Live news: Series of lapses led to Gujarat bridge tragedy, say cops

Live news updates: Yadav overtook Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan to become just the second Indian player to hold the top T20I batter ranking

11:25 PM

Morbi bridge collapse was an 'act of God': Accused tells Gujarat court

A manager of the Oreva group, one of the nine persons arrested in connection with collapse of a suspension bridge in Gujarat's Morbi town, sought relief from a local court claiming the tragedy which has claimed 135 lives was an "act of God", the prosecution said on Wednesday. Chief Judicial Magistrate M J Khan had on Tuesday remanded four of the arrested accused -- two managers of the Oreva group and two sub-contractors who had repaired the ill-fated bridge -- in police custody till Saturday (Novenber 5).

11:01 PM

Punjab witnessed 3,634 farm fires today, highest so far

Punjab witnessed 3,634 farm fires today, highest number of stubble burning incidents so far this season, according to data from Punjab Remote Sensing Centre.

10:58 PM

Vehicles contributed half of PM 2.5 pollution in Delhi around Diwali: Report

During Diwali week (October 21-26) over half of PM 2.5 pollution from local sources in Delhi is contributed by vehicular emission, said the latest assessment by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

 

The report said that when pollution concentrations from all sources -- local, NCR and beyond -- are added, Delhi's vehicles account for nearly 17 per cent of total PM2.5 concentration. But, according to CSE's indicative data, vehicles' daily share of pollution varied between 49.3 per cent and 53 per cent during the week of Diwali.

10:03 PM

India's civil aviation sector likely to log 400 million passengers in next 7-10 years: Scindia

9:52 PM

If possible work from home and avoid taking out private vehicles: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai

9:40 PM

Pollution is a problem of entire North India: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

"Pollution is a problem of entire North India. UP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is almost equal everywhere. Did Delhi-Punjab spread pollution all over the country? Why is the PM not calling a meeting of all states on this? The centre is not helping the farmers, only filing FIRs against them. They rejected our proposal on tackling stubble burning. There is only politics going on about this, no one is talking about the solution," Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said to reporters.

9:36 PM

Environment minister calls Delhi "gas chamber"

"As of today, Punjab, a state run by the AAP government, has seen an over 19% rise in farm fires over 2021. Haryana has seen a 30.6% drop. Just today, Punjab saw 3,634 fires. There is no doubt over who has turned Delhi into a gas chamber," tweeted Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. 

9:26 PM

Farm fires' share in Delhi's pollution rises to 32% today, highest in 2022

The share of stubble burning in Delhi PM2.5 pollution rose to 32 per cent on Wednesday, the highest this year so far, amid raging farm fires in Punjab and favourable conditions for transport of emissions to Delhi-NCR.
 

The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) reported 3,634 farm fires in Punjab on Wednesday, the highest this year so far.

 

The number stood at 1,842 on Tuesday, 2,131 on Monday, 1,761 on Sunday, 1,898 on Saturday and 2,067 on Friday. SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, said the share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 pollution increased to 32 per cent due to favourable transport-level wind speed.

8:45 PM

No confirmation yet if India-made cough syrup killed 70 kids: Gambia govt

There is no confirmation yet if toxic cough syrup caused acute kidney injury in 70 children and killed them, a Gambia government official said. Indian government officials questioned the administration of cough syrup to the kids given the fact that they were suffering from diarrhoea.

7:28 PM

Pigs seen licking soiled utensils outside 'Indira Rasoi Yojana' in Bharatpur, organisers contract revoked

7:20 PM

Congress & BJP workers clash at Bishalgarh constituency

7:07 PM

Delhi air quality remains in 'very poor' category

6:59 PM

Defence Minister interacted with senior hierarchy of Indian Navy, as part of Naval Commanders' Conference

5:44 PM

Want all Cong leaders to maintain discipline: Gehlot after Pilot's remarks

Shortly after Rajasthan former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot raised eyebrows over Prime Minister Narendra Modi "praise" for Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister on Wednesday urged his party leaders to "maintain discipline" and refrain from making political statements.

 

Earlier in the day, Pilot cautioned that Modi's remarks for Gehlot should not be taken lightly and also nudged his party to end the "state of indecision" over the chief minister's post. He also pushed the party for action against the Rajasthan leaders who led a show of strength for Gehlot in September, boycotting a Congress Legislature Party meeting.

 

"AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal has asked not to give statements. We, too, want all leaders to maintain discipline," Gehlot told reporters during his Alwar visit.

