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  • A S Agri and Aqua LLP – Pioneering Force behind Hi-Tech Soil-Based Vertical Farming in India

    Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 12: A S Agri and Aqua LLP, Founded by Dr. Prashant Govindrao Zade, is one of the leading Agriculture Development and Agro-tech Solutions companies in India, is Transforming and Revolutionizing the Indian Agricultural Ecosystem with the introduction of Hi-tech Soil-Based Vertical Farming in India and overseas countries.

    A S Agri and Aqua LLP, founded in March 2018, is widely recognized as a pioneer in Hi-tech Soil-Based Vertical Farming in India. The company is led by 12 hardworking and dedicated professionals from different industries who have come together to fulfill their common goal – promoting innovative Agricultural practices and ensuring that the Indian farmer lives a sustainable, self-sufficient, and independent lifestyle.

    The Need for Hi-Tech Soil-Based Vertical Farming

    With the global population growing at unprecedented levels, feeding such a vast amount of people becomes a difficult task, especially since we are continuously losing fertile and arable lands to urbanization.

    India, presently the second-most populous country in the world is projected to become the first within this decade. With a dramatic rise in population and urbanization and industrialization, the burden on the agricultural infrastructure continues to grow. Vertical Farming can be an efficient solution to these challenges.

    A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP – Pioneer of Hi-tech Soil-Based Vertical Farming in India 

    Vertical Farming is a ground-breaking agricultural practice. While Vertical Farming is already present in India, it is of the Hydroponic and Aquaponic kind (i.e., water-based) and has several limitations, including the restriction of crop varieties.

    A S Agri and Aqua LLP, owing to its consistent focus on scientific research and development, has become a pioneer in Hi-Tech Soil Based Vertical Farming with 50 – 60 times higher yield per acre.

    With Soil-based Vertical Farming, the risks posed by pests and changing weather patterns can be eliminated. Moreover, Soil-based technology also ensures a significantly higher yield in terms of quality and quantity while requiring 85% less water, 85% less labour, and 99% less land.

    A S Agri and Aqua LLP journey has begun with a motive to develop the technologically underdeveloped turmeric farming sector. It has now been expanded to include working on its mission of improving the overall lifestyle and living standards of Indian farmers and building a sustainable future. Beginning with successfully producing high-quality turmeric in vertical farming poly houses, the company has now proven its expertise in producing a wide range of crops through soil-based technology, including essentials such as potatoes, tomatoes, soybean, sweet potatoes, ginger, and many more crops!

    Advantages of Hi-Tech Soil-Based Vertical Farming:

    • Year-Round Quality Produce.
    • 50 – 60 times the higher yield per acre.
    • Controlled Environment (Polyhouse).
    • Less Carbon Footprint.
    • Elimination of Agricultural Runoff.
    • Abandoned or unused properties can be utilized.
    • Reduced Risk from Pests and Changing Weather Patterns.
    • Extremely Minimal Chances of Crop Failure.
    • Sustainable Production for Urban Centres.
    • Save 85% Water, 85% Labour, and 99% Land.

    With their vast know-how and expertise, A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP has also been involved in conducting regular training programs and workshops to create awareness and help the farmers understand the benefits of Hi-tech soil-based Vertical Farming.

    Along with hi-tech Soil-based Vertical Farming, A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP also deals with providing turnkey solutions in sectors such as Aquaculture and Fish Farming, Contract Farming, Turmeric Trading, Healthcare, and Food Supplements, Rural Digital Connectivity (E-Village app), Healthcare, and Food Supplements (Vishwaayu), and other developmental projects and schemes.

    A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP Goal for the Future:

    A S Agri and Aqua LLP has certain goals for the future – one where they fully transform the technologically stagnant Indian agriculture ecosystem through innovation and development. The company also aims to partner with the government and national and international organizations to formulate, develop, and enhance agriculture in India with advancements in technology.

    A S Agri and Aqua LLP strongly believe that by bringing development to the Agricultural sector, they will be able to transform it into a rich and vibrant sector, ensure viable income for the Indian farmers, improve the value of farmers in the market, and ultimately, turn the farmer community into an independent, happy, and proud one.

    At its core, A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP is on a mission to create a greener, sustainable, and self-sufficient future through innovation and technology.

