National
Activists march to protect Taj from pollution
Agra, March 25 (IANS) To highlight the pollution threat to the Taj Mahal, the 17th century monument of love, environmental activists on Sunday marched along the Yamuna river with posters and banners.
Activist Devashish Bhattacharya said the “Taj was being continuously sand-blasted in this hot weather as the riverbed had gone dry.
“Though the Yogi government has announced a barrage on the Yamuna, downstream of the Taj Mahal, no date has been set for laying the foundation stone.”
The protesters said “we want uninterrupted flow of water in the river to ensure that the ambience around the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort, Itimad-ud-Daula’s Tomb and Ram Bagh was transformed and the air pollution brought down”.
Ranjan Sharma and Shailendra Singh Narwaar of the River Connect Campaign told IANS: “We have been holding marches and meetings for the past several years but unfortunately there has not been an inch of movement to reduce air pollution in Agra which has so many world heritage monuments.”
The march promoters said the Yamuna riverbed needed immediate desilting and dredging.
River activists Rahul Raj and Deepak Rajput said: “Tons of polythene and leather cuttings from shoe factories had prevented seepage of water and polluted the river.”
Meanwhile, work on clearing up the debris and wild growth on the controversial Taj Heritage Corridor, sandwiched between the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort, began two days ago.
“The ASI plans to green up the entire 20 hectares of reclaimed riverbed which will improve the ambience and help control air pollution,” an official said.
The corridor project was the brainchild of former Chief Minister Mayawati. A Supreme Court order in 2003 stopped work on the project and is believed to have led to the fall of the Mayawati government.
–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.