National
Maharashtra spreads ‘safety net’ to prevent suicides at Mantralaya
Mumbai, Feb 12 (IANS) Unnerved by the spate of suicide attempts and a death after a man jumped off the Mantralaya last week, the Maharashtra government on Monday spread a safety net in its headquarters to prevent any more such fatal bids, officials said.
The safety net has come up on the second floor of the building’s main lobby, which was the scene of suicide by a murder convict on parole, who jumped to his death last Thursday.
The safety net is similar to the one seen at construction sites of skyscrapers or even the ones used by trapeze artistes to prevent an accidental fall in circus performances.
Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Council, Dhananjay Munder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), grabbed the opportunity to poke fun at the government initiative by asking whether “Mantralaya has now become a circus ground”.
“It’s a good initiative, but the government should take preventive measures to eradicate the root cause of suicide attempts in Mantralaya,” Munde said in a backhanded compliment.
The net is the first among various security options being contemplated at the highest levels to prevent suicide attempts inside the high-security zone in south Mumbai’s Nariman Point.
In fact, in the past few weeks, the government was rocked by at least three suicide attempts in which two persons lost their lives.
The opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) jeered at the embarrassed Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena government by dubbing Mantralaya as a “suicide point”.
The suicide attempts and the deaths came despite stringent security and screening measures implemented at all the entry points in Mantralaya.
Now, the government is planning to to permanently shut or barricade some windows on the top floors, erect tough grills at windows to prevent people from climbing onto the parapet walls and even restrict access to some areas like the topmost floors or the terraces in the building.
Even the huge daily inflow of visitors may be curbed by plans to set up a special desk outside the main building for people wanting casual access only to submit letters, memoranda or such work, without needing to actually meet ministers or bureaucrats concerned, an official added.
–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.