India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi: In a bid to combat the unending problem of air pollution, the Delhi government had been gearing up to conduct an artificial rain experiment through cloud seeding. However, the artificial rain, scheduled to take place between July 4th and 11th, has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. According to sources, the delay is attributed to weather inconsistencies and the unpredictable monsoon schedule, which may have rendered the proposed dates unfeasible.
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The national capital on Sunday recorded a minimum temperature of 26.8 degrees Celsius, 1.1 notch below the season's average, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The relative humidity at 8.30 am stood at 75 per cent. Parts of Delhi received rain on Saturday, giving the impression that the monsoon is around the corner. However, the IMD has not yet officially declared the arrival of the monsoon in the city. Areas in east, west, south, and southeast Delhi recorded rainfall, while northern and central parts of the city remained dry. A yellow alert has ...Read More >
New Delhi: A day after cool and cloudy weather, the city faced a humid day under clear skies. The heat index, or "feels like" temperature, soared to 45.8 degrees Celsius at 4 pm. Despite the monsoon's arrival, the city has yet to receive substantial rainfall, with the IMD predicting only light showers for the rest of the week.On Tuesday, Delhi recorded patchy, very light rainfall. Safdarjung logged 0.3 mm till 5.30 pm. Other stations reported minimal rain: Palam (0.4 mm), Ridge (0.2 mm), Ayanagar (0.2 mm), Mungeshpur (0.5 mm), and Mayur Vihar (0.5 mm)."The monsoon trough at mean sea level cont ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has urged the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to defer the enforcement of a recent directive banning fuel supply to end-of-life (EOL) vehicles, citing serious technological challenges and growing public discontent. The request came through a letter sent by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who reiterated the government's support for air pollution mitigation but called the fuel ban "premature and potentially counterproductive." The ban, mandated under CAQM's Direction No. 89 dated April 23, came into effect on July 1 and prohibits petrol ...Read More >
New Delhi: Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday said the city was ready to carry out cloud seeding. A four-day flight trial has been completed by two pilots who will execute the operation in northwest Delhi and they are awaiting IMD's green signal to induce artificial rain, he added."Our special aircraft is stationed at Meerut. The pilots completed four successful trial flights over the target area. We are simply waiting for the right cloud conditions and India Meteorological D ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India trialled cloud seeding over its smog-filled capital for the first time, spraying a chemical from an aeroplane to encourage rain and wash deadly particles out of the air. Cloud seeding is the practice of using aeroplanes to fire salt or other chemicals into clouds to induce rain. New Delhi city authorities, working with the government's Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, launched a test run on Thursday (Oct 23) afternoon using a Cessna light aeroplane over the city's norther ...Read More >
New Delhi: The drenching rain that Delhi has waited for stayed away another day, while humidity caused the "feel-like" temperature to soar to 46.8 degrees Celsius at 4pm.A few areas recorded very light rain on Sunday. Najafgarh got moderate showers of 19mm. Delhi's air quality remained 'satisfactory' for the eleventh straight day.A partially clouded sky brought the temperature down by a bit, but the sweaty stickiness that has sat on the city went nowhere. The Met office had issued a yellow alert for moderate rain on Sunday. However, no such weather activity was recorded across the city until l ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): The Delhi government has requested Rs 1,000 crore in funding from the Central government to deploy new technology and implement measures aimed at reducing the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital, Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said on Sunday during an inspection of Nehru Park. Minister Singh visited Nehru Park along with Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, as part of the government's initiative to install air purifiers in the area. Also Read | US: 24-Year-Old Indian Woman Simran Simran Goes Missing Days After Arriving for Arranged Mar ...Read More >
Delhi's Artificial Rain Through Cloud Seeding: To combat air pollution, Delhi is set to witness the first trial of artificial rain, with cloud seeding operations between July 4 and 11. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the flight plan has been submitted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Pune. He said the current weather conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a tentative flight window has been proposed between July 4 and 11. He added that a proposal has also been sent to the Directorat ...Read More >
New Delhi: A day after the southwest monsoon officially arrived, the city experienced patchy rainfall ranging from very light to moderate intensity, bringing further relief from the heat. Thick, dark monsoon clouds blanketed Delhi and its surrounding areas throughout Monday, contributing to a noticeable dip in daytime temperatures.While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted moderate rain for the day, it did not issue any colour-coded weather warnings for the remainder of the week. However, light rain is still expected to persist in the coming days."Delhi is currently under th ...Read More >
