Page 47 - Delhi

Despite ban, 18% NCR families plan to burst crackers this Diwali: Survey

Ahead of Diwali, a survey conducted in Delhi-NCR has revealed that 18 per cent of the respondents plan to burst firecrackers during the festival of lights, while 55 per cent don't intend to do so. The survey conducted by LocalCircles with a sample size 10,526 said, "Among those who responded to the query, 55 per cent said they will not burn firecrackers as they cause pollution, whereas 19 per cent said they would like to burn crackers, and 9 per cent said they will burn crackers. "Nine per cent of the respondents said they will burn crackers and they know how and from where to get them, while 8 per cent did not give a clear answer. To sum up, 18 per cent of Delhi-NCR families surveyed are likely to burn crackers this Diwali." Out of 10,526 people, 68 per cent of respondents were men while the remaining 32 per cent were women, it added. As per the survey, some residents showed indifference towards the government advisories regarding firecrackers, as evidenced by the significant use

Next 15 days crucial to tackle air pollution in Delhi, says Gopal Rai

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai emphasised the urgent need to tackle air pollution across northern India, calling the next 15 days "crucial". Following a key meeting with the Central government on Friday, Rai held a press conference on Saturday. The meeting, attended by Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Bhupender Yadav, along with environment ministers from neighbouring states, aimed to assess and address the worsening air quality in the region. Rai expressed concern over the delay in this year's meeting and said, "Last year, a similar meeting was held in August, allowing us more time to strategise. "This year's meeting took place in the last week of October. Had it been conducted three months earlier, we could have tackled the pollution problem more effectively," Rai said. According to Rai, Punjab has shown a promising downtrend in the stubble burning incidents, with only 1,500 cases reported this year compared to nearly 5,000 cases in 2022. However, he noted an upti

Delhi HC calls for random checks to enforce auto fare meter compliance

The petitioner Anand Mishra stated that fare meters have not been operational since 2018, and the respondent authorities have failed to take corrective action

Delhi riots case: Expeditiously hear Sharjeel Imam bail plea, says SC

The Supreme Court on Friday told the Delhi High Court to expeditiously hear the bail plea of student activist Sharjeel Imam in an Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case related to Delhi riots which took place in February 2020. A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and S C Sharma said it was not inclined to entertain the plea, which also sought bail under Article 32 of the Constitution. Imam's counsel, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, said the bail plea had been pending since 2022 while clarifying he was not pressing for bail at the present stage. The top court noted the high court would be hearing the case on November 25. "This being the writ petition filed under Article 32 of the constitution, we are not inclined to entertain the same. However, petitioner shall be at liberty to request the high court to hear the bail application as expeditiously as possible preferably on November 25, as fixed by the high court. The high court shall consider the said request," held the bench.

Declaring Jama Masjid protected monument will have big impact: ASI to HC

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that declaring the historic Jama Masjid a "protected monument" would have a "substantial impact" and no steps have been taken in this regard so far. In an affidavit filed in response to PILs on the issue, the ASI said once a monument is declared a protected monument, certain regulations and prohibitions in the area around it come into force. It further said that although the Mughal-era Jama Masjid is currently under the protection and guardianship of Delhi Waqf Board, the ASI has been undertaking conservation and preservation work there. A bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh orally said it was not inclined to declare Jama Masjid a "protected monument" in view of the stand of the ASI and ordered the petitioners to file their notes with respect to the steps that should be taken for the protection of the historic structure. "They (ASI) are saying there is a hesitation. There is an impact of declaring

Breathe at your own risk: How Delhi's air is taking a dangerous turn

Health experts warn that vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, face heightened risk, raising serious concern over the long-term impacts of air pollution

Delhi AQI crisis triggers Grap stage 2: What it means for the capital

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that Delhi's AQI will remain in the 'very poor' range over the coming days

Watch: CCTV video captures moment of blast near CRPF school in Delhi

A loud blast took place near a CRPF school in Prashant Vihar area in Delhi's Rohini on Sunday morning. No one was injured in the incident, officials said.

A day after Delhi explosion, three CRPF schools receive bomb threats

Panic gripped Delhi on Sunday morning following a blast near a CRPF school in the Prashant Vihar area of Rohini, with initial investigation suggesting it could have been caused by a crude bomb

Delhi school blast: Telegram channel claims responsibility, police probe on

Delhi Police has sought information from Telegram about a handle named 'Justice League India' after it claimed responsibility for the Rohini school blast

CPCB imposes GRAP second stage in Delhi as daily average AQI hit 310 level

The Central Pollution Control Board on Monday invoked the second stage of the Graded Response Action Plan in the national capital amid deteriorating air quality levels, imposing restrictions on the use of coal and firewood as well as diesel generator sets. The Centre's Sub-Committee for operationalisation of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) will invoke an 11-point action plan as per Stage II of the revised GRAP in the entire National Capital Region from 8 am on Tuesday. The decision was taken after comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario in the region, an official statement said here. Parking fees will also be enhanced in the city under stage II of GRAP to discourage private transport, it added. Delhi recorded a daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 310, which falls in the 'very poor' category, on Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). There is a likelihood of the daily average AQI of Delhi staying in the 'very poor' category (between

Delhi School Blast: Telegram handle ‘Justice League India’ claims responsibility

A day after a blast rocked a CRPF school in Rohini, Delhi Police are probing a Telegram handle, ‘Justice League India’, which claimed responsibility. Authorities have sought Telegram’s assistance.

