Latest news with #Bhalla
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
One In Five Adolescents In Delhi Sleep Deprived
New Delhi: Are you a youngster and sleepless in Delhi? Well, you aren't alone. One in five adolescents in the city is experiencing clinical sleep deprivation, according to a new study. The findings emerged from research jointly conducted by doctors at Sir Gangaram Hospital's Institute of Child Health and the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC). The assessment involved students from nine educational institutions located in central Delhi. The study, involving 1,521 students aged 12-18 years, found that 22.5% had insufficient sleep while 60% showed depressive symptoms, indicating an urgent need for mental health support. Academic scores differed significantly, with sleep-deprived students achieving 64% versus 67% among well-rested students. Moreover, 65.7% of the participants experienced mild to moderate cognitive challenges, showing the impact of poor sleep on academic achievement. Dr Latika Bhalla, senior consultant adolescent paediatrician at Institute of Child Health told TOI that proper sleep is crucial for learning capabilities and emotional regulation. Sleep deficit, she noted, could result in reduced academic performance and psychological challenges. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), sleep deprivation is "a condition where one doesn't get enough sleep to support optimal health, alertness and functioning". The current findings confirm that insufficient sleep adversely affects academic results, mental health and daily activities. Dr Bhalla indicated that the study's findings were significant and concerning, particularly regarding the high prevalence of depressive indicators and sleep insufficiency in adolescents. The study, she said, is a pioneering effort to enable evidence-based discussion about effects of sleep patterns on cognitive, emotional and physical well-being among school-going youth. Highlighting India's lack of proper sleep education programmes or policies for teenagers, Dr Bhalla said the research offers evidence-based suggestions to address this gap. The findings were presented to the health ministry on Friday. Researchers suggested training teachers and counsellors about adolescent sleep and screentime impact, displaying the Tele-MANAS helpline in schools, training Ayushma Arogya Mandir teams in sleep counselling, and implementing digital detox drives for fixed routines and screen curfews. They also recommended encouraging physical activity through Khelo India and supporting delayed school start times aligned with adolescent biology. The suggestions included incorporating sleep education into school curricula, such as sleep health modules in NCERT's secondary and senior secondary programmes, covering sleep importance, deprivation effects, common disorders, and good sleep practices. The researchers recommended conducting sessions to help educators recognise sleep issues and understand their health and academic impact, providing them with early intervention and referral strategies, and enabling teachers as 'sleep sentinels' to encourage healthy sleep habits. Moreover, they suggested that educators monitor daytime sleepiness indicators, including in-class drowsiness, reduced academic performance and behavioural changes, and share their observations during parent-teacher meetings. To highlight any concerns that may attention, they can include a 'red flag' section. Dr Sanjay Manchanda, chairman of department of sleep medicine at Sir Gangaram Hospital, observed that adolescent sleep problems often indicate future adult sleep disorders, stating, "Not thinking of sleep as essential is the biggest disorder." He supported policy changes regarding school timings, citing global studies and the report's suggestion to adjust school hours to match adolescent sleep patterns. He emphasised that early-life sleep disruptions can have enduring neurocognitive effects. Dr Aashima Dabas, professor in the department of paediatrics, MAMC and Lok Nayak Hospital, said late-night screen use and binge-watching, which disrupt natural rhythms and affect cognitive function, can disturb sleep cycles. She also noted that current schedules hinder alert, productive mornings. Dr Deepak Kumar, professor and head of psychiatry, IHBAS, observed that adolescent sleep issues often develop into adult mental health problems and require early intervention.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Over 19,000 People Affected, 3,300 Houses Damaged In Manipur Floods
