Delhi News Highlights: Smog blankets national capital, air quality dips to ‘very poor’ category

Delhi University's revenue collection from student fees has more than doubled in the past five years, with over Rs 200 crore amassed in the previous fiscal year, even as funds from UGC grants have largely remained underutilised.

According to data shared by its finance department, the university's internal receipts (fund inflow), which mainly includes fees of students but also other items such as consultancy fees, stood at nearly Rs 100 crore in 2019-2020. The figure rose to over Rs 200 crore in the year 2023-24.

(PTI)

With Delhi’s air quality entering the ‘very poor’ category on Monday with an air quality index (AQI) of 310 – up from Sunday’s 277 in the ‘poor’ category – 11-point action plan as per Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) has kicked in.

The action plan will be in force in addition to the Stage I GRAP, which has already been implemented. GRAP, a set of emergency measures to curb air pollution, is invoked stage-wise by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and adjoining areas.

MHA officials met Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Monday, proposing dates to hold talks on his demands regarding Ladakh.

Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite fast at Ladakh Bhavan in Delhi, demanding a meeting with the country's top leadership, ended his fast after receiving assurance from the Home Ministry that a meeting with the Ladakh group will be held on December 3

"We are happy to inform that officers from Ministry of Home Affairs, along with Joint Secretary for Ladakh, handed over a letter from the ministry, which states that the talks of the Centre with the apex body of Ladakh and KDA (Kargil Democratic Alliance), which had stalled, will resume on December 3. This was our main demand that has been fulfilled. Now we are hopeful that positive and honest discussion takes place from both sides," says climate activist Sonam Wangchuk

(With PTI inputs)

Haryana Minister Anil Vij inspected the Ambala Cantt bus stand on Monday. During the inspection, the minister directed authorities and state officials accompanying him to take action against shopkeepers who had encroached upon public space meant for passengers.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday directed the Punjab Government to submit what action it has taken to control paddy stubble burning in the state. The principal bench, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, directed the state to submit an affidavit in this regard by October 25, after the Supreme Court has heard a matter listed this week on the issue.

On Monday, the national capital’s air quality is in the “very poor” category and expected to continue to be so for the upcoming days, according to Pune’s Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.

The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to allow an application filed by Shifa Ur Rehman, an accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, seeking an early hearing of his bail plea, citing his 71-year-old mother’s health.

A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, however, scheduled the hearing for 3.30 pm on November 25, the date when the petition was otherwise expected to be taken up.

In his application, Rehman submitted that his mother is a heart patient who had undergone stent surgery and was admitted to a hospital with typhoid on October 9 and discharged on October 14. Read

The Delhi Police said on Monday they are probing the alleged involvement of pro-Khalistan groups in the bomb blast outside the CRPF School in Rohini on Sunday after they found that one such channel on Telegram shared CCTV footage of the incident. According to sources, all claims are being looked into. Sources added the police had written to Telegram, seeking information about the group on which the footage along with a message ‘warning’ India was posted.

A cafe owner from West Delhi, whose complaint led to the arrest of former Indian official Vikash Yadav by the Delhi Police on charges of abduction and assault in December 2023, was also accused in a kidnapping case in Shalimar Bagh in 2013, a police officer said.

A Delhi court acquitted the café owner and his aides due to “lack of evidence” in April this year, said the police.

According to the police, a businessman and two of his friends were abducted in December 2013 by a group of four men posing as police officers. The businessman was taken to a location where he was allegedly beaten up by his abductors and was asked to pay a ransom of Rs. 2 crore, the police added. The victim’s two friends were allegedly involved in the plot. “The victim was dropped on a road later,” a police officer said. READ

A layer of smog blanketed several parts of the city on Monday as the Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped into the 'very poor' category for the first time this season. At 9 am, the AQI was recorded at 307, with Anand Vihar being the worst affected area at 361, according to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The AQI scale ranges from 0 to 50 (good), 51 to 100 (satisfactory), 101 to 200 (moderate), 201 to 300 (poor), 301 to 400 (very poor), and 401 to 500 (severe).

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature settled at 20.4°C, slightly above the season's average, with the maximum temperature expected to reach 35.8°C. Humidity levels were recorded at 86% at 8:30 am. (PTI)

A 21-year-old man died on Saturday, a day after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of men in the Jagat Puri area for talking to the sister of one of them, the Delhi Police said.

The victim was identified as Arpit Singh. On Friday, his brother-in-law Kuldeep alerted the police that six or seven people injured Arpit, also called Golu, at 40 Foota Road.

Express Photo by Abhinav Saha

Police detained members of the All India Students Association (AISA) who were protesting outside Ladakh Bhawan and were demonstrating in support of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is demanding to meet the top leadership over Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh and other demands.

ANI

Bomb squad outside CRPF school on Prashant Vihar in Rohini where a blast occurred earlier today. The police received a PCR call about the incident at around 7:47 AM and after reaching the spot found that the school’s wall was damaged and there was a foul smell in the area. “The glasses of the nearby shop and a car parked near the shop were damaged. However, no one was injured,” an officer informed. The police added that a team from the Crime Branch, Forensic Science Laboratory and the bomb squad were inspecting the area to ascertain the reason of the blast. A team from the fire brigade, too, was at the spot.

