19.10.21

Sero survey finds more than 75% of Haryana population has Covid antibodies

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Roughly eight of 10 people in Haryana, or 76.3% of the states Population, have antibodies against SARS CoV2 the virus that causes Covid-19 the third sero survey, which also had the largest sample size, has found. Gurgaon, the district that has reported the most cases so far in Haryana, has slightly better seropositivity with 78.3% of the population having antibodies.

According to data released on Monday, seropositivity is 78% in urban areas and 75% in rural areas of Haryana. Kurukshetra, with 85%, has the highest seropositivity and Faridabad (64.2%) the lowest in the state. In Faridabad, however, the survey will be carried out again. As 14% of the samples were found to be inconclusive, we are planning to carry out another sero survey. All the samples were processed at a lab in Panchkula to ensure that the samples are uniformly treated, said Health minister Anil Vij.

A sero survey involves testing a group of individuals to monitor trends in the prevalence of an infectious disease. Due to the high proportion of asymptomatic or mild infections, data available only for lab-confirmed cases does not capture the real spread of Covid in the population. Hence, serological detection of specific antibodies against SARS CoV-2 can better estimate the true number of infections.

Compromised immunity behind mucormycosis cases: Punjab-based study

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A sudden surge in the cases of mucormycosis during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic was probably due to a compromise in immunity, along with thrombotic microangiopathy among the infected patients, according to a latest Punjab-based study published in European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology.

Thrombotic microangiopathies refer to the destruction of red blood cells, low platelets and organ damage due to the formation of blood clots arteries.

With an aim to evaluate the disease presentation, patterns of spread, and its association with the Covid-19 virus, the study was conducted on patients undergoing surgery for invasive fungal at a tertiary care centre in Punjab, between March and July this year. Out of 34 patients, who underwent surgery for invasive fungal sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses, 31 21 men and 10 Women were diagnosed with mucormycosis. All the patients were either tested positive for Covid on presentation or had contracted the infection in the prior months. Some of them had radiological evidence of past infection with the virus.

CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University extends tea cultivation to non-traditional regions

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https://exam.pscnotes.com/Climate-change”>Climate Change in the hills has prompted CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture University to extend tea cultivation, research and tea development activities to non-traditional areas of the state where tea was not grown earlier.

For the first time, fresh tea plantations have been done at the research stations and Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the university at Malan, Kangra, Bara, Berthin, Sundernagar, Bajaura and Dhaulakuan in various districts of the state with the objective of creating live windows and demonstration-cum-exhibition plots. This initiative of the university will create awareness and interest for tea cultivation among farmers.

Ukhand Govt working on principle of Antyodaya, says CM Dhami

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Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has said that the Uttarakhand government is working on the principle of Antyodaya under which efforts are being made to provide the benefit of government schemes to the last person standing on the social ladder. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Pahal 2021 organised by Uttarakhand Jan Vikas Samiti.

The CM said that the Uttarakhand Government provided relief packages for affected people in different sectors during the pandemic of Covid-19. He informed that economic packages were given in Health, tourism and transport sectors and incentives were provided to the frontline health workers during the pandemic period.

Varanasi has emerged as a hub of Khadi: Union minister Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma

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Union minister of State for MSME, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma said that Varanasi has emerged as the hub of Khadi activities in the past few years.

After inaugurating a 15-day exhibition of Khadi products organized by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) at Rudraksh international convention centre, Verma was addressing a convention of artisans from 12 districts of east UP.

Lauding KVIC for organizing the exhibition and holding convention of artisans he said, Varanasi, in the past few years, has emerged as a hub of various Khadi activities. Almost all rural and traditional arts like spinning, weaving, beekeeping and have been promoted on a large scale here.

These initiatives are creating self-EMPLOYMENT for the artisans and making them ‘atmanirbhar’ (self-reliant), said Verma adding, this Khadi exhibition will also provide a big platform to the artisans to market their products and enhance their income.

