Entire Amritsar can feed on langar, my sense of hunger comes from New York: Watch how casual racism of BBC was exposed by chef Vikas Khanna

In an interview with the BBC, Michelin star chef Vikas Khanna sharply corrected the anchor who conjectured that the chef’s generosity of feeding homeless and destitute in India amidst coronavirus lockdown was triggered by his own sense of hunger while he grew up in India.

“Therefore my sense of hunger came from New York when I was living in Grand Central and sleeping around. It came from the United States, not from India,” Khanna emphatically added.

chef Vikas Khanna 

“You have been famous now. You have cooked for Obamas, you have been on Gordon Ramsay’s show. But, you were not always like this. You are not from a rich family so I dare say you understand how precarious it can be in India,” the BBC anchor said imperiously.

However, Khanna, with his cool demeanour, tersely dispelled the unfounded notions held by the BBC anchor.“My sense of hunger did not come from India so much because I was raised in

Amritsar and we have a huge community kitchen where everyone gets fed. The entire city can be fed from the community kitchen,” Khanna said while referring to the pervasive langars in the city that provide food to people.

Vikas Khanna's reply to BBC anchor wins the internet

He further added that his sense of hunger came from the sprawling American city of New York during his struggling days. “My sense of hunger came from New York, when I was struggling and really at the bottom. It was difficult for a brown kid to rise through, someone who had a dream of winning the Michelin star,” he said.

Vikas Khanna helps migrant labourers and poor with cooked meals

The stark images of migrant labourers trudging on their foot empty stomach to their native places across the breadth of India moved the celebrity chef into launching an initiative for those who had been adversely affected by the coronavirus induced lockdown in the country.

Khanna wanted to express his solidarity with those who were going hungry during the lockdown in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. So he put out an appeal on social media for those who were in the need of food during the pandemic and within no time, he received a flurry of responses on social media requesting food for the needy.

As of June 3, Khanna had supported the distribution of sanitary napkins in Diamond Harbour, West Bengal and bankrolled 57 food stations within petrol pumps in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to offer cooked meals to migrant workers hoofing it towards their respective villages. Till June 3, he had approximately distributed 

https://www.opindia.com/2020/06/michelin-star-chef-vikas-kapoor-busts-casual-racism-bbc-anchor-watch/

DERC must extend the time for submitting Suggestions/ objections on Tariff Petitions of DISCOMs

Secy. DERC,

Dear Sir,

In such adverse circumstances, while the entire city is in the grip of a deadly virus, while Delhi is still under an unofficial #LockDown, while the city has got the highest number of positive cases, while there are no visible signs of its earliest recovery, while the red zones have increased significantly, while there are over 2000 deaths in a month due to #coronavirus, how DERC is asking the residents to submit the objections/ suggestions on the Tariff petitions/ ARR, of DISCOMs, by 30th June 2020?

We hereby request you to please EXTEND the date, until the situation becomes normal.

Thanks

B S Vohra

President,

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front - Federation

www.RWABhagidari.com

RWAs - Please online submit the MPD 2041 filled form using any of the links below

Dear Vohra Sir,

I hope you are doing well and keeping safe during these unprecedented times.

The MPD team at NIUA in collaboration with DDA is currently in the process of preparing the Vision for Delhi 2041. In order to arrive at a collective vision for Delhi, we are in the process of engaging with varied stakeholder agencies and citizen groups. RWA's are key beneficiaries in the future development of Delhi. It is pivotal for MPD 2041 to document the priorities/ visions of the RWA's.  

We thus invite you to submit your vision statements for Delhi-2041. Please find links below to Visioning Slips (both English and Hindi) via google forms. 

Link to English Visioning Slip:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdl4vdw6qrFtQdPSSRMGy-Dh08951OhZfcxI2OHMQp4j7PeDQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1

Link to Hindi Visioning Slip:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPdKd-0Z2VtvXbnjU2BsAvNtxwCbRpvwG5i9nT7mh9u8uETg/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1

This will take approximately only 7-8 minutes of your time.

We look forward to your active participation and hope to receive a lot of ideas. Requesting you to share these links widely among your RWA networks. 

Thank You

Warm Regards

Benjamin Mathews John

Research Associate – Master Plan Delhi 2041

Please SAVE our DELHI from #COVID19 #coronavirus

CM Saab,

Do you want us to just sit idle and keep on waiting for the disaster? The new positive cases have already risen from the mere 300 - 400 per day to almost 4000 per day, in a month. Almost 2000 persons have already died, in the last 30 days, in this city.

