PM2.5 levels in Delhi are predicted to be in the ‘upper end of the very poor category’ from November 4 to 6. (Express file photo)Delhi Live News: Delhi’s air quality remained “very poor” for the second consecutive day on Wednesday and likely to take a turn for the worse over the next two days even if no crackers are burst on Diwali, authorities said on Wednesday.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the capital recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 314. It was 303 on Tuesday and 281 on Monday. The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (337), Gurgaon (330), Ghaziabad (353) and Noida (327) also recorded very poor air quality.
The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi had indicated in a Wednesday morning update that the AQI will remain in the ‘very poor’ category on Wednesday and Thursday. The average wind speed is less than 10 kmph, and low wind speeds do not disperse pollutants. The air quality could begin improving from Nov 7 onwards with strong winds, going by the forecast. The India Meteorological Department has predicted strong winds on Nov 6 and 7.
Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday that the bursting of firecrackers is not a matter of religion, but it affects the lives of people. Addressing a press conference, Rai alleged that some people from Opposition parties were trying to sabotage the Delhi government’s fight against pollution by linking firecracker bursting to religion. “Bursting of firecrackers is not a matter of religion but lives of people. Some people want to fulfil their political ambitions? I appeal to them with folded hands to not play with the lives of Delhi’s children and elderly. There are many other issues for politics… Please let people breathe,” he said.
In other news, an orange-roofed, temporary temple is nearing completion at Thyagaraj Stadium, in time for the Delhi government’s Diwali celebrations this year. On Tuesday, workers were busy completing a 60-feet tall and 110-feet wide structure meant to resemble the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Mostly made of thermocol and plywood, a puja will be held inside the structure on Diwali day. The structure will be dismantled after the event.
The Delhi Police has told a lower court that it will examine an offer made by advocate Mehmood Pracha, who is facing a probe for the alleged use of “forged” documents in a case in connection with the Northeast Delhi riots, that he is willing to admit the drafting and sending of the documents to authorities “under instructions of his clients” to avoid a search at his office. Read more
Delhi's air quality remained "very poor" for the second consecutive day on Wednesday and likely to take a turn for the worse over the next two days even if no crackers are burst on Diwali, authorities said on Wednesday.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the capital recorded a 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) of 314. It was 303 on Tuesday and 281 on Monday.
The neighbouring cities of Faridabad (337), Gurgaon (330), Ghaziabad (353) and Noida (327) also recorded very poor air quality.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. (PTI)
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 15.9 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal, on Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department said. The maximum temperature settled at 29.9 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal.
The mercury is likely to drop by a few notches over the next two to three days with the wind direction changing to northwesterly, the meteorological department said. Northwesterly winds are cold and blow from the Himalayas towards the plains. The minimum temperature is predicted to drop to 14 degrees Celsius on November 5. (PTI)
An advertisement is a part of "free speech" but it cannot be at the cost of the trademark of an owner as it amounts to a misleading ad, the Delhi High Court has said, asking Google to investigate a complaint about diversion of Web traffic to an imposter's site.
The high court said Google, which earns revenue through ads, is equally liable for the omissions and commissions of an advertiser who, through oblique motives, is cashing upon goodwill of the trademark owner for his own benefit.
The court noted that as per Google's policy, they investigate use of the trademark as a keyword but that is only confined for the European Union (EU) and not being followed in India and it was in addition to the investigation undertaken for an infringement of trademark in Ad-title and Ad-text.
The high court's order came while directing Google India Ltd and Google LLC to investigate any complaint to be made to them by the plaintiff, Agarwal Packers and Movers Ltd, alleging use of its trademark and variations as keywords resulting in the diversion of traffic from the website of the plaintiff to that of the advertiser. (PTI)
On Diwali eve, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday urged people to maintain Covid-appropriate behaviour during the festivities and warned them against not wearing masks.
Underlining that the Covid pandemic is still not over and dengue is on the rise, he stressed the need to practise utmost care and preventive behaviour.
"Diwali is the time when happiness and zeal are galore all over the country. Covid cases have been low and people are flocking the markets. But, several people are not following norms and not wearing masks," Kejriwal said.
"I have seen pictures from markets where norms are being flouted. I fold my hands before the people of Delhi and place forth an earnest request -- please wear masks, please follow Covid-appropriate behaviour. It was at this time last year when Covid cases boomed and badly affected the festivities of the state," he added. (PTI)
A Delhi court acquitted the grandson of a former minister of industries in the Delhi Government accused of allegedly impersonating himself as an employee of the ministry in an attempt to extort money 15 years ago.
Metropolitan Magistrate Rishabh Kapoor said that the prosecution failed to prove beyond all reasonable doubts that Amarpal impersonated as a ministry employee and attempted to extort money from two men on the pretext that their shops were unauthorized and liable to be demolished. The court noted that those two men, who were also the complainant, were the most crucial witnesses in the case, but both of them were declared hostile and failed to identify the accused. (PTI)
The Delhi Police has registered a case in connection with the collapse of a portion of an automated multilevel parking facility, which was inaugurated by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) in November last year.
The parking facility in south Delhi's Green Park area collapsed on Tuesday evening, prompting the SDMC Mayor to order an inquiry into the incident, civic authorities had said. A senior police officer said that the case was registered Tuesday under Sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unknown persons.
