Delhi’s October air quality worst since 2020. Will November be any better?

The air quality in Delhi continued to remain “very poor” for the fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, as the overall air quality index stood at 373, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

There’s also a good chance that things won’t get better in November.

Two data sets released on Tuesday by the CPCB on Delhi’s air quality showed that there has been progress in addressing the issue; however, nothing has changed.

Let’s take a look.

October AQI this year is the worst since 2020

According to CPCB data, October this year saw the “worst” air quality in Delhi since 2020. This October’s average Air Quality Index (AQI) for the Capital was 210, compared to 210 in October 2022 and 173 in October 2021.

For those unversed, 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.”

In contrast to the corresponding period during the last six years (aside from the COVID-affected 2020), the daily average air quality in Delhi, the 10-month period between January and October 2023, records its best index, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM). This establishes a consistent pattern of relative improvement in the air quality of Delhi-NCR.

The air in Delhi was poisonous in October, just like it is every year.

According to CPCB statistics issued on Tuesday, the National Capital Region (NCR) had average air quality in the “very poor” category in the following areas: Faridabad (320), Delhi (329), Delhi (359), and Greater Noida (375).

Higher AQI due to lower rain, lower wind speed

The many agencies tasked with cleaning up the city’s air are disappointed by the decline in the quality of the air last month compared to October in the previous two years, especially because the other months of 2023 have generally seen an improvement.

However, rainfall was one important aspect that contributed to the decreased average AQI in October in the preceding two years.

When there is a significant amount of rain, the air quality usually improves tremendously and rapidly, reported the Times of India.

Compared to a typical rainfall of 14.1 mm, October 2021 saw seven days of rain and 122.5 mm of rain overall.

Similarly, 128.6 mm of rain fell over six days in October of the previous year.

On 17 October, however, Safdarjung reported 5.4 mm of rain, making it the only wet day of the month.

In October last year, Delhi experienced two days of “good” air quality amid a single wet season that included all six rainy days in a row.

A similar pattern of three days of rain followed by one day of “good air” occurred in October 2021. This October, there weren’t any “good air” days.

The only time the city saw improved air quality within this time frame was in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

The CPCB stated in a statement that the average AQI for the years 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018 varied from 179 to 201.

October 2023 saw moments of completely “still” conditions, according to the Center’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), with an average wind speed that was somewhat below average.

Air quality to likely deteriorate in November

On Sunday, Punjab saw the highest number of farm fires this season at 1068.

The harvesting season began later than typical this year, which has experts worried that the worst is yet to come, according to Mint.

Since stubble burning is one of the main causes of pollution in Delhi-NCR, the situation is expected to worsen the already poor quality of the air.

Even though fireworks are prohibited in the National Capital, every year on Diwali and the day following, the air quality deteriorates.

Firecrackers are completely prohibited in the Capital till 1 January 2024, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC).

Delhi residents will continue to breathe in the toxic air because there has been no change in the weather other than a dip in temperature.

SC laments the worsening AQI in Delhi

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered the governments of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to submit affidavits to the court within a week, detailing the actions they are taking to prevent the worsening air quality, reported India Today.

The top court stated that although this was the finest time to be in the National Capital until a few decades ago, the bad quality of the air currently makes it suffocating.

According to a three-judge bench led by Justice SK Kaul, one of the primary causes of air pollution in the National Capital is crop burning.

Earlier, the apex court had sought a detailed report from the CAQM on the steps being taken to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

Only CNG and electric buses allowed

The Delhi government has mandated that all buses from the NCR regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan that go to the National Capital from Haryana must operate on electric, CNG, or BS-VI diesel, starting today, as per Business Today.

With the ultimate goal of switching to electric vehicles, the policy attempts to reduce the air pollution that the region’s diesel-powered buses create.

The transport department published the guidelines that would take effect on Wednesday with a circular sent to Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana.

With inputs from agencies

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/TMiZctQ

North Korea closes multiple embassies around the world due to sanctions

North Korea is planning to shutter approximately a dozen embassies, including those in Spain, Hong Kong, and several African countries, according to media reports and analysts.

This move could result in the closure of nearly 25 per cent of Pyongyang’s diplomatic missions worldwide. The recent closure of North Korea’s diplomatic missions is seen as a reflection of the challenges the reclusive nation is facing in generating income from overseas activities due to international sanctions, as noted by South Korea’s unification ministry on Tuesday.

On Monday, North Korean state media outlet KCNA said the country’s ambassadors paid “farewell” visits to Angolan and Ugandan leaders last week, and local media in both African countries reported the shutdown of the North’s embassies there.

Both Angola and Uganda have forged friendly ties with North Korea since the 1970s, maintaining military cooperation and providing rare sources of foreign currency such as statue-building projects.

The embassy closings set the stage for what could be “one of the country’s biggest foreign policy shakeups in decades”, with implications for diplomatic engagement, humanitarian work in the isolated country, and the ability to generate illicit revenue, wrote Chad O’Carroll, founder of the North Korea-focused website NK Pro.

More than a dozen missions may close, likely because of international sanctions, a trend of Pyongyang’s disengaging globally and the probable weakening of the North Korean economy, he said in a report on Wednesday.

Seoul’s unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the pullout reflected the impact of international sanctions aimed at curbing funding for the North’s nuclear and missile programs.

“They appear to be withdrawing as their foreign currency earning business has stumbled due to the international community’s strengthening of sanctions, making it difficult to maintain the embassies any longer,” the ministry said.

“This can signify North Korea’s difficult economic situation, where it is difficult to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries.

“North Korea has formal relations with 159 countries, but had 53 diplomatic missions overseas, including three consulates and three representative offices, until it pulled out of Angola and Uganda, according to the ministry.

North Korea will also shut down its embassy in Spain, with its mission in Italy handling affairs in the neighbouring country, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported. Correspondence with the Spanish Communist Party released on the party’s website showed the North Korean embassy announcing the closing in a letter dated Oct. 26.

The North’s embassy in Madrid was in the spotlight after members of a group seeking the overthrow of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un staged a break-in in 2019, during which they bound and gagged staff before driving off with computers and other devices.

Pyongyang denounced the incident as a “grave breach of sovereignty and terrorist attack,” and accused the United States of not investigating the group thoroughly and refusing to extradite its leader.

With inputs from Reuters.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/QTLuD0A

Biggest appeasers Rahul Gandhi, Pinarayi Vijayan jointly filed case against me: Rajeev Chandrasekhar's retort after FIR

“Rahul Gandhi and Pinarayi Vijayan have jointly filed a ‘case’ against me,” said Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar after a case was filed against him in Kerala for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups.

Sharing a copy of the FIR registered against him on X, formerly known as Twitter, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said: “So the two INDI alliance partners (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi and (Kerala chief minister) Pinarayi Vijayan have jointly filed a ‘case’ against me.”

‘Being threatened for exposing their appeasement of Hamas’

Intensifying his attack on Gandhi and Vijayan, the Union Minister of State said the FIR against him has been registered by “Two of biggest appeasers in Indian politics who shamelessly appease poisonous radical violent organisations like SDPI, PFI and Hamas, whose politics have caused radicalisation over decades from J&K to Punjab to Kerala and caused many innocent lives and security forces lives to be lost – trying to threaten me with a case for exposing their appeasement of Hamas.”

So the two INDI alliance partners @RahulGandhi and @PinarayiVijayan have jointly filed a “case” against me

Two of biggest appeasers in Indian politics who shamelessly appease poisonous radical violent organizations like SDPI, PFI and Hamas, whose politics have caused… pic.twitter.com/rTOLCULeDT

— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@Rajeev_GoI) October 31, 2023

FIR against Rajeev Chandrasekhar

According to PTI, the Cyber Cell of the Kerala Police has registered the FIR on its own in connection with Rajeev Chandrasekhar's recent statements on social media regarding the Kochi blasts and a Hamas leader's virtual address at an event organised by an Islamist group in Malappuram district.