New Delhi: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given the final nod to Delhi govt for cloud seeding in the city. However, the govt said that, based on suggestions from meteorologists, trials would now take place between Aug 30 and Sept 10, instead of the previously declared July 4 to 11.Delhi govt has also finalised a tentative flight plan with a map of the area over which the cloud seeding experiment will be conducted. The sorties have been planned over Alipur, Bawana, Rohini, Burari, Pavi Sadakpur and parts of Eastern Peripheral Expressway. A fully equipped aircraft, VT-IIT (Cess ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday said that cloud seeding is essential for the national capital as it could play a key role in controlling rising pollution levels during the winter season. Speaking about a successful test run of the experiment carried out on Thursday, Gupta said, "Cloud seeding is something that has never happened before. We want to carry out this trial over the city as it could help reduce air pollution." "We believe this technology will be successful. It can be used to tackle environmental challenges in the future, especially those faced dur ...Read More >
Delhi is facing worsening pollution and erratic weather patterns, with the air quality regularly reaching dangerous levels. This is partly due to climate change, with temperature rises and unpredictable rainfall patterns caused by global warming. The industrial revolution has played a significant role, contributing to the rise in global temperatures. The effects are already being felt, with 2024 witnessing record-breaking heat in India. Despite this, there is little action from society or leadership, with courts repeatedly stepping in to address issues like pollution and farm fires. The need f ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre and Rajasthan governments over the reported plan to redraw the boundaries of the Sariska Tiger Reserve for the reactivation of over 50 mining operations, saying the move would be "ecologically devastating". The opposition party also said that with the Rajasthan and Union environment ministers both being from Alwar, this "double engine" cannot be supporting such a move. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which claimed that a plan to redraw the boundaries of Rajasthan's ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Reacting to Delhi's fuel ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from today, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said that this step was impractical and the BJP did not know how to run the government. Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "Didn't they have any other way of stopping old vehicles? Now that the Monsoon has hit Delhi, will they conduct a pilot project for artificial rain? You've (BJP) filled in small potholes but left the larger ones as they are. Owners of Petrol Pump Associations say that this step is impractical. Will the petrol pump operator fi ...Read More >
Delhi weather today: The weather in Delhi-NCR brought a big change as heavy rain lashed the region early Monday morning. The downpour came as a huge relief from the recent days of scorching heat and high humidity. For many residents, the cooler temperatures and fresher air came as a welcome break. However, the sudden rainfall also led to waterlogging in several low-lying parts of the city. The Delhi weather system impacted not just the capital but also nearby cities such as Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad. People in these areas reported heavy to very heavy showers, strong gusty winds ...Read More >
Bengaluru (India) (AFP) - Pollution levels in India's capital shaped Natasha Uppal and her husband's decision on parenthood -- either raise their child away from the city, or stay put and remain childless. New Delhi and the surrounding metropolitan area, home to more than 30 million people, consistently tops world rankings for air pollution. Uppal, who grew up in the city, often considered leaving -- especially on days spent indoors with air purifiers humming, or when she battled severe migraines. The turning point came when the couple decided to try for a baby. "When we thought about what ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a first for the national capital, Delhi is set to witness artificial rain aimed at reducing air pollution, with cloud seeding scheduled between July 4 and 11, subject to weather conditions, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Saturday. The flight plan for the seeding operation has been submitted by IIT Kanpur to IMD Pune for technical coordination, Sirsa told PTI. "Conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a flight window has been proposed between July 4 and 11," Sirsa said. He added that a proposal has also been sent to the Directorate ...Read More >
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Delhi on Monday, forecasting generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms. These are expected to be accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 kmph, occasionally reaching up to 50 kmph during storms. According to the IMD, an orange alert suggests the possibility of moderate to heavy rainfall. The alert signifies severe weather that could impact transport and power supply. The showers are likely to lower the maximum temperature, keeping it between 31 and 33 degrees Celsius, while the minimu ...Read More >
Mumbai: According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city is set to experience overcast weather with moderate to heavy rains today on Friday, July 4, 2025. The city is already experiencing rainfall and cool temperatures. Today, the minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to be around 27 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius, respectively. Humidity is expected to be around 81 per cent and the wind is expected to blow steadily at 29 km/h. Rainfall is predicted in these regions In Maharashtra, rainfall intensity remains strong in the Konkan and Ghat areas, leading to an or ...Read More >
