Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 19

Over three weeks after fresh escalation of tension between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh, both sides have added additional troops at two locations — Galwan and north bank of Pangong Tso, some 110 km away from each other.

Flare-up trigger

• Fresh tension erupted in eastern Ladakh three weeks ago
• China has objected to two roads India has built in Galwan and at Pangong Tso

Eastern Ladakh shares a 826-km frontier with China. Galwan and north bank areas are usually patrolled and are at an altitude in excess of 14,000 feet.

The cause of the recent flare-up is said to be the two roads that India has built in recent past and China is said to be at a disadvantage at both the spots.

At Galwan, China does not have a road on its side and has amassed an estimated 800 troops on its side. At the north bank of Pangong, China is objecting to a road made by India between one of the eight mountain spurs that end at the lake. In Galwan, the 255-km Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DS-DBO) section of the road between Leh and Karakoram Pass was completed last year and China has an issue with its alignment despite the road passing totally in Indian territory. At the north bank of Pangong Tso, the two sides clashed with each other on the intervening night of May 5/6. Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial melt lake, straddles India and China at an altitude of 13,000 feet. Indian troops are at a location that India perceives as its territory along the disputed Line of Actual Control. The People’s Liberation Army of China disputes Indian claims at this particular location and their troops are stationed just across this claim line on what is their side.

Nepal revises map, says will reclaim Lipulekh

Kathmandu: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday asserted that Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal and vowed to “reclaim” them from India through political and diplomatic efforts, as his Cabinet endorsed a new political map showing the three areas as Nepalese territory. Addressing Parliament, Oli said the territories belong to Nepal “but India has made it a disputed area by keeping its Army there”. “Nepalis were blocked from going there after India stationed its Army,” he said. PTI

Both India and China continue to patrol the LAC and try to restrict the other. However, no physical clash has taken place since the evening of 5 May.

New Delhi: India and China have held military talks through established channels, amid continued friction at the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, where troops from both sides have been challenging each other’s patrol on a daily basis. But sources told ThePrint that a solution is yet to be agreed upon.

Sources said the talks were held Tuesday, and that more will take place.

Clashes on the evening of 5 May, which left several soldiers injured on both sides, have led to tensions on the LAC. A large group of Chinese soldiers armed with sticks and stones attacked Indian troops on the northern bank of the Pangong lake, and destroyed some small temporary structures, setting off fresh tension along the LAC.

On 10 May, it was reported that even though the official disengagement happened on 6 May, additional troops have been moved up by both sides.

India and China have also built up additional infrastructure to cater to the increased number of troops, including setting up tents, sources said, adding that China has also moved in several vehicles and more monitoring equipment, and set up about 80 tents.

ThePrint had reported on 14 May that Indian and Chinese armies were working out the dates for the next formal discussions between “higher military authorities” in the Ladakh sector to sort out the tensions arising out of the recent violent face-off in the area.

Chinese state media reported that their troops have made the “necessary moves” and “enhanced control measures” at the Galwan Valley.

Also read: IAF’s Sukhois on sorties in Ladakh amid tensions with China but no jets ‘scrambled’

No face-off

While there is no “face-off” in a literal sense, additional troops have been stationed on either side of the LAC.

“There is no face-off. But whenever a situation arises, soldiers are moved from one location to another, depending on the need. No additional troops have been brought in from any other sector, but juggling of strength has taken place,” a source explained.

While Army chief Gen. M.M. Naravane has said there is no link between the clash in eastern Ladakh on 5 May and a fist-fight between troops in north Sikkim, multiple points of friction have come up in the eastern sector.

“Both sides continue to patrol through their perceived area of LAC and both continue to stop the other. However, no physical clash has taken place since the evening of 5 May,” a source said.

Sources explained that this is a regular feature during summer time, and proper channels have been established to ensure that the situation does not get out of hand.

Construction riled up China

Sources said India and China have increased the frequency of patrols along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, and also along the Pangong lake.

