An Analysis of Antibody Response to COVID-19 Vaccination Among Medicos in a Predominantly Tribal State in India: A Comparative Study.

Introduction Global health is still being impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Objectives We evaluated the antibody response in this study in individuals who received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, both with and without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methodology It was a hospital-based cross-sectional study conducted among healthcare personnel at a tertiary institution of a predominantly tribal state in India. Results A total of 187 medical students made up the vaccinee group; the majority (152; 81.3%) were between the ages of 18 and 23; 128 (68.4%) of the students were female; and 104 (55.6%) had received the Covishield (AstraZeneca plc, England, UK) vaccination. Of the subjects, 51 (27.3%) had a history of COVID-19 infection. For those who were infected, the antibody titer peaked after six months, whereas it took twice as long for those who were not. Up to a year later, the antibody titers for Covaxin (Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad, India) and Covishield remained equal; however, Covishield titers drastically decreased while Covaxin stayed constant when an infection history was present. Conclusion The study's findings show that immunization in individuals who have previously contracted COVID-19 induces a higher level of antibody response than immunization in individuals who have not previously contracted the virus.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Blood Donation Patterns: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Blood centers, which are arguably the backbone of every hospital, depend on blood donors for a constant and regular supply of blood. Like many other fields, the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected blood donations. In this article, we aim to systematically search the studies done on blood donation during the COVID-19 pandemic period, analyze the pandemic's effect on blood donation, and examine the methodology used to overcome the problem. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood donation. Two independent reviewers searched different databases, such as PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and Google Scholar. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for overall study characteristics. We included a total of 15 studies. There was an overall decrease in blood donation of 25%, with some regions showing a decrease of as much as 71%. However, some regions were able to experience a 2-10% increase in blood donation after taking stringent and early measures to prevent such decreases. The COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdown greatly affected blood transfusion services, resulting in a progressive decline in blood donations that threatened the lives of many patients who were fully dependent on blood transfusion. However, by making appropriate and early decisions and taking action, policymakers and the rest of society can prevent such shortages, potentially saving millions of lives.

Evaluation of the Health and Nutritional Status of Discharged Children From Malnutrition Treatment Centres Using Mobile Phone Calls During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Jharkhand, India.

Background The Indian state of Jharkhand has the highest rate of wasting (29%) among young children. Mobile audio call follow-up can be used to assess such children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Aim This study evaluated SAM children during the COVID-19 outbreak and learn more about the status of their home/community care, and caregivers' awareness of integrated child development services (ICDS) and COVID-19 prevention. Methods Contact numbers of caregivers for discharged children were obtained from 54 malnutrition treatment centers (MTCs). In April and June 2020, mentors conducted follow-up interviews using mobile phone calls. Results Seven children (1.72%) were reported dead and 400 were alive, mostly girls (59.5%). Only a few caregivers observed post-discharge ailments (15.4%) and weight loss (7.7%) in their children. Children aged six to 24 months were characterized by continued breastfeeding (88.0%) at most five to six times a day (45.8%). Most of the children were not fed as per maternal infant and young child feeding protocols. Age in months with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.55 (1.00-1.11) as a 95% confidence interval (CI), age category, with an adjusted OR of 4.32 (1.71- 10.94) as 95% CI, and breastfeeding with adjusted OR 1.85 (1.07- 3.21) as 95% CI were three major predictors for a well-fed child. Conclusion Community involvement is crucial in the follow-up of children with SAM for effective rehabilitation. Mobile phone audio call follow-up is a relatively cost-effective approach to tackle geographic barriers and COVID-19 lockdown-induced situations. There are major gaps mainly in informing caregivers on how to manage COVID-19 with breastfeeding.

