Delhi Air Remains ‘Very Poor’ In Prominent Places

The Air Quality Index (AQI) readings in Delhi on Wednesday morning remained under the “very poor” and “poor” categories in most places, while the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) II norms are already in place. Additionally, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has prohibited the entry of commercial goods vehicles registered outside the national capital that are non-compliant with BS-VI emission standards.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in RK Puram area of southwest Delhi remains “very poor” at 308, as of 7:00 AM on Wednesday. The AQI at Anand Vihar also remains “very poor” at 307.

Ashok Vihar recorded an AQI of 302, followed by Bawana at 322, both in the “very poor” category. AQI in the Dwarka Sector 8 area remains at 298 under the “poor” category, 306 in ITO, and 294 in Nehru Nagar under the “poor” category.

Around Akshardham, the AQI was recorded at 307, which also falls under the “very poor” category.

At India Gate, CPCB records the AQI in the area at 282, in the “poor” category, as people lament the ill effects of pollution on their health.

Truck-mounted water sprinkler was deployed at Lodhi Road as AQI touches 226 in the ‘poor’ category according to CPCB.

The CAQM has prohibited the entry of commercial goods vehicles registered outside the national capital that remain non-compliant with BS-VI emission standards from November 1.

The official notification issued by CAQM states earlier, “The Commission with a view to abate air pollution caused by high volume of transport/commercial goods vehicles entering into Delhi, in exercise of its powers conferred under Section 12(1) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2O21, issued Statutory Direction No. 88 dated 23.04.2025, directing for a strict ban on entry of all transport/ commercial goods vehicles viz. LGVs, MGVs and HGVs, other than BSVI, CNG, LNG and EVs, into the NCT of Delhi w.e.f. O1.11.2025 except such vehicles registered in Delhi.”

According to the notification, non-BS-VI compliant commercial goods vehicles are allowed to enter Delhi only until October 31, 2026.

The Delhi government completed two consecutive cloud seeding operations as part of its robust air quality management strategy.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that with this move, the national capital has taken an unprecedented, science-first step by adopting cloud seeding as a tool to control air pollution. “Our focus is to assess how much rainfall can be triggered under Delhi’s real-life humidity conditions. With every trial, science guides our actions–for the winter and all year round.” (ANI)

IMD Issues Yellow Alert For Multiple Districts In Maharashtra

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Yellow Warning for light spells of rain very likely over the next three hours across multiple districts in Maharashtra.

The nowcast warning, issued at 0700 hrs IST on Wednesday, and valid for the next three hours, covers the districts of Jalgaon, Dhule, Nashik, Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Sangli, Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban, and Pune.

Residents in the affected areas are advised to take necessary precautions.

The IMD has urged citizens to stay alert and avoid waterlogged areas during the brief spell of rainfall.

According to the IMD, there could be light to moderate rain/thunderstorm at some places with isolated heavy rainfall over Konkan & Goa and Marathawada on 29 October; Madhya Maharashtra on 29th and Gujarat Region during October 29-31 with isolated very heavy rainfall over Saurashtra & Kutch during October 28-31.

Additionally, IMD also warned of thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) likely over the region during the next 5 days.

The weather system identified as a Depression over the eastern-central Arabian Sea has been moving northeastward at 8 kilometres per hour over the last six hours.

As of 2:30 AM IST on October 29, 2025, it was situated approximately 440 kilometres southwest of Veraval in Gujarat, 420 kilometres west-southwest of Mumbai in Maharashtra, 570 kilometres west-northwest of Panjim in Goa, 820 kilometres northwest of Mangalore in Karnataka, and 840 kilometres north-northwest of Aminidivi in the Lakshadweep Islands. This information was released by the IMD.

According to the IMD, this Depression is expected to continue its movement northeastward across the eastern-central Arabian Sea over the next 36 hours. The region is likely to experience changing weather patterns as this system progresses, potentially affecting coastal areas. (ANI)

State Level Celebration In Shimla To Mark 350th Martyrdom Anniv Of Guru Tegh Bahadur

A grand two-day state-level celebration will be held in Shimla to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Sikh Guru, revered as the “Hind Di Chadar” (Protector of India). Thousands of devotees from across Himachal Pradesh are expected to participate in this historic event.