    About the company:

    Great and successful companies are born from small ideas and big dreams. The story of A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP emerges out of one such dream by a visionary – Dr. Prashant Govindrao Zade – who witnessed technological stagnation in India’s largest yet most overlooked sector, i.e., Agriculture and Aquaculture.

    A S Agri and Aqua LLP is one of the leading Agriculture Development companies in India, known for being a pioneer of Hi-tech Soil-Based Vertical Farming in the country. Backed by years of experience, the company aims to revolutionize traditional Indian agriculture and turn it into a vibrant, profitable, and sustainable sector. A S Agri and Aqua LLP and has its head office located in Thane, Maharashtra, and has a pan-India presence, along with a presence in countries like Oman, UAE, Qatar, UK, US, and Sri Lanka.

    More information can be accessed at

    Website: https://asagriaqua.com/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ASGROUPOFCOMPANIES/videos

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asagriaqua

    Phone No: 9819291111 /020-68158200

    Email Id: info@asagriaqua.com

  • Aarav Chhabra – A New Star on the Horizon

    Gurugram (Haryana) [India], June 12:  Aarav Chhabra (Instagram handle aaravchhabra85) is a young content creator based between Delhi and Dubai.  Aarav is a multi-talented, adorable teen loved for his very lively and energetic personality.

    His content mainly consists of small funny videos, dance, travel, and lifestyle. With his awesome sense of humour, he manages to keep his content entertaining and super exciting. He gives quick glances of exciting places across India and Dubai, reviews upcoming brands, and shares interesting insights into his life.  His amazing reviews of Atlantis – The Palm, Kite Beach Dubai, Dubai Mall, his other stories show enjoyable and interesting places which excite his teen audience age 11 to age 16 to spend time and engage with his profile.

    Kids and teenagers love his videos and he now has over 34,000 followers on Instagram.  He is a sensation on Instagram Reels, where his videos have crossed 1 Million views.

    It’s so amazing how he has already achieved so much in life.  He gets coverage on various famous platforms. He has been featured by Miss Malini as one of “The Young Creators of Today Who Are the Stars of Tomorrow”.  He has become quite an inspiration to new young creators to aspire to be like him.

    He takes part in various trending challenges which go viral on Instagram, with his awesome sense of humour he manages to keep his content entertaining and super exciting for his audience.

    In an interview with Mom Imperfecto a few weeks ago, he did mention that he did not plan to really do much online. He started off just for fun and started blowing up online. Young creators are exponentially talented and not afraid to show it to the world. It is so inspiring to see him grow a strong path and a big empire that will surely lead towards success and happiness.

    Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaravchhabra85

  • MyLoc is here to connect your postal address to a digital address

    Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 11:  Today, accessibility is a necessity. It is essential for people to reach you timely, whether for groceries or medicines.

    A digital address can ease the way you share your location, no matter where you are. While making delivery of essentials and services was the primary driver to create MyLoc (www.myloc.in), it also gives the pride of creating an identity for your home, office, or any other location.

    Currently, to share an address, we have to use a map, navigate to our location, and then share it. With a digital location Pin, sharing location becomes simple, whether via a message or a call. Since MyLoc offers a custom ‘Location Pin’, every individual can have their personalized ID for any location.

    MyLoc lets you add a text note, a landmark, and even tag an image of your home, making it easier to reach you, saving crucial time. The location Pin can be shared with anyone, even without the internet and it will direct them to you.

    ‘In a world where we constantly require services to reach us, having a digital identity for our homes and offices, that can be shared easily, is a must. It reduces the hassle of sharing directions and saves time. Sometimes even seconds are critical.’ says Pooja Patnaik, Marketing Evangelist, MyLoc.

    There are numerous benefits of a location Pin. It is easier to remember and share than any other map-sharing options (e.g.myloc.in/houseofraj). It makes it easier for services (deliveries, essentials, emergencies) to find your location. It can be easily modified/deleted/recreated anytime. A one-time simple sign-up is all that is needed. You can now have a MyLoc location Pin of your own.

    “MyLoc is designed to be extremely simple to create and use, for people of any age, be it on a PC or mobiles. Try it once to see how simple it is, no apps to download, no dependence on any device, just a simple visit to MyLoc.in, and in less than 2 minutes, you can create your personalized MyLoc location pin, for free” says Muniyappa, Technical Architect, MyLoc.

    nFaktor (www.nfaktor.com) is MyLoc’s parent company. MyLoc (www.myloc.in) was the brainchild of Neel Sinha, the founder & CEO, who realized sharing accurate digital addresses for physical locations is critical and sought to address the problem with a cloud-based product, that was simple, requiring no downloads, and easily shareable.

