Author: Supriya Jena

The Indian tourism industry is set to grow tremendously! According to Julia Simpson, the President of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), it will reach a value of USD 523 billion in the next ten years. Currently, it’s worth about USD 256 billion and gives jobs to 45 million people.

Tourism is important for India, making up around 7% of the country’s economy. In 2019, it was worth USD 211 billion. Despite growing, tourism in India contributes to around 5% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, which is about 250 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide each year. This makes India’s tourism sector the third largest contributor to emissions, after the US and China. However, there’s good news! While tourism is growing, the emissions are not increasing at the same pace. This shows that India is becoming more efficient in travel and tourism.

Julia also expressed the need for sustainable aviation fuel since flying is a big part of tourism. She encourages the Indian government to support the production of this fuel, allowing for more eco-friendly travel.

The travel and tourism sector provides many job opportunities, from engineers and technology experts to those entering the workforce for the first time. About half of all global tourism happens in coastal areas, which are at risk from climate change. To protect these beautiful beaches, cities like Miami invest in reinforcing their coastlines and improving infrastructure for extreme weather.

Visitors want to enjoy India’s natural beauty, not just tall buildings. Therefore, WTTC wants to work with the Indian government to help restore nature along the coast. Julia believes a big step for India is to quickly reduce pollution from road transport. Prime Minister Modi is focused on cleaning up air pollution and moving towards renewable energy. She believes that under his leadership, India will become one of the most advanced developing economies in the world

Bengaluru Police have made important strides in the case of Atul Subhash, a tech worker who sadly took his own life. They arrested his wife, Nikita Singhania, in Gurgoan, Haryana, along with her mother, Nisha Singhania, and brother, Anurag Singhania, who were taken into custody in Prayagraj.

Shivakumar, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for White Field Division, stated that all three have been brought to court and are now in judicial custody. The police are continuing to look into what happened before Subhash’s untimely death. This story is still developing.

As a cold wave swept across Delhi, many people sought warmth in shelter homes as temperatures fell to the low single digits. In areas like Jama Masjid and near AIIMS, you could see individuals wrapped in thick blankets, trying to cope with the biting cold.

Ved Pal, who manages the shelter near AIIMS, reported that over 40 people used the shelter on Saturday night. “This is a family shelter, and we provide proper beds and as many blankets as needed. We serve food twice a day and tea with rusk in the morning,” he shared. If anyone feels unwell, a doctor visits, or they are taken to nearby AIIMS for treatment. “We keep basic medicines like paracetamol ready,” he added.

In another shelter, Somu Malhotra explained, “We have both families and single people here. Our place has proper beds and medicine. We also offer tea and rusk, and for medical help, AIIMS is close by.”

Roshan Kumar, at the shelter near Jama Masjid, spoke highly of the support from the Delhi government. “There are about four shelters here, with capacity ranging from 30 to 100 people. We receive three meals daily and have all necessary medical support.”

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings for ‘cold wave to severe cold wave’ conditions across parts of North India, including Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy mentioned that temperatures could drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius due to strong winds. The minimum temperature recorded on December 14 was 8 degrees Celsius, and today’s forecast expects it to fall to around 7 degrees.

At the 10th World Ayurveda Congress in Dehradun, experts gathered to talk about Ashwagandha, a popular herb in Ayurveda that helps with many health problems. They believe that the bans and strict rules on Ashwagandha imposed by some Western countries are driven by politics and money. For instance, Denmark has completely banned Ashwagandha, while other countries in Europe and the United States have placed heavy restrictions on it, including forcing companies to warn about alleged serious side effects.

In India, Ashwagandha is made from the root of the plant, but companies in Western nations are using the leaves to create food supplements that claim to boost energy. The experts agreed that Ashwagandha has been safe to use for thousands of years, with plenty of research proving its safety.

Ayurveda practitioners, teachers, and industry professionals at the event emphasized the importance of evidence in traditional medicine. They pointed out that misunderstandings about Ayurveda make it harder for people abroad to accept it. To improve this, they suggested that more clinical trials should be done on new Ayurvedic treatments. The results of these trials should be shared widely in journals and online platforms. Additionally, Ayurveda practitioners should work on better documenting their cases and sharing their experiences on educational websites like Ayurveda Clinical e-Learning (AyurCeL)