'Need faster weather updates', says, IMD chief

This will ensure the public is aware of any changes in weather conditions.We will be directing our team to look into this and enhance the current framework' The district rainfall forecast on IMD's website was revised at 1pm on Sunday to 'heavy to very heavy rain at few places' for Sunday and Monday, and 'heavy rain at isolated places' for Tuesday. On July 8, IMD had predicted over 200mm rain for 24 hours (from July 9 to 10) when its Doppler weather radar was not functioning. On July 10, the city recorded 7mm over 24 hours. A similar incident occurred on Sunday when 0.5mm rain was recorded between 8.30am and 8.30pm in the suburbs and 4.8mm rain in south Mumbai, against an 'extremely heavy' rain warning. As per the IMD standard operating procedure, the local forecast for Mumbai is updated four times a day and considering the rapid intensification of a weather event, Nowcast warnings are issued four hours in advance and updated every six hours. 'Weather models over the last two days had indicated a surge in rainfall activity over the north Konkan, including Mumbai, with extremely heavy rain expected. While predictions for Friday and Saturday were accurate, the intensity of rain shifted to the east of Mumbai, with increased showers towards interior areas on Sunday,' said Dr Ramesh. A closer look at forecasts for significant or special weather events over the past two years shows that IMD issued 28.3% incorrect 24-hour forecasts for an average of four months (June to September) in 2018, while 31.8% incorrect forecasts were issued for 48 hours during the same period. The data was acquired through an RTI query filed by activist Chetan Kothari. In 2017, IMD's response to a separate RTI filed by Kothari showed that of 32 rainfall warnings during monsoon, 14 were incorrect, accounting for a 44% error rate. (see box). Dr Ramesh said that the addition of a network of 160 rain gauges and four small X-band Doppler radars next year will improve forecasting drastically. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: Hindustan Timeshttps://about.me/huanehe

Don't judge your kids: A mom shares her parenting wisdom

It helps to keep your cool and be positive and patient in your approach when dealing with children. When your focus on their good behaviour outweighs your attention to the negative, you are indirectly helping them be more confident. So what if your child did not score well in his/her math exam? Maybe he failed the test. Did you give him a hug first? Did you ask what happened and where did he/she go wrong? Did you praise your child for trying? Or did the fear of your child growing up to be a failure overtake you? Did you yell at him for failing? If you are angry and yell as a reaction, that is exactly what your child will learn. Judging him, calling him lazy for not putting in more effort and worse comparing his failure or bad behaviour to his 'better' sibling, works to the contrary. On the other hand, pick up his good points, even if it seems small. Praise your child for every small thing to build his/her confidence. Test scores are just an outcome. By focusing only on a good score, you are not preparing the child to be successful for a bigger achievement. In fact, neither are you preparing him to face failures. There are bound to be ups and downs in life. But if you focus and applaud the child for the effort and not the outcome, this will be a good life lesson. Do your kids seem destructive? They probably just want to play I am not suggesting that you overlook his pranks when it needs correction. Correct them with kind words, but it's advisable to be tactful and clever about it. Maybe your child is not oriented towards math. Maybe you were not either. You will only dampen his confidence by yelling at him. If you want a long-term sustainable positive effect on your children's growth into a well-rounded adult, these small praises are the ones your children will remember. This behaviour will also nurture and contribute to their confidence and is a useful life tool. As children, they also learn to depend and look up to you, especially when they are in trouble. With your love and patience, you have earned their trust and helped build their confidence. This develops a healthy positive learning attitude in your child's life, and it is one big factor to propel them into successful adults. (The writer is author of the book The Game of Change.) DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttps://www.ted.com/profiles/13208565

