Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. (Photo via his Facebook page)Delhi Latest News Highlights (August 15): AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal addressed an independence day event on Tuesday, and said that while today is a happy day, there is sadness in his heart. “Today, brothers are fighting with each other. In Manipur, one community is fighting with the other. Manipur is burning. Who is benefitting from this?” The leader also pushed from free healthcare, education and electricity in the country. He added, “It will take only 7.5 lakh crore to provide quality education to the 17 crore children of this country.”
Meanwhile, after assuming charge of the Vigilance Department, Delhi Minister Atishi Monday, flagging the issue of alleged corruption at SDM offices in the national capital, directed the Chief Secretary to constitute flying squad of senior IAS and DANICS officers to visit all such offices within the next one week and conduct an inspection at the ground level with regard to any corrupt practices that may be going on. She also asked the CS, in his capacity as Chief Vigilance Officer, to visit at least five SDM offices and conduct a general examination of the functioning of these offices.
In other news, AAP minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday attacked the Centre and Delhi L-G V K Saxena over the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act that was passed recently. “The L-G… will try to run the government arbitrarily, his officers will try to stop all projects… of DJB and other departments. It is a very sad state for Delhi,” he said. Hitting back, the BJP said Bharadwaj lacks knowledge of law and constitutional provisions.
Saying that "only speeches will not help India become a superpower", the AAP leader laid down the finances surrounding providing free education and healthcare to the country.
"Rs 6 lakh crore will be required for the development 10 lakh government schools. This type of expenditure is nothing for a country like India... It would be Rs 10,000 crore to open one lakh mohalla clinics across the country. And it would take only Rs 2 lakh crore to provide a free health care system to all the people of this country." He added,
"There is a need for fundamental changes in GST, traders are not able to handle the tax."
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal addressed an independence day event on Tuesday, and said that while today is a happy day, there is sadness in his heart. “Today, brothers are fighting with each other. In Manipur, one community is fighting with the other. Manipur is burning. Who is benefitting from this?” The leader also pushed from free healthcare, education and electricity in the country. He added, “It will take only 7.5 lakh crore to provide quality education to the 17 crore children of this country.”
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) told the Delhi High Court Monday that it has referred the issue of the “removal or relocation” of a 150-year-old mosque situated at the Sunehri Bagh Road roundabout to a “religious committee”.
The submission was made in a writ petition moved by the Delhi Waqf Board, a statutory authority, last month in “anticipation of action” proposed to be taken by the NDMC with respect to the mosque.
On July 7, a single-judge bench of Justice Prateek Jalan had directed that “status quo” will be maintained with respect to the mosque until today.
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A journalist allegedly died by suicide at his house in East Delhi’s Pandav Nagar Monday.
The deceased, Akashdeep Shukla, 31, was an assistant editor in the digital department of a popular news channel.
As per the police, a PCR call was made around 10.40 am from the house of the deceased. A police team rushed to the spot and found the room of the deceased locked.
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After assuming charge of the Vigilance Department, Delhi Minister Atishi Monday flagged the issue of alleged corruption at SDM offices in the national capital.
Atishi further directed the Chief Secretary to constitute flying squad of senior IAS and DANICS officers to visit all SDM offices, within the next one week and conduct an inspection at the ground level with regard to any corrupt practices that may be going on.
She also asked the CS, in his capacity as Chief Vigilance Officer, to himself visit at least five SDM Offices and conduct a general examination of the functioning of these offices for existing procedures and practices which provide a scope for corruption.
Internet services were restored in Nuh on Monday, two weeks after communal violence flared up in the district, leaving six dead.
Two glasses on the door of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi's Delhi residence have been found broken, police said on Monday.
A senior police officer said that no stone or any other such thing was found in the vicinity of the broken glasses.
Police are checking the area and an investigation is underway, the officer said.
Owaisi had in February alleged that his residence in the national capital was attacked by unidentified miscreants and had claimed that to be the fourth such incident since 2014. (PTI)
A fire broke out due to short circuit in a Noida warehouse on Monday. No casualties were reported. Six fire tenders reached the spot and doused the fire. The incident occurred in sector-88 of Phase-2 police station area.