A universal green approach for the synthesis of NPS-codoped carbon quantum dots with enhanced broad-spectrum antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Bio-inspired quantum dots have received widespread attention in recent years due to their great potential for biological applications. Herein, we report a one pot hydrothermal synthesis of nitrogen-phosphorus-sulphur (NPS)-codoped carbon quantum dots from endophytic bacteria without using any additional doping precursor. The synthesized CQDs were thoroughly characterized and interestingly found to have a graphene like structure. The synthesized CQDs were then utilized in bactericidal activities against Gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive bacteria like the Bacillus subtilis strain. The strains were treated with different concentrations ranging from 5-100 µg ml-1. The 5 µg ml-1 concentration appeared to be the MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) and 100 µg ml-1 is the MBC (minimum bactericidal concentration) maintaining a short incubation period of one hour. A simple, cost-effective and eco-friendly approach to synthesize multi-elemental doped CQDs would certainly cause the method to be used in future for diverse biological applications. As compared to the broadly used antibiotics, the developed CQDs have some added advantages including lower cytotoxicity, excellent photo-stability and high selectivity.

The functional role of Ire1 in regulating autophagy and proteasomal degradation under prolonged proteotoxic stress.

Inhibition of endoribonuclease/kinase Ire1 has shown beneficial effects in many proteotoxicity-induced pathology models. The mechanism by which this occurs has not been elucidated completely. Using a proteotoxic yeast model of Huntington's disease, we show that the deletion of Ire1 led to lower protein aggregation at longer time points. The rate of protein degradation was higher in ΔIre1 cells. We monitored the two major protein degradation mechanisms in the cell. The increase in expression of Rpn4, coding for the transcription factor controlling proteasome biogenesis, was higher in ΔIre1 cells. The chymotrypsin-like proteasomal activity was also significantly enhanced in these cells at later time points of aggregation. The gene and protein expression levels of the autophagy gene Atg8 were higher in ΔIre1 than in wild-type cells. Significant increase in autophagy flux was also seen in ΔIre1 cells at later time points of aggregation. The results suggest that the deletion of Ire1 activates UPR-independent arms of the proteostasis network, especially under conditions of aggravated stress. Thus, the inhibition of Ire1 may regulate UPR-independent cellular stress-response pathways under prolonged stress.

Electrophysiological and Visual Parameter Changes in Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients undergoing Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy: A Randomized Control Trial.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections in suprachoroidal space and subtenon space in cases of retinitis pigmentosa, which is a genetic disease, leading to gradual loss of vision. Till date, no treatment is available. Methods: Seventy-eight eyes of 39 patients of retinitis pigmentosa having visual acuity ranging from reading of Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) chart from 1 m onward to patients who were not able to read the ETDRS chart but whose visual acuity ranged from finger count close to face to <1 m were included in the study. The left and right eyes of each patient were randomized as the intervention eye and control eye. 0.2 mL of autologous PRP was injected in suprachoroidal space and 0.5 mL of PRP was injected in subtenon space of the intervention eye taking aseptic precautions. Injections were repeated at 15-day intervals up to 3 injections. Results: Majority of patients were in the age group of 18-30 years (20 cases) followed by 31-45 years (13 cases) and more than 45 years (6 cases). Intervention eyes showed a statistically significant improvement in visual acuity and multifocal electroretinography (mfERG). Improvement was noted in amplitude density latency and in ring ratio of mfERG. There was a significant improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). However, no improvement in mfERG or BCVA was observed in the control group. Conclusions: Gene therapy may be the ultimate cure for retinitis pigmentosa, but it is unaffordable for many patients due to its high cost. PRP may be recognized as a modality to improve vision and stop further deterioration, especially in cases where functional vision is preserved. Negligible treatment costs and affordability will give power to economically disadvantaged patients.

Drivers for COVID 19 vaccine hesitancy among breastfeeding women in Eastern tribal state, India.