As per a senior officer of Kochi city police, an FIR under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the IPC and section 120 (o) (causing nuisance and violation of public order) of the Kerala Police Act has been registered against the minister.

BJP slams Kerala Police, Pinarayi Vijayan government

BJP wing in Kerala slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government in the state and said it would face the case against the central minister both politically and legally.

BJP Kerala chief K Surendran alleged that this action by the Pinarayi Vijayan government was aimed at "helping" and "encouraging" divisive forces and those with extremist views.

"It indicates the double standards of the Pinarayi Vijayan government," he said while speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Surendran also took a dig at the Left government and the police for not registering a case against CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan for terming the Kochi bomb blasts as a "terrorist act."

The BJP leader also pointed out that no case was registered against IUML MLA M K Muneer and CPI(M) leader M Swaraj for hailing the recent Hamas attack on Israel.

Surendran further alleged that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala was not ready to register a case against the Islamist group that organised an event in Malappuram district of the state recently where a Hamas leader virtually addressed the gathering.

"But they are registering a case against a central minister who spoke out against the same. This (FIR) is a heinous decision based on vote bank politics. It is aimed at making political gains during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," he alleged.

He also claimed that the case against the central minister was registered to appease those who are against the country and not those who love the nation.

What did Rajeev Chandrasekhar say?

After blasts were reported in Kerala at a religious gathering of Jehovah's Witnesses in Kalamassery near Kochi on Sunday (29 October), Chandrasekhar shared posts on X, criticising Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan.

"Dirty shameless appeasement politics by a discredited CM (and HM) @pinarayivijayan besieged by corruption charges. Sitting in Delhi and protesting against Israel, when in Kerala open calls by Terrorist Hamas for Jihad is causing attacks and bomb blasts on innocent Christians," he had said.

Following this, a verbal duel took place on Monday between the Vijayan and Chandrasekhar with the BJP leader calling the Kerala CM "liar" and he in turn lashing out and terming the MoS "extremely venomous".

Vijayan also said, "If anyone makes statements which are in violation of the law, irrespective of whether they are central or state ministers, cases would be registered against them."

In a post on Facebook, the Chandrasekhar said, "Price of appeasement politics of Congress and CPM will always be borne by innocents of all communities – That is what history has taught us."

"Brazen appeasement politics – shameless even by Cong/CPM/UPA/INDI alliance standards to invite Terrorist Hamas to spread hate & call for 'Jihad' in Kerala," he had said.

"This is the height of irresponsible madness politics. Enough! ‘You can’t keep snakes in your backyard and expect them only to bite your neighbors. You know, eventually those snakes are going to turn on whoever has them in the backyard – Hilary Rodham Clinton’,” the minister had said.

Report by PTI further said, the Congress has lodged a complaint with the State Police Chief against Chandrasekhar, BJP National Secretary Anil K Antony, Govindan, former Ernakulam MP Sebastian Paul, former BJP spokesperson Sandeep G Varier and Trinamool Congress Southern Indian Chapter Convener Riva Tholoor Philip for allegedly making hate comments aimed at flaring up communal enmity in the state.

The complaints were made by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee's (KPCC) Digital Media Cell Convener Sarin P.

The blasts were set off at a convention centre in Kalamassery near Kochi where a prayer meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses -- a Christian religious group that originated in the US in the 19th century.

A few hours after that, Martin, who claimed to be an estranged member of Jehovah's Witnesses, surrendered before police in Thrissur district of the state, saying that he carried out the multiple blasts.

Three people, including a 12-year-old girl, were killed and several others were injured in the blasts.

With inputs from agencies

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/90uYP56

'Baseless & Fake': BJP on snooping charge after Opposition leaders share 'state-sponsored attack' alert from Apple

BJP rejects snooping charge after Opposition leaders claim hacking attempt, share ‘state-sponsored attack’ alert on iPhones

BJP has rejected claims made by several Opposition leaders that they received messages from Apple warning them of “state-sponsored attackers trying to remotely compromise” their iPhones.

“They (Opposition leaders) should clarify the issue with Apple. The allegations against Centre’s involvement in the case are completely false,” BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said Tuesday.

Opposition party leaders including Congress’ Shashi Tharoor, Priyanka Chaturvedi of the Shiv Sena (UBT), AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Trinamool Congress’ Mahua Moitra posted screenshots of the message received on their phones which read, “Apple believes you are being targeted by state-sponsored attackers who are trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID.”

Received text & email from Apple warning me Govt trying to hack into my phone & email. @HMOIndia – get a life. Adani & PMO bullies – your fear makes me pity you. @priyankac19 – you, I , & 3 other INDIAns have got it so far . pic.twitter.com/2dPgv14xC0

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 31, 2023

Wonder who? Shame on you.
Cc: @HMOIndia for your kind attention pic.twitter.com/COUJyisRDk

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) October 30, 2023

Received an Apple Threat Notification last night that attackers may be targeting my phone

ḳhuub parda hai ki chilman se lage baiThe haiñ
saaf chhupte bhī nahīñ sāmne aate bhī nahīñ pic.twitter.com/u2PDYcqNj6

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) October 31, 2023

As per Apple’s official website, “Threat notifications are designed to inform and assist users who may have been targeted by state-sponsored attackers. These users are individually targeted because of who they are or what they do.”

In 2021, Apple issued similar threat alerts to at least six activists and researchers who had been critical of Thailand’s government, warning it believed their iPhones had been targeted by “state-sponsored attackers.”

With inputs from agencies

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/rz5tCcm

Andhra Pradesh High Court grants TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu 4 weeks’ interim bail in Skill Development Scam Case

The Andhra Pradesh High Court Tuesday granted interim bail for four weeks to former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the Skill Development Scam case.

The court granted bail to the TDP chief on health grounds. He is currently lodged in Rajamahendravarama prison.

Advocates representing Naidu had informed the High Court that he has to undergo cataract surgery.

The court posted the regular bail petition to November 10.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had arrested Naidu on September 9 in connection with the alleged Rs 3,300 Andhra Pradesh Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam.

His arrested had led to apolitical turmoil in the state. Several TDP leaders alleged that Naidu’s arrest was nothing but a political “witch-hunt” and that he was held on the basis of false allegations.

The Andhra Pradesh Police’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) had initiated a probe into the case in March this year. The investigation followed notices to former Indian Railway Traffic Service officer Arja Srikanth, who was the chief executive officer (CEO) of the APSSDC in 2016, based on the statements by an accused turned approver and depositions by three IAS officers.

The APSSDC was set up in 2016 to empower unemployed youth and provide skill training to enhance their employability.

According to the CID probe, the then government led by Chandrababu Naidu had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the project worth Rs 3,300 crore. The MoU involved a consortium with Siemens Industry Software India Ltd and Design Tech Systems Pvt Ltd.

Siemens Industry Software India Ltd was to establish six centres of excellence for skill development. The Andhra government was supposed to contribute around 10 per cent of the total project cost. The two companies would provide the remaining funds as grant-in-aid.

The project was initiated without adhering to standrd tendering process, the CID investigation found. The then state Cabinet allegedly did not approve the project.

With inputs from agencies

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/S1lEmTg

Supreme Court to hear electoral bonds case: Why have they created such a row?

A five-judge Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud will begin hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Centre’s electoral bonds scheme. The hearing, starting today, comes after a three-judge bench had earlier referred the matter to a larger bench “in view of the importance of issue raised”.

The apex court will look at two important issues: the legality of anonymous donations to political parties and the violation of citizens’ right to information about the funding of political parties.

But for those who are confused about what electoral bonds are and why they are being questioned, we have you covered.

What are electoral bonds?

Similar to a promissory note, electoral bonds are an instrument through which donors can fund political parties anonymously. They were introduced by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2017 with the Finance Bill (2017). On 29 January, 2018 the Narendra Modi-led NDA government notified the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018.

