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NEW DELHI, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Delhi authorities on Wednesday announced mandatory work-from-home norms for 50 percent of employees in both government and private organizations as the Indian capital city grapples with heavy smog. "From Thursday, all government and private institutions must ensure 50 percent of their workforce is working from home," local labor minister Kapil Mishra said during a press briefing, underlining that the order applies uniformly across sectors. However, the measure excludes workers employed by the departments providing essential services like hospitals, emergency response, fire services, departments involved in the fight against air pollution, among others. Mishra said the move is aimed at cutting daily commuting and reducing vehicular emissions. He also warned that action will be taken against institutions that fail to comply. Air pollution in Delhi, home to over 30 million people, gets aggravated during the winter months. The deterioration in air quality is attributed to slow wind speed, stubble burning in the neighboring states, industrial activities, vehicular traffic, as well as rampant construction. ■
New Delhi: The debate among scientists and environment policy experts over what really drives vehicle pollution has heated up in Delhi after the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) directive of denying fuel and impounding end-of-life vehicles from July 1 onwards.Petrol vehicles that are over 15 years old and diesel vehicles that are over 10 years old are in the direct line of fire of CAQM's Direction 89.The policy's aim is to reducing emissions, but environmentalists and automotive exp ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi government will develop 10 "Namo Van" across the city to enhance green cover and combat air pollution, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday. Speaking at the 'Aadhar Infra Confluence 2025' hosted by Panchjanya, she said her government's vision was to develop Delhi as a hub of education, tourism, IT, and healthcare, so that pollution is kept at a minimum while creating jobs. "This year, we started planting 70 lakh saplings. We will also develop 10 dense wooded areas as 'Namo Van'," she said, detailing initiatives of her government related to urban infrastructure. The chi ...Read More >
Chandel (Manipur) [India], September 26 (ANI): In a decisive operation aimed at curbing illicit drug trafficking, a joint team of 22 personnel from Assam Rifles and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully apprehended two individuals in possession of a massive cache of narcotics in Chandel district, Manipur, a release said on Friday. According to the release, the operation unfolded on Friday following specific intelligence inputs. Acting swiftly on the information, a mobile vehicle check post was established in the general area of Bala Point. Also Read | Raipur Steel Plant Collaps ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Sep 28 (PTI) 'Nukkad nataks', informative wall paintings and other activities will be part of the Punjab government's extensive campaign to highlight the ill effects of stubble burning and the benefits of crop residue management (CRM) machinery, officials said on Sunday. Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said the state government has unveiled a comprehensive and ambitious information, education and communication (IEC) plan for crop residue management as part of its move to address the pressing concern of stubble burning and foster sustainable agricultural practices in the ...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: Deteriorating further, the city's air quality worsened within the poor category on Wednesday, even as the pollution models indicated that the air quality index would turn very poor even before Diwali.The average AQI was 233 at 4pm against 211 on Tuesday. According to weather analysts, while the mornings are likely to turn misty or foggy and winds calmer, the share of stubble burning to the city's PM2.5 levels is expected to rise from less than 1% to over 4% by Friday. This may lead to AQI deteriorating faster than expected, they added. AQI between 301 to 400 is considered very poor ...Read More >
Delhi AQI: As Diwali festivities began on Monday, Delhi's air quality crisis has deepened, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas to impose Stage-II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on Sunday with immediate effect. As of 4 pm on Sunday, the national capital recorded an AQI of 296 according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). However, this was not the first day that the air quality in Delhi worsened, the AQI has remained in the 'poor' category (between 201-300 AQI) for the past few days. As the ci ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Starting Tuesday, the Delhi government is planning to stop the sale of petrol and diesel to end-of-life (EoL) or over-age vehicles - a move aimed at fighting vehicular emission-linked air pollution in the Capital, an official said. Petrol pump owners on Monday confirmed that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras and other devices linked to the transport ministry's data bank have been installed at their outlets to identify EoL vehicles. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued a direction that all EoL vehicles identified throu ...Read More >
Delhi residents breathed easier Thursday as air quality improved to 'moderate' after a month of severe pollution. The AQI dropped to 161, though some areas still experienced 'poor' air quality. Cooler temperatures and mist accompanied the improved air, with the minimum temperature reaching 9 degrees Celsius. The Supreme Court maintained GRAP-IV restrictions, demanding compensation for construction workers from NCR states.Residents in Delhi took a sigh of relief on Thursday as the air quality inde ...Read More >
Mumbai Monorail train stuck between two stations due to power failure (Image: Videograb/X) As continuous rains lash Mumbai leading to flooding, a monorail train got stuck on an elevated track in Mumbai's Vashi Gaon area on Tuesday due to a power supply issue. With several passengers stranded onboard, rescue operations started immediately. The fire brigade reached the spot in a bid to evacuate the passengers using crane. The Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation said the monorail train had ex ...Read More >
Mumbai Monorail Train: The incident of the breakdown was reported at 7.15 am, officials said. Mumbai (Maharashtra): Monorail services were resumed after a nearly two-hour-long halt that occured on Monday morning due to technical glitches in Mumbai's Wadala area. Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said all passengers onboard were safely evacuated from the monorail. "17 passengers were evacuated after a technical glitch happened in the monorail at Wadala. Passengers were e ...Read More >
Mumbai: The city's troubled monorail service suffered yet another disruption Monday morning when a train developed a technical snag near Wadala, forcing an emergency evacuation of 17 passengers.Services between Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk and Wadala were operated on a single line for more than two hours, leading to bunching up of rakes, though operations on the Wadala-Chembur section remained unaffected. Officials said the incident occurred around 7.15am when a train stalled between Antop Hill Bus Depot and GTBN stations due to a software-related issue. MMRDA alerted the fire brigade, but evacuat ...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 >
