Delhi CM inaugurates facility to identify pollution sources in real time

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Delhi CM inaugurates facility to identify pollution sources in real time

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday inaugurated a SuperSite and Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Station at SBV Rouse Avenue to identify pollution sources on a real-time basis.

“Now in Delhi, we will be able to determine pollution sources on an hourly basis and also forecast hourly data for the next three days. With this, we will be able to know the pollution caused by vehicles, industries, and biomass burning in any area and will get help in fighting it,” he said on the occasion.

The real-time pollution analysis shows that outer-state pollution accounts for one-third of Delhi’s pollution, while biomass accounts for one-fourth and vehicles account for 17-18 percent, said Kejriwal, adding that the Delhi government launched the EV Policy to reduce pollution, bought thousands of new e-buses, increased green cover to 23.6 percent, and ran the ‘Red Light On Gaadi Off’ campaign.

The Real-Time Source Apportionment aims to assess the contribution of vehicles, construction dust, biomass burning, etc. on a continuous or real-time basis (hourly). It will also help in supplementing the existing network of monitors to give even more granular information about hotspots of pollution from different areas of Delhi.

The project has been started by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, IIT Delhi, and TERI. Through a presentation, the IIT team gave detailed information about the work of supersite and mobile stations of real-time source apportionment study. The team informed that earlier they used to take samples and analyze them to find out the source of pollution at any place. The analysis used to take two to four months. But now with the help of the Super Sight, they will be able to find out every hour the contribution of various sources to pollution.

Kejriwal added that it has always been difficult for any organization or state government to analyze and verify the data related to air pollution.

“Until now, we have been reliant on studies that have been conducted as a one-off analysis.”As we have seen here today, the reasons for pollution change on an hourly basis. The major source of pollution at 8 a.m. yesterday was different from that at 9 a.m. The key reason for pollution on Monday may differ from the key reason on Tuesday,” he said.

“Until we do not calculate the source of the pollution on a real-time basis, we cannot have an effective policy on the issue. So, therefore this time we have got IIT-Delhi, IIT-Kanpur, DPCC, and TERI to work together to get us the Real-Time Source Apportionment. With this we will know the reasons for the source of pollution in the air quality of Delhi at the very moment,” he added.

Telangana seeks funds in Union Budget for Railway projects

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Telangana seeks funds in Union Budget for Railway projects

The Telangana government has urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to ensure adequate budgetary allocations to state railway projects in the Union Budget.

In a letter to the Union Minister, state Industries and Commerce Minister K.T. Rama Rao highlighted severe discrimination being meted out to Telangana in budget allocation to various Railway projects.

KTR, as the state minister is popularly known, stated that the Union government has been ignoring repeated pleas from the state government to sanction funds for several important ongoing and proposed projects in the state. “The discrimination in the railway sector is more blatant and visible and the state has been getting a raw deal in every budget presented by the NDA government,” he wrote.

He pointed out that the 13th Schedule of the AP State Reorganisation Act clearly states that the Indian Railways shall, within six months from the appointed day, examine the feasibility of establishing a Rail Coach Factory in the successor State of Telangana and improve rail connectivity in the state and take an expeditious decision thereon.

However, despite repeated appeals from the State government, the Union government has neither initiated any measure to establish a Rail Coach Factory in Kazipet nor granted any new major infrastructure project to improve rail connectivity in the state.

KTR wrote that Telangana contributes substantially to the revenues of South Central Railway (both freight and passenger). “The state is a crucial link between North and South India and is home to the most important Railway junctions – Secunderabad & Kazipet – in our country. Being a landlocked state, Telangana is heavily dependent on Railway infrastructure for the transportation of goods and passengers. The addition of new Railway infrastructure will be a big boost to the state’s growth story. But the Union government is found wanting when it comes to extending necessary assistance to develop new transport infrastructure in Telangana,” he said.

The minister said that it is appalling to note that in the past eight years, just a little over 100 km of railway track has been laid in Telangana. The state has a paltry 3 per cent of the total railway lines in the country out of which about 57 percent are single lanes. “This lack of critical infra is depriving Telangana of any new trains. It is disheartening to note that in the past eight years, South Central Railway has launched only one new train from the capital city – Lingampally-Vijayawada Intercity Express.”

