DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Management C onsultants Pvt. L td

IN This Issue FROM THE MANAGING

DIRECTOR’S DESK

EDITOR’S NOTE

MILESTONES

WHY PESSIMISM CAN BE

GOOD

ORIGAMI BRIDGE

CRUNCHY CARROTS FOR

GREENER BUILDINGS

GRANDMA’S CORNER APPENDIX

Cover page photo: Artist’s Impression of Myscapes – Isle of Sky, Hyderabad (Under Construction)

THE ISSUE OF DIMENSIONS IS FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

WHO IS A ‘MANAGER’?

During the recent annual assessment

exercise, one of the questions

debated was ‘Who deserves what

designation?’

Interestingly, I found that the most

coveted designation was ‘Project

Manager’.

But, then, what primary skill sets should

an individual possess to fit into a job of

a ‘manager’?

I did literature research and not

surprisingly, there are a large number

of technical articles published on the

subject.

From the various research papers, I

collated that the most desired top

skills a person must possess to be an

effective ‘manager’ are:

In the order of importance

1. Communication skills (listening

and persuading).

2. Organizing skills (planning,

goal setting and Analyzing)

3. Team building (Empathy,

motivation and team spirit)

4. Leadership skills (Set

examples, delegate, positive)

5. Coping skills (flexibility,

creativity, persistence)

6. Technological skills

(experience, up to date with info)

Therefore, it is very prudent that all of

us who aspire to become ‘managers’

hone our above skills.

Shortly, HR will introduce a system to

assess the above skills as a part of the

goal sheet.

Get ready.

While discussing with Kannan A, co-

ordinator for Chennai region about

how thoroughly the staff goes through

the articles in the newsletter, he gave

an interesting information about

himself.

He said that he made it a point to

share the articles on health (written by

Mary A) with his wife because they

are very practical and helpful in

improving the health of everyone in

the family.

This was good news that articles in the

newsletter are found to have value

and were being utilized.

Similarly there was a good feedback

about an article published sometime

back about how we could improve

our mental health. We were told that

using a few of the techniques mentioned there had helped people

in their families.

So, if we look carefully there will be

usually something in each issue of

value for everyone in the family.

FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR’S DESK Editor’s Note

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 2

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

Welcome to New Employees

Chethan T C joined us on

1.10.18 as Assistant Project Engineer at PES

University

Lijesh Kumar joined us on

01.10.18 as Manager - IT

Anjaneyulu S rejoined us on

11.10.18 as Project Engineer at SRM

University

Ankur Abhishek joined us on

19.10.18 as Consultant for USL, Baramati

Shaik Abdul Kareem joined us

on 22.10.18 as Assistant Project Engineer at

SRM University

Keerthesh joined us on 29.10.18

as Desktop Support Engineer at Head

Office

Birthdays in December

AROGYA MARY J, Bangalore

HO, 8th December

SHIVARAMU B, Bangalore

HO, 10th December

VARSHA S SHINDE,

Bangalore HO, 14th December

MOUNIKA D, Bangalore

HO, 30th December

Prizes

The prize for the Best Answer to the

question asked in the last issue of

Dimensions was awarded to Siva Ram

Krishna A of Jayabheri, Vijayawada

The prize cheque

SIC B M V Kumar of Jayabheri, The Capital

– Vijayawada site receives the prize on

behalf of Siva Rama Krishna.

News from the Sites

Kannan A, Project co-ordinator of Chennai

region at the Fomra site, Chennai

Thyagarajan, MEP Engineer at SRM

University site, Amaravati standing before

the Phase 2 project which has just begun

Ravindra Mikkere (left) with Vinod Lobo at

the VBIS school project, Karjat

Functions

Wedding ceremony of Nemmadi COO, R

Suresha’s son Sunai with Harshitha was held

at Mysore on the 29th November.

The couple Harshitha & Sunai during the

ceremony

Nemmadi staff Megha & Divya (with

children) join the newly-wed couple &

Sunai’s parents for a group photo

MILESTONES

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 3

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

Know Your Project

Corteco, Chennai

Artist’s impression of the completed

plant

Corteco India Pvt. Ltd., was

established in 2013 with the aim of

bringing the brand's global

capabilities and products to the local

market through a local supply chain

focused on the market oriented

needs. Corteco is the sales

organization of the Freudenberg

Group specializing in parts for the

automotive sector.

