சபரிமலை ஐயப்பன் கோயில் பிரசாதம்: வீட்டிலேயே வழங்க 

அஞ்சல்துறை ஏற்பாடு

30.11.2020

சபரிமலை ஐயப்பன் கோயில் பிரசாதத்தை பக்தா்களின் வீடுகளிலேயே வழங்க இந்திய அஞ்சல் துறை ஏற்பாடு செய்துள்ளது.

சபரிமலை ஸ்ரீ தா்ம சாஸ்தா கோயில் மண்டலபூஜை காலத்தில் தரிசனத்துக்காக திறக்கப்படுகிறது. இந்த காலம் நவம்பா் நடுப்பகுதியில் தொடங்கி மகரஜோதி தரிசனம் வரை நீடிக்கும்

நிகழாண்டில் கரோனா நோய்த்தொற்றுப் பரவல் காரணமாக, கோயிலுக்கு பக்தா்கள் நுழைவதில் அதிக கட்டுப்பாடுகள் விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. குறைந்த எண்ணிக்கையிலான பக்தா்கள் மட்டுமே அனுமதிக்கப்படுகின்றனா்.

இந்நிலையில், ஐயப்ப பக்தா்கள் வசதிக்காக, அவா்களின் வீட்டு வாசலிலேயே ஐயப்பன் கோயில் பிரசாதத்தை வழங்க இந்திய அஞ்சல் துறை ஏற்பாடு செய்துள்ளது. இதற்காக, இந்திய அஞ்சல் துறை, திருவாங்கூா் தேவஸ்வம் வாரியத்துடன் இணைந்து சபரிமலை கோயில் பிரசாதத்தை நாடு முழுவதும் உள்ள பக்தா்களுக்கு முன்பதிவு செய்வதற்கும், விரைவுத் தபால் மூலமாக அவா்களின் வீட்டு வாசலில் வழங்குவற்குமான ஒப்பந்தம் செய்துள்ளது.

இது குறித்து தமிழக வட்ட முதன்மை அஞ்சல் துறை தலைவா் பா.செல்வக்குமாா் கூறியது:

ஒரு பாக்கெட் பிரசாதத்தில் அரவணைப் பாயசம், நெய், மஞ்சள், குங்குமம், விபூதி மற்றும் அா்ச்சனை பிரசாதம் ஆகியவை உள்ளன. ஒரு பிரசாத பை ரூ.450. இந்த பொருள்கள் அட்டைப்பெட்டியில் அடைத்து விரைவுத் தபால் மூலம் பக்தா்களுக்கு அனுப்பப்படும்.

தேவைப்படும் பக்தா்கள் எந்த தபால் நிலையத்திலும் ரூ.450 செலுத்தி முன்பதிவு செய்து கொள்ளலாம். ஒரு ரசீதின் கீழ் பத்து பாக்கெட்டுகளை பதிவு செய்யலாம். ஒரு பக்தா் எத்தனை பாக்கெட்டுகளை வேண்டுமானாலும் முன்பதிவு செய்யலாம்.

Dailyhunt

Disclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Dinamani

Dinakaran e paper 30.11.2020

 

Are masks with anti-viral coating more effective?

Are masks with anti-viral coating more effective?

30.11.2020

It is an intriguing idea, but there haven’t been enough independent studies to establish whether anti-viral masks are better at protecting wearers or preventing the spread of the virus.

The specifics vary, but many anti-viral masks are supposed to be made or coated with materials that have extra virus-fighting properties, such as copper. Websites for several antiviral masks do not provide detailed information about how researchers tested their safety or effectiveness, said Hyo-Jick Choi, a materials science expert at the University of Alberta, Canada.

But it usually takes years to design and test new mask technology, said Choi, who is part of a group that has been developing a different type of anti-viral mask since before the pandemic.

Choi said a simpler way to boost the effectiveness of the masks you’re already using is to ensure you’re putting them on, wearing them and taking them off correctly.

And while no mask can fully protect wearers, “Almost any mask can help to protect others around the wearers,”

said Jiaxing Huang, a professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern University, US.

— AP

As MBBS colleges prepare to reopen, RT-PCR test must for students, staff

As MBBS colleges prepare to reopen, RT-PCR test must for students, staff

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:  30.11.2020 

Just as with arts and engineering colleges which reopened a fortnight ago, students and faculty of MBBS colleges, which are slated to reopen on Tuesday, will have to compulsorily undergo RTPCR tests and produce the report to be allowed back on campuses.

The government has allowed all medical, dental, Ayush, paramedical, nursing and pharmacy colleges affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) to reopen from December 1. K Sudhakar, health minister, has requested colleges to adhere to safety guidelines prescribed by the government.

