Eat carrots, food items rich in antioxidants: Health Minister amid Delhi air pollution
New Delhi, Nov 4: As the national capital continues to grapple with severe levels of air pollution, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan took to Twitter to impart some advice on how to counter pollution-related problems.
Vardhan, who is a doctor by profession, suggested eating carrots and food items with high level of antioxidants to combat pollution-related health issues.
In a tweet on Monday, Vardhan said oxidative stress triggered by various pollutants has serious negative effects on human health.
"One positive action is to include food items with high level of antioxidants that can neutralise this. Of course, the solution lies in exposure prevention and control," he said.
On Sunday, he had tweeted, "Eating carrots helps the body get Vitamin A, potassium and antioxidants which protect against night blindness common in India. Carrots also help against other pollution-related harm to health."
Pollution level in Delhi peaked to a three-year high on Sunday notwithstanding claims of heightened checks and curbs by authorities.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the national capital's 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 494 at 4 pm on Sunday, the highest since November 6, 2016 when it was 497.
All schools up to Class 12 have been closed in the National Capital Region till Tuesday due to the spike in pollution level.
The Delhi government also issued a health advisory and asked people to avoid outdoor activities as much as possible, especially during the morning and late evening hours and keep activity levels low.
The advisory said the air pollution might cause respiratory problems in healthy people on a prolonged exposure and pronounced respiratory or other serious illnesses for the vulnerable population even on a short exposure.
"The general public is, therefore, advised to avoid outdoor physical activities, especially during morning and late evening hours," it stated.
The dos and don'ts asked people to remain indoors and reschedule their outdoor activities, consult doctors in case of breathlessness, giddiness, cough, chest discomfort or pain and irritation in the eyes.
Using N95 masks, avoiding heavy traffic and polluted areas, keeping doors and windows closed in the morning and late evening were also advised by the government.
It also asked people to use public transport, avoid driving two-wheelers and other vehicles, and stop smoking.
#EatRightIndia_35
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) November 4, 2019
Oxidative stress triggered by various pollutants has serious negative effects on human health.
One positive action is to include food items with high level of Antioxidants that can neutralise this.
Of course, the solution lies in exposure prevention & control. pic.twitter.com/Uu3FvAwtX3
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Rajnath Singh chairs IGoM meet, urges constant vigil over West Asia crisis
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday emphasised the need for round-the-clock monitoring of the West Asia conflict and called for a calibrated response to deal with any eventuality to ensure that national interests remain protected.
Singh made the comments while chairing a high-level meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) set-up to monitor the situation in West Asia.
The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Power Minister Manohar Lal, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister J P Nadda, Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi and Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.
In view of the "uncertain situation", the defence minister underlined the importance of round-the-clock monitoring of the situation and the need to respond in a calibrated manner to deal with any eventuality, an official readout said.
He stressed on the need to leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people of the country face the minimum effect of the conflict, it said.
It was the second meeting of the IGoM after it was set up last month.
The IGoM was apprised of the measures being taken by the government in the wake of the ongoing West Asia conflict, Singh said on social media.
"We also deliberated upon the next steps to be taken by the government to mitigate any adverse impact arising due to the ongoing conflict," he said.
The defence ministry said in the readout said, "In the meeting, the seven empowered groups of secretaries briefed the IGoM on the steps being taken to tackle the situation."
"The IGoM was apprised about measures undertaken by the Ministry of Finance to address concerns arising due to global trade disruptions and provide relief and support to the industry, especially manufacturing, and bolster investor confidence," it said.
It listed measures including notification issued on Wednesday on full customs duty exemption on 40 critical petrochemical products till June 30.
The ministry also mentioned announcement of a special one-time relief measure for eligible units in SEZs to sell manufactured goods in Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) at concessional customs duty rates to be effective from April 1 to March 31.
It also noted another notification issued by the Department of Revenue clarifying that the provisions of GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) will not be invoked in respect of investments made prior to April 1, 2017.
"These measures will reduce cost pressures on downstream sectors including textiles, packaging and pharmaceuticals, facilitate supply stability in the country and provide requisite clarity for investors contemplating investments in India," the readout said.
Defence Minister Singh appreciated the government's decision to impose a 25 per cent cap on the monthly increase in aviation turbine fuel prices for domestic operations, with effect from April 1.
This step will help protect the people from sudden increase in fares, he said.
The government has accorded highest priority to domestic LPG supply, with refinery production enhanced to fully meet consumption requirements, according to the readout.
"The IGoM was informed that there have been no reports of dry-out at LPG distributorships, and delivery of domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders continues as per the normal schedule. The temporary supply concerns arose due to instances of hoarding and black marketing, which triggered panic buying in certain areas," it said.
The ministers were informed that strict enforcement action is being undertaken, with raids being carried out across multiple states and Union territories to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG, the ministry said in the readout.
Action has also been taken against some LPG distributors who engaged in malpractices, it said.
"To support migrant labour and low-consumption households, the government is ensuring adequate availability of 5 kg free trade LPG cylinders, and since March 23, over 4.3 lakh such cylinders have been sold. Special focus is being given to states where demand is higher," it said.
The IGoM was apprised that industrial requirements dependent on commercial LPG are being met, with over 80 per cent of pre-crisis supply levels being maintained to ensure continuity of operations.
"Special meetings have been held with ministries and stakeholders of different industries to understand their demand and meet their needs. Oil PSUs are ensuring continued supply of Auto LPG across the country," the readout noted.
"However, some supply constraints are being faced by private operators due to their procurement challenges, which is why lines are being observed at PSU auto LPG pumps. Wherever the autos are dual feed and can use petrol, they are being encouraged to use petrol," it said.