Background: In the COVID-19 pandemic age, vaccination hesitancy also known as vaccine refusal is a cause for worry since it hinges on the five Cs of confidence, complacency, convenience, calculation, and shared responsibility. The current study was to pinpoint the elements that contribute to breastfeeding women's hesitation to receive the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) vaccine. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tertiary Care Hospital, Ranchi, Jharkhand. Result: Out of 365 nursing mothers, 242 (66.3%) were hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccination. Those who chose not to receive the COVID-19 vaccination mostly belong to those aged 18 to 25 (38.1%), living in rural regions (44.9%), and belonging to non-tribal ethnic groups (41.1%). On application of logistic regression, it was found that rural areas had 3 times higher rate of vaccine hesitancy than urban residents, and that husbands' education levels up to the 12th grade had a 3.55 times higher rate and 5 times agriculture by husband's occupation, which was statistically significant (P value less than 0.05) The most prevalent grounds for rejection were fear of side effects (85.8%) and worry of adverse effects on newborns (83.48%). Conclusion: Both husband and wife, who had completed high school and were aware of the vaccination, were fearful of the COVID-19 vaccine. Concerns about the side effects and undesirable effects of vaccination on their newborns were the main reasons for refusal.

Citrus Essential Oils in Aromatherapy: Therapeutic Effects and Mechanisms.

Citrus is one of the main fruit crops cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Approximately half (40-47%) of the fruit mass is inedible and discarded as waste after processing, which causes pollution to the environment. Essential oils (EOs) are aromatic compounds found in significant quantities in oil sacs or oil glands present in the leaves, flowers, and fruit peels (mainly the flavedo part). Citrus EO is a complex mixture of ~400 compounds and has been found to be useful in aromatic infusions for personal health care, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, color enhancers in foods and beverages, and aromatherapy. The citrus EOs possess a pleasant scent, and impart relaxing, calming, mood-uplifting, and cheer-enhancing effects. In aromatherapy, it is applied either in message oils or in diffusion sprays for homes and vehicle sittings. The diffusion creates a fresh feeling and enhances relaxation from stress and anxiety and helps uplifting mood and boosting emotional and physical energy. This review presents a comprehensive outlook on the composition, properties, characterization, and mechanism of action of the citrus EOs in various health-related issues, with a focus on its antioxidant properties.

An Epidemiological Study of Outbreak Investigation of Chickenpox in Remote Hamlets of a Tribal State in India.

BACKGROUND: Chickenpox is a benign, self-limiting disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that is transmitted from person to person with direct contact or airborne spread, which usually lasts for five to seven days. There was a sudden increase in the number of cases of fever along with rashes at two sites in Jharkhand, India. We aimed to survey and establish the etiology and investigate the extent of the disease. METHODS: We defined the case of chickenpox as a person with acute onset of diffuse maculo-papulovesicular rash. From the clinically suspected cases, blood samples were collected and tested for anti-VZV immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies (depending on the clinical features) with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (Novatec Immundiagnostica GmbH, Dietzenbach, Germany). A detailed history was collected from each case including the history of contacts and immunization status. RESULTS: The outbreak investigations were done at two villages of the two different blocks and one school in the Bharno block. According to the case definition, 16 persons were found affected by the varicella-zoster/chickenpox infection who belonged to five different households of Itkhori village in Chatra district. The age group varied from four to 45 years. The mean age was 20.28 years. Out of 16 cases, 10 (62.5%) cases complained of fever, rashes, and itching, two (12.5%) reported rashes and fever, and four (25%) complained of itching along with rashes. While at the Bharno block of Gumla district, out of 62 cases that fulfilled the case definition, 55 (88.7%) cases complained of fever, rashes, and itching, two (3.2%) reported itching and rashes, one (1.6%) reported vomiting along with fever and rashes, one (1.6%) complained about pain and rashes, one (1.6%) complained of cough with rashes, and four (25%) complained of itching along with rashes. There was neither any death nor any serious complication noted due to varicella. CONCLUSION: Chickenpox is still widespread in Northern parts of India like Jharkhand. Most of the cases were self-limiting and recovered at the Itkhori block, while at the Bharno block, there were 20 active cases and the rest were either recovered or were still in the recovery phase.

