National
Short circuit disrupts devotees’ entry to Durga Puja marquee for hours (Lead)
Kolkata, Sep 30 (IANS) Hundreds of devotees and visitors failed to gain entry to the much-talked Durga Puja at Santosh Mitra Square here for several hours on Saturday after an apparent electrical short circuit triggered a scare, though entry later resumed after a go-ahead from the Kolkata police.
The police nod came after Public Works Department authorities gave the green signal after inspecting the premises of Saturday afternoon.
“The visitors have started coming (again) and things are back to normal,” Santosh Mitra Square Puja Committee President Pradip Ghosh told IANS.
A written No-Objection Certificate was collected from the PWD engineers by Kolkata police officers. Several hundred visitors waited amid the rain for the marquee’s gates to open.
The puja drew huge crowds because of its London-themed marquee and goddess Durga draped in a 22-kg saree made of 22 carat gold and costing Rs 6.5 crore. Public entry to the marquee was halted early Saturday morning on Mahadashami, the last day of the festival.
After smoke was seen coming out of a chandelier at the ‘pandal’, fire brigade and police were rushed to the spot.
The enthusiastic crowds were not allowed to enter till teams of the PWD, civil, electrical, and fire departments inspected the area.
“This is a conspiracy against us. This Puja has attracted lots of attention and that’s why the people are jealous,” Ghosh earlier said.
“There was no smoke inside the pandal. If there was any fire there must have been some sign of it around or inside. We have had a lot of celebrity guests coming in and lavishing rich praise. I don’t know why the police haven’t been cooperating with us,” he added.
Replicas of the London Eye, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Bridge are the other attractions at the marquee.
–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.