  • From Banking to YouTube as a moto vlogger, Ravi Dhameja shows how to live passionately

    Want to get a ride across India? Let’s ride with ‘RDX’

    Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 11: A quick look around us will let us know how things have been changing quite significantly across industries, sectors, and life. People live the same traditional setup of their jobs and are entangled in their routine lives, finding almost no time for themselves or their passion. Amidst this, what if we tell you that we found a young and passionate man and a rider who started his own expedition in life with his bike rides and now has transitioned his life from being a banker to a YouTuber? Exciting enough? Meet Ravi Dhameja, a youngster who believed in his dreams and went ahead in living the same with starting his career as a moto vlogger.

    This financial banker from Bhilai, who could’ve got satisfied with his job life, chose a life of adventure instead and now is pursuing his dreams to make it huge across the vlogging niche in YouTube with his bike rides, currently residing in Mumbai. RDX, as he is popularly known, is truly following his passion, living and enjoying every bit of life, inspiring many others in the world.

    “Coming out of the rat race to chase our dreams can be very difficult, but when you believe in your dreams and choose to live life the fullest, following your passions, you can cross boundaries,” says the youngster, who indeed had crossed boundaries and travelled as a solo rider with his bike to different cities, exploring their vibe, and culture and taking something back with him with each of his journeys. As a moto vlogger, he decided to even start his YouTube channel named “RDX Rides India”, which many have been talking about lately.

    On his bike, RDX has so far covered journeys from Bhilai to Nepal, Mumbai to Haridwar- Devprayag, Rishikesh & Amritsar, Mumbai to Udaipur – Udaipur & Baroda, Mumbai to Daman, along with most places in 100-200 km radius of the city. He has even covered one-day rides like Alibaugh, Nashik, Trimbakeshwar, Lonavala, Matheran, and a beautiful Mumbai city tour. At a stretch, Ravi even covered over 1000 km of a ride non-stop multiple times.

    His YouTube channel is garnering immense love and recognition for his awe-inspiring and exciting videos of his bike rides, which has earned him a growing number of subscribers. One cannot help but fall in love with the life that Ravi Dhameja, aka RDX, has created for himself, from a banker to a biker and YouTuber, living his passion every day.

    Do not forget to follow his channel, https://www.youtube.com/c/rdxridesindia, and him on Instagram @rdxridesindia.

  • A Significant Session with Designer Niti Singhal for IDT Students

    Surat (Gujarat) [India], June 11: “Inspiration can come from anywhere you just need to be observant around you!”

    IDT students got the opportunity to have an informative “Ask me Anything “ session with the Founder and designer of the leading sustainable brand – Twee In One and an alumna of Istituto Marangoni Milan, Ms. Niti Singhal. Her brand which is known for its ‘less is more’ mission specializes in reversible and convertible clothing for women.

    Being the creative brain behind the conceptual clothing brand, she shared the latest and greatest experiences related to the field as well as advised students on every aspect related to the fashion industry.

    Highlighting the major concerns that fashion designing is one of those industries that pollute our environment the most, Niti guided the students to generate ideas with which they can contribute towards the fashion industry and to the environment as a whole.

    People talk about going organic & follow sustainability but there is a need to add more meaning to the organic term and hence she came up with twee in one reversible clothing wherein people can have two choices with the same pair of the garment be it day to night look, office to party wear, casual to a formal look, etc.

    She urged the fashionistas that there isn’t you don’t need to shop frequently and no need to dispose them off fast and that one can repeat by simply flipping the outfits whenever required and manage for any occasion.

    Niti also advised students about their future prospects. If they want to apply for any big houses; they had to put in a lot of hard work; should be well updated about fashion trends and well versed with the brands around the globe. Moreover, one should obey the fact that no work is small and one can learn in any situation.

    The students were overwhelmed by the life mantra revealed by the renowned designer that one needs to carry a style statement that makes one comfortable.