Electoral bonds, sold in denominations ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 crore, can be bought from authorised State Bank of India branches through accounts complying with KYC norms. Political parties are entitled to encash these bonds within 15 days of receiving them to fund their electoral expenses.

It is important to note here that electoral bonds are not available through the year and only for 10 days in the beginning of every quarter. The first 10 days of January, April, July and October has been specified by the government for purchase of electoral bonds. An additional period of 30 days shall be specified by the government in the year of Lok Sabha elections.

There is no limit on the number of bonds an individual or company can purchase.

Only political parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and which secured not less than one per cent of votes polled in the last general election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, are eligible to receive electoral bonds.

When introduced, the government had defended electoral bonds, saying that electoral bonds would keep a tab on the use of black money for funding elections. In the absence of electoral bonds, donors would have no option but to donate by cash after siphoning off money from their businesses, the government said.

How much have parties received through electoral bonds?

According to an ADR report, between the years of 2016 and 2022 a whopping Rs 16,437.635 crore was donated to 31 recognised political parties. Out of this, 55.9 per cent or Rs. 9,188 crore were received through Electoral Bonds, while the remaining amount of Rs 4,614.53 crore (28.07 per cent) came from the corporate sector and Rs 2,634.74 crore (16.03 per cent) from other sources.

The report further revealed that during this six-year period, more than 52 per cent of BJP’s total donations came from electoral bonds worth Rs 5,271.97 crore. The Congress had the second-highest donations from bonds – Rs 952.29 crore – accounting for 60 per cent of its total donations.

Between the years of 2016 and 2022, a whopping Rs 16,437.635 crore was donated to 31 recognised political parties. Out of this, 55.9 per cent or Rs. 9,188 crore were received through Electoral Bonds. Image used for representational purposes/PTI

Electoral bonds sound good, so what’s the problem?

After its introduction, there were some civil groups who opposed them, arguing that since neither the purchaser of the bond nor the political party receiving the donation is required to disclose the donor’s identity, the shareholders of a corporation will remain unaware of the company’s contribution. Voters, too, will have no idea of how, and through whom, a political party has been funded.

Moreover, since the identity of the donor is kept unknown, it could lead to an influx of black money. Some activists and politicians also argue that the scheme has been introduced to enable big corporate houses to donate money without their identity being revealed.

They further stated that the concept of donor ‘anonymity’ threatens the very spirit of democracy.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (centre) and other party leaders protest outside Parliament House on Friday against the electoral bonds scheme. File image/@shashitharoor/X

In an earlier hearing, advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner NGO ADR, said that amendments made via the Finance Acts of 2016 and 2017, both passed as Money Bills, have “opened the floodgates to unlimited political donations” through electoral bonds scheme.

“The amendments have removed the caps on campaign donations by companies and have legalised anonymous donations. The Finance Act of 2017 has introduced the use of electoral bonds which are exempt from disclosure under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, opening doors to unchecked, unknown funding to political parties,” The Hindu quoted him as saying.

And it’s not only civil activists who have opposed the electoral bond scheme. The Congress has protested against electoral bonds, stating that they were an exercise in “perpetuating opacity and electoral malpractice”.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also has voiced opposition to the scheme and even approached the apex court on the same in 2018. According to the CPI(M), electoral bonds “undermine democracy” and will “lead to greater political corruption”.

On its introduction, the Election Commission of India had said they would “compromise” electoral transparency. However, a year later, they did a U-turn and supported the bonds.

Milan Vaishnav of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank even went as far as saying, “With electoral bonds, the government has essentially legislated opacity.”

A BBC report quoted him as saying, “Donors can make gifts of any size to recipients and neither side must publicly disclose the details of the transactions. If this is being advertised as ‘transparency’, it is truly a novel definition of the word.”

Also read: Why electoral bond scheme needs a Supreme Court verdict before 2024 polls

How has the government defended electoral bonds?

The government has been firm in its stance that the electoral bond scheme does, in fact, help in electoral transparency.

Baijayant Jay Panda, a national vice-president of the BJP, has opined that electoral bonds represent a “solid progress” towards cleaner political funding. The bonds, he told BBC, were “legitimate and achieve many of the objectives for transparency”.

“While an argument can be made there should be further reforms and even more transparency, it is simply ludicrous to claim that the bonds don’t represent progress and are somehow worse than what existed earlier,” he added.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal addresses a press conference, defending the issue of electoral bonds. File image/PTI

In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, the Centre has also argued that citizens have no general right to know about the source of electoral bonds. Attorney General R Venkataramani told the top court, that citizens have no general right to know anything and everything without being subjected to reasonable restrictions as the “right to know” can be for specific ends or purposes and not otherwise.

“There cannot be a general right to know anything and everything for undefined ends… Right to know for the general health of democracy will be too over-broad,” the Centre said in the affidavit. It is axiomatic that political parties receive support including financial support and contributions, the AG said.

What is the matter in court today then?

On 16 October, while hearing the validity of the electoral bond scheme, a bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said it would hear the matter on 31 October and continue on 1 November, if required.

They will now focus on the legality of the scheme and the violation of citizens’ right to information about the funding of parties.

Moreover, the four petitioners – Association for Democratic Reforms, the CPI(M), Congress leader Jaya Thakur, and Spandan Biswal – have asked the court to declare all political parties as public offices to bring them under the ambit of the Right to Information Act and compel political parties to disclose their income and expenditure.

With inputs from agencies

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/WmuxBsd

Delhi Excise Policy Case: Supreme Court denies bail to Manish Sisodia

Delhi excise policy case: The Supreme Court Monday denied bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in separate cases lodged against him by the CBI & ED in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti pronounced the order.

Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 for his alleged role in the “scam”. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has been in custody since then.

The ED arrested Sisodia in a money-laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9 after questioning him in the Tihar jail.

Sisodia resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28.

The high court denied him bail in the CBI case on May 30, saying having been the deputy chief minister and excise minister, he is a “high-profile” person who has the potential to influence the witnesses.

On July 3, the high court declined his bail in the money-laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the city government’s excise policy, holding that the charges against him are “very serious in nature”.

The Delhi government had implemented the policy on November 17, 2021, but scrapped it at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption. According to the investigating agencies, the profit margins of wholesalers were increased from 5 to 12 per cent under the new policy.

The agencies have alleged that the new policy resulted in cartelisation and those ineligible for liquor licences were favoured for monetary benefits.

However, the Delhi government and Sisodia have denied any wrongdoing and said the new policy would have led to an increase in the State’s revenue share.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/ADCxUwl

Andhra Pradesh train Accident: Railways cancels 33 trains, reschedules 6 so far after fatal accident

Following the mishap in which two trains collided in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram leaving 13 persons dead and injuring many, Indian Railways has cancelled as many as 33 trains while the six others rescheduled till now, East Coast Railway officials informed on Monday.

Biswajit Sahu, Chief Public Relations Official, East Coast Railway, Bhubaneshwar confirmed that a total of 33 trains have been cancelled, 24 trains were diverted and 11 were partially cancelled following the accident involving the collision between two passenger trains between Kantakapalle and Alamanada Stations of Waltair Division.

Out of this, three trains have been cancelled and two have been rescheduled this morning, he said. Chennai Central to Puri (22860), Raigada to Guntur (17244) and Visakhapatnam to Guntur (17240) have been cancelled while Chennai Central to Shalimar (12842) and Alleppey to Dhanbad (13352 have been rescheduled today, as per the East Coast Railway officials.

At least 13 people died and several were injured when coaches derailed after the Visakhapatnam-Ragada passenger train hit a Visakhapatnam-Ragada train travelling on the same route in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district on Sunday evening.

The Divisional Railway Manager said that 3 coaches were involved in the accident. “There was a rear collision between the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train and the Visakhapatnam-Ragada passenger train.