5:27 PM

Today is a big day for thousands of slum dwellers: PM Modi

5:23 PM

Wild elephant enters Odisha's Bhubaneswar, tranquilised: forest official

A wild elephant entered the Odisha capital on Wednesday, causing panic among residents before it was tranquilised and shifted out of the city, officials said. The pachyderm was first spotted at Garage Square near Rabi talkies around 2 am and later it moved to Sundarpada locality via the Poonama Gate area.

 

The animal is suspected to have come from a forest near Puri district's Pipili, around 25 km from Bhubaneswar.

The tusker was finally tranquilised near Aigina area around 5.20 am and taken to neighbouring Nayagarh district in a truck for release into a forest, a forest official said. "The animal was first seen in Pipili and we have been driving it since Tuesday morning. It has not caused any damage but large gatherings of onlookers made our task difficult," City DFO Ajit Kumar Satpathy said.

5:21 PM

Delhi CM announces Rs 5,000 aid to workers amid pollution-related ban on construction activities

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed Labour Minister Manish Sisodia to provide Rs 5,000 each as financial aid to 10 lakh registered workers due to pollution-related ban on construction activities in Delhi.

 

With pollution levels worsening, the Centre's air quality panel had on Saturday directed authorities to impose a ban on construction and demolition activities in Delhi-NCR, except on essential projects, and other curbs under stage three of the Graded Response Action Plan.

 

GRAP is set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation.

5:13 PM

'One Nation One Ration card' has benefited lower and lower middle-class families throughout the country: PM

The introduction of the 'One Nation One Ration card' has benefited the lower and lower middle-class families throughout the country, said PM Modi

5:11 PM

Children below 12 years and women will get treatment at 'Mahila mohalla clinics': Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

5:10 PM

PM inaugurates 3,024 newly constructed flats at Kalkaji, Delhi under' In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation Project'

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PM @narendramodi inaugurates 3024 newly constructed flats at Kalkaji, Delhi under ‘In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation Project

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5:07 PM

Religious leaders call for global peace at the first-ever R20 summit

5:06 PM

Action initiated against sugar mill in UP's Saharanpur over non-payment of cane arrears

Authorities have sealed the administrative building and a guest house of a private sugar mill here for allegedly failing to clear dues of sugarcane farmers, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sanjeev Kumar said the mill at Ganjnauli allegedly owed Rs 196 crore to sugarcane farmers.

 

The district administration had issued several notices to the mill, owned by Bajaj Hindustan Sugar Ltd, to clear its dues, he said.

 

Kumar added that an arrest warrant was also issued against the mill's executive officer Harvesh Malik.

 

A senior official of Bajaj Hindustan Sugar said the matter had come to their notice and ''we are taking necessary steps to clear the dues on a priority basis''.

5:04 PM

European airspace complex but well managed by service providers: Hocquard on Ukraine, Russia airspace conflict

5:00 PM

Wheat exports double to $1.48 billion in April-September period: Govt data

The country's wheat exports more than doubled to USD 1.48 billion during April-September 2022-23 as compared to the year-ago period, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday.

 

The exports stood at USD 630 million in the year-ago period.

 

Though the government banned wheat exports in May, some shipments are allowed to meet food security needs of the countries that request for it.

 

''Wheat export rose to USD 1,487 million in April-September 2022 from USD 630 million in April-September 2021,'' the ministry said.

 

The global wheat supply has been seriously disrupted because of the Russia-Ukraine war. Both nations are major wheat producers.

4:56 PM

Morbi bridge ropes were not replaced, only repainted: Public prosecutor

Public Prosecutor has filed a detailed report of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in a sealed cover on Tuesday late evening before the First Class Judicial Magistrate here. Citing the FSL's preliminary report, he has said the cables were not changed by the contractor, rusted ropes were only painted and the flooring was changed.

Another revelation made in the report was that the contract for renovation was not given to the Oreva company but to its manager, who had hired some unqualified workers to do the lousy job they did.

4:51 PM

As air quality plunges in the national capital Delhi, stubble burning continues in Karnal, Haryana.

4:49 PM

Two CRPF women officers have been promoted to the rank of Inspector General for the first time

IG Seema Dhundiya will head the Bihar Sector of CRPF and IG Annie Abhram will head Rapid Action Force (RAF): CRPF.

4:35 PM

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights takes sou motu cognizance of poor air quality in Delhi

4:32 PM

Renowned activist and founder of Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Ela Bhatt passes away

Founder of the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Ela Bhatt passed away on Wednesday, November 2, at the age of 90. Elaben Bhatt was the chairperson of Sabarmati Ashram Trust and until recently, for seven years, chancellor of the Gujarat Vidyapith. She had recently expressed her desire to step down due to failing health.

4:27 PM

Beneficiaries of the Economically Weaker Section flats in Delhi elated to receive keys to their new homes