For the purpose of building a state of

art production facilities for

manufacturing vehicle oil seals, a plot

of SIPCOT at Vadagal, Sriperumbudur, Chennai has been taken. The project

consists of a Pre Engineered Building,

13 m High as the manufacturing unit &

G+2 storied office building,

Warehouse and Utility building.

The Project works is inclusive of Civil,

Pre-Engineered Building, Electrical,

Plumbing, Firefighting, HVAC,

Compressor, Lift, DG, and STP/ETP

items of work.

Pre-Engineered Building sheet

cladding in progress

The Civil work is being executed by S

Subrahmanyan Construction Co.

Private Ltd., Pre-Engineered Structure

by Lloyd Insulaltion India Ltd.,

Electrical works by Ganesh Electricals,

and Firefighting by Metec Design

Engineering Pvt Ltd. A N Prakash

CPMC are the PM Consultants with B R Sreevatsa as the PIC and K

Subramanian the Site-in-charge.

Here, all the construction works

featuring the latest technologies has

been implemented.

Artist’s impression (Bird’s eye-view) of

the completed plant

The plant is built on a plot of 4.29

Acres and has a Built-up area of

about 13,000 Sq.M.

Peripheral works

Provision for parking 38 cars has been

made. The west side of the plot has

been left vacant for future expansion.

FEATURES

The Safe Bearing Capacity of the soil is 36 T/Sq.M; however,

since the natural ground level

in the area where the

manufacturing unit is to be

located had an earth filling

up to 2 mts. a grid of RCC

beam and suspended slab

was done as the floor so that

the risk of floor settlement was

avoided. Vacuum dewatered

process has been used for the

floor top.

Epoxy coating is planned at

specific areas based on the

process requirement.

Racking System has been used for taking all the services

on the pre-engineered

building columns.

The structure above the ground level is a Pre-

Engineered Structure with

insulation by PUF Panels

below the Roof sheet as well

as on the wall cladding.

Busbar Trunking system which has several advantages such

as compact design, better

heat absorption, reduced loss

of energy, ease of distribution

and better safety against

rodents etc., has been used

for Electrical works

3 in 1 Buffer Tank for maintaining varying

temperature in HVAC works.

In-Built air dryer system in Compressor works.

Grooved fittings in firefighting works.

Machine room-less lifts or MRL lift which has advantages

such as saving of building

space as it doesn't require

space for a machine room,

savings in building electricity

of up to 70% and slightly lower

costs.

The EHS (Employee Health & Safety)

matters were very strictly ensured. No

employee was allowed to enter the

site without helmet and safety shoes.

Safety belts were required to be worn

for working at heights.

RCC part of the building

ANPCPMC site staff in front of the

building under construction:

P Alagarsamy, B.Giri Prasad,

K.Subramanian, S Perumal, Shaik

Subhani

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 4

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

WHY PESSIMISM CAN BE GOOD

Thejesha MM, HO,

Pessimists vs Optimists

Here is a quiz for you: (a) Who has a

better chance of having a successful

married life – Pessimists or Optimists?

(b) Who has a better chance of

setting up a successful startup or

business – Pessimists or Optimists?

If you have guessed ‘Optimists’ in

both cases, then you are doubly

wrong. Surprised that you are wrong?

If so, read on…..

Let us first look at love and marriage

and then move on to business.

Love and Marriage

A study, which was spearheaded by

Lisa Neff and Andrew Geers, (The

Journal of Personality and Social

Psychology), said that optimism might

not actually be the best route for

newlyweds - particularly if the

optimism is focused on relationships.

If your outlook on life in general is

positive, the study revealed that you

will be more likely to engage in

positive problem-solving behaviors

when faced with relationship conflict.

In other words, people who are

overall optimists are more likely to talk

it out and feel like things are fixable.

But, there’s a caveat to that.

The study showed that people who

are very optimistic about their

relationships (specifically) tend to

have bad coping mechanisms when

things go wrong. The reason why is

because people who focused all their

optimism on relationships tend to

forget to approach their problems in a

healthy way. They tend to assume

that their partners will fix everything

without their help.

Moreover, people who had all their

optimism in their relationships tend to

have more unrealistic

expectations. And, when people tend

to think they’re going to get their “pie

in the sky” spouse, this often leads to

disappointment. The study later

revealed that people who focus their

optimism on relationships tend to

have “steeper declines in marital

wellbeing over time.”

Additionally, being too optimistic

about a partner may make them

ignore red flags. This in turn can make

them choose a partner they think they

can “change.” This foolhardy

approach means that they may be

more likely to end up with a partner

that isn’t actually compatible, in

hopes that things will turn around.

