The national capital woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Tuesday morning as air quality continued to languish in the 'very poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). However, this marks a slight improvement from the past week's 'severe' levels. At 7 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 382, still categorised as 'very poor', reports ANI. This comes after several days of 'severe plus' AQI levels, offering some relief but underscoring the persisting air pollution crisis in the city. A thick haze enveloped Delhi, reducing visibility in several areas, including the vicinity of New Delhi Railway Station, as trains continued to operate amidst the smog. Despite the marginal improvement, residents and commuters experienced difficulties due to poor air quality and the lingering pollution. As per ANI, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. In response to the ongoing air pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued directives prioritising education while addressing health concerns. Following the Supreme Court's recent order dated 25 November in the MC Mehta vs. Union of India case, the Delhi Government's Directorate of Education has instructed schools to operate in a 'hybrid' mode. The Supreme Court had raised significant concerns over the impact of pollution-related restrictions on education, ANI reports. The court highlighted that many students are being deprived of mid-day meals due to the closure of schools and anganwadis. Furthermore, it observed that a considerable number of students lack access to online education facilities, with some educational institutions also unable to provide such services. Additionally, the court noted that many students' homes are not equipped with air purifiers, which could diminish the perceived safety of staying indoors during high pollution levels. In compliance with the CAQM's directive, all government, government-aided, and private schools under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Government, along with institutions managed by the NDMC, MCD, and Delhi Cantonment Board, have been instructed to implement hybrid learning modes immediately. This approach aims to strike a balance between ensuring access to education and protecting children from the hazards of severe air pollution. As the city grapples with ongoing pollution challenges, these measures aim to alleviate some of the immediate repercussions on students while authorities continue their efforts to improve the capital's air quality, ANI reports. (With inputs from ANI)
26 November,2024 08:51 AM IST | New DelhiAs the parliament session commenced on Monday, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh reaffirmed that opposition parties would not compromise over the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into allegations related to Adani executives in the United States in an alleged bribery case. Speaking to ANI, Jairam Ramesh noted that the opposition parties will also demand a discussion on Manipur and Nagaland. "We are not going to compromise. The need for a JPC has been further reinforced by the indictment that has been handed down by the US agencies and the US courts. We will continue to demand JPC," he said. "We will continue a demand for a discussion on Manipur and Nagaland. Now, we have engineered communal violence in Uttar Pradesh. That's also become a very important issue for all opposition parties. Many opposition parties want a discussion on free and fair elections, so there are several issues that we have discussed," he added. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh further alleged that Organiser, an RSS mouthpiece, had attacked the 'constitution' just four days after it was adopted. "I also drew attention to the fact that just four days after the Constitution was adopted, meaning the 30th of November 1949, the Organiser, which is an RSS mouthpiece, attacked the Constitution. The same people who are trying to celebrate it tomorrow and claim credit attacked the constitution, saying it was not inspired by Manusmriti; it was not based on 'Manuwadi ideas," he alleged. "Tomorrow, the 26th of November, marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution in the Constituent Assembly. But today, November 25th marks the 75th anniversary of Baba Saheb Ambedkar's famous historic speech that he gave in the Constituent Assembly on the 25th of November 1949, where he said that the entire credit for the Constitution must go to the Congress Party, the discipline the Congress Party ensured in the constituent assembly," the Congress MP said. Earlier, Jairam Ramesh, who also serves as the party's General Secretary in charge of Communications, said on Monday that the "Modani" issue rocked both houses of Parliament today. "The Modani issue rocked both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha today. INDIA parties called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the Modani scam--the case for which has been reinforced by the recent indictments of Adani's bribery and suppression of information from Indian and American regulators," said Jairam Ramesh in a post on X. Notably, leaders of the INDIA bloc held a meeting before the commencement of the parliament session. The leaders demanded to hold discussions on the Adani indictment. "We do not need monopolies and cartels to run this country. We need healthy, market-driven competition in the private sector, which facilitates equal opportunities, employment, and equitable distribution of wealth, catering to the inherent entrepreneurial spirit of India," Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X. Both houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day, but are scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday, November 27. