An intense desire to serve the underprivileged and her love for children prompted Ms. Ruchie Mittal to spearhead a humanitarian effort. Moved by the plight of labourer's children at one of the construction sites of a residential project by CHD Developers Ltd., she initiated and conceptualized the setting up of a special Crèche to provide basic amenities for these children.
Her dream has finally taken shape. The crèche was started in June 2011 with an aim to provide a shelter for the children who used to loiter around in the construction site earlier. The crèche provides shelter to around 22 children and this number is expected to grow.
The crèche not just provides a safe haven to these children; it also offers them basic amenities. Indoor toys and games which was a far-fetched reality for these children have been provided to them. The swings outside the crèche can be seen with smiling faces playing blissfully.
Being the Director at Aadyant School, Ms. Mittal understands the importance of education in these formative years when the shape of the kid's future is moulded. Taking note of this she felt that education for these children was a priority. The students are provided with stationary, reading and practice books (Hindi, English and Math). A number of teachers have been employed to impart knowledge to these children.
She says, "I have always believed that it is our duty to reach out to the underprivileged sections of the society in any way we can. These children of our labourers at our projects have been provided with loving care and shelter. I truly believe that the children should not be deprived of the basic necessities and a good education. This effort will definitely bring about a positive change in the lives of these children"
Taking this commendable step to another level, Ms. Ruchie Mittal is now initiating setting up more such crèches at the construction sites of other projects which is bound to spread more smiles and bring a ray of hope in the lives of many other such children.
Some information about Ms. Ruchie Mittal
The young and dynamic Ms. Ruchie Mittal is the Director of Raodmaster Cycles Ltd. It is India's largest exporter of cycles and the first to set up a manufacturing unit in Africa. At the helm of affairs, she has been instrumental in redesigning of the brand identity and has played a key role in the expansion strategy.
It is undeniable that times have changed since the invention of paved roads. No longer were drivers subjected to traveling along bumpy, unfinished roads in cars with no form of suspension. However, many individuals do not understand how the concept of paving roads began, much less how it has developed since its invention.
When the first forms of asphalt were invented, it was rare for commoners to experience such a luxury. Oftentimes, main roads that traveled through towns and neighborhoods of wealthy individuals were the only roads that were paved. Currently, pavement covers approximately ninety-four percent of roads across the United States, including parking lots, interstates, driveways, and racetracks, to name a few.
Although asphalt has always been present in various forms, the history of paving began with its initial use to build roads in 625 B.C. in Babylon! Romans then discovered that asphalt could be used to seal reservoirs and aqueducts, and soon after, Europeans began identifying natural asphalt deposits. Although the use of asphalt was extremely popular throughout many countries, it was not used as a paving resource for many more years.
As the use of asphalt began to spread, individuals sought out different forms of this substance and even patented various mixes. Furthermore, as the wide use of automobiles began to grow, the need for different forms and great quantities of asphalt did likewise. In fact, the general type of asphalt as we know it today was not developed until the 1900s.
Technological advances that sought to aide in the production and use of asphalt began to arise, as well. Devices, such as vibrating screens, pressure injection systems, and mechanical spreaders evolved in effort to make the paving process more simplistic. Initially, asphalt production companies simply could not keep up with excessive demands for this product. However, as more roads began to erupt, the widespread use of asphalt for paving exploded. The history of paving began to evolve rapidly.
Currently, new trends such as pavement warranties and asphalt recycling are on the rise. As a result, asphalt supplies are being utilized more efficiently and the price of asphalt has dropped because of recycling efforts. In fact, over 95 million tons of asphalt paving materials is recycled every single year. In addition, pavements that are more durable, have greater levels of skid resistance, provide a smoother ride, and reduce splash/spray in harsh weather are in production and readily available. Thus, drivers now have the luxury of traveling on some of the safest surfaces ever known to man.
Palaeontology Predictions for 2012
With 2012 already upon us it is time for those of us brave enough to attempt to foresee the future to stick our heads above the parapet and have a go at predicting some of the news stories and articles featuring dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals that will appear in the media in the coming twelve months.
At the start of each year just for a bit of fun, we have had a go at trying to predict what might happen in palaeontology and other Earth Science fields in the year ahead. We have to admit to very mixed results when we review what we said at the end of the year. However, fortune favours the brave as they say, so having put our heads together this is what we have come up with.
Earth Science and Palaeontology Predictions for 2012
1). New Tyrannosaurid to be discovered in China
With the amount of field work going on in China at the moment, it is almost certain that a number of new dinosaur species will be discovered, however, we have suggested that a new member of the Tyrannosaur family will come to light, perhaps a Chinese version of the large Late Cretaceous Theropods that roamed North America. Perhaps another huge Tyrannosaurus from somewhere such as the Shandong Province.
