National
Two PWD engineers in Delhi suspended for worker’s death
New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Two Public Works Department (PWD) engineers of Delhi government were suspended on Wednesday in connection with the death of a worker while cleaning the sewer of a government hospital, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said.
On Sunday, 40-year-old Rishi Pal died while cleaning the sewer of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital in central Delhi, while three others were taken ill after inhaling poisonous gas from the sewer.
“Two PWD engineers suspended in the incident of unfortunate death of sewer worker on Sunday. Zero tolerance for negligence in such cases,” Baijal tweeted on Wednesday evening.
It was the 10th such death in Delhi in barely over a month.
On Tuesday evening, police also arrested one person in connection with the incident but the contractor was absconding till Wednesday evening.
The maintenance of the LNJP Hospital sewer was the responsibility of PWD and they had outsourced the work to a private contractor.
One of the survivors had told IANS they were not given any safety equipment to clean the sewer and they had cleaned another sewer in the same hospital on Saturday without any safety gear.
On Monday, Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam announced a blanket ban on manual cleaning of sewers and warned that anyone found violating the rules will be booked under culpable homicide.
He also said that a committee had been formed to find out the best possible ways or machines to clean the gutters, within 15 days.
On August 12, two brothers suffocated to death while cleaning a septic pit at a mall in Shahdara in east Delhi.
On August 6, three persons died after inhaling toxic gases while cleaning a sewer in Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi.
On July 15, four persons died after inhaling poisonous gases as they entered a water harvesting tank in Ghitorni in south Delhi.
In all the four cases, there was no safety equipment for the workers.
–IANS
nkh/pgh/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.