National
How does Delhi intend to spend green cess money to curb pollution, asks HC
New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the city government, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) to apprise it of how it intends to spend money collected as green cess and other similar funds to mitigate air pollution in the national capital.
A division bench of Justice S. Ravindra Bhat and Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva asked them: “What is being done with the funds?”
The court’s direction came after senior advocate Kailash Vasudev, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, submitted that over Rs 700 crore had been collected as green cess for bringing to Delhi cars of 2000cc or larger engine capacity.
The DPCC told the bench that fines amounting to Rs 50,000 were levied for every violation of construction norms in the city and 25 per cent of the amount collected was remitted to the CPCB for utilisation.
The fines were levied on the direction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which had also ordered that the remaining 75 per cent of the amounts collected be spent on mitigating air pollution in the city, the DPCC told the court.
Posting the matter for November 29, the high court asked the local bodies and the Delhi government to file a report indicating the most appropriate methods to ensure a coordinated approach to deal with polluting construction sites and effective implementation of the Air Act, the Environment Protection Act and the rules and guidelines framed under them.
During the hearing, the civic agencies and the Delhi government told the court that they sprinkled water on the roads as ordered by it to reduce dust generation.
The DPCC also informed the court that quadrupling of parking fare in Delhi had been done away with.
On November 9, the high court had issued a slew of directions as immediate measures to control pollution in Delhi-NCR, such as ban on felling of trees, sprinkling of water on roads to control dust and strict enforcement of construction code to ensure the air was not polluted.
It had also asked the chief secretaries of Delhi and states coming in NCR to hold a meeting to consider the feasibility of cloud seeding to bring down air pollution.
The court was hearing a suo motu case it initiated in 2015 to control air pollution in the national capital.
–IANS
gt/nir/dg
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.