The event will take place on November 1 and 2 at the historic Ridge Ground in Shimla, featuring a massive Nagar Kirtan (religious procession) and community Langar (free meal service). The celebrations will be attended by Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla and Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, along with ministers and representatives from various religious and social organisations.

Jaswinder Singh, President of the Gurudwara Singh Sabha Shimla, thanked the state government for declaring this celebration a state-level event.

“I first thank Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and the state government for declaring the 350th martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji a state-level event. The program on November 1 and 2 will include a grand Nagar Kirtan beginning from Lower Bazaar and culminating at the Ridge Ground. The Governor and several ministers will participate. Organisations like Sud Sabha, Sanatan Dharma Sabha, and Valmiki Sabha are fully cooperating to make this program a grand success. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji sacrificed everything for the protection of dharma, the motherland, and people’s rights. His martyrdom teaches us equality and religious harmony,” he said.

The preparations for the event are in full swing, with various religious and community groups joining hands to make the occasion memorable and educational for the younger generation. The Singh Sabha is receiving strong support from Sud Sabha and Sanatan Dharma Sabha in organising the large-scale congregation.

Rajeev Sood, President of the Ram Mandir Sud Sabha, Shimla, said that all in Shimla are enthusiastic to celebrate this occasion.

“Our association with the Singh Sabha has always been strong. The India we live in today exists because of the supreme sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. We, along with other institutions, will pay tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Mata Dayaal Das Ji, and Bhai Mati Das Ji. This tribute and procession will inspire the next generation to follow the path of courage and faith. Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s message was clear: I will neither fear anyone nor cause fear to others, and that is the spirit we wish to carry forward, Sood said.

The two-day program aims not only to honour Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’s sacrifice but also to remind people of his message of religious freedom, human rights, and equality. (ANI)

Cyclone Montha Landfall Process Commences, To Continue For 3-4 Hrs

Landfall process of the Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha has commenced as the storm will cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada in the next three to four hours, the India Meteorological Department said.

In an X post, IMD wrote, “Latest observations indicate that the Landfall process has commenced. The landfall process will continue for the next 3-4 hours.”

“It will continue to move north-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada during the next 3-4 hours as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph,” the meteorological department added.

Earlier at 6:30 pm, the severe cyclonic storm was about 110 km east of Machilipatnam and 100 km south of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.

IMD said, “The Severe Cyclonic Storm Montha over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 17 kmph during past six hours and lay centered at 1830 hrs IST of today, the October 28, 2025, over the same region, near latitude 16.05°N & longitude 82.25°E, about 110 km east of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 100 km south of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 220km southsouthwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 460km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha).”

Meanwhile, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Commandant Gyaneshwar Singh said that 26 teams have been deployed in active ops, while 19 teams are in reserve.

Singh said, “NDRF has been on alert since the formation of Cyclone ‘Montha,’ and we are monitoring the bulletins issued by the IMD. As per the latest trends, the movement speed has slowed a bit. However, the current gusty winds are flowing at around 90 to 110 kmph, moving north-northwestwards, and are likely to strike the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Total, our 26 teams are deployed in active ops, and we have around 19 teams in reserve.”

Of the 26, 12 NDRF teams have been deployed in Andhra Pradesh, and six in Odisha.

“Of those 26, a maximum of 12 teams are in Andhra Pradesh because that is the area where it is likely to have the most impact. 6 teams are deployed in Odisha and, as part of north Tamil Nadu, are also likely to be affected, so three teams are deployed there. Yesterday, we deployed some teams in Telangana and Chhattisgarh,” the NDRF official said.

In the wake of Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS) Montha, over 35 flights between Shamshabad in Telangana and Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, and Rajahmundry airports in Andhra Pradesh have been cancelled, GMR Airports said.

A total of 30 IndiGo, two Air India and five Air India Express flights have been cancelled as the SCS Month approaches the Andhra Pradesh coast around Kakinada. (ANI)

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SC Tells NHRC To Monitor Care In Faith-Based Mental Asylums

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to monitor all concerned authorities with respect to the health treatment of persons placed in (or near) faith-based mental asylums.

A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and R Mahadevan transferred a 2018 plea that sought directions for the immediate release, care and treatment of persons with mental illness confined in a faith-based asylum at Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, to the NHRC.

