वरूप बदल लेते हैं। इससे उनके मुकाबले को बनी दवाइयां और टीके कारगर नहीं रह पाते हैं। हालांकि इसके पीछे फार्मा कंपनियों की साजिश का भी एक आरोप लगाया जाता है। दावा किया जाता है कि दवा कंपनियां खुद नहीं चाहतीं कि कोई वायरस इतनी जल्दी धरती से विदा हो जाए या उनका म्यूटेशन हमेशा के लिए रुक जाए। इस दावे का आधार यह है कि शोध-अनुसंधान का हवाला देकर उन्हें पहले से कई गुना महंगी दवाएं और टीके बेचने का मौका मिल जाता है। एक और बड़ा कारण रोग-निदान या उपचार का सही तरीका विकसित किए बगैर दवाओं और टीकों की बमबारी करना भी है। खास तौर से एंटीबायोटिक दवाओं के अंधाधुंध इस्तेमाल ने वायरसों को खत्म करने के बजाय उन्हें और मजबूत ही बनाया है। कोरोना से निपटने में जिस तरह विभिन्न दवाओं का बिना यह जाने ताबड़तोड़ इस्तेमाल हुआ कि वे कोई असर करेंगी भी या नहीं, स्थितियां बिगाड़ी ही हैं। बिगड़ती जीवनशैली भी गुनहगार : पिछले चार दशकों में अगर संक्रामक बीमारियों ने रफ्तार पकड़ी है तो इसके लिए शहरीकरण और लोगों की बिगड़ती जीवनशैली भी एक अहम वजह प्रतीत होती है। कोरोना से पहले भी इसकी चर्चा दुनिया भर में थी कि खराब जीवनशैली हर साल लाखों लोगों को मौत के मुंह में धकेल रही है। कोरोना के प्रकोप के दौरान यह जोखिम और बढ़ गया है। ब्रिटिश जर्नल ऑफ स्पोर्ट्स मेडिसिन के शोध में बताया गया है कि शारीरिक श्रम की कमी और निष्क्रिय जीवनशैली ने कोरोना संक्रमण की जद में आने वालों में वायरस के गंभीर लक्षण पैदा किए और उनकी मृत्यु का जोखिम दूसरों के मुकाबले अधिक रहा। निष्क्रिय जीवनशैली के साथ धूमपान, मोटापा और उच्च रक्तचाप ने कोरोना की मार में काफी ज्यादा इजाफा कर दिया। हो सकता है कि आगे चलकर यह तथ्य भी पर्याप्त डाटा मिलने पर सामने आए कि ग्रामीणों के मुकाबले कोरोना ने उन शहरियों पर ज्यादा कहर ढाया है, जो सुविधाजनक जीवनशैली के आदी हो गए हैं। वातानुकूलित कमरों में रहने के कारण उनके फेफड़े कमजोर पड़ गए जिससे वे कोरोना की आसान चपेट में आ गए। चार साल पहले सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने भी अपनी रिपोर्ट ‘बॉडी बर्डन’ में चेताया था कि भारत में होने वाली कुल मौतों में से 61 फीसद खराब जीवनशैली और गैर संचारी रोगों की वजह से होती हैं। कैंसर, हृदयरोग और मधुमेह के अलावा हमारे शहरों में लोगों के फेफड़े वायु प्रदूषण और शारीरिक निष्क्रियता के चलते कमजोर होते जा रहे हैं। दिल्ली में हर तीसरे बच्चे के फेफड़े प्रभावित हैं और 2016 में भारत में 3.5 करोड़ लोग अस्थमा के गंभीर मरीज पाए गए थे। अफसोस कि इस रिपोर्ट के महत्व को गंभीरता से नहीं समझा गया और कोरोना के दौर में हम भारतीयों के फेफड़े गंभीर संकट में फंस गए। अब वक्त आ गया है, जब पूरी दुनिया को ठहरकर सोचना चाहिए कि वह आखिर ऐसा क्या करे, जिससे कोरोना जैसी महामारियां दोबारा लौटकर न आ पाएं। सरकारें जनता को कम कीमत पर अच्छे इलाज की सहूलियतें देने के साथ जागरूक करें कि बीमार होने से बेहतर है कि स्वस्थ जीवनशैली अपनाई जाए। उन पर्यावरणीय कारणों की तह में भी जाना होगा, जो नए वायरसों की पैदावार, कई पुराने वायरसों की वापसी और उनके उत्परिवर्तन की वजह बन रहे हैं। ऐसे प्रबंध किए जाएं, ताकि भविष्य में किसी भी संक्रमण को हावी होने का मौका नहीं मिले। कहानी ‘कप्पा’ और ‘डेल्टा’ की : पूर्व अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रंप ने जब कोरोना