Prevalence of Amoebiasis and Associated Complications in India: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: Intestinal protozoan parasites are responsible for diarrheal diseases causing significant morbidity and mortality. Entamoeba histolytica is the principle protozoan parasite associated with diarrheal infections. The infection is often associated with inaccessibility to clean drinking water and poor sanitary conditions in low- and middle-income countries including India. A comprehensive systematic review was performed to evaluate a reliable nationwide estimate for prevalence and geographic distribution of amoebiasis in India and the complications associated with it. METHODS: We used the PRISMA guidelines to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of articles published between the year 2001-2020. Two English language databases PubMed and Web of Science were searched to achieve relevant studies. RESULTS: Initial searches resulted in 467 studies out of which 64 eligible articles involving data from 289,659 human subjects from 12 states and 4 union territories were included in the final analysis. Prevalence of amoebiasis ranged from 3-23% in asymptomatic population, 0.64-11% in symptomatic patients and 1-17.5% in HIV-infected patients. Highest prevalence was seen in Tamil Nadu, Andaman Nicobar Island and North East India. Extra intestinal invasion of Entamoeba histolytica leading to complications such as amoebic liver abscess, amoebic colitis, colonic perforation and ameboma were also reported. Such complications have the potential to increase healthcare burden and may prove to be fatal. CONCLUSION: Amoebiasis remains a significant public health issue in India responsible for diarrheal diseases causing significant morbidity and mortality. Entamoeba histolytica is the principle protozoan parasite associated with amoebiasis. Public health efforts should be directed towards its control and better diagnostic methods should be employed for distinguishing between pathogenic and non-pathogenic species of Entamoeba.

Effect of Ivermectin prophylaxis in prevention of COVID 19: Meta-analysis and systematic review.

Ivermectin was popular drug on trial for preventive and therapeutic role in COVID-19. However, there is disagreement concerning the validity of its clinical efficacy. Hence, we conducted a Meta-analysis and Systematic review for effect of Ivermectin Prophylaxis in prevention of COVID-19. The online databases of PubMed (Central), Medline, and Google scholar for randomized controlled trials, non-randomized trial and prospective cohort study were searched up to March 2021. Nine studies were included for analysis, out of which four were Randomized controlled Trial (RCTs), Two Non-RCTs and three cohort studies. Four randomized trial evaluated prophylactic drug Ivermectin, two combination of topical nasal carrageenan and oral Ivermectin two study used in combination of personal protective equipment (PPE) one with Ivermectin and one with Ivermectin/ Iota-Carrageenan (IVER/IOTACRC). In the pooled analysis we observed non-significant less COVID-19 positivity rate in the prophylaxis group as compared with non-prophylaxis group (Relative Risk (RR) = 0.27 and Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.05, 1.41) with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 97.1%, P < 0.001) The pooled analysis involving the Non-RCTs studies also did not observe significant reduction in the COVID-19 positivity rate in the prophylaxis group as compared with non-prophylaxis group (RR = 0.01 and CI = 0.00, 7.97) with significant heterogeneity between the studies (P < 0.001).Hence,we conclude that Ivermectin is not the 'magical silver weapon' against COVID-19.

Factors associated with development of adverse events after taking COVID-19 vaccine in a tribal state of India: Regression analysis.

Background: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination becomes a crucial weapon in the pandemic's control. Two vaccines, Covishield and Covaxin, are approved in India to vaccinate against the virus. Hence, the present study was done to determine the factors associated with the development of adverse events after taking the COVID-19 vaccine in a tribal state of India. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. All persons who were willing to participate in our study and had received the first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from January 1 to March 31, 2021, were included. We got 1497 complete responses via (free, web-based Google Docs Editors suite offered by google, Founders- Larry Page Sergey Brin. Menlo Park, California, United States). So our final sample size came out to be 1497 in which analysis was done. The data was compiled in MS excel sheets (Microsoft version 2013, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, United States) and a template was generated which was further analyzed in SPSS version 20 (version 25.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The total number of respondents who participated in the surveillance of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) was 1497. Among them, a majority have taken the Covishield vaccine followed by Covaxin. The majority of participants were female of age group less than 30 years and above 18 years with a mean age of 33.63 ± 51.51. The most common AEFI was pain at the site of injection, after the first and second dose followed by fever after the first and second dose within 24 h following immunization. Conclusion: We conclude that factors like the type of vaccine, gender, and participants who have allergies have a higher risk of presenting the adverse events after the COVID-19 vaccination.

