The air quality in Delhi on the morning after Diwali was recorded in the ‘very poor’ category but the situation was relatively better than previous years due to favourable meteorological conditions which diluted the effect of firecrackers and stubble burning.

The capital’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 326 at 8 am on Tuesday.
 

The neighbouring cities of Ghaziabad (285), Noida (320), Greater Noida (294), Gurugram (315) and Faridabad (310) reported ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ air quality.

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 relatively better air this morning doesn’t mean it’s good air. The PM2.5 levels at 30 out of the 35 monitoring stations in the capital were five to six times the national standard of 60 micrograms per cubic metre at 8 am.

PM2.5 are fine particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and can travel deep into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs and entering the bloodstream.

Though people burst firecrackers in several parts of Delhi despite a ban on them, the intensity appeared less as compared to the last two years.

The Delhi government had in September announced a complete ban on the production, sale and use of all types of firecrackers till January 1, 2023, including on Diwali, a practice it has been following for the last two years.

Farm fires raged across Punjab and Haryana on Monday but the wind speed was moderately unfavourable for the transport of smoke. Hence, the contribution of stubble burning to Delhi’s pollution (around 10 per cent) was also “not very significant”, said Gufran Beig, chair professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science.

Emissions from firecrackers and farm fires have contributed significantly to Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution on Diwali over the years.

Their share this year was relatively less than previous years due to reduced firecrackers bursting and moderately warm and windier conditions which prevented rapid accumulation of pollutants.

Diwali was celebrated on November 4 in 2021 and on November 14 in 2020 when temperatures were considerably low and winds calm.

According to the Early Warning System of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the air quality is predicted to remain in the ‘very poor’ category during the day (Tuesday) and is likely to improve slightly over the next two days.

Delhi recorded a 24-hour average AQI of 312 at 4 pm on Monday—the second best for Diwali day in seven years.

Before this, the city recorded an AQI of 281 on Diwali in 2018.

Delhi had recorded an AQI of 382 on Diwali last year, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 319 in 2017, and 431 in 2016, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.

On Sunday evening, the city reported a 24-hour average AQI of 259, which was the lowest for Diwali eve in seven years.

“The share of PM2.5 in Delhi’s air has increased which is indicative of contribution from firecrackers and stubble burning,” said Beig, also the founder project director of SAFAR, a forecasting agency under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.

“Though the active fire counts have doubled, the wind direction is north westerly and the wind speed is moderate (not very favourable for the transport of smoke from farm fires). Hence, the contribution of stubble burning is not very significant,” he said.

Stubble burning is likely to account for 12 to 15 per cent of Delhi’s PM2.5 solution on Tuesday, he added.

The Indian Agricultural Research Institute reported 1,019 farm fires in Punjab, 250 in Haryana and 215 in Uttar Pradesh on Monday evening.

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) had earlier predicted that the air quality in Delhi will be recorded in the ‘very poor’ category if no firecrackers are burst.

In case firecrackers are burst like last year, the air quality may plunge to ‘severe’ levels on the night of Diwali itself, it had said.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai had earlier said bursting of firecrackers on Diwali in the city will attract a jail term up to six months and a fine of Rs 200.

He had said production, storage and sale of firecrackers here will be punishable with a fine of up to Rs 5,000 and three years in jail under Section 9B of the Explosives Act.

A total of 408 teams have been constituted to implement the ban. The Delhi Police has set up 210 teams under assistant commissioners of police, the Department of Revenue has set up 165 teams and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee has constituted 33 teams.

 Puducherry, Oct 22 (PTI) An order issued by the Vice Chancellor of Puducherry Technological University (PTU), suspending the Registrar of the institute was cancelled by the territorial government within hours of its issuance.

Vice Chancellor S Mohan in his order on Friday night stated that Sivaradje, who is also Professor in the Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) in the University is placed under suspension for alleged misuse of the official position and indulging in corruption and financial misappropriation.

The Vice Chancellor also pointed out that “preliminary enquiry revealed that allegations against Sivaradje are prima facie true.” There were allegations against the Registrar which are available in public fora and in media.

The VC invoked the provisions of the Puducherry Technological University Act 2020 to suspend the Registrar with immediate effect pending initiation of disciplinary proceedings in accordance with the Act.