वायरस को चाइनीज वायरस कहा और उनके सहयोगी (माइक पोंपियो) ने इसे बाकायदा वुहान वायरस कहकर पुकारा तो सबसे पहली आपत्ति चीन की तरफ से ही आई। वैसे वायरस के ऐसे नामकरण को लेकर कोई भी देश एतराज कर सकता है। यही वजह है कि डब्ल्यूएचओ ने इसकी एक व्यवस्था बनाई है। इसके तहत कोरोना वायरस सार्स-कोव-2 के विभिन्न नामकरण किए गए हैं। चूंकि वक्त के साथ और म्यूटेशन के कारण कोरोना वायरस के व्यवहार और संहारक क्षमता में तब्दीली हो रही है, इसलिए नाम में भी परिवर्तन किया जा रहा है। यह इसलिए जरूरी है, क्योंकि इन बदलावों का एक असर वायरसों के गुणों पर पड़ता है। परिवर्तनों के बाद कोई वायरस आसानी से फैल सकता है या बीमारी-महामारी की गंभीरता को प्रभावित कर सकता है अथवा बचाव की वैक्सीनों को धता बता सकता है। ऐसे में नए वायरस की पहचान सुनिश्चित कर उससे बचाव के तौर-तरीके में भी तब्दीली लानी पड़ती है। यह परिवर्तन अलग-अलग देशों में वहां की जलवायु और वायरस के म्यूटेशन की प्रवृत्तियों के आधार पर होता है। जैसे भारत की बात करें तो यहां अक्टूबर 2020 में पहली बार सामने आए कोरोना वायरस के नए स्वरूप बी.1.617.1 को डब्ल्यूएचओ ने ‘कप्पा’ नाम का लेबल दिया, जबकि एक अन्य वैरिएंट बी.1.617.2 को डेल्टा नाम दिया। डेल्टा नाम दिए जाने से पहले दुनिया में बी.1.617.2 को भारतीय या कोरोना का बंगाल वायरस कहा जाने लगा था। इस पर भारत ने आपत्ति जताई थी। वायरस की नई पहचान के लिए डेल्टा आदि अक्षर ग्रीक वर्णमाला से लिए गए हैं। इस सिलसिले में ब्रिटेन में मिले कोरोना के नए वैरिएंट बी.1.1.7 को अल्फा, दक्षिण अफ्रीका में मिले वैरिएंट बी.1.351 को बीटा और ब्राजील में मिले पी.1 को गामा नाम दिया है। ये सभी वे वैरिएंट हैं जिन्हें वैरिएंट ऑफ कंसर्न (वीओसी) की श्रेणी में रखा गया है। जबकि वैरिएंट ऑफ इंटरेस्ट (वीओआइ) की श्रेणी में रखे अमेरिका में पहली बार मिले वैरिएंट बी.1.427/बी.1.429 को एप्सिलोन, ब्राजील में मिले पी.2 को जीटा, कई अन्य देशों में मिले वैरिएंट बी.1.525 को ईटा, फिलीपींस में मिले पी.3 को थीटा, बी.1.526 को लोटा नाम दिया गया है। जोखिम के स्तर को देखते हुए कोरोना के नए रूपों को वीओआइ और वीओसी दो भागों में बांट दिया है।
A survey by the Centre for Science an Environment of 154,000 MW of India’s coal plant capacity has found almost half the plants relying on freshwater do not meet water efficiency standards first announced in 2015. Most of the plants failing to meet the standards are owned by public utilities. The standards require coal plants built before January 1, 2017 to consume less than 3.5 cubic metres of water per megawatt hour (MWh) with plants commissioned after that date to use 3 cubic metres of water or less per MWh. India’s fleet of coal plants consumes about 70 per cent of water consumed by all industries with about half located in water-scarce districts, often causing conflict with other users. Coal plants reliant on seawater for cooling are exempt from the standards. (Centre for Science and Environment)
As per SAFAR, the contribution to PM2.5 emission from different sectors between 2019-20 was 30.5% from the transport sector, 18% from industries & power sector, 15% from residential burning.
Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh boards/committees rated the most transparent among 35 such organisations studied. A majority of India’s pollution control agencies remain closed entities when it comes to sharing information with the public, a new rating study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has revealed. The report claims that a mere handful of India’s pollution control boards and authorities are adequately putting out environmental and governance information into the public domain. Rating of pollution control boards on public disclosure – as the study is titled – has assessed the data disclosure performance of 29 state pollution control boards (PCBs) and six pollution control committees from across the country. Of these, only 14 boards and committees scored 50 per cent or above. These 14 are from Odisha, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa, Karnataka, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. Activity Under Lens Report assesses how actively boards display and disclose key environment and governance-related information in the public domain. CSE has rated 35 pollution control boards and committees based on information furnished in the public domain under 25 parameters -- only 14 have scored grades above 50 per cent. Report also highlights a lack of uniformity in the display of the available information. Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director, Industrial Pollution Unit, CSE says: “State PCBs are entrusted with several functions under the provisions of the Water Act, 1974; Air Act, 1981; Water Cess Act, 1977; and various rules and notifications issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. One of these functions under Section 17(C) of the Air and Water Acts is to collect and disseminate information related to air and water pollution and also about its prevention, control or abatement. The law asks the boards to share the data in public domain. But this is rarely done in practice.” Shreya Verma, programme officer, Industrial Pollution Unit, CSE, and author of the study explains the methodology: “For this study, CSE collected data from two sources -- websites of SPCBs/PCCs and their annual reports. The study has evaluated the information shared by SPCBs/PCCs during the last four to five years (2016-21) and uses 25 indicators that provide a broader assessment on the type and amount of information shared. A few key indicators used in the study include the availability of information on direction/show cause/closure notices issued by boards, information on public hearings and EIA reports, non-attainment cities and polluted river stretches etc.” SPCB/PCCs have been protective of industries when it comes to non-compliance: Out of 35 SPCBs/PCCs, only five have shared soft copies of directions and show cause/closure notices issued on their websites – these are from J&K, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Key findings of the report Governance and functioning-related data remains paper-bound: Information on functioning, actions taken by a board against polluting industries, public hearing data on new projects etc are rarely disclosed or remain difficult to access on the websites. For instance, Only 12 states have shared their latest annual reports on their websites: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura and West Bengal have shared annual reports of the year 2019-20; the states of Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have shared annual reports of the year 2018-19 (which could be termed as the latest considering the COVID-19 situation in 2020). No initiative has been taken by 11 SPCBs/PCCs of the following states and Union territories in sharing their annual reports -- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, J&K, Jharkhand, Manipur, Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Puducherry and Nagaland. SPCB/PCCs have been protective of industries when it comes to non-compliance: Out of 35 SPCBs/PCCs, only five have shared soft copies of directions and show cause/closure notices issued on their websites – these are from J&K, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. Only five boards - Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Tripura and Uttarakhand - have shared minutes of their board meetings on their websites: It is mandatory for SPCBs to meet at least once every three months. Board members in these meetings are supposed to discuss issues related to the functioning of the board, action plans, compliance and monitoring, and devising innovative methods to improve enforcement of laws. Only five SPCBs have shared information on inspection conducted by the boards: The PCBs of Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have shared this information in their annual reports. Only nine SPCBs/PCCs have provided detailed information on public hearings, which includes the executive summary, draft