Shockingly, the worst is yet to come. You yourself had mentioned that by July End, we will have almost 5.50 Lakh or more fresh cases. Does it mean, scores of persons will die in Delhi, in the absence of suitable health facilities, by the July End or Mid August?

All the Beds & Ventilators that you have added so far, include a majority at the Private hospitals, for which one has to pay huge sums, while the SARKARI facilities are just negligible. The overall health facilities are absolutely inadequate in the National Capital.

We don't have even the adequate quarantine facilities in our city, forcing a huge influx of positive cases to remain at their homes.

In such circumstances, we hereby request you with FOLDED HANDS, to please SAVE our DELHI from #COVID19, before it's too late. We don't want it to become the yet another #Wuhan, #Lombardy, or #NewYork, with dead bodies & foul smell all over, in any case.

Say a Big No to the #HerdImmunity as even our lives are precious. Please go for an immediate #LOCKDOWN, else be prepared to add more & more cremation grounds, to serve the masses.

Really worried!

Thanks & with best regards,

B S Vohra

President,

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front - Federation

rwabhagidari@yahoo.in

Mumbai Police’s latest social distancing advisory post :What to say to your ‘party-animal’ friends who ask you to ‘get together?’ Mumbai Police answers

Who would have thought that a line from the song Ek Main Aur Ek Tu from 1975 romance-thriller Khel Khel Mein could be used so creatively to send across an important message on social distancing. However, Mumbai Police just did that. Taking to Instagram, the department shared such a post which is not just creative but is also winning people over.

In the post’s caption, they shared what one should say when their ‘Party-Animal’ friends ask them to ‘get-together’. The department used the line from the song to reply to the question. The line says, “Dooriyan waqt ane par mitayenge [we will be closer when the time is right].”

 Now, what can be a more befitting answer.

 Since being shared less than 30 minutes ago, the post has already sparked all sorts of comments from people. Expectedly, there were a few who couldn’t stop gushing over Mumbai Police’s creativity and some praised the team handling the department’s social media. There were a few people who simply used laughing out loud emojis to express themselves.

“Nailed it,” wrote an Instagram user. “Mumbai Police got no chill,” expressed another along with a heart emoji. “You guys are killing it,” wrote a third.

“This is epic,” wrote a fourth and we do agree.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/it-s-viral/what-to-say-to-your-party-animal-friends-who-ask-you-to-get-together-mumbai-police-answers/story-oFc0J6A6Eypvx94kPW6uLK.html

Two Bihar cops are stationed outside Navjot Singh Sidhu's Amritsar home for 4 days : WHY ?

Two Bihar cops outside Sidhu's' resident in Amritsar

Two cops from Bihar have been sitting outside Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu's residence in Punjab's Amritsar since June 18. For four days, they have been waiting for the former Punjab minister to sign a piece of paper so they can go back to their home state.

The wait does not seem to end. 

Two Bihar cops outside Sidhu's' resident in Amritsar

On Monday, when the two Bihar Policemen - one decked in full uniform and the other in plain clothes - were asked about the purpose of their stay, they said they have to get his signature on a bail bond paper in a case that was registered against him for his remarks at a poll rally in Katihar in 2019. 

The cricketer-turned-politician is, however, not ready to meet the police personnel.

"We have been sitting outside MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu`s residence since June 18 to get his signature on a bail bond paper in a case that was registered against him for his remarks at a poll rally in Katihar in 2019. He is not ready to meet us," said Bihar Police Sub-Inspector Janardan Ram in Amritsar.

Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu was booked for violation of the code of conduct for making objectionable remarks against a community while addressing an election meeting in Katihar district of Bihar in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Since June 18, two sub-inspectors of Bihar Police are coming to Navjot Singh Sidhu's residence to involve him in the investigation, in that case, waiting 4-5 hours daily outside his house. Bihar Police Sub Inspector Janardhan says that if there was a common man, he would have come to the police station himself but Navjot Sidhu is a former minister, so they themselves have come but Sidhu is not meeting them despite being in the house.

"Though everyday people are coming to meet him and Sidhu is also meeting people, but he is not signing on our papers," said Janardhan.

The cop said he has apprised his higher officials about the situation and he will remain stationed till further orders.

Link:https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-why-two-bihar-cops-are-stationed-outside-navjot-singh-sidhu-s-amritsar-home-for-4-days-2829191

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC)- Online Webinar and Counselling Session for Issuance of Sikh Minority Certificate and Admissions in UG and other programmes

#coronavirus Treatment charges at private hospitals of Delhi ?

Kind Attn.: Hon'ble LG Saab, CM Saab, Delhi

Subject: Please Reconsider the CAPPING of Treatment charges at various Private hospitals in Delhi.