The 5 May clash between the troops happened on the northern bank of the lake, which resulted in several casualties on both sides. A clash had taken place in the same area last year too.

However, the main bone of contention in the sector this time is a series of border infrastructure construction activities that India is carrying out near the Galwan river in eastern Ladakh. Even though the construction is taking place nearly 10 km inside the perceived LAC, the Chinese have been objecting to it.

The road construction activities are important to India from a military point of view, vis-a-vis the key base Daulat Beg Oldi in sub-sector north in eastern Ladakh.

India’s Border Roads Organisation had built the Shyok-DBO road last year, much to China’s discomfort.

But sources say what really riled up the Chinese was the construction of a bridge over the ‘nallah’ (rivulet), which would also be useful to the locals.

Chinese state media had reported that the Indian side “built defence fortifications and obstacles to disrupt Chinese border defence troops’ normal patrol activities, purposefully instigated conflicts and attempted to unilaterally change the current border control situation”.

Also read: Pakistan’s 40-yr-old Gilgit-Baltistan dam project could finally be a reality, with China help

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 19

In less than a fortnight, security forces dealt another blow to Hizbul Mujahideen by killing its top commander, the son of senior Hurriyat leader Ashraf Sehari.

Junaid Sehrai, an MBA passout from Kashmir University, was killed along with an associate in a gunfight in a congested old city area. Four security men were injured in the gunfight.

Junaid, 30, was the youngest son of the separatist leader and had joined militant ranks in March 2018. Ashraf is the chief of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and one of the frontrunners to succeed Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

J&K DGP Dilbag Singh said the operation started last night in the Nawa Kadal locality and culminated with the killing of two militants this afternoon. “The two terrorists have been identified as Junaid Ashraf Khan (Junaid Sehrai) from Srinagar and Tariq Ahamd Sheikh from Pulwama,” he said.

“Junaid was Hizb divisional commander and active in four districts of Kashmir. He was wanted in at least six criminal cases,” he added.

The gunfight broke out when joint teams of the police and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the locality after input about the presence of two militants.

“Around 2 am, contact with militants was established. After initial exchange of fire, there was a lull. A fresh contact was established around 8 pm and in the exchange of fire, two militants were killed,” a police officer said. Four security men were also injured, he added.

At the encounter site there was total devastation as over a dozen houses were damaged during the gunfight.

“Forces carried out several blasts. Four houses were completely destroyed and others have suffered substantial or partial damages,” a local resident said. “People whose houses have been damaged have lost everything and couldn’t save anything. Our houses were vandalised by the forces and valuables, jewelry and cash are missing from there as well.”

However, DGP Singh said the operation was a clean one as only one residential house caught fire which was controlled immediately.

Big blow to Hizb

• The killing comes a fortnight after Hizb operational chief Riyaz Naikoo was shot in south Kashmir
• Hizb divisional commander Junaid Sehrai was an MBA passout from Kashmir University
• His father Ashraf Sehrai, chief of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, is likely to succeed Syed Ali Shah Geelani

CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat had said IAF was planning to buy the indigenous LCA Tejas instead of 114 ‘Make in India’ foreign jets.

New Delhi: Four days after Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat said the Indian Air Force was planning to switch over to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ rather than pursue a global tender for 114 new fighter jets, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria has contradicted him.

Bhadauria said Monday that the list of aircraft planned to be inducted by the IAF includes 36 Rafales, 114 multirole fighter aircraft, 100 advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) and over 200 LCAs in different variants.

Rawat had told news agency Bloomberg last week that the IAF “is switching to the LCA” when asked about the global tender for jets.

“The IAF is saying, I would rather take the indigenous fighter, it is good,” he was quoted as saying.

The CDS’ words came as a setback for the likes of Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Saab, who were in the race for the contract for 114 aircraft, which would be worth at least 15 billion dollars and would also entail technology transfer under ‘Make in India’.