Additionally, the plea had also sought directions to all concerned state authorities to implement the provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, including the establishment of authorities, boards, rules, and regulations under the Act.

“We are of the opinion that interest of justice will be subserved if we direct the NHRC to monitor the writ petition and pass necessary directions after hearing the statutory authorities. In view of the above, the WP is transferred to NHRC for being renumbered as a complaint and for monitoring and disposing of it as per law”, the court noted.

During the hearing, the apex court asked petitioner Advocate Gaurav Bansal that the plea dates back to 2018 and the court has already issued directions in this regard, so what remains to be dealt with in the plea.

Bansal submitted that in many mental asylums, patients with mental illness are being treated by way of the faith on which the asylum is based.

“In most of such places, in Hanuman Mandirs and Madarsas, the faith-based asylums are keeping persons and treating them on the basis of their faith”, Bansal said.

After hearing the petitioner briefly, the apex court was of the view that these grounds are generalised, having been dealt with by the Court earlier. The Court thus suggested that the NHRC can be asked to monitor this regard.

The apex court also suggested that the NHRC can issue notices to all concerned authorities, such as the Central and State Mental Health Authorities, seeking their responses regarding compliance with the court’s directions for the proper functioning of faith-based mental asylums and the treatment of mentally challenged persons placed in them.

The apex court has also directed NHRC to ensure that the states which have yet to constitute the concerned authorities as per law in this regard to comply with the directions of the Court and to ensure they are functioning vibrantly. (ANI)

Plane With 12 People On Board Crashes In Kenya

A plane with 12 people on board has crashed in Kwale near Kenya’s coast, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said on Tuesday.

The aircraft with registration number 5Y-CCA was on its way from Diani to Kichwa Tembo in Maasai Mara crashed at 0530 local time (02:30 GMT) the aviation authority said in a statement.

The KCAA said government agencies were already on site working to determine the cause of the accident and assess its impact.

Photos and videos shared by local media showed the debris of the plane engulfed in flames. (ANI)

Air India Ground Handler’s Bus Catches Fire At Delhi Airport

A bus operated by AISATS, a ground handling service provider for Air India, caught fire at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 3 on Tuesday afternoon, but no aircraft, airport facilities, or passengers were injured, according to a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) statement.

The bus caught fire near C-34 Pier, Terminal-3, at about 12:25 p.m.

“When the fire was noticed, the driver evacuated all passengers and then tried to douse the fire using the fire suppression system on board the vehicle. But sensing that it was not effective, the driver too got away. The Bus is reportedly a CNG bus, and the cause of the fire is some technical malfunction,” the CISF said.

The information was immediately passed to the Fire Service, and necessary action was taken.The ARFF team responded, and the fire has been extinguished. The situation is under control. No damage to any aircraft or other facilities has been reported so far.

Meanwhile, CASO, CO Ops, and DC Ops also responded to the location, the CISF said. (ANI)

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These People Opposing SIR To Get Muslim Notes: Giriraj Slams Oppn

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday hit out at the INDIA bloc for opposing the second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise that the Election Commission of India (ECI) plans to conduct across several states, saying that the opposition was objecting to it to garner Muslim votes.

“I want to thank the Election Commission for the SIR. There are some states that are opposing the SIR. The INDIA alliance is opposing it. It looks like the government of West Bengal has become the Government of Bangladesh. These people oppose it only to get Muslim votes. They want to turn India into a dharamshala,” Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi today alleged “vote scam” occurring in every constituency, while criticising the Election Commission of India (ECI) for “escaping accountability” by remaining non-responsive to concerns of “voter manipulation.”

“Election Commission continues to think that with its brazen non-response to genuine concerns of vote manipulation, they will be able to escape accountability. But deep dive into every constituency is consistently showing vote scam,” Chaturvedi posted on X.

Highlighting the “vote chori” demonstration by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Chaturvedi said that the probe carried out by Karnataka Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also confirmed the addition of “fake voters” in some constituencies.

“LoP Rahul Gandhi in his press conference had shown how fake voters were added in some assembly constituencies of Karnataka and now the SIT investigation is also confirming the same,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

Aaditya Thackeray made a presentation alleging discrepancies in the voter list, claiming they led to the defeat of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections.

