National
Pawar slams Maharashtra government for pesticide poisoning deaths
Nagpur (Maharashtra), Oct 23 (IANS) Against the backdrop of around 40 farmers’ deaths due to poisoning by insecticides, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Monday blamed the Maharashtra government for easy availability of unlicensed pesticides in the market.
He demanded stringent action against the officials, especially from the agriculture department as being responsible for the deaths of so many farmers besides over 2,000 others who have been affected in varying degrees.
“There are stringent laws to control such illegal pesticides and institutions to enforce the laws. No pesticide can be available in the markets without the nod of the institutions,” Pawar pointed out, interacting with mediapersons in the afternoon.
He said that during the Congress-led UPA government, when he served as the Union Agriculture Minister, the laws were strictly enforced – “Now, I don’t know what is going on since the past three years.”
Pawar’s statement came three days after the state government’s panel Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swavalamban Mission Chairman Kishore Tiwari demanded a CBI probe into the reports of sale of around 3.50 million packets of illegal Herbicide Tolerant genetically modified cotton seeds.
Tiwari claimed that cotton plants from these Herbicide Tolerant seeds have recently suffered huge bollworm pest attack, leading to the indiscriminate use of deadly insecticides, and the subsequent deaths of at least 40 farmers.
Attacking the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre and in Maharashtra, Pawar held them responsible for various pending issues related to farmers, including the improper implementation of the loan waiver scheme in the state.
Pawar charged the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance of implementing it without proper planning owing to which the intended beneficiaries are facing huge difficulties.
“Many farmers have not received the benefits of the scheme so far. We shall wait and watch for another fortnight or so.. If the government fails to clear the mess, we shall be forced to resort to an agitation,” Pawar warned.
He also threw his lot behind the farmers who have lost their crops due to the receding monsoon rains in many parts of the state and urged the government to help them on priority “without bothering too much about rules and regulations” for the calamity they are burdened with.
–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.