Teething in babies: Signs to watch out for, tips to soothe

That said, excessive drooling can indicate health complications like diarrhea, which can lead to diaper rash. Consult your doctor immediately in such cases. Which is the right toothbrush for your child? 3. Crying and irritability The baby is usually more cranky and fussy during the teething process because of the tender, swollen gums. Get rid of your child's thumb sucking habit for good 4. Fever Your baby might experience a slightly raised temperature (less than 101 degrees Fahrenheit) during teething. Contact your doctor if the body temperature rises beyond this and persists. 5. Sleep disruption During this time, babies may also find it difficult to sleep at night or during nap time because of the discomfort your little one might feel from swelling and soreness. How to soothe a teething baby Follow these tips to soothe your teething baby: 1. Try putting something cold in your baby's mouth like a cold pacifier, cool water or clean wet washcloth. 2. Don't stop your baby from chewing or biting but make sure whatever he or she puts in the mouth in safe and clean. 3. You can also massage on your baby's gums and rub them with your clean finger. Massaging your baby's gums before each feeding may keep her from biting while breastfeeding. 4. Call the doctor in case of abnormal symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, rashes, excess fever or cough and congestion. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttps://vimeo.com/user101137035

Penguin Parade and peach melba await visitors in Victoria

Fun on Phillip Island Ride in a Steam Train Puffing Billy is Australia's favourite steam train and one of the finest preserved steam railways in the world. This century-old steam train continues to run on its original mountain track in the magnificent Dandenong Ranges 40kms east of Melbourne. Puffing Billy was built to serve at the turn of the century and is a genuine relic of the more leisurely days. Puffing Billy Railway is now a major tourist attraction and operates every day except Christmas Day, thanks to the tireless efforts of more than 900 dedicated volunteers. Learn about chocolates and eat them too!! Panny's has a range of chocolate treats that cannot be found anywhere else. The chocolate fondue experience is a constant favourite and has been joined by an extensive range of over a dozen chocolate sensations. With an assortment of cakes, pastries and truffles and superb coffee, there are more than enough reasons to drop by here. A Maze'N Things It is a magical world of illusions, puzzles, mazes and mini golf that provides hours of fun for the whole family. Easily one of the most entertaining family attractions Phillip Island has to offer. In one location you can be shrunk in their shrinking room, become lost in one of the mazes or fall down the "Look Out" slide. There are lots of activities to test your motor skills, perception and memory. It is a riot of laughter all the way. Phillip Island Nature Park Experience close koala encounters among the treetops on the elevated boardwalk. Learn about the koalas in the visitor centre where colourful displays tell the koala story. This unique setting will let you experience koalas in an environment representing their natural bushland habitat. Eco Adventure Boat Tour Experience the thrills of a one-hour high-speed tour along Phillip Island's rugged and spectacular coastline to the local Australian fur seal colony. the antics of playful seals as they surround the boat, ducking their heads in and out of the water. Penguin Parade The Phillip Island Penguin Parade, the star attraction of the Phillip Island Nature Park, attracts visitors from across the globe when little penguins make their way up Summerland Beach each night at sunset as they waddle past to their sand dune burrows. Over 500,000 visitors make the Phillip Island Penguin Parade the third-largest visited natural attraction in Australia. Eat, drink and make merry in Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Located only 50 minutes from Melbourne's CBD, the Yarra Valley feels a million miles away, with vast rows of vines and mountain ash forests. Indulge in some of the best cool-climate wines Australia has to offer with a tasting at one of over 50 cellar doors. Domaine Chandon offers some of the country's finest sparkling wines in the Green Point room. Soak up the sun and view the picturesque scenery while tasting the unique flavors produced in the vineyards. Cheese Tasting Producers of fine farm cheeses, the Yarra Valley Dairy specialises in both cow's milk cheeses and goat's milk cheeses, which are sold throughout Australia. Taste fresh cheese and get hooked! Garden Tour and Lunch "Coombe - The Melba Estate" was the former home of Dame Nellie Melba and is set across seven stunning acres of manicured gardens. The property includes the main formal private garden, a heritage-listed converted clock tower restaurant, with seating for 150 people, and offers exquisite seasonal and predominantly estate-grown produce in a beautiful setting. It is worth trying the famous Peach Melba here: Peach Melba is a dessert of peaches and raspberry sauce with vanilla ice cream. It was invented at the fag end of the 19th century by the French chef Auguste Excoffier at the Savoy Hotel, London to honour the Australian Soprano, Nellie Melba. The celebrated soprano is immortalised through this dessert. After the ultimate dining experience at the estate, Peach Melba would be a fitting finale to the memorable tour!! Fact File: www.puffingbilly.com.au www.phillipislandchocolatefactory.com.au www.amazenthings.com.au www.penguins.org.au www.coombeyarravalley.com.au (The author is a documentary filmmaker and travel writer; she blogs at vijayaprataptravelandbeyond.com) DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The New Indian Expresshttps://vimeo.com/user99811918/about