The Worli MLA claimed that “bogus” voting took place during last year’s assembly elections and flagged that the alleged discrepancies could impact the upcoming Brihamumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.

Earlier, the ECI will conduct the second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, CEC Kumar said the exercise will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

EC said that printing and training will take place from October 28 to November 3, followed by an Enumeration Phase from November to December 4. The Draft Electoral Rolls will be published on December 9, followed by a claims and objection period from December 9 to January 8, 2026. The Notice Phase (for hearing and verification) will take place between December 9 and January 31, 2026, with publication of Final Electoral Rolls on February 7, 2026.

“The second phase of SIR (Special Intensive Revision) is about to be carried out in 12 States and UTs,” the CEC said.

Following the Supreme Court’s directions, the ECI has included Aadhaar on the list of 12 indicative documents, as per its September 9 order on the SIR in Bihar. (ANI)

Nitish Banking on Memory of Jungle Raj, Tejashwi on its Fading

Political scientists across the globe, especially those studying democracy at the grassroots, have found Bihar and the way it elects its leaders to be an unfathomable area of research. Though she never worked on Bihar, political scientist and Lancaster and Keele University professor Margaret Canovan once referred to democracy having two faces. She mentioned that one face represented moral transformation and the politics of empowering ordinary people while the other was the face of practical democracy, where compromises are made for good governance.

In Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD and Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) embody these two faces. This Assembly election hinges on one crucial question: will Tejashwi Yadav of RJD show the practical face of democracy or will Nitish Kumar be able to represent the politics of moral transformation?

This line can be debated as Lalu Prasad Yadav is often credited with politically empowering the masses. However, under his son Tejashwi Yadav, RJD must show its practical side, because the sharp-edged politics of social justice had lost its appeal by 2005. People were weary of the 15 years of chaotic rule under Lalu-Rabri Yadav.

Anthropologist Jeffery Witsoe, who has closely studied caste and caste-based politics, writes that during the 1990s, the political assertion of the so-called lower castes, especially the other backward classes and Dalits, in Bihar triggered a deep conflict between the newly empowered political leadership and state institutions dominated by upper castes like the bureaucracy, police, and judiciary. As a result, caste-based empowerment politics disrupted the normal functioning of public institutions in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar projected himself as a pragmatic alternative. His politics struck a balance between development and social justice, something Lalu had failed to do. Nitish Kumar’s political model made Bihar move from politics of social justice to that of social adjustment.

According to a 2015 Lokniti-CSDS survey, about 42% of respondents believed that Lalu’s politics gave voice and dignity to Dalits and backward castes. However, nearly half of them also believed that his politics was responsible for Bihar’s backwardness and lawlessness.

If the RJD fails to demonstrate its practical side, it will struggle in the elections. Its social coalition remains imbalanced, still dominated by Yadavs and Muslims, with limited participation from other castes. Generally, allies help bridge such gaps, but the RJD in not expecting much from the Congress, at least that’s what the bitter haggling over the seats showed.

In the 2020 election fought in alliance with Congress and CPI(ML), the Grand Alliance came out weaker from its performance in 2015, when Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) was also part of the conglomerate. With Chirag Paswan’s LJP emerging stronger by getting a respectable seat share in the rival alliance in this elections, the RJD cannot afford to outsource Dalit vote mobilization.

However, Nitish’s pragmatic politics is now running out of fuel and is largely seen as a symbol of convenience and stagnation. From 2005 to 2015, he enjoyed immense popularity. In the 2015 CSDS survey, 40% of people considered him their first choice for Chief Minister. But the situation has changed. According to the latest C-Voter survey, Tejashwi Yadav now leads with 35% preference, followed by Prashant Kishor with 23%, and Nitish with only 16%.

The BJP, on its own, has made inroads into the JD(U)’s core voter base of EBCs (Extremely Backward Castes) and Kurmi–Kushwahas. Evidence of this includes the Modi government’s approval of a caste census, the Bharat Ratna awarded to Karpoori Thakur, and the appointment of a Kushwaha, Samrat Chaudhary as Deputy Chief Minister. Between 2005 and 2020, the BJP’s vote share in seats it contested rose from 35% to 42%, while the JD(U)’s declined from 37% to 32%.

