Solstice ring of fire solar eclipse, June 21, 2020

Solstice ring of fire solar eclipse, June 21, 2020

“Looking at it directly can cause severe damage to the eye and vision. There are special goggles made for looking at the Sun. These goggles filter the sunlight for safe viewing”

Posted On: 20 JUN 2020 11:25AM by PIB Delhi

·         By TV Venkateswaran

        A rare celestial event, annular solar eclipse, popularly called as ring of fire eclipse will be visible this Sunday. The first solar eclipse of this year takes place on the summer solstice, which is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere. While people living along the path annular eclipse passing through Anupgarh, Suratgarh, Sirsa, Jakhal, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Dehradun, Tapowan and Joshimath will be able to see the annular phase, people in rest of India can witness a partial eclipse.

       When Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, the shadow falls on the surface of the Earth. The Sun is entirely covered by the Moon for a brief period. Those places that are engulfed by the dark, dense umbral shadow of the Moon experience the total solar eclipse. In the regions that plunge into the soft diffused penumbral shadow of the Moon experience the partial eclipse. In all solar eclipse the Sun, Moon and Earth may not be perfectly aligned, and then we only have a partial eclipse. When the three celestial bodies happen to be in a straight line, we have Total solar eclipse.

    "Annular solar eclipse is a particular case of the total solar eclipse. Like the total solar eclipse, the Moon is aligned with the Sun. However, on that day, the apparent size of the Moon happens to be a wee smaller than the Sun.  Hence the Moon covers the central part of the Sun, and the rim of the Sun appear like a 'ring of fire' in the sky for a very brief moment" explains Samir Dhurde of The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune.

         The distance between the Earth and the Moon at the moment of the eclipse can dictate the type of eclipse that will take place. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is always changing due to the egg-shaped elliptical orbit of the Moon. This means that there are times where it is closer to the Earth and appears slightly bigger in the sky and times where it is farther away and appears somewhat smaller in the sky. Coincidentally, during the eclipse that takes place on June 21, 2020, the apparent size of the Moon is smaller than that of the Sun by 1%.

           At the onset of the solar eclipse, Sun gives a characteristic appearance of a bitten apple. A small part of the Sun is covered by the disc of the Moon. After that, slowly and steadily the disc of the Moon embraces larger and larger part of the Sun. On a narrow track that the Moon's shadow traces on Earth during an annular solar eclipse, people can see the Moon traversing on the Sun and covering the central part. As the Moon is not able to block out the entire Sun, a bright ring of sunlight around the Moon will be visible. This is how this type of eclipse earned the nickname the "ring of fire" eclipse.

          "If we miss this opportunity, in India we have to wait for about 28 months for the next solar eclipse.  The next solar eclipse , which will be a partial solar eclipse, visible from India will take place on October 25, 2022. It would be visible in the western part of India" said Aniket Sule, Chairperson, Public Outreach & Education Committee of the Astronomical Society of India.

          Sun is a very bright object, and looking at it directly can cause severe damage to the eye and vision. There are special goggles made for looking at the Sun.  These goggles filter the sunlight for safe viewing. "Often the Public Outreach and Education Committee of Astronomical Society of India and other astronomical institutions/ planetariums and other science popularisation agencies usually make arrangements for safe viewing of the eclipse. However, due to the lockdown this time, we are not able to make solar filters available. Further, we strongly advise people not to gather in large numbers to view the eclipse given the pandemic situation. There are easy tips for viewing the eclipse from the safety of your home" says Arvind Paranjpye, Director, Nehru Planetarium, Mumbai.

        Allying rumors that the eclipse will mark the end of coronavirus,  Aniket Sule said "Solar eclipse is caused when the Moon comes in front of the Sun for a short time. As seen from Earth eclipses occur somewhere in the Earth 2 to 5 times a year. Eclipses do not impact microorganisms on Earth. Likewise there no danger in eating of stepping out during an eclipse. No mysterious rays come out of the Sun during an eclipse." 