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'Prem Rog': Love, ahead of time

He loves her, she's too busy living her Princess Diaries life to care, but she trusts him. Giddy over her fairytale marriage to a Thakur scion (wonder why the charming Vijayendra Ghatge never made it big), she breaks Devdhar's heart.Cut to a car crash, and the virgin bride is a widow, brutally thrust into a nightmare. Her relatives want her tonsured, her brother-in-law rapes her, her mother cries as the girl can't ever taste kheer. Devdhar comes back to see a stony-eyed Rama in widow's weeds and declares his love. A storm erupts in the orthodox Thakur clan.Double-standard poster boys like Rama's dad (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) and brother-in-law (Raza Murad) declare war, their sensitive wives (Nanda, Tanuja) are powerless, benevolent patriarch (Shammi Kapoor, directed by his brother for the first time), wavers, Rama's Badi Ma (Sushma Seth) digs patriarchy more than the men.Amid all this, Bindu, with a tiny screen time as the servant Rama's dad sleeps with, blazes. And Kiran Vairale (O Maria of Saagar), as Rama's friend and Devdhar's cousin, impresses with her pragmatism.As in an RK film, music (Laxmikant-Pyarelal) is a treat, and for the eyes too (cinematographer Radhu Karmakar). Editing (Raj Kapoor), especially the climax, could have been tighter. But full marks to RK for taking on holy cows of caste, patriarchy and tradition and yet uniting the lovers. In 1982, a mainstream Hindi film on widow remarriage was suicidal. Five years later, in real life, Roop Kanwar, around Rama's age, would burn herself alive on her husband's pyre to become Sati Mata. Instead, Rama gets Devdhar who doesn't blanch at her getting widowed or raped, saying in effect, okay hon, you've had a raw deal, but I'll help you move on. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Telegraphhttp://knowledge.thinkingstorm.com/UserProfile/tabid/57/userId/320788/Default.aspx