However, IAF chief Bhadauria told news agency ANI Monday: “This project (114 jets) is in the middle-weight and is in the Rafale class, in this issue, we will deal with it in the Make in India region, with an increase in FDI, with support to the private sector. I think in future this will bring in technology which is required to support the aviation sector. I think it is important to have another generation of aircraft in terms of capability, technology as we go along (sic).”

Also read: Dassault, Boeing and Saab — the front-runners for IAF’s 114 fighter jet contract

Separate programmes

When the CDS had made his comments last week, they had come as a surprise to the Air Force and industry. Sources had explained to ThePrint that the 114 jets cannot be replaced by the 83 LCA as the two fighters are of different classes.

“The IAF projections take into account the 83 LCA Mk 1A, Rafale, the 114 foreign fighters under Make in India, and even the AMCA,” a source had said.

Another source, who was involved in the negotiations for 83 LCAs, said it was wrong to mix up two separate programmes.

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria also said his force is planning to acquire 450 fighter aircraft for deployment on the northern and western frontiers of the country over the next 35 years.

Regardless, the IAF will not reach its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons by 2042, its projections have revealed.

The best-case scenario is if the force inducts the Tejas Mark 2, the AMCA and 114 fighter aircraft, for which a request for proposal is still awaited.

An aide-de-camp in the armed forces primarily functions as a protocol officer, who looks after implementation of the protocols, and as an executive assistant.

New Delhi: The Army is reviewing its policy on providing aides-de-camp (ADC) to the governors of states as it faces an acute shortage of young officers, ThePrint has learnt.

In a letter earlier this month, the Army headquarters has asked military secretaries of all the commands across the country to review if ADC should continue to be posted on deputation with the governors of states, keeping in view their functional utility and the current shortage of young officers in the Army.

The Army has also told the commands an ADC may be required in states having substantial army presence.

While states such as Punjab, Rajasthan, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have a large Army presence, states like Odisha and Jharkhand, have comparatively fewer Army establishments.

What is ADC in armed forces?

An aide-de-camp (official position) in the armed forces primarily functions as a protocol officer, who looks after implementation of the protocols, and as an executive assistant.

An ADC is also responsible for carrying out liaison with the local military authorities and looks after the professional requirements of the officer/governor he is attached to.

An ADC should have five to seven years of experience in the armed forces. He is selected on the basis of his professional performance and an interview.

Besides the governors of states, aides-de-camp are authorised to senior officers in the armed forces and the President of India.

Also read: Bipin Rawat’s plan to train jawans for officer role is Army admitting staff shortage, quality

President has five aides-de-camp

The President of India has five aides-de-camp — three from the Army, and one each from the Navy and the Air Force.

Each state governor has two aides-de-camp — one comes from either the Army/Navy/Air Force, and the other one from the state’s police force.

As many as 16 aides-de-camp are provided by the Army to the governors, while the rest come from the Navy and the Indian Air Force.

Earlier, Vice-Presidents were not assigned an ADC, but ever since Venkaiah Naidu took over as the Vice-President, he has been assigned two aides-de-camp from the military.

Over the last few years, several senior Army officers have been replacing their ADC with a staff officer, who has about 16-18 years of experience and is usually a “non-empanelled lieutenant colonel” because of a shortage of young officers in the Army, a senior Army officer told ThePrint.

Doing away with ADC system will be ‘worst decision’

The Army’s move to review the policy has evoked a mixed reaction. While some felt it would help address the redundancy of the job associated with the position, others said it is a legacy that should not be done away with.

A second senior Army officer told ThePrint the system of ADC to governors has “its roots in our legacy”.

“The service to the governor is the first point of military contact available to the state and one of the best selected officers is sent for the job. Continuing this is not only the interest of civil-military relationship, but also critical as the Army’s participation in democracy,” the officer said.

“Doing away with this out of narrow, perceptional gains will be the worst decision we can take, as it gives an exposure to the officers in military administration,” the officer added.

A third Army officer, however, said it is not yet a policy and at a preliminary stage. “Only views have been sought as of now on the idea,” the officer said.

Just a vestige of the past: Ex-Himachal governor

Some former governors were largely supportive of the idea to do away with the legacy of ADC.

