(Source: 2016-02-16 Times of India, Kolkata)
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Mysuru cleanest, Dhanbad dirtiest in survey of cities
Karnataka's Mysuru has retained its position as the cleanest among all state capitals and cities with million-plus population, while Dhanbad in Jharkhand ranks the worst, according to the latest Swachch Sarvekshan of 73 Indian cities released on Monday .
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area has been ranked fourth while Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi occupies the 65th slot, says the survey which covered areas only under municipal bodies. For example, in Delhi, four municipal areas were ranked separately .
While two cities each from Gujarat (Rajkot and Surat) and Maharashtra (Greater Mumbai and Pimpri Chinchwad) are in the `Top 10' club, a maximum of three cities from Uttar Pradesh -Varanasi, Meerut and Ghazibad -are among the worst 10. Visakhapatnam, Surat, Rajkot and Gangtok improved their ranks to break into the `Top 10' in this year's survey.
In case of Delhi, South and North Delhi Municipal Corporation improved their ranks from 47 to 39 and 47 to 43 respectively; the position of East Delhi Municipal Corporation deteriorated from 47 in 2014 to 52 this year.
Among the biggest losers are Chennai, Nasik and Navi Mumbai. The Tamil Nadu capital ranked 37 in comparison to its fourth position in 2014. Nasik ended at 31 against its earlier ranking of eight. Bengaluru, which ranked as the cleanest state capital in 2014, slipped to 38th position this year. While releasing the survey findings, urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu said: “There is no intention to show any city in poor light by announcing the survey results. This announcement will further foster healthy competition among cities as everything that is measured gets done and competition makes one strive better.“
The survey conducted by Quality Council of India between January 3 and 15 is based on the marks scored by each city in respect of the main components of Swachh Bharat Mission open defecation, sweeping, availability of infrastructure and service levels related to sanitation such as individual household toilets, public and community toilets and collection, transportation and processing of municipal solid waste.
It had three components -service-level status rankings, independent observer and citizen feedback rankings. Maximum weightage was given to solid waste management.
The last cleanliness ranking of cities, done in 2014 before the launch of Swachh, covered 476 cities that have populations of above 1 lakh and results were announced in 2015. “The 73 cities surveyed this year were also ranked-based on the marks they scored in 2014 for arriving at their ranks that year for further comparison with the results of this year's survey ,“ said a spokesperson.
While results of 2014 survey showed how cities in the south and west fared better than those in the north and east, the recent results indicate how cities from north are doing well and can overtake some of their competitors soon.
(Source: 2016-02-16 Times of India, Kolkata)
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area has been ranked fourth while Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi occupies the 65th slot, says the survey which covered areas only under municipal bodies. For example, in Delhi, four municipal areas were ranked separately .
While two cities each from Gujarat (Rajkot and Surat) and Maharashtra (Greater Mumbai and Pimpri Chinchwad) are in the `Top 10' club, a maximum of three cities from Uttar Pradesh -Varanasi, Meerut and Ghazibad -are among the worst 10. Visakhapatnam, Surat, Rajkot and Gangtok improved their ranks to break into the `Top 10' in this year's survey.
In case of Delhi, South and North Delhi Municipal Corporation improved their ranks from 47 to 39 and 47 to 43 respectively; the position of East Delhi Municipal Corporation deteriorated from 47 in 2014 to 52 this year.
Among the biggest losers are Chennai, Nasik and Navi Mumbai. The Tamil Nadu capital ranked 37 in comparison to its fourth position in 2014. Nasik ended at 31 against its earlier ranking of eight. Bengaluru, which ranked as the cleanest state capital in 2014, slipped to 38th position this year. While releasing the survey findings, urban development minister M Venkaiah Naidu said: “There is no intention to show any city in poor light by announcing the survey results. This announcement will further foster healthy competition among cities as everything that is measured gets done and competition makes one strive better.“
The survey conducted by Quality Council of India between January 3 and 15 is based on the marks scored by each city in respect of the main components of Swachh Bharat Mission open defecation, sweeping, availability of infrastructure and service levels related to sanitation such as individual household toilets, public and community toilets and collection, transportation and processing of municipal solid waste.