KTR pointed out that the current NDA Government has not grounded a single new Railway line in Telangana in the past eight years. Even the progress of joint venture railway projects taken up with the state government is also painfully slow.

The Union Minister was told that while the Union government spent just Rs 1,100 crore on ongoing Railway projects in the state, the state government has spent Rs 1,904 crore as its share. Several projects, which were cleared by earlier governments were shelved by the current Union government. Many other projects for which survey reports are submitted long back have also not moved an inch.

KTR mentioned high-priority project proposals submitted years ago to the Railway Board and demanded that they be sanctioned.

He said that earlier, the South Central Railways used to convene a meeting of all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from the region and accept proposals for new Railway projects and trains. Strangely, even that convention has been done away with this year, he added.

Telangana Governor, government reach truce on HC suggestion

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Telangana Governor, government reach truce on HC suggestion

The stalemate between Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government over the state Budget for 2023-24 was amicably resolved through talks on Monday at the suggestion of the High Court.

Hearing the state government’s petition seeking direction to the Governor to approve the Budget, the court suggested both sides resolve the issue through talks.

On the court’s suggestion, the state government’s lawyer Dushyant Dave, and Raj Bhavan’s lawyer Ashok Anand held talks.

It was decided that the Governor would give the nod to the Budget and the state Assembly session would begin with her address.

The lawyers of both sides informed the court of the breakthrough after which the agreement, the government withdrew its lunch motion petition and the case was dismissed.

A resolution to the row came after both sides softened their stand. While the government agreed to conduct the Budget session with a speech from the Governor, the latter agreed to approve the Budget.

The court took up a hearing of the lunch motion petition moved by the state government. During the hearing, the division bench asked the Advocate General how the court could give notice to the governor, and also wanted to know why the court is being dragged into a controversy between the government and a Constitutional institution.

Appearing on behalf of the government, Supreme Court lawyer Dave submitted that when the Constitution is violated, courts can intervene. He cited some judgments of the Supreme Court.

However, the court advised the lawyers from both sides to sort out the issue through talks. They both agreed to the suggestion and it finally led to a patch-up.

With the Budget session of the state legislature scheduled to begin on February 3 and the Governor not approving the budget, the government led by K. Chandrasekhar Rao had approached the court.

The government informed the court that the state government sent the draft budget to the Governor on January 21 but she was yet to approve the same.

The government received a communication from Raj Bhavan if arrangements had been made for the Governor’s address on the opening day of the budget session.

The government last year conducted the budget without the customary address by the Governor, drawing strong reaction from her. The BR’s government defended its move on the ground that it was not a new session but a continuation of the previous session.

The Budget session of the Assembly and Legislative Council is scheduled to begin on February 3. With only four days left and no approval of the budget coming from the governor, the government approached the High Court.

The BRS leaders anticipated a crisis as seven Bills passed by the Assembly and Council have been languishing at Raj Bhavan since September last year.

The government has taken exception to the Governor’s delaying approval of the Budget. It argued that the Governor’s speech and the Budget presentation were unrelated matters. It also says that there is no clause in the Constitution that requires the Governor to address the Budget session.

The BR’s government cited Article 202 of the Constitution, which mandates that a Governor must give permission for presenting before the House a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditures of the state for a financial year.

With the BR’s government approaching the court, the friction between the Governor and the government had taken a new turn.

It came close on the heels of a row over the Republic Day celebrations. The Governor was unhappy over the government arranging the main official ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

On a petition filed by a citizen, the High Court had directed the government to hold a police parade as part of the celebration. Though the government made last-minute arrangements for the police parade, the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues skipped the function at Raj Bhavan.

The Governor had slammed the government for what she called not honoring the High Court orders.

PM in Rajasthan, will offer prayers at Malaseri Dungri

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PM in Rajasthan, will offer prayers at Malaseri Dungri

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Malaseri Dungri in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara on Saturday. He will come to Udaipur, from where he will take a helicopter to Malaseri Dungri and will have a darshan of Lord Devnarayan on temple premises.

