Page 83 - Delhi

Congress seeks total revamp of Air Pollution Act amid rising AQI levels

The Congress on Friday voiced concern over rising air pollution in the country and called for a total revamp of the Air Pollution Act and air quality standards to make them stringent and effective. The demand came amid rising air pollution levels in the national capital and other parts of the country. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said The Air Pollution (Control and Prevention) Act came into being in 1981. Thereafter, ambient air quality standards were announced in April 1994 and later revised in October 1998, he noted. In November 2009, after a thorough review by IIT Kanpur and other institutions a more stringent and wide-ranging National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) was put into effect. This covered 12 pollutants considered very detrimental to public health, he said, while sharing the press note that accompanied the implementation of NAAQS which reveals the thinking for the significant shift that took place then. "It is now time for a revisit and a total reva

Metro to run 20 extra train trips from Nov 3: DMRC after Grap-III

Delhi Metro will run 20 extra train trips across its network starting November 3 in view of the measures taken by pollution control authorities on Thursday to encourage more and more people to use public transport in Delhi and neighbouring cities, officials said. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 402 at 5 pm, prompting the Centre's pollution control panel imposed Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) that is implemented in the region during the winter season. "In view of the implementation of GRAP-III stage to combat pollution in Delhi, the DMRC will be further adding 20 extra trips across its network starting tomorrow i.e, 3rd November 2023 (Friday)," the DMRC said in a statement. Delhi Metro is already running 40 additional train trips on weekdays (Monday-Friday) from October 25 onwards when GRAP-II stage had come into force. "Thus, from tomorrow, the DMRC will be running a total of 60 additional trips as part of its measures taken under GRAP to encourage mor

Primary schools in Delhi shut for 2 days in view of rising pollution: CM

All government and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next two days in view of rising pollution levels, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced Thursday night. Pollution levels in the national capital entered the "severe" zone for the first time this season on Thursday, with scientists warning of a further spike over the next two weeks. In a post on 'X', the chief minister said, "In light of the rising pollution levels, all govt and private primary schools in Delhi will remain closed for the next 2 days." At least 18 out of 37 monitoring stations in Delhi recorded Air Quality Index (AQI) in the severe category. The areas where AQI breached the 400-mark are - Anand Vihar (450), Bawana (452), Burari Crossing (408), Dwarka Sector 8 (445), Jahangirpuri (433), Mundka (460), NSIT Dwarka (406), Najafgarh (414), Narela (433), Nehru Nagar (400), New Moti Bagh (423), Okhla Phase 2 (415), Patparganj (412), Punjabi Bagh (445), R K Puram (417), Rohini (454), Shadipur .

Wait time for getting appointment for B1, B2 US visas 37 days in Delhi

The waiting period for getting an interview appointment for a US visa in the B1 and the B2 categories (business and tourism) currently stands at 37 days in Delhi, according to official data. The US State Department on its website has shared the estimated wait time to receive an interview appointment for visas at a US embassy or consulate. According to the data updated November 1 on the website, the current waiting period for getting an interview appointment for an American visa in the B1 and the B2 categories stands at 37 days in Delhi, 322 days in Mumbai, 126 days in Kolkata, 341 days in Chennai and 511 days in Hyderabad. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the US temporarily for business (visa category B1), for tourism (visa category B2), or for a combination of both purposes (B1/B2). The US Embassy in India on Wednesday had posted on X that over the weekend "we opened over a quarter million nonimmigrant visa appointments". "It was a busy weekend f

CAQM invokes third stage of Grap as air quality worsens in Delhi-NCR region

The sub-committee reviewed the air quality scenario in the region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD and IITM

Next 15 days to remain crucial: Rai on deteriorating air quality in Delhi

"We need to work unitedly in order to curb the situation. Everyone needs to be aware of it", he said

Delhi hospitals witness spike in patients as air pollution rises: AIIMS

To carry out this study, the hospitals daily monitored the health of the patients coming to the emergency wards