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 08:41 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe US State Department refused to comment on the disruptions in Indian Parliament over the indictment of billionaire Gautam Adani in a US court on charges of bribery. "That is a law enforcement matter," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Monday. He was responding to a question about Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanding the immediate arrest of Adani. "Is this something you support, such as the arrest and investigations, charges against Adani" he was asked. "I would defer to my colleagues at the Department of Justice to speak to it," Miller said. The US authorities have indicted Gautam Adani and seven others including his nephew Sagar Adani, for being part of an alleged USD 265 million bribery scheme. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Monday as opposition parties led by Gandhi's Congress tried to raise the issue of Adani's indictment. Last week, a five-count criminal indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, executives of an Indian renewable-energy company with conspiracies to commit securities and wire fraud and substantive securities fraud for their roles in a multi-billion-dollar scheme. This was done to obtain funds from US investors and global financial institutions on the basis of false and misleading statements. The indictment also charges Ranjit Gupta and Rupesh Agarwal, former executives of a renewable-energy company with securities that had traded on the New York Stock Exchange. It charges Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal and Deepak Malhotra, former employees of a Canadian institutional investor, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in connection with a bribery scheme also perpetrated by Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Jaain involving one of the world's largest solar energy projects. The indictment further alleged that Cabanes, Saurabh, Malhotra and Rupesh conspired to obstruct the grand jury, FBI and US SEC investigations into the Bribery Scheme. The Adani group has denied all charges in the US indictment, calling them baseless. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 08:41 AM IST | Washington | PTIIPS officer Rashmi Shukla has been reappointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra on Monday. Earlier, she was transferred by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections on November 4. The development came days after the Election Commission ordered the immediate transfer of Rashmi Shukla from her position as DGP Maharashtra. The poll body directed the Chief Secretary to hand over her charge to the next senior-most IPS officer in the cadre. The election in Maharashtra concluded with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance registering a resounding victory. The alliance won 230 out of the 288 seats in the state assembly. The results that were announced by the ECI on Saturday stated that the BJP won 132 seats, while its allies--the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, secured 57 seats, and the NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, won 41 seats. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a major setback. The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, won 20 seats; Congress managed 16, and the NCP(SP), led by Sharad Pawar, secured just 10 seats. Meanwhile, amid a tussle over the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, and NCP chief Ajit Pawar are expected to meet BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah later tonight. The trio will be attending a private event in the national capital before meeting the BJP's top leadership to discuss government formation in Maharashtra, according to sources. Amid the ongoing discussions, two-time Chief Minister and current Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time. However, Shiv Sena leaders insist that Eknath Shinde should continue as Chief Minister. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 08:40 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday praised Cabinet's decision to approve Rs 2750 crore for the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) 2.0, stating that the scheme will 'turbocharge' the innovative power of the youth. In a post on X, the Union Home Minister expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision. "The Union Cabinet's decision to approve the Rs 2750 crore Atal Innovation Mission 2.0 initiative will turbocharge the innovative power of our youth by extending the culture of thinking out of the box to new regions and fields," his post on X reads. "Thanks to PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji for the visionary initiative," the Union Home Minister added. Earlier in the day, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of its flagship initiative, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under the aegis of NITI Aayog. The initiative has an enhanced scope of work and an allocated budget of Rs 2750 crore for the period until March 31, 2028. According to an official release, AIM 2.0 is a step towards a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) that aims to expand, strengthen, and deepen India's already vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The approval underscores the government's commitment to fostering a robust innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. With India at rank 39th on the Global Innovation Index and being home to the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem, the next phase of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM 2.0) is expected to further elevate India's global competitiveness. The continuation of AIM will directly contribute to creating better jobs, innovative products, and high-impact services across sectors. While building on the accomplishments of AIM 1.0, such as Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) and Atal Incubation Centres (AIC), AIM 2.0 marks a qualitative shift in the mission's approach. Whereas AIM 1.0 involved implementing programs that built innovation infrastructure to strengthen India's then-nascent ecosystem, AIM 2.0 will pilot new initiatives designed to fill gaps in the ecosystem and scale successes through central and state governments, industry, academia, and community. AIM 2.0 is designed to strengthen India's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in three ways, including increasing input, improving the success rate, and enhancing the quality of 'output,' the release said. Additionally, the Union Cabinet has also approved "One Nation, One Subscription," a new central sector scheme for providing countrywide access to scholarly research articles and journal publications. Information and Broadcasting Minister, who briefed the media on the cabinet decisions, explained that the scheme will be administered through a simple, user-friendly, and fully digital process. This will be a "One Nation, One Subscription" facility for the government higher education institutions and R&D laboratories of the central government. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 08:40 AM IST | New Delhi | ANICongress leader KC Venugopal on Monday attacked the Yogi Adityanath government over the violence in Sambhal and alleged that there is a "conspiracy to polarise society and escalate tensions". He demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the violence. "The violence and riots in Sambhal, UP point to a clear conspiracy on the part of the Modi-Yogi 'double-engine government' to polarise society. The haste with which the so-called survey was...carried out shows a deeper conspiracy to create instability and fear among the people of the region," Venugopal said in a post on X. "Multiple ground reports suggest the killings at the hands of the police who deliberately escalated matters to this level. This shows clear complicity of the State in this riot and a neutral, Supreme-Court monitored probe is the need of the hour to restore peace and bring justice to the victims of this mob violence," he added. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MPs including party president Akhilesh Yadav met the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday regarding the Sambhal incident. Opposition members were keen to raise the issue in the House and have targeted Yogi Adityanath government over the violence. Akhilesh Yadav alleged earlier that party MP Zia-ur-Rahman Barq has been booked even though he was not present in Sambhal. "Our MP was not even in Sambhal during the incident and despite that, an FIR was lodged against him. It is very unfortunate to know about the young people who have lost their lives in this incident. From all the videos we have, we know it was a riot by the government. The government was looting votes, playing with the EVM machines.. they did riot in Sambhal," he alleged. Akhilesh Yadav said that the order was passed by the Court without even listening to the other party and questioned the state government. Yadav demanded action against concerned police officials. A stone pelting incident occurred in Sambhal on Sunday when an ASI team arrived at the Shahi Jama Masjid to conduct a fresh survey of the mosque, as per officials. The survey was part of a legal process following a petition filed by senior advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who claimed the mosque was originally a temple. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 08:40 AM IST | Uttar Pradesh | ANIOpposition members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Monday met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with a complaint against panel chairman Jagadambika Pal, accusing him of bulldozing the proceedings on the crucial matter. In a memorandum to the Speaker, the opposition members also sought an extension of the tenure of the Joint Committee of Parliament by a "reasonable time" to allow substantive deliberations on the expansive legislation. "We submitted to the Speaker that the due processes are not followed by the chairman. He is hurrying up, bulldozing the proceedings," DMK member A Raja told reporters after meeting the Speaker. Raja said Pal was not following the due process of the Joint Committee of Parliament and had announced suo-motu that the report has to be presented to Parliament on November 29. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 07:53 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Supreme Court on Monday refused to relax the anti-pollution Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV restrictions in Delhi-NCR and said unless it was satisfied that there was consistent decrease in AQI levels, it cannot order curbs below GRAP-III or GRAP-II. Noting that several sections of society, especially labourers and daily wagers, were adversely affected due to GRAP-IV, the bench directed the state governments, where construction has been banned, to use funds collected as labour cess for subsistence to them. The top court, however, asked the Commission for Air Quality Management to consider restarting physical classes. Air quality improved under NCAP: Env min Ninety-seven of the 130 cities targeted under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) have shown improvement in air quality as compared to 2017-18, with 55 recording more than 20 per cent reduction, the Environment Ministry said on Monday. Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said the NCAP aims to reduce particulate matter (PM10) pollution by up to 40 per cent or achieving national air quality standards by 2025-26. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 07:45 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe police have booked seven people in connection with the violence over a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal, naming Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and local SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood's son Sohail Iqbal as accused, officials said on Monday. Four people have so far been reported killed in violent clashes that erupted on Sunday. Addressing a press conference on Monday, Superintendent of Police Krishan Kumar said seven FIRs have been lodged in connection with the violence. Six people, including Barq and Iqbal, were named and 2,750 others have been mentioned as unidentified, he said. "Due to Barq's statement earlier, the situation worsened. He was given a notice earlier for this," he added. The official said that Barq's "Jama Masjid ki hifazat" (protection of Jama Masjid) remark mobilised the mob. The officer informed that 25 people have been arrested so far in the case and attempts are on to identify others involved in the violence. Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the Jama Masjid was first surveyed on a court's orders following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple had stood at the site. The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders into Sambhal till November 30. Internet services are suspended in Sambhal tehsil and Monday was declared a holiday for all schools. A magisterial probe has also been ordered into the violence. On Monday, the management committee of Sambhal’s Jama Masjid blamed the local authorities and police for the violence in the area that took four lives. Zafar Ali, the president of the Shahi Jama Masjid management committee, made the allegations at a press conference and was detained by police as soon as the meeting ended. VHP demands NSA against perpetrators The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday condemned the violence in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh and demanded those involved in the case be booked under the National Security Act (NSA). VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain also demanded that the culprits be made to compensate for the damage caused in the violence. “The way Muslim fundamentalists pelted stones on police, fired bullets and committed arson in Sambhal is highly condemnable. The way Muslim leaders, maulanas and many leaders of the Samajwadi party and the Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, have supported this violence is also worrisome,” Jain said. He alleged that the violence was carried out “at the behest of maulanas” and accused the Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders of making “provocative statements.” SC should take cognisance: Congress The Congress on Monday accused the BJP of creating a rift between Hindus and Muslims and urged the SC to intervene in the matter as soon as possible. “The biased and hasty attitude of the state government on the recent dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, is extremely unfortunate. I express my deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the violence and firing,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 07:38 AM IST | Sambhal | AgenciesAn IT professional and his partner have been arrested for the alleged murder of a 55-year-old woman, the police in Kerala said on Monday, adding that the crime was meticulously planned. According to news agency PTI, the accused have been identified as Gireesh Babu and Kadeeja, both aged 42. The duo, who was arrested on Sunday, committed the crime owing to their financial struggles and the greed for money and gold, the Kerala Police said. Jayesy Abraham, a native of Chundikuzhi in Perumbavoor, was found dead in the bathroom of her rented apartment at Koonamthai near Kalamassery on November 17. The victim had been living alone, PTI reported. Babu is a resident of Thrikkakara while Kadeeja hails from Tripunithura. The duo had accrued debts from loan apps and credit cards. Believing that Jayesy, a real estate agent, might have significant cash and gold in her apartment, they plotted a robbery, the police said. According to the investigation, the two, who shared a friendship with Jayesy, began planning the crime two months ago. Babu, an MCA graduate of an IT company, meticulously avoided CCTV cameras while executing the plan, reported PTI. On November 17, he carefully timed the crime, ensuring no one else was expected at the flat. According to the police, Babu took two autorickshaws to reach the apartment and wore a helmet throughout the journey to avoid being captured on CCTV cameras. At 10.20 pm, he reached Jayesy's house with liquor and a dumbbell. After sharing drinks with Jayesy, Babu allegedly attacked her while she was in an inebriated state, striking her multiple times on the head with the dumbbell. When she attempted to scream, he smothered her with a pillow, the police said. After confirming her death, Babu dragged her body to the bathroom to stage it as an accidental fall and then stole two gold bangles and two mobile phones before locking the flat and leaving, the police added. The accused monitored the area for several days after the murder to check for police activity, an officer said. However, a special investigation team led by DCP KS Sudarshan, under the supervision of Kochi City Police Commissioner Putta Vimaladitya, arrested Babu and Kadeeja within a week of the incident. (With PTI inputs)
25 November,2024 05:02 PM IST | Kochi | mid-day online correspondentThe Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday reminded Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde about his statement that he would leave politics if any of the MLAs who sided with him in the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray faced defeat in the assembly polls. In an article in mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Uddhav Thackeray-led party reminded Shinde that five of the 40 MLAs who were with him in Guwahati in 2022 had lost in the recent assembly polls, results of which were declared on November 23. It said Sada Sarvankar had lost from Mahim, Yamini Jadhav from Byculla, Shahaji Bapu Patil from Sangola, Sanjay Raymulkar from Mehkar and Dnyanraj Chowgule from Umarga. In June 2022, Shinde, then a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, rebelled along with 40 MLAs against Thackeray. The rebels first went to Surat in Gujarat and then flew to Guwahati in Assam. The rebellion brought down the Thackeray government, after which Shinde became CM with the support of the BJP. In the November 20 assembly polls, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena won 57 of the 87 seats it contested, notching a strike rate of 70.37 per cent. The Mahayuti swept the polls to the 288-member assembly, with Shiv Sena allies BJP bagging 132 seats and 41 going into the kitty of the NCP. The opposition Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) of Sharad Pawar managed to win just 16, 20 and 10 seats, respectively. The BJP had the highest strike rate of 88.59 per cent after winning 132 of the 149 seats it contested. Ajit Pawar-led NCP won 41 out of 59 seats with a strike rate of 69.49 per cent. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 04:52 PM IST | Pune | PTIADVERTISEMENT
