PUNJAB

Punjab starts AABR system for effective screen of hearing loss in newborn

To manage the hearing loss in newborn and young children, Punjab Government on Monday launched Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) system under Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme.

“Punjab Government is the first state in the country to introduce SOHUM (AABR) Automated Auditory Brainstem Response system. This first of its kind initiative will effectively screen hearing loss in newborn and young children,

Underscoring the key features of the programme, Sidhu said that coupled with high sensitivity, this technology will definitely revolutionize the old school screening system to cure the hearing loss in children. He said that after diagnosing the hearing disability in children, the State Government also provides free of cost a cochlear implant which is a surgically-implanted neuroprosthesis that provides a person with sensorineural hearing loss a modified sense of sound.

Pointing out that the hearing loss is one of the major birth defects in children, the Minister said that in a developing country like India five to six per thousand children are born with this defect. Screening of hearing loss in newborn and children has remained a challenge considering the traditional methods that were available in India till date, he added.

National Health Mission’s mission director Kumar Rahul said that Punjab has been leading all other states in effective screening for hearing loss and the state Health Department is all set to expand this programme up to the grass root level by providing these indigenous machines to all 22 district hospitals.

Hearing impairment treatment services are already covered under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), he added.

INTERNATIONAL

The United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan form the Group of Four or Quad Group

The United States, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have agreed in principle to establish a new quadrilateral diplomatic platform aimed at improving regional connectivity. The two sides intend to cooperate to expand trade, establish transit links, and strengthen business-to-business ties by recognizing the historical opportunities of opening up prosperous inter-regional trade routes.

The strategic location of Afghanistan is touted as a competitive advantage for the nation.

Afghanistan is bounded to the east and south by Pakistan, to the west by Iran, to the north by Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, and to the northeast by China.

NATIONAL

Geo Imaging Satellite to be Launched in August – ISRO

The ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is back into its launch activity fully at Sriharikota with the planned orbiting of geo imaging satellite GISAT-1 onboard GSLV-F10 rocket on August 12. GISAT-1 to be placed in a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit by GSLV-F10 and, it will be placed in the final geostationary orbit that is about 36,000 km above earth’s equator) using its onboard propulsion system.

About the satellite:

The 2,268-kg GISAT-1 was initially slated to be launched from Sriharikota in Nellore district (100kms north of Chennai) of Andhra Pradesh on March 5 last year, postponed a day before the blast-off due to technical reasons.

According to ISRO, GISAT-1 will facilitate near real-time observation of the Indian sub-continent, under cloud-free conditions, at frequent intervals. The earth observation satellite provides the country with real-time images of its borders and enable quick monitoring of natural disasters.

First National Dolphin Research Centre of India

The First National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC) of India and Asia will be established upon the bank of the Ganges river around Patna University.

Highlights:

About 1,455 dolphins have been sighted during a survey done in 2018-19 in the river Ganga by the teams of experts. The Gangetic dolphin is considered the National aquatic animal of India, but it frequently falls prey to illegal poaching. The presence of dolphins in the Ganga river gives a sign of a healthy ecosystem as dolphins live at least in 5 ft to 8 ft deep water.

IUCN Status of the Gangetic dolphin has been declared as an endangered aquatic animal. This is one of the four freshwater dolphins species globally. Another three species are found in the Yangtze River, the Indus River in Pakistan and the Amazon River globally.

Single Largest Solar Park of India

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has approved the establishment of a 4750 MW renewable energy park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat, for NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd. This will be India’s largest solar park. This park will be used by NTPC REL to generate green hydrogen on a commercial scale.

Highlights:

♦ It intends to build a total of 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032.

♦ Currently, it has 66 GW of installed capacity in 70 power projects, and another 18 GW is under construction.

♦ It also commissioned India’s largest 10 MW floating solar energy on the reservoir of Andhra Pradesh’s Simhadri Thermal Power Plant.

♦ The 100 MW floating solar project at the Ramagundam Thermal Power Plant Reservoir in Telangana is in the advanced stages of implementation.

♦ The deployment of photovoltaic panels on the surface of bodies of water is referred to as floating solar plants.

Map Services Enabled in UMANG App

Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) enables map services in “UMANG App”.

MeitY has enabled map services in the UMANG App through an MoU with MapmyIndia which is a private firm.

The integration of UMANG with MapmyIndia Maps will enable the citizens to find government facilities nearest to their location, such as blood banks, mandis and more, at the click of a button.

They can also see these on the most detailed and interactive street and village level maps of India, by MapmyIndia.

People can also view the driving distance, get directions, and turn voice & visual guidance to locations, including traffic and road safety alerts during their navigation.

UMANG app has started to provide map functionality through MapmyIndia services like Mera Ration, eNAM, Damini etc.,

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