Hardlook: Down to the wire

In the last 10 days, two cases of electrocution by overhead wires have been reported in the city. In the first, a biker died on July 21 when an overhead wire snapped and fell on him. A man who attempted to save him was also electrocuted. In the second incident, on July 27, a kanwaria died when speakers mounted atop a truck he was travelling in touched a high-tension wire. The problem is far more pronounced in Old Delhi and a majority of unauthorised colonies in the capital where, experts believe, putting the wires underground could be a possible solution. For guides who accompany foreign tourists to Shahjahanabad, the tour includes a visit to Jama Masjid, Red Fort and popular eating joints at Gali Kababian. But there's another marvel the tourists are shown, purely for the shock it generates: The criss-crossing overhead wires at Sita Ram Bazar. In fact, such floating wires are a common feature throughout the Walled City, and the police post adjoining Jama Masjid is no exception. A portion of the post on the first floor remains hidden from public view as bands of thick cables run along its length, perilously close to a balcony overlooking the courtyard of the 17th Century mosque. To an outsider, the sight of 30-odd wires for electricity, cable and telephone services can be unsettling. But life goes on in Shahjahanabad, with that air of indifference finding an echo in the words of shopkeepers and even police officers. The in-charge of the police post insisted the wires pose no threat: 'Show me even one naked wire? They are all covered. What is there to fear?' The sense of optimism, however, is not shared by officers at the Pai Walan fire station in Old Delhi. 'I can tell you, the fact that an area as congested and crowded as this has not seen any major fire incident in recent memory is purely due to the grace of the almighty. Sab bhagwan bharose hai,' said Vidyasagar, a firefighter. The Pai Walan fire station, which has two fire tenders, is among the four stations that serve Old Delhi. Vidyasagar said Pai Walan attends around 300 calls per year. 'Around 50% are caused by wires. But yes, we have not seen any major, serious or even medium intensity fire in the last four years that I have been stationed here.' According to officials, overhead wires are not just potential fire hazards, they also pose a danger to birds and monkeys. 'We carry bamboo poles at all times to rescue them. It's not as if the government has equipped us to tackle these problems, but we are expected to double up as bird and animal rescuers. Why not provide us equipment then?' said an official, on condition of anonymity. Asked if shifting of these wires underground will help, Vidyasagar said: 'An underground cable network comes with its own set of issues. It takes time to spot snags and correct them. And secondly, during monsoon, there are short circuits even underground as water manages to seep through at times.' A power official explained: 'World over, services beneath the surface is a well-accepted practice. As a practice, road-owning agencies build service ducts to lay various services, including electricity cables. In Delhi, if land-owning agencies take ownership and build dedicated ducts for various utilities, it would be a major milestone in refining civic conditions.' While the problem is more apparent in Old Delhi, also the first area in the national capital to be electrified in 1903, more than 30% of the areas in the city have overhead wires lurking around, according to official data. This year alone, there have been 12 reported incidents of electrocution (both fatal and non-fatal) in the capital. This figure was 40 in 2018 and 25 in 2017. The constraints Official data suggests around 60-70% of the BSES network is underground. BSES is Delhi's largest discom, catering to around 42 lakh consumers in Delhi through its two subsidiaries, BRPL (BSES Rajdhani) and BYPL (BSES Yamuna). TPDDL, a joint venture between Tata Power and the Delhi government, has a customer base of 16.4 lakh in North and North West Delhi. The Walled City comes under the jurisdiction of BSES, a Reliance ADAG company. According to both private discoms, the plan to shift all cables underground comes with a set of challenges which are almost insurmountable in certain unauthorised colonies due to a lack of space and scale of encroachments. 'The illegal extensions have brought balconies in many such colonies within arm's length of the distribution box or transformer fuse, exposing residents and the property to danger,' a power department official said. There have been cases of people encroaching to such an extent that electricity poles have merged with the buildings, he said. This encroachment is compounded by power theft in these areas by way of 'hooking (katia)' into an electricity system. This, officials warned, poses a serious safety hazard, especially during the monsoon months. In the last two-three years, BSES discoms have issued over 55,000 notices to such offenders. Areas that top the list are Shaheen Bagh, Madanpur Khadar near Sarita Vihar, Khanpur, Khirki Extension, Aya Nagar, Saidulajab, Vikaspuri, Yamuna Vihar and Karkardooma. When The Indian Express visited Jaunapur, where the biker and the person trying to save him were electrocuted, the stretch was once again waterlogged after just an hour of rainfall. Surendar, who owns a factory in the area, recalled the day the two men died: 'Casualties could have been more because this is a busy stretch. But we made phone calls to houses on one end and factories on the other, and asked them to stop people from letting people pass as there was current in the water.' Area councillor Ved Pal said there are several stretches where wires are not insulated: 'They should ideally shift them underground but if there has been a delay, at least it should all be insulated to prevent accidents.' According to power experts, around 10% of the BSES network that reaches homes or populated areas is not insulated; while in the remaining areas, where 30-40% network is above ground, wires remain largely uninsulated in cases where they are of 33 and 66 kilo volts. In case of 11 Kv wires, half are insulated. According to estimates prepared by discoms, funds required for conversion of the entire existing high-tension overhead network to an underground network in Delhi is around Rs 2,400 crore, while for low-tension network, it comes to around Rs 4,000 crore, which includes the cost to restore roads. 