National
‘Poison’ in Delhi air, respite likely as wind direction changes (Lead)
New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) Even as medical practitioners sounded a caution against outdoor exercises as “there is no safe time to step outdoors”, weather analysts see a slight improvement in Delhi’s air quality for the next few days due to change in wind direction.
According to weather forecast on Wednesday, the northwesterly winds which brought toxins from neighbouring Punjab and Haryana, due to stubble burning there, to Delhi have changed to southeasterly winds, thereby saving the national capital from extra emissions for the next two-three days.
“Smog may drop in next two-three days due to this change in the wind direction, but dangerous trend would continue as these winds are not strong enough to disperse the high volume of pollutants already present in Delhi’s air,” Mahesh Palawat, Director, private weather forecasting agency Skymet, told IANS.
On Wednesday, however, aided by unabated stubble burning in neighbouring states and a drop in mercury here, the air quality of Delhi-NCR had a further dip, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi recorded at 355 on Wednesday against 351 on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, medical practitioners in the national capital came up with a health advisory that suggested against outdoor exercises, saying “there is no safe time to be outdoors”.
According to the advisory, while the city with high volume of pollutants in the air is bad for exercising, running or participating in a marathon can add at least two tablespoonfuls of toxic ash to the lungs.
The advisory pointed out that while a normal adult breathes approximately six litres of air per minute at rest, during exercising it increases to 20 liters. With the current level of air pollution in Delhi and NCR, this increases toxins in lungs.
“Exercise areas should be at least 200 meters away from roads, construction sites and smoke-emitting industry,” advisory says, adding that “even this does not guarantee clean air”.
On Wednesday, Delhi-NCR recorded hike in the PM2.5, or particles with diameter less than 2.5mm, ranging between 392 to 326 units, as compared to 362 to 302 units on Tuesday, according to the data from all ten monitoring stations of System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
Safe limit for PM2.5 is 60 units as per national standards and 25 units as per international standards.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), many places in Delhi recorded a “severe” AQI. Areas including R.K. Puram and Siri Fort in south Delhi, Delhi Technical University (DTU) in north Delhi, ITO in central Delhi, Anand Vihar in northeast Delhi and Punjabi Bagh in west Delhi, were places where AQI ranged from 400 to 440 considered “severe”.
Vasundhra in Ghaziabad and Bhiwadi in Rajashtan (both NCR) also recorded “severe” AQI. With slight dip in past 24 hours, AQI for Ghaziabad was at 402 and for Bhiwadi 417, but still under “severe” category.
All other regions in Delhi and NCR recorded either “severe” or “very poor” air quality, with PM2.5 acting as the major pollutant.
–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.