Page 24 - PR Communication Age January 2016

task. When a kid watches his father could lead to problems like ear The negligence in taking stringent laws
smoking without any intervention, the infections in children, shortness of against smoking around areas having
chances of his taking up smoking rise breath, severe asthma attacks and educational institutes have added to
anyway.” Not only cancer, but passive respiratory infections like bronchitis the woes and gave rose to the
smoking could lead to other diseases but they are no conclusive studies. The population of youths who took up
like breathing problems and heart non- filtered smoke could affect nasal smoking. "Youth is the most crucial
diseases. cavity, gastrointestinal pipe and other stage when the habit can be stopped,
parts. It has immediate harmful but most educatonal institutions have
Dr. Sourav Dutta, consultant of head effects on non smokers. cigareties or other smoking products
and neck surgery oncology at sold nearby. In West Bengal, only 1.6%
Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, The total number of smokers in West schools that is 2 out of every 100
who is associated with anti tobacco Bengal is 90,61,370, which is more than schools have "no smoking" signage
campaigns for many years, said, the population of Switzerland, which is outside the premises, which is made
“Passive smokers are exposed to 8. 081 million and more than the mandatory by law," said Mukherjee.
smoke in every places such as bus, populations of 154 countries. According Adults are more exposed to second
train, offices and other places. Chances to GATS (2009), 29 % of male aged hand smoking in their offices. Study
of getting affected is higher in male between 15- 24 years and 13.5% female also reveals that 29.2% of the offices
with 30% while it is 20% in female.” were exposed to second hand smoking in Kolkata have smoking aids like
in workplace. Aged between 25- 64, lighter, match box and other sources
Dutta continued, “There are many 27.8% male and 20.3% female were that encourages smoking on their
studies that said that passive smoking exposed to second hand smoking in India. tables. (Source : HT)

SANSKRIT SCHOLARS POWER CALL CENTRES ON ASTROLOGY
QUERIES

Sitting at a computer in his south Delhi office, 28-year-old Kapil Bhardwaj is taking notes from a caller asking him for
career advice. After jotting down basic information, he prepares a kundli and reads it out to the caller, detailing the
rough patches ahead and the auspicious time to go for an interview.

Bhardwaj is not a local astrologer - he is a Sanskrit scholar completing a PhD from Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya
Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, a deemed university. But in his free time, Bhardwaj works at a call centre that provides
consultancy in astrology-related matters, earning between Rs 25,000-40,000. Many such scholars also work as purohits
solemnising marriages.

According to Rakesh Dubey, a student of astrology and grammar, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, he gets many offers to
solemnise marriages. "People want to opt for those who have complete knowledge of the Vedas. Hence, the demand
for such people is increasing," he said.

"My father encouraged me to take up Sanskrit as he felt there would be greater opportunities in the future. I specialised
in astrology and was offered a job by a call centre as they wanted someone with an excellent command over the
subject. A number of my friends and seniors are also working in call centres," Bhardwaj told HT.

The Human Resource and Development ministry is pushing Sanskrit universities to encourage students to take up
courses, increasing funding to Rasthriya Sanskrit Sansthan from Rs 62.75 crore to Rs 109 crore. The university witnessed
a six per cent increase in the enrollment of students while distance-learning courses saw a rise of 37%. (Source: HT)

“Without publicity there can be no public support, and without public support every nation must decay.”

24 PR COMMUNICATION AGE January 2016

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