What have been the results of the latest surveillance campaign?
The ‘Him Suraksha Abhiyan’ was launched on November 24 to screen the population for Covid-19, tuberculosis and leprosy. Other health parameters such as blood sugar level and high blood pressure are also being recorded.
By December 8, around 21.5 lakh people, or 29 per cent of the state’s population, had been screened, out of which 688 people showed presumptive signs of leprosy. But none of them was found to be suffering from the disease. The high number of referrals is because the surveillance is being carried out by untrained workers from various departments, and any type of skin lesion or pale skin patch is being recorded as a symptom of leprosy, an official said.
The survey mostly covered women, and the highest overweight percentage among women was reported from districts large parts of which have a semi-hilly terrain with low hills and plains – Una (41 per cent), followed by Hamirpur, Mandi and Kangra. Districts comprising middle and high hills generally recorded lower overweight percentage. Chamba and Sirmaur (23 per cent) reported the lowest overweight percentage followed by Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti.
“Overweight is understandably higher in the low hills and plain areas where each house and farm is connected by road and the slopes are not too steep. In the higher hills, road connectivity is limited due to which people have to walk much more and over steeper slopes,” remarked Sunil Thakur, a university student in Shimla.
It s a goat, it s a pig, it s a serow: Explaining an unusual sighting in Spiti
It’s a goat, it’s a pig, it’s a serow: Explaining an unusual sighting in Spiti
A Himalayan serow has been sighted for the first time in the Himalayan cold desert region. Why is the sighting significant? Written by Gagandeep Singh Dhillon , Edited by Explained Desk | Shimla | Updated: December 23, 2020 12:14:51 pm
Himalayan serows are typically found at altitudes between 2,000 metres and 4,000 metres. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
A Himalayan serow has been sighted for the first time in the Himalayan cold desert region. Why is the sighting significant?
In Himachal Pradesh 80k farmers take up natural farming, tap nature to boost crop yield, quality
Natural farming is different from organic farming, which was earlier being advocated in Himachal to counter the ill-effects of chemical-based farming. But organic farming required large quantities of organic fertilisers, and productivity was low in the initial years leading to financial losses. December 13, 2020 10:53:27 am
A number of farmers in Himachal Pradesh are adopting a method of natural farming being promoted by the state government to decrease their input costs and improve the quality and yield of their crops.
Till date, according to the department of agriculture, around 80,000 farmers in the state have switched partially or fully from conventional farming to Subhash Palekar Natural Farming (SPNF), a method in which all things required for the growth, development and health of the plant are taken from its natural environment.
Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane project hangs fire amid alleged irregularities
The 84-km long Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane project is one among four contiguous projects being carried out by the NHAI to widen the crucial Chandigarh-Manali road from Kiratpur in Punjab to Kullu in Himachal and cut down the distance between these two places. December 13, 2020 10:49:17 am
Work in progress on the Parwanoo-Shimla four-lane project near Solan in Himachal Pradesh. Photos: Jaipal Singh
An ongoing inquiry regarding alleged deviation in the Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-laning work has stalled the project, which had already witnessed multiple setbacks over the years. Following Centre’s directions, the Himachal Pradesh government is probing whether the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deviated from its approved road plan while carrying out four-laning work on the proposed highway.