People who are overly positive about

their spouses also tend to think things

will improve, even when the writing is

on the wall about the

relationship. People who tend to be

very optimistic about relationships

may, for example, think an abusive

partner will change even though

there’s no indicator that anything will happen of the sort. They may also try

to make things work by putting their

needs aside until they’re basically a

servant for the spouse.

And, because they don’t have the

positive coping skills of a “globally

optimistic” person, they tend to lash

out in anger or sulk if their partner

doesn’t measure up. This in turn tends

to mean that there will be more

arguments, resentment, and

sadness…even if the partner is trying

their hardest to resolve the issues that

are causing strife.

Meanwhile, pessimists tend to be very

cautious about dating and

love. Which means that they will be

quick to dump people if they feel like

something could end up hurting them

in the long run. Because they’re more

choosy, they are less likely to be willing

to marry someone they feel is a risk -

and that can lead to less likelihood of

trouble down the road.

Also, pessimists are more likely to

prepare for catastrophe than optimists

are. A pessimist will see a lot of

potential threats to their relationship,

and will work to have contingency

plans just in case something happens

that would wreck their love life. This

means that a pessimist’s coping skills

may be better than optimists in times

of trouble.

Pessimists also have lower

expectations than optimists

do. Pessimists know that Prince (or

Princess) Charming doesn’t exist. And

they will realize that everyone is

human, which means they’re more

likely to be forgiving about flaws that

really don’t matter in the long run. So,

they won’t act disappointed when

things don’t go their way.

So, if you want to see who’ll be a

good spouse, don’t look for the one

who’s overly sunny about your

relationship. Look for the one who’s

pessimistic, or at least, optimistic

about everything in life. You will find

they’ll be a lot more levelheaded

than the relational optimist when bad

things happen in love.

How Optimism Can Affect Our

Financial Decisions Adversely

Research shows optimists make risky

investments, gamble, & postpone

saving money

Optimism is a starry-eyed worldview

about the future. It affects how each

of us sees and responds to people

around us and things that happen to

us. And it shapes our every decision

and action.

There is one area of life, however,

where the net effects of optimism are

not necessarily positive. And that is the

area of personal finances. The

available research shows that

optimism’s effects on

financial decision making are mostly

negative.

1) Optimists make riskier investments.

This is one reason for gender

differences in investment decisions.

The strongest evidence for the

optimism – risky investment

relationship comes from economic

studies of gender differences in

investing. They find that women invest

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 5

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

money more conservatively whereas

men prefer to invest in riskier ways.

Why? There two reasons for this. The

first explanation has to do with risk

preferences. Men tend to be less risk-

averse than women, so they invest in

riskier ways. The other reason,

discovered recently by a team of

business professors led by Ben

Jacobsen, is that optimism plays a

role. Women, by and large, tend to

be less optimistic than men, which

fuels their cautious decision making.

For example, investing too

much retirement money in an

employer’s company stock is

dangerous. Just consider what

happened to hundreds of Enron

Corporation employees a decade

ago. Having invested all their savings

in company stock, many thought they

had millions put away for comfortable

retirements. But then the company

imploded. Virtually all their retirement

savings evaporated, leaving many to

face unbelievable hardship in their

waning years. Despite the horror of

this story, riskier investments are not

necessarily bad. In fact, over the

longer term, investing in a diversified

basket of risky assets like stocks

consistently is a good thing.

All other things equal, a conservative

investment strategy results in less

retirement income on average than a

more aggressive strategy.

But this is only true if the person saves

for retirement consistently, puts

retirement savings in a diversified

portfolio of risky investments when

they are young, and shifts their

allocation to more conservative

investments as retirement draws

closer.

2) Optimists gamble with the aim of

winning money.

Worse still, they continue gambling

even when they are losing.

Where the effects of the optimism –

risky investment link are mixed,

optimists’ preference for gambling

doesn’t have any redeeming aspects

at all. A well-cited 2004 study found

that optimists harbored more positive

expectations about gambling (which

the researchers measured using

statements like “When I gamble, I

expect to win” and “When I lose at

gambling, I sometimes keep playing

because I am confident I will be able

to win back my money”). They were

also more likely to gamble in order to

win money as opposed to simply

having fun. What is more, optimists

tended to over-estimate how much they had won in the past, and

continued gambling even after they

had lost.

Data does not support, and it is not

suggested, that optimists are more

likely than pessimists to become

involved in gambling. Data do

suggest, however, that optimists are

more likely to maintain the belief that

they can win at gambling and to

persist in gambling following losses.

