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It's time out for ‘leap second'
- Leap seconds are necessary to prevent atomic clocks from speeding ahead of solar time. They are added at irregular intervals, effectively stretching atomic time by a heartbeat to make up for the irregular wobble in the Earth's rotation.
- Critics warn that the scrapping the leap second would break the last link between the passing of time and the course of the Sun across the sky. But backers say machines shouldn't any longer be tethered to the imprecise cycle of sunrise and sunset.
- Operators of cell phone networks, financial markets and air traffic control systems could then rely on the near-absolute precision offered by atomic clocks without having to worry about stopping their systems for the length of a heartbeat every year or two.
Exercise begins to map forest areas inviolate to miners
- The Ministry of Environment and Forests has started mapping forest regions to identify “inviolate” areas, where ecologically dangerous activities such as mining may not be allowed.
- She refused to draw comparisons with the exercise which her predecessor, Jairam Ramesh, undertook to identify “go” and “no-go” areas in the heavily forested regions of central India, which also contain most of the nation's coal reserves.
India to move resolution on mental disorders at WHO meet
- Having succeeded in getting mental disorders included in the global list of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), India, along with the U.S. and Switzerland, will move a resolution at the ongoing Executive Board meeting of the World Health Organisation (WHO) at Geneva urging the member States “to develop comprehensive policies and strategies to develop mental health
- The resolution recommends that the proposed action plan should provide following:
- address protection, promotion and respect for the rights of persons with mental disorders,
- access to quality comprehensive health services that include mental health at all levels of healthcare system with particular focus on deinstitutionalised care
- availability of adequate human resources to provide such services equitably.
- provide services to promote mental health and prevent mental disorders, including where appropriate, support for parental skills, support to and protection of children in catastrophic situations and in families with severe difficulties, including parents with mental disorders, substance abuse or life threatening diseases.
- India had been instrumental in getting mental disorders included in the NCDs list at the first ministerial conference on Healthy Lifestyles and Non-communicable Disease Control in Moscow last year.
- The principal non-communicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases, which are the leading causes of preventable morbidity and disability — accounting for over 60 per cent of global deaths, 80 per cent of which occur in developing countries. By 2030, the NCDs are estimated to contribute to 75 per cent of global deaths.
- On its part, India is working towards framing a mental health policy based on internationally accepted guidelines and come with the draft Mental Health Care Bill, 2010.
High internet use can push growth: study
- States with higher internet penetration can be expected to grow faster, and by 1.08 per cent for every 10 per cent increase in the number of internet subscribers.
- Similarly, States with higher penetration rates show a greater growth.
- Increased internet penetration will add significantly to State-level growth demonstrated by the growth impacts seen for the relatively developed States, according to India: The Impact of Internet , a study done by the Indian Council for Research and International Economic Relations (ICRIER)
- Pointing out that internet and broadband are expected to make significant contribution to economic and social development in the country over the next 5 years, the study estimates that slow movement of coverage had cost India over $100 billion in its gross domestic product (GDP) over the past decade.
- For every 10 per cent increase in internet and broadband penetration, India could potentially add $17 billion in the GDP, the research has said.
- New internet users in India will log on mostly via their mobile phones.
Pamban rail bridge eyes heritage status
- Even as the Pamban Railway Bridge, which connects the mainland with the Rameswaram Island, is scheduled to celebrate 100 years of existence in 2013, the General Manager of Southern Railway, Deepak Kishan has said that it would start procedural and documentary formalities so as to get the UNESCO's world heritage status for the Pamban Railway Bridge.
- The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR), from Mettpalayam to Ooty and Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) were recognised with the status of World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in 2005 and 1999 respectively.
- The star attraction of the bridge is the portion that can be opened, which is named after Scherzer, who designed and executed it. Whenever ships pass, the bridge opens, giving a spectacular view for tourists.