Amritsar (Punjab) [India], October 17 (ANI): Stubble burning cases in Punjab's Amritsar reduced by 80 per cent as compared to the last year, Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar, Sakshi Sawhney, said. DC Sawhney said that the district has witnessed 73 cases of stubble burning this year, as compared to 378 incidents last year. Also Read | Shillong Teer Result Today, October 17, 2025: Check Winning Numbers, Live Result Chart for Shillong Morning Teer, Shillong Night Teer, Khanapara Teer, Juwai Teer and Jowai Ladrymbai. She told ANI on Thursday, "60 per cent harvesting has been done in Amritsar, be ...Read More >
Delhi Weather Update: Delhi experienced dense fog on Thursday morning, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reporting a minimum temperature of 7°C. The fog led to the implementation of low-visibility procedures at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI), although flights continued to operate as scheduled. The weather forecast for the coming days indicates that dense fog will persist in the early morning and late-night hours on December 26 and 28. The IMD also predicts partly cloudy skies, with the possibility of very light rain or drizzle during the evening or night. As of Thursd ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): In a concerted effort to accelerate coordinated action towards abatement of air pollution in the region, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) under the Chairmanship of Rajesh Verma, held two significant high-level review meetings on July 3. The senior officials of the Commission, along with the Chief Secretaries and senior officers of the two State Governments, Haryana and Punjab, were present at the meeting. According to the release, the review aimed to strengthen interdepartmental coordination in the two States, as men ...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 >
New Delhi: The national capital woke up to a layer of smog on Diwali morning with the city's air quality index (AQI) slipping into the "very poor" category, as it crossed the 300-mark. According to the SAMEER app by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded an overall AQI of 339 at 9 am. Data from around 38 monitoring stations showed that most parts of the city reported air quality levels above 300. Anand Vihar recorded an AQI of 414, and Wazirpur 412, both being among the stations where air quality remained in the "severe" category. Several other locations, including Bawan ...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 >
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 >
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed Punjab and Haryana to ensure zero stubble burning during the upcoming paddy harvest season and strictly enforce measures to manage crop residue. The directions came after detailed review meetings held on Thursday and Friday with senior officers, deputy commissioners, district magistrates and police officials from 23 districts of Punjab and 22 districts of Haryana. The meetings, chaired by CAQM chairperson Rajesh Verma, focused on the states' preparedness for the season in line with the commission's directions mandating effective c ...Read More >
The CAQM is a central anti-pollution commission for Delhi and neighbouring states. (File) Aiming to eradicate stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana, which is a major cause of pollution in the national capital in winter, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has launched flying squads to patrol districts that are hotspots and has also established a dedicated cell in Mohali to coordinate real-time action between Punjab and Haryana. During review meetings on Thursday and Friday with off ...Read More >
Delhi's air quality continues to deteriorate with the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at 304, falling under the "very poor" category. Several areas, including Anand Vihar, Jahangirpuri, and Mundka, reported severe pollution levels, significantly impacting visibility and health. The National Capital Region (NCR) also saw poor air quality, with areas like Noida and Ghaziabad in the "poor" range. The Supreme Court upheld restrictions under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to curb pollution. Authorities urge residents to limit outdoor activities and take health precautions as smo ...Read More >
Chennai, June 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday flagged off Chennai's first fleet of low-floor electric buses from the Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (MTC) Vyasarpadi depot, marking a significant step towards greener urban transport in the city. A total of 120 electric buses, worth Rs 207.90 crore, have been introduced under the Chennai City Partnership Programme and Chennai Sustainable Urban Services Programme, with support from the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Inaugurating the upgraded electric bus depot at Vyasarpadi, develop ...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 >
Visakhapatnam: The Indian Navy is hosting the fifth edition of the Indo-Indonesian joint bilateral maritime exercise 'Samudra Shakti - 2025' in Visakhapatnam. The participating units include INS Kavaratti, an Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette of Eastern Fleet under the aegis of Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and the Indonesian Navy Ship KRI John Lie, a Corvette (with an integral helicopter), which arrived at Visakhapatnam. Commenced on October 14, the exercise will continue till October 17. The harbour phase features a range of activities aimed at building camaraderie and professional rapport th ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi woke up to the coldest December morning on Wednesday as the minimum temperature dropped to 4.9 degree Celsius. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature was recorded 4.9 degree Celsius in Safdarjung area while it was 6.2 degree Celsius in Palam. A thin layer of fog covered several parts of the city today as the morning chill remained till around 9 am. Smog and mist conditions with predominant surface winds from the northwest direction with a speed of eight to ten km per hour are prevailing in the city resulting in the temperature drop, as p ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jul 18 (PTI) A three-storey chawl collapsed in the western suburb of Bandra here in the early hours of Friday, with at least 10 people feared trapped in the debris, civic officials said. As many as seven people have been rescued from the debris so far and admitted to the civic-run Bhabha Hospital, they said. According to preliminary information, chawl number 37 in the Bharat Nagar area of Bandra East collapsed around 5.56 am. Eight fire engines are at the spot along with teams from the Mumbai police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's local ward machinery, an official from ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Sep 30 (PTI) Punjab farmers' bodies on Tuesday slammed the action against paddy growers for stubble burning and demanded a cash incentive for crop residue management. Despite a ban on crop residue burning, many farmers continue to indulge in the practice to clear the fields for sowing the next wheat crop. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is often blamed for the rise in air pollution in Delhi after harvesting of the paddy crop in October and November. As the window for sowing the Rabi crop -- wheat -- is very short after paddy harvest, some farmers set their fields on fire t ...Read More >