Myco-nanotechnological approach to synthesize silver oxide nanocuboids using endophytic fungus isolated from Citrus pseudolimon plant.

The current study reports the isolation of Colletotrichum plurivorum, an endophytic fungus from a Citrus pseudolimon plant and its utilization in the green synthesis of silver oxide nanocuboids (Ag2O NCs) at room temperature. The synthesized nanocrystals were thoroughly characterized by UV-vis, FTIR spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Electron microscopic images confirmed the formation of cuboid shaped particles having size 200-250 nm in length and 80-150 nm in width, whereas, XRD and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern confirms the formation of cubic Ag2O nanocrystals. Then these Ag2O NCs are applied in antibacterial activities against a pathogenic gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and found very good activities against them. Currently these types of nanocuboids have drawn great interest in the field of catalysis, photocatalysis to biomedical applications.

Protriptyline improves spatial memory and reduces oxidative damage by regulating NFκB-BDNF/CREB signaling axis in streptozotocin-induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Antidepressants are well known to exert their role via upregulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF has been reported to exerts its neuroprotective effect in rodent and primate models as well as in patients of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of protriptyline (PRT), a tricyclic antidepressant, in streptozotocin (STZ)- induced rat model of AD. Total 10 µl of STZ was injected into each ventricle (1 mg/kg). PRT (10 mg/kg, i.p.) treatment was started 3-day post STZ administration and continued till 21 days. We found that STZ treatment significantly increased pTau, Aß42 and BACE-1 expression, oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in hippocampus and cortex of adult rats. STZ induced impairment in spatial learning and retention memory was associated with increased NFκB and reduced CREB and BDNF expression in cortex and hippocampus. Interestingly, PRT treatment significantly reduced pTau, Aß42 and BACE-1 levels, neurodegeneration, oxidative stress and glial activation, contributing to the improved spatial learning and retention memory in STZ treated rats. Moreover, PRT treatment significantly improved p-ERK/ERK ratio and enhanced BDNF and CREB levels by reducing NFκB and GFAP expression in STZ treated rats. Our data suggest that impaired NFκB and CREB signaling potentially contribute in AD pathogenesis by elevating oxidative stress and neuroinflammation mediated neurodegeneration. Our study has established protriptyline as a multi target molecule in pre-clinical model of AD and further investigations on PRT like molecules could pave way for further development of effective new treatments in neurodegenerative disorders.

Green, Open Spaces and Transport for Healthy and Sustainable Cities in Asian Developing Countries

@#Introduction: This paper presents the case studies of the green, open spaces and transport issues in three cities of the Asian region based on the work of participants from the Workshop of Health in Urban Planning. Methods: Three case studies were collected from the participants of Thailand, India, and Indonesia, and compiled under the theme. Results: The first case study presents findings from the Thailand’s Survey on Physical Activity (SPA), and various strategies taken by the Thai government to improve physical activity levels among the Thai population and children, including improved accessibility, walkability; and reconstruction of school curricula. The second case study is an empirical study of the geographical extent and type of green spaces accessible to the urban population, and their usage in the city of Varanasi, India, in the wake of Yoga practice popularity. The third case study discusses the insufficient transport infrastructures, along with the influx of visitors from outside the city as the cause of severe traffic congestions and emissions in Bandung city, Indonesia. The governments’ action plans and recommendations for improvements of the city environment are discussed. Conclusion: Integrating health into urban and transport planning needs co-operations from multiple stakeholders including the government, private sectors, and the communities, especially from the early phase of development.