3) Optimists defer saving money to the

future.

Of all the negative effects of optimism

on financial decisions, this one has the

potential to produce the most long-

term harm to the most number of

people.

When participants were asked how

much they would save next March vs.

how much they would save next

month, they gave significantly higher

estimates for next March (or other

future months). Why? When thinking

about the more distant future, people

were more optimistic, thinking they

would save more money then. But

when the time actually came, they

saved even less money than those

who were only thinking about the next

month.

Optimism is also one reason why

Americans tend to save less money

than, say, the Chinese. In other

research it is found that Americans

tend to believe in their future progress

and success, and think they will have

higher income in the future then they

do now. So they postpone saving

money right away, and fall into the

trap of “perpetual saving deferral.”

We can be optimistic and financially

prudent at the same time.

The key to being both optimistic and

financially savvy is to focus on the

present. While an optimistic outlook

provides us with a rosy outlook, it also

turns our minds towards the future. As

we have seen, when making

decisions about money, a future-focus

can be harmful.

The trick is to shift our focus away from

the future and back towards our

present. There are many ways to do

this. The Chinese do this by adopting a

“cyclical mindset” that emphasizes

the aspects of life that repeat.

Fortunately, once our attention locks

in on the present, optimism produces

benefits again. It helps us see the

positive aspects of the possessions

and the relationships we already

have. Retail therapy no longer seems

necessary to alleviate the negative

feelings from a bad day. Instead,

there is a sense of contentment. In

such a mental state, it is easy to make

prudent decisions about spending

and saving money.

You have to know when to walk

away.

When they first start out, many

entrepreneurs believe that the key to

success is never quitting. Nope! There

are many times when quitting is

completely appropriate and

necessary, and it’s important to

recognize them.

Kenny Rogers laid out a pretty good

entrepreneurial strategy in The Gambler: "You got to know when to

hold 'em and know when to fold 'em.

Know when to walk away, and know

when to run!" Shark Tank star Kevin

O’Leary says that if you aren’t making

a profit after 36 months, you don’t

have a business . . . you’ve got a

hobby!! If you’re investing all your

time, money and energy into a

hobby, it’s time to walk away (Or

maybe run!).

The Realist: Armed with a raincoat knowing

that weather can be unpredictable

Partly based on articles by Ossiana

Tepfenhart and Utpal Dholakia Ph.D.

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 6

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

ORIGAMI BRIDGE

Suhas N M, HO

Civil Engineers deal with infrastructure

everywhere. When natural disasters hit

the already frail bridges, roads, and

buildings, they are bound to break.

When earthquakes strike, the origami-

like Mobile Bridge Version 4.0 can be

used to save the lives of many.

Origami butterflies

This quickly retractable portable

bridge is not only effective, but it is

also aesthetically pleasing. Moreover,

it can be used to temporary take the

places of permanent bridges while in

repair. Dr. Ichiro Ario, an assistant

professor at Hiroshima University,

believes that this innovation in bridge

engineering opens up a new stage in

bridge technology.

History

Dr. Ario's creation is not the first mobile

bridge that has been made. In order

for soldiers to cross rivers and gorges,

armies have been making temporary

bridges dating back to the Greeks

and even the Persians.

The earliest kinds are floating bridges

called pontoon bridges. They are

stationary boats with planks on top to

make it easier for soldiers cross. As

time elapsed, the pontoons became

a regular part of armies.

To improve them, they were fitted with

leather, copper, and tin in addition to

the timber by ancient engineers.

However, these additions did not

change the fact that pontoons could

work only if there was a body of

water. In more recent times, truss

bridges and scissors assault bridges

have been used to overcome this

challenge.

In spite of the fact that these bridges

can be made relatively quickly, there

are inconveniences in building them

in an emergency situation. Truss

bridges often require cranes and

structural engineers to build. The

scissor assault bridge, on the other hand, does not need a crane or a

structural engineer, but it depends on

a tank to transport and deploy. Tanks

are expensive are not common in

many countries that might need an

emergency bridge, so it is not a

feasible option.

US Army crossing the Rhine on heavy

pontoon bridge, March 1945

Mobile Bridge Version 4.0

Dr. Paolo Beccarelli, assistant professor

in architectural structures at the

University of Nottingham explains that

the crucial point is how to expand a

portable bridge. Usually a crane and

a team of technicians is needed, but

not in this case. The assistant professor

at Hiroshima University took into

account of the problems of the other

portable bridges, and conceived of a

bridge that bypasses these issues.