A range of exquisite Khadi products including the premium high altitude honey from J&K, a wide variety of Kashmiri and Rajasthani woollen shawls, Muslin fabric from West Bengal, a variety of silk fabric from West Bengal and Bihar, Koti Shawls from Punjab, leather products from Kanpur, terracotta pottery from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the widely acclaimed hand-knotted carpets of Mirzapur and Prayagraj are the biggest attractions in the exhibition.

This is the second such exhibition organized by KVIC in Varanasi since the Covid-19 lockdown.

Tribal designers learn to document tribal culture from worlds leading experts

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Tribal designers and photographers from Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka and , Assam, Sikkim, Manipur and Nagaland participated in two very stimulating and engaging sessions with experts from Nigeria and Cook Islands to understand the various approaches of documenting tribal communities and their culture through photography.

Nigerias first World Press Photo Award winning former Reuters photographer, Akintunde Akinleye provided insights on how the mundane and often ignored values of indigenous communities could be captured to present the realities in a very aesthetic manner. Akintunde, also a visual anthropologist, shared his approach of recording HISTORY through his work at Makoko a settlement of indigenous communities on water in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria.

Nepal-India sign MoU for Kathmandu-Raxaul railway link

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Nepal has signed an MoU with India to prepare a detailed project report for the proposed $3.15 billion RAILWAY line linking Kathmandu with the Indian border town of Raxaul, a statement said on Friday.

This proposed rail line is seen as counter to China’s bid to expand the railway upto Kathmandu.

The broad-gauge line will give the Nepali capital a direct connection with the Indian railway Network, enabling non-stop train travel to all Indian cities.

The train link to Raxaul, which will be 136 to 198 km long, is seen as New Delhi’s attempt to counter Chinese influence in Nepal. According to the understanding, India will finish the detailed project report within 18 months of the commencement of the agreement, and Nepal will facilitate the process. The Indian government will bear the cost of preparing it.

The Indian side has proposed to build four lines to connect Raxaul with Kathmandu. The construction is expected to take five years after clearance of the land from the Nepal side.

Chhattisgarh to have Tea-Coffee Board

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced the formation of a Chhattisgarh Tea Coffee Board.

The Board is being constituted with the aim of providing maximum benefits to the local farmers and workers engaged in processing and promoting tea-coffee cultivation in the state, the Chief Minister was quoted as saying in an official Communication.

He said that in the next three years, tea and coffee will be cultivated in at least 10,000 acres of land.

At present tea is cultivated and processed in Jashpur district in the northern part of Chhattisgarh. The coffee is grown in Bastar district.

Power boost: Indore gets Madhya Pradeshs first hybrid switchgear module system

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In a first in state, Madhya Pradesh Power Transmission Company Limited (MPPTCL) has used a hybrid switchgear module as part of expansion of its transmission system in Indore.

Officials said that the system had been developed and implemented by a team of engineers to meet requirements of the company. We have used a hybrid switchgear module system in a transformer of 50 MVA capacity at the 220kV substation of Bicholi Mardana area in Indore. It is for the first time when a hybrid switchgear module system has been used by MPPTCL in the state as part of the ongoing expansion of our transmission Network, MPPTCL managing director (engineering) Sunil Tiwari said.

He said that they had replaced conventional system with a hybrid switchgear module and underground insulated cabling setup for 33kV voltage supply to the 220kV substation for distribution. The arrangement has been put in place due to an increase in power demand. But space constraints posed a difficulty in installation of a conventional switchgear system. It prompted us to develop a hybrid switchgear module system at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crore. The system uses less than 1/3rd of the area required by the conventional system, said Tiwari.

Gujarat government proposes to cut financial benefits in agro-business policy

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The Gujarat government will shortly announce its new agro-business policy for the period of 2021-2026 to give a boost to the EMPLOYMENT-generating sector.

While the government has proposed to reduce key financial benefits being offered in the current policy (2016 to 2021), agro-business industries will be able to enjoy dual benefits from Centre and state policies for the sector.

Under the proposed new policy, the most significant feature will be that industries will be allowed to avail dual benefits of policies offered by the government of India and government of Gujarat. Under the present policy, benefits can be availed under any one policy only. This policy change is expected to attract more industries to state.