Tips for viewing the eclipse:-

Do not use sunglasses, goggles, exposed x-ray sheet or lampblack over a glass. They are not safe. Nor is viewing the Sun's image on the surface of the water.  

Welders glass #13 or # 14 can be used to see the Sun directly with naked eyes.

Make a pinhole in a card sheet and hold it under the Sun.  At some distance, keep a screen of white paper.  Image of the Sun can be seen on this sheet. By adjusting the gap between the sheet and the screen, the image can be made larger.

Look at the shadow of a bush or a tree. With the gaps between the leaves acting like a pinhole, numerous images of the eclipsed Sun can be seen on the ground. 

You can use a strainer for making pinhole images.

Cover the 'compact' makeup kit mirror with black paper, with a small hole at the centre. Reflect the image of the Sun on a distant wall in shadow. You can get a projected image of the eclipsed Sun.

Info tips

Bhuj will be the first town in India to see the beginning of the eclipse 9:58 a.m.  The eclipse ends 4 hours later at Dibrugarh, Assam at 2:29 p.m. Ghersana at the western boundary of India will be the first to witness the annular phase of the eclipse at 11:50 a.m. It will last for 30 seconds. Kalanka peak in Uttarakhand will be the last major landmark to see the annular eclipse at 12:10 p.m. lasting for 28 seconds.

Annular  Eclipse of  2020 Jun 21

Table 1

Sites where the annular eclipse will be seen.

Site                 Begins            Max                 End          duration

Dehra Dun     10:24 AM       12:05 PM       1:50 PM         14.0

Gharsana      10:12 AM       11:50 AM       1:36 PM         29.8

Kalanka         10:28 AM       12:10 PM       1:55 PM         28.0

Kurukshetra   10:21 AM       12:01 PM       1:47 PM        30.4

The Moon will cover about 99.5 % area of the Sun.

Table 2                                             

Sites where partial eclipse will be seen                                                            

Site               Begins              Max              End            %cover                                     

Agra                10:19 AM       12:02 PM       1:50 PM         90       

Ahmedabad  10:03 AM       11:41 AM        1:32 PM          82       

Amritsar         10:19 AM       11:57 AM       1:41 PM          94       

Bengaluru    10:12 AM       11:47 AM        1:31 PM           47       

Bhuj                09:58 AM       11:33 AM       1:23 PM          86               

Chennai        10:22 AM       11:58 AM       1:41 PM          46       

Dibrugarh      11:07 AM       12:54 PM       2:29 PM         89       

Gawahati      10:57 AM       12:45 PM       2:24 PM         84       

Hyderabad    10:14 AM       11:55 AM       1:44 PM         60       

Indore             10:10 AM       11:51 AM       1:42 PM        78       

Jaipur             10:14 AM       11:55 AM       1:44 PM         91       

Japal              10:15 AM       11:56 AM       1:44 PM         59       

Jodhpur         10:08 AM       11:47 AM       1:35 PM         91       

Kandla           09:59 AM       11:35 AM       1:24 PM          85       

K’kumari        10:17 AM       11:41 AM       1:15 PM         33       

Kochi              10:10 AM       11:38 AM       1:17 PM         40       

Kolkata           10:46 AM       12:35 PM       2:17 PM         72       

Leh                 10:29 AM       12:06 PM       1:47 PM         87       

Lucknow        10:26 AM       12:11 PM       1:58 PM         88       

Mt. Abu          10:05 AM       11:44 AM       1:34 PM         87       

Mumbai          10:00 AM       11:37 AM       1:27 PM         70       

Naini Tal       10:25 AM       12:08 PM       1:54 PM          96         

Nanded          10:11 AM       11:53 AM       1:42 PM         66       

New Delhi    10:19 AM       12:01 PM       1:48 PM           95       

Port Blair        11:15 AM       12:53 PM       2:18 PM        39       

Pune              10:02 AM       11:40 AM       1:30 PM         67       

Rajkot             09:59 AM       11:35 AM       1:25 PM        82         

Shilong          10:57 AM       12:46 PM       2:24 PM         83       

Srinagar         10:23 AM       11:59 AM       1:40 PM         86       

Trivandrum     10:14 AM       11:39 AM       1:15 PM        35       

Udaipur          10:07 AM       11:47 AM       1:36 PM         86       

NB/KGS/(India Science Wire)

