Page 44 - Delhi

Delhi's air quality turns 'poor' after Dussehra, likely to improve soon

Delhi's air quality worsened to the 'poor' category on Sunday, the day after Dussehra, with the Centre deciding to closely monitor the situation before taking anti-air pollution measures under Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Effigies of demon king Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnad packed with firecrackers went up in flames at open grounds in the national capital during Dussehra celebrations on Saturday. Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 224 on Sunday, according to the 4 pm AQI bulletin from the Central Pollution Control Board. The Commission for Air Quality (CAQM) Sub-Committee reviewed the current air quality and weather forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), according to a statement. It said Delhi's air pollution had already started declining, dropping to 222 by 5 pm, and is expected to decline further. The IMD/IITM forecast also predicts air quality

Delhi govt identifies sites for Durga idol immersion for devotees' safety

The Delhi government has identified multiple sites across the city for Durga idol immersion to ensure safe and coordinated process for the devotees. In compliance with environmental regulations, idol immersion in rivers, including the Sahibi River, is strictly prohibited,an official statement said. The Delhi government announced comprehensive plans for Durga idol immersion. With directives issued to Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) a month in advance, the government has identified 31 immersion sites across the city, an official statement said. SDMs will conduct inspections of these sites in collaboration with the concerned departments ensuring that all necessary arrangements are in place, the statement read. The Delhi government has asked everyone to adhere to the guidelines and maintain cleanliness at the sites. "In a meeting chaired by the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of West Delhi on October 10, the Delhi government outlined comprehensive plans for Durga Pooja idol ...

'Ram Rajya' means education, healthcare for all: Kejriwal at Ramleela

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal invoked "Ram Rajya" on Friday and said that no child should remain uneducated and no one should be denied healthcare in the country. Attending a Ramleela in East Delhi's Mayur Vihar, he said the Aam Aadmi Party is following the "principles of Ram Rajya" to serve the people Delhi. The former Delhi chief minister said Lord Rama's ideals of justice, equality, and service should be emulated by all. "We should take lessons from Lord Ram's life, which reflects the essence of Indian and Hindu culture. It is crucial that we pass this cultural heritage to our children by ensuring they watch events like Ramleela," he said. According to the vision of "Ram Rajya" no child should remain uneducated, nor should anyone be denied healthcare for lack of money, Kejriwal said.

AAP to appoint 11 volunteers for every booth to oversee voting in Delhi

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) plans to appoint 11 dedicated volunteers for every booth to oversee voting during the upcoming assembly polls in Delhi. These volunteers will also carry forward Arvind Kejriwal's message and the achievements of the AAP government, the AAP said in a statement on Friday. In a meeting held at the party headquarters here, AAP's National General Secretary (Organisation) and Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak took stock of the party's readiness for the poll and urged volunteers to remain resolute in their efforts to serve the people of Delhi, it said. "The AAP is fully prepared for the upcoming elections, and we will not rest until Arvind Kejriwal is re-elected as Chief Minister," Pathak said. As the elections approach, the party plans to deploy 11 volunteers at every booth, who will act as "soldiers on the ground", he added. According to the statement, Pathak also cautioned the party workers against falling into any BJP conspiracy, and focus solely on the welfare o

Delhi DoE issues advisory against misleading promises of edtech companies

The Delhi Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued an advisory to protect students and parents from the misleading promises of ed-tech companies. According to the advisory issued on Tuesday, the ed-tech companies lure students and parents with extravagant promises, often leading them to incur loans at excessive interest rates, risking their financial stability. The DoE said these companies use syllabi and teaching methodologies which are not regulated by NCERT, SCERT and any other educational body. According to the directorate, many of these firms repackage freely available educational content, market it as exclusive, and employ aggressive marketing strategies and social media campaigns. The DoE emphasised the strength of Delhi's educational system, which is designed to support learners' mental, emotional, social, and psychological well-being. It also directed all government and private schools to raise awareness among students about the importance of regular attendance and makin

Atishi 'removed' from Delhi CM's residence: How is official house allotted

The bitter blame game over the occupation of the Flagstaff Road bungalow between the AAP, BJP, and Delhi LG's office erupted after former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal vacated the residence last week

Delhi to Kashmir in 13 hours: Vande Bharat sleeper to Srinagar announced

Indian Railways has announced the Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat train that will cover over 800 km in 13 hours. The train will depart at 19:00 hrs from Delhi to reach Srinagar at 08:00 hrs