Dear Sir,

If Rajasthan can Fix Rs 4000 for an ICU Bed with Ventilator, for the treatment of #coronavirus, why Delhi has to pay Rs 18000 for the same? We are not saying that being the National Capital, it must also CAP the charges at 4000 only.  

We are just saying that it could be 6000, 8000 or even 10000, and that too, depending upon various locations, but why 18000 and that too as a standard for all the Private hospitals of Delhi, be it Max & Fortis or any other small private hospital at GK, South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Shahdara, Yamuna vihar, Trilok puri, Burari, Loni border, etc.? 

A Private hospital at Jaipur may have a much better standard, comparing various sub-standard private hospitals of Delhi. But still, that Private hospital will get only Rs 4000 per day at Jaipur, for an ICU bed with a ventilator, while the one at Delhi will get Rs. 18000. Why? 

Even the Circle rates of different locations of Delhi have huge variations & similarly, the living standards of people at these varied locations. Those in affluent areas may find this 18000 as a sigh of relief but for those at middle-class locations, it's still a huge burden, in case more than one family members get infected.

Moreover, it's a Pandemic, a Notified disaster, wartime with a deadly virus which has already claimed so many lives in Delhi & situation is likely to worsen in the coming days, as stated by none other than our own CM. With Lakhs & Lakhs of persons getting infected by the end of July, we can't turn the city into a mortuary in the absence of quality health facilities and that too on the monetary grounds.

In our opinion, all the Private hospitals in India must work at Break-Even Point, i.e. No Profit No Loss basis, and must come forward to serve the city, wherefrom they have earned fortunes to date. It's the time for the Private hospitals to prove their loyalty towards the city & nation.

We again request to our LG Saab, our CM Saab, to look into it immediately, and must come forward with a Solution for all the classes of residents of Delhi, before it's too late.

With best regards,

B S Vohra,

President,

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front - Federation,

www.RWABhagidari.com

Kartar Singh Lehri who cremated Padma Shri Nimral Singh Ragi : He cremates abandoned Covid victims

Kartar Singh Lehri

AMRITSAR: With many people refusing to cremate bodies of persons who died of Covid-19, even if they happen to be deceased loved ones, it is up to the administration to perform their last rites. Under such circumstances, Kartar Singh Lehari, a patwari has volunteered to cremate bodies of people who died of the disease. His first such cremation was spiritual singer Padma Shri Nimral Singh Ragi, who died of coronavirus infection on April 2. Since then, Lehari has cremated 21 bodies of Covid 19 patients.

Lehari told TOI on Sunday that being a patwari, he was asked by his seniors to identify a cremation ground for Ragi’s last rites. However, he recalled the resistance they faced from residents of the area around Verka cremation ground, who feared the spread of coronavirus infection if the body of a person who died of the disease was cremated nearby. “Late in the evening, using lights of vehicles, the ambulance driver, the helper and I wore PPE kits. We took Ragi’s body from the ambulance and prepared a pyre. The pyre was lit by Ragi’s son,” he said.

According to him, there is no higher form of service to humanity than giving a dignified send-off to people rejected by their own. Therefore, he said he approached his seniors to volunteer his services for cremation of persons dying of coronavirus infection in future.

“Till now, I have cremated 21 people who died of Covid-19 and it has now become a mission of my life,” he said, adding that his wife Jaswinder Kaur, a teacher, never objected to him for doing the ‘risky’ job. “I tell my wife whenever I go to cremate a person who died of Covid 19. She offers prayers for me until I come home but I take adequate precautions like removing the clothes and taking a bath before entering my home,” he said.

Due to misinformation and social stigma surrounding the cremation of Covid 19 dead, the next of kin of the deceased often disown their loved ones and refused to even accompany them to the cremation ground.

“But now, in some cases, family members of Covid 19 deceased have started coming forward to at least light the pyres. Earlier, relatives, including wives or children would refuse to come to the cremation ground. Those who did would remain at a distance and record videos on their mobiles,” he said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amritsar/he-cremates-abandoned-covid-victims/articleshow/76500455.cms

A very simple questiom !

अगर राजस्थान कोरोना ट्रीटमेंट को 2 हज़ार से 4 हज़ार में कैप कर सकता है, तो दिल्ली में 8 हज़ार से 18 हज़ार पर कैपिंग क्यों ?

#Rajasthan has CAPPED the treatment charges for #COVID19 between Rs. 2000 to Rs. 4000, while #Delhi has CAPPED it at Rs. 8000 to Rs. 18000 per day. SOUNDS SHOCKING AS AAM AADMI WILL HAVE TO SUFFER BADLY IN DELHI.