Imphal: More than 19,000 people have been affected by floods in Manipur caused by overflowing rivers and breaches in embankments, officials said on Monday. They said 3,365 houses have been damaged and 19,811 people affected by floods triggered by incessant torrential rains during the last four days. Thirty-one relief camps have been opened mostly in Imphal East district to mitigate the hardships of the people who have been evacuated from their homes and localities. Heingang, Wangkhei and Khurai assembly constituencies in Imphal East district are worst affected along with Senapati district. Forty-seven landslides too have been reported in different parts of the state during the last four days. Several localities in the state's capital Imphal, and many parts of Imphal East district have been inundated after a swollen river breached embankments and overflowed in Khurai, Heingang and Checkon areas, they said. Waterlogging was reported on the premises of several offices, health facilities, and establishments, including All India Radio Imphal complex, and state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, after the Imphal river overflowed in the Checkon area, one of the officials said. Several patients, who have been undergoing treatment at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences at Porompat in Imphal East district, were shifted to other hospitals on Sunday evening as floodwaters entered the premises of the health facility, he said. Local clubs, volunteers, SDRF and NDRF personnel joined hands to shift the patients after floodwaters entered the female orthopaedic and surgery wards, located on the ground floor, the official said. Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla visited several inundated areas of Imphal town even as the army and Assam Rifles personnel rescued nearly 800 people from submerged localities in Imphal East, the worst-affected district, they said. Bhalla, accompanied by Chief Secretary PK Singh and other senior officials, visited Kangla Nongpok Thong, Lairikyengbam Leikai, and Singjamei Bridge in Imphal and assessed the overall situation, a Raj Bhavan statement said. The water level of the Iril river in Imphal East district crossed the danger mark on Sunday but is yet to breach the embankments, he said. In view of the incessant rain, the governor announced the extension of the summer vacation in schools in Imphal East and West districts and the Senapati sub-division of Senapati district until further orders. Parts of the Senapati district have been affected after the Senapati river overflowed near Viewland colony, the officials said. The Indian army and Assam Rifles rescued approximately 800 civilians on Saturday, a statement said. Troops of Assam Rifles were deployed with quick reaction teams to the most affected locations in Porompat, Wankhei , Sanjenthong, Palace Compound, New Checkon, Khurai Heikrumakhong Heinang, Soibam Leikai, Wangkhei Angom Leikai, Nongmeibung Raj Bari in Imphal East district and adjoining areas. "The total number of people rescued reached approximately 800 people, including 10 to 20 differently abled and aged individuals," the statement said. The authorities are coordinating with all relevant departments and agencies to ensure timely relief and rehabilitation efforts, another statement said. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has urged the governor to declare the flood situation a "state calamity". In a letter to Bhalla, Akoijam said the declaration would enable the activation of institutional measures to deal with the present situation. Manipur Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh on Sunday alleged that the water resources department has failed to control floods in various vulnerable areas of the state. He made the remarks during a visit to flood-affected areas of the Heingang constituency of former chief minister N Birren Singh. The Congress leader stressed that residential and agricultural areas have been submerged by overflowing rivers as the construction of various retaining walls remained incomplete. PTI COR RG
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Mohali: Surgeon duped of ₹90L in online trading scam
A city-based surgeon, Dr Pankaj Bhalla, has been defrauded of ₹90.93 lakh in an online trading scam that promised high returns. The cyber crime police at Phase-4 have registered a case and launched an investigation to trace the accused. Dr Bhalla, a resident of Sector-79 and employed in the medical department, said in his complaint that he began investing on February 19 after receiving an email from Team claiming to represent S&W Aubrey Capital Management Investment Funds, allegedly based in Hi-Tech City, Hyderabad. He was later contacted via WhatsApp by a man identifying himself as Anoop Mehra, who shared a trading account link and added him to a group named MK-S&W Group. Mehra frequently encouraged Bhalla to invest more by showcasing growing profits through a fake trading dashboard. Between February 19 and April 2, Dr Bhalla made nine transactions, ranging from ₹20,000 to ₹29 lakh, totaling ₹90.93 lakh. However, when he attempted to withdraw his earnings, his account was blocked and deleted. Attempts to contact the company failed and all associated phone numbers became unreachable. Realising he had been conned, Dr Bhalla approached the cyber crime police, who have registered a case under Sections 318(4), 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act. A cyber investigation team is now analysing the bank accounts and mobile numbers used in the fraud. Officials said efforts are underway to trace the digital trail and recover the stolen funds.
