National
Assam urges Centre to get hydrological data from China
Guwahati, Aug 23 (IANS) Hit by massive flooding of the Brahmaputra river, the Assam government on Wednesday said it has urged the Centre to take up with China at the diplomatic level the issue of sharing hydrological data with India.
Assam Minister and government spokesman Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday expressed concern at the revelation by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week that China has not shared hydrological data with India from May 15 this year.
He said the issue assumes significance due to the fact that the magnitude of the third wave of floods in Assam which hit the state after August 8 does not correlate with the amount of rainfall Assam and other northeastern states have received during that period.
“We have already urged the Central government to take up the matter with China in this regard. The hydrological data is the riparian right of India and Bangladesh, and we must have data on how much water they have released from the dams upstream and all the other relevant details,” said Sarma while addressing a press conference on Wednesday.
He said that under the India-China Expert-Level Mechanism which was started in 2006 China is supposed to share hydrological data during the flood season for Brahmaputra and Satluj rivers between May 15 to October 15 every year. There is also a memorandum signed between the two countries in 2013 that agrees to share 15 hydrological data between the period.
“However, China had not shared any data from May 15 this year,” Sarma said while quoting a recent press briefing by the MEA in New Delhi.
“The third wave of flood has wreacked havoc in Assam submerging 24 districts also affecting over 3.2 million people. Over 70 people have died due to flood related incidents. However, there had not been any unnatural amount of rainfall in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh during that period. From where did the flood water come?” he said.
He said the hydrological data from China is required basically for early warning system so that states can handle flood related incidents and prepare for it. “If there is heavy rainfall in upper reaches of Brahmaputra it takes about three to four days time for the water to reach Assam. If we have the hydrological data, we could prepare better to handle the situation,” he said.
Sarma, who is also the Finance, Education and Health Minister of Assam urged the people of the state to create an awareness movement about the issue so that the Chinese government could be pressurized through the government of Assam.
–IANS
ah/rn
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.