New Delhi emerged as the world’s most polluted Capital for the third straight year in 2020, according to IQAir, a Swiss group that measures air quality levels based on the concentration of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, which can enter the lungs and the bloodstream). India was home to 35 of the world’s 50 most polluted cities.

The report is based on PM2.5 data from 106 countries and uses ground-based monitoring stations operated by governmental agencies, local residents, non-profit organisations and companies.

In 2020, New Delhi’s average annual concentration of PM2.5 in a cubic meter of air was 84.1, the study said, more than double the level of Beijing, which averaged 37.5 during the year, making it the 14th most polluted city in the world. However, the report suggested that air quality in India improved in 2020 due to the countrywide lockdown, which led to a substantial decrease in traffic and industry activities.

“The year 2020 brought an unexpected dip in air pollution,” Frank Hammes, Chief Executive Officer of IQAir, said. “In 2021, we will likely see an increase in air pollution due to human activity again. We hope this report will highlight that urgent action is both possible and necessary to combat air pollution, which remains the world’s greatest environmental health threat.”

Air pollution caused an estimated 54,000 premature deaths in New Delhi in 2020, according to a recent study by Greenpeace Southeast Asia Analysis and IQAir.

Among capitals in the world, Dhaka ranked second with a PM2.5 concentration of 77.1. Nine out of the 10 capitals were of Asian countries, the report showed.

Despite an 11% reduction in the annual average of PM2.5 levels due to nationwide coronavirus lockdown curbs imposed last year, India emerged as the world’s third most polluted country after Bangladesh and Pakistan. “Air pollution in India is still dangerously high,” the report said.

In 2020, South Asia endured some of the world’s worst air quality on record, it said.

With agency inputs

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit India in April to boost British opportunities in the region and to create a democratic counterweight to China, news agency Reuters reported.

With an aim to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region while preserving its strong ties with the United States, the British government will be laying out the country’s post-Brexit defence and foreign policy priorities on Tuesday. Calling the Indo-Pacific “increasingly the geopolitical centre of the world”, the government also highlighted a British aircraft deployment to the region ahead of Johnson’s previously postponed visit to India in April, reported Reuters.

The UK Prime Minister was supposed to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day, but due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in the UK and the spread of a new strain, he cancelled his visit. Johnson is scheduled to visit India in April.

Relations between the United Kingdom and China have strained over issues such as Hong Kong, Covid-19 pandemic and also denying Huawei an active role in Britain’s 5G network.

The potential deployment of Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier’s is also expected to raise military tensions in the South China Sea.

The report in Reuters also mentioned that Johnson will focus “on the UK’s place in the world and the ability to seize the opportunities ahead.”

Britain will also be holding two influential roles this year: Hosting the first post-pandemic G7 summit in June, and the COP26 climate conference in November.

Since completing its exit from the European Union at the end of last year after an acrimonious divorce, Johnson’s government has vowed the “Integrated Review” will show Britain still had clout on the world stage and define a new era for the country.

The 100-page document will be closely scrutinised for concrete measures showing how the government will deliver on Johnson’s rhetoric at a time when the country is struggling to come to terms with the realities of Brexit and has suffered more deaths than its peers from the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reported.

A statement previewing Tuesday’s report listed “the importance of UK relationship with the US” alongside the defence of democracy and human rights, and safety from terrorism as fundamental components of the British policy.

Britain is seeking a trade deal with the United States and reassurance over where it sits in President Joe Biden’s international priorities.

handigarh: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today announced postponement of its protest rallies under the Punjab Mangda Jawab campaign launched by the party to force the Congress government to answer for reneging on all the promises made to the people till March 31. The decision was taken after SAD President and MP Sukhbir Singh Badal tested positive for Covid -19. Disclosing this, party Spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said fresh dates for the rallies would be announced in due time. He said tomorrow’s rally scheduled to be held at Mukerian had also been postponed.

Dr Cheema also disclosed that SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal was in good spirits and keeping good health. He said the party was however going as per health protocols and had suspended its rallies till the completion of the isolation period of the SAD President.

Meanwhile SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said that he had tested positive for Covid-19. He asked the people who came in touch with him in the last few days to isolate themselves and get a Covid test done.

In a tweet Sukhbir said, “I would like to inform everyone that I have tested Covid positive. My health is fine & as per protocol I have isolated myself. I request those who came in contact with me during the last few days to isolate themselves & get tested for Covid -19.” 

Pharmacy retail chain Generic Aadhaar on Monday announced an app that will get generic medicines from nine pharmaceutical manufacturers and sell them at its outlets. The chain, which is led by 18-year-old Arjun Deshpande and is backed by Tata Group chairman emeritus Ratan Tata, grew in 2020 by adding 450 franchise stores to take its total count to 650 odd stores in 100 cities.

Founded in 2019, the startup procures generic (unbranded) medicines from around nine major pharmaceutical manufacturers. These manufacturers, in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, are all World Health Organisation- Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) certified. The app has facilities to upload prescriptions and place orders. The medicines will be delivered from the nearest generic Aadhaar franchise store.