However, within hours of issuing the order of suspension the Department of Higher and Technical Education of Puducherry administration came out with an order, revoking the suspension.

The Under Secretary to the Department M V Hiran said the cancellation of Vice Chancellor’s suspension order came into immediate effect.

The official also stated that the order revoking the suspension was issued following direction of the Lt Governor, who is the Chancellor of the PTU.

The suspension and its revocation in quick succession has raised eyebrows.

PTU is the first State government sponsored University in the Union Territory. It was formed after upgrading the Puducherry Engineering College, popularly known as PEC in 2020 through an Act of Puducherry Assembly.

While the Vice Chancellor cited alleged corruption and misappropriation of funds as the reason for suspension of the Registrar, the order issued by Under Secretary rescinding the suspension did not adduce any reason for cancelling the order of suspension. PTI COR ROH ROH

 Raichur (Karnataka) [India], October 22 (ANI): Congress MP Rahul Gandhi resumed the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Yeragera village, Raichur in Karnataka on Saturday.

The Congress leader is likely to address a gathering around 5.30 pm at Basaveshwara Circle Ground today.

“On this day in 1963, then PM, Jawaharlal Nehru dedicated the Bhakra Nangal Dam to the nation. A pioneering development project aimed at boosting India’s industrial prowess, this engineering marvel was one of the ‘temples of modern India’ commissioned by Nehru ji,” Congress tweeted.

The Yatra which began on September 7 from Kanniyakumari will cover a further distance of 2355 km in its 3570 km long march.

The party also said, “On this day in 2008, India launched its first Moon Mission, Chandrayaan-1 under the leadership of then PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, the launch of which marked the first step of a historic milestone in India’s space programme.”

The Andhra Pradesh leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra concluded on October 21. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday thanked the people for their overwhelming support and promised to fulfil the commitments made by him to the people the State.

In a letter to the people of Andhra Pradesh, the Wayanad MP said, “This morning, as the Bharat Jodo Yatra completes its journey through Andhra Pradesh, we thank the people for their overwhelming support and encouragement. It has truly been a memorable experience.”

He said that the interactions with diverse groups during the Yatra in Andhra Pradesh have brought to light several significant issues impacting the people.

“The Congress party stands committed to granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh and develop a single capital at Amaravati. We support the continued public sector status of the Visakhapatnam steel plant as an asset of the Indian people. We noted that the state government has systematically undermined the Panchayati Raj system in Andhra Pradesh, and are strongly opposed to this assault on democratic institutions. We will also continue to amplify the voice of farmers, youth, women, workers and many other stakeholders whom we interacted with over the last three days,” the Congress leader said.

Recalling the commitments made in 2014 to the people of Andhra Pradesh, the former Congress president said that his party is determined to ensure that the commitments made by them are fulfilled.

The Andhra Pradesh leg of Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra concluded on Friday as the march once again crossed into Karnataka.

Rahul Gandhi resumed the padayatra at Mantralayam Temple Circle in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh on Friday morning.

He crossed the Andhra border at Panchmukhi Arch, Gillesugur, Raichur in Karnataka.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier said that the Yatra drew a tremendous response in Andhra Pradesh and pointed out that his party leaders were also quite surprised at the enthusiasm and response that the Bharat Jodo Yatra had.

The Yatra entered Andhra Pradesh on October 18.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra launched on September 7, 2022, will cover as many as 12 states.

The Yatra started from Kanyakumari and will end in Kashmir the following year by covering 25 km every day.

The 3500 kilometres yatra will be a historic event for the Congress and the entire country. It is the longest march on foot by any Indian politician in the history of India, the Congress said earlier in a statement. (ANI)

 New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): Days ahead of Diwali, the air quality in the national capital remained in the ‘poor’ category on Saturday with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at 262, as per the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

On Friday, Delhi’s AQI was in the poor category.

The levels of PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded at 109 in the ‘very poor’ and 228 in the ‘moderate’ category respectively.

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 air quality in Noida was recorded as ‘very poor’ with AQI 306 while in Gurugram it is in the ‘moderate’ category with AQI at 156.