EIA report of the project, and minutes of the meeting. The states represented are Karnataka, Telangana, Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Goa and Mizoram. Limited data on current pollution levels: Data indicating the current pollution levels – air pollutants, waste etc – the basic indicators of environment health, is missing. Most boards display inadequate data, indicating no trends. More so, even details on upcoming projects and grievances of the general public of the locality are hardly displayed. Only 19 SPCBs/PCCs are displaying their CEMS data: This, even after a statutory obligation to do it, as per a Supreme Court order (February 22, 2017) and an environment ministry directive (GSR 96(E) January 29, 2018). The states from where these PCBs/PCCs come are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Of these 19, just five PCBs/PCCs display historical CEMS data. Laxity in sharing information on solid waste: Fourteen SPCBs/PCCs do not share any information on municipal waste generation; 11 on plastic waste generation; 10 on hazardous waste; and nine on e-waste. Says Verma: “The study has also found a lack of uniformity in displaying data -- for instance, all the SPCBs/PCCs surveyed have different website formats, which makes accessing information quite difficult. Similarly, there is no format for annual reports: hence, the information available varies from board to board.” Nivit adds: Improving transparency is a ‘must’ when it comes to state pollution control boards. Putting in the public domain crucial pollution-related information, data and details of actions taken is critical – it can help policy-makers take the discussions to the next level of pollution management, and it can also reassure the people about efficiency of these boards and committees. SPCBs and SPCCs, therefore, must focus urgently to become more transparent by putting out data and improving the quality of their outreach for public engagement.
41 lakh vehicles not just causing snarls, also contributing 30% to city pollution Mumbai: There are 41 lakh vehicles in Mumbai, 26 lakh of them being two-wheelers. Not just noise pollution during traffic snarls, these vehicles are also the biggest reason for air pollution in the city. As per the latest source estimation analysis for PM 2.5 (particulate matter) pollutants in Mumbai, vehicular emissions have nearly doubled in the last four years. Under the current Covid-19 situation, pollution has become one of the major worrying factors. According to an analysis conducted by the System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting & Research (SAFAR), the PM 2.5 from the transport sector for 2019-20 is 30.5%, which stood at 16% in 2016-17. This is fast downgrading the city’s already poor air quality. The air we breathe has suspended particulate matter (PM) of different sizes. Many of these are complex mixtures of dust, pollen, soot and smoke and are clearly hazardous. Of this, PM 2.5 (with diameter not more than 2.5 micrometre) is considered to have a significant impact on health as it can stay in the air for days or weeks, and is small enough to invade the lung airways. As per latest figures, the four RTOs of Tardeo, Andheri, Wadala and Borivali registered 84,373 vehicles between January and June this year. These include 68,034 vehicles running on petrol and 7,379 diesel vehicles. In 2017, there were 2.68 lakh vehicles registered in these four RTOs, of which over 2 lakh ran on petrol and close to 29,000 on diesel. In 2016-17, the total number stood at 30.69 lakh, while the number was 20.28 lakh in 2011-12. As per SAFAR, the contribution to PM 2.5 emissions from different sectors between 2019 and 2020 was 30.5% from the transport sector, 18% from industries and power sector, 15% from residential burning, which includes residential cooking in households and slums, trash burning, cow dung burning, emissions from street vendors and wood burning. Dr Gufran Beig, senior scientist and founder project director of SAFAR said, “In the past five years, the transport sector has shown a steep rise in contribution to PM 2.5 pollution in Mumbai. This is a combination of both rise in the number of vehicles and snarls at junctions.” The other pollutants in the PM 2.5 category include wind-blown dust (15%) and other sources (21.5%), including municipal solid waste (MSW) plants, MSW open burning, crematoriums, aviation sector, incense sticks and brick kilns, to name a few. A similar source estimation for PM 2.5 pollutants by SAFAR in 2016-17 had shown transport accounting for 16%, with industry and power sectors being the biggest contributors at 36%. Other sources included residential burning at 27%, and wind-blown dust at 21%. In Mumbai, new industries or power plants are not being set up any longer, but vehicles continue to grow in numbers, said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, the Centre for Science and Environment.
