OVER 62 LAKH DIE OF HUNGER GLOBALLY IN 9 MONTHS

New Delhi, 15 October 2005

New Delhi, October 16 (INFA): As many as 62,41,512 are estimated to have died across the world of hunger and related diseases so far this year, according to the World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations. 

The WFP released this horrified figure on the eve of the World Food Day on 16 October. 

The Programme’s Executive Director, James Morris stated on the occasion that at a time when the world has been shocked by the horrific images of the earthquake in Pakistan and India where some one lakh lives were wiped out in a matter of a few seconds, Morris has appealed to the donor community not to forget that away from cameras lurked the biggest killer of all.

“Few people realize that hunger and related diseases still claim more lives than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.  What is worse, the number of chronically hungry is on the rise again, after decades of progress.  We are losing ground,” Morris stressed and added “We believe that solving the problem of child hunger is the key to ending world hunger,” Morris added. “If we can all work together to give today’s children the chance to reach their full potential in adulthood and prepare them better as parents, we can actually break the inter-generational cycle of hunger and poverty”.

Morris has contrasted the situation in developed countries, where the most vulnerable are protected by special provisions, such as social services, unemployment benefit, child allowances and income support, to that in the developing world, where there are very few of these safety nets, and cited and current drought in Niger as an example.

“With any luck, next year will be a good year for Niger.  May be the rains will come on time, the locust swarms will be manageable and no other unexpected disaster will occur.  If that happens – and it’s a bit of a long shot – we expect only about 450 of Niger’s children to die every day of hunger related causes during the lean season.  And some consider that good news”.---INFA

GROUNDWATER LEVEL GOES UP

Hyderabad, October 16 (INFA):  Groundwater level in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad has increased sharply due to rains that lashed them in the last two months.

Despite this drawing up of water continues to be a matter of concern to the authorities.

Meanwhile, the sprawling Nehru Zoological Park on the outskirts of the twin cities would boast of an impressive facade, better amenities for visitors, apart from reintroduction of species such as Zebra and Giraffe. 

Authorities have released recently Rs. 4 crore for the Zoo and finishing touches are being given to the facelift in the offing.---INFA