Three coaches were involved in the accident. Rescue operations are underway, Local administration and NDRF were informed for assistance and ambulances. Accident relief trains reached the site,” the Divisional Railway Manager said.

With inputs from ANI.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/gPwkCe7

Jaishankar meets families of 8 Indians detained in Qatar, says 'will make all efforts to secure their release'

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met with the family members of 8 former naval officers who were sentenced to death in Qatar.

Jaishankar posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Met this morning with the families of the 8 Indians detained in Qatar. Stressed that Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families.”

“Underlined that Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release. Will coordinate closely with the families in that regard,” he added.

Met this morning with the families of the 8 Indians detained in Qatar.

Stressed that Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families.

Underlined that Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release.…

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 30, 2023

The eight Indian nationals have been imprisoned in Qatar since October 2022 and were accused of allegedly spying on a submarine programme.

Earlier, The Ministry of External Affairs said it is “deeply shocked” by the verdict. “We have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgement in the case involving 8 Indian employees of Al Dahra company,” the MEA said in an official press release.

“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” it added.

This matter is very important to us, the MEA said adding that and they have been keeping a close eye on it.

“We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities,” the MEA release said.

“Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture,” it added.

With inputs from ANI

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/lXq0Q4c

‘Who are these people who want to create chaos here from outside’: Anurag Thakur on Kerala blasts

Questioning Congress leader and Wayanad MP, Rahul Gandhi’s “silence” over Kerala’s serial blasts, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, “Who are these people who want to create chaos here from outside.”

“I condemn the bomb blast incident in Kerala…,” Thakur told reporters in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur on late Sunday evening.

“The silence of Rahul Gandhi who is an MP (Wayanad) from the state, clearly shows that Congress is silently supporting them…After all, who are these people who want to create chaos here from outside?… Congress and the Communist Party are silently supporting them (people behind the blasts) and are not taking action against them…,” he added.

On Sunday evening, Rahul Gandhi in a post on X condemned the incident and termed it “deeply disturbing”.

He also expressed condolences to the bereaved family and said, “I hope for a quick recovery for those injured”.

“There is no place for hatred and violence in a civilised society. The govt must conduct a thorough probe and bring the guilty to justice,” Rahul added.

A series of blasts at a prayer meeting in Kerala’s Kalamassery on Sunday morning killed at least two people and left several injured, with six remaining in critical condition.

A 12-year-old girl, identified as Libina from Malayattoor in Ernakulam district, succumbed to her injuries in the early hours of Monday at the Kalamassery Government Medical College Hospital.

In the statement issued by the hospital’s medical board, the girl was admitted to the hospital on Sunday morning with severe burns covering 95 per cent of her body.

Despite receiving ventilator support, her condition continued to deteriorate, leading to her death at 12.40 am, it said.

This marks the third casualty from the blasts at the convention centre.

The blasts in Kerala led to heightened security in crowded places in the national capital.

The hospitals in Kochi were crowded with distressed and appalled family members as several injured people were undergoing treatment.

Laxman Prabhu, a family member of two victims, said, “My mother is admitted to the hospital, she came yesterday (to the convention centre) for the prayer. She already has some other issues and now she has burn injuries on her legs, hands, mouth and back. My sister has also got burn injuries on both legs.”

Multiple explosions took place at a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Kalamassery area of Kochi district at around 9:00 a.m.

A man identified as Dominic Martin, meanwhile, surrendered himself at the Kodakara police station in Thrissur, claiming responsibility for a series of blasts that also left several injured.

The police, however, said that they are yet to verify Martin’s claims.

“One person has surrendered in Kodakra Police Station, in Thrissur Rural, claiming that he has done it. His name is Dominic Martin and he claims that he belonged to the same group of sabha. We are verifying it. We are looking into all aspects of this case…The blast took place in the central part of the hall,” Kerala ADGP (law and order) MR Ajith Kumar said on the blast at Zamra International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Kalamassery.

According to the police, preliminary investigation suggests that IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) were used to trigger the blasts.

Following the incidents, Chief Minister Vijayan announced a 20-member probe team to investigate the matter.”What happened in Kalamassery is very unfortunate. Currently, 41 people are hospitalised, 27 people admitted to Ernakulam Medical College…4 people discharged. 2 people have died, and 5 are critical. A special team led by ADGP Law and Order will be investigating this incident. 20 members will be in the investigating team,” he said.

The CM has also called an all-party meeting for Monday.

Kerala Police on Sunday issued a warning against propagating fake news through social media platforms regarding the incident.

“Action will be taken against those spreading fake news,” Kerala Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb said in a statement.

He said that the police have intensified round-the-clock surveillance on social media to detect accounts spreading such fake messages.

Following the blasts, state ministers K Rajan, VN Vasavan, Antony Raju, Mayor M Anilkumar and others visited Medical College in Kalamasery and met the injured in the blast at Zamra Convention Centre on Sunday.

Addressing a press conference, Kerala Minister P Rajeev appealed to the people to refrain from fake social media campaigns.

“Police are conducting the investigation…we can only reach some conclusions after a thorough investigation. Efforts are underway to save the lives of all the injured. CM Pinarayi Vijayan has called an all-party meeting tomorrow…everyone must refrain from fake social media campaigns…Kerala always faces such situations with unity…” the minister said.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/dDaHgJs

Passenger trains derails in Andhra Pradesh's Vizianagaram

A passenger train derailed in Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district late Sunday evening.

According to ANI, citing Divisional Railway Manager, the train was going to Rayagada from Visakhapatnam.

Andhra Pradesh | A passenger train which was going to Rayagada from Visakhapatnam derailed in Vizianagaram district. More details awaited: Divisional Railway Manager

(Pictures taken by locals shared with ANI) pic.twitter.com/ZcynNnoJye

— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2023

Andhra CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has ordered to take immediate relief measures and to send as many ambulances as possible from Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli, the nearest districts of Vizianagaram, and to make all kinds of arrangements in nearby hospitals to provide good medical care.

విజయనగరం జిల్లా కంటకాపల్లి రైలు ప్రమాద ఘటనపై సీఎం తీవ్ర దిగ్భ్రాంతి వ్యక్తం చేశారు. వేగంగా సహాయక చర్యలు చేపట్టాలని, క్షతగాత్రులకు సత్వర వైద్య సేవలు అందేలా చూడాలని అధికారులను ఆదేశించారు. 1/2

— CMO Andhra Pradesh (@AndhraPradeshCM) October 29, 2023

He has also issued orders to coordinate other government departments including health, police and revenue to take quick-relief measures and ensure that the injured receive prompt medical services.

With ANI Inputs

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/TOlcqIE

DCW calls for arrest of Delhi man selling doctored images of Indian gods and goddesses

Following a complaint over the selling of offensive images of Hindu gods and goddesses, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) sent a notice to the Delhi police on Sunday.

DCW Chief Swati Maliwal has sent Delhi Police a notice and requested a report on the actions done in relation to the case.

DCW Chief, Swati Maliwal, posted on ‘X’, saying, “We received a complaint that a man sells objectionable and obscene photos of Hindu Gods and Goddesses made using Photoshop to people for money.”

“A notice has been sent to the police to immediately arrest the man who committed this disgusting and shameless act. Will not leave this man!” she added.

हमे एक शिकायत मिली कि एक आदमी पैसे लेकर हिंदू देवी-देवताओं की फोटोशॉप से बनाई आपत्तिजनक एवं अश्लील तस्वीरें लोगों को बेचता है।

इस घिनौनी और बेशर्मी की हदें पार करने वाली हरकत करने वाले आदमी को तुरंत गिरफ़्तार करने के लिए पुलिस को नोटिस भेजा है। इस आदमी को छोड़ेंगे नहीं! pic.twitter.com/6u0JoiFMTB

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) October 29, 2023

Meanwhile, the DCW has condemned the act stating that it has the potential to “hurt religious sentiments”.

“This act is extremely disrespectful and has the potential to hurt religious sentiments and cause enmity among groups”, the notice to the Delhi police read.

