Now, Gujarat looks at online voting

After bringing in compulsory voting in local body polls, Gujarat is now looking at online and SMS voting.

The Gujarat State Election Commission is discussing plans to introduce voting through SMSes and over the Internet for municipal and panchayat elections. EC officials are giving final touches to the idea.

EC sources said the concept had been suggested to the state government and that although it was still under consideration, the Commission "is very serious about it".

A task force consisting of experts (from and outside Gujarat) and government officials will be set up once the state government gives a go-ahead.

"This task force will then deliberate on the details of the concept and the IT infrastructure needed for the online voting system. We have also suggested some names for the task force and the final approval of the state government is awaited," the sources said, adding that it was hoped that the concept would be ready for use in state local polls later this year.

The EC officials said the concept was aimed at improving voter participation, but they also stressed on the need to be cautious about hacking and thus the need for robust security measures.

The servers, which will store the data, will have to be able to recognise each voter, accepting only the genuine votes and rejecting the fake ones, they said.

The officials said the Commission would like to test the concept on a pilot basis even if it could not be enforced on a wide scale.

Swine flu vaccine race

In early August, Novartis and Sanofi Aventis began the first human tests of their swine flu vaccines. In India, the race is between three Indian biotech companies.
The Pune-based Serum Institute of India seems best placed. It was already working on a vaccine for seasonal flu. Serum Institute's products are exported to over 140 countries, and the company claims that one out of every two children immunised in the world has received a Serum Institute vaccine.
The other two companies are Panacea Biotech and Bharat Biotech. Delhi-based Panacea is a WHO pre-qualified supplier of a range of vaccines and has collaborations with international institutes. Its working on vaccines for anthrax, dengue, and Japanese encephalitis.
Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech launched India's first indigenous pentavalent (five-in-one) 'Comvac-5' vaccine in March this year. What's unique about the vaccine is that it is the only Hepatitis B vaccine in the world to be manufactured without the use of cesium chloride, a heavy metal needed to precipitate proteins. As a heavy metal, cesium chloride is a known cancer causing agent and the fact that Bharat Biotech found another safer way to purify its hepatitis-B antigen makes Comvac-5 even more special.
There's a fourth company, Ahmedabad-based Cadila Pharma, which is collaborating with US-based Novavax, using Novavax's 'virus-like particles' technology. This technology cuts short manufacturing time.
The buzz is that one company has already managed to grow the cell line, and is now engaged in scaling up production, a tricky operation, given the myriad variables in biologics manufacture. Today, we have to depend on imported vaccines to vaccinate health workers from swine flu. We pay handsomely to procure this vaccine. Countries that produce the vaccine use it domestically first.
Given this, it is crucial that an Indian pharma company develops a vaccine. May the best company win. And whoever wins, Indians are winners.

India: 10 Preventive Steps to keep Swine-Flu Away

1. Wash your hands frequently
Use the antibacterial soaps to cleanse your hands. Wash them often, at least 15 seconds and rinse with running water.
2. Get enough sleep
Try to get 8 hours of good sleep every night to keep your immune system in top flu-fighting shape.
3. Keep hydrated

Drink 8 to10 glasses of water each day to flush toxins from your system and maintain good moisture and mucous production in your sinuses.
4. Boost your immune system

Keeping your body strong, nourished, and ready to fight infection is important in flu prevention. So stick with whole grains, colorful vegetables, and vitamin-rich fruits.
5. Keep informed
The government is taking necessary steps to prevent the pandemic and periodically release guidelines to keep the pandemic away. Please make sure to keep up to date on the information and act in a calm manner.
6. Avoid alcohol
Apart from being a mood depressant, alcohol is an immune suppressant that can actually decrease your resistance to viral infections like swine flu. So stay away from alcoholic drinks so that your immune system may be strong.
7. Be physically active
Moderate exercise can support the immune system by increasing circulation and oxygenating the body. For example brisk walking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week will significantly perk up your immunity.
8. Keep away from sick people
Flu virus spreads when particles dispersed into the air through a cough or sneeze reach someone else's nose. So if you have to be around someone who is sick, try to stay a few feet away from them and especially, avoid physical contact.
9. Know when to get help
Consult your doctor if you have a cough and fever and follow their instructions, including taking medicine as prescribed.
10. Avoid crowded areas
Try to avoid unnecessary trips outside. Moreover, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way. We all want a Healthy India.

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