'For conversion from overhead network to underground network, TPDDL has worked out two options. One involves conversion through open cutting and trenchless while the second involves building of dedicated service ducts by land-owning agencies, which can later be used by discoms. However, TPDDL also appreciates the fact that several areas are extremely congested, where it would be difficult for land-owning agencies to build dedicated ducts. Hence, it is proposed that a composite solution, having a combination of both options, be used to convert the existing overhead network to an underground one,' a TPDDL spokesperson said. But the possibility of release of funds on such a large scale looks bleak at the moment, given the mistrust between the state government and the discoms, an official said. Discoms have been petitioning the government for tariff revision, while the government believes discoms have allegedly been inflating dues, the official explained. Apart from funds, work on such a large scale would also require permission from multiple authorities, which is challenging in Delhi's complex administrative structure. 'Wherever cable shifting is to be done, it needs to start with a study on what all assets are below the surface and the possible space available to lay cables. There are already too many assets beneath the surface, such as gas and fiber optic lines. It is risky to keep some services, like gas and electricity, adjacent to each other,' a discom executive said. 'The government also needs to decide up to what voltage level they intend to go for underground cabling. In case the wiring that goes to homes (service line cables) also needs to be made underground, support from residents to allow civic agencies to dig in front of their front lawns and gates will be essential.' Let there be light The Walled City area was the first in Delhi to be electrified in 1903 as Viceroy Curzon wanted to receive King Edward VII, historian Sohail Hashmi told The Indian Express. King Edward VII's visit was later shelved but Delhi started its date with electricity. Initially, there were generators installed at Town Hall and a British company supplied electricity by installing poles at the homes of people who wanted it, he said, adding, 'While some showed reluctance as they thought nights are meant to sleep, some showed interest.' In Europe, wires went largely underground, but in India, since it was a costly affair, the intention was to keep the expenditure to a minimum and still serve the purpose. But even as times changed, wires in the Walled City were left hanging and, in fact, more kept being added to the overhead mess. 'It shows plain lack of will to develop the area,' Hashmi said. The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation, which has been working on redevelopment of Chandni Chowk for the past few years, has underground cabling of wires on a 1.3-km stretch from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid as part of its mandate. The project, now being monitored by the Delhi High Court, is still not complete though. The court has directed authorities to complete installation of transformers on the main road by August 31. 'We deal with limited resources and people. The underground cabling for the whole of the Walled City is a challenging task which has to be done by telecom companies,' Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation managing director Garima Gupta said. A senior official in the North MCD admitted that 'lack of will' was partly to blame. 'We recently shifted several internet and cable wires by asking service providers to move them underground and giving them a deadline,' the official said, adding that this ought to be extended to electricity as well. This work was expedited as Delhi was hosting the ASEAN summit in January 2018, and the Jama Masjid and Red Fort were supposed to be the centre of attraction for international guests. A BSES official said, 'A large part of our network is underground. There are several areas where the EHV (extra high voltage) network/cables have been shifted underground or are being shifted in the next few months. We are working very closely with stakeholders and agencies. Having said that, there are several challenges and practical difficulties that need to be resolved.' The official added: 'Encroachment of our network in unauthorised colonies is a big challenge. Not only does it lead to tripping, it is also a huge safety hazard. We have been continuously appealing and advising residents of such areas. to adhere to rules and maintain the specified distance from electricity wires and installations. But a few residents continue with illegal construction, even at the cost of their own safety.' DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The Indian Expresshttp://www.penninetroutfarmandfishery.co.uk/UserProfile/tabid/61/userId/2084561/Default.aspx

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Attack at Afghanistan Vice presidential candidate's office kills 20, injures 50

Some 85 civilians were rescued from inside. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but both Taliban insurgents and the Islamic State group are active in the capital and have carried out attacks there in the past. DailyhuntDisclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by Dailyhunt. Publisher: The New Indian Expresshttps://www.gapyear.com/members/gibranjeenr/

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