Further, the DCW has sought a copy of the FIR registered in the matter, along with the details of the accused arrested.

“If the accused has not been arrested, please provide reasons for the same”, the notice read.

(With inputs from agencies)

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/uixHOy2

Fake office, false signatures: Gujarat conman ‘receives’ government grants of Rs 4 crore since 2021, arrested

A conman in Gujarat’s Chhota Udepur district allegedly set up a bogus government office in Bodeli taluka of the tribal district, then posed as a government officer complete with forged signatures, government seals and official documents and availed of government grants worth more than Rs 4 crore.

The massive scam came to light on October 25, following which the conman, Sandeep Rajput, and his accomplice, Abu-Bakr Saiyyad, a government contractor, were arrested and remanded to 12 days in police custody late on Friday.

Rajput allegedly introduced himself as an executive engineer with the ‘Irrigation Project Division’ in Bodeli and used fake government seals and signatures to communicate with government departments, the FIR registered at Chhota Udepur police station states.

The money from the government allegedly came via e-payment, in multiple instalments, under the name of ‘Executive Engineer, Irrigation Project Division, Bodeli’. The bogus department, the FIR further states, was created under the “lenient eyes of former/current officers or employees of the department”.

Between July 26, 2021, and October 25, 2023, Rajput and Saiyyad extracted a total of Rs 4.16 crore as government grants for 93 projects, which were surprisingly approved by the office of the former project administrator of the district. The scam came to light on October 25 when the current project administrator questioned the bonafide officers of the irrigation department about 12 pending applications seeking a grant of over Rs 3 crore.

The FIR lodged on Thursday by Javid Ibrahim Mankojiya, a junior clerk of the project administrator’s office of Chhota Udepur district, states, “It appears to be a conspiracy hatched in connivance with the former and/or some current officers/employees of our department to extract financial benefit for personal interest while causing a loss to the state treasury…”.

The FIR goes on to say on October 25, at a meeting in the office of Project Administrator and IAS officer Sachin Kumar, with irrigation officers under the Development Support Agency of Gujarat (DSAG) project and in the presence of irrigation department Executive Engineer Preksha Goswami and Executive Engineer of Irrigation Project Division Dhaval Patel, the department realized that 12 applications had been made in 2023-24 for irrigation projects, seeking a grant of Rs 3.74 crore.

The FIR further adds that the department investigation revealed that government grants issued to the conman in the previous years – a total of Rs 1.98 crore for 40 works under various heads in year 2021-2022 included a Rs 59.90 lakh grant for 10 projects under the Gujarat Pattern Yojana as well as Rs 1 crore for 20 works under the scheme for women’s drinking water and a nucleus budget for 10 works of Rs 39.50 lakh.

These 40 projects worth Rs 1.98 crore were also approved by the former project administrator V C Gamit.

The FIR states that in 2022-2023, the bogus office received a total of Rs 2.19 crore grant for a total of 53 projects sent for approval, including 16 projects under the Gujarat Pattern Yojana worth Rs 40.66 lakh, an additional Rs 1.27 crore for 23 projects of the drinking water scheme, as well as Rs 51 lakh for 14 other projects under the nucleus budget. These proposals of the bogus irrigation officer were also approved by Gamit, the FIR states.

“We have registered the FIR based on the complaint filed by Javid Ibrahim of the project administrator’s office. As soon as we received the complaint, the superintendent of police directed the police to form various teams. We arrested Rajput within hours, who named Abu-Bakr as an accomplice. He is a government contractor, who appears to have come up with the idea of creating this bogus department to extract money. He was also arrested immediately. The court has granted us custody and we will begin investigating the transactions,” Investigating Officer Police Inspector Arun Parmar said.

The police are also investigating if the office was only created on paper or if it also accepted applications from residents. The accused have been booked under sections 170 (pretending to hold any particular office as public servant and act in such assumed character), 419 (cheating by personation), 465 (forgery), 467 (forgery of a valuable security), 468 (committing forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (fraudulently or dishonestly using a forged document as genuine), 472 (making or possessing counterfeit seal with intent to commit forgery), 474 (possession of forged documents shown as genuine) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/1bH8Wxh

This Week in Explainers: Why does Narayana Murthy want Indians to work 70 hours a week?

It was yet another action-packed week. India’s diplomatic challenges continue. Canada has been a pain point for weeks now. New Delhi continues to walk the diplomatic tightrope in West Asia, as the Israel-Hamas war enters its third week. And now Qatar has given New Delhi reasons to worry. We’ll tell you all about it.

Domestic politics continues to be dirty with the usual mudslinging. The spotlight is now on Trinamool’s Mahua Moitra, who has been accused of taking bribes for asking questions in Parliament. She will have to appear before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee. Wonder what it is. We explain.

The season of festivities has begun in India. This week, the country celebrated Dussehra, which was preceded by nine nights of dancing the garba. But for some, it didn’t turn out to be a joyous time.

All this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers.

1. The week began on a heartbreaking note. Festivals are a time of revelry. Navratri is synonymous with garba. But this year, the dancing led to deaths. In Gujarat, 10 died of heart attacks in 24 hours during garba celebrations. This included teenagers and middle-aged people. What went wrong? Is COVID-19 to blame or unhealthy lifestyles? We tell you.

Devotees take part in a garba performance during the nine-day-long Navratri festival. In Gujarat, 10 died of heart attacks during the celebrations. Representational picture/PTI

2. With the Dusshera holiday falling on Tuesday, this was a shorter work week. It was reason enough to rejoice for millions who are part of India’s big fat workforce. The country is among those with the longest work hours. And now there is someone who wants you to work longer. Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has triggered a debate and a lot of outrage (much justified) after he pitched for a 70-hour workweek. What’s the ideal work time and what do studies say? We map it out for you.

3. Talking about the workforce, there are reasons for Indians in the US to sit up and take notice. The Joe Biden administration has proposed changes to the H1-B visa process. What are they and what does it mean for the desis in the country? Here are some answers.

4. Another country which Indians throng to in search of work is Qatar. Some 800,000 live and work in the country. The spotlight right now is on eight – a group of former Indian Navy officers who have been sentenced to death in the West Asian country. While charges against them are not public, there is speculation that they were spying for Israel. We explain the case and the consequences.

Eight Indian Navy veterans, who have been in Qatar’s custody since last August, have been sentenced to death. Representational image/Reuters

5. Crimes continue to grab headlines. A horrific murder from Mumbai surfaced. A man planned the murder of his two unmarried sisters. The reason? He was fed up of them. What inspired him to kill them? The crime thriller Drishyam. This is the story of how a clerk from Palghar murdered his sisters and tried to mislead investigators.

That’s all from India this week. If you like the way we explain, watch out this space for more.

PS: And if you need something to cheer about, there is always Team India. The Men in Blue take on England tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that the winning streak continues. Catch all analysis by our Sports Editor Rupha Ramani here.

 

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/6ODczr3

‘Privileged’: PM Modi on being invited to Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir consecration ritual

During his visit to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh’s Chitrakoot, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the Ram Temple in Ayodhya was on the verge of completion and that he felt it was a great privilege for him to receive an invitation for the consecration ritual of the temple.

Speaking at a public event at Tulsi Peeth of Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, PM Modi said that “in the thousand years of slavery, various attempts were made to uproot India in different ways” and one of these was the “complete destruction of Sanskrit”.

“Though we gained independence, some individuals still harbour antipathy towards Sanskrit. If someone discovers a forgotten language script, such people celebrate it, but they do not respect Sanskrit, which has existed for thousands of years. If people in other countries know their mother tongue, they appreciate it, but these individuals consider knowing Sanskrit as a sign of backwardness,” PM Modi said.

The prime minister added that “those with this mind-set have been losing for the past thousand years and will not succeed in the future also”. “Sanskrit is not just a language of traditions; it is also a language of our progress and identity,” he said.

