National
Darjeeling tea planters asked to resume operations, give bonus
Kolkata, Sep 18 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said tea garden owners in the Darjeeling hills have been asked to resume operations and pay bonus dues to workers for 2016-17.
“The Chief Secretary today (Monday) met tea garden owners and asked them to resume operations and pay bonus to plantation workers. A tripartite meeting between representatives of the state government, tea garden owners, and workers’ unions will be held on September 21 at Siliguri in the presence of Labour Commissioner to take a decision on the issue,” she told reporters at the state Secretariat Nabanna.
Banerjee indicated action if bonus was not paid to the workers. “We do not want to take any action but hope a decision will be taken in the said meeting,” she said.
West Bengal Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De, earlier in the day called officials of the Darjeeling Tea Association (DTA) and the Indian Tea Association (ITA) to initiate a dialogue to resolve the stalemate.
Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders Binay Tamang and Anit Thapa met Banerjee on Monday to urge for initiatives to make tea gardens in Darjeeling resume operations. They also sought payment of due bonus.
“The two associations were asked to resume operations in Darjeeling. We said the tea gardens were open but it were the workers who were not coming. The Chief Secretary asked us to meet the workers unions and directed the Labour Secretary and Labour Commissioner to hold the September 21 meeting,” ITA Chairman Azam Monem told IANS.
“Issues like how to get the tea garden workers to work, and bonus and other issues were discussed. We have started dialogue and let’s see what can be done,” he said.
All tea plucking and manufacturing operations at the 87 tea gardens in Darjeeling have remained suspended since June 9 due to the indefinite shutdown called by the GJM in the region in support of their demand for a separate Gorkhaland.
Tea planters had moved the Tea Board of India for financial support to meet their obligations.
–IANS
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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.