2). Fossil Found in an Unusual Place
With Iguanodon fossils turning up in Sunderland, museum fossil material regarded as "rubbish" turning out to be a new species of dinosaur it is amazing where fossils can be found. We predict that there will be a news story on such an unusual discovery. An Allosaurus in an allotment, that would be unlikely, but perhaps somewhere, a strange-shaped stone in a rockery or on a garden path might turn out to be something rather special.
3). Dinosaurs and the Olympics
With the London Games due to start in a little over 200 days or so, we expect there to be lots of media outlets piggy-backing news and press releases around the Olympics. Natural History Museums and such like will not be exempt from all this as we get closer and closer to the start of the Summer games. Expect lots of news stories with an "Olympic feel".
4). A High Profile Trial and Conviction for Damage to an SSSI
Incidents where important fossil locations have been damaged due to the activities of unscrupulous collectors will no doubt increase again in 2012, but we predict that the authorities will fight back and there will be news of a conviction in the UK resulting from vandalism from a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest).
5). Landslip at Lyme Regis (Jurassic Coast - UK)
With the cliffs at Lyme Regis (Dorset, England) becoming more and more dangerous we predict that 2012 will see another major land slip on this stretch of the English coast. High tides and high winds will combine to further weaken the rock strata and a significant land slip will result.
6). Up, Up and Away with the Discovery of a New Pterosaur Genus
2012 is the year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar, and we suspect that another winged creature will hit the headlines over the coming year. It is likely that a new species of Pterosaur will come to light, perhaps from the Santana Formation of Brazil, or from the South East of Asia, or even Australia.
7). Advancing Techniques Yield New Data Concerning Dinosaur Skin
Increased use of high-tech. facilities once the sole property of NASA and other high-tech agencies will permit palaeontologists to make more amazing discoveries. High resolution electron microscopy or advanced tomographic systems linked to super efficient computer imagery software will reveal more secrets about ancient animals, perhaps even some further information about dinosaur skin and its potential colour.
8). Land of the Giants - New Titanosaur Discovery in Gondwanaland
Last but not least, our eighth and final prediction deals with the largest terrestrial animals that ever lived. It is likely that in a part of the world that once made up the southern continent of Gondwanaland, scientists will unearth the fragmentary fossilised bones of a new type of Titanosaur (long-necked dinosaur). May be something to rival the "super heavyweights" of Argentina and Africa.
An Intro & The Science
Being an "environmentalist" has been given bad connotations from some groups. And sometimes this is furthered with terms like, "tree huggers" where images of hippie's with bandanas fill the mind. However whatever your religion or party affiliation, you and your children and family deserve to have clean air and water. In that way, we are all environmentalists! We should all look for ways to stop global warming.
Global warming has become the most urgent problem of our lifetime. And...it's not too late; even with 2 F in the "pipeline" (there is a lagged response from what we've put in the air and the global temperature), do we want only the 2 F or 5 F or more warming?
Some sobering facts:
- Americans are the biggest contributors to global warming, yet we do the least as a country.
- The fuel efficiency of U.S. cars has regressed to the lowest rate in 20 years (largely thanks to the popularity of SUV's).
- We continue building carbon-spewing, coal-burning power plants (which account for 40% of emissions).
- There is more CO2 in the atmosphere than at any time in the last 650,000 years, at least 70 tons per day goes into the air.
- More CO2 means more heat, warmer oceans, larger number of intense hurricanes (like Katrina in 2005), more severe weather, more drought in some locations, more heatwaves, melting ice, rising sea levels, and flooding of low lying coastal areas (80% of world population lives in coastal areas).
- 99% of Alaska's glaciers are melting.
- Warmer winters mean bad news for the skiing industry with less snow. Less snow is bad for reservoirs in the Western U.S. cities depend on the snow melt to replenish in the spring.
- Syrup production can be adversely affected by mild winters as the trees are "tricked" into production mode too early and quality and amount suffers.
Other consequences of global warming:
- Flowers bloom later; butterfly population at new low
- Polar bears are suffering as their habitat becomes less favorable for hunting seals (lack of ice) and increase mortality of mother and pups. Drowning and lack of food major culprits.
- Extinction of more than a million species expected by 2050
- Increase in poison ivy plants and potency - happen to thrive with an increase in CO2 (don't need to convince anyone that this isn't favorable)
- Agriculture can take a hit with more rapid evaporation, faster drying, but more erratic (and at times) intense precipitation