The PM also praised Hindu spiritual leader Jagadguru Rambhadracharya, who was present at the event for his contribution to Ram Mandir. “The Ram Temple for which you have contributed so much is on the verge of completion. Just two days ago, I received an invitation to participate in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya. I consider it a great privilege,” PM Modi said.

This is PM Modi’s second visit to the poll-bound state in five days, following a trip to Gwalior, and the fourth in less than a month.

The prime minister has been making frequent visits to the state to boost BJP’s prospects in the upcoming Assembly elections, where the party is hopeful of beating a strong anti-incumbency wave against the ruling BJP government.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/UdoqCXF

India steps up border drone defence to wade off surprise attacks like Hamas did on Israel

In a move to step up monitoring activities along the borders with neighbouring China and Pakistan, especially along the Himalayas, India is setting up a surveillance system with drones to avoid surprise attacks like the one from Hamas in Israel.

The country’s defence officials met with six home-grown vendors of surveillance and reconnaissance drones over the past week and an order is expected to be announced as soon as next month, Bloomberg quoted people who did not wish to be named as saying.

In the past, India has experienced unexpected surprise attacks. For instance, in 2008, assailants hailing from Pakistan, armed with assault weapons and grenades, managed to infiltrate Mumbai by sea and killed 166 people.

Meanwhile, South Korean and US troops have started live-fire exercises this week to hone their ability to respond to potential “Hamas-style surprise artillery attacks” by North Korea, South Korea’s military said Friday.

The two forces regularly conduct live fire and other training, but this week’s drills come after Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel raised security jitters in South Korea, which shares the world’s most heavily fortified border with rival North Korea.

Experts say the North’s forward-deployed long-range artillery guns can fire about 16,000 rounds per hour in the event of a conflict, posing a serious threat to Seoul, which is about 40-50 kilometres (25-30 miles) from the border.

The three-day firing exercises, which began Wednesday, involved 5,400 South Korean and U.S. soldiers, 300 artillery systems, 1,000 vehicles and air force assets, according to South Korea’s military.

In a simulated response to “the enemy’s (possible) Hamas-style surprise artillery attacks,” the exercises practised strikes designed to “remove the origins of the enemy’s long-range artillery provocations at an early date,” South Korea’s Ground Operations Command said in a statement.

North Korea didn’t immediately react to the drills. It typically views major U.S.-South Korean military training as invasion rehearsals and responds with missile tests.

Israel has carried out thousands of airstrikes since the war began following a cross-border raid that killed 1,400 people in Israel and took over 200 others hostage. Palestinian health officials say over 7,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the fighting erupted.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/xaGZy1c

Who is Mamata's trusted aide Jyotipriya Mallick arrested in the Bengal ration scam?

Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is facing the heat. While MP Mahua Moitra is facing scrutiny in the cash for query scam, West Bengal forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate early Friday morning (27 October) after being questioned for over 20 hours in connection to the ‘ration scam’.

The arrest came after the ED authorities carried out marathon raids at Mallick’s residence in Kolkata’s Salt Lake area. They also raided his ancestral house on Amherst Street in central Kolkata.

On being whisked away by the ED personnel, the minister said he was the “victim of a grave conspiracy”.

Reacting to the raids and his consequent arrest, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee called it a “dirty political game” by the BJP”. “What atrocities and lawlessness are occurring? BJP is playing a dirty game. I want to know whether they there has been even one such raid at the residence of any BJP leader? Neither they nor we will remain in power forever. New generation will come up to take over. But they are leaving blunders for the next generation.”

Her state minister Shashi Panja also criticised the raids at Mallick’s residences, asserting that “this is an attack on the culture of Bengal at the time of Bijoya Dasami”. This is nothing but vendetta politics. We have seen there were raids at our leaders’ places before Durga Puja when we were demonstrating, demanding release of (MGNREGA) funds”.

The multi-crore ration scam

In its official release, the ED said that Mallick’s arrest came in connection with an alleged case of corruption in the rationing distribution, referring to the multi-crore ration scam.

The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS), and in distribution of food grains during the COVID-19 induced lockdowns while Mallick held the portfolio for the Food and Civil Supplies Department.

The raids on Mallick’s residence came after the arrest of a businessman Bakibur Rahaman, who is said to be close to the Bengal minister. An IANS report, quoting agency insiders, says that documents seized from the residence and office of Bakibur Rahman led them to Mallick.

The documents gathered from Rahman reveal irregularities in selling of wheat meant for distribution through fair price shops in the open market in 2020 and 2021 when Mallick was the food minister.

Security personnel stand guard outside West Bengal minister Jyotipriya Mallick’s Salt Lake residence during a raid by the Enforcement Directorate, in Kolkata. PTI

Secondly, Rahman’s wealth in the recent past has grown significantly; he owns several hotels, resorts and bars besides a rice mill business. The BJP had earlier questioned how Rahman had amassed such wealth in a short amount of time. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar had been quoted as telling Indian Express: “Businessman Bakibur Rahman, who was arrested earlier, has links with the state minister. These need to be probed, as well as how he (Rahman) made such a fortune? Did he use Mallick’s influence? Who actually owns the wealth?”

A close aide of Mamata Banerjee

For many observers, the arrest of Jyotipriya Mallick will be a bigger hit for Mamata Banerjee as the leader is a trusted lieutenant of the party chief.

Known as ‘Balu Da’, Mallick belongs to Burdwan’s ‘Agoori’ community – a warrior community with links to Burdwan’s erstwhile ‘Maharaja – and holds significant influence over the state’s Matua community.

It’s important to note that the Matuas are the largest Scheduled Caste community in West Bengal, and can impact poll results in about 50 constituencies across the state.

Jyotipriya Mallick was made the minister of the food and supplies department in 2011 and continued until 2021. He is now the forest minister. Image Courtesy: Jyoti Priya Mallick/Facebook

Mallick is the current president of North 24 Parganas district unit of the Trinamool Congress and he’s also credited with introducing Mamata Banerjee to the Matuas, which enabled her to secure a victory in the 2011 Assembly polls.

It was after this win that Banerjee made Mallick the minister of the food and supplies department. In his tenure as food minister – from 2011 to 2021 – he implemented the Digital Ration Card in the state and began providing one kg rice for Rs 2 to the downtrodden sections.

Other TMC ministers in the dock

Mallick adds to the list of TMC leaders being arrested or investigated for corruption. Earlier this year, former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested along with his aide Arpita Mukherjee in connection with alleged corruption in teachers’ recruitment.

TMC’s youth wing leader Santanu Banerjee has also been arrested earlier this year in connection with the teachers’ recruitment scam.

Also read: The cattle smuggling scam, which led to the arrest of Anubrata Mondal, Mamata’s Birbhum ‘Bahubali’

In October, the CBI also conducted searches at the residences of senior West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim and TMC MLA Madan Mitra as part of ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in recruitments carried out by the state’s civic bodies.

Mamata’s nephew and TMC’s general secretary Abhishek Banerjee is also under the scanner in connection with its investigation into the school jobs scam in West Bengal.

With inputs from agencies

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/CqVTb8R

In Graphics | Ahead of 5-state Assembly elections, a simple guide to understand the polling process

Poll season is here again. We are just days away from elections. Starting 7 November, five states will go to the polls with the collective results to be announced on 3 December.

On 7 November, Mizoram will go to polls along with the state of Chhattisgarh. The latter will see a second round of polling on 17 November along with Madhya Pradesh. This will be followed by polling in Rajasthan on 25 November and Telangana on 30 November.

These elections not only hold significance at the state level, but also at the national level, as they will be the last such poll to be held before the 2024 general election, scheduled to be held sometime in May.

As we gear up for this political activity, here’s some interesting trivia and facts about Assembly elections – from the cost of conducting such an exercise to how much can a candidate spend during his campaigning.