The ‘Generic Aadhaar’s Mobile App’ will help the standalone retail stores across India face competition from online pharmacies and also customers can get faster delivery from their nearest location via this App, said Arjun Deshpande, CEO and founder of Generic Aadhaar. “It’s good that we are now reaching to the masses and going towards generic medicines through Generic Aadhaar and uplift the healthcare capability of the country. I hope this movement grows over the years, also with this urge to serve the people, comes the responsibility of providing medicines of the requisite quality at affordable prices to the people,” said Ratan Tata.

The Punjab Police on Tuesday registered a case under various sections against unknown miscreants for allegedly spreading false and patently defamatory WhatsApp and other social media messages aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Chief Minister, using a young lady’s photograph picked up from her social media accounts without her permission.

The case, under Section 509 IPC, Section 4 and 6 of The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986 and Sections 66 and 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, has been registered at the State Cyber Crime, Mohali, on a written complaint by Capt Sandeep Sandhu – General Secretary Incharge PPCC Office, to Director, Bureau of Investigation, according to DGP Dinkar Gupta.

A police spokesman said that distribution of such malicious and salacious content on social media, including news websites and TV channels, is against the law, and he advised people to refrain from spreading these lies.

Capt. Sandhu had, in his complaint, sought a thorough investigation into the criminal and political conspiracy unleashed by certain unscrupulous and disgruntled elements to tarnish the reputation of the Chief Minister through defamatory messages forwarded on WhatsApp and shared on other platforms, using a young lady’s photograph, apparently taken from her social media accounts without her permission. The mode and manner in which the photograph has been used clearly falls foul of provisions of various provisions of the law, he had pointed out.

Seeking registration of FIR in the matter at the earliest “to track the source and origin of these patently false messages at the earliest,” Sandhi said “the role of certain political opponents of the chief minister in spreading this derogatory message, ahead of the 2022 assembly elections, cannot be ruled out and needs to be investigated.”

Capt. Sandhu termed the contents of the messages, containing defamatory and derogatory insinuations against the Chief Minister and a lady from Malerkotla, who happens to be an acquaintance of a relative of the CM, as “offensive, salacious and repulsive” and clearly circulated for character assassination of the Chief Minister. The message has being made viral on Facebook etc with the sole intent to defame the Chief Minister, he said.

It seems that in their endeavour to spread the lies, the lady’s photograph has been picked up from her social media accounts, without her permission, with the sole aim of maligning the image of the chief minister, said Sandhu in his complaint. In the process, these persons have also knowingly tarnished the image of the young girl, who is just starting out in life, he pointed out, underlining the need for a detailed probe into the political conspiracy behind this defamatory campaign.

Pointing out that the use of the lady’s photograph “tantamount to invasion of privacy which is a fundamental right”, Capt Sandhu urged the Director, Bureau of Investigation, to get the matter investigated from the Cyber Cell to trace the source and origin of these false and lascivious messages, and ensure appropriate action, under the law, against the miscreants.

Sandhu later said that having failed to make a mark in the recent civic polls in the state, the Chief Minister’s political opponents were now resorting to such cheap and malicious tactics to vilify him. These actions will not succeed, he asserted, pointing out that the people of Punjab would once again vote for development and integrity, and will not be misled by such false and vicious propaganda.

Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday slammed the ruling governments in West Bengal in the past and at present, stating they are responsible for destroying the state adding that whenever former Indian skipper and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly stepped out of the crease, it was sure that he would hit a six, similarily, the BJP has crossed the crease and will surely hit a six in upcoming polls and form the government in West Bengal.

“Whenever Sourav Ganguly crossed the crease, it was sure that he would hit a six. Likewise, with your support in Lok Sabha, we have crossed the crease and surely we will hit a six in Assembly polls and form BJP government here,” said the Union Minister while addressing a public meeting here. These comments come at a time when speculation is rife over Ganguly joining BJP ahead of the polls.

The Defence Minister said the BJP would form the government in West Bengal with a clear majority. “Post-independence, the kind of development that should have been done in West Bengal, has not been done. Ruling governments destroyed the state. Be it CPM or TMC, poverty and unemployment are rampant in the state,” Singh said during a public rally in West Midnapore. “I want to assure the people that the day we form the government, we will prevent attacks against everyone, be it BJP, TMC or CPM. There won’t be any discrimination. Strict action will be taken against those propagating violence,” the BJP leader said.

“The numbers in 2019 Lok Sabha polls is an indication of the change that is going to happen in Bengal with the upcoming state Legislative Assembly election,” Singh said.

Asked if going to elections without a Chief Minister candidate face will cause a loss to the BJP, he said, “No. Ours is a democratic party. The elected MLAs will choose their leader.”

Earlier in the day, Singh had said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her desperation to win the upcoming Assembly elections in the state is blaming the BJP for her leg injury.

“No one levelled allegations except Mamata didi. The reports of probe agencies and observers state that the accident occurred due to security lapses,” he said.

“But it’s a result of her desperation that she is accusing BJP for her injury. I hope she recovers soon,” Singh added.

Elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.