Former governor of Mizoram Lt Gen. Madan Mohan Lakhera (Retd) told ThePrint: “There are so many times that the officer (police or military) ensures a smooth tour programme for the government (among other tasks). However, if the Army feels that there is a shortage of officers, military ADC can be withdrawn as the governor deals with mostly the civil population.”

V.S. Kokje, former governor of Himachal Pradesh, said the Army has initiated a good move.

“I feel it is just a vestige of the past. The roles performed by a military ADC attached to a governor can also be performed by others and they can contribute much more in their core jobs,” he said.

Nikhil Kumar, who has been the governor of both Kerala and Nagaland, however, said ADCs are personal secretaries to the Governor and are hence “an asset”.

“Special care is taken to select officers with a smart bearing and very good service record. He is expected to have high grade general knowledge and local sensitivities in his work as Personal Assistant of the Governor and is thus an asset,” he told ThePrint.

“He (the ADC) is also an Ambassador of his parent service/cadre expected to be at his best in assisting the Governor,” he added.

Also read: This is how more Army jawans can become officers under new Bipin Rawat plan

New Delhi, May 19

The Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) has booked two former Major Generals for alleged corruption in conducting Group C and D examinations in the Survey of India in 2002, resulting in wrong selection of 44 candidates as those who had succeeded were made to fail, officials said on Tuesday.

The FIR has been registered against then Brigadier MV Bhat, Director, Survey Training Institute (STI), and then Brigadier KRMK Babaji Rao, Deputy Surveyor General, STI. Both of them retired as Major Generals, they said.

Other names include JK Rath and R Rama Singh, the then officials of STI.

The agency has registered the FIR after a two-year-long preliminary inquiry based on a complaint from a vigilance officer in the Ministry of Science and Technology who alleged malpractices in compilation of marks in the answer sheets of the Limited Departmental Competitive Examination for Group D to C Topo Trades held during October 2002 in the Survey of India. It was alleged that candidates who had passed were made to fail and vice versa, resulting in wrong selection of 44 candidates. The agency had alleged that answer sheets were deliberately manipulated by accused officers to favour selected candidates, they said. — PTI

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Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 18

Chinese newspaper Global Times today hinted at opening of another flashpoint on the Sino-India border, but played down the possibility of a serious situation, as witnessed in Doklam in 2017.

Nepal to issue new map

New Delhi: Responding to India blacktopping a road that passes through an area it claims sovereignty on, Nepal on Monday decided to issue a new political map that includes this land at Lipulekh. The map will depict Kalapani and Limphudhara that are also claimed by Nepal. TNS

Quoting unnamed military sources, it said Chinese border defence troops have made necessary moves in response to “India’s recent, illegal construction of defence facilities across the border into Chinese territory in the Galwan Valley region”.

“India is merely seeking to divert domestic attention due to its unsuccessful handling of Covid pandemic, and China has a military advantage there. So, the Indian military won’t escalate the incident,” it said, quoting Chinese analysts.

The paper accused India of crossing the boundary in Galwan Valley of Ladakh. “The Indian side built defence fortifications and obstacles to disrupt Chinese border defence troops’ normal patrol, purposefully instigated conflict and attempted to unilaterally change the current border-control situation.”

Indian media has also been reporting tension in the sector for the past one week.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not commented on the flare-up, but it reacted to troop face-offs last week in two sectors by expressing confidence in the ability of the existing mechanism to resolve the issue.

The MEA also suggested that the face-offs were not part of a grand strategy by explaining that these occasionally occur due to difference in perception of the LAC alignment.

he utility of officers employed for the proposed three-year service would be highly suspect. We will end up being flooded with officers of the Captain rank who will be going around looking for odd jobs in the civil market. To draw on the right material that can meet the demands of exacting standards of performance in the defence services, the terms and conditions offered for short service commission have to be attractive enough.