The Mobile Bridge 4.0 has a unique

scissor-like construction based loosely

on the traditional Japanese art of

Origami that allows it to expand and

fold quickly. The members of the

scissor mechanism begin at a vertical,

stored state, and they are gradually

sloped until the members reach a 60

degree angle to the vertical.

Moreover, the robotic bridge is

developed for high mobility and

functionality, so it requires no

foundation nor crane, making it

cheap and easy to set up.

Dr. Ario and his team made it simple enough to deploy without an expert in

structural engineering. In addition, it

was made compact enough that it

can be carried in a trailer in order to

ensure mobility. This robotic bridge is

the fastest, largest, strongest and

lightest expanding bridge in the world.

It can be fully deployed in around an

hour since the time of arrival while the

actual extension takes only five

minutes. This speed is achievable because, unlike other portable

bridges, the platform and the bridge

expand simultaneously. The team of

engineers at Hiroshima University have

improved on their past mobile bridge

significantly. The Mobile Bridge 1.0

had a maximum extension of around

7 meters, but the Mobile Bridge 4.0

can expand to up to 20.8 meters.

Striving to improve on what he has

already accomplished, Dr. Ario plans

on making the Mobile Bridge faster,

lighter, longer, stronger, and more

compact.

Origami Bridge

APPLICATIONS

Natural Disasters

Dr. Ario's vision is that the Mobile

Bridge to be used in the aftermath of

an earthquake or other natural

disaster when the quick reconstruction

of infrastructure and the rescuing of

affected civilians are necessary.

Landslides often collapse bridges and

produce chasms and floods caused

by cyclones tear apart roads and

bridges. Without an accessible bridge,

these chasms many times make it

difficult to reach people who need

medical attention.

Bridge Repair

They can be used as temporary

bridges while permanent ones are

being repaired.

Reference: Novel scissor-like bridge

structure for use during

emergencies. (2015). AlphaGalileo. (O

nline article).

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A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

By Achyutkumar A, HO

Lancaster University researchers Prof.

Mohamed Saafi and Hasan Hasan look

into a bucket containing carrot mixture to

be added to concrete in their laboratory in

Lancaster, England

Researchers at Britain's Lancaster

University are reporting that they've

made concrete stronger and more

eco-friendly by using "nano platelets"

derived from root vegetable fibers.

The root vegetable nano platelets —

which work by increasing the amount

of calcium silicate hydrate, the

primary substance that gives

concrete its strength – outperformed

all currently available cement

additives. This includes more costly

sources like graphene and carbon

nanotubes.

The proof-of-concept study is being

led by Prof. Mohamed Saafi. He tells

us that the cellulose-based platelets

(which were produced in

collaboration with Scottish firm

CelluComp) are basically "nano

sheets synthesized from carrot and

sugar beet root." Those vegetables

were obtained as waste products

from the food industry.

When added to a traditional

concrete mix (cement, aggregate

and water), the platelets increase the

amount of calcium silicate hydrate –

it's the main product of the hydration

of Portland cement, and is chiefly

responsible for the strength of

concrete.

In lab tests, adding the platelets made

concrete significantly stronger, to the

point that 40 kg less Portland cement

per cubic meter of concrete was

required in order to achieve the same strength as would otherwise have

been possible.

This means that less concrete would

need to be used in any given

structure, which is important to the

environment, as cement production is

a large source of manmade carbon

dioxide emissions.

Additionally, adding the platelets was

found to boost the density of the

concrete's microstructure, which

would allow structures to last longer

by being more resistant to corrosion.

As a result, those structures wouldn't

need to be replaced as often, further

reducing the amount of cement

required by the construction industry.

The scientists are also looking into

creating thin nano platelet-based

sheets, which would be applied to the

outside of existing structures made

from traditional concrete. The sheets

could increase the lifespan of those

structures, by providing additional

strength.

The thinking is that with stronger

concrete, less of the material will be

required for a building of the same

scale.

Even a small reduction in quantity

could make a big impact, given that

the production of cement - the key

ingredient in concrete could account

for as much as eight per cent of the

world's total carbon dioxide emissions.

This is because carbon dioxide is a by-

product of the chemical conversion

that takes place during cement

production. The process also requires the cement to be heated to very high

temperatures, often via the burning of

fossil fuels.

“We found out you could increase

the strength of concrete by 80

percent by using a small amount of

this new material,” Mohamed Saafi

told Reuters.

