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Hyderabad: With Diwali around the corner, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) across Hyderabad are tightening regulations on firecracker use to ensure a cleaner, quieter festival.Notices issued to residents this week permit only eco-friendly "green crackers" and restrict their use to a one-and-a-half-hour window in the evening. Several RWAs have also banned high-decibel and aerial fireworks, citing health and safety concerns for children, senior citizens, and pets in the city.Speaking to TOI, Sai Ravi Shankar, president of the Federation of Gated Communities, Cyberabad, explained, "We have strictly issued notices to all RWAs and residents to ensure that only small, eco-friendly green crackers are used, and that too between 7.30 pm and 9pm."Meanwhile, RWAs have also imposed a ban on the use of traditional firecrackers, cautioning residents that using or storing them may attract penalties under environmental and safety regulations. BT Srinivasan, secretary general of the Confederation of Resident Welfare Associations (CoRWA), said, "We have strictly issued notices to residents, instructing them to purchase only from authorised vendors. We have prohibited the online sale or delivery of crackers within RWAs. Only 'green crackers' certified by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO) are permitted for use during celebrations, and we have advised residents to identify such crackers through the official QR code on the packaging."GRS Prasad Rao, treasurer of the Nagarjuna Nagar Welfare Association, Tarnaka, said, "This year, we have imposed stricter restrictions and issued notices to ensure a safe Diwali for everyone. We want residents to think about their health and that of others, as well as the environment, this festival time."
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 27 (UNI) The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has successfully capped a high-risk gas well blowout at its RDS 147A site in Sivasagar district, Assam, bringing an end to a 15-day-long emergency operation that triggered mass evacuation and widespread public anxiety. The gas well blowout, which began on June 12, involved an uncontrolled release of natural gas from one of ONGC's drilling sites -- a situation often considered one of the most hazardous in the oil and gas industry due to the risk of explosion and environmental damage. The blowout was finally brought under contr ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
Moradabad (UP), Aug 1 (PTI) The Moradabad district administration has cancelled the allotment of a government bungalow granted to former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has been asked to vacate the premises within 30 days. The bungalow, located in the posh Civil Lines area near the Police Training College (PTC II), was allotted to the SP patriarch 31 years ago. Spread across nearly 1,000 square meters on Nazul land, the property serves as the local SP office. District Magistrate Anuj Singh said the property is needed for housing officers and other ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], September 3 (ANI): The All India LPG Distributors Federation has appealed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on LPG Suraksha Hoses (LPG pipes) from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. In the run up to the two-day GST Council meeting that started today, the Federation had written to the Union minister Also Read | Tamil Nadu Power Cut on September 4: TANGEDCO Maintenance to Hit Chennai Along With Parts of Thanjavur and Coimbatore; Know Timings and List of Affected Areas. In the letter, the Federation had stressed that the LPG Suraksha Hose ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], September 29: This Diwali, OyeGifts, a leading name in the gifting industry, brings to you exceptional express Diwali hampers that are truly a celebration of tradition and that of thoughtful gifting. The inclusion of fresh flowers amidst gifts for the season of lights, is a careful blend of convention with that of modern elegance for the matter. The brand's new collection of Gift Hampers for the upcoming festival is to present an assortment of traditional sweets, colourful flow ...Read More >
Lucknow, October 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) 'Vocal for Local' and Go Swadeshi campaigns for achieving 'atmanirbharata' are not just slogans in Uttar Pradesh, but the state administration is also striving to achieve this in every sphere, the latest being linking of cow shelters with the initiative. The initiative is expected to give a new dimension to cow protection while also promoting indigenous industries and sustainable livelihoods through cow-based products. The state administration has planned to extensively promote cow-based products during the upcoming Diwali festival and has deployed women ...Read More >
Chennai, Oct 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a heartwarming development, two of Tamil cinema's top heroes -- Simbu and Vishal -- have now urged their fans to extend their support to all three Tamil films, featuring young heroes in the lead. For the unaware, the Tamil film industry has always witnessed films of big Tamil stars releasing for the festival of Deepavali. However, this year, departing from this practice, films of young heroes are releasing for the festival. Now, top heroes have urged their fans to lend support to these films featuring upcoming heroes as well. Actor Silambarasan aka Simbu ...Read More >
Trump India Tariffs Impact: US 50% tariffs on Indian exports take effect tomorrow, targeting textiles, seafood, gems, jewellery, and leather. Analysts warn the move could threaten millions of jobs and shave 0.5% off India's GDP. Back in his first term, Donald Trump had first called India as the "tariff king." Now, in his second stint in the White House, he has repeated that often and is now bringing the 50 per cent tariff hit for New Delhi. The order, Executive Order 14329, links the penalty to India's continued imports of Russian crude and defence hardware. For New Delhi, this isn't just ano ...Read More >