Kolkata, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in Odisha, Assam and Delhi after being branded as illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, the Special Intensive Review (SIR) and the necessity of Opposition unity on these issue are likely to be the important matters that would be raised by the Trinamool Congress in the meeting of the INDIA Bloc this evening. The meeting will be attended virtually by the Trinamool Congress General Secretary and the party's Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, as decided by the party leadership at the last moment. "The harassment of Ben ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 3 (ANI): In a major crackdown on narcotics smuggling, officers of the Airport Commissionerate, Mumbai Customs Zone-III, have seized 14.738 kgs of suspected NDPS hydroponic weed (marijuana) valued at approximately Rs 14.73 crore during operations on Sunday. The seizures were made across Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMI), resulting in the arrest of one passenger, as stated in the press release. The passenger was arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Based on specific intel, ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhiites faced another hot and humid day on Saturday with the heat index reaching 40.8 degrees Celsius by 2.30pm. Parts of the city may see very light rain on Sunday, with a reduction in rainfall activity from Monday onwards. The maximum temperature on Saturday was recorded at 35.9 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal and the highest day temperature this month. The relative humidity oscillated between 48% and 87%. The minimum temperature was recorded at 25.2 degrees Celsius. "There is a possibility of very light rain on Sunday with the city experiencing a partly cloudy sky," s ...Read More >
New Delhi and its sprawling metropolitan region -- home to more than 30 million people -- are regularly ranked among the world's most polluted capitals, with acrid smog blanketing the skyline each winter. Cooler air traps pollutants close to the ground, creating a deadly mix of emissions from crop burning, factories and heavy traffic. But pollution has also spiked due to days of fireworks set off to mark Diwali, the major Hindu festival of lights, which culminates on Monday night. The Supreme Court relaxed this month a blanket ban on fireworks over Diwali to allow the use of the less-pollut ...Read More >
Mumbai: Senior BJP leader Ravindra Chavan is all set to become the next Maharashtra BJP chief as he filed his nomination for the post of party's state president on Monday. Mr. Chavan presented the nomination forms to Union Minister Kiran Rijiju, who has been appointed as a central observer for the elections by the BJP. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and outgoing party chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule were present on this occasion. With no other nomination being filed for the post, Mr. Chavan is certain to become the next state president of Maharashtra BJP, said party leaders. The ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The national capital's pilot cloud seeding project to curb air pollution was deferred to the end of August due to persistent monsoon rains. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the revised schedule at a press conference on Tuesday, citing weather conditions that are currently unfavourable for the operation. Initially slated to take place between July 4 and July 11, the pilot project was delayed after consultations with meteorological experts who advised that the current monsoon spell could hamper the effectiveness of artificial rainfall. "The ongoing rains are not ...Read More >
Chandigarh: Punjab chief ministerBhagwant Mann on Thursday said the government will table a bill in the assembly on Friday to introduce harsher punishment for religious sacrilege. However, the law will not be enacted immediately, as the government plans to hold consultations with stakeholders before finalising the legislation.Mann said the decision was taken in a meeting of the cabinet earlier in the day. After the legislation is tabled, Punjab govt will gather suggestions on the law from stakeholders, including religious organisations and people, he added.Sources said said the new legislation ...Read More >
The Delhi government and IIT Kanpur have partnered to combat air pollution. They signed an agreement for cloud seeding trials in northwest Delhi. The trials will occur in October and November. Aircraft will be used for the two-month pilot project. The results will guide future actions. The project aims to demonstrate alternative technology. New Delhi, The Delhi government on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur on launching a pi ...Read More >
Chandigarh: The city experienced an unusually sharp fall in temperatures this week, making the plunge from a warm 36 degrees Celsius on Sunday to a relatively cool 22 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Overcast skies, rain and thunder brought about a nip in the air ahead of Diwali.Tuesday saw many reaching for shawls and light jackets as maximum temperature slid down to the lowest level since 2021. Officials said such a sudden fall in temperature is normally seen at the end of the month, but this year, ...Read More >
Mumbai: After heavy rains lashed the city on Friday, bringing brief waterlogging and traffic disruptions, Mumbai woke up to sunny skies on Saturday morning. However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) cautioned that the respite may be short-lived, as the city remains under a Yellow Alert with a forecast of partly cloudy skies and a possibility of moderate rain or thunderstorms through the day. According to the IMD, temperatures are expected to hover around 34°C during the day and dip to about 25°C at night. The brief spell of unseasonal rain not only cooled the weather but also brought ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a first-of-its-kind move for the national capital, Delhi is preparing to witness artificial rain in an ambitious attempt to reduce air pollution in the city. The flight plan for the cloud seeding operation, prepared by IIT Kanpur, has been submitted to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Pune for technical coordination, with the trial set to take place between July 4 and 11, according to the reports. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Saturday that "conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding until July 3, but a flight window has been propos ...Read More >