As per standard operating procedure issued by RGUHS, staff and students must undergo the test in ICMR-approved state government laboratories. They must obtain reports no later than three days before rejoining college (between November 28 and 30 for classes from December 1). Any student who develops symptoms must take an RT-PCR test afresh. Students must also produce consent letters from parents.

In its SOP document, RGUHS has asked institutions to evaluate “local situations” and implement the advisory accordingly. “Institutions may plan to reopen their campuses in a phased manner, ensuring safety, health and wellbeing of all students and staff. They should be flexible in their plan and should be ready to handle any eventuality arising due to Covid-19,” RGUHS states.

Every institution has also been asked to constitute disaster and medical emergency (preparedness and management) teams (DMET). Each team must have a public health specialist, microbiologist, psychologist, medical social worker and counsellor. The team should be updated periodically on medical emergencies and/or disasters.

A nodal officer must be appointed in other health sciences institutions who can take up DMET activities. MoU should be made with the nearest medical college/hospital/ appropriate bodies for DMET training and execution of activities.

Social distancing

The varsity has directed classes to be divided into different batches if class strength is more than expected. It has said in-person classes should be conducted for only 1/3rd of capacity in different batches. It has suggested avoiding many assignments which may demand frequent travel outside the campus.

Protocol for exams

College authorities must prepare a micro-plan on the number of students, classrooms, teachers, staff, seating arrangements for students, vehicles and movement plan, marking of boxes on the floor outside the examination hall, etc. Colleges have been asked to train invigilators and staff prior to examinations. Students must report at least one hour prior to the scheduled time.

Infected students must take exams in a separate centre/room. They must inform the college beforehand and produce a medical certificate from their treating physician certifying that they are fit to sit for the examination. The candidate must also submit “risk consent” to take the exam.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: With Covid-19 cases declining across the state, playgrounds in Bengaluru were filled with youngsters on Sunday

WARDING OFF THE VIRUS

Only colleges that are outside containment zones to function.

Students and staff living in containment zones barred from attending classes on campus.

All institutions with healthcare facilities (hospitals) must continue patient-centric care and academic activities cautiously.

Only one student per seat is allowed on college buses. Each bus should carry only 1/3rd its capacity to maintain physical distance.

PRECAUTIONS FOR HOSTELS

Hostel students travelling from international destinations need to enrol on http://sevasindhu.karantaka.gov.in/Sevasindhu/English.

All hostel establishments must have adequate light and a good ventilation system.

Fumigation/disinfection/ sanitisation must be carried out in the hostel regularly. These activities need to be documented on a housekeeping checklist.

A separate restroom should be provided exclusively for students to freshen up as soon as they return from the hospital, with facilities to dip clothes in disinfection solutions.

Reasons you have difficulty falling asleep

Reasons you have difficulty falling asleep

Symptoms  30.11.2020

You’re on furlough and worried your job won’t survive. At night, your mind races making it difficult to sleep and you wake in the early hours.

It could be stress. Any stressful life event or trauma, such as job loss and death or illness of a loved one may lead to insomnia.

Stop it Change your bedtime routine to a relaxing ritual with reading or listening to music and take up a regular daily activity such as exercise for a good night’s sleep. Don’t nap.

Symptoms

You get home from work late and only manage to eat just before you go to bed. You feel physically uncomfortable when you lie down and find getting sleep difficult.

It could be eating too late. Many people experience heartburn, a backflow of acid and food from the stomach into the oesophagus, which can keep you awake.

Stop it Rearrange your evening. Have your evening meal early, don’t overload your stomach and don’t graze. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Don’t smoke.

Symptoms

You stop breathing periodically through the night and this interrupts your sleep. You’re overweight and have always snored.

It could be Sleep apnoea, which is a risky condition for heart disease and heart attack as during each pause in your breathing your blood oxygen level drops.

Stop it See your doctor who can refer you to a specialist for an assessment of what’s causing the blockage to your breathing. It could be something as simple as being overweight. Many cases improve with weight loss.

— DAILY MIRROR

Cut the flab: Why obesity needs to be taken much more seriously

Cut the flab: Why obesity needs to be taken much more seriously

Experts Say It Could Lead To Health Crisis If Urgent Steps Not Taken

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

30.11.2020

New Delhi: Obesity is the mother of all non-communicable diseases, be it diabetes, hypertension or heart ailments. The lifestyle disorder has also been linked to many types of cancer.

Still, public health experts say, obesity is not taken as seriously as it should be, which is resulting in a continuous growth in the number of people suffering from the condition.