New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday. Stopping Russian oil imports would force India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, to rely on limited alternatives, potentially driving global crude prices up to USD 100 per barrel amid rising demand and tight supply. "Benefit from Russian oil imports is way less than exaggerated media numbers," brokerage CLSA said in a report. While ...Read More >
New Delhi: What was being discreetly sold under the table just two days ago is now out in the open. With the Supreme Court permitting the sale of green crackers, hundreds of shoppers poured into the narrow lanes of Old Delhi on Wednesday in anticipation of purchasing firecrackers. However, as per the apex court's order, the sale is officially allowed only from Oct 18 to 20.Traders are now faced with the question of implementation as well as logistics. Harjeet Singh Chhabra, general secretary, Sadar Nishkam Welfare Association, said even though the ban has been lifted, what qualifies as a 'gree ...Read More >
New Delhi: Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the Centre and states could earn up to ₹40,000 crore in goods and services tax (GST) if all the 9.7 million unfit and polluting vehicles in the country are scrapped. A total of 300,000 such vehicles have been scrapped till August, including 141,000 government vehicles, said Gadkari, addressing the annual session of the Automobile Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA). "According to our estimate, there are 9.7 million (unfit and polluting) vehicles, which we need to scrap...7 million jobs will be create ...Read More >
India's top court on Wednesday permitted the use of some firecrackers in New Delhi during the Diwali festival, easing a blanket ban even as the capital battles unhealthy winter air pollution. The Supreme Court said the controlled use of the less-polluting "green firecrackers" -- developed by federal research institutes to reduce particulate and gas emission -- would be allowed for limited periods between Saturday and Tuesday. During Diwali, a major Hindu festival of lights, widespread bursting ...Read More >
Gangtok (Sikkim) [India], October 18 (ANI): The Sikkim Pollution Control Board on Saturday issued an order prohibiting the manufacturing, sale, and bursting of all types of sound and light-emitting firecrackers in the state ahead of Diwali, which falls on October 20. The Sikkim Pollution Control Board on Saturday issued an order prohibiting the manufacturing, sale, and bursting of all types of sound and light-emitting firecrackers in the state ahead of Diwali, which falls on October 20. In its order, the Pollution Control Board urged citizens to refrain from using firecrackers and single-use ...Read More >
The Sikkim Pollution Control Board (SPCB) on Saturday issued an order banning the manufacture, sale, and use of all types of sound- and light-emitting firecrackers in the state ahead of Diwali, which falls on October 20. In its directive, the SPCB urged citizens to avoid firecrackers and single-use plastics, promoting eco-friendly alternatives such as light displays and other environmentally conscious ways of celebrating the festival. Meanwhile, in Aligarh, the firecracker market has opened ahead of Diwali, with shoppers gradually visiting stalls at Numai Ground. Various firecrackers are on ...Read More >
Patna, Aug 1 (PTI) Healthcare services were affected at AIIMS-Patna on Friday as resident doctors went on an "indefinite strike" in protest against the alleged high-handedness of Sheohar MLA Chetan Anand. According to a press statement issued by the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA), AIIMS-Patna, on Friday, "The RDA expresses deep disappointment and anguish over the lack of action by the administration following the violent and traumatic incident that occurred on Wednesday, when MLA Chetan Anand, his wife and their armed guards breached hospital security, physically assaulted staff, and thr ...Read More >
Prayagraj: Police on Sunday arrested five persons and seized around 1,400 kg of illegal firecrackers worth lakhs of rupees from three separate raids and checking in Handia, Jhunsi and Kaudhiyara areas of district.In Handia police arrested three men, including two brothers, for storing firecrackers illegally at a storehouse in Baraut block and seized over 977.360 kg of illegal firecrackers worth Rs 8 lakh. The three accused were booked under section 288 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section ...Read More >
Kolkata: The Kolkata Traffic Police is facing a new challenge in managing vehicle parking for the upcoming Shahid Diwas rally on Monday, as persistent rainfall threatens to render designated parking fields unusable. The fresh spell of rain on Friday, with more occasional rain predicted even on Saturday, has left cops worried as they believe the Maidan area can be filled with slush.The traffic department, which initially planned to utilise various fields across the city for parking buses and cars of parade attendees, is now frantically searching for alternative solutions on the main roads, stre ...Read More >
Nagpur: The state government has banned the immersion of Lord Ganesh's Plaster of Paris (POP) idols in natural water bodies. A fresh set of guidelines, issued on August 1, introduces stricter norms. Under the new rules, all POP idols must carry a red circle painted on their back and be immersed only in artificial ponds.The norms aim to curb water pollution and promote eco-conscious rituals for a greener Ganeshotsav. "Every POP idol, big or small, must now have a painted red dot using oil paint. This mark will help citizens and authorities easily identify the material and ensure compliance with ...Read More >
Stage I of GRAP is implemented when the AQI exceeds 200. Stage II (Very Poor) comes into effect when it crosses 300, Stage III (Severe) at levels above 350, and Stage IV (Severe Plus) when the AQI goes beyond 400. New Delhi: Delhi's air quality deteriorated to the 'poor' category for the first time this season with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 211 on Tuesday ahead of Diwali. It forced Commission for Air Quality Management to impose stage I of Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) in Delhi-NCR. The ...Read More >
