Latest news with #Astha
Time of India
17 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Out of sight, out of support: Disability care lags in Delhi's slums in most trying of times
New Delhi: In the congested pockets of Delhi's working-class neighbourhoods — from Old Seemapuri to Okhla's Batla House — conversations about disability rarely come up. When they do, they are soon drowned by disbelief, confusion and stigma. This disconnect was clear when NGO Astha, which works with children with disabilities, presented its findings, 'Covid-19 and Children and Persons with Disabilities in Urban Slums of Delhi' on Tuesday. The findings of Astha's outreach, which spanned over 40 underserved settlements, more than 2,000 helpline calls and intensive work with over 250 children, are clear: nine of every 10 children with disabilities lost access to therapy and learning during the pandemic and only 3.6% of children under eight years received disability pension. Raising a child with a disability in a low-income household often means doing it alone without information or assistance. For instance, Rubina didn't even know what autism was. When undergoing an ultrasound test at a local clinic, she was told something might be wrong with the baby's brain. Later, at the govt hospital, the advice was blunt: "There's a chance he might not survive or consult regularly." The boy, the second of her three children, is now five. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 목주름 줄인 방법 정리해봄 (실제 후기) 9년차 연구원 최소정 지금 구매하기 Undo You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Rubina, who lives in Old Seemapuri with her husband, an electronics shop salesman, and has a household income rarely crossing Rs 15,000, didn't know what to do. When the pandemic hit, even the hospital visits stopped. With some help through phone consultations, she carried the pregnancy to term. Her son was born looking healthy, but within months, she saw "he wouldn't make eye contact, wouldn't hold our hands, didn't try to stand". The hardest part for Rubina was not hearing her son call her mamma. "It still hurts," she murmured. While the doctors declared it autism, the family though he was just slow, sometimes feared it was nazar (evil eye). But it was there to stay. "It is a bitter truth," said Rubina. They didn't know what to do about his schooling until they got in touch with Astha when the boy was three. The NGO helped them push for official paperwork and it took two years of follow-ups before she finally got his disability certificate this year. Today, her son goes to a private school under the EWS quota. "We tried govt schools, but we didn't feel confident. Who would sit with him? Who would help him eat or open his tiffin?" she said. "When he started school, it was a new journey for all of us." In Batla House's Hazi Colony, Nazreen had a similar experience. Her seven-year-old son didn't respond to his name as a baby. "At first, we thought maybe he was just the quiet type or maybe he couldn't hear," she revealed. But as time passed, the signs of autism became clearer. "If people like us don't even know what autism is, how can we help our children? There should be awareness campaigns, like for polio, simple, clear, everywhere," she said. For Pooja Singh, who lives in a slum cluster in Okhla, the struggles began even earlier. Her first child had a seizure just 15 days after birth. The hospital cost came to more than Rs 60,000. "We have no idea how we managed it," she said. "But was there another option?" That hospital visit was just the first of many. A health crisis in the family arose every year or two until even the second child was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a rare degenerative muscle condition. "The doctor said the name, but we couldn't even pronounce it, let alone understand it," said Singh. What made things worse was the lack of any guidance. "People remark that such children are not normal or that it's bad luck. But who tells you what help is available?" Singh asked. With two children who needed different kinds of support, life hasn't been easy. The family income of around Rs 12,000 barely covers food and rent. "Even diapers cost Rs 500 a month. That's a lot for us," she said. Her eldest son still struggles. "He goes to school, but there is not much progress. Therapy takes two hours every day," she sighed. The younger son is in a better position now but is yet to get his disability pension approved. "The paperwork is endless. Nothing moves," she complained. These stories reveal what policy numbers often miss: disability does not come with a roadmap for low-income families. Instead, there's silence, judgment, ignorance and difficult-to-access systems. Pratik Aggarwal, executive director of Astha, said: "Children with disabilities were among the first to be excluded when services collapsed. Yet, because Astha's model is rooted in hyperlocal systems and relationships, families and communities didn't wait—they responded. Big learning? Local systems only work in emergencies if they are built with communities, not delivered to them."
