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The doctor's words will always ring in your ears: eat more protein-rich foods. But this timeless advice may be hard to implement if the latest report of the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, is to be believed. The levels of protein in Indian foods, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, are declining rapidly. For instance, between 1993-94 and 2011-12, protein levels in beans dropped around 60 per cent; in brown lentil (whole), it went down by 10 per cent; and, in goat meat, it has come down by 5 per cent. Protein is a vital macronutrient needed to cope with the wear and tear of the body, in making enzymes and hormones. It is the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. The deficiency of protein can manifest itself in many ways—sluggishness, slow recovery from injuries and brain fog (lack of focus). If not addressed, this deficiency can lead to nutritional diseases in children like Kwashiorkor and Marasmus. According to a recent report of the Na...

The newly elected director-general of World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus has emphasised on the health impacts of climate and environmental change, while outlining his agenda in his first address since election. Tedros was addressing a gathering of WHO staff in Geneva. While keeping universal health coverage at the centre of his agenda, he listed out three priorities: Health emergencies; women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health; health impacts of climate and environmental change. Tedros also spoke of ethical healthcare, calling it a human rights issue. On climate change, he said, “While health emergencies hit quickly, climate change is a slow-motion disaster. WHO must play a strategic and decisive role not only in adaptation but also in mitigation.” On the recent controversy over travel expenditure in the WHO, its director-general said, “I am reviewing the situation thoroughly and will ensure that our resources are used efficiently. We have to be good stewards...

The newly elected director-general of World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus has emphasised on the health impacts of climate and environmental change, while outlining his agenda in his first address since election. Tedros was addressing a gathering of WHO staff in Geneva. While keeping universal health coverage at the centre of his agenda, he listed out three priorities: Health emergencies; women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health; health impacts of climate and environmental change. Tedros also spoke of ethical healthcare, calling it a human rights issue. On climate change, he said, “While health emergencies hit quickly, climate change is a slow-motion disaster. WHO must play a strategic and decisive role not only in adaptation but also in mitigation.” On the recent controversy over travel expenditure in the WHO, its director-general said, “I am reviewing the situation thoroughly and will ensure that our resources are used efficiently. We have to be good stewards...

Over the last two years, around 20 tigers have been poached in Corbett National Park, according to Rajeev Mehta, honorary wildlife warden of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Mehta arrived at the figure by taking into account the poaching activities over the last two years. “Last year in March, five tiger skins were seized by the Uttarakhand police. After analysing the skins, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), found four to be of tigers from Corbett. Another poacher was caught with tiger skin from Corbett in May,” he says. On March 14, after the seizure of tiger skins, Mehta, along with other forest department officials, searched the area where the poachers hid the tiger parts in Kotkadar in Uttar Pradesh’ Bijnor district. “We found 32 holes used to bury tiger skins and bones. Apart from finding blood-soaked clothes, flesh and spears, we also found 130 kg of tiger bones,” he adds. One of the holes used to bury tiger skins and bones. Credit: Rajeev Mehta One of the holes used to bury ...

With the adoption of GST, a clear road map is needed to simplify the indirect tax regime In a landmark reform, India today switches to a new indirect tax system, the Goods and Services Tax. The GST subsumes the multiple Central, State and local taxes and cesses levied on goods and services, unifying the country into a single market, thereby making it easier to do business and ensure tax compliance. This will attract investors and more efficiently mop up revenues for the exchequer. The reform has been years in the making, and having shown the political will to finally pull it off, the Central government must work with the States to chart a road map to simplify the tax regime. Currently there are multiple tax rates ranging from 0% to 28%, plus a cess on some products, creating incentives for lobbying and rent-seeking. The level of preparedness for the new tax system too is not optimal, with sections of industry, trade as well as the bureaucracy visibly anxious about several aspects of...

aising the Sardar Sarovar dam to its full height will result in more large-scale submergence of habitations Since Independence, between 25 and 60 million people have been displaced from their homes and uprooted for India’s development projects. Most end up living in abysmal poverty and deprivation. That we do not even know the exact numbers of those affected — in a country that prizes bureaucratic record keeping — is a clear indication of the callous disregard we have for these lives. Disregarding years of sustained non-violent protest and an iconic mass movement that drew national and global attention, the Narmada Control Authority decided on June 17, 2017 to raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam to its full height, by ordering the closure of 30 gates. It was announced in time with the arrival of the monsoon. Once the dam is at its full height, it will submerge one town and at least 176 villages, displace close to 20,000 families, flood productive agricultural land, and dest...

The steady loss of mangroves in the Sundarbans makes conservation efforts vital Fresh evidence of loss of forest cover in the Indian Sundarbans, which represent a third of the largest contiguous mangrove ecosystem in the world, is a reminder that an accelerated effort is necessary to preserve them. Long-term damage to the highly productive mangroves on the Indian side occurred during the colonial era, when forests were cut to facilitate cultivation. As a recent Jadavpur University study has pointed out, climate change appears to be an emerging threat to the entire 10,000 sq km area that also straddles Bangladesh towards the east, and sustains millions of people with food, water and forest products. There is also a unique population of tigers that live here, adapted to move easily across the land-sea interface. The Sundarbans present a stark example of what loss of ecology can do to a landscape and its people, as islands shrink and sediment that normally adds to landmass is trapped u...