Days after Kejriwal vacates, Delhi CM Atishi to shift to 6, Flagstaff Road

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi will shift to the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow on Monday, days after her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal vacated it and moved to a new address in Lutyens' Delhi, officials said. The shifting of the chief minister's personal effects and other belongings is underway, they said. Atishi was earlier allotted the AB-17 bungalow on Mathura Road after she was appointed a minister in the Kejriwal government last year. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Kejriwal, who resigned as chief minister in September, vacated the Flagstaff Road bungalow in Civil Lines last Friday. His new address is 5, Ferozeshah Road near Mandi House, which has been allotted to AAP Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Ashok Mittal. Atishi used to stay in south Delhi's Kalkaji with her parents while former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was occupying the AB-17 bungalow. Last week, Sisodia vacated the house and moved to Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh's official residence on RP Road, officials ad

Arvind Kejriwal inaugurates tree plantation campaign, table tennis ground

Kejriwal also shared a post and expressed his happiness after the people of the New Delhi constituency

Rajnath Singh to inaugurate DefConnect 4.0 event in Delhi on Monday

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is slated to inaugurate an event on Monday that will bring together armed forces, defence PSUs, innovators and policymakers to discuss ways to advance indigenous innovation. 'DefConnect 4.0' will be held at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi Cantonment, and will be a significant step towards advancing indigenous innovation and celebrating the growing defence ecosystem of the country, the defence ministry said in a statement. The event is being organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence - Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), under the ministry's Department of Defence Production. DefConnect 4.0 marks a milestone in India's defence innovation journey, bringing together the armed forces, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), industry leaders, innovators, start-ups and MSMEs, academia, incubators, investors and policymakers, the statement said. It will feature an exciting technology showcase, presenting iDEX innovators with a unique opportunit

Haryana Assembly elections: Hooda leaves for Delhi ahead of counting

Ahead of Haryana poll results on October 7, Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a frontrunner for the chief minister's post, on Sunday left for Delhi where he is likely to meet party leadership. The Congress veteran and former chief minister Hooda will have his night stay at his Delhi residence, sources said. He is likely to meet the party's senior leadership before he returns to his Rohtak residence Monday afternoon, they said. An aide of Hooda said that he left for Delhi from Rohtak residence in the evening. Asked who would be the chief minister if the Congress comes to power, Hooda had Saturday reiterated that there is a laid down procedure in the party, according to which "the opinion of the MLAs will be sought and the high command will decide". About party leaders Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala also reportedly being aspirants for the chief minister's post, last evening Hooda told reporters that one can have aspirations in politics but there is a procedure. Votin

Wangchuk's supporters say detention at Delhi border huge disappointment

Supporters of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who were detained on September 30 at the Delhi border, said on Sunday the detention was a huge disappointment for them and alleged that they were treated like "terrorists" upon reaching the national capital. Led by Wangchuk, around 150 'padyatris' (marchers) from Ladakh started a 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra' from Leh on September 1, and were detained upon reaching Delhi on the night of September 30 for "violating" prohibitory orders and were taken to different police stations. They were kept in detention till they were finally taken to Rajghat on October 2. The demands of the protesters include statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, among others. On Sunday, Wangchuk sat on a fast at Delhi's Ladakh Bhawan along with around a dozen supporters, after failing to get permission for a sit-in at Jantar Mantar. Gurmet Dorjay, former executive councillor of Korzok, who was among those who participated in

SC questions Delhi LG's hurry in holding MCD Standing Committee election

The Supreme Court on Friday questioned the "tearing hurry" on the part of the lieutenant governor's office to exercise executive powers for holding the election for the sixth member of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's Standing Committee. A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and R Mahadevan asked the LG's office to not hold elections for the post of chairman of the Standing Committee till it hears the plea of Mayor Shelly Oberoi against the September 27 Standing Committee polls. "We will view it seriously if you hold an election for the MCD Standing Committee chairman," the bench told senior advocate Sanjay Jain, appearing for the LG's office. It said that initially it was not inclined to entertain this petition but had to issue notice because of Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena's decision to exercise his powers under Section 487 of the Delhi Municipal Act. "Democracy will be in danger if you start using executive powers under Section 487 of the DMC Act. How can you interdict the ...