The air quality in Delhi-NCR is likely to worsen to “very poor” by Saturday.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had said that Delhi-NCR’s Air Quality Index (AQI) is likely to be 300 plus on October 22.

The CAQM in its tweet said that air quality will move towards “Very Poor” and further actions under Stage I will be intensified.

“All actions as envisaged under Stage II of the GRAP – ‘Very POOR’ Air Quality to be implemented in the right earnest and further actions under Stage I to be intensified by all the agencies concerned,” read the tweet from CAQM.

Meanwhile, the Delhi government has banned the production, storage, sale, and bursting of crackers this year as well as fines and jail terms in case of violation.

In a bid to reduce vehicular pollution, the Delhi Government also announced the ‘Red Light On Gaadi Off’ campaign.

Under the campaign, public representatives and officials will motivate commuters to turn their vehicles off at red lights in a bid to curb vehicular pollution.

The air quality in the national capital is also affected because of stubble burning in surrounding Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan in the winter. (ANI)

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 22 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said that his government is planning to open at least one medical college and hospital in each district.

The Chief Minister made this remark during the distribution of appointment letters to 9,469 selected health employees at the Bapu Sabhagar convention hall in Patna.

The new employees, appointed by the state health society, include auxiliary nursing midwives (ANMs), health counsellors, senior treatment supervisors, health managers, district community promoters and others.

He also laid the foundation stone of two new government medical colleges and hospitals at Buxar and Begusarai which will be built at cost of Rs 515 crore each.

Along with this, the ‘Mukhyamantri Digital Health Scheme’ was also launched. Under this scheme, senior doctors and experts will see the patients at home and will also give suggestions.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated 24 other projects of the health department, worth Rs 224 crore at the same event.

Addressing the event on the occasion Kumar said, “The health workers who have been given the appointment letter include ANM Counselor, senior treatment supervisor, health manager, district community promoter, block community promoter and accountants at the block level. I congratulate all the newly selected and appointed personnel and I hope that you all will fulfill the responsibilities.”

The Chief Minister further said, “There are plans to open at least one medical college and hospital in each district.”

He said that the state health society had made more than 24,600 appointments in the last five years adding that the process for appointing more than 5000 people to various posts was at the final stage which would be completed this year.

“The state health society will make another 11,000 new appointments in the coming years. Also, the health department recruited 12,800 employees in the last five years. The department has begun the process to make 11,400 new appointments. More than 37400 people have been appointed in the last five years at various levels in the health sector,” he said.

Nitish Kumar pointed out that earlier the process of appointments used to get delayed and because of that technical Service Commission was constituted.

“We constituted a technical service commission so that appointments in the government departments could be expedited,” he said.

Outlining the facilities under Chief Minister Digital Health Scheme, the Chief Minister said that medical experts and renowned doctors will be able to see the patients at their doorsteps and will provide their suggestions.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav was also present on the occasion. (ANI)

 The world should remain clear that Pakistan must continue to take "credible, verifiable and irreversible" action against terrorism, India said after anti-money laundering watchdog FATF removed the neighbouring country from its "grey list".

 Itanagar, Oct 21 (PTI) An Army helicopter crashed at Migging in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday morning, a defence official said.

The advanced light helicopter, carrying Army personnel, was on regular sorties, he said.

The incident took place at 10.43 am, and search operation is underway, the official said.

SRINAGAR: With Diwali two days away, about 5000 PM Package Kashmiri Pandit employees who have not resumed their duties in the Valley since the killing of a Pandit employee by militants on May 12 this year, have demanded that their withheld salaries be released so that they can celebrate Diwali with their families and relocation from militancy-hit Kashmir to Jammu.

“The salary for the month of September of most PM package employees has been withheld by the government. About 20-30 per cent of employees have not received salaries from the last four months,” Rubon Saproo, president of All Migrant Displaced Employees Association Kashmir (AMDEAK) told TNIE.

"We don’t have money to buy sweets and crackers for the festival," Saproo said and urged the government to release their pending salaries so that they can celebrate the festival of lights with their families.

About 5000 Pandit employees recruited under PM’s job package in J&K since 2010 have not been attending their duties in Valley since May 12, when Pandit employee Rahul Bhat was shot dead by militants inside the Tehsil office in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Most of the Pandit PM package employees have left Valley and are staying in Jammu. The striking employees stage a daily protest outside the office of the Relief Commissioner in Jammu.

