Foods with pesticides linked to preterm births
Research carried out at the King George’s Medical University in Lucknow has found that the presence of pesticides in the food eaten by a pregnant woman may affect the health of her unborn child. The study, which has been featured in a high-impact environmental research journal, has found a correlation between lower birth weight, cesarean sections in preterm births, and the level of pesticide toxicity to which the mother was exposed. According to the study, pesticides can disturb the hormonal balance in women by decreasing the hormone progesterone and altering antioxidant defence mechanisms which can also lead to preterm birth.
State government to promote sporting activities
After a good performance by India in the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to devote more of its attention on promoting sporting activities in the state by providing grounds, equipment and logistics to players and organizing competitions in rural areas. The department of youth welfare has been holding zonal-level competitions in rural areas since September 16. This will be followed by state-level competitions next month. The events mostly involve athletics, volleyball, kabaddi, wrestling, weightlifting, and other sports. Currently, 21 multipurpose halls are being constructed in rural areas of different districts of the state. Four of these areas are in Mohanlalganj in Lucknow, in Meerut, Sonbhadra and Ayodhya.
Eco-tourism spot for Lucknowites
Uttar Pradesh forest department and Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) have decided to develop the wetland behind the Atal Bihari Vajpayee International (Ekana) Stadium in Lucknow into an eco-forest. Spread over 37 acres of land, the wetland is inhabited by more than 100 species of indigenous and migratory birds, including some listed in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Besides the regular presence of ducks, bee-eaters, kingfishers, sparrows, parakeets and jacanas, deer, golden jackal, monitor lizards, some extremely rare migratory birds also make this place their home
Test cricket returns to Lucknow after 28 years
Test cricket is returning to Lucknow after nearly 28 years. India will play a Test match against New Zealand team newly-built Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium from November 25, days after the close of the T20 World Cup. The five-day match is set to be the first Test match to be played at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium. The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) had opened the stadium for first-class cricket in 2016. So far, the 1994 match against Sri Lanka at KD Singh Babu Stadium remains the only Test that the state capital has hosted.
Namita Bajpai
Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh namita.bajpai@newindianexpress