All creatives designed by Network18

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/WeP71bO

Himanta says Chhattisgarh CM Baghel opened the market of religious conversion to undermine Sanatana Dharma

Attacking Bhupesh Baghel, his counterpart from Chhattisgarh, as a “big market of religious conversion” in the state to undermine Sanatan Dharma, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma criticized Baghel on Thursday.

The senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party asked supporters to vote for the BJP in Chhattisgarh so that a double-engine administration could work for the state’s development while speaking at a public gathering in Mahasamund city, the state that is headed for elections.

He also took aim at Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the Congressman has never been to the Ayodhya Ram temple.

Prior to the BJP candidates’ nominations from four constituencies in the Mahasamund district—Mahasamund, Khallari, Basna, and Saraipali—a rally led by Sarma was organized.

“…We have to think about the situation to which the Bhupesh Baghel government has pushed Chhattisgarh. Religious conversions are taking place. A conspiracy is being played to convert tribals in every part of the state. Sanatan (Dharma) is being attacked,” he said.

“We should think about what Congress has given in (the last) five years. Has he (CM Baghel) opened any university in five years? In Assam, medical colleges have been set up in each district. There has been no basic transformation in the state (Chhattisgarh). Baghel does drama every time and he has opened a big market of religious conversion to weaken Sanatan Dharma,” Sarma said.

Targeting the Congress, he said 75 years passed since India got Independence, but it is PM Narendra Modi who finally constructed Ram temple (in Ayodhya). He asked why the Congress failed to build the temple all these years.

“Why didn’t the PMs under the Congress rule at the Centre build Ram temple and waited for PM Modi ji (to do so)? It is because the Congress has no devotion for Lord Ram and its leaders always worshipped Babar,” he said.

“I have never seen any Congress leader visiting the Ram temple in the last 3-4 years. Rahul Gandhi goes to temples during elections, but he doesn’t go to the Ram mandir (in Ayodhya) as he is scared that people of Babar will get annoyed and abuse him,” he added.

He hit out at the Congress government in Chhattisgarh over its promise of loan waiver to farmers, and said the Congress had made the same promise in the last election but did not fulfil it completely.

“Why did farmers in the state have to take loans? It is because their children do not have jobs. The Baghel government should have worked to generate employment,” he added.

Elections to the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will be held in two phases – on November 7 and 17.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/w3WDdGI

'Cash for query' row: Lok Sabha Ethics Committee summons TMC's Mahua Moitra on October 31

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has been summoned by the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha on October 31 in connection with the “cash-for-query” allegations against her.

The Ethics Committee held its first meeting today where its head and BJP MP Vinod Kumar Sonkar said that the panel will seek assistance from the Ministries of Home Affairs and IT in probing the allegations against the TMC MP.

On Thursday, BJP parliamentarian Nishikant Dubey, along with advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai submitted their statements to the committee in connection with the matter.

“Committee heard both the people who were summoned today – the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey. Their evidence were looked into. Looking into the seriousness of it, the Committee decided to summon Mahua Moitra asking her to appear before it on 31st October,” Sonkar said.

#WATCH | Delhi | Chairman of Parliament Ethics Committee, Vinod Sonkar says, “…Committee heard both the people who were summoned today – the lawyer and Nishikant Dubey. Their evidence were looked into. Looking into the seriousness of it, the Committee decided to summon Mahua… pic.twitter.com/w9oT18rvwJ

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2023

After his meeting with the committee, Dehadrai said, “I have told the truth before the Committee. All members of the committee enquired from me cordially. I answered to all that was asked from me.”

#WATCH | Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai appears before the Ethics Committee of Parliament in ‘cash for query’ charge against TMC MP Mahua Moitra

“I have told the truth before the Committee. All members of the committee enquired from me cordially. I answered to all that was asked… pic.twitter.com/uwDct2QnAm

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2023

In his complaint to Speaker Om Birla, BJP member Dubey has cited documents shared by Dehadrai to back his cash-for-query allegations against Moitra.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/BO2osJZ

PM Modi performs puja at Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple in Shirdi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday performed puja at the revered Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple in Shirdi and offered prayers there.

Modi was accompanied by Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

#WATCH | Ahmednagar, Maharashtra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performs the Jal Pujan of Nilwande Dam and dedicates a canal network of the dam to the nation pic.twitter.com/WwcHb1KYuN

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2023

The prime minister will later attend a public programme in Shirdi to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of development projects worth about Rs 7,500 crore in sectors like health, rail, road and oil and gas.

The PM will also travel to Goa to inaugurate the 37th National Games.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/5KO1FfL

Delhi, Mumbai see bad air days again: Are authorities doing enough to curb pollution?

Delhi and Mumbai are competing once again. But this time, none of the metro cities would want to win the race of which of the two has worse air. There were many days this month when Mumbai’s air quality deteriorated more than the National Capital’s.

The authorities in both cities have announced measures to curb air pollution, which can trigger several health issues. Let’s look at how Delhi and Mumbai are reeling from bad air and what steps are being taken to mitigate the issue.

Delhi, Mumbai choke again

The overall air quality in Delhi improved on Wednesday (25 October) morning but remained in the ‘poor’ category. According to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the National Capital stood at 202, reported Business Standard.

The air quality in the Delhi University area was at 312 (very poor) as of 10 am, and at 225 (poor) in IIT Delhi.

Stage II of GRAP has been implemented in Delhi-NCR amid worsening air quality. PTI File Photo

Last week, the AQI was in the ‘poor’ category in Delhi, with the forecast indicating a plunge to the ‘very poor’ category on 23 and 24 October, “owing to unfavourable meteorological and climatic conditions,” the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) said.

In Mumbai, haze and smog blanketed skylines last week, with the AQI reaching beyond 300 in some parts of the city. According to IQAir, a Swiss technology company, Mumbai was the second most-polluted city after China’s Beijing on Monday (23 October), Business Standard reported. Delhi was the sixth most polluted city among 109 places tracked by IQAir.

According to SAFAR-India, Mumbai has been witnessing ‘moderate’ air quality this week.

Steps taken in Delhi

Delhi has enforced the second phase of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) – a set of measures implemented in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) to combat the deteriorating air during winter months. Divided into four stages, these emergency curbs are imposed only when air pollution touches a certain mark.

Stage II of GRAP comes into effect when the AQI slips between 301 to 400 in the ‘very poor’ category. Under this phase, diesel generator sets are not allowed except for essential and emergency services such as hospitals, railways, metro services, airports, water pumping stations, and “projects of national importance”, reported Indian Express.

CAQM, the Centre’s air quality panel, also directed NCR authorities to increase parking fees to discourage private transport and promote CNG or electric buses and metro trains as part of GRAP’s Stage II.

Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) are also required to give electric heaters to security staff to discourage the burning of biomass. To curb pollution, authorities will use methods such as water sprinkling on roads to check dust pollution and inspect construction and demolition sites to ensure the implementation of dust control norms in identified hotspots, reported Indian Express.

According to Hindustan Times (HT), the Delhi government will deploy special teams to check sources of pollution at the eight newly identified pollution hotspots in the city – Shadipur, ITO, Mandir Marg, Nehru Nagar, Patparganj, Sonia Vihar, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, and Moti Bagh. With this, the National Capital has a total of 21 hotspots so far.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said on Monday that the next two weeks are crucial for the city because of Dussehra, Diwali, and farm fires in neighbouring states. “The weather is not in our control but the sources (causing pollution) can be controlled to ensure the impact on people’s health is minimised,” he told ANI.

What is Mumbai doing?

Mumbai’s civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), recently announced measures to control air pollution in the city.

As per Times of India (TOI), the average concentration of particulate matter over Mumbai has seen a “phenomenal jump” between last October and this month.

On Sunday, the BMC attributed the bad air quality in Mumbai Metropolitan City and Mumbai Metropolitan Region to weather changes.