NCLAT upholds order to allow govt to takeover Delhi Gymkhana Club's mgmt

Appellate tribunal NCLAT has upheld an order to allow the central government to take over the management of the prestigious Delhi Gymkhana Club. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) set aside the petition filed by the erstwhile management members against the order passed by the Principal Bench of the NCLT. On April 1, 2024, the NCLT allowed the plea filed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs for taking over the Delhi Gymkhana Club management citing "violations" of the Company Law and said there was "sufficient material" for holding that, as it is a case of mismanagement. In its 149-page order, the NCLT had also allowed the ministry to nominate 15 persons as directors on the club's general committee as well as manage the affairs of the club. The said order was challenged before the appellate tribunal, which has been now upheld on Monday by a two-member bench, comprising Chairperson Ashok Bhushan and Member Arun Baroka. However, the NCLAT bench also also directed the

Material used in blast outside Delhi school resembles bomb, probe underway

A mysterious blast took place near a CRPF school in Prashant Vihar area in Delhi's Rohini on Sunday morning. No one was injured in the incident, officials of the Delhi Fire Services said. Fire engines, bomb squad a police forensic team have been rushed to the spot near the CRPF school, Sector 14, Rohini to ascertain the source of the loud blast. The wall of the school, nearby shops and a car received damage, police said. DFS officials said, "We received a call regarding a blast near the boundary wall of CRPF school at 7.50 am. We immediately rushed two fire engines to the spot. There was no fire and no one was injured due to the blast, so our vehicle returned." Senior police officers, including from the crime branch and the Special Cell, reached the spot. "Our forensic team and crime unit are at the spot to collect samples from the blast location. It could be a firecracker, but we are investigating the entire matter from all angles," a senior police officer said. Police said that

Delhi wakes up to a blanket of smog; AQI drops to 'very poor' in many areas

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts unfavourable weather will continue, keeping pollution levels high until at least Sunday

Delhi in red: Air quality dips further; many places log 'very poor' index

Delhi's neighbours Uttar Pradesh's Noida and Haryana's Gurugram also reeled from poor air quality levels. Delhi's Mundka logged one of the poorest AQIs at 377, which is very close to 'severe' mark

Electronic DLs, registration certificates may replace smart cards in Delhi

Delhi government is considering to replace the current smart card system on driving licenses and registration certificates with electronic versions that could be downloaded like Aadhaar cards, officials said on Wednesday. The new move would allow citizens to download and print their e-DL and e-RC in a format similar to the Aadhaar Card, featuring a unique ID and QR code that could be used by traffic police for verification, they said. A senior official of the Delhi Transport department said that the electronic documents could either be printed or accessed via apps like DigiLocker or mParivahan, offering citizens a convenient way to present their documents when required. In 2023-24, Delhi's transport department issued 1.6 lakh licenses and 6.69 lakh RCs as of May this year, and under the new plan, only e-DLs and e-RCs would be issued, he added. The downloadable PDF format, available on the Parivahan Sewa portal, would include a QR code to confirm authenticity, and links would also b

Our govts reducing stubble burning, BJP-ruled states doing nothing: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday alleged that central government data reveals that stubble burning in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are "major contributors" to air pollution in Delhi. The AAP governments in Delhi and Punjab are the only ones that are reducing pollution and providing relief to the people, party leader Jasmine Shah said in a statement on Wednesday. In the period between October 1-14, Shah claimed that in comparison to last year, there was a 27 per cent reduction in incidents of stubble burning in Punjab this year, while such incidents increased in BJP-ruled UP and Haryana. "From October 1 to 14, (according to) the data from the central government agency Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), 1,105 stubble burning incidents were reported in Punjab. This year, the number has reduced to 811, a 27 per cent decrease in stubble burning incidents in the state," he said. In Haryana, during the same period, there were 341 incidents last year, that increase

Delhi-Gujarat haul: Drugs brought from S America, purified in Ankleshwar

Amid a series of drug busts in Delhi and Gujarat, police here on Monday said that around 1,300 kg of narcotics was brought from countries in South America to a pharmaceutical company in Gujarat for purification before being supplied to the national capital. According to officials 1,289 kg of cocaine and 40 kg of hydroponic marijuana, worth more than Rs 13,000 crore, have been recovered from Delhi and Gujarat so far. The latest haul came on Sunday when a joint operation of Delhi and Gujarat Police seized at least 518 kilograms of cocaine worth around Rs 5000 crore from Gujarat's Ankleshwar, and arrested five people. The officials said the new seizure was connected to the recovery of 700 kilograms of cocaine in Delhi. A day after the latest recovery of cocaine from Avkar Drugs Limited Company in Gujarat's Ankleshwar, Delhi Police on Monday said the consignment was refined there by mixing chemical before being sent to Delhi. Of the five who were arrested from Gujarat, three -- Vijay

Delhi sees 55% spike in malaria cases this year so far, no deaths recorded

The national capital has reported a huge jump in malaria cases this year so far, with infections jumping nearly 55 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year. The city has, however, not recorded any malaria-related deaths so far, according to official data. According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) data for the period from January 1 to October 5, this year marks the highest number of malaria cases in the corresponding period in last five years with 511 confirmed infections. A total of 329 cases were reported during the same period in 2023, 153 in 2022, 127 in 2021, and 189 in 2020. While there have been no deaths attributed to malaria in Delhi this year, this contrasts with previous years when one fatality was reported each in 2020, 2022, and 2023. The data also highlights that the highest caseload was recorded in September every year since 2020; this year, there were 193 cases in September, compared to 106 reported in August. In the current month, up to the