... rampantly flouting the country's 2015 water consumption norms, says a new survey report released recently by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
Mumbai: Tiny, deadly particles in Mumbai’s air from vehicular movement have nearly doubled over the past five years, making it the biggest contributor to the city’s already deteriorating air quality. A 2019-20 source estimation analysis for PM2.5 pollutants recently done by System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), under Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, revealed that the share of PM2.5 emissions coming from the transport sector is 30.5% in 2019-20, compared to 16% it was in 2016-17. Air has suspended particulate matter (PM) of different sizes. Many are a complex mixture of dust, pollen, soot and smoke, and are hazardous. Of this, PM 2.5 is the smaller kind, with a diameter not more than 2.5 micrometers (fine particles). The carcinogenic PM2.5 is considered to have a very significant health impact, as it can stay in the air for days or weeks, and is small enough to invade the lung airways. SAFAR said the contribution to PM2.5 emission in 2019-20 from industries and power units was 18%, which was 36% in 2016-17. Similarly, from municipal waste, the contribution is 21.5% in 2019-20; quantification of it was not available in 2016-17. Municipal waste contribution includes municipal solid waste (MSW) plants, MSW open burning, crematoriums, aviation sector, incense sticks and brick kilns. Interestingly, residential burning, which includes residential cooking in households and slums, trash burning, cow dung burning, emission from street vendors and wood burning has gone down to 15% in 2019-20, as against 27% in 2016-17. Pollution due to wind blown dust is 15% as against 21% earlier. Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, Central for Science and Environment, said, “The city has not been able to leverage its overall public transport system in terms of metro and suburban rail to reduce dependence on private vehicles.” Dr Gufran Beig, senior scientist and founder project director, SAFAR, said that the change was a result of a combination of both increase in vehicles in Mumbai and more stagnation at traffic junctions, leading to congestion.
NEW DELHI: Fifty percent of India’s freshwater-based coal-fired power plants, surveyed by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), do not meet the 2015 water use standards, said a new study. The CSE, New Delhi-based environmental policy think-tank, surveyed 132 power plants, having total installed capacity of over 154 GW, and found that half of these freshwater-based plants did not comply with the specified standards. Majority of the non-complying plants belong to state-owned companies with Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra possessing the maximum number of such plants. The study, highlighting how the water-guzzling coal-based power industry is ignoring water regulations even six years after the norms were introduced, noted that the sector is adding to water stress in the country as about 48% of the existing coal power fleet is located in water-scarce districts. Congratulations! You have successfully cast your vote The 2015 water norms (later amended in 2018) for power plants were introduced along with the emission norms. While the deadline for emission norms was extended in 2017 and again in 2021, there is no fresh deadline for compliance of water consumption limit after the previous deadline of December 2017 ended. “There is no deadline for the power plants to meet the water use norms. Who is going to comply with it when there is no deadline? The environment ministry must set a deadline and enforce its adherence by the power plants,” said Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution unit of the CSE. The study underlined that it was only in January 2019 that the CPCB asked thermal power plants to submit their specific water consumption data on a quarterly basis, starting from October– December 2018. Based on the data obtained, plants that were not meeting the specific water consumption limit were asked to submit time-targeted action plans for achieving the limit. Yadav said the CSE found several loopholes in “self-reported data and data format” as it did not account for all water consumption. “Besides, there is no third-party monitoring and verification of the data, which is self-reported by plants. In such a scenario, there is a high probability of data manipulation and underreporting,” he said. The CSE survey has found that most of the state-owned non-complying power plants are old and inefficient. Pitching for closing down such water-guzzling plants, specifically in water-stressed regions of India, the study noted that these plants are not just flouting the water norms, but also the emission norms causing air pollution. As per the 2015 water use norms, plants installed before January 1, 2017 were required to meet a specific consumption limit of 3.5 cubic metres of water per MWh while the plants installed after January 1, 2017 had to meet the norm of 3 cubic metres of water per MWh, apart from adopting zero liquid discharge. Additionally, all freshwater-based plants were required to install cooling towers and subsequently achieve the norm of 3.5 cubic metres of water per MWh. All sea water-based plants were exempted from meeting the norms. Surprisingly, even a few younger plants commissioned after 2005 were found to be non-complying in the surveyed capacity. The CSE study flagged several such plants including Yermarus TPS and NTPC Kudgi in Karnataka, Bokaro ‘A’ TPS in Jharkhand, Dr Shyama Prasad TPS and NTPC Solapur in Maharashtra, NTPC Khargone in Madhya Pradesh and Sagardighi TPS in West Bengal.
