National
Adequate drinking water to last summer, assures Gujarat Deputy CM
Gandhinagar, Jan 24 (IANS) Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel on Wednesday assured that the state has adequate water stored in the Narmada dam to meet the requirement of drinking water this summer.
Despite the low rainfall in the catchment areas of neighbouring state, this was made possible due to the closed gates of the dam, which could fill more water during this monsoon season, he told media persons here.
About a fortnight after the Gujarat government came out with a notification advising the farmers to stop sowing for the summer season due to inadequate water in the Narmada for irrigation purposes, Patel said that though this was true, there was no issue of concern as far as drinking water is concerned.
“The state has adequate amount of water for drinking purposes to last till July end. Despite the command areas in Madhya Pradesh which reduced the inflow of waters into the Narmada reservoir from 12-18,000 cusecs to around one to 3,000 cusecs, we could have enough waters for the entire Rabi crop. This was made possible due to the closure of the dam gates by which we could store more water this year and which was helpful even in the Rabi season irrigation,” he said.
“The waters which are being presently provided for the Rabi crops will continue till the March 15. Thereafter we will have to curtail the supply to store water for the entire summer season due to the decreased inflow. The reserved stock of water will be adequate for 4 crore people till July end. The curtailment will be only for the summer season of crops, which normally the farmers don’t even opt for due to other reasons,” he added.
The state government has always drawn flak from the opposition and others regarding Narmada waters being utilized to fill up the dried-up Sabarmati river at the riverfront portion.
To this, Patel also said that even during good rainy seasons in Madhya Pradesh, surplus one million acre feet water was supplied to canals in north, central and Saurashtra regions of the state, which includes some water being released into the Sabarmati riverfront.
–IANS
amc/vd
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.