    The Director of IDT, Ms. Ankita Goyal expressed, “IDT is grateful to Ms. Niti Singhal who took out time to share insider tips about her journey and addressed the students about the challenges in the fashion industry and how can one convert them into opportunities. IDT continuously strives to provide its students with more such edifying experiences in the near future.”

  • ’Care for Healthcare Covid Warriors’ – a free helpline service to support the mental health of Healthcare Covid workers, launched by Aavishkar Centre

    Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 10: ‘Aavishkar Centre for Self Enrichment’ has launched a free helpline to support doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Paramedics, and other healthcare workers on Covid duties to support them with any emotional distress they might be experiencing. The last 16 months of the pandemic have been tough for the frontline healthcare workers; and the second wave pushed the limits of the healthcare infrastructure, creating additional emotional distress for these Covid Warriors.

    Speaking during the launch, Dr. Nirmala Rao, Director, Aavishkar Center said, “Watching the news helplessly over the past year, I was feeling bad about the conditions under which healthcare workers are functioning, there was a growing urgency to do something to help. Focusing on my skillsets and what I have to offer, I considered the idea of what could be done. Since counselling is my forte, and knowing many others would also wish to help out, I floated this idea of starting a helpline.”

    The helpline’s objective is to provide a platform for healthcare Covid Warriors to vent out, share their experiences, worries & frustration; and gain support through the patient and caring ears lent by the volunteers! Through this helpline, the callers will receive support, feeling understood, receiving an empathetic and non-judgmental space, helping them gain humane contact in these times of isolation.

    The initiative is supported by MediaMedic Communications – a healthcare communications agency. Mr. Dinesh Chindarkar, Co-founder at MediaMedic Communications said, “When Dr. Nirmala Rao sounded this idea, me and my team wanted to support this wholeheartedly. We gave the technical support for the call-center set-up and our Digital team is reaching a larger healthcare audience segment and effectively using Social media to propagate the message across the country.”

    The contact number for this free helpline is 9172284386 and it operates between 4 pm & 7 pm from Monday to Saturday. Considering the multiplicity of languages, the helpline is currently being offered in 10 languages (Hindi, Marathi, English, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, & Bengali). Supported by a team of around 80 volunteers trained by Dr. Nirmala Rao herself, ‘Care for Covid Warriors’ seeks to offer selfless service to the frontline workers in these tough times.

    Dr. Nirmala Rao, the brain behind this initiative is looking to reach a larger audience. As more people become aware of this initiative and step up to volunteer, the idea is to scale up this service as per the needs of callers – by increasing the number of hours, the number of lines, etc.

    Note to the Media: Kindly help spread the word to reach maximum healthcare workers and benefit them.

  • Survivors Turning Saviours: An Inspiring Story from Uttarakhand

    Sachin Upadhyay, a Covid survivor and social entrepreneur in Dehradun is helping 200 villages fight the Covid-19 pandemic – he is saving lives and building a recovery plan.

     

    Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 9: Sachin describes the two weeks as a Covid patient the worst of his life – the isolation, loss of physical strength, constant inflow of distressing news of illness and deaths – he believes it is somewhat of a miracle that he came off the disease without any complication.

    While the first wave of Covid-19 last year had a very limited impact on the hilly state of Uttarakhand, this year has been quite deadly. Not only has the virus reached the cities of Uttarakhand, but it is also infecting people living in villages, including young children.

    As the pandemic tightened its grip on the state in late April, Sachin recalls receiving numerous calls from the people in his village, pleading for access to hospitals, beds, and doctors. Despite being affected himself, he reports transporting almost 60 people from the village to Dehradun and ensuring that they get the medical attention required. He is happy about the lives he could save but deeply saddened about the helplessness and lack of medical facilities in hilly villages.

    As Sachin recovered from the virus, he was clear about what his next mission was –to bring relief to the village folks in Tehri – from where he hails and continues to focus his social upliftment efforts through this organization, The World Integrity Foundation (TWIF). He consulted with various doctors and discovered that if villagers get timely access to a doctor and primary Covid-19 medication, it could prevent emergencies and the need for high-level care. It was then he says that he developed a roadmap with TWIF’s chief coordinator Mayank Dhyani – the mission was to distribute 50,000 medical kits in villages, and ultimately benefit 1,00,000 people with these and other relief efforts, including food supplies and other medical relief.