Comparative analyses revealed reduced spread of COVID-19 in malaria endemic countries

In late 2019, SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2) infection started in Hubei province of China and now it has spread like a wildfire in almost all parts of the world except some. WHO named the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 as COVID-19 (CoronaVirus Disease-2019). It is very intriguing to see a mild trend of infection in some countries which could be attributed to mitigation efforts, lockdown strategies, health infrastructure, demographics and cultural habits. However, the lower rate of infection and death rates in mostly developing countries, which are not placed at higher levels in terms of healthcare facilities, is a very surprising observation. To address this issue, we hypothesize that this lower rate of infection is majorly been observed in countries which have a higher transmission/prevalence of protozoan parasite borne disease, malaria. We compared the COVID-19 spread and malaria endemicity of 108 countries which have shown at least 200 cases of COVID-19 till 18th April 2020. We found that the number of COVID-19 cases per million population correlates negatively with the malaria endemicity of respective countries. The malaria free countries not only have higher density of COVID-19 infections but also the higher case fatality rates as compared to highly malaria endemic countries. We also postulate that this phenomenon is due to natural immune response against malaria infection, which is providing a heterologous protection against the virus. Unfortunately, there is no licensed vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 yet, but this information will be helpful in design of future strategies against fast spreading COVID-19 disease.

Evaluation of ethanol fermentation efficiency of sweet sorghum syrups produced by integrated dual-membrane system.

1G ethanol from sweet sorghum can be a better alternative to various other sources used for its production. The commercial feasibility is dictated by the high sugar containing varieties, their transport to ethanol plants, storage and availability of robust yeast strains for the fermentation. Eight sweet sorghum cultivars namely CSV19SS, CSV24SS, CSV27, CSV32F, PV, SSV84, RVICSH, SPV1871, SSV74 were tested for their sugar content and varieties-SSV84 and CSV24SS were containing sugar content of 170-190 g/L. Specifically designed polyethersulfone-based ultrafiltration (UF) membrane and hydrophilised polyamide (HPA-150) also termed as nanofiltration (NF) membrane were synthesized by interfacial polymerization technique and were used for the concentration of sweet sorghum juice. The syrup retained on an average 90% sugars at 4 °C, 100% at - 20 °C for 6 months and 10% at room temperature for 36 h. The overall product yield of ethanol ranged between 0.48 and 0.49 g/g in batch fermentation in a 14 L reactor.

One- and two-photon responsive sulfur dioxide (SO2) donors: a combinatorial drug delivery for improved antibiotic therapy.

One- and two-photon activated sulfur dioxide donors based on a 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrobenzyl phototrigger have been developed. The designed donors have the ability to release not only SO2 but also a hydroxy-compound in a simultaneous manner. Furthermore, we demonstrated their application in combinatorial therapy by the dual release of SO2 and an active drug, i.e. ferulic acid ethyl ester (FAEE) with self-monitoring ability. Next, we investigated the in vitro cellular uptake and the capability of SO2 generation from the donors using a well-known coumarin-hemicyanine fluorescent probe. Finally, we evaluated the antibacterial activity of the designed donors (5a, 5b and 6) by broth dilution and agar well diffusion methods on E. cloacae cells (MTCC 509). The results show that the donor 5a exhibits enhanced antibacterial efficacy compared to 5b and 6, due to the synergetic effect of dually released SO2 and FAEE.

Urban green space availability in Bathinda City, India.

This paper aims to investigate and map the spatial distribution of urban green spaces (UGSs) in Bathinda City, India. Since urban green spaces affect the quality of life and provide various ecological, socio-cultural and economic benefits to a city, the spatial distribution of UGSs and per capita availability deserve greater consideration in urban planning and research. The UGSs are extracted from freely available Sentinel 2 image with spatial resolutions of 10 m (blue, green, red, and near infrared bands). The result indicates that the planned urban setups have higher area under UGSs as compared to the rest of the city. Analysis and intra-city comparison (ward wise) of distribution of green spaces and per capita availability indicate that there is an inequitable distribution of UGSs in Bathinda City. The study also attempts to accentuate the scope of green initiatives in the various wards of the city to ensure the well-being of people.