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After downpour and damage, GDA gets down to seal illegal buildings
Ghaziabad, July 27 (IANS) The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has woken up, finally! But not before collapese of houses killed several persons, rains washed away a road, flats were evacuated for fear of more building collapse and vehicles drowned in parking lots.
Now the GDA has started taking steps to fix the infrastructural errors in both low- and high-rise buildings across the city.
GDA Vice Chairperson and District Magistrate Ritu Maheswari on Friday directed builders, contractors and authority’s engineers to launch a survey on a war-footing to detect violation of building construction norms.
V.N. Singh, GDA Chief Engineer, said: “We have launched a survey of haphazardly developed buildings and infrastructures without the approval of GDA. In the first phase, our teams found 139 buildings with violation of rules. All the 139 buildings have since been sealed.”
“Even the buildings of influential persons have been sealed,” Singh emphasised.
“Since the “Kanwar Yatra” is going to begin, the demolition drive has been put off. Once the annual pilgrimage is over, the GDA will resume the drive to demolish illegal buildings,” the Chief Engineer added.
On the other hand, Ghaziabad Municipal Commissioner C.P. Singh has opened a 24-hour help centre, with Assistant Municipal Commissioner Pramod Kumar Singh as the nodal officer. His can be reached at mobile number 8178016801.
Some assistants have also been deputed to attend public complaints. They can be reached on 8178016820 and 9219555568, while the toll-free number is 18001803012.
On the second day of rains on Friday, a wall collapsed in Raj Nagar Extension area adjoining a housing society. The repair work was initiated instantly even as filling of land near two societies in Vasundhara — that had caved in on Thursday — was progressing satisfactorily.
Meanwhile, people in Vijay Nagar locality here were forced to hire divers to get their vehicles out of flooded parking lots. The divers charged anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 to bring out each vehicle from the flooded areas, depending on the size of vehicle as well as the owner’s pocket.
During the day, District Magistrate Ritu Maheswari also called media persons to the elevated road — parts of which were said to be flooded after the downpour on Thursday to show them the reality. She said that the videos showing knee-deep water on the newly-constructed road were fake and aimed to create panic.
There were no traces of waterlogging on the UP Gate-Raj Nagar Extension Elevated Road on Friday and it was fully operational.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.