    To initiate these efforts, TWIF started identifying the source of medicines, and initiated crowdfunding efforts – the first batch of 1000 kits they distributed in the villages was gratefully received and appreciated. While on their distribution drive, they also got deeper insights into the community’s needs and their magnitude – there was a huge need for medicines, face masks, oximeters, thermometers, and flow meters. They stepped up their fundraising efforts and mobilized their networks for support. “We identified over 200 villages, two municipal corporations (Tehri & Chamba) to distribute medical kits and built a strong network of volunteers – employees of the Duck Store who are helping us pack the kits; and across villages who are helping us with the distribution,” mentions Upadhaya (President, TWIF). “We have distributed 40,000 medical kits and dry ration packets. We are trying to source as many relevant supplies as possible including vaporizers and oxygen concentrators and have expanded our distribution drive to include parts of Dehradun and Uttarakashi based on their needs.”

    The medical kits include primary medicines like paracetamol, azithromycin, ivermectin, and vitamin C and zinc supplements. They also include a handout with a description of the medicines and the recommended protocol, Sachin’s own number for further assistance, and phone numbers of four doctors who have volunteered to do free of cost telephonic consultation under this initiative.

    TWIF especially acknowledges the generous support of Dr. Syed Farooq (President, Himalaya Drug Company) and Mr. Deepak Yadav (MD, Duck Store); and contributions from Dr. S C Saxena, Dr. Mahender Rana, Dr. Chinmay Panday, Mr. Daksh Khulbe, Mr. Balkishan Rathi and a few others who prefer to remain anonymous.

    Sachin Upadhyay can easily be identified as a person who is not deterred, but rather strengthened by a crisis. He is now focused on building a recovery plan for the thousands of migrant workers who were forced to return home due to the pandemic – skill-building and identifying and creating employment opportunities for them are next on his agenda. However, his will to help the people of his state and especially those living in the hilly villages of Tehri is not new.

    He co-founded The World Integrity Foundation in 2013 – a Dehradun-based registered charitable trust & social welfare organisation. Since then, they have undertaken numerous relief efforts – last year during the first wave of the pandemic, TWIF provided dry ration packets to more than 4,000 people and served home-cooked food to over 2,000 frontline workers every day for two months.

    “I believe I am a son of the soil. I feel deeply rooted in my people and am deeply affected by the neglect that my state suffers. Covid-19 is an unprecedented crisis, but I believe we are now better prepared to support our people and children and that is a hugely satisfying feeling”, says Sachin as he urges Uttarakhandi-s from across the world to come forward and extend help to TWIF’s mission of saving precious lives and rebuilding livelihoods in the hilly villages of Uttarakhand.

    For any queries write to: twifdehradun@gmail.com

  • DCC Animal Hospital extends Telehealth services across India to support pet healthcare as a priority no matter where you are

    DCC Animal Hospital realizes the need for pet health is a large concern in cities across India, and limited vet options available, also the flexibility and ease to connect to the vet needs to be heightened just as is the case for human medical services.

    Experienced veterinarians at DCC Animal Hospital, following global best practices, are here for all pets and pet parents to ensure whether it’s an SOS call, medical advice, or a matter that needs serious medical decisions, DCC will guide you. At DCC, your pet is our priority!

     Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 10: As India gradually rises from the perils of the second wave of coronavirus; the growing demand for quality pet healthcare sees an upswing from all over the country. To meet the demand for reliable and accessible pet healthcare, DCC (Dogs Cats & Companions) Animal Hospital, a multi-specialty facility, has extended virtual telehealth services to bridge the healthcare gap for pet owners across the country. The carefully curated and highly specialized services will allow pet parents and veterinarians to leverage the company’s proprietary platform for continuous veterinarian care and support amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The new telehealth service will enable pet parents to connect directly with highly skilled DCC doctors led by renowned veterinarian Dr. Vinod Sharma, who has 30 years of Indian and global experience in veterinary. Dr. Vinod Sharma along with his team will simplistically guide pet parents and discuss any concerns they might have regarding the health and wellness of their pet. The communication language will be both Hindi and English. The treatment will be shared via a prescription and explained verbally in the virtual chat window. In case of more complex issues that involve surgery or physical examination, the doctor may recommend a physical visit in a controlled safe environment. All other issues will be tackled over the call as long as they are manageable in medical purview virtually.