Lt Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)

Military Commentator

THE news that the Army is considering a proposal to allow civilians to join the force for three years, claimed to be an effort to attract talented young people, is laughable. How does one attract good talent with the offer of just three years’ service? What will be the utility of an officer when taken in for such a short period is the question the higher command needs to address.

The proposal is part of efforts to bring in reforms in the 13 lakh-strong Army. The military appears to be under pressure to cut its expenses in every possible manner. This is in keeping with the proposal to reduce the defence budget. The military’s higher command, in response to this demand from the government, is going about like a bull in a china shop rather than applying its mind and standing up for what is inescapable for national security.

Several committees have looked into reorganising the Army, essentially to cut costs, reduce teeth-to-tail ratio, make the Army more efficient (lean and mean, a phrase often used) and improve the career prospects of the officer cadre. Still, there appears to be continuing pressure on the military to further decrease expenses. There is little realisation that in areas of national defence, as in life, some things do not come cheap.

However, the government (MoD) has been cherrypicking only those recommendations of various committees that conform to its thinking and plans. Thus, many of the more useful recommendations of the Ajai Vikram Singh Committee and more recently those of the Shekatkar Committee have been left out. Since most of the recommendations are interlinked, so when you do ‘cherrypicking’, it leads to disruptions and complications and the end result is often the opposite of what was intended.

The number of civilian employees paid out of the defence budget is around 3.75 lakh. These are from various groups such as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), ordnance factories, Military Engineer Services (MES), defence PSUs. MoD, etc. Though they are around 25 per cent of the strength of the defence forces, in terms of pay, allowances and pensions, their take-home, in proportionate terms, is much higher.

This is due to non-functional financial upgradation (NFFU) granted to these civilian employees and the availability of far more vacancies for them in higher pay bands, compared to those in the defence forces. Further, their advancement in career to higher pay bands (due to NFFU) comes with far shorter service than that of defence forces officers. Thus, an officer in Class A service — most of them among these 3.75 lakh are in this class — climbs to the pay band of a joint secretary to the Government of India with 19 years of service, while a Major General, unfairly equated with a joint secretary, gets to that pay band after around 29 years of service.

This group of 3.75 lakh is the actual tail that needs drastic pruning and yet it has never been touched. In the defence forces, there are about 20 in the apex scale of pay, whereas among these civilians, with a far smaller cadre strength, the figure is well over 100.

Nearly 70 per cent of the Army’s budget is tailored towards revenue expenditure, leaving little money for other essential requirement of modernisation etc. A former Chairman, Chiefs of

Staff Committee, Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) highlighted this aspect in an article. What seems to be missed out is that revenue expenditure is 70 per cent because the budget itself is small (during 2019-20, it was about 1.46 per cent of the GDP). If the allocation for defence were to be 3 per cent of the GDP (as proposed by the Parliamentary Committee of Defence), this percentage would perhaps come down to 40 per cent or less of the defence budget.

A review of the officer cadre involves the ratio between regular and short service cadre and rank structure of various appointments within the service. In the past, the Ajai Vikram Singh Committee recommended a ratio of 1:1.1 between the regular and short service cadre. The more appropriate ration should be 60:40 (60 per cent regular and 40 per cent short service).

The authorised strength of the officer cadre of the Army is nearly 40,000. Presently, the shortage of officers is around 12,000; it has persisted all along and impacts the performance of units.

Presently, the short service commission officers serve up to 10 years, extendable to 14. Such length of service has drawbacks and problems of readjustment and re-employment in civil life. Equally, such terms and conditions of service just cannot attract good material.

On the proposed three years of service, the utility of officers employed for such a short period would be highly suspect. We will end up being flooded with officers of the Captain rank, released from the Army, who will be going around looking for odd jobs in the civil market, which will have its own impact on the military’s standing in civil society.

To draw on the right material that can meet the demands of exacting standards of performance in the defence services, the terms and conditions offered for short service commission have to be attractive enough.

Therefore, the duration of the short service should be five years with additional four months for training. Their academic qualification should be Class XII (science stream) or graduation. As regards their resettlement, a small percentage may be absorbed in regular commission and all others given assured admission and free technical education with stipend for the duration of their education. Some can be absorbed in CPOs and central civil services.