Weather changes have severely impacted air quality in Mumbai Metropolitan City and Mumbai Metropolitan Region too. Municipal Commissioner & Administrator of BMC, Shri Iqbal Singh Chahal, has directed the implementation of measures to address the issue of air quality.… pic.twitter.com/AALuZMemJS

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) October 22, 2023

Municipal commissioner and administrator of BMC, Iqbal Singh Chahal, at a top-level meeting last week instructed various stakeholders to ensure that dust pollution emerging from construction sites is being strictly monitored, adding that any violations would result in ‘stop work’ notices at those sites, reported IANS.

Around 6,000 sites in Mumbai are witnessing construction currently, as per a PTI report. “At all these places (where construction is going on) dust- and pollution-control measures should be implemented. Else, construction will be stopped, be it private or government work,” the BMC said in a release last week.

Chahal also proposed to erect a 35-foot high iron sheet around construction sites and enclose under-construction buildings with green cloth or jute sheets on all sides.

The BMC has tightened regulations for construction sites across Mumbai. Reuters Representational Image

As per the Friday release by BMC, construction sites will have to instal sprinkler systems within 15 days and anti-smog guns within a month, IANS reported.

Mumbai’s civic body is also planning to use anti-smog vehicle-mounted machines on about 60 major roads across the city.

Vehicles carrying construction debris have to be properly covered with tarpaulin sheets and not be overloaded.
Experts from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and the BMC would examine the levels of pollution caused by refineries, Tata Power plant and RCF plant, along with checking these sites for pollution control measures, as per PTI.

The transport commissioner’s office will take stringent action against those with vehicles that are past their service life, do not have a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate or are overloading, the BMC release said.

Will BMC’s measures work?

Climate experts have expressed scepticism over the Mumbai civic body’s bid to mitigate pollution. They say that anti-smog guns would not be very effective as they could not tackle the problem of gaseous emissions and fine particles in the air.

“The current problem is that of gaseous emissions, the haze that is created due to ozone levels and of fine particles. The smog guns as seen in Delhi have very little impact. At the least, one could say, this is a small effort in firefighting. It is not solving your problem,” Rakesh Kumar, former head of the National Environment Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI), told TOI.

Speaking to the newspaper, Sachchida Nand Tripathi, co-ordinator of the National Knowledge Network, pointed out that besides construction sites, the role of industrial and vehicular emissions cannot be ignored in their contribution to air pollution.

Tripathi suggested Mumbai should invest in “dense and effective monitoring and real-time analytics” so that alerts about a surge in pollution levels can be issued in real-time and action can be taken accordingly, reported TOI.

With inputs from agencies

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/08F3fvn

PM Modi to inaugurate 37th National Games in Goa, launch development projects in Maharashtra

With an aim to extend benefits to over 86 lakh farmers in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday launch a scheme and projects worth over Rs 7,500 crore and then travel to Goa to inaugurate the 37th National Games.

An official statement said Modi will begin his Maharashtra tour by offering prayers at the famous Shri Saibaba temple in Shridi and inaugurate its new “darshan queue complex”.

He will perform “Jal Pujan” of Nilwande Dam and dedicate a canal network of the dam to the nation and later attend a public programme in Shirdi to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth about Rs 7,500 crore in sectors like health, rail, road and oil and gas.

The statement said the new “darshan queue complex” at Shirdi is a state-of-the-art modern mega building envisaged to provide comfortable waiting areas for devotees. It is equipped with several waiting halls with a cumulative seating capacity of more than 10,000 devotees.

Its foundation stone was laid by the prime minister in October, 2018. The 85 km canal network will benefit 182 villages by facilitating pipe distribution networks of water. The idea of Nilwande Dam was first conceived in 1970. It is being developed at a cost of about Rs 5,177 crore, the statement said.

During the public programme, Modi will launch the “Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana”. It will benefit more than 86 lakh beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in Maharashtra by providing an additional amount of Rs 6,000 per year to them.

He will inaugurate multiple development projects, including an Ayush hospital at the Ahmednagar Civil Hospital, electrification of the Kurduwadi-Latur road railway section (186 Km), four-laning of Sangli to Borgaon section of NH-166 (package-I) and additional facilities at the Manmad Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited among other projects.

Noting that the National Games are being held in Goa for the first time, the statement said he will also address the athletes taking part in the showpiece sporting event.

It said, “Under the leadership of the prime minister, the sports culture in the country has undergone a sea change. With the help of continuous government support, the performance of athletes has witnessed tremendous improvement at the international level.”

The Games will be held from October 26 to November 9, and more than 10,000 athletes will compete in over 43 sports disciplines across 28 venues.

With inputs from agencies.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/I308wrF

Online gaming companies get tax notices worth Rs 1 lakh crore

Indian tax authorities have issued show cause notices worth about 1 trillion rupees ($12.03 billion) to online gaming companies, a government official said on Wednesday.

“The total amount of show-cause notices sent to online gaming companies is around Rs 1 lakh crore,” an official said on October 25, requesting anonymity.

The government and online gaming are in a tussle over the payment of 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) instead of 18 per cent for the period up to October 1, 2023. While the online gaming firms feel the 28 per cent tax is applicable only starting October 1, the government is of the opinion that the October 1 revision only provided clarity to a law that was already in force.

The official, however, said that there is no data yet of foreign gaming companies registering in India since October 1.

The government has amended the GST law, making it mandatory for overseas online gaming companies to register in India from October 1.

The GST Council had in August clarified that 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) would be levied on the full value of bets placed on online gaming platforms.

“Online gaming companies served notices worth about Rs 1 lakh crore by GST authorities so far,” the official said.

A host of online gaming, like Dream11, and casino operators, like Delta Corp, received GST show cause notices last month for alleged short payment of taxes.

Separately, a show cause notice was sent to GamesKraft in September last year for alleged GST evasion of Rs 21,000 crore.

While the Karnataka High Court has ruled in favour of the company, the central government in July filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court.

With inputs from agencies.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/cr5Ilmg

India to treat Pakistan’s reference to Kashmir at UNSC meeting “with contempt it deserves”

India will treat a reference by Pakistan to Kashmir during a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the Israel-Gaza situation with the contempt it deserves and will not dignify it with a response, India’s Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador R Ravindra said.

“Before I end, there was a remark of habitual nature by one delegation referring to Union Territories that are integral and inalienable parts of my country,” Ravindra said.

“I would treat these remarks with contempt they deserve and not dignify them with a response in the interest of time,” Ravindra said.

Ravindra’s remarks came on Tuesday after Pakistan’s UN envoy Munir Akram made reference to Kashmir at the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also drawn a parallel between the terrorist attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai and Hamas in Israel, emphasising that all acts of terrorism are “unlawful and unjustifiable.”

Speaking at the United States Security Council ministerial meeting regarding the situation in the Middle East, following the October 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Hamas, Blinken denounced member states that provide support, including arming, funding, and training, to terrorist groups.

“We must affirm the right of any nation to defend itself and to prevent such horror from repeating itself. No member of this Council, no nation in this entire body could or would tolerate the slaughter of its people,” the US Secretary said.

In his statement, Blinken highlighted similarities between terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel and those by the Pakistan-based terror organization Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai.

“As this Council and the UN General Assembly have repeatedly affirmed, all acts of terrorism are unlawful and unjustifiable. They’re unlawful and unjustifiable, whether they target people in Nairobi or Bali Istanbul or Mumbai, in New York or Kibbutz Be’eri,” he said.

“They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether they’re carried out by ISIS, by Boko Haram, by Al Shabaab, by Lashkar-e-Taiba or by Hamas. They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether victims are targeted for their faith, their ethnicity, their nationality or any other reason,” Blinken said.

He emphasised the Security Council’s responsibility to condemn member states that provide support in terms of arming, financing, and training to Hamas or any other terrorist group involved in such heinous acts.

Blinken’s comments were in reference to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. These attacks, which occurred in 2008, resulted in the tragic loss of 166 lives, including six Americans.

With inputs from agencies.

from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/LWz7kUP