(Release ID: 1632833) 

NFPE CIRCULAR

                  National Federation of Postal Employees

1^st Floor North Avenue Post Office Building, New Delhi-110 001

Phone: 011.23092771                                                   e-mail: nfpehq@gmail.com

Mob: 9718686800/9319917295                      website: http://www.nfpe.blogspot.com

_____________________________________________________________________

 

No.PF-1(e) 2020                                                                               Date: 20^th June-2020

CIRCULAR

To,

            All General Secretaries / NFPE Office bearers

All Circle / Divisional and Branch Secretaries of NFPE Affiliated Unions

Comrades,

NFPE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE MEETING

            NFPE Federal Executive Meeting was held on 19.06.2020 at 11 A.M.  through Video Conferencing

Com. P.V. Rajendran President, , Presided Over the Meeting:

Secretary General, Welcomed all General Secretaries and NFPE Office Bearers and stated about the need of Federal Executive Committee Meeting through Video Conferencing as the physical meeting is not possible  due to Covid-19 Crises. After Federal Council held at Mathura in November -2019 , Federal Executive meeting was notified to be held on 1^st February -2020 but after spread of Corona Virus and due to so many restrictions imposed on travelling and gathering by Government of India , the same was postponed.

Most of the General Secretaries and NFPE Office Bearers participated in meeting. Some could not take part in deliberations due to technology related problems. They were requested to send notes and they have sent notes.

The agenda as mentioned below was read out by Secretary General on direction of President which was approved by the house.

AGENDA

1.    Organizational Review.

2.    Review of situation arisen out of Covid-19

3.    Review of  agitational programmes on 1^st May and 22^nd May -2020 on the call of NFPE and Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers.

4.    Membership Verification.

5.    Any other items with the permission of Chair.

Homage was paid to the Martyrs who scarified their life in saving the mother land after clash with Chines Army. Besides this homage was paid to all Trade Union activists , political and social leaders and common man who expired during this period and who lost their lives due to Covid-19 and other natural calamities e.g. Amphan and Nishang Cyclone. One Minute Silence was observed to pay tributes to all.

Initiating the discussion Secretary General stated that organizationally more problems are being faced. Due to Covid-19 Circes, organizational meetings are not being held. Conferences at all level are not being held due to restrictions on gathering and movement. We have requested administration to extend Trade Union facilities at all level till normalcy is restored. Periodical & JCM meetings are also not being held resultantly the issues are lying unsettled.

Membership Verification was announced to be carried out online, which we have opposed. New enrolment of new membership and modification which takes place every year in the month of April , on our request  the period was extended up to June-30 and will be carried out through Check off system i.e. through submission of letters of authorization.

On unilateral decision of Government to freeze the DA & DR of employees  and pensioners, protest demonstration call was given by Confederation/NFPE and it was observed  throughout the Country

On 22^nd May,  protest demonstration  call was given by Confederation and NFPE  against change of labour laws and other policy offensives being unleshed by the Government of India and it was also observed at all work places throughout the Country maintaining the norms of  NDMA  due to Covid-19 Crisis .

During this period of Crisis due to Covid-19 Crisis Postal/RMS and GDS staff has suffered a lot. After being declared postal services as essential service. Official were put on duty at their risk without providing them adequate security measures and safe transportation facilities. So many Guide lines , advisories and instructions were issued by MHA , Health Ministry, DOPT and Department of Posts. But at lower level officers did not comply with the same and forced the staff to work under risky conditions. The most dangerous work was given i.e. Aadhar enabled Payments Service through IPPB and it caused infection to Postal employees and at some places some employees expired after being infected from Corona Virus. Which is very unfortunate?

