Change can be implemented only once we initiate discussions: Akshay Kumar
New Delhi, May 24: Superstar Akshay Kumar, who will participate in a Menstrual Awareness Conclave here to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, says the society can only implement change if there are discussions.
He has urged people everyone should ensure that all women have the right to manage their periods safely and with dignity.
"The Menstrual Awareness Conclave is a crucial assembly of minds, influencers and change makers - convening under one roof with the common goal of tackling the urgent issues, taboos and stigmas associated with menstrual hygiene.
"We as a collective society can only implement change once we initiate discussion, and the conclave on Menstrual Hygiene Day is a fitting platform for us to truly empower a nation of women. Together we can ensure that every female has the right to manage her period safely and with dignity," Akshay said in a statement.
The "Pad Man" star will attend the event as its chief guest, along with The Nine Movement and national change makers.
The Niine Movement, conceived by Amar Tulsiyan, is an ambitious five-year plan aimed at raising awareness of the importance of menstrual hygiene and tackling the taboos associated with menstruation. It will be officially launched at the conclave.
The Menstrual Awareness Conclave will feature two high-level panels, which will engage prominent change-makers from the field of menstrual hygiene awareness and management.
The first panel is chaired and moderated by Poonam Muttreja, the Executive Director of the Population Foundation of India (PFI), which has been at the forefront of policy advocacy and research on gender, population, health and development issues in India.
She will speak to eminent panellists focusing on the importance of menstrual hygiene management awareness and practice and the work already being conducted on ground to tackle the issues and address the barriers.
Some of the panelists include film actor and women's rights activist Shabana Azmi and Avinash Kumar, Director Programme and Policy, WaterAid India, an NGO which aims to transform the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people by improving access to WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services.
Tulsiyan said: "Menstrual hygiene awareness is an issue that is severely under-represented in this country, as demonstrated by the amount of women who still don't use proper menstrual hygiene products to manage their periods.
"With the conclave, I am hopeful that we can inspire and motivate everyone to get involved and join the Chain of Niine."
Film personalities, academics, policymakers, government officials, activists, business stalwarts, NGOs, and thought-leaders will discuss the impact that stigma and taboos have had on menstruation, which have held girls and women back for centuries from achieving their potential and living a life of menstrual dignity.
The event aims to provide an essential platform focusing on collaboration, innovation and cooperation to assess, plan and put into action sustainable solutions to tackling menstrual issues across India, with the support of leading change-makers.
Akshay tackled the issue of menstrual taboo with his recent award-winning film "Pad Man" and will take to the stage to interact with the audience, sharing experiences of his time filming the movie, and explaining why he was so compelled to not only star but produce a film on the subject.
Earlier this month, he extended support to the nationwide campaign for the Niine Movement - #18to82 - to bridge the gap between the 18 per cent of menstruating females in India who use sanitary napkins, and the 82 per cent predominantly engaging in unhygienic practices.
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Delhi's air remains hazardous, SC raps officials for 'serious lapse' in ensuring GRAP-4 curbs
New Delhi, Nov 25: Delhi's air pollution levels remained alarming on Monday, with the capital's 24-hour average AQI reading soaring to 349 from 318 the previous day, even as the Supreme Court slammed the city government and police for a "serious lapse" in implementing GRAP curbs.
The apex court, however, asked the central pollution watchdog to consider restarting physical classes in the schools and colleges of Delhi-NCR, noting that students are being deprived of mid-day meals and lack the wherewithal to attend virtual classes.
According to the SAMEER app, which offers hourly updates on the National Air Quality Index, the AQI was recorded at 218 at 9 am, but it rose to 377 at 7 pm, thanks to a low wind speed.
Seven of the 38 air quality-monitoring stations in Delhi reported AQI levels in the "severe" category at 5:30 pm, with the number rising to 14 at 7 pm.
The latest data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said Delhi's 24-hour average AQI, recorded at 4 pm, stood at 349.
Bhavreen Kandhari, an environmentalist, said the AQI has risen due to a combination of stagnant winds that have a speed of less than 10 kilometres per hour and dropping temperatures that trap pollutants close to the ground.
The CPCB categorises the AQI as follows -- 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), 401-450 (severe) and above 450 (severe plus).
Last week, the city endured its highest recorded AQI for the season, reaching a hazardous 495, prompting the implementation of the Stage-4 restrictions under the Supreme Court-mandated Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb pollution.
On Monday, the primary pollutant contributing to the deteriorating air quality was PM2.5, with levels recorded at 166.9 micrograms per cubic metre at 4 pm.
These fine particulate matters with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less, pose severe health risks as these can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.
The drop in the air quality follows a week of hazardous levels of pollution, with Delhi's AQI surpassing 450 for the first time this season last Sunday morning.
Although the air quality improved slightly on Thursday and Friday, it worsened again on Saturday, with the AQI returning to the "severe" category.
As evening descended on Monday, a thick layer of mist and smog covered the city, reducing visibility and exacerbating the air-quality crisis.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider restarting physical classes in schools and colleges in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas, noting that students are being deprived of mid-day meals and lack the wherewithal to attend virtual classes.
The restrictions on physical classes in schools and colleges were imposed recently due to severe air pollution.
The court censured the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and Delhi Police for a "serious lapse" on their part in strictly implementing the GRAP-4 measures, and directed the CAQM to take action against the erring officials.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said the authorities have made no efforts to implement the GRAP-4 measures.
"It is apparent that the authorities mentioned in GRAP-IV clauses 1, 2 and 3 have made no earnest efforts to implement action under clauses 1 to 3. Some police teams were deputed at a few entry points, that also without any specific instructions," it said.
The Centre's Decision Support System (DSS) for Air Quality Management estimated that vehicular emissions contributed 16.4 per cent to Delhi's pollution on Monday. Stubble burning, another major factor, accounted for 11 per cent of the capital's pollution on Sunday.
The DSS provides daily estimates for vehicular emissions, while the data on stubble burning is typically released the following day.
Meanwhile, the daytime temperature was recorded at 25.8 degrees Celsius, 0.9 notches below the seasonal average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Humidity levels fluctuated between 85 per cent and 68 per cent during the day.
The IMD has forecast moderate fog for Tuesday, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 26 degrees Celsius and 12 degrees Celsius respectively.