But he said there were no plans to open up more visa routes to Indian workers or students. "The issue is not about visas," Sir Keir said. "It's about business to business engagement and investment and jobs and prosperity coming into the United Kingdom." The UK's trade deal with India was signed in July after years of negotiation. It will mean UK cars and whisky will be cheaper to export to India, and Indian textiles and jewellery cheaper to export to the UK as part of the multi-billion pound t ...Read More >
Lucknow: Adding a green touch to Diwali celebrations, the LMC will sell over 30,000 eco-friendly Gomai (cow dung) diyas and Ganesh-Lakshmi idols made from cow dung this festive season.The diyas, crafted at Kanha Upvan, will be available in packs of 4, 10, 20, and 300 from Oct 15. According to LMC's animal welfare officer Abhinav Verma: "The civic body aims to exceed last year's sale through its Kanji Houses located in Thakurganj, Rae Bareli Road (PGI campus), Sugamau Road (Jarhara, Indira Nagar), ...Read More >
New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) The sale of green firecrackers began in the national capital on Saturday after the Supreme Court allowed their sale and use under certain conditions, bringing cheer to traders who reported a steady flow of customers through the day. Traders who had applied for licences to sell eco-friendly firecrackers received approvals earlier in the day. Markets across the city, including Sadar Bazaar, saw increased activity as residents rushed to them to make their purchases. Paramjeet Singh Pamma, president of the Sadar Bazaar Traders' Association, said traders were prepared to mee ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jul 17 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh's capital city has secured the third position in the category of urban spaces with population exceeding 10 lakh, while Prayagraj was adjudged the Cleanest Ganga City in the ninth edition of the Swachh Survekshan. Lucknow also became the first city in the state to achieve a 7-star Garbage Free City rating in the 2024-25 survey. Gorakhpur achieved double success, ranking third in the Safai Mitra Surakshit Sheher category and fourth among cities with a population between 3 to 10 lakh. Agra has been recognised as the Emerging Clean City of Uttar Pradesh, securi ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], October 1 (ANI): Oil marketing companies have revised the prices of commercial LPG cylinders, effective from Wednesday, October 1. The rate of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder has been increased by Rs 15.50. Also Read | Jaunpur: 75-Year-Old Farmer Marries 35-Year-Old Bride, Dies the Morning After Wedding in UP. Following the revision, the retail sale price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi will be Rs 1595.50 from today. The hike comes as part of the regular monthly revision in LPG prices by oil marketing companies. However, there has been no change in the prices ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday said the government plans to approach the Supreme Court to seek permission to allow the use of certified green firecrackers to celebrate Diwali in the national Capital. Reiterating the government's commitment towards taking measures to check air pollution in the city, CM Gupta said, "It will also be ensured that all green firecrackers are manufactured only by authorised institutions and have been certified and tested by competent and relevant departments." "The government believes that a balance between public sentiments and environmental ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday said the Supreme Court's decision to permit green firecrackers during Diwali would be implemented with strict monitoring to prevent any violation of its conditions. He announced that district magistrates will soon designate specific areas for the sale of eco-friendly firecrackers and issue temporary licenses to retailers, while ensuring that banned varieties stay out of the market. Welcoming the court's order, Sirsa said the move would allow people to celebrate Diwali responsibly without compromising public health. "We ...Read More >
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 17 (ANI): With the Diwali festival just around the corner, the firecracker market is all set to light up Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal with vibrant colors, sparkling displays, and the growing demand for eco-friendly green fireworks. Firecracker shop owners in Bhopal's biggest market, Bairagarh have fully prepared them for the festive season by observing complete precaution and safety measures. The Fire Control team also inspected the market on Friday and gave necessary instructions to them. Former President of Bairagarh's Wholesale Fireworks Sellers ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The dryer explosion at Sigachi Industries in Pashamylaram, which killed over 35 workers and injured dozens, stands as the deadliest industrial accident in the history of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and among the worst in India's chemical sector. In past five years, the two states have witnessed several fatal explosions in chemical and pharma manufacturing units.The last major incident took place on August 21, 2024, when 17 workers died and more than 35 were injured in a massive explosion at Escientia Pharma in the Atchutapuram SEZ of Andhra Pradesh. Months before that, in April 20 ...Read More >
Chandigarh: The Chandigarh administration has issued strict guidelines for sale and use of firecrackers during upcoming festivals, including Dussehra, Diwali, and Gurpurb. In an official order released by deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav, only green crackers certified by CSIR-NEERI will be permitted, in accordance with directives of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT).The use of firecrackers on Dussehra will be allowed only during effigy burning. For Diwali, firecrackers can be used strictly between 8pm and 10pm, while on Gurpurb, permitted windows are 4am to 5am and 9pm ...Read More >