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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Cold wave triggers spike in cardiac arrests

Mumbai : As winter temperatures go for a spin across the country, hospitals are witnessing a significant surge of around 25-30 pc in cardiac emergencies, a top cardiologist said.   According to Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Hemant Khemani of Apex Group of Hospitals, cold air directly affects how the heart functions.   “Low temperatures make blood vessels tighten. When the arteries narrow, blood pressure shoots up and the heart has to work harder to push the blood through the stiffened...

Cold wave triggers spike in cardiac arrests

Mumbai : As winter temperatures go for a spin across the country, hospitals are witnessing a significant surge of around 25-30 pc in cardiac emergencies, a top cardiologist said.   According to Interventional Cardiologist Dr. Hemant Khemani of Apex Group of Hospitals, cold air directly affects how the heart functions.   “Low temperatures make blood vessels tighten. When the arteries narrow, blood pressure shoots up and the heart has to work harder to push the blood through the stiffened vessels,” said Dr. Khemani.   Elaborating on the direct effects of cold air on heart functioning, he said that low temperatures make blood vessels tighten, when arteries narrow, blood pressure shoots up and the heart must work harder to push blood through stiffened vessels.   Winter also thickens the blood, increasing the likelihood of clot formation and these combined effects create a dangerous ‘demand-supply mismatch’ for oxygen, especially in people with existing heart conditions.   This trend has caused concern among cardiologists as it adds to India’s already heavy cardiovascular diseases burden – with nearly one in four deaths linked to heart and blood vessel problems.   Dr. Khemani said that sudden temperature transitions - from warm rooms to chilly outdoors - can put additional strain on the heart and risks. “This abrupt shift loads the cardiovascular system quickly, raising the risk of a sudden (cardiac) event among vulnerable individuals.”   Lifestyle Patterns Added to these are the changes in lifestyle patterns during winter month that further amplify the danger. Most people reduce physical activities, eat richer foods, and often gain weight all of which combine to raise cholesterol levels, disrupt blood-sugar balance and push up blood pressure.   Complicating matters for the heart are the social gatherings during the cold season that tends to bring higher intake of smoking and alcohol, said Dr. Khemani.   Recommending basic preventive measures, Dr. Khemani said the chest, neck and hands must be kept warm to prevent heat loss, maintain a steady body temperature and reduce the chances of sudden blood pressure spikes, a low-salt diet, home-cooked meals, shot indoor walks post-eating, adequate hydration and at least seven hours of sleep.   He warns against ignoring warning signals such as chest discomfort, breathlessness, unexplained fatigue, or sudden sweating, pointing out that “early medical care can significantly limit heart damage and improve survival.”   The rise in winter heart risks is not unique to India and even global health agencies like World Health Federation and World Health Organisation report similar patterns.   The WHF estimates that more than 20 million people die of heart-related causes each year - equal to one life lost every 1.5 seconds, and the WHO has listed heart disease as the world’s leading cause of death for five consecutive years.   Seniors affected more by winter chills  Cold weather can hit the heart at any age, but the risk is noticeably higher for men aged above  45 and in women after 55, with the highest danger curve in people over 60, and elders with co-morbidities and history of heart diseases.   “People with existing cardiac problems face greater trouble in winter as the heart has to work harder. Even those without known heart disease can sometimes experience winter heart attacks, as chilly conditions may expose hidden blockages or trigger problems due to sudden exertion, heavy meals, smoking or dehydration,” Dr. Khemani told  ‘ The Perfect Voice’ .   However, contrary to perceptions, cold-weather heart issues have no connection to the COVID-19 vaccine, nor is there any scientific evidence linking the two, he assured.

Industries, corporates looted for multi crores

Curious Case Of Mathadi Workers - Part- 2


AI generated image
AI generated image

Mumbai: The rags to riches story of Datta Pawar, a Mathadi worker, narrated by BJP MLA from central Nagpur Pravin Datke further shows that the industries and corporates have been looted at least for hundreds of crores and that too in the name of humble Mathadi workers toiling at times to make both ends meet.


The initial probe by the SIT also indicates at the probable modus operandi used by the officers of the Mathadi boards and their accomplices.


Maharashtra government brought in the Mathadi Hamal and Other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, 1969 (generally referred to as Mathadi Act) for the welfare of manual labourers who were being exploited by the industries, corporates and commercial establishments of that time. As per the nature of work and the sector of the trade 36 Mathadi boards were constituted to ensure implementation of the act. These boards immensely helped the unprotected manual workers in their struggle to regulate employment terms, welfare facilities and health and safety measures.


However, though this model is considered ideal for replication for other workers in the unorganised sector, many a times industries appear demanding exemption from the Act. That is because of rampant corruption has riddled the system. There had been several cases and in 2018 a special committee too had been appointed to study the workings of these boards and make suggestions to rectify their methods. However, the new case that MLA Datke indicated in his speech at the legislature appears to be much larger in scope and quantum.


While the previous cases of corruptions were limited to generally one board and few groups of Mathadi workers, the new case seems to have spread across multiple Mathadi boards like Transport, Textile, Iron & Steel, Railway Goods, Metal and Paper etc. While many of the earlier cases involved manipulation of number of workers, amount of work carried out by them etc. the new methods surpass them in multiple terms.


The cases mentioned by the MLA in the legislature involve multiple crimes like cheating, forgery of documents, demanding money without carrying out work and threatening or cancelling the registration of companies, charging arbitrarily high rates and forcing companies to appoint favoured Mathadi groups for their work etc.


One of the classic example involves India’s largest fully integrated logistics services provider Delhivery.com. Documents in possession of the Iron and Steel Board show that the company entered into an agreement with the famous furniture store chain IKEA and for the additional work they sought to appoint the Mathadi group (No. 463). Interestingly, the said agreement of the company with IKEA attached with their application, does not have any signatures at all. Moreover, the signature of the company’s authorised signatory on the other letter written to the secretory of the Metal and Paper Market Workers Board matches the signature on one of the PAN cards involved in the case of two PAN cards in the name of one person which the Thane sessions court has asked the police to investigate. The Mathadi group which is recommended in the letter stating that they be assigned the additional work, works under Datta Pawar’s brother Kamlesh Bhaleghare. A complaint has been filed in this case wherein the complainants have claimed that the documents involved in the case have been forged.


In another case involving the same Mathadi group, the rates of unloading of 40 ft containers is quoted to be Rs 56,000 and that of transfer is quoted to be Rs 36,000. In reality, as per the Mathadi Act, these rates are just around Rs 10,000 and Rs 8,000 respectively.


The case of yet another company Jay Enterprises is also very interesting. There it becomes very clear as to how the dubious elements in disguise of Mathadi workers are acting against the genuine workers. A company named Jay Engineering, involved in redevelopment of slums, rightfully presented their application to the Mathadi board to register two Mathadi groups with them.


However, the board arbitrarily rejected their application on the same day and directly registered another Mathadi group to work with the company. Also, within a month the new group was also granted the police protection even though the company had not demanded it.


This misuse of provision of police protection indicates that many others are also involved in this corrupt game.

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