National
Parrikar slams Goa Congress chief over port expansion issue
Panaji, Jan 3 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said state Congress president Shantaram Naik may be suffering from dementia, two days after the latter alleged that the BJP was colluding with the Adani Group on the contentious issue of expansion of coal handling berths at Goa’s Mormugao Port Trust.
“It is a foolish statement by Shantaram Naik. He may be suffering from dementia,” Parrikar told reporters at the state Secretariat when asked to respond to the charge levelled by Naik.
Naik, in a statement issued here, had alleged that the “Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had betrayed Goans on Mhadei river water issue and also colluded with the Adani Group” vis-a-vis expansion of coal handling facilites at the port — an issue which has seen statewide protests and criticism from the opposition.
Parrikar said while the state government was not opposed to expansion of cargo handling berths at the main port, it was opposed to handling of coal at these berths, after the expansion work was completed.
“We are opposing coal expansion. If they use the berth for some other reason, I have no problem,” Parrikar said.
The issue of coal pollution erupted in Goa, after the Mormugao Port Trust, the state’s only major port, sought permission from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for redevelopment and expansion of four berths at the port.
Three companies operate coal handling berths at the port, namely Adani Group, JSW Steel and Vedanta.
Coal imported into Goa is expected to be transported to the steel manufacturing units in the neighbouring state of Karnataka, through a road and rail network, which is also under expansion.
“That application was by Jindals (JSW Steel). It is not connected to Adani. Adani has not been able to utilise even 50 per cent of the port (cargo handling berth) given to them,” Parrikar said, adding that Naik did not even know of ground realities.
“He (Naik) doesn’t read and he tends to forget,” Parrikar added.
–IANS
maya/nir/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.