National
Air quality drops as stubble burning on in Delhi, temperature drops
New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The air quality of Delhi-NCR worsened further on Friday with some areas still facing “severe plus or emergency” situation even as the satellite images showed burning incidents continuing in some areas of Delhi itself for the second day in a row.
While experts are unclear of the exact proportion of toxicity that extra effluents from crop-residue or garbage burning in NCR and neighbouring states adds to Delhi’s air, the practice however continues unabated in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, all surrounding the National Capital Region (NCR).
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi on Friday was 335 or “very poor” at 4 p.m., against 288 at the same time on Thursday.
Anand Vihar in east Delhi, Delhi Technical University in north Delhi and Ghaziabad continued facing “emergency or severe plus” pollution situation with concentration of major pollutant PM2.5 or particles with diameter less the 2.5 micrometers, recorded above 300.
While the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research has predicted the air quality of Delhi-NCR to further worsen over the next three days, all its ten monitoring stations across NCR recorded a “very poor” air quality by 7 p.m.
The PM2.5 concentration ranged between 306 to 344 across Dhirpur, Pitampura, and Delhi University in north Delhi, Lodhi Road and Pusa in central Delhi, Ayanagar and Mathura Road in south Delhi, Noida, Gurygram and IGI airport. The safe limit for PM2.5 is 25 microgrammes per cubic meters as per international standards and is 60 as per national standards.
As per weather analysts, drop in the speed of north-westerly wind coming from region of maximum emissions — Punjab and Haryana, is a prime reason for drop in the air quality of Delhi.
“The air speed on Friday has furher dropped. Towards November 28, the pollution levels are expected to rise due to mist or haze formation in Delhi-NCR,” Mahesh Palawat, director of private weather analysis agency Skymet told IANS.
The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) also expects the air quality to deteriorate further due to fog formation as weather analysts predict change in the wind direction and type, from dry to moist, towards November 28.
–IANS
kd/him/vd
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.