    Commenting on the new initiative, Dr. Vinod Sharma, Head of Veterinary Service Division DCC Animal Hospital said, “As the country gets into recovery mode, the dangers are far from over. Pet owners continue to being concerned for their pets’ well-being amidst the current scenario and the best way to ensure safety is by opting for telehealth services. Also, one has realized that it’s the necessity of having a good reliable vet, also the ease of access that a pet parent is looking for. Sometimes a health situation with your pet can bother you and make you think if you really need to go to the hospital or can someone guide you at home. DCC has focused its efforts to develop a user-friendly virtual platform that is simplifying veterinary services for pet parents across the country.”

    COVID-19 has accelerated pet ownership in India which has given rise to a fast-growing pet care industry. The pandemic has increased the use of telehealth for veterinary visits and this trend is expected to continue to rise for accessible healthcare. The need of the hour is to act quickly to serve animals in communities while ensuring everyone stayed safe. Telehealth services by DCC further help in balancing social distancing protocols with the need to demonstrate to pet parents how to provide home care for pets including general health monitoring, administration of oral medications, subcutaneous fluids, vaccination, and nutrition. Telehealth is here to stay with the number of pets outgrowing the number of vets that can handle the health needs in each state, it is not just an implementation, it’s a constant effort to also train pet parents on how they can help the vet understand the situation better and help their pet recover.

    DCC Animal Hospital aims at ensuring parity in healthcare services for our companions at par with human health services.

    About DCC Animal Hospital India

    DCC (Dog Cat Companion) Animal Hospital is India’s first multi-specialty facility offering complete physical and emotional care to pets. It is the first pet healthcare facility in India to offer modern animal medicine and practices in a compassionate and friendly environment. DCC Animal Hospitals offer a range of high-quality medical care for animals including specialized services in orthopaedics, dentistry, trauma & surgery as well as preventive care for pets.

    www.dccpets.in

    About A’alda

    A’alda was founded in 2019 with the aim to provide veterinary care and clinical services for animals in Asian countries. It works on solving challenges in the veterinary care industry and aims to be the best veterinary medical platform in the world. The DCC Animal Hospital project was envisioned by A’alda Pte Limited to humanize pet care services. Founded in 2019, the company’s mission is to continuously improve the standard of care for hospitals and veterinary medicine and make it accessible to people globally.

  • Medical Termination of Pregnancy in India: Evidence-Based Learnings for Policymakers

    Susheela Singh, Rubina Hussain, Chander Shekhar, Rajib Acharya, Melissa Stillman, Ann M Moore

     

    New Delhi [India], June 9: Abortion in India continues to face high levels of stigma– this stigma pushes women seeking abortion away from legal services; curtails dissemination of information on abortion, and affects the delivery of essential services in the public health system. Consequently, millions of women prefer not to go to public health facilities for abortion services. It is estimated that 78% of the 15.6 million abortions that take place each year in India occur in non-facility settings, mainly through medical abortion pills.

    Newly published evidence (Incidence of Treatment for Postabortion Complications in India, 2015) in BMJ Global Health further suggests that in 2015, 5.2 million women in India received treatment for induced abortion complications, a treatment rate of 15.7 per 1000 women aged 15–49; comparable to countries where abortion law is highly restrictive, and unsafe abortion is likely to be prevalent. Notably, many of the patients who were treated for postabortion complications resulting from the use of medical abortion pills may not have needed treatment to complete their abortion – if they had been provided accurate information on how the method works, what to expect after taking the pills, and how to recognize a complication.

    On March 16th, 2021, the Indian Parliament passed amendments to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Bill 2020; while on the one hand the Bill is being applauded for removing some recurring barriers for women seeking abortions; it is also being criticized for not empowering women with complete choice. However, we should not underestimate the opportunities this policy reform brings: It has the potential to improve the experiences of millions of women who terminate unintended pregnancies in India each year.

    Firstly, the MTP Act and its Regulations and operational guidelines currently only permit obstetrician gynaecologists and MBBS doctors who have been trained and registered to provide abortion in approved facilities.  Therefore, policymakers need to consider expanding the provider base for legal abortion services. Registered providers in unapproved facilities may provide medical abortion; however, they must have referral linkages to approved facilities. The training requirements as laid out in the abortion law are rigorous and do not distinguish between surgical and medical methods of abortion. Given this situation, the government could increase access to safe abortion services by permitting and providing simplified training to a larger number of providers, who would then be certified to provide medical abortion only. This will not only significantly increase the options for women seeking abortion services but also leverage the potential of medical abortion technology. The paper also recommends that to ensure that women seeking abortions are well-supported and provided credible information, including on referral facilities, policies should extensively cover community health intermediaries and equip them with adequate information to direct and guide women looking to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

    Secondly, there is a need to improve the experience of women seeking treatment for post-abortion complications in public facilities. In the study – Incidence of Treatment for Postabortion Complications in India, 2015- conducted in six Indian states—Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, respondents estimated that a variable but high proportion of all women receiving postabortion care were admitted with incomplete abortion from use of medical abortion; Prolonged or abnormal bleeding and incomplete abortion resulting from use of methods other than medical abortion were also common complications. However, it should be noted that the clinical efficacy of medical abortion in the early gestation period is95%–98% when the method is used correctly and drugs are of high quality, and at a minimum 2%–5% of all users of medical abortion would have incomplete abortions and may need medical treatment.

    Since most medical abortion users in India obtain the method outside of the formal health system and the method they are using is highly effective, the paper points to the possibility for patients to experience an incomplete abortion or other complications as a result of the medication being administered incorrectly or the medication is being compromised. Nevertheless, this points to the important recommendation that to improve women’s experience of using medical abortion, all women who use medical abortion (and especially those who obtain it outside of facilities) must receive accurate information and good quality medical abortion supplies. However, for those who still approach facilities for treatment of post-abortion complications following medical abortion, there is a need to address a range of issues such as inadequate privacy and confidentiality, provider biases, and cost barriers.

    Lastly, it is imperative that women have access to accurate information on medical abortion regardless of the source of care preferences. One way to do this, as the paper recommends, would be to improve access to information via inserts in medical abortion packets to help facilitate women’s ability to use the method correctly, know what to expect and when to seek care. There is also a need for innovative approaches for public dissemination of information about the correct usage of the method by means that reach more women.

    Medical abortion is a safe and effective technology that has had a major impact in opening up access to safe abortion for women in India. It is imperative that we leverage it for expanding legal providers in the formal health system while also making accurate information available to women on the usage of the method.

    This article is based on a research paper:

    Singh S, Hussain R, Shekhar C, et al. Incidence of treatment for postabortion complications in India, 2015. BMJ Global Health 2020

    http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002372

  • Permagard India pledges to plant 10,000 Trees across the country as part of its Commitment to Environment.

    Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 9: We humans are experiencing a remarkable pace of progress like never before. Technology, Design, and Engineering- Everything’s evolving super fast. At the heart of all this progress are few outstanding organizations, which move the world forward towards a more sustainable future. They feel responsible towards nature. They even feel a bond with the natural resources that nourish us.

    One such organisation that’s setting new benchmarks is India’s No. 1 Car Care Brand- Permagard India. It has pledged for an extraordinary initiative:

    “Permagard India will plant 10,000 trees, 1 tree for every car that will be serviced at Permagard Car Care Showrooms across the entire country.”

    Permagard India has started taking its first steps towards this initiative and their team planted the first lot of 1000 trees on World Environment Day (5th June) of 2021.

    On touching the first milestone, Permagard India Director, Mr. Aman Singh shares, “Our sense of responsibility for our world gets reflected in even the smallest of acts performed by us. Today it’s an honour for us to collaborate with ‘Global Shapers Community Nagpur’ for planting 1000 trees in the Panna Tiger Reserve of Madhya Pradesh. With this plantation, we have accomplished our first phase and now we are devoted to plant 9,000 more trees and prove our commitment to a sustainable future for our posterity.”

    Permagard has even earned a good name for bringing eco-friendly solutions in its whole range of car detailing services. They have adopted an approach of combining innovation and sustainability together.

    Established in 1998, Permagard is now the market leader in paint protection technology, with a field presence in 23 countries, including India. The company excels in the paint protection industry with its products applied as protective coatings for boats, automobiles, aircraft, etc.

    In India, Permagard has emerged as the fastest-growing Car Care Treatment and Surface Paint Protection Brand, which has treated more than 10000 Cars till April 2021. Its Services are made to cater to all segments – Premium Cars, Luxury Cars, Heritage Cars, Vintage Cars, Sports Cars, etc.