All General Secretaries and NFPE Office Bearers deliberated on all the issues and the gist of the discussion on important issues  and decision as under:

1.         Compassionate Appointments should be given to the ward of deceased employees due to Covid-19, immediately relaxing the norms and all pensionery benefits and ex-gratia Rs.10 lakh should be given to the family.

2.         Special Casual Leave should be granted to all the employees who could not join duty under compelling circumstances due to lockdown. Leave period should also be regularized.

3.         Regarding Membership Verification, for regular & GDS employees it should not be done online. It should be through check off system as per provision of CCS (RSA) Rules.

4.         Casual, Part-time, Contingent, Daily rated Mazdoors and out sourced workers should be paid wages for lockdown period.

5.       Road Transport Net Work proposal should be dropped in RMS.

6.    Decentralization of DAP should be dropped.

7.    Roaster should be continued till Covid-19 Crisis is over.

8.    Stop Common Service Centres in Post Offices.

9.   Risk allowance should be granted to Postal and GDS employees temporarily till Covid-19  Crisis.

10.   Aadhar service should not be started and unscientific targets for opening of accounts in IPPB and Aadhar enabled payments service should not be imposed on employees.

11.  One Day Protest Demonstration on 3^rd July-2020

Opposing Change in Labour laws, migrant labourers  issues, against freezing of DA/DR , Scrapping  NPS and restoration  of OPS , should be held at all work places.

Further it was also decided that there are so may other sectional issues. But the Directorate is also not functioning in full fledged manner due to Covid-19 Crisis. After normalcy restores, a detailed memorandum on all issues will be submitted to Secretary Posts for settlement in a time bound manner after convening a meeting with unions failing which serious agitational programmes will be lunched culminating into definite or indefinite strike.

 Again making appeal for holding protest demonstration on 03^rd July-2020 at all work places maintaining the norms of NDMA. We on behalf of NFPE, convey revolutionary greetings to all.

                                                                                 Yours Comradely,

                                                                               

                                                                            (R.N. Parashar)

                                                                         Secretary General

Copy to :

1.         The Secretary, Department of Posts , Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001

2.         The Director General, Department of Posts , Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001

3.         The Member (P), Department of Posts, Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110001

4.         The DDG( SR & Legal), Department of Posts Dak Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001.

5.         The Director (SR & Legal) Department of Posts , Dak Bhawan, New Delhi : for necessary action

  ************************************

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

THE CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS

The following statement was issued by the Central Trade Unions on 19^th June,2020

The Central Trade Unions extend full support to the 3 days Strike of Coal Workers

The Central Trade Unions extend full support to the Strike call given by all Unions and Federations active in the coal industry in all places of activities in the coal sector for three days on 2^nd,3^rd,and 4^th July 2020. The Unions/Federations have served the strike notice on 18^th June 2020. We congratulate them for organizing the protest simultaneously while serving the strike notice on 18^th June to the respective managements.

Their two day protest on 10^th and 11^th June 2020 did not deter the Government to review its decision of commercial mining, privatization and decision to de-link CMPDI from CIL among other demands .Rather Prime Minister himself came forward to launch the process of auction on 18^th June, which was announced on 11^th June, hence the decision of unions to choose this day to protest and give strike notice.

The fact of the matter is that even the earlier auctioned and allotted coal blocks could not be started as per schedule period which need to be cancelled immediately.

The unions have raised five demands in:

1. Withdraw the decision of Commercial Mining in Coal Industry

2. Stop all steps towards weakening or privatization of CIL or SCCL

3. Withdraw decision to De-link CMPDIL from CIL

4. Enforce HPC/CIL enhanced wages to contract workers in CIL and SCCL

5. Implement the clause 9.3.0, 9.4.0 and 9.5.0 of National Coal Wage Agreement

The Coal unions and the CTUs have been opposing the Government policy of 100 percent FDI in Coal sector. We call upon all our respective state chapters to extend their solidarity support to this agitation to defend this core public sector in the national interest and for our nation’s self reliance in this sector.

                             

        INTUC     AITUC                    HMS                     CITU          AIUTUC

                  TUCC           SEWA          AICCTU           LPF            UTUC

We as Confederation of Central Government Employees and workers extend solidarity with Coal workers and their strike against privatisation of Coal Industry.