Treatment charges at the LOCAL PVT hospitals must be reduced further significantly

Quoted: B S Vohra, Hindustan Times

                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Though we have raised the issue of CAPPING the charges at almost every platform & it has yielded the results too. But we still feel that much more could be done to give relief to the residents. If the prices recommended by the Committee are for the BIG HOSPITALS, such as Max, Fortis, etc., why should we pay the same charges to the small private hospitals, treating the #COVID19 patients at every nook n corner? The charges at those hospitals must be reduced further significantly.

Thanks

B S Vohra

LG Meeting - Worsening situation in Delhi due to #COVID19

Most Urgent

16th June 2020

Kind Attn.: LG Saab, 

Subject: LG Meeting - Worsening situation in Delhi due to #COVID19

Dear Sir,

The situation in Delhi is worsening day by day. As per the Delhi Govt Health, Bulletin dated 13th June 2020, almost 88% of the active cases, i.e. Cumulative 19,535 patients, out of the Cumulative Active 22,742 cases were under the Home Isolation, and even the rest of the 12% of the positive cases found it difficult to get a suitable & affordable bed or a ventilator in Delhi hospitals.

It clearly shows the inadequacy of even the basic health facilities in Delhi, while the Private hospitals have taken it as the best business opportunity to mint money out of a #pandemic/ Notified Disaster.

In such circumstances, if the projections of July end become the reality, & in case we are not fully prepared to meet the challenge, the city will have to face the stink of dead bodies all over, as happened in various parts of Italy, Spain, Iran, and the USA.

Therefore, the issue now requires your utmost attention, so that there is no shortage of Health facilities, such as Beds, Ventilators, Oxygen concentrators, Medicines, Consumables, Doctors, Nurses, etc. for all the Government hospitals, as well as for various quarantine centers in the making. 

Must also look into the Number of Tests as well as the Test Positivity Rate of all the 11 Districts of Delhi @ThePrint:





Please look into the following as well:
1. Please Cap the treatment charges at Private hospitals at BEP, i.e. No profit No Loss basis, as the corporates & even the comparatively smaller private hospitals can not be allowed to encash a Notified Disaster. Telangana has announced CAPPED prices a day ago, though, being the National Capital, we can do even better.
2. Please Cap the Star hotels being engaged at Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 per day maximum, depending upon the rankings, as even otherwise, there is not much business due to COVID19 scare & most of the properties are almost vacant.
3. Please Cap the smaller hotels at Karol bagh, Pahar Ganj, etc. at Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000 per day, providing qualitative facilities to the middle class.
4. Please Provide the beds at various Stadiums, Banquet halls, Local schools & Community centers absolutely Free, while some of these can be Capped at Maximum Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 per day, depending upon the facilities, with an aim to provide treatment to all the classes of persons.
5. All the Doctors doing private practice in various localities must be ordered to offer an unconditional Free service of 2 to 3 hours per day at the local quarantine centers. They can register the Timings on the First-come-first-served basis. It's the wartime, though the war this time is with a deadly virus.
6. All the local religious bodies can be asked to arrange the Free Food, Langar, etc. for the Quarantine centers of various Schools, Community centers, that are offering Free beds to the patients. 
7. All the RWAs, MTAs, NGOs can be asked to manage the outer & administrative activities of various local quarantine centers, while all the inner technicalities, such as Doctors, Nurses, Equipment, Medicines, Consumables, etc. must be provided by the local or central Government.
8. Municipal Corporations must look into waste management, Toilets, cleanliness, sanitization of various facilities on a war footing.
9. The local MLAs, Councillors must act as the nodal officers for local quarantine centers, to look after each & every aspect along with the local SDM's for the ease of various Actions & activities.
10. Police must ensure that various norms are followed strictly such as Masks & Social distancing, as well as various security issues.
11. Last but not the least, Must look into the possibility of a Lockdown very seriously as the situation now is worsening day by day and even a small mistake may lead to huge fatalities, all over.

All the best wishes to the Delhi Health Minister, who has been hospitalized with a high fever.

Thanks, & with best regards,

B S Vohra
President,
East Delhi RWAs Joint Front
www.RWABhagidari.com

HT IMPACT

HT impact - A fine of Rs 500 for flouting quarantine rules, no masks & consuming tobacco in public: B S Vohra

The unaffordable & inadequate health facilities in Delhi may lead to ?

The unaffordable & inadequate health facilities in Delhi, at this rate of exponential growth of #COVID19, may lead to, a Dozen more crematoriums, as Pvt hospitals are unaffordable & Govt has nothing for the common man on the name of health facilities.