It had three components -service-level status rankings, independent observer and citizen feedback rankings. Maximum weightage was given to solid waste management.
The last cleanliness ranking of cities, done in 2014 before the launch of Swachh, covered 476 cities that have populations of above 1 lakh and results were announced in 2015. “The 73 cities surveyed this year were also ranked-based on the marks they scored in 2014 for arriving at their ranks that year for further comparison with the results of this year's survey ,“ said a spokesperson.
While results of 2014 survey showed how cities in the south and west fared better than those in the north and east, the recent results indicate how cities from north are doing well and can overtake some of their competitors soon.
(Source: 2016-02-16 Times of India, Kolkata)
40% kids in India suffer from constipation
With unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles taking a toll on children's digestion, doctors say , constipation is no longer an old age problem but afflicts up to 40% of schoolgoing children.
“In any school, nearly 40% of the children suffer from constipation, and the primary reason is lifestyle,“ said Dr Nishant Wadhwa, paediatric gastroenterologist at Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi. He said children eat too much processed and carbohydrate-rich food without drinking enough water.
An ongoing study at the hospital showed that 30-40% of child patients in the outpatient department have recurring bouts of abdominal pain due to constipation, up from 10-20% a decade ago. Besides lack of fibre-rich food and water, family factors also play a role.
Dr Wadhwa said toilet training of children is often delayed in nuclear families with both parents working. As a result, they do not develop the habit of passing stool daily. “Constipation is increasingly prevalent among children to the extent that some pass stool just once in a week,“ said Dr Anupam Sibal, senior paediatric gastroenterologist and medical director at Apollo Hospitals.
Unlike in the movie, constipation is no laughing matter because it affects a child's growth due to reduced appetite, and causes problems like bleeding. Dr Sibal said constipation leads to the problem of soiling in some children who pass stool without realizing it. While doctors prescribe medication in severe cases, they also emphasise the need for more outdoor activities and improved food habits.
Childhood constipation can not only lead to a complicated and prolonged bowel problem but also cause diseases such as piles or haemorrhoids, ulcers, abdominal pain and anal fissures. Due to blood clotting, it can also lead to heart attack and stroke.
Estimates from a study show 14% of people in urban India suffer from chronic constipation, while the incidence is 10% worldwide. 80% of people with chronic constipation look for treatment only after facing the problem multiple times, while 60% seek home remedies.
(Source: Feb 16 2016 The Times of India, Kolkata)
“In any school, nearly 40% of the children suffer from constipation, and the primary reason is lifestyle,“ said Dr Nishant Wadhwa, paediatric gastroenterologist at Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi. He said children eat too much processed and carbohydrate-rich food without drinking enough water.
An ongoing study at the hospital showed that 30-40% of child patients in the outpatient department have recurring bouts of abdominal pain due to constipation, up from 10-20% a decade ago. Besides lack of fibre-rich food and water, family factors also play a role.
Dr Wadhwa said toilet training of children is often delayed in nuclear families with both parents working. As a result, they do not develop the habit of passing stool daily. “Constipation is increasingly prevalent among children to the extent that some pass stool just once in a week,“ said Dr Anupam Sibal, senior paediatric gastroenterologist and medical director at Apollo Hospitals.
Unlike in the movie, constipation is no laughing matter because it affects a child's growth due to reduced appetite, and causes problems like bleeding. Dr Sibal said constipation leads to the problem of soiling in some children who pass stool without realizing it. While doctors prescribe medication in severe cases, they also emphasise the need for more outdoor activities and improved food habits.
Childhood constipation can not only lead to a complicated and prolonged bowel problem but also cause diseases such as piles or haemorrhoids, ulcers, abdominal pain and anal fissures. Due to blood clotting, it can also lead to heart attack and stroke.
Estimates from a study show 14% of people in urban India suffer from chronic constipation, while the incidence is 10% worldwide. 80% of people with chronic constipation look for treatment only after facing the problem multiple times, while 60% seek home remedies.
(Source: Feb 16 2016 The Times of India, Kolkata)
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