The addition of carrots prevent any

cracks in the concrete, the team said.

The carrot particles are provided by

CelluComp, a Scottish-based

company who work on the

development of sustainable materials.

CelluComp CEO Christian Kemp-Griffin explained that a carrot is made

up of nearly entirely of water but still

stays rigid and crunchy because of

cellulose, a fibrous substance found in

all plants.

“Those fibres have strength

characteristics in them. It’s the

building blocks of the strength of a

vegetable,” Cellulose is also found in

wood, but is easier to extract from

vegetables. With large amounts of

vegetable waste available as a by-

product of agriculture, it is a cheap

and environmentally friendly source of

the fiber.

Only a tiny amount of cellulose is

needed to alter the properties of

cement because it changes the way

water behaves during the process

when cement hardens.

“It’s not the physical fiber that’s

causing the strength. It’s the way it

holds water. Our material loves to hold

onto water. There is a chemical

reaction happening between the

fibers and the cement.”

Saafi’s team will continue to test their

mixtures with sugar beets also being

used as CelluComp can get large

amounts of inexpensive beet pulp left

over after sugar production.

The vegetable-based cementitious

composites were also found to have a

denser microstructure, which is

important to prevent corrosion and

increasing the lifespan of the

materials.

Reference: REUTERS, OCT 20, 2018

CRUNCHY CARROTS FOR

GREENER BUILDINGS

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 8

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

A monthly contribution by Mary A

Salt

Ages ago, in the distant past, when

life moved from the water to land, it

carried within itself the composition of

water as it was then. Time passed and

the mix of the minerals in the seas and

oceans changed, but that in the living

creatures remained more or less the

same.

The salt that we use nowadays

contains a very different mix of

chemicals when compared to the

ancient days and is not the salt which

is best suited to our system. If you

need a salt which contains the

correct balance of chemicals then

the only option is to go for fossilized

salt which is what could be nearer to

the salt of eons ago.

When it comes to matters of health,

salt has got bad press. It's that cheap

condiment and hidden food flavoring

with the hidden health risks. Slowly,

almost imperceptibly, it can strain

your heart and blood pressure,

bringing that fateful day a little closer.

Studies indicate it might also increase

your risk of brittle bones and other

ailments.

But some experts argue that salt could

be just what we need for healing,

health and longevity. Modern salt,

they agree, is unhealthy. But common

table salt has almost nothing in

common with traditional salt, say the

salt connoisseurs.

Just look at the rose-colored crystals

of Himalayan rock salt, or the grey

texture of Celtic salt – both pride

themselves on traditional harvesting,

avoiding heat treatment or refining

methods – and you know you're

getting something special, not least

that when you taste them, they

actually have flavor. And unlike the

sodium chloride you find on most

kitchen tables, unrefined rock salt

contains more than 84 different

minerals.

"These mineral salts are identical to

the elements of which our bodies

have been built and were originally

found in the primal ocean from where

life originated," argues Dr Barbara

Hendel, researcher and co-author of

Water & Salt, The Essence of Life. "We

have salty tears and salty perspiration.

The chemical and mineral

composition of our blood and body

fluids are similar to sea water of the

time when we entered land. From the

beginning of life, as unborn babies,

we are encased in a sack of salty

fluid."

Historically, these mineral salts were

the commodities that trade routes

and cities such as Saltzberg grew up

around. Once known as "white gold",

salt was, and still is, essential for

virtually all biological processes.

Without mineral salts, says Dr Hendel,

there would be no movement,

memory or thought and your heart

wouldn't beat.

"In water, salt dissolves into mineral

ions," explains Dr Hendel. "These

conduct electrical nerve impulses that

drive muscle movement and thought

processes. Just the simple act of

drinking a glass of water requires

millions of instructions that come from

mineral ions. They're also needed to

balance PH levels in the body."

Mineral salts, she says, are healthy

because they give your body the

variety of mineral ions needed to

balance its functions, remain healthy

and heal. These healing properties

have long been recognized in central

Europe.

At Wieliczka in Poland, a hospital has

been carved in a salt mountain.

Asthmatics and patients with lung

disease and allergies find that

breathing air in the saline

underground chambers helps improve symptoms in 90 per cent of cases.

Dr Hendel believes too few minerals,

rather than too much salt, may be to

blame for health problems. It's a view

that is echoed by other academics

such as David McCarron, of Oregon

Health Sciences University in the US.

He says salt has always been part of

the human diet, but what has

changed is the mineral content of our

food. Instead of eating food high in

minerals, such as nuts, fruit and

vegetables, people are filling

themselves up with "mineral empty"

processed food and fizzy drinks.

