As Israel targets Hezbollah, Lebanon envoy to India Cites Mahatma Gandhi
'You can kill a revolutionary, not the revolution'
New Delhi, Oct 9: Following Israel's announcement of the killing of Hassan Nasrallah's successors, Lebanon's Ambassador to India Rabie Narsh cited Mahatma Gandhi's words and said Hezbollah is a legitimate political party supported by the people and cannot be eliminated.
"I am reminded of Mahatma Gandhi's words: You can kill a revolutionary, but you cannot kill the revolution. You can eliminate the leaders of Hezbollah, but you cannot eliminate Hezbollah, because it is the people on the ground. It is not an imaginary structure that came to Lebanon by parachute," the ambassador said in an interview with PTI Videos.
Narsh added that Hezbollah embodies a movement against the "rogue state" of Israel and cannot be crushed by eliminating its leaders.
In a video message on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's forces have effectively targeted and eliminated potential successors to the recently deceased Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah formally came into existence in 1985 to resist the "Israeli invasion of Lebanon".
"Hezbollah operates within the established political system in Lebanon. They are a political party, represented in both the cabinet and the parliament," the ambassador said, noting that Hezbollah also has an armed wing.
The Lebanese ambassador said the brutal war waged by Israel, involving advanced weaponry and banned munitions, has left over 2,100 dead, 11,000 injured, and 2.2 million individuals displaced, creating a dire humanitarian situation in Lebanon.
"The situation is escalating and spiralling toward what may become an all-out regional war. Unfortunately, we are facing this troubling stage of conflict because Israel has not been held accountable for its criminal policies, war crimes, and expansionist actions against its neighbours," the ambassador said.
Narsh said Lebanon has been urging world capitals, including New Delhi, since October last year to prevent the conflict from escalating into a regional war.
Amid the rise in Israeli attacks, French President Emmanuel Macron last week announced that France will host an international conference this month to raise humanitarian aid for Lebanon and improve security in its southern regions.
"We are currently organising medical supplies to Lebanon from India, including medicines and medical equipment," the ambassador said.
He called upon India to exert more pressure on Israel to comply with international laws and UN resolutions.
"Netanyahu is out of control, engaged in killing and a destruction spree, which is very dangerous. Someone has to stop Netanyahu," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Assam's Byrnihat tops global pollution list; Delhi most polluted capital: Report
New Delhi (PTI): Thirteen of the world's top 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Assam topping the list, according to a new report published on Tuesday.
The World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir said Delhi remains the most polluted capital city globally, while India ranked as the world's fifth most polluted country in 2024, down from third in 2023.
The report said India saw a 7 percent decline in PM2.5 concentrations in 2024, averaging 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. Yet, 13 of the world's 20 most polluted cities are in India.
Air pollution in Delhi worsened, with the annual average PM2.5 concentration rising from 102.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 to 108.3 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024.
The Indian cities in the world's top 20 most polluted cities are Byrnihat, Delhi, Punjab's Mullanpur, Faridabad, Loni, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh and Noida.
Overall, 35 percent of the Indian cities reported annual PM2.5 levels exceeding 10 times the WHO limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre, the report said.
The high level of pollution in Byrnihat, a town on the border of Assam and Meghalaya, is due to emissions from local factories, including distilleries, iron and steel plants.
Delhi grapples with high air pollution year-round and the problem worsens in winter when unfavourable meteorological conditions, combined with vehicular emissions, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers and other local pollution sources, make the air quality hazardous.
Air pollution remains a serious health risk in India, reducing life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years.
According to a Lancet Planetary Health study published last year, about 1.5 million deaths in India every year from 2009 to 2019 were potentially linked to long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution.
PM2.5 refers to tiny air pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns, which can enter the lungs and bloodstream, leading to breathing problems, heart disease and even cancer. Sources include vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions and the burning of wood or crop waste.
Former WHO chief scientist and health ministry advisor Soumya Swaminathan said India has made progress in air quality data collection but lacks sufficient action.
"We have the data; now we need action. Some solutions are easy like replacing biomass with LPG. India already has a scheme for this, but we must further subsidise additional cylinders. The first cylinder is free, but the poorest families, especially women, should receive higher subsidies. This will improve their health and reduce outdoor air pollution," she told PTI in an interview.
In cities, expanding public transport and imposing fines on certain cars could help. "A mix of incentives and penalties is necessary," she said.
"Finally, strict enforcement of emission laws is crucial. Industries and construction sites must comply with regulations and install equipment to cut emissions instead of taking shortcuts," the former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research added.
_vb_07.jpeg)