BJP stages protest against Arvind Kejriwal occupying AAP MP's bungalow

Former Delhi BJP chief Vijay Goel, along with party workers, on Friday staged a protest against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of unauthorised occupation of a government bungalow allotted to his party MP. Goel said he would lodge a complaint with the the Rajya Sabha chairman in the matter. During the protest, held at 5 Ferozeshah Road outside the MP's bungalow, the BJP leader criticised Kejriwal for betraying his earlier promises of not using government luxuries. "This is the same Arvind Kejriwal who had given an affidavit saying he wouldn't use a government bungalow, car, or security upon becoming chief minister, yet he occupied a mansion worth crores like Sheesh Mahal," the former Union minister added. He said the purpose of the protest was to expose Kejriwal's double standards to the people of Delhi. Former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal on Friday vacated the 6, Flagstaff Road address his home for nine years and moved to a bungalow in the Lutyens' zone. The Aam Aad

Amit Shah targets Congress for driving youth into 'dark world of drugs'

Following the Rs 5,600 crore drug bust in the national capital, Home Minister Amit Shah accused Congress leaders of using their political influence to draw the youth into the trap of drugs

UP allocates Rs 892.7 cr to resume delayed Chilla elevated road project

Construction of the 5.9-kilometre, six-lane elevated road was initially conceived in 2012 to alleviate traffic congestion between Noida and Delhi. However, the project has faced many setbacks

Not just placements, job creation also must for univ assessment: Atishi

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday said universities should not be evaluated solely on the basis of their placement records but also job opportunities their graduates create. Addressing the second convocation of Netaji Subhas University of Technology here, Atishi, who also holds the education portfolio, highlighted the importance of fostering entrepreneurial skills among the youth. "The biggest challenge our youths face today is unemployment. I am pleased to know that 81 per cent of NSUT graduates secured jobs. However, I believe universities should not be evaluated based on placement percentages alone, they should be assessed based on how many jobs their graduates generate. This is the need of the hour," the chief minister said. "Our goal should be to not only secure the best job but also to create job opportunities for others," she added. Atishi also shared success stories from the Delhi government's Business Blaster programme which provides financial support to school student

Delhi CM approves incentive scheme to promote scrapping of old vehicles

The Delhi government will provide a 10-20 per cent tax rebate to buyers of new vehicles who opt to scrap their old ones, according to a statement issued on Wednesday. Chief Minister Atishi has approved the incentive scheme to promote scrapping of old vehicles and it will be notified soon, the statement said. "The government will incentivise those who opt for the scrapping of their old vehicles, through rebate in motor-vehicle tax on buying new vehicles within three years," said the Delhi government statement. The tax rebate will be 20 per cent on the purchase of non-commercial CNG and petrol vehicles, 15 per cent on the purchase of commercial CNG and petrol vehicles, and 10 per cent on diesel vehicles, it said. The policy is aimed at removing old and polluting vehicles on the road by promoting the use of less-polluting ones having upgraded emission standards, it said. Under the scheme, one would have to obtain a certificate of deposit on scrapping their old vehicle at a registered

Delhi among 3 cities to get urban radar network for better weather forecast

Three metropolitan cities -- Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata -- will soon get urban radar networks for better weather forecast on the lines of a similar network unveiled for Mumbai last month, officials said on Wednesday. The Ministry of Earth Sciences launched four X-band weather radars in Mumbai last month, taking the total number of such monitoring systems in the financial capital to six covering an area of nearly 50,000 sq km together. "We plan to extend similar coverage in the other three metros Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata within the next one year," M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said. Under Mission Mausam, the government plans to install 50 doppler weather radars across the country to strengthen weather forecasting services. The urban radar network will provide real-time data every five minutes by detecting clouds which bring extreme rainfall as well as thunderstorms. The data from the radars will be integrated, and eventually offer a real-time view of wea

Sonam Wangchuk detained again after release, indefinite fast continues

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and 150 Ladakhis were again detained after they were released by the Delhi Police late Tuesday night, even as their indefinite fast continue at the police stations, officials said on Wednesday. Wangchuk and other detained Ladakhis were allowed to go on Tuesday night but they were adamant to march towards the central part of Delhi, therefore, they were detained again, a senior police officer told PTI. Wangchuk has been kept at the Bawana police station along with few others while others have been kept at Narela Industrial Area, Alipur and Kanjhawala police stations, he added. Wangchuk and those accompanying him were detained by the Delhi Police at the Singhu border on Monday night for violating prohibitory orders when they tried to enter the national capital to press for their demands. He was leading the 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra', which began from Leh a month ago. It was organised by the Leh Apex Body, which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, ha