Jagdev Singh Virdee receives the royal honour of Member of British Empire
Jagdev Singh Virdee, editor of the British Sikh Report (BSR) that provides an insight into the life of the community in the UK, has received the royal honour of MBE (Member of British Empire) from Prince Charles at an investiture ceremony in Buckingham Palace.
Virdee, a senior statistician and fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, has been honoured for ‘services to statistics and to the Sikh community’.
He has edited the BSR since 2015, providing key figures and insights into various aspects of the community.
Arunachal tribe against tiger reserve
An area of 4129 sqkm of the 9129 sqkm Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh is designated as Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary (DWS) but has not yet been named a tiger reserve.
It may be good news for the conservationists but for the local Idu Mishmi tribe it means losing their homes once it is declared tiger reserve.
What is the issue?
Idu Mishmi Tribes who regard tigers as their elder brothers fear that they would lose their livelihood and their home once DWS is declared as a Tiger Reserve.
The influential Idu Mishmi Cultural and Literary Society (IMCLS) which represents the tribe and claims to have lived with the striped cat for generations, on December 17 wrote to the National Tiger Conservation Authority that just “because tigers are discovered in a place does not mean it must be declared a tiger reserve.”
It is understood that once the Tiger reserve declared, the area will be fenced and guarded which means restriction of movement of local people.
Mishmi people are suggesting that rather than fencing why not they rely on cultural model which has an inherent philosophy of protecting the tigers.
The 2014 tiger census reported 201 tigers in the northeastern hills and the Brahmaputra plains, out which five were reported in DWS, which extends over the Mishmi hills.
The problem is that local communities must be consulted before adopting any resolution which will impact the indigenous people’s lives.
SpaceX launches US Air Force’s most powerful GPS satellite
Elon Musk led company Space X launched the US Air Force’s most powerful GPS satellite ever built.
A Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 23 Dec 2018, hoisting the satellite into orbit.
Vespucci Satellite
This next-generation GPS satellite is three times more accurate than previous versions and eight times better at anti-jamming.
It’s the first in a series and nicknamed Vespucci after the 15th-century Italian explorer who calculated Earth’s circumference to within 50 miles (80 kilometers).
It was SpaceX’s 21st and final launch of the year 2018.
India: Still lacking its own GPS
The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System also known as NAVIC is an autonomous regional satellite navigation system that provides real-time positioning and timing services.
This system consists of seven satellites and two satellites at standby. It was supposed to be operational in early 2018 but as the year ending, there is no news of when it will become operational.
Once it becomes operational, it will provide two levels of service – 1. Standard Positioning Service for general public 2. Restricted or Encrypted for authorized users.
India must operationalize as soon as possible so at least can know the positioning of objects and subjects. Also, in the event of war, India can use it for accurate position of targets.
Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana launched in Uttarakhand
Taking inspiration from the Central Government's 'Ayushmaan Bharat' scheme, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat launched the 'Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana' on 25 Dec, making the hill state first in the country to offer universal health coverage.
Highlights of the scheme
Under the scheme, each household in the state will be able to avail medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh annually.
Every household whether rich or poor can avail this benefit under the scheme.
The scheme will benefit 23 lakh households and will cover 1,350 critical diseases.
A total of 99 government and 66 private hospitals have been selected under the scheme.
A mobile application and website has also been launched for easier access.
Thailand approves medical use of marijuana
Thailand's parliament has voted to approve cannabis for medical use but recreational use will remain illegal.
Marijuana was used in Thailand as a traditional medicine, until it was banned in the 1930s.
South East Asia has some of the world's toughest penalties for drug usage or possession, and Thailand is the first in the region to allow medicinal marijuana.
Now, Thailand’s Narcotic Act 1979 will be amended to follow the changes declared by the parliament.
What will be allowed?
Consumers will be able to carry specified amounts necessary for medicinal purposes, if they have a prescription or recognized certificate.
Licenses for production and sale of the product will be strictly controlled.
The law also applies to kratom, a South East Asian plant that acts as a stimulant.
Marijuana: World is changing their opinion
Across the world, countries have been revisiting their marijuana laws.
Canada and Uruguay are among those to have legalised it, including for recreational use. However South East Asia is known for having very harsh punishments for drugs-related charges.
On the other hand, a man in Malaysia was given a death sentence for selling cannabis oil.
What the research says?
There is substantial evidence that Marijuana helps in following conditions:
- As treatment for chronic pain in adults
- As treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
- For improving patient-reported multiple sclerosis spasticity symptoms
Recent studies have found that cannabidiol (CBD - an active ingredient in cannabis) reduced seizures in individuals with rare childhood epilepsy disorders - Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome
Social activist Sulagitti Narasamma passes away
Padma Shree Award Winner Sulagitti Narasamma passed away on Christmas Day 2018 at the age of 97 in Bengaluru.
All about Sulagitti Narasamma
- She belonged to Tumakuru district of Karnataka.
- She conducted thousands of free deliveries as midwife at a time when medical help was hard to come by in rural areas.
- Though she was an illiterate, she had learnt this skill from her grandmother, Marigemma, at a very young age.
- Married at the age of 12 to Anjinappa, she has 12 children and 36 grandchildren.
- Recognising her service to the society, Tumkur University had conferred her honorary doctorate in 2014.
- She was awarded the Devaraja Urs award in 2012 and Kittur Rani Chennamma award in 2013.
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