“Here he will give purnahuti in havan and will plant a neem sapling which will be followed by a public meeting,” said Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

Meghwal said that before PM Modi, no Prime Minister ever visited Malaseri Dungri.

Meghwal said that this visit of PM Modi is absolutely religious. The PM has a visionary approach to preserving the religious heritage of major places in the country.

Modi, as per the schedule, will reach Dabok airport at 10.30 a.m., and at 10.35 a.m., he will depart for Malaseri via helicopter. At 11.25 a.m. he will reach Malaseri and he will be here from 11.30 a.m. to 12.55 p.m. He will offer prayers and will address a huge gathering during this phase before leaving for Delhi.

PM Modi exhorts NCC cadets, NSS volunteers to build India for future

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PM Modi exhorts NCC cadets, NSS volunteers to build India for future

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the youth is the beneficiary of a developed India and it has to build the nation further for the future.

Interacting with NCC cadets and National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers on the eve of Republic Day, the Prime Minister said that India’s youth have to tap the unseen possibilities and explore unimagined solutions.

“NCC and NSS connect the young generation with national goals and national concerns,” PM Modi further said, adding the “scope of your success widens when your goals are linked with the goals of the country. The world will see your success as India’s success”.

The Prime Minister also noted the contributions of the NCC and NSS volunteers during the Covid pandemic phase and highlighted the efforts of the government in encouraging such organizations.

Throwing light on the preparations of the government to make the youth ready for the challenges faced by the border and coastal regions of the country, the Prime Minister said that special programs are being run in dozens of districts across the country where special training is imparted with the help of the Army, Navy and the Air Force.

He noted that this exercise will not only make the youth future-ready but also have the capability to act as first responders during the time of need.

Boycott China and stop trade with it: Kejriwal

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Boycott China and stop trade with it: Kejriwal

It is the duty of every Indian to boycott China and all trade with the country should be stopped, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said here on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister was addressing the Republic Day celebrations of the Delhi government.

“Today, when we are celebrating the 74th Republic Day, two things are very important. China has been eyeing our borders for quite some time. Our soldiers are fighting bravely on the border. While the government is duty-bound to support them, it is our duty to boycott China and stop trade with it”, he said.

“But unfortunately, we are continuously increasing our trade and making China richer. With that money, the country is preparing dangerous weapons. We buy commodities like shoes, slippers, spectacles, and mattresses from China. Do we really need to buy these from the country? All these are being manufactured in our country as well. If we increase our production, employment will also increase. Crores of youth will get employment and China will learn a lesson”, Chief Minister Kejriwal stated.

On the ongoing tussle between the AAP government and L-G V.K. Saxena, Kejriwal said that the public is supreme in democracy and the government will do what the public wants. “There is a state where the people’s government has passed laws but one man is stopping them. Should anyone have the right to stop the law of the people, or stop the work of any government? he asked.

“There is a state where the Chief Minister writes to the Governor that the House of the Legislative Assembly has to be called, but the Governor raises questions on this too. Looking at the situation, it seems that a dark shadow is falling over our democracy”, said Kejriwal, adding that democracy is not being followed in some states.

Citing a report, Delhi CM said that the inflation rate is the lowest in Delhi because commodities are the cheapest here. “Electricity water is free. Excellent government school and education in the school is being provided free of cost. Treatment in the hospital is free. Travel for women on pilgrimage and buses are free. That’s why the inflation rate is lowest in Delhi”, he said.

He added that in the last year, GST was imposed on some food items making them expensive. “I hope that the Centre removes the GST on these and give relief to the people groaning under it. GST has been made so complicated that it has left traders worried, Kejriwal said.

Disagree with Digvijaya Singh’s remark on surgical strikes: Rahul

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Disagree with Digvijaya Singh’s remark on surgical strikes: Rahul

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday categorically rejected party veteran Digvijaya Singh’s remark on the 2019 surgical strikes.

While addressing a press conference here, the Gandhi scion — spearheading the Bharat Jodo Yatra — said that the party completely trusts the Army and there is no need for any proof of it.

“Do not agree with Digvijaya Singh’s statement, we have full trust in our Army if it does something there is no need to give proof. I personally disagree with him and this is also the official position of the party”, he said.