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Discoms lower tariff for BPL, Astha categories to 4.5 a unit
Jaipur: The state's discoms, in their revised petitions to Rajasthan Electricity Regulatory Commission (RERC) for approval of aggregate revenue requirement (ARR), electricity tariffs, and investment plans for financial year 2025–26, have reduced the power rates proposed for BPL and Astha consumers. Earlier, Rs 6 a unit was proposed for these categories of consumers. Discoms, during the hearing of their petitions by RERC Monday, said they brought down the rate to Rs 4.5 a unit considering the views of stakeholders. However, stakeholders said that the tariff was still higher compared to states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, where the rates are Rs 1.5 and 1.56, respectively. They highlighted that the effective fixed charge for BPL and Astha Card consumers in Rajasthan, calculated based on data from the Jaipur discom, stands at Rs 421 per kW per month, substantially higher than the corresponding rates in other states, which are just Rs 5 in Gujarat and Rs 34 in Maharashtra. Anshuman Gothwal from Centre for Energy and Environment People (CEEP) expressed concern over the continued issues of inequity and the lack of cost-reflectiveness in the proposed tariff structure. He said, "The tariff design appears to favour high-consumption households, as they bear comparatively lower fixed charges on a per-kW basis. This results in low-usage, economically weaker consumers effectively subsidising those with higher electricity consumption—an outcome that contradicts the principles of progressive and equitable tariff design. "
News18
03-06-2025
- Health
- News18
Doctor Explains How Excessive Sugar Intake Contributes To Ageing Skin
Last Updated: While consuming excess sugar can lead to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay, it can also impact your skin and accelerate the signs of ageing. Consuming too much sugar leads to certain health problems like weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart issues, tooth decay and others. But did you know it can actually leave a lasting impact on your skin and affect how our skin ages? Dr Astha Jani, a maxillofacial and cosmetic surgeon, is popular among her followers on Instagram for sharing wellness insights and guiding her followers to take the right steps. Earlier, Dr Astha took to Instagram to reveal the evils of consuming excess sugar and how it affects one's skin. In the post, she explained that when someone consumes an excessive amount of sugar, it combines with proteins like collagen and elastin through the glycation process, which ultimately weakens essential proteins and leaves the skin stiff and fragile, making it prone to wrinkles. By damaging collagen and elastin, the two essential factors that maintain firmness and skin elasticity, glycation results in dullness and sagging skin. Sharing the post, Dr Astha wrote, 'Excess sugar in your diet triggers a process called glycation, where sugar molecules stick to collagen and elastin proteins, making your skin stiff, dull, and prone to wrinkles. Sweet today, saggy tomorrow!" She further explained that high sugar consumption promotes inflammation, which contributes to redness, uneven skin tone, and, at times, excessive breakouts. Inflammation also triggers the skin to age faster than normal. Moreover, excess sugar intake may make your skin vulnerable to UV rays, leading you to face dark spots and loss of natural skin glow. Alongside explaining the evils of excess sugar consumption, she also provided ways on how you can cut sugar consumption and save your skin. She urged her followers to include antioxidant-rich foods in their diet, such as berries, nuts, and green vegetables, to rejuvenate their skin. She also advised staying hydrated throughout the day and applying sunscreen daily. She also made it clear that although consuming excessive sugar is dangerous to one's health and skin, she advised sticking to complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and legumes over consuming refined sugar.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Ramdev to HC: Will not post against Rooh Afza
Yoga exponent and entrepreneur Ramdev on Friday filed an affidavit in the Delhi high court, assuring the court that he will not make any disparaging statements, social media posts or videos against pharmaceutical and food company Hamdard's popular drink Rooh Afza. The development comes a day after Ramdev assured the HC that he would remove all offending portions of a new video targeting Rooh Afza when the court warned of initiating contempt action. Justice Amit Bansal, who ordered the removal of the controversial content on Thursday, directed Ramdev's counsel to file an affidavit during the day. 'Senior advocate Rajiv Nayyar (representing Patanjali) submits that the defendants are willing to file an undertaking in terms of paragraph 18 of the order dated April 22. Copy of the affidavit has been given to the counsel for the plaintiff. Let the same be filed during the course of the day,' Justice Bansal said on Friday. The court gave the order while hearing a lawsuit filed by Hamdard claiming trademark infringement, disparagement, and defamation. The court, on April 22, had slammed Ramdev for his 'sharbat jihad' comment against Rooh Afza, saying the remark was 'indefensible' and 'shocked the conscience' of the court. Following the court's reprimand, Ramdev had assured he would immediately take down videos and social media posts related to his disparaging comment. He was directed to file an affidavit within five days undertaking not to issue similar statements, social media posts or disparaging advertisements regarding competitors' products. Senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Hamdard, on Thursday informed the court that instead of complying with its April 22 directive, Ramdev had uploaded another video claiming that profits earned by Hamdard were being diverted for building 'madrasas, masjids' while asserting that 'their trust is in Mughal's Aurangzeb while Patanjali's trust is in Lord Ram'. A day later, Sethi said that despite giving an assurance, Ramdev had not taken down the video and only made it private on YouTube. He further submitted that the video was also available on the 'Astha' YouTube channel. Following the counsel's submission, Justice Bansal directed Ramdev to file an affidavit giving the undertaking. Patanjali's counsel agreed to the court's suggestion and requested that the suit be closed on his undertaking. 'If the video will be taken down and in light of the affidavit…. We can take it after some days,' the bench said as it posted the matter for May 9.