                                    R N PARASHAR

                             SECRETARY GENERAL

                       CONFEDERATION OF CGE&W

DoP :: Messsage from DDG, Technology --- COVID

DoP :: Messsage from DDG, Technology --- COVID

Dear All, 

A number of our fellow employees are contracting COVID . Some of them need assistance for testing, hospitalization, isolation, etc. Karnataka Postal Circle has developed an App called Get well Soon.

This uses our HRMS information. This can be utilized all over the country by anyone who has an employee ID. 

The employee can avail of all the resources and links. He/she can also seek help for testing, hospitalization etc.

I would ask you to circulate this widely on all groups. 

In case any body is having trouble using it please raise it to me or on this group. I will pass it on.

The link is http://karnatakapost.gov.in/getwellsoon. It is also available as a link in employee corner of IndiaPost website.

//copy//

LETTER OF AUTHORISATION

LETTER OF AUTHORISATION

Extension of timelines for recording of APAR of Group “A”, “B” and “C” Officer for the year 2019-2020

No.21011/02/2015-Est(A-II)-Part II
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training

North Block, New Delhi
11th June 2020

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Extension of timelines for recording of Annual Performance Assessment Report (APAR) of Group ‘A’, `B’ and ‘C’ officer of Central Civil Services for the year 2019-2020.

The undersigned is directed to invite attention to this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 30.03.2020 on the above subject, extending the timelines for distribution/online generation, recording and completion of APAR for the year 2019-20 for Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ officers of Central Civil Services, as a one-time measure, owing to the situation arising out of the lockdown due to spread of corona virus.

2. In view of prevailing situation, it has been decided to further extend the timelines for distribution/online generation, recording and completion of APAR for the year 2019-20 for Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ officers of Central Civil Services, as a one-time measure, as specified in Annexure.

3. The extended timelines for the APAR year 2019-20 shall also apply to the reporting / reviewing / accepting authorities, who have demitted office or retired from service on or after 29.02.2020 and they shall be allowed to record their remarks till the respective extended cut-off dates.

4. Further, the decision conveyed vide O.M. of even number dated 22.05.2020 delinking recording and completion of APAR for the year 2019-20 from the conduct of Annual Medical Examination and thereafter submission of summary of Medical Report by 31.12.2020, shall continue.

(Kabindra Joshi)
Director

Annexure

Time  schedule  for  recording  and  completion  of  APAR  for  the  year   2019-2020  for Group ‘A ‘, ‘B’ and ‘C’ officers of Central Civil Services

SI.No.	Activity	Date  by  which  activity  to  be completed.
(1)	( 2)	(3)
1.	Distribution of blank forms/ online generation of APAR	By 31st July 2020 or earlier
2.	Submission  of   Self-  appraisal  to   reporting officer	31st August , 2020
3.	Forwarding  of  report  by  reporting  officer  to reviewing officer	30th September 2020
4.	Forwarding of  report  by  reviewing officer  to A PAR Cell/ Accepting Authority (wherever provided)	15th November, 2020
5.	Appraisal  by  Accepting  Authority ,  wherever provided	31st December, 2020
6.	(i)  Disclosure of APAR to the officer reported upon where there is no accepting authority	31st December, 2020
	(ii)  Disclosure of APAR to the officer reported upon where there is accepting authority	15th January, 2021
7.	Receipt of representation, if any, on APAR	15     days    from    the    date    of communication
8.	Forwarding      of     representation      to     the competent authority
	(a)    Where there is no accepting authority for APAR	31st January, 2021
	(b)  Where  there  is  accepting  authority  for APAR	15th February, 2021
9.	Disposal of representation by the competent authority	Within one month of  the date of receipt of representation by the competent authority
10.	Communication of the decision of the competent authority on the representation by the APAR cell	Within  15 days  of  finalization  of decision by competent authority
11.	End  of  entire  APAR  process, after  which APAR will be finally taken on record	31st March, 2021

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