A 1,000 facial recognition cameras, anti-drone systems, and over 10,000 police personnel keeping vigil are part of the security measures in place at the Mughal-era Red Fort here, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on August 15.
Sharing details of the security arrangements, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Dependra Pathak said, "Independence Day will be celebrated with full enthusiasm this year with no COVID-19 restrictions in place. Therefore, a robust and adequate deployment of police will be ensured." "We will also coordinate and share real-time information with other agencies to provide security. The Delhi Police will also use technology systems for security purposes. We are on our toes and doing rehearsals," Pathak said.
The government has invited around 1,800 special guests, including beneficiaries of the PM-KISAN scheme, from across the country to attend the Independence Day ceremony here. (PTI)
The fire that brok out in a chemical factory in Outer Delhi's Alipur area on Sunday, has now been brought under control. Nobody has been reported injured yet.
? A 'mahapanchayat' by Hindu outfits at Pondri village in Haryana's Palwal on Sunday announced that they will "resume" on August 28 the VHP's Braj Mandal Yatra in Nuh that was disrupted after communal violence in July.
? At the 'Sarva Jatiye Mahapanchayat', participants from Palwal, Gurugram and other nearby places took part, and it was decided that the yatra will resume from Nalhar in Nuh and then pass through Firozpur Jhirka's Jhir and Singar temples in the district.
? In Nuh, four battalions of central forces should be deployed permanently, VHP leader from Gurugram Devender Singh said, giving details of the decisions taken at the mahapanchayat. (PTI)
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Sunday said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will work towards removing "mini garbage mountains" and beautifying those areas.
The MCD has started a cleanliness campaign to clean all the 250 wards of the city, she told a press conference.
Oberoi said that "at some places, mini garbage mountains come up as people throw garbage there". "We will remove those mountains and beautify those areas," she added. She said that teams have been formed to survey areas and upload pictures on the MCD app, following which they will be cleaned. (PTI)
(Express Photos by Gajendra Yadav)
The Mahapanchayat called by Hindu outfits concludes in Palwal, Haryana. The following decisions have been taken in the Panchayat.
? The investigation related to the Nuh Violence should be handed over to the NIA. The panchayat said that state police are not capable enough to investigate this matter.
? The Shobha Yatra, which remains incomplete because of the violence, will resume on August 28 and reach its destination.
? If the Hindus of Nuh and its adjoining areas apply for the gun licence, it should be provided to them on 'lenient' grounds.
? All the innocent people, arrested after the violence in different areas, should be released at the earliest.
? The district headquarter of Nuh should be dissolved and it should be attached to the adjoining districts.
? The deceased's family should be provided compensation of Rs. 1 crore and Rs. 50 lakh to the injured.
A fire broke out at a godown on Sunday in north Delhi's Alipur area, officials said.
Information regarding the blaze was received at around 3.10 pm, following which 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, they said. No injuries have been reported so far, the officials said. (PTI)
Nearly a month after two men were found murdered on the same street in Northeast Delhi, the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday arrested a man in connection with the double murder. The police said the accused, Salman alias Tohid, and his associates wanted to “show off” their weapons and establish their identities as gangsters. They allegedly picked two men and fired at them, said the police, adding that there was no motive to the murders.
The incident took place on July 11 in the Welcome area. As per police, they first found the body of a 40-year-old man, Pradeep, with two gunshot wounds. Around 300 metres away from Pradeep’s body was another body, later identified as Bablu, 40. (Read More)
The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi has revamped its evaluation system and dropped a set of mid-semester exams to reduce students' stress, according to institute director Rangan Banerjee.
The decision comes against the backdrop of several cases of student suicides across IITs which has sparked a debate about whether the curriculum and the rigorous study schedule are impacting the mental health of students.
"Earlier we used to have two sets of exams during a semester, final exams at the end of each semester and several continuous evaluation mechanisms. We conducted an internal survey and based on feedback from all students and faculty, we have decided to drop one set of exams. So, now there will be two sets of exams besides routine evaluations," Banerjee told PTI in an interview.
