Diesel prices have touched a record high of Rs 61.74 per litre and petrol prices have crossed Rs 71 as international oil rates continue to rally.

Petrol price rose to Rs 71.18 per litre in Delhi today, the highest since August 2014, according to daily fuel price list of state-owned oil firms.

Diesel prices soared to their highest level of Rs 61.74 per litre in Delhi. It is being sold at Rs 65.74 in Mumbai, where the local sales tax or VAT rates are higher.

Prices have been on the rise since December 12, 2017. Diesel in Delhi on that day was priced at Rs 58.34, and in past one month has risen by Rs 3.4. Petrol price has during the period risen by Rs 2.09, according to oil companies.

Two the most traded benchmark crude globally have risen the most since December 2014 - Brent touched USD 70.05 a barrel last week and WTI reached USD 64.77.

The rally in oil prices has renewed calls to the government to cut excise duty to cushion burden on common man.

The BJP-led NDA government has during its tenure cut excise duty only once - by Rs 2 per litre in October 2017 when petrol price had reached Rs 70.88 per litre in Delhi and diesel was priced at Rs 59.14.

Because of the excise duty cut, diesel prices had on October 4, 2017 come down to Rs 56.89 and petrol to Rs 68.38. However, subsequent rally has wiped away all the gains and prices have touched new highs.

Last week, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had responded to questions on whether the Centre would cut excise duty on the two fuel, by asking states to first cut VAT.

&quot;Why dont you ask state governments to reduce first,&quot; he said on January 1 responding to reporters question on excise duty cuts. &quot;Government of India reduced excise duty (in October last year). We are appealing to states to reduce VAT.&quot;

Some state governments had followed that excise duty cut with reduction in VAT. &quot;Why Delhi government has not reduced VAT,&quot; he asked.

Price of petrol and diesel in Delhi is the lowest in all metros.

Pradhan had said that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already written to the states seeking reduction in VAT.

The October 2017 excise duty cut cost the government Rs 26,000 crore in annual revenue and about Rs 13,000 crore during the remaining part of the current fiscal year that ends on March 31, 2018.

The government had between November 2014 and January 2016 raised excise duty on petrol and diesel on nine occasions to take away gains arising from plummeting global oil prices.

In all, duty on petrol was hiked by Rs 11.77 per litre and that on diesel by 13.47 a litre in those 15 months that helped government&#39;s excise mop-up more than double to Rs 242,000 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 99,000 crore in 2014-15.

State-owned oil companies in June last year dumped the 15-year old practice of revising rates on 1st and 16th of every month and instead adopted a dynamic daily price revision to instantly reflect changes in cost. Rates during the first fortnight starting June 16 dropped but have been on the rise since July 4.

Since then prices are revised on daily basis. Today, price of petrol went up by 12 paisa per liter and that of diesel by 18 paisa.&nbsp;

Petrol was selling at Rs 71.18 per litre in Delhi

Diesel prices have touched a record high of Rs 61.74 per litre and petrol prices have crossed Rs 71 as international oil rates continue to rally. Petrol price rose to Rs 71.18 per litre in Delhi today, the highest since August 2014, according to daily fuel price list of state-owned oil firms. Diesel prices soared to their highest level of Rs 61.74 per litre in Delhi. It is being sold at Rs 65.74 in Mumbai, where the local sales tax or VAT rates are higher. Prices have been on the rise since December 12, 2017. Diesel in Delhi on that day was priced at Rs 58.34, and in past one month has risen by Rs 3.4. Petrol price has during the period risen by Rs 2.09, according to oil companies. Two the most traded benchmark crude globally have risen the most since December 2014 - Brent touched USD 70.05 a barrel last week and WTI reached USD 64.77. The rally in oil prices has renewed calls to the government to cut excise duty to cushion burden on common man. The BJP-led NDA government has during its tenure cut excise duty only once - by Rs 2 per litre in October 2017 when petrol price had reached Rs 70.88 per litre in Delhi and diesel was priced at Rs 59.14. Because of the excise duty cut, diesel prices had on October 4, 2017 come down to Rs 56.89 and petrol to Rs 68.38. However, subsequent rally has wiped away all the gains and prices have touched new highs. Last week, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had responded to questions on whether the Centre would cut excise duty on the two fuel, by asking states to first cut VAT. "Why dont you ask state governments to reduce first," he said on January 1 responding to reporters question on excise duty cuts. "Government of India reduced excise duty (in October last year). We are appealing to states to reduce VAT." Some state governments had followed that excise duty cut with reduction in VAT. "Why Delhi government has not reduced VAT," he asked. Price of petrol and diesel in Delhi is the lowest in all metros. Pradhan had said that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has already written to the states seeking reduction in VAT. The October 2017 excise duty cut cost the government Rs 26,000 crore in annual revenue and about Rs 13,000 crore during the remaining part of the current fiscal year that ends on March 31, 2018. The government had between November 2014 and January 2016 raised excise duty on petrol and diesel on nine occasions to take away gains arising from plummeting global oil prices. In all, duty on petrol was hiked by Rs 11.77 per litre and that on diesel by 13.47 a litre in those 15 months that helped government's excise mop-up more than double to Rs 242,000 crore in 2016-17 from Rs 99,000 crore in 2014-15. State-owned oil companies in June last year dumped the 15-year old practice of revising rates on 1st and 16th of every month and instead adopted a dynamic daily price revision to instantly reflect changes in cost. Rates during the first fortnight starting June 16 dropped but have been on the rise since July 4. Since then prices are revised on daily basis. Today, price of petrol went up by 12 paisa per liter and that of diesel by 18 paisa.