Those who wish to altogether opt out should be given an appropriate one-time financial grant. These officers could be given CSD canteen facilities.

Finally, from what has been appearing in the press, asking the military to accept second-grade weapons and equipment, reducing the strength of officers and men in units, and changing organisations of field formations throws up a dismal picture.

Possibly, we are moving closer to our state that prevailed before 1962. The military’s higher command owes it to the nation to keep the country safe and stand up for national security interests.

Virus cannot survive or remain stable on newspapers, cash or books for long. one should keep them outside for 2-3 hours before using them.

Plastic or metal items like pen or pencil box can be sanitised as there is evidence that sanitisers work on them. (Source: File Photo)

During the pandemic, as people bring essentials or other items home, the fear of contracting coronavirus from the same also looms large. PGIMER’s Department of Community Medicine and School of Public Health Professor Dr Sonu Goel explains why sanitisers are not recommended for use on fruits and vegetables and handling of cooked food can be a cause of concern. While busting myths, Professor Goel also sheds light on the protocol to be followed while bringing essentials to one’s home.

How can we ensure safety as we get vegetables and fruits from the vendors?

This virus is likely to remain on fruits and vegetables for 6-8 hours and if they are exposed to heat, the virus stays on it for less than four hours. In any case, when one get vegetables from vendors, the general protocol should be that they should keep it outside for four hours within the packet itself.

After the said time, dispose of the packet and put the eatables in warm water or wash them with warm water and baking soda to ensure complete safety.

There are many who use sanitisers on vegetables and fruits. Is it a suitable method?

Sanitisers are completely not recommended for vegetables and fruits, rather they can be harmful because of the presence of chemicals. Moreover, there is no evidence that the sanitisers can kill virus on vegetables and fruits.

Sanitisers are useful only for our hands, body and metal or steel surfaces. Spraying chemicals on vegetables and fruits, becomes all the more harmful as it is chemicals being sprayed on things which one will consume.

Warm water is sufficient or put just a drop of KMnO4 or potassium permanganate in the warm water and dip the eatables in it. It is the safest to use and also pocket-friendly.

If one does not have potassium permanganate, baking soda can be used in warm water. Wear a mask while doing it.

What should be done in case of items such as bananas or onions which cannot be dipped in warm water or washed?

It is like a catch 22 situation especially now when the temperature outside is soaring and there are perishable items also. Such items should be put in a closed space where heat does not reach it directly.

The aim is to not expose yourself to these things and keep them outside for 3-4 hours before consuming them. Do not immediately cook these vegetables or consume the fruits.

In case of medicines strips too, there is no evidence that sanitisers work on them. Keep them in a closed box at room temperature. One should not get exposed to them immediately after buying them as they too have changed hands several times.

Ensure that you does not put these medicines under direct sunlight as it could affect its efficacy.

Many companies have launched vegetable sanitisers. Do you recommend them?

I am not aware of the composition of these sanitisers. If these vegetable sanitisers have KMnO4 or potassium permanganate, then it is fit for use or else not.

What should one do in case of grocery items such as cheese and milk which cannot be kept outside for four hours?

If cheese and milk are packed, one should wash them with soap water and immediately dispose of the outer packet (all while wearing ones mask). However, these packets should not be disposed of in an open dustbin.

They should be discarded in a way that they are not directly exposed to any human being. In case of items in plastic, metal or cold drink cans, the virus may remain for 24-48 hours.

Thus, such items should not be refrigerated, but kept at room temperature where there is no human exposure.

Is cooked food that is ordered from outside safe? What about cooked food that comes packed in boxes?

There is no problem with cooked food because it is already heated at boiling temperature which the virus will not survive. Cooked food is not the issue but its handling is a cause of concern as someone must have packed it and then delivered.

It changes hands several times in the process. Ideally, one should avoid cooked food from outside. If there are unavoidable circumstances, ensure that the packet it is coming in, such as the pizza box or cake box, are discarded immediately.