War Footing efforts required now, to treat #COVID19 positive cases in Delhi.

12th June 2020

MOST URGENT

Mr. Arvind Kejriwal

CM, Delhi.

Subject: War Footing efforts required now, to treat #COVID19 positive cases in Delhi.

Dear Sir,

Please go through the #COVID19 treatment charges displayed at Max Hospital. We have got the snap-on WhatsApp. If these are the Actual charges, just think about the ordinary & common persons living in this city. How an ordinary person can pay such exorbitant charges to get the treatment of #COVID19?

May we again request you with the folded hands to please put a CAP on these charges on the NO PROFIT NO LOSS basis, so that it becomes affordable for all. It is a #Pandemic, & in our opinion, no one can be allowed to encash such a situation. No one can be allowed to mint money out of a Notified Disaster.

Moreover, the other facilities being arranged by you in various hotels such as 3 - 4 - 5 Star hotels, must also be CAPPED at Rs 3 - 4 - 5 thousand per day as at this crucial juncture, there are no travelers, no visitors, and all the hotels are vacant. The CAPPED charges as above will be more than sufficient to cover their costs.

Similarly, the ordinary hotels at Karol Bagh, Pahar Ganj areas must also be CAPPED at Rs 1 - 2 thousand per day. Similarly, all the schools, colleges, community centers, Banquet halls, stadiums can be offered to the masses as FREE BEDS or can be CAPPED at a maximum charge of Rs 500 per day.

As a result, all the classes of residents can be affordably accommodated at respective locations.

Moreover, you must also critically look after the facilities at Delhi Government hospitals. You, yourself have stated that with over 5.50 Lakh positive cases, we may require over 1,50,000 beds, by July end, as well as the suitable number of Ventilators, Oxygen concentrators as well as PPE kits, etc. The present stories related to LNJP hospital are horrible.

Please act on WAR FOOTING now with the support of one & all, else the situation will be out of control soon. Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee & other similar bodies, can be requested to arrange food for the Quarantine centers in Delhi. 

All the Doctors practicing in Delhi can be requested to offer a FREE SERVICE of 2 - 3 hours a day, at various Quarantine centers, to support the cause. RWAs, MTAs, NGOs, can be asked to organize the schools & community centers of their respective areas. 

Suitable training must be provided to all the concerned, to meet any critical situation as our only aim must be to save the precious lives of our residents.

Must also seriously consider the Lockdown in full or in part at least, to check the rapid increase of the coronavirus cases in Delhi. It has created a Panic all over the city.

Please look into it & must act wisely. We already have over 2,100 deaths out of the 30 - 35 thousand positive cases so far. In case we reach 5.50 Lakh positive cases by July End, & move forward towards a PEAK by the 15th August, we may have to face a large number of casualties as the medical facilities, in any case, will remain inadequate. We must try to avoid any such situation in the National Capital. 

Assuring the best of Co-operation & Attention.

With best regards,

B S Vohra

President,

East Delhi RWAs Joint Front - Federation

www.RWABhagidari.com

CC to LG SAAB, DY CM, Dr. HarshVarshan, Mr. Satyender Jain & BCC to Media friends.

#COVID19 treatment for Delhiites only OR open for all ?

We are just talking about the #covid19 treatment in Delhi, which is a #pandemic while the city is already facing a huge lot of patients every day.

The city with over 2 cr population has quite insufficient health facilities. The general impression is that beds & ventilators are not available even for the Delhiites and we get so many messages in this regard. 

In such a case if #covid19 treatment is opened for all in Delhi hospitals, the already insufficient health facilities will worsen further. 

Now the option is ours to first try to save our local residents from #coronavirus or let our neighborhood friends also join the queue at our cost. 

Very typical issue. Being the National capital, it must remain open for all. But the crux of the discussion is that it should not be allowed at the cost of the lives of residents of Delhi & they must get at least some priority over others.

However, the newly launched Delhi Corona App showed yesterday that many beds & ventilators were still available, and in case this data is genuine, a part of these health facilities can be offered to the outsider critical patients also so that no precious life is lost anywhere. 

Though the App is showing very shocking results today. It says that GTB hospital with 1500 Beds has only 10 Ventilators and 8 already occupied. Similarly, LN 47/64, RGSSH 40/45, SJH 67/69, Apollo 18/18, MDCT 10/10, Batra 11/11, Max 6/8, Fortis 3/3, Manipal 2/2, Moolchand 2/2 & NHI 3/3 are already occupied, which clearly means, inadequate health facilities in the National Capital.

Thanks,

B S Vohra
President,
East Delhi RWAs Joint Front
www.RWABhagidari.com