A thorough investigation is being carried out to ascertain if there was negligence on part of the authorities or the incident happened due to a maintenance-related issue at the time of commissioning of the project. (PTI)
In view of Diwali festival on Thursday, last train services from terminal stations of all Delhi Metro corridors, except Green Line, will start at 10 pm, officials said. On regular days, the last services start at 11 pm from terminal stations.
"On account of the Diwali festival, the last metro train service on November 4, will start at 10 PM from terminal stations of all metro lines except Green Line (i.e, Line-5 from Inderlok/Kirti Nagar to Brig. Hoshiar Singh (Bahdurgarh) stations)," the DMRC said in a statement on Tuesday.
Metro train services will run as usual for the rest of the day on Diwali from routine commencement timings on all the lines, it said. (PTI)
The Delhi High Court has refused to interfere with the dismissal of a BSF constable who was allegedly in contact with a suspected Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO) since 2018 and was found to be in possession of four mobile phones and five SIM cards while being deployed on Indo-Pakistan Border.
A bench headed by Justice Manmohan dismissed the petitioner constable’s plea for reinstatement and said that his “explanation” that he used the devices to talk to his family members and that he brought one instrument to repair and purchased another for his son, was completely fanciful and has been rightly rejected by the competent authority. Read more
Bursting of firecrackers is not a matter of religion, but it affects the lives of people, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, Rai alleged that some people from Opposition parties were trying to sabotage the Delhi government’s fight against pollution by linking firecracker bursting to religion.
“Bursting of firecrackers is not a matter of religion but lives of people. Some people want to fulfil their political ambitions? I appeal to them with folded hands to not play with the lives of Delhi’s children and elderly. There are many other issues for politics… Please let people breathe,” he said. Read more
The Delhi government will set up an online portal called ‘Delhi Bazaar’ to create an online space for all traders, shopkeepers, and service providers in the city, announced Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday.
Hoping that the portal will boost Delhi’s tax revenue, GDP, and employment “rapidly”, Kejriwal said it is expected to be ready by August next year. Read more
A 25-year-old construction worker died after several shanties at an under-construction mall site collapsed in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk on Sunday. His body was pulled out from the debris Tuesday night after almost two days of rescue operations by Delhi Fire Service and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). At least six other workers suffered minor injuries. The deceased, identified as Ashful, hailed from Bihar. Read more
A day after a portion of a parking lot in Green Park collapsed, the Delhi Police registered an FIR to investigate the negligence that led to the collapse on Tuesday evening. The multi-level parking lot was inaugurated just a year ago. Police said the electrically operated floor plates fell inside the parking space damaging some cars parked in it.
On Wednesday, the Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mukesh Suryan ordered a probe to investigate the role of the construction company who were given the contract. He said if the company was found at fault, it would be blacklisted.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal appeals to people in Delhi to pray with him and his cabinet ministers during their Diwali poojan tomorrow evening at 7 pm. He said that 2 crore people praying together will produce "good vibrations in the atmosphere"
The Delhi government will set up an online portal called 'Delhi Bazaar' with the aim of creating an online space for every trader, shop, product and service provider in Delhi. According to CM Arvind Kejriwal, the target is to launch this in August next year and he stated that he thinks this help Delhi's GDP, tax revenue and employment "increase rapidly"
A 25-year-old construction worker died after several shanties at an under-construction mall site collapsed in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk on Sunday. His body was pulled out from the debris Tuesday night after almost two days of rescue operations by Delhi Fire Service and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). At least six other workers suffered minor injuries. The deceased, identified as Ashful, hailed from Bihar.
Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mukesh Suryan has ordered a probe into an incident on Sunday, when a portion of a parking lot in Green Park collapsed. He said the incident would be investigated, and if the company that had carried out the construction was found at fault, it would be blacklisted.
A portion of multi-level parking at Green Park, inaugurated just a year ago, collapsed Tuesday damaging some cars parked in it.
A portion of multi-level parking at Green Park, inaugurated just a year ago, collapsed Tuesday damaging some cars parked in it.
Mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mukesh Suryan said there are four towers at the parking lot, out of which a plate on the eighth floor of the third tower was damaged. He said that there were no injuries. The parking lot near the Green Park Metro station is the capital’s first fully-automated tower car parking. It was inaugurated in two phases in January 2020 and November 2020 by L-G Anil Baijal.
An orange-roofed, temporary temple is nearing completion at Thyagaraj Stadium, in time for the Delhi government’s Diwali celebrations this year. On Tuesday, workers were busy completing a 60-feet tall and 110-feet wide structure meant to resemble the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Mostly made of thermocol and plywood, a puja will be held inside the structure on Diwali day. The structure will be dismantled after the event.
The ‘Dilli ki Diwali’ event, comprising the puja and light and dance shows in the evening, is being held for the Chief Minister, the Cabinet and their family members, and possibly the MLAs as well, officials said.
Hello and welcome to our Delhi Live blog. An orange-roofed, temporary temple is nearing completion at Thyagaraj Stadium, in time for the Delhi government’s Diwali celebrations this year. Also, even if there are no firecracker emissions, air quality in Delhi is likely to take a turn for the worse on November 4. Follow this space for all the latest and important news of the day.