There is no evidence that sanitisers are effective on cardboard surfaces, thus, using it may prove futile.
What to do in case of cash, newspapers or stationery items? Many governments are sanitising books and recommending the same.

Virus cannot survive or remain stable on newspapers, cash or books for long. one should keep them outside for 2-3 hours before using them.

Sanitisers may be of no use on these. Plastic or metal items like pen or pencil box can be sanitised as there is evidence that sanitisers work on them.

How should the purchased garments or shoes be sanitised? Should the received letters and courier be sanitised?

One should make sure that the shoes worn outside are not used inside the house, as there is a possibility that one could have stepped on an infected person’s spit or similar contaminated surface, while outside.

In case of purchase of new garments and shoes, they should be kept in the verandah or balcony for 48 hours. It is recommended that one should wash the new garments before wearing it.

Courier or post received should also be kept in the sunlight before being accessed- if paper-based, it should be kept under sunlight for 3-4 hours, while if it is plastic or metal based, it should be disinfected.

One must also ensure that they use their own pen while signing on receipt letters brought by the postman.

5 Safe Methods of Disinfecting Your Home

It’s the weekend and time to clean the house. You’re elbow deep in rubber gloves, wielding a can of disinfectant in one hand and a bottle of bleach in the other. Sure, you want to disinfect your home, but who wants all of those chemicals floating around in the air that you breathe?

The good news is you don’t need to use harsh chemicals to keep your house clean and germ-free. And the best part about using natural products is that they tend to be cheaper than a bottle of store-bought household cleaner. Here are five safe methods you can use to disinfect your home that won’t break the bank.

1. Vinegar

Anyone who has used vinegar as a cleaning solution is bound to give it rave reviews. This is because despite its stinky nature, vinegar is an all-natural disinfectant. It contains acetic acid, which gives it antimicrobial properties and makes it great at killing mold. Vinegar has endless uses in the household; it’s ideal for cleaning glass and stainless steel without leaving streaks. It can also get that nasty mold out of your toilets and sinks, and it’s safe for washing all of your fresh produce. Some tough jobs around the house call for straight vinegar, but for those everyday jobs, just mix one tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup (29 milliliters) of water and keep it in a spray bottle.

2. Hydrogen Peroxide

You’ve surely used hydrogen peroxide to clean out a cut before applying a bandage, but did you know it’s also great for household cleaning? It does wonders on stains in both carpets and clothes, and when used in conjunction with vinegar, it’s an excellent scum buster on tubs and tile. And unlike vinegar, hydrogen peroxide doesn’t have a noticeable smell nor does it need to be diluted with water. It’s also handy for washing your produce and whitening your teeth.

3. Lemon Juice

If your house is plagued with alkaline stains like soap scum, crank out the lemon juice. The citric acid in lemons helps break down that annoying scum better than just about anything else. And you can also use lemons to shine up your copper pots and pans so they’ll look like new. But more than that, these tart fruits also are able to sanitize and disinfect non-porous surfaces, and reduce bacteria on hard surfaces — and they smell way better than vinegar.

When life gives you lemons, make household cleaner!

GLASSHOUSE IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

4. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an all-natural essential oil that’s extracted from the leaves of the Australian Melaleuca tree. Because tea tree oil is naturally antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic, it’s commonly used in cosmetics and skincare, but it’s also a great household cleaner when mixed with water. It’s so concentrated that all you need is a few drops to create an effective cleaner. Use it in everyday applications like cleaning countertops and tile. It’s also good for disinfecting areas where pets have had accidents or kids have gotten sick.

5. Soap and Water

If you’re not dealing with a heavy-duty germ situation and just generally want to get your house clean, then soap and water is the original eco-friendly cleaner. Soap provides a lather that’s able to mix oil and water together in a way that attracts and suspends dirt so that it can be rinsed away. So a bucket full of hot, soapy water is always your best bet for cleaning floors, countertops and other household surfaces.