The new hydrocarbon policy makes exploration more attractive for investors The recently unveiled Open Acreage Licensing Policy and the National Data Repository together are a significant and welcome step towards opening up the hydrocarbon exploration and production industry in India. By placing greater discretion in the hands of explorers and operators, the Licensing Policy attempts to address a major drawback in the New Exploration Licensing Policy, which forced energy explorers to bid for blocks chosen by the government. Companies can now apply for particular areas they deem to be attractive to invest in, and the Centre will put those areas up for bids. This is more attractive for prospective operators because in the past, the blocks chosen by the government often were large swathes of land or sea in which only a small fraction had hydrocarbon reserves. By offering companies the freedom to choose exactly the areas they want to explore, and their size, the government has a better c...

Q- Petya and wannacry has been in news recently, which of the following is correct about them? A. They are virus’s effecting only military systems across the world B. They are new missiles developed by North Korea C. They are ransomware which affects all the systems D. None of the above Q- Which of the following is correct regarding NATO? 1. At the time of its formation it has 28 members 2. In case of an attack against any of the members, it is considered that attack is against all its members. A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None Q- Which of the following is correct about new oil and gas block licensing policy? 1. It will open up 2.8 million square kilometres of sedimentary basin 2. Initially the applications and related bids for the blocks would be held twice in ten years. A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both D. None. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Answer    1-C, ...

Q- Which of the following is correct regarding GeneXpert? A. It is a software to detect the gene traces B. It is a device made by WHO to cure the HIV C. It is a multi-disease testing device for Tuberculosis, HIV and Hepatitis D. None of the above Q- 1. Colombia’s Congress has given its approval to a peace accord with FARC guerrillas. 2. It aimed at ending a 52-year-old armed conflict Which of the following statements is/are true-? a) Only 1 b) Only 2 c) Both 1 & 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Q- Wannacry has been in news recently, which of the following is correct regarding it? A. It’s a virus which effects only government websites B. It's a ransomware which affected many countries including India C. It's a virus used by US to effect Iran’s nuclear system D. None of the above. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Answer  1-C,  2-C,  3-B

A new study has found that the mean temperature in India has risen by half a degree Celsius over a period of 60 years. This corresponds to 146 per cent increase in the probability of deaths due to heat waves. This means that even moderate increases in mean temperatures may lead to large increases in heat wave-related deaths, notes the study conducted by researchers from the Indian Institutes of Technology in Delhi and Bombay, along with the University of California and Boise State University, USA. Based on the findings, researchers have urged the government to put in more efforts to build resilience among vulnerable populations in regions with severe heat waves. In the years—1972, 1988, 1998 and 2003— when there were more than 10 heat wave days on an average across India, there was a corresponding spike in heat-related deaths between 650 and 1,500 people. The substantial increase in mortality rates due to 0.5°C increase in summer mean temperature or two more heat wave days suggest...

Excess human activities leading to soil pollution took centre stage at the fifth Global Soil Partnership Plenary Assembly held at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome. Excessive amount of nitrogen and trace metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury can impair plant metabolism and reduce crop productivity. When they enter the food chain, these pollutants pose risk to food security, water resources, rural livelihoods and human health. “Soil pollution is an emerging problem, but, because it comes in so many forms, the only way we can reduce knowledge gaps and promote sustainable soil management is to intensify global collaboration and build reliable scientific evidence,” Ronald Vargas, a FAO soils officer, said. “Combating soil pollution and pursuing sustainable soil management is essential for addressing climate change,” Rattan Lal, president of the International Union of Soil Sciences, said. Combating soil degradation Around one-third of th...

We live in a world shaped by technology, and another 150 years of advancement and discovery will transform it even further. Life in the year 2167 will be amazing, exciting, convenient — and yet still recognizable to someone from 2017. Any specific prediction about what the 22nd century will look like will almost certainly be wrong. Nevertheless, breaking developments in science and fiction may point the way to what the future might hold. It is inevitable that we will experiment on ourselves. The wealthy will routinely edit their genes and design their babies. Rich or poor, almost everyone will be implanted with internet chips, so that with a flutter of an eyelid we can always be online. And having removed the need for sleep, we will be far more productive and have far more time for leisure. More human We will certainly live longer than we do now, and remain largely healthy until we reach the end. But earlier promises of rejuvenation and immortality will have never come to frui...

Researchers have discovered yet another gene that carries resistance to a crucial, last resort antibiotic called colistin. The mcr-3 gene is the third such gene, which was isolated from pigs who also carried 18 other resistance determinants. The finding has been published by researchers from China Agricultural University, Beijing in journal mBio. Colistin is used widely as a last resort antibiotic in humans against multi-drug resistant bacteria. It is the “highest-priority” critically important antimicrobial for human medicine as per the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers found a sample of E. coli bacteria that was resistant to colistin, but did not carry any of the two known resistant genes (mcr-1and mcr-2). This prompted the discovery of the third gene. The isolated mcr-3 gene is plasmid mediated, meaning it can be transferred among different bacteria in animals as well as humans. The authors suggest that this novel mobile colistin resistance gene may be widespread, ...

The Maharashtra High Court, today (June 29), quashed and set aside “shoot-at-sight order” for a tiger issued by AK Mishra, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Maharashtra on June 23. The court observed that the order was absolutely illegal and “it was passed without following the due process of law and is in violation of guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).” The order was challenged in the court by Jerryl Avinash Banait, a wildlife activist. “The forest department did not make sure that the tiger was indeed a man-eater. The two deaths caused by the tiger have occurred in the buffer zone where humans cannot enter normally. Moreover, the tiger did not feed on the victims. Hence, it should not have been labelled as a man-eater,” says Banait. The court also found that identification of the tiger and process contemplated in NTCA guidelines was not followed. The NTCA guidelines say that: Under no circumstances tiger should be ...