World
India needs to use coal, address emissions issue: WCA
London: Noting that coal will continue to be vital to economic life, the World Coal Association has said that while India needs both thermal and renewable energy, for the world to transit to a low carbon future it should address the issue of carbon dioxide (Co2) emissions.
“For a country like India, it’s not a choice between coal and renewables — both are needed and both will play a big role,” the World Coal Association (WCA) said in a report titled Asia: Coal’s future released earlier this week. “With the use of coal projected to continue to grow in Asia over the coming decades, a low emission technology pathway for coal is essential,” it said.
“The key approach for the world to transition to a low carbon future is to address the Co2 emissions. Coal is not the problem, emissions are,” said WCA Chief Executive and the author of the report Benjamin Sporton. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that India will soon replace China as the world’s largest coal importer.
The report said India will continue to mainly depend on coal to meet its energy needs as the country moves to double the size of its economy to $5 trillion in a “matter of years”. “As it has in the past, coal will act as the default energy source for electrification for India,” it said. Sporton cited the IEA to say that 237 million people in India still have no access to electricity, while the country’s residential power consumption lags well behind the world’s average and is ten times lower than that of developed countries.
“About 67 per cent of India’s population rely on wood or animal dung to cook,” he added. The WCA said that across Asia coal is the preferred fuel due to low costs and easy accessibility. Noting that “high efficiency low emissions coal is the answer” for countries working on their commitments to reduce the impact of climate change, the report cited the example of China which has a five-year plan to reduce all emissions from coal-fired power and other industrial uses.
“China is taking important steps to close down smaller, inefficient power stations but it is also building large, modern and more efficient (HELE) coal-fired power plants — new regulations effectively ban subcritical (non-HELE) coal technology,” it said. “HELE coal technology is important not only for its emission reduction benefits, but also because it is a vital first step towards carbon capture and storage (CCS) — a suite of technologies that can capture 90 per cent of Co2 emissions and store them underground, preventing them from entering the atmosphere,” it added.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.