"We felt that the exam calendar was too packed and hence decided to reduce student burden and stress. The decision has also been approved by the Senate and will be implemented from the ongoing semester. A maximum cap of 80 per cent weightage has been kept for the two examinations," he added. (PTI)
Speaking on the traffic arrangements in Delhi ahead of the Independence Day celebration, Surender Yadav, Special CP, Traffic, Delhi said that medium vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles will be restricted from 10 pm on August 14 to 11 am on August 15.
He also said that there will be controlled traffic in the area around Red Fort and some parts of New Delhi.
Speaking about the contentious Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which has received presidential assent, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai said, "With passage of the (Delhi services) Bill, the BJP government has snatched away the powers of the elected government. The people of Delhi will give them a befitting reply in the Lok Sabha elections."
A ‘mahapanchayat’ by Hindu outfits is currently underway in Haryana’s Pondri village. ‘The ‘mahapanchayat’ will take a call on resuming VHP’s Braj Mandal Yatra in Nuh that was disrupted on July 31 after communal violence broke out in the area.
The route of the yatra will also be decided today in the panchayat. Permission for the event has been given in Palwal, Deputy Superintendent of Police (headquarters), Palwal, Sandeep Mor was quoted as saying by PTI. Police said a gathering of around 500 people has been allowed for the mahapanchayat and strict action will be taken if anyone makes any kind of hate speech, news agency PTI reported.
Greenhorn civil servants reporting to the capital for duty now need to get their hands dirty, literally, before getting administrative postings.
Following the floods in Delhi last month, which bureaucrats had to lead from the front to confront, L-G VK Saxena has initiated a programme which involves probationer IAS and DANICS officials posted to the city to lead cleanliness and maintenance drives in the process of learning the ropes and to ensure capacity building. Read more
Days after the Braj Mandal Yatra in Nuh was abandoned midway on July 31 after communal violence broke out in the area, a 'mahapanchayat' has been called in Haryana's Pondri village today. Security has been deployed in the area ahead of the 'mahapanchayat.'
"Permission has been granted on several conditions. Hate speech is prohibited. Our team will keep an eye on each and every person and action will be taken against people for any wrong action," SP Palwal Lokender Singh said.
Nearly a month after two men were found murdered on the same street in Northeast Delhi, the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday arrested a man in connection with the double murder. The police said the accused, Salman alias Tohid, and his associates wanted to “show off” their weapons and establish their identities as gangsters. They allegedly picked two men and fired at them, said the police, adding that there was no motive to the murders.
The incident took place on July 11 in the Welcome area. As per police, they first found the body of a 40-year-old man, Pradeep, with two gunshot wounds. Around 300 metres away from Pradeep’s body was another body, later identified as Bablu, 40. Read more
Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi flagged off the Tiranga rally in Delhi and said, “The 76th Independence Day is around the corner. Today’s event is a run-up to August 15. People are full of energy and enthusiastic, and this will set the foundation for the country’s future. Inspired by the Prime Minister, we are all dedicated towards the country’s development and reform.”
The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA), in its 131st board meeting on Saturday, approved Master Plan 2041, as part of which it would acquire around 40,000 hectares of land from farmers to develop Greater Noida Phase-2 over the next 18 years.
The first phase of Greater Noida comprises 31,733 hectares. After the development of both phases, the total area of Greater Noida will be about 71,000 hectares. Authority officials said that more priority will be given to industries in Greater Noida Phase-2. Apart from this, an area has been proposed for residential purposes, rural population, mixed land use, greenery, transport etc. Read more
The Noida and Greater Noida authorities have moved quickly to take up the recommendations of the union government-appointed committee on stalled real-estate projects, which includes a model package to give a boost to developers in the two cities, over the weekend.
This comes in the wake of the committee, headed by former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, submitting its report to the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry last month. The committee was formed by the MoHUA on March 31 and was given six months from the date of its first meeting to submit its report. Read more
People arriving at Red Fort for Independence Day celebrations this year won’t be greeted with heavy traditional floral arrangements covering the ramparts of the monument as authorities, with a focus on “minimalist grandeur”, have decided to keep the decoration understated, officials said.
While the premises inside, including the garden, the parade area and Gyanpath, will be decked up, the ramparts visible from outside will only be lightly embellished to give it a “refreshing look,” they added. Read more