Congress, on Monday, had distanced itself from Singh’s comments on Pulwama, including on the surgical strikes, terming his statement “personal”.

“The views expressed by senior leader Digvijaya Singh are his own and do not reflect the position of Congress. Surgical strikes were carried out before 2014 by the UPA government. Congress has supported & will continue to support all military actions that are in the national interest,” Congres General Secretary, in charge of communication, Jairam Ramesh said.

Digvijaya Singh, during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, targeted the Union government, alleging that it gave no proof of surgical strikes though it claimed to have killed many terrorists.

‘Delusions of British imperial Resurrection’, retired judges, bureaucrats on BBC documentary on PM

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‘Delusions of British imperial Resurrection’, retired judges, bureaucrats on BBC documentary on PM

A group of retired judges, bureaucrats and armed forces veterans on Saturday released a statement rebutting the BBC documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘delusions of British Imperial resurrection’.

“Not this time. Not with our leader. Not with India. Never on our watch!” read the letter.

“Yet again, the staple, dyed-in-the-wool negativity and unrelenting prejudice of the BBC toward India have resurfaced as a documentary, ‘India: The Modi Question’. This production, the BBC claims, has been ‘rigorously researched according to the highest editorial standards’, and ‘examines the tensions between India’s Hindu majority and Muslim minority and explores the politics of India’s PM Narendra Modi in relation to those tensions’ and a series of controversial policies implemented by him’,” it said.

“So now we have the archetype of British past imperialism in India setting itself up as both judge and jury, to resurrect Hindu-Muslim tensions that were overwhelmingly the creation of the British Raj policy of divide and rule. Not only is the BBC series, judging from what we have seen of it so far, based on delusional and evidently lopsided reporting, it presumes to question the very basis of the 75-year-old edifice of India’s existence as an independent, democratic nation, a nation which functions according to the will of the people of India. Glaring factual errors apart, the series – which uses the words ‘allegedly’ and ‘reportedly’ repeatedly, (not ‘factually’) – reeks of motivated distortion that is as mind-numbingly unsubstantiated as it is nefarious,” it added.

A total of 302 eminent citizens signed the letter, including 13 retired judges, 133 retired bureaucrats and 156 retired armed forces personnel.

The signatories include names like former Foreign Secretary Shashank, former Home Secretary L.C. Goyal, ex-RAW chief Sanjeev Tripathi, former DGP of Uttar Pradesh, O.P. Singh, among others.

They also said that the Supreme Court had upheld the closure report filed by the top court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) after years of painstaking investigation into the Gujarat riots.

“So now we have a British media organization, the media, which naturally thrives on sensationalism regardless of how false its basis, setting itself up to second guess and dismiss the verdict of the apex of the Indian judiciary, the Supreme Court. This alone exposes the BBC’s malafides, and leads one to question the motivations behind this series,” said the letter.

“Instead of making a documentary titled ‘India: The Modi Question’, the BBC should begin by questioning its own bias against Prime Minister Modi (yes, their own too) and make a documentary called ‘BBC: The Ethical Question’,” the letter said.

The letter also urged people to sign the petition.

“Join us by signing this petition in the fight against BBC’s series. We start it here and we end it here by demonstrating, through our overwhelming ‘Satyagraha’, our true might: our patriotism,” the letter concluded.

Ruling BJP all set to emulate Gujarat model of bucking anti-incumbency

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Ruling BJP all set to emulate Gujarat model of bucking anti-incumbency

With the Assembly elections in Karnataka drawing nearer, the ruling BJP is leaving no stone unturned in its preparations.

The party, aiming to retain power at any cost, has launched campaigning meticulously on the ground as well as virtual platforms on lines of Gujarat.

The Gujarat model of reaching out to the common voter physically as well as on digital platforms yielded good results in the state and is now being implemented in Karnataka.

Political analysts explained that the ruling BJP has already started aggressive campaigning in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the state twice, and former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has stated that Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Shivamogga to inaugurate the airport in February.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has visited Mandya, considered the bastion of JD-S, and sounded poll bugle. The party insiders say that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also start campaigning in the state soon.