Scroll.in
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Manipur: 10 NDA MLAs meet governor, seek ‘popular government' in state
A delegation of 10 Manipur MLAs , including seven from the Bharatiya Janata Party, met Governor Ajay Bhalla on Wednesday, to urge the formation of a 'popular government' in the state, The Indian Express reported. The 10 MLAs are the BJP's Yumnam Radheshyam Singh, Thockchom Radheshyam Singh, Lourembam Rameshwar Meitei, Thangjam Arunkumar, Kh Raghumani Singh, Kongkham Robindro Singh and Paonam Brojen Singh, the National People's Party's Sheikh Noorul Hassan and Janghemliung Panmei and Independent MLA Sapam Nishikanta. Thockchom Radheshyam Singh has claimed that 44 MLAs support the formation of the government, The Indian Express reported. 'Given the way things have gone and the pressure from the public, we expressed to the governor that it's the right time to install a popular government,' he told the newspaper. Manipur has been mired in ethnic conflict between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar communities that broke out in May 2023. The violence has since left at least 260 dead and displaced more than 59,000. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024. President's Rule was imposed on February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned earlier that day. Bhalla has been administering Manipur since then. After meeting with the governor on Wednesday, Thockchom Radheshyam Singh said that the President's Rule was an emergency move and should be the last option. 'If the new popular government fails, you can reimpose President's Rule again in full throttle,' he said, according to The Indian Express . The BJP MLA claimed that the group has the support of all the legislators in the Assembly except for the 10 from the Kuki-Zo community and five from the Congress. Seven out of the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs won their Assembly seats on BJP tickets. Two belong to the Kuki Peoples' Alliance and one is an Independent. The Manipur Assembly has 60 seats, of which one fell vacant after the death of an MLA. Independent MLA Sapam Nishikanta Singh said that the delegation submitted a signed document to Bhalla affirming their support for a 'popular government', India Today NE reported. He said that the document had the signatures of 22 MLAs from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. 'We expect the formation of the popular government to happen soon,' the Independent MLA said. 'We are appealing to the Governor that we want a popular government. All NDA MLAs in Manipur are very keen to have a popular government installed. We also want the support of the public.' On April 29, a group of 21 NDA MLAs had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to restore a 'popular government' in the state. They had contended that this was the only way to bring back peace and normalcy in Manipur.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Protesters lock Central govt. offices in Manipur
The civil disobedience campaign in Manipur's Imphal Valley intensified on Tuesday (May 27, 2025) with protesters fanning out to lock Central government offices. The action was concentrated in the State's capital, Imphal, which straddles two of the five districts comprising the Valley. The protest was announced by a Meitei organisation on May 24, alleging that the Central armed forces insulted the State's identity by masking the words 'Manipur State Transport' on a State-run bus on May 20. The protesters have been seeking Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla's apology for the incident. Among the offices the protesters locked on Tuesday after overcoming resistance on the way from security personnel were the offices of the Geological Survey of India and the State's Chief Electoral Officer. One of the banners put up at these offices read: 'President's Rule must stop insulting Manipur's identity.' Mr. Bhalla has been administering Manipur since the President's Rule was imposed on February 13, days after BJP leader N. Biren Singh resigned as the Chief Minister. He was a casualty of the ethnic conflict that broke out in the State on May 3, 2023, killing more than 250 people. Governor's apology sought The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meitei organisation, had announced the civil disobedience movement after the expiry of a 48-hour deadline set for the Governor to apologise for the incident involving the bus carrying a team of media and State information officials from Imphal to cover the Shirui Lily Festival in the Naga-dominated Ukhrul district. At a checkpoint about 25 km from Imphal, the Central armed forces allegedly made the passengers of the bus cover the words 'Manipur State Transport' displayed on the State-run bus. No reason was given, but Meitei organisations said the act 'undermined Manipur's identity, name, pride, and respect.' Apart from continuing to seek an apology from Mr. Bhalla, the COCOMI-led protesters demanded the resignation of Chief Secretary P.K. Singh, Security Adviser Kuldiep Singh, and Director-General of Police Rajiv Singh, holding them responsible for the incident. Also read | 48-hour bandh affects normal life in Manipur's Imphal Valley Congress slams govt. The Opposition Congress criticised the government over the incident. 'If we cannot use the word 'Manipur' within Manipur, where is our integrity? Who issued orders for the concealment of the signage? They should come out and apologise to the people of Manipur,' former Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh said. He also said it was shameful that the Governor, the head of the State, could not travel seven km by road from Imphal's airport to the Raj Bhavan (lined by protesters) in the heart of the city on Monday and had to be airlifted. 'The incident indicates the total failure of the Centre because Manipur is now under the President's Rule,' he added. Hundreds of protesters formed a human chain along the airport road on Monday in anticipation of the Governor's motorcade after his scheduled landing in a flight from New Delhi, where he attended an investment summit. He was flown to the iconic Kangla Fort – Imphal's centrepiece – in an Army chopper to avoid the protesters. He travelled about 300 metres from the fort to the Raj Bhavan by road under tight security.