Saproo asserted that their main demand is relocation to Jammu as they don’t feel safe in the Valley in view of continued targeted killings. He further said that the government should exempt them from biometric attendance.

The administration has made it mandatory to ensure the biometric attendance of all employees including those recruited under any package for drawing their salaries.

Ranjan Jotshi vice president (AMDEAK)  said there will be no compromise on their main demand ie., relocation to Jammu.

 “We cannot serve in the Valley in view of the continued targeted killings. The government should temporarily relocate us to outside Kashmir till the situation improves in the Valley,” he said adding, “There will be no compromise on our demand of relocation outside Kashmir”.

He said fear psychosis has gripped the community after the recent killing of a Pandit farmer and two migrant labourers by militants in Shopian.

PATNA:  A day after the Bihar government constituted a special commission to review the political backwardness of Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), paving the way for their reservation in urban local body polls, the BJP, as well as RJD, took potshots at the Nitish Kumar government for the way the panel has been constituted. A BJP leader said on Thursday that the government is being controlled by RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Samrat Choudhary, the leader of the Opposition in Bihar Legislative Council, launched a blistering attack on the chief minister, calling him a “rubber stamp CM” and saying that the manner in which the Commission has been constituted gives a clear hint that Lalu is remote-controlling the government. Lalu is currently undergoing medical treatment in Singapore.

“A retired judge of the Supreme Court or high court should also be inducted into the commission for its proper functioning,” Choudhary said. The EBC Commission also includes state JD-U spokesperson Arvind Nishad, JD-U leader Gyanchand Patel and RJD leader Tar Keshar Thakur. It will review the political backwardness of EBCs in fixing their quota in the urban local body elections.

Bihar BJP spokesperson Arvind Singh said that by not appointing an RJD leader as the panel’s chairman, the CM has shown a mirror to his allies. He added that Nitish also exposed how he is governing Bihar like a “Talibani” ruler. 

RJD leaders also expressed annoyance over the lack of proper representation in the panel. Stressing that the RJD is a major ally in the grand alliance, Rambali Chandravanshi said, “When the post of the chairman of SC/ST Commission was given to JD-U, RJD should have got it in EBC Commission.”

The state government had on Wednesday informed Patna High Court that it is going to constitute the 
commission. The government had also withdrawn its review petitions, which were filed after the court had ordered that reservation of seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and EBCs in the state’s urban local body elections without following the triple test criteria as laid down by the Supreme Court was “illegal”. 

MUMBAI:  The Maharashtra government on Thursday released Rs 2,500 crore as a Diwali gift to eligible farmers who have paid their loans on time. The 7 lakh beneficiary farmers will receive Rs 50,000 each as an incentive for timely payment of their crop loan.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that Maharashtra is the first state to deposit money directly into the account of the farmers on the occasion of Diwali. He added that farmers should not get tired due to the damage caused to their crops by the heavy rains during this monsoon season. 

“We are committed to helping the farmers,” Shinde said. “We have decided to give an incentive amount to the farmers who make regular repayments of their crop loan. We had earlier assured farmers that they would get their money without any delay. Today, it has been released and money has been deposited in the bank accounts of 6.90 lakh farmers. This decision will add a sweet touch to their Diwali celebrations,” he added.

The erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray government, under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Shetkari Debt Relief Scheme (MJPSDRS), had waived chronic defaulter farmers’ loans up to `2 lakh each, but at the same time, had also announced Rs 50,000 incentive to farmers who had repaid their crop loan on time.

Shinde on Thursday released Rs 2,500 crore and paid Rs 50,000 each to the eligible farmers time. The government deposited Rs 2,500 crore in the accounts of 6.90 lakh farmers. The chief minister added that the government is also concerned about farmers whose crops got damaged in the returning monsoon. 

“We have taken decisions to give relief to farmers. The relief amount has been doubled under the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) norms. We have also increased compensation for three hectares 
of damaged crops against the earlier provision of two acres only. We are committed to helping the farmers. We have directed to make the panchnama immediately and provide assistance to them,” Shinde added.

He also said that the state government is approving the stalled irrigation projects in an effort to bring maximum land under irrigation.