BJP MP Saadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur had paid a visit to slain Bajrang Dal activist Harsha’s house and addressing a public rally, she issued a controversial statement while talking about the protection of Hindu girls and women.

Apart from roping in national mass leaders, the party is making meticulous planning toward reaching out to every voter. Kota Srinivas Poojari, the minister for Social Welfare has said that the BJP has formed 51,872 booth committees, while 13,21,792 ‘Page Pramukhs’ are being appointed.

“We have created 50,260 WhatsApp groups and the party flags have been hoisted on 32.83 lakh houses in the state. The drive was conducted with the 15,93,848 party workers,” Poojari elaborated.

BJP State General Secretary Mahesh Tenginakayi has said that Home Minister Amit Shah has laid out plans at the booth level to ensure the party’s victory. “We have a mission to win 150 seats. We will achieve it. Along with establishing contacts by reaching to the doorsteps, plans are being made to touch the hearts of people,” he asserted.

N.R. Ramesh, BJP Bengaluru South President, explained that the party is different from other national and regional parties. “Our organization is different,” he said.

“There are 58,000 booths in Karnataka and 8,600 booths in Bengaluru. The party has a 12-member team for every booth. These members will have a WhatsApp group of voters. The policies and programs of Prime Minister Modi, achievements of former Chief Minister Yediyurappa, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai would be communicated to them,” he said.

All booths in Bengaluru, including 550 booths where Muslims are in majority, are being covered. In the entire state, in 58,000 booths, the booth committees are made for 54,000 booths, Ramesh added.

Apart from this, ‘Page Pramukhs’ are appointed on the basis of the voters’ lists. BJP voters will be identified and page pramukhs are asked to contact eight to 12 houses about 40 to 50 times. They will communicate to voters about the government’s programs and help them to get benefits of Union and state governments’ programs, he said.

The ‘Page Pramukh’ drive was conducted from January 2 to January 12.

When asked about the anti-incumbency factor, Ramesh Said that people very well know about “how false and fake cases are lodged on BJP workers, how internal security was challenged, how cases were withdrawn on terror suspects and how Tipu Jayanthi was trusted on Muslim community”.

Under Kisan Samman Yojna, which was launched in 2016, only 17 beneficiaries were added when the Congress and JD-S coalition government was in power. After Yediyurappa took over, the number of beneficiaries rose to 10,000. Now, the 44 lakh farmers in the state are beneficiaries under the scheme, he claimed.

“People have observed the statements by Congress leaders regarding the cooker bomb blast case in Mangaluru and Rahul Gandhi’s statements about demonetization. There is no question of anti-incumbency,” Ramesh asserted.

BJP all set for 9-day Vijaya Sankalp Abhiyan in K’taka; Nadda to inaugurate

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BJP all set for 9-day Vijaya Sankalp Abhiyan in K’taka; Nadda to inaugurate

Ahead of the assembly polls, the ruling BJP is gearing up for the nine-day Vijaya Sankalp Abhiyan in Karnataka which will be inaugurated by BJP President J.P. Nadda on Saturday in Sidhagi of Vijayapura in the state.

Sindhagi is decked up for the mega event and BJP wants to kick-start campaigning in the north Karnataka region, considered as a strong BJP hold. More than one lakh people are expected to attend the programme.

The Vijay Sankalp Abhiyan will be carried out from January 21 to January 29. The state leaders will also inaugurate the abhiyan at various locations across the state.

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will take part in the inauguration program at Sindhagi. Karnataka BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel will kick off the campaign in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in Tumakuru, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mine and Coal Pralhad Joshi in Davanagere, BJP Karnataka In-Change Arun Singh in Chikkaballapur.

The ministers and MPs of Karnataka will inaugurate the campaign in their respective districts. The BJP workers would reach out to the voters with achievements, policies, and programs of the BJP.

The party plans to establish contact with more than 1 crore beneficiaries of various programs of the ruling BJP government.

Three crore stickers will be distributed to be pasted on vehicles. The stickers will have info-graphics of BJP’s signature programs such as ‘Kisan Samman’, and ‘Mudra’. The party has also planned a missed call campaign and registered more than 1 crore members.

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