National
Green court dismisses petition against Kochi LPG terminal
Chennai/Kochi, Dec 22 (IANS) The Chennai bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday dismissed the application of the LPG Virudha Samara Samithi against Indian Oil Corporation’s (IOC) Puthuvypeen, Kochi LPG Import Terminal, said the IOC.
The IOC in a statement issued in Kochi on Friday said the leaders of the Samara Samithi (Protest Group), wanted the tribunal to direct IOC not to implement the project. However, the tribunal refused that demand.
“The tribunal found no substance in the allegation that the project poses safety threats to the residents of the area. Although it was also alleged in the application that the project site is closer to the high tide line than envisaged, based on the submissions made before it, the NGT set aside these arguments as well,” the statement said.
“The tribunal upheld IOC’s contention that storage of LPG is a permitted activity at the sea shore under the Coastal Regulation Zone norms and hence the project does not in any way offend those norms. However, the NGT has observed that the oil behemoth may undertake sea protection measures, to arrest sea erosion at the project site,” said the IOC statement.
Work began at the Puthuvypeen terminal in 2012 after obtaining clearance from all concerned authorities and since then, the locals have been on a protest mode. It reached a flash point in June this year with the protests turning violent.
Following that, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said after talking with the protesters that under no cost, the project would be dropped.
Samara Samithi has already said that irrespective of the verdict, their protest will go ahead.
The IOC said following the protest that has been going on for the past 10 months, they have suffered a loss of Rs 1 crore per day on account of the delay caused due to the blockade.
The project is conceived to meet the increasing demand for LPG in the country.
The import terminal is coming up at a cost of Rs 2,200 crore and it comprises of a multi-user liquid terminal, the Kochi-Salem LPG pipeline and a bulk terminal at Palakkad.
–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.