Diesel prices hit record high of Rs 61.74 per litre, petrol crosses Rs 71

Delhi&#39;s Rishabh Pant slammed a 32-ball century in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy against Himachal Pradesh, making it the fastest ton by an Indian and second fastest in T20&#39;s history.&nbsp;

The wicketkeeper-batsman scored an unbeaten 116 runs off just 38 deliveries at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground, leading his team to a thumping 10-wicket victory on Sunday.

His thriving knock included 12 sixes and eight fours.

Chris Gayle still holds the record for the fastest century in the format when he clubbed 100 off just 30 deliveries against Pune Warriors in an Indian Premier League match back in 2013.

Pant, who was retained for Rs 15 crore by Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Daredevils, had veteran batsman Gautam Gambhir in partnership but the latter only played the watching game as the youngster kept smashing the balls all around the park.&nbsp;

The two chased down the target of 144 in just 11.4 overs.&nbsp;

Pant, who batted with a phenomenal strike rate of 305.26, also took four catches behind the wicket.

It is interesting to note that Pant was sacked from state captaincy for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign despite leading the team to the Ranji Trophy final.

The decision was taken after the coach and selectors felt that captaincy was affecting Pant&rsquo;s batting.&nbsp;

His thriving knock included 12 sixes and eight fours.

Delhi's Rishabh Pant slammed a 32-ball century in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy against Himachal Pradesh, making it the fastest ton by an Indian and second fastest in T20's history. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored an unbeaten 116 runs off just 38 deliveries at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground, leading his team to a thumping 10-wicket victory on Sunday. His thriving knock included 12 sixes and eight fours. Chris Gayle still holds the record for the fastest century in the format when he clubbed 100 off just 30 deliveries against Pune Warriors in an Indian Premier League match back in 2013. Pant, who was retained for Rs 15 crore by Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Daredevils, had veteran batsman Gautam Gambhir in partnership but the latter only played the watching game as the youngster kept smashing the balls all around the park. The two chased down the target of 144 in just 11.4 overs. Pant, who batted with a phenomenal strike rate of 305.26, also took four catches behind the wicket. It is interesting to note that Pant was sacked from state captaincy for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign despite leading the team to the Ranji Trophy final. The decision was taken after the coach and selectors felt that captaincy was affecting Pant’s batting.

Rishabh Pant slams fastest T20 century by Indian, second-fastest in history

The iconic Teen Murti Chowk and Teen Murti Marg on Sunday was renamed after the Israeli city Haifa, following Israel PM Netanyahu&#39;s visit to India.&nbsp;

The Israeli prime minister and PM Narendra Modi headed to the Teen Murti monument in Delhi where they laid a wreath at the monument, commemorating the role of three Indian regiments who fought at the battle of Haifa over a century ago.&nbsp;

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a six-day tour to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/israel-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-to-arrive-in-india-today-29448" target="_blank">Indi</a>a.

The decision of the name change was first announced last year in April, after PM Modi&#39;s visit to Israel.&nbsp;

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had taken the decision in this regard at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.&nbsp;

The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.

The brigade carried out the victorious assault on the fortified city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I.

There are various accounts of this battle - all narrate the valour with which the lancers undertook the assault on the garrisoned city protected by a joint force of Ottomans, Germany and Austria-Hungary.&nbsp;

The liberation of Haifa cleared a supply route for the Allies to the city through the sea.

Forty-four Indian soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice during the liberation of the city in World War I.

Till date, the 61 Cavalry celebrates September 23 as its Raising Day or &quot;Haifa Day.&quot; 
 
(With inputs from PTI)

The iconic chowk has been renamed Teen Murti Haifa Chowk

The iconic Teen Murti Chowk and Teen Murti Marg on Sunday was renamed after the Israeli city Haifa, following Israel PM Netanyahu's visit to India. The Israeli prime minister and PM Narendra Modi headed to the Teