Monthly Archives: July 2015

Medica Hospital launches Tele-ICU

Science & Technology

Kolkata :

For Doctors Day on Wednesday, Medica Hospital, in association with Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Indian Medical Association, Bengal branch, launched Tele-ICU facilities. Designed by Philips India Ltd, the technology is a specialist-led ICU care to be monitored from a command centre.

Kolkata’s branch will serve as the command center, which will be connected to other Medica Hospital branches.

“Our specialists sometimes have to fly to other centers to monitor critical cases. This Tele-ICU facility will enable them to monitor patients from Kolkata itself,” said Dr Alok Roy, chairman of Medica Hospital.

“The command center will get all the data about the patient online. These are real time data. The experts in the command center can monitor and intervene whenever the need arises,” said Dr Arindam Kar, director of Medica Institute of Critical Care.

“I am sure this Tele-ICU service is going to help patients. We are also trying to upgrade technology-aided services in government hospitals,” said health minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. The hospital also organized a quiz contest on Wednesday.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / TNN / July 02nd, 2015

ZSI celebrates a century of magic finds

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nature, Records, All, Travel

Kolkata :

Scientists at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered 176 new animal species in the run-up to their centenary year that kicked off on Wednesday.

Speaking to TOI, ZSI director K Venkataraman said 93 new species of insects were recorded by the team last year along with 24 species of amphibians, 23 species of fish and two species of reptiles. The other new finds were 12 species each of arachnida and crustacea, one type each of nematoda, trematoda and mollusca.

“It has been an exciting year with our scientists contributing to the inventory of animal species on the planet. Apart from the new finds, 61 species of animals that were found elsewhere in the world were also found and recorded in the country,” Venkataraman said.

Of the new insects discovered, several were found in Bengal. Agricnemis kalinga was found in Panchala, Howrah; Amemboa bifucrata in Kalikhola, Jalpaiguri; Amemboa mahananda in Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, Darjeeling; Onchotrechus dooarsicus in Buxa Tiger Reserve, Jalpaiguri; Pleciobates bengalensis in Alipurduar; Calvia explanata in Darjeeling and Forcipomyia parasecuris in Burdwan. In addition, several other species were found across the state.

ZSI deputy director Dhriti Banerjee said Bengal has one of the richest faunal diversities in the country due to its diverse climatic zones. “Of 96,000-odd recorded animal species in India, 11,042 species, or more than 10%, are found in the state. Different climate zones — alpine temperate forest in Darjeeling, tropical forest in north Bengal, desiduous forest in south Bengal, dry grassland in the middle and mangroves in Sunderbans — support the varied animal life,” she said.

In fact, north Bengal, particularly Darjeeling, is considered a animal diversity hotspot by zoologists as the Eastern Himalayas is the gateway for faunal elements coming to India. “Any experienced scientist can confidently set out on a trip to Darjeeling and find a new species. The insect and ambhibian population in Darjeeling is very high,” Banerjee said.

While new species are being discovered in the state, several species have become extinct, including Javan rhinoceros, Asiatic two-horned rhinoceros, musk deer, monal pheasant, mombin quail, pink headed duck, marbled cat, golden cat, three-banded palm civet, mock viper and gore’s bronze back viper.

While ZSI has traditionally focused on surveys, collection of specimens, identification, naming and preserving, it has now started working on a GIS platform so they can be spacially and temporally mapped for reference. An ambitious programme to digitize the specimens is underway.

“A databank of high resolution photographs of type specimens, along with their full profile — what it looks like, where it was discovered, where it is found now and its DNA bar code — will be created,” Banerjee said.

Banerjee is heading the Rs 3 crore project to digitize information on 7,286 species, most of which are 100-200 years old.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / TNN / July 02nd, 2015

Nadia gets U.N. pat forachieving total sanitation

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion

The district Magistrate of Nadia along with chief of Nadia Zilla Parishad in West Bengal was on Saturday presented the United Nations Public Services Award 2015 for eliminating open defecation in the district.

Nadia district, located in south Bengal, had half of its population defecating in open till October 2013. The district administration, under a programme called Sabar Souchagar, built 3.56 lakh toilets in the district. As a result, the number of people continuing with the practice dropped to mere 0.2 per cent.

The award was presented by the acting Secretary-General of the U.N., Lenni Montiel, along with Head U.N. Women Stefani Senese, on conclusion of the U.N. Day celebrations 2015, on June 26 at Medellin in Colombia, District Magistrate P.B. Salim informed The Hindu over email.

Banikumar Roy, chief, Nadia ZP, was also present.

‘Unique model’
The U.N. has described Sabar Shouchagar (Toilets for All) as a “unique model developed to generate awareness, improve access to sanitary toilets, and bring substantial health improvement through improved sanitation.”

The U.N. added that the scheme has mobilised all stakeholders, “especially women and schoolchildren and saw involvement of faith-based organisations” and “if replicated, it has the potential to eliminate open defecation from across the world.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on April 30 held a programme in Nadia district highlighting the success of the scheme and announced that ‘Nirmal Bangla Divas’ will be observed across the State every year.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / by Special Correspondent / Kolkata – June 28th, 2015