Air pollution from the transport sector in Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra, has nearly doubled in the past four years. It is the biggest contributor to the city’s deteriorating air quality. An analysis of PM2.5 pollutants in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has revealed that emissions coming from the transport sector have nearly doubled in the past four years. It has increased from 16 per cent in 2016-17 to 30.5 per cent in 2019-20. The analysis, that was published today (June 29) was carried out by System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), a research management organisation which provides data on air quality and pollution, under the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune. According to the study, PM2.5 has a significantly adverse health impact. The particulate matter can remain suspended in the environment for days and even weeks and is small enough to invade the lung airways. Toxic gases such as NO2, formed by burning of coal and oil, as well as emissions from vehicles can worsen respiratory ailments. Also Read: Despite COVID19 restrictions and lockdowns, several Indian cities register high air pollution The 2019-20 source estimation by SAFAR revealed that 30.5 per cent of the PM2.5 emission came from the transport sector; 18 per cent came from industries and the power sector, while 15 per cent came from cooking, burning of trash, wood and cow dung, as well as emissions from street food vendors. The other contributors were wind blown dust (15 per cent) and other sources (21.5 per cent) including municipal solid waste, burning of plants, crematoriums, the aviation sector, brick kilns, etc. In 2016-17, according to SAFAR, the biggest contributor of PM2.5 was the industry and power sector with 36 per cent. Transport had accounted for 16 per cent. The rest was contributed by cooking, etc., in residential areas (27 per cent) and wind blown dust (21 per cent). “While new industries or power plants are not being set up in Mumbai, vehicles continue to grow,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director-research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, a non-profit public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi. Also Read: Here’s what a study found while probing the link between air pollution and COVID19 in India Increasing vehicles, increasing air pollution “Transport sector has shown a drastic increase over four years as a contributor to PM2.5 pollution in Mumbai. This is a combination of both an increase in the number of vehicles in the city and more stagnation at traffic junctions leading to congestion,” said Gufran Beig, Senior scientist and Founder Project Director, SAFAR. As per the Maharashtra transport department, Mumbai surpassed the landmark figure of four million vehicles earlier this year with 1.16 million private cars and around 2.4 million two-wheelers. In 2016-17, the total number of vehicles stood at 3.069 million. In 2011-12 the number was 2.028 million. Also Read: Public transport, state highways to be modified as Maharashtra aims to increase electric vehicles by 2025 Mumbai is fortunate that it is surrounded by the ocean on three sides, which helps in swift dispersion of pollutants. “However, now the alarm bells are ringing. We are approaching a tipping point where these natural factors will no longer make any difference to the overall pollution scenario,” warned Beig. He suggested addressing sector wise emission was key to setting right the air pollution problem in the city. According to the study, PM2.5 has a significantly adverse health impact. Photo: cleanairfund.org/ What can be done? The study suggested steps that could be taken to address Mumbai’s transport emissions. Controlling tailpipe emissions through an old vehicle phase-out policy especially for commercial vehicles; and a scrappage policy for the city. Implementing an Electric Vehicles Policy beyond one for the state that has a targeted mandate for segment wise (two-wheeler, three-wheeler, four wheeler) electrification quickly over time. Strong on-road emission monitoring system with remote sensing technology. Mobility strategies under the city management plan. This could cover scaling up the public transport system, enhancing walking and cycling infrastructure, dedicated parking policy with a focus on air quality, low emission zones and increased pedestrianisation.
