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Temperatures have begun to dip in Delhi, with the city recording its lowest minimum temperature of the month so far at 16.9 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while the air quality remained in the "poor" category. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature of 16.9 degrees Celsius is two notches below the season's average. In 2023, the temperature dipped to 15.9 degrees Celsius whereas in 2024, it recorded 17.4 degrees Celsius. The city recorded the AQI in the "poor" category with a reading of 292 at 4 pm, according to the CPCP. However, Anand Vihar and Wazirabad was in the "severe" category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 415 and 405, respectively, the highest among all monitoring stations, according to the Sameer app by the CPCB. Sixteen stations recorded AQI in the "very poor" category (above 300), while the rest were in the poor category (below 300). As per the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 to 100 "satisfactory", 10
The NHRC has urged various states and UTs to take "pre-emptive steps" and implement relief measures to protect the vulnerable segments of the society, especially the newborns, poor, elderly and the homeless who are at risk from the ensuing cold wave, due to "lack of shelter and resources". In a statement issued on Thursday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also said it acknowledges that changing weather patterns due to climate change "affect human rights" as it affirmed its commitment to protect vulnerable sections of the population impacted by extreme weather events to ensure their dignity is respected and upheld. The NHRC, keeping in view the cold wave in the country, "has urged 19 state governments and four UT (Union Territory) administrations to take preemptive steps and implement relief measures to protect the vulnerable segments, especially the newborns, children, infants, poor, elderly, homeless, destitute and people involved in beggary, who are at risk due to lack
Cold wave conditions continued in the high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh after fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Kullu and Mandi districts and several parts of Lahaul-Spiti district, the local Met office said on Wednesday. The Manali-Leh road was blocked due to snowfall and vehicles going towards Ladakh were stopped at Darcha, officials said. In Lahaul-Spiti, Gondhla received 30 cm of snow followed by Keylong (15 cm), Hansa (5 cm) and Kukumseri (3.2 cm). Moderate to very heavy rain lashed the low and middle hills of the state, with Naina Devi receiving 132.6 mm of rain since Tuesday evening, followed by Solan (119.6 mm), Berthin (78.6 mm), Pachhad (78.2 mm), Malraon (75.4 mm), Kasauli (68 mm), Bharmani (67.2 mm), Bilaspur (64.8 mm), Kahu (64.1 mm), Dharampur (62.4 mm), and Ghaghas (55 mm), the local weather office said. Thunderstorms were witnessed in Murari Devi, Kangra, Palampur, Sundernagar, Jubbarhatti and Shimla, while gusty winds swept Narkanda, Kufri, Neri and ...