National
Don’t panic, air quality improving: Environment Minister
New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) As smog continued to envelop Delhi and NCR for the fifth day in row, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday urged the people not to panic stating that air quality has been improving over the last two days.
The Minister pointed out that for the first time this year a focussed approach has been adopted to deal with emergency-like situations through Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Several restrictions such as stopping truck movement and banning diesel generator sets are imposed under GRAP, depending on the severity of the air quality.
“Air quality has been improving over the last two day, people of Delhi need not panic,” the Minister said.
Particle pollution in the air in Delhi reached ‘severe-plus or emergency’ levels in Delhi and NCR with major pollutants calculated 35 times the safe-limits at certain spots on Saturday.
The Minister said that focussed attention at the highest level has been ensured through committees headed by the Union Minister, Minister of State and Secretary.
“Crop residue and stubble burning have been under detailed discussions during all these meetings,” the Minister said, referring to the review meetings with concerned state governments and agencies.
Earlier, the Union Environment Ministry on Thursday formed a seven-member committee to work out short and long -term measures to fight air pollution. The committee is headed by Environment Secretary C.K. Mishra.
“GRAP must be earnestly and meticulously implemented by the concerned state governments, as well as municipal and civic organisations,” the Minister said.
Harsh Vardhan also underlined the augmenting of the number of monitoring stations in Delhi-NCR to enhance the quality of information system.
He said that as a part of advance planning and special intervention, 40 monitoring teams of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) have been deployed since September 1, 2017 to give feedback on the ground situation and air polluting activities in Delhi.
“A systemic response mechanism was put in place for the last one year and regular alerts were conveyed to all stakeholders”, the Minister said.
–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.