Rural tech startups Frontier Markets, HESA and 1Bridge have announced the formation of a coalition to address the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic in the rural sector. The Rural Access coalition aims to raise $8 million to ensure employment, awareness and accessibility to 1 million rural households in 6,000 villages across 4 states in India. The mission of the coalition is to support rural families to become Covid resilient while contributing to job creation and economic resilience in rural India. The Rural Access Coalition for COVID-19 Resilience is composed of rural supply chain companies, grassroots organizations and ecosystem enablers in a joint coalition effort to uplift the depreciating lifestyle and infrastructure in rural India, which is a result of the global pandemic. Opening its platform to donors, ecosystem enablers, experts and practitioners to help deliver to the rural population at scale, the coalition has partnered with Armman and Noora Health for Covid-19 & maternal-related information, training and services, which will be accompanied with Raksha Kits (PPE kits and supplies) by 1MG to provide access to equipment to every rural household. The participation also includes ecosystem enablers Sattva Consulting and United Way Delhi alongside Head Held High Foundation and BASIX-BABLE for capacity building. A recent report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) revealed over 52% deaths in the total mortality rate account for covid whereas nearly 3 million salaried employees lost their jobs. The coalition will help in Covid resilience and create employment opportunities in the rural sector. Together, Frontier Markets, Hesa and 1Bridge have an army of 30,000 microlevel entrepreneurs who will execute this mission on ground to ensure access to everyday essentials without disruption to daily lives. The coalition will maximise a deep-rooted impact with a holistic approach by amplifying the sustainable development goals of gender equality, employment, improved infrastructure and better livelihood in rural India. The primary focus of Covid-19 resilience will be achieved through a strategic approach: – Providing credible knowledge to rural communities through an on-ground network of entrepreneurs using various mediums will build COVID-19 awareness and relief measures. – Adequate access to essential deliveries including consumer goods, PPE kits, masks and more. – Training and camps with healthcare organisations will ensure critical health care services including relief guidelines and measures. – Leveraging their convening power, the network of entrepreneurs have already been helping people with vaccine and covid measures. Ajaita Shah Founder and CEO Frontier Markets said, “The Rural Access Coalition will help overcome the grassroots level challenges in rural India directly, and quickly. Rural customers/families suffer the most as they are deprived of resources despite big companies coming forward. Our contribution will be a massive needed gender lens – as Frontier Markets’ entire 10,000 Saheli network will connect deeply to amplify the gender-based health needs of the community alongside accessibility, economic development and opportunities.” 1Bridge - Rural Access Coalition Launching this coalition, Madan Padaki, Founder & CEO, 1Bridge said, “Access, Choice and Convenience has always been a challenge for rural consumers across products & services and 1Bridge has been systematically addressing these challenges through its village commerce network of entrepreneurs. With the onslaught of the pandemic, it is now critical to solve for these from a healthcare perspective, where we can deliver care & supplies right at the doorsteps of rural consumers while generating new models of economic opportunities for entrepreneurs. We look forward to being a part of this Rural Access Coalition and working together to mitigate the COVID-19 crisis in rural India.” “We strive to largely empower rural India by enabling accessibility, availability, connectivity and providing business and earning opportunities, all rolled under one platform. Amidst the pandemic, we have been addressing various challenges across the rural sector through our initiatives with the aim of providing better livelihoods. With our strong network of over 7000 Hesaathis across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, we have been able to provide physical, digital and social connectivity to rural communities and bridge the urban-rural gap in India. We look forward to making rural communities become Covid resilient with this coalition,” added Vamsi Udayagiri, Co-Founder and CEO Hesa. Frontier Markets, which is a women-led social enterprise, has been working with rural communities for 10 years adapting its products and services to respond to evolving consumer needs and disruptive challenges on the ground with a strong network of 10,000 Sahelis (Saral Jeevan Sahelis) in North India. Similarly, 1Bridge has been operating across 6000+ villages predominantly within Southern India, empowering 7000 rural entrepreneurs or 1Bridge Advisors (1BAs) not just by providing additional employment opportunities, but also strengthening their social capital as trusted advisors to community folks in their villages.