To spread awareness on the issue and get people to act on it, The Times of India has launched ‘Act Against Obesity’ in association with Johnson and Johnson Pvt Ltd.

According to Dr Ambrish Mithal, chairman and head of endocrinology at Max Healthcare, simple things like following a diet plan and regular exercise can help prevent a person from developing obesity.

“However, we see that people wait until they develop the condition to take the problem seriously. If they act in time to prevent the disease, it can help reduce the complications caused due to obesity and a host of other illnesses associated with it,” Dr Mithal said.

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.

A recent study published in the journal, Plos One, stated the prevalence of overweight and obesity in India was increasing faster than the world average.

For instance, the study said, the prevalence of overweight increased from 8.4% to 15.5% among women between 1998 and 2015, and that of obesity increased from 2.2% to 5.1% over the same period. “This fast-paced growth has been accompanied by notable increases in the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” it added.

The Plos One study predicts that the prevalence of overweight will increase approximately double among Indian adults aged 20–69 years between 2010 and 2040, whilst the prevalence of obesity is expected to increase approximately threefold over the same period.

Public health specialists say if urgent measures are not taken at individual as well as national level, obesity could lead to a health crisis.

Even in the case of the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors say, it has been observed that while the viral infection can infect anyone, people who are obese are at a higher risk to develop severe symptoms.

This is because, first, the abdominal fat in obese patients pushes the diaphragm up and reduces the lung volumes and adversely alters the mechanics of lung ventilation. Secondly, as Dr Himika Chawla, senior consultant, endocrinology and diabetology at PSRI Hospital says, obesity is associated with multiple comorbidities like diabetes and chronic heart disease.

Thirdly, obesity results in a state of chronic inflammation in the body along with impaired immunity. So, the immune cells are both reduced in number and become less effective, Dr Chawla added.

“However, even though we increasingly realise that the sickest Covid-19 patients are frequently obese, the burden of obesity is continuously increasing in the current pandemic situation. This could be due to reduced outdoor activities and lesser access to weight-loss programmes,” the PSRI doctor said.

To prevent weight gain, experts advise eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and cereal products and at least an hour of exercise daily.

Scan this QR code or log on to actagainstobesity.com to take the weighthealth test to see if you are at risk and speak to an expert accordingly

Will language barrier impede aspirants’ success in JEE Advanced Structure of JEE Advanced question paper minimises the reliance of students on English by offering the question paper in both English and Hindi

Will language barrier impede aspirants’ success in JEE Advanced

Structure of JEE Advanced question paper minimises the reliance of students on English by offering the question paper in both English and Hindi

Rajlakshmi.Ghosh@timesgroup.com

30.11.2020

With the Centre’s decision to offer JEE Main 2021 in more regional languages apart from the existing Gujarati, Hindi and English languages, aspirants who are proficient in their native tongue may stand a fair chance of gaining admission to the NITs, IIITs and the centrally funded technical institutes in the country. But will their IIT aspirations take a backseat if JEE Advanced is conducted only in English and Hindi?

Sudhir K Jain, director, IIT Gandhinagar has a more positive take on the issue. “Students appearing for JEE Main and Advanced do a comprehensive preparation keeping in mind the technical stream they have chosen to study. Having an option to take JEE Main in regional languages would give them some relief from anxiety at stepping stone, and it can build their confidence to progress further towards their next goal,” he tells Education Times. As to the possible roadblocks IIT aspirants might face, Jain explains that most scientific terminology is written in English even in local language textbooks, which will help students to understand and cope up with the questions in JEE Advanced. “Generally, care is taken to use simple English while setting the questions to test scientific understanding of the candidates. In addition, the medium of instruction in the IITs is English, so a basic knowledge of the language is assumed,” he adds.

IIT Ropar director Sarit K Das says, “In an online objective test such as the JEE Advanced, students’ language skills do not matter nor are they expected to solve problems in English. Since most of the Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics questions are language-neutral, comprehending the questions should not be difficult. In class XII, whatever the medium of instruction, students must have English as a language, though in times to come, JEE Advanced may be held in regional languages as well.”

As to whether JEE Advanced will provide a level playing to candidates, Jain explains, “Students from different Indian states possess an understanding of either English or Hindi, other than their mother tongue. Since the advent of the computer-based exams, the candidates can switch between Hindi and English at any point during the examination, which should also help them in comprehending the question in a better way in case of any confusion.”

Full report at educationtimes.com

When language is an issue

For students relying on regional languages, IIT Gandhinagar has set up a writing studio, which guides students to hone their language and writing skills. The institute also has a Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) programme to help first year BTech students who struggle to adapt to English as the medium of instruction