Satyender Jain, former Delhi minister, accused the BJP of obstructing efforts to clean the Yamuna River, claiming that he was jailed for two years due to his involvement in the project. He asserted that the BJP's actions were motivated by a desire to prevent the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from successfully addressing pollution in the river. Jain pointed out that industrial waste from areas like Badshapur and other parts of Delhi contributes significantly to the river's pollution, particularly during festivals like Diwali and Chhath Puja. He emphasized that the closure of the Kalindi Kunj Barrage by the UP irrigation board exacerbates the problem, suggesting that reopening it could alleviate some issues.

jain said, "Arvind Kejriwal ji promised to clean the river Yamuna and works started in full speed. But the BJP did not want it. So, it arrested me and put me in jail because I was given the charge to clear the river Yamuna. I was in DJB that time, working on this project but they arrested me and kept me in jail for two years. Then they arrested Kejriwal. "

In contrast, the BJP has criticised the AAP government for its failure to manage pollution effectively. They argue that toxic foam accumulating in the Yamuna is a result of AAP's negligence and mismanagement of funds intended for cleaning efforts. BJP leaders have claimed that despite promises from Arvind Kejriwal to clean the river by 2025, pollution levels remain dangerously high, posing health risks to residents. They have called for immediate action and accountability from AAP, accusing them of engaging in a "blame game" rather than taking responsibility for environmental degradation.

Delhi Chief Minister after visiting Anand Vihar, worst hit by air pollution with AQI recording 436 on Saturday, said, "We all know that pollution is increasing in Delhi. Anti-pollution measures are being implemented very strictly, 99 teams are doing inspections at construction sites to check dust-pollution. The process to deploy more than 325 anti-smog guns has started. PWD, MCD are trying to check pollution. There is a bus depot in Anand Vihar, it is a polluted area, I along with Environment Minister Gopal Rai have come here to inspect. Anti-smog gun is deployed. We are making sure there is no broken road, as it would lead to dust pollution. We will also talk to UP government. There is a bus station in Kaushambi where diesel buses ply. We will reach out to UP government requesting them for measures to control the situation... We cannot stop bus movement, and that is why we are strictly enforcing measures here. We hope that with the help of the central government, and UP government, we will be able to check pollution. We don't want to accuse anybody but it is a truth that Haryana puts untreated effluent into Yamuna. The Delhi government has been solution-oriented. We use defoamers. There is a drive going on."

Shashank, an eyewitness of the blast that occurred outside CRPF School in Prashant Vihar, says, "... The only possibilities which we think of are a cylinder blast or a building collapse... There was a big cloud of smoke here which stayed for a good 10 minutes. The glasses of the shops here have broken and the hoardings have been displaced... The police were here within 5 minutes because there is a Crime Branch, Police Station, and District Court nearby. It's good that no one suffered any injury."

ANI

Security beefed up outside Ladakh Bhawan as climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and his supporters are set to protest, demanding a meeting with the country’s top leadership today.

Earlier this month, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta informed the Delhi High Court that the Delhi Police commissioner’s office has withdrawn prohibitory orders on public assembly, leading to the release of Ladakh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and others from detention.

(With PTI inputs)

After taking stock of the situation in Anand Vihar following the air quality deteriorating to "severe category" Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai stated, "This morning, we, along with the CM, reviewed the situation regarding air quality monitoring. The AQI fluctuates significantly, especially at two times—late at night and in the morning. The major reason appears to be the presence of two depots—one at Anand Vihar in Delhi and the other at Kaushambi in UP. While buses in Delhi are now running on CNG and electric, a large number of diesel buses from UP still operate at these depots. The smoke from these buses is impacting the AQI in the area. The fluctuations in AQI coincide with the times when these buses arrive and depart. I appeal to the UP government that just as we have taken measures here, if similar steps are taken at the Kaushambi depot, we should see positive results."

The average AQI for the national capital is forecast to worsen in the next two days, according to the India Metrological Department (IMD). The AQI currently stands at 265 and is expected to deteriorate to 304.

Source: IMD

Maharashtra Congress leaders will be attending the Central Election Committee meeting to finalise the party candidates in Delhi ahead of the upcoming state Assembly elections on November 20.

On Saturday, amid an impasse over seat-sharing among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties, Congress’s Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday met Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray to discuss and resolve the issues in the seat sharing. The meeting held at Matoshree was attended by Sena UBT Sanjay Raut. After the meeting, Chennithala said that there is no dispute between the congress and Sena UBT. “There are no differences between Patole and Raut too. The issues have been resolved.” The MVA leaders also met for the final discussion on the seat sharing, Chennithala said.

Meanwhile, Delhi CM Atishi and Environment Minister Gopal Rai took stock of the situation in Anand Vihar area of the national capital after sudden deterioration of air quality. Anand Vihar is one of the polluted areas in the national capital at present with an AQI of 436 as of Saturday. Anti-smog gun is in operation in ISBT.

PTI