Due to modern farming methods, fruit

and vegetables are much lower in

minerals than they once were.

Meanwhile, table salt is stripped of all

minerals save for sodium and chloride.

These changes, he believes, are

responsible for the current prevalence

of high blood pressure.

Nutritionist Patrick Holford goes one

step further. He claims that high-

sodium table salt has more to

account for than just high blood

pressure and heart disease and can

actually create mineral imbalances

that lead to health problems.

"Minerals work together and need to

be balanced," he explains. "For

example, potassium and magnesium

works with sodium to regulate water

balance and nerve and muscle impulses. The more sodium you eat,

the more potassium and magnesium

you need. Few of us eat enough of

these, yet we eat high amounts of

sodium in salt. This leads to potassium

and magnesium deficiency, where

muscles become tight, nerves

become over stimulated and you feel

more anxious."

As magnesium is involved in

maintaining bone density and

hormone balance, low levels may

compromise bone strength and lead

to premenstrual problems. That's

where swapping table salt for mineral-

rich salt can make a difference.

The points above have not been

validated 100% by the medical

fraternity, but then what do we have

to lose by using mineral salts? Nothing,

except may be a hole in your pocket.

But the experience of tasting a dish with natural salts that retain the flavor

of the places they are made is

something that has to be

experienced.

GRANDMA’S CORNER

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 9

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

Shades of Salt: 5 Different colored

Natural Salts to Enhance Your Dining

Experience

These savory crystals come in more

shades than just pure white.

To all cooks, salt is life. The delicate

crystals are what enhances every dish

that is put out to diners — be it in soups, sauces, or as a finishing sprinkle

over the top.

Yet, beyond the fine white sea salt

most are familiar with is a whole new

world of naturally-coloured salts

waiting to be discovered. Nurtured by

the power of the nature and time,

their colour and taste reflect the

distinctive terrain and history of the

origin. We take a look at five of these

tinted grains that are worthy of being

precious jewels in the culinary world.

Black Salt

A kind of rock salt, the black salt is

created through contact with

volcanic charcoal and activated

carbon underground. The most

popular types include the Cyprus

Black Salt and the Black Lava Salt

from Hawaii.

Black Salt

The black salt is a perfect match for

dishes such as grilled white asparagus

and veal, not only because it provides

a contrast in colour, but also because

it enhances the flavours.

Pink Salt

Pink salt has become trendy over the

last few years thanks to many upscale

supermarkets introducing Himalayan

Pink Salt. It more than meets the eyes

– Himalayan salt’s colour reveals the

mineral composition in the particles.

The darker it gets, the more minerals it

contains. Such mineral content

contributes to the subtle sweet notes

in the salt. With a gentler flavour

profile, Himalayan salt is commonly

used in cold starters.

When the salt is first mined, it appears

as a large block, and needs to be

shaved into small flakes before

cooking. Obtaining this coveted condiment is no easy affair. Skilled

local workers follow traditional

methods to harvest the salt by hand in

the Salt Range in the foothills of the

Himalayan Mountains.

Pink Salt Continents apart, pink salt can also be

found among the Andes Mountains.

The terraced fields in Maras, Peru

have been fed with mountainous

springs to produce the Peruvian Pink

Salt since the ancient Incan times. Its

Australian counterpart, the Murray

River Salt, is born from a different type

of terrain. High evaporation rate

provides conditions for salt crystals to

form in the mineralised brine, and the

result is the gorgeous pink-orange

grains enriched by the carotene from

the surrounding algae.

Blue Salt

Hailing from the mountains of Ergourz

in Northern Iran, the Persian Blue Salt is

the blue blood in the salt family.

Blue Salt

Some call it a “fossil salt” not without

good reason. It was made million

years ago and when the salt

crystallised, it endured intense

pressure so that the grain fractures

light unusually.

Its dreamy blue hue is generated in

this way as an optical illusion like

glaciers. The high price of this edible

sapphire warrants its expensive

pairings.

Red Salt

The rare geographic conditions in

Hawaii give rise to more than one

speciality salt produced in the islands.

Besides the Black Lava Salt, the

Hawaiian Alaea Salt is another variety

that absorbs what the nutrient-filled

landscape has to offer. Alaea is a

volcanic clay filled with 80 kinds of

minerals. Its iron content is especially

high to imbue the salt a fiery tint.

Red Salt

It is usually applied on meat while

marinating.