Another factor is the rise of the new generation. According to the Election Commission, 47% of Bihar’s voters are between 18 and 39 years old. For this group, the memories of the Lalu–Rabri era are faint. However, they do remember Tejashwi Yadav’s two stints as Deputy Chief Minister, when he focused on employment and public issues.

Additionally, Prashant Kishor (PK) poses a fresh challenge in this electoral landscape, who offers technocratic idealism against the cynicism of old politics. His role too needs a detailed analysis but let’s limit this discussion to battle between the two protagonists.

Both the JD(U) and RJD face the same challenge of moving Bihar’s politics beyond the legacy of “Lalu’s Bihar.” For the RJD, this means promising a Bihar that does not resemble the Lalu era. To Tejashwi’s credit, he has tried to focus on issues that concern ordinary people.

Nitish Kumar’s party is fighting to not fall victim to the fading memory of Lalu’s rule. Nitish’s popularity was originally built on resentment against Lalu’s governance, and as that resentment fades, so does Nitish’s political influence.

However, in the fresh push to their campaign both Kumar and the BJP leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are working overtime to recall the ‘jungle raj’, how much would it work, only ballots would tell!

Ultimately, Bihar’s election is not merely a contest between parties or leaders. It is a referendum on which face of democracy the state chooses to embrace, the moral or the practical, transformation or compromise.

(The writer is an author, academic and president of the Centre for Reforms, Development & Justice)

CAQM Bans Entry Of Non-BS-VI Commercial Goods Vehicles Registered Outside Delhi

In a move to curb rising air pollution in the national capital, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday announced that all commercial goods vehicles registered outside Delhi and not compliant with BS-VI emission standards will be prohibited from entering the city from November 1.

The official notification issued by CAQM states, “The Commission with a view to abate air pollution caused by high volume of transport/commercial goods vehicles entering into Delhi, in exercise of its powers conferred under Section 12(1) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2O21, issued Statutory Direction No. 88 dated 23.04.2025, directing for a strict ban on entry of all transport/ commercial goods vehicles viz. LGVs, MGVs and HGVs, other than BSVI, CNG, LNG and EVs, into the NCT of Delhi w.e.f. O1.11.2025 except such vehicles registered in Delhi.”

According to the notification, non-BS-VI compliant commercial goods vehicles are allowed to enter Delhi only until October 31, 2026.

“Such non-BS-VI compliant transport/ commercial goods vehicles, carrying essential commodities/ providing essential services were permitted to enter Delhi, but only for a limited period up to 31.10.2026, beyond which such goods and services will also have to be catered only through CNG / LNG / EV / BS-VI diesel vehicles,” the notification said.

A meeting of the CAQM panel was earlier held to review the preparedness for the implementation of the said direction.

The notification said, “To review the preparedness for implementation of the said direction, a series of meetings were held with all stakeholders, viz., Transport Department, GNCTD, MCD, NHAI, MoRTH and Transport Department of NCR States, wherein issues were raised regarding nonavailability of adequate arrangements for returning such non-compliant vehicles, which may lead to congestion at border entry points. It was also intimated that about 40% of the total goods vehicles entering Delhi carry essential items/supplies. In addition, a number of representations have also been received from various transport associations and entities highlighting their difficulties.”

Post-Diwali, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) has been reeling under the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories in several areas, even as Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) remains in effect.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI in Delhi stood at 304 as of 1 pm on Tuesday, classified as the ‘very poor’ category.

Among the city’s monitoring stations, Anand Vihar reported an AQI of 311, RK Puram 316, Siri Fort 347, Bawana 334, Burari Crossing 319, Dwarka Sector 8 311, Mundka 318, Narela 302 and Punjabi Bagh 313 — all categorised as ‘very poor’.

Meanwhile, Delhi is expected to witness its first artificial rain, as the aircraft designated for cloud seeding has taken off from Kanpur for the national capital.

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa confirmed the development.

Cloud seeding involves artificially generating rainfall by introducing specific particles, such as silver iodide crystals or salt-based compounds, into moisture-laden clouds.

Aircraft are used to disperse these particles, which condense smaller cloud droplets into larger raindrops, potentially leading to precipitation. (ANI)