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Mumbai’s Group of Tuberculosis Hospitals, Sewri, is planning to cultivate spirulina — a blue-green algae — in its premises as a health supplement for its patients.

Spirulina, a unicellular organism, which is a source of proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins, is considered a super food. The Sewri hospital, one of the biggest tuberculosis treatment facilities in Asia, with a thousand patients admitted at any time, plans to create ponds in its large campus to grow and harvest the algae. There are no details on the size of the ponds, the quantity of algae that will be grown and how the harvest will be processed for consumption.

Undernutrition is an established risk factor for progression of latent TB infection into active TB. Lack of adequate nutrition is also considered to be a serious co-morbidity in patients with active TB in India, and increases the risk of severe disease, death, drug toxicity, drug malabsorption and relapse after cure. 

Dr Lalit Anande, chief medical officer, Group of Tuberculosis Hospitals at Sewri, said that TB patients are currently given milk, bananas and eggs along with their usual meal to address their nutritional needs. “Due to the condition, the patient’s food intake decreases and thus their protein intake is affected. I was searching for something that is rich in protein and nutritional needs and will be easy to consume. While searching, I came across spirulina,” said Anande. 

A single tablespoon of dry spirulina powder, weighing seven grams, contains four grams protein, 11% vitamin B1, 15% vitamin B2, 4% Vitamin B3, 21% copper and 11% iron. Spirulina’s reputation as superfood or space food is connected to the fact that a small amount of it is sufficient for daily nutritional need of an individual.

Dr Anande added that they have received permission from BMC to build a big pond in the garden of the hospital where the algae will be cultivated. “We even checked it online but a pack of 100 grams costs anywhere between ₹ 350- ₹ 500. Thus, we have decided to cultivate it with the help of a trained botanist,” he said.

‘Irregularities’ in welfare schemes: Former Sangrur assistant labour commissioner given clean chit

Sangrur: Days after issuing a show-cause notice to then assistant labour commissioner of Sangrur, who is now posted as ALC, Ludhiana, for allegedly giving benefit of welfare schemes to ineligible persons, the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board of the state labour department has given clean chit to him.

1.1 lakh Indians, OCI cardholders visited Kartarpur gurdwara using corridor: Govt

New Delhi: A total of 1,10,670 Indians and overseas citizenship of India cardholders visited Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan using the Kartarpur corridor, the government said on Friday. The corridor linking Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur with the gurdwara in Pakistan's Kartarpur was thrown open in November 2019. Gurdwara Darbar Sahib is located in Pakistan's Narowal district across the Ravi, about four km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine.

Moga to be garbage-free under Swachh Bharat Mission

Moga : Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), the Union government has decided to make villages of two districts of the country, including Moga in Punjab, free of liquid and solid wastes. The second district is in Odisha. Moga deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh said the work to make the villages garbage-free will be implemented jointly by the water supply and sanitation department and the panchayati raj department under MGNREGA.

Burberry’s new campaign features 4-year-old Sahib as first Sikh model

London : British Luxury brand Burberry has garnered a lot of applause for its inclusive campaign. The luxury brand recently launched their 'Back To School' kidswear campaign featuring London-based four-year-old Sikh child model Sahib Singh. Making waves for being inclusive and bringing to the fore diversity in fashion, Burberry has, for the first time, had a Sikh child model as the brand's face. Netizens are applauding the brand for the representation of South Asian faces.

SGPC shoots off legal notice to motivational speaker for animating 10th Sikh guru

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has sent a legal notice to a famous motivational speaker, Dr. Vivek Bindra, for allegedly animating the personality of the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and depicting the Sikh history in a wrong manner. SGPC assistant secretary, media, Kulwinder Singh Ramdas said that Bindra disobeyed despite the fact that animation or filming of personality of Sikh gurus is forbidden as per the order of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.

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