Grey Salt

Sel gris de Guérande from French

Brittany is one of the better-known

grey salts.

Grey Salt

Celtic salt is collected from sea shores

around Brittany and dried in the sun

and wind. It is grey and moist,

reflecting the mineral content and

capacity to hold water, and is

credited with health benefits such as

lowering blood pressure.

DIMENSIONS VOL.10, ISSUE 11, NOV 2018 10

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Project Manage ment Consultants Pvt. L td

APPENDIX

Question of the Last Month was:

Who are the persons in the picture

below and what is being whispered?

The first correct answer will receive the

prize and the names of all those who have

given the correct replies shall be published

in the next issue.

Here is the list of those who had

answered the question:

We thank each one of you for having

taken part in this competition.

The winner is Suhas N M from HO. The

correct answer is Chief of Staff of the

White House, Andy Card & President of

the USA, George Bush. Andy Card is

whispering that the second plane had

hit the second tower and that the

country was under attack.

You may have noticed that two

participants who had answered

before Suhas have not won the prize.

The reason is that although they knew

the correct answer, in their hurry to

send the reply, the answers were not

complete in all respects, hence the

disqualification.

Since haste lost the prize for two of the

participants, we are giving you a

moral story on how to avoid waste

due to haste.

A Moral Story: Haste makes Waste

A woman had a pet mongoose. It

was very faithful. One day she went to

the market, leaving her baby in the

care of the mongoose.

At that time a big cobra entered the

house. The mongoose killed it after a

long and fierce fight.

When the woman came back she

saw the mongoose lying at the

entrance. She noticed its blood-

covered mouth.

In her haste the woman thought that

the mongoose had killed her baby. In

a moment of sudden fury, the woman

threw the water pot on the mongoose

and killed it.

Alas! When she entered the house she

was filled with remorse. Her baby was

playing cheerfully.

Nearby a big cobra lay dead. The

woman shed tears of grief fondling

the carcass of the mongoose.

Question of the Month:

The question of this month is

connected with that of the question

asked the last month.

We saw the Chief of Staff of the White

House Andy Card whispering to the

President that the second airplane

had hit the second tower and that America was under attack.

What happened after that was

somewhat unexpected. Instead of

getting immediately galvanized to

action, Bush calmly continues to sit

and listen to the children. After that he

gives a bit of advice too, to the

children, that they must read more

and watch less television. It was only

then that he got down to business.

There has been criticism at this

behavior of Bush. The country was

being attacked by an unknown entity

and here was the President calmly

sitting and listening to some story

about a pet goat.

But what do you think about such a

behavior – was it the right thing to do,

and what would you have done in

such a situation.

You may send your answer in not

more than 250 words. The best answer

submitted by Dec 24, 6.00 pm will be

selected for the prize.

For inspiration in answering the

question, you may like to watch the

recital of “The Pet Goat” to the

President: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na600...

For the curious, "The Pet Goat" is the

story of a girl's pet goat that eats

everything in its path. The girl's parents

want to get rid of the goat, but she

defends it. In the end, the goat

becomes a hero when it butts a car

thief into submission.

Editorial team

Roy Zacharias, Editor

Editorial Board: R Suresha, Divya K

We welcome your valuable suggestions,

comments and articles. Mail it to:

academy@anpcpmc.com

Publication of comments and articles are

subject to editorial control and discretion.

You may have noticed that all the

contributors in this issue are from the Head

Office. We would like everybody’s

contribution and hence we request all the

sites to send articles for publication.

Sl.

No. Name Site

Time taken

to reply

1 Uday Prakash HO 0 h -14 m

2

Siva Rama

Krishna A

Jayabheri -

Vijayawada 0 h -27 m

3 Suhas N M HO 0 h - 45 m

4 Jagadiswar K

Jayabheri -

Vijayawada 1 h - 33 m

5 Vyas V S HO 2 h - 10 m

6 Shankara C S

Himmatsingka,

Hassan 2 h - 58 m

7 Arjun Kumar K Ramky 1 Galaxia 3 h - 23 m

8 Bajibabu P

SRM University,

Amaravati 3 h - 41 m

9 Rudresh L

Baddi, Himachal

Pradesh 5 h - 05 m

10 Bharat Kumar E B & B, Bangalore 8 h - 02 m

11 Guruprasad B S

Himmatsingka,

Hassan 8 h - 32 m

12 Dipali A D HO 10 h - 33 m

13 Mohd. Rizwan R HO Next day

14 Swastika P HO Next day