Severe air quality alarm in Delhi-NCR area due to surge in stubble burning

The smoky haze shrouding Delhi thickened on Thursday, obscuring the skyline and hiding the sun, due to a surge in farm fires and unfavourable weather conditions, prompting doctors to issue warnings about breathing issues being aggravated. Scientists have warned of a spike in pollution levels in Delhi-NCR over the next two weeks. This is concerning as the Air Quality Index (AQI) in many areas has already breached the 400-mark to enter the severe category. An official from the India Meteorological Department reported that visibility reduced to just 500 metres at the Safdarjung Observatory around 7 am, gradually improving to 800 metres as temperatures increased during the day. Cold temperatures create stable atmospheric conditions, known as temperature inversions, where a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the ground, allowing the accumulation of pollutants. At 3 pm, the city's AQI reached 378. The 24-hour average AQI was 364 on Wednesday, 359 on Tuesday, 347 on Monday, 325 on ..

BJP workers protest at Rajghat, demand resignation of CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, Leader of the opposition Delhi Legislative Assembly and BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and other leaders were present during the protest

Delhi recorded highest number of road accidents at 5,652 last year: MoRTH

Delhi recorded the highest number of road accidents in 2022 among cities with a population of over a million people, followed by Indore and Jabalpur, according to a report by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Delhi recorded 5,652 accidents, followed by Indore (4,680), Jabalpur (4,046), Bengaluru (3,822), Chennai (3,452), Bhopal (3,313), Mallapuram (2,991), Jaipur (2,687), Hyderabad (2,516) and Kochi (2,432), the report said. These 10 cities accounted for 46.37 per cent of the total road accidents in 50 cities with a population of one million each. A total of 76,752 road accidents were recorded in 2022 in these 50 cities, resulting in a loss of 17,089 lives and causing injuries to 69,052 people. These cities are spread across 17 states and 2 UTs. The cities accounted for 16.6 per cent of the total accidents and 10.1 per cent of the total accident-related fatalities in the country. The number of road accidents and fatalities has increased in all million-plus cities ex

Chandrawal WTP to be shut for Nov 2-3, water supply may affect in Delhi

The Chandrawal Water Treatment Plant (WTP) will remain shut for two days beginning Thursday due to work for the installation of a flowmeter, the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said. "The Chandrawal WTP will remain under shutdown on November 2 from 10 am onwards and thus, the water supply will not be available in several areas in the evening of November 2 and the morning of November 3," the water utility said in a post on X on Wednesday. Water supply will be affected in the Civil Lines, Hindu Rao Hospital, Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Karol Bagh, Pahar Ganj and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) areas. "Water supply will also be affected in Old and New Rajinder Nagar, Patel Nagar (east and west), Baljeet Nagar, Prem Nagar, Inderpuri adjoining areas, and parts of Cantonment area and South Delhi," the DJB said.

Will ban construction work in areas with severe air quality: Delhi govt

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said the city government will ban construction work in areas recording an air quality index (AQI) above the 400 mark for five consecutive days. During a press conference, he said Delhi's AQI has remained around 350 for the past few days and meteorologists attribute this to a drop in temperatures and calm winds. "These conditions are expected to persist for the next few days, making the next fortnight crucial for Delhi," Rai said. Despite the implementation of preventive measures under Stage 2 of the Central government's air pollution control plan, pollution levels in the city continue to rise. Therefore, the Delhi government will halt construction work within a one-kilometer radius where the AQI exceeds the 400-mark for five consecutive days, Rai said. An AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe" The ministe

Mumbai reports 4th highest rise in home prices globally: Knight Frank

The price rise was the steepest in Manila at 21.2%, followed by 15.9% in Dubai and 10.4% in Shanghai

No fireworks in Delhi, Mumbai during World Cup matches as pollution worsens

The BCCI has banned the display of fireworks during the remaining World Cup games in Delhi and Mumbai due to worsening air quality in the two mega cities. Delhi has only one match left to host, the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka game on November 6, while Mumbai are scheduled to host two more league games, on November 2 and November 7, and the semifinal on November 15. BCCI is sensitive to environmental concerns. I took up the matter formally with the ICC and there won't be any fireworks display in Mumbai, which can add to the pollution level," said BCCI secretary Jay Shah in a statement on Wednesday. "The Board is committed to combating environmental issues and will always place the interest of our fans and stakeholders at the forefront. The BCCI acknowledges the urgent concern surrounding air quality in both Mumbai and New Delhi. "While we strive to host the ICC World Cup in a manner befitting the celebration of cricket, we remain steadfast in our commitment to prioritising the health and .

Delhi govt's GST, VAT collections rose by 17% in first half of FY24

The Delhi government's GST and VAT collections rose by 17 per cent in the first half of the current fiscal 2023-24 to more than Rs 19,100 crore, compared to the corresponding period last year, officials said on Tuesday. The total Goods and Services Tax (GST) and value-added tax (VAT) collected by the Delhi government in the first half of 2022-23 was Rs 16,352 crore, they said. "With this increase, the GST and VAT collections are likely to cross the estimated collection targets this year," said a senior government officer. According to official figures, the Delhi government collected Rs 19,101 crore from GST and VAT in the first two quarters of 2023-24 (April-June and July-September) as compared to Rs 16,352 crore in the first half of FY 2022-23. "The GST and VAT collections are likely to register a major jump with festival season leading to a shopping boom in the coming months," said the officer. According to official figures, the month-wise collection of GST and VAT was Rs 3,886

Only electric, CNG, BS-VI diesel buses from Haryana allowed to enter Delhi

The Delhi government has directed that all buses coming to the national capital from Haryana will have to run on electric, CNG or BS-VI diesel, while buses from the NCR regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan need to follow these norms while coming to the city from Wednesday. The transport department of the city government said from July 1 next year, all buses coming to Delhi from any city or town in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh shall only be electric, CNG and BS-VI diesel ones. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had said starting November 1, only electric, CNG and BS VI-compliant diesel buses will be allowed to operate between Delhi and the cities and towns of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan falling in the National Capital Region (NCR). The measure aims to combat the air pollution caused by the diesel-powered buses operating in the region, with the ultimate goal of transitioning to electric vehicles. In a circular issued to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and ...

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Such massive scam can't take place without Kejriwal's approval: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday sharpened its attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the excise policy case, claiming that such a "massive scam" could not have taken place with his clear approval. "Jai karni waisi bharni (you reap what you sow)," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference, a day after the Enforcement Directorate summoned Kejriwal on November 2 for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. Dismissing the AAP's allegations that the Central government was trying to finish it off, he said it was the Kejriwal-led party which was finishing itself off with its "misdeeds, corruption and scams". Prasad claimed the BJP has nothing to do with central probe agencies' action against the AAP and that the legal process was following its own course in the matter. "What agencies do is none of our concern. It is for them to decide." He rhetorically asked did the BJP tell them to frame such an excise policy that "gives them commissio

Delhi traffic police advisory amid Meri Mati Mera Desh-Amrit Kalash Yatra

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued a traffic advisory on Meri Mati Mera Desh-Amrit Kalash Yatra taking place at Vijay Chowk. The two-day event will take place from October 30 to October 31, 2023

Delhi excise policy scam: SC rejects bail pleas of ex-Dy CM Manish Sisodia

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the regular bail pleas of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in corruption and money-laundering cases related to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. A bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice SVN Bhatti said it has recorded the statements of the probe agencies that the trial in these cases will conclude in six to eight months. But if the trial proceeds in a "sloppy manner", then Sisodia will be at liberty to apply for bail in these cases in three months, the bench said. The top court pronounced its verdict on Sisodia's two separate regular bail pleas filed in corruption and money-laundering cases related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. It had on October 17 reserved its verdict on both the pleas. Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 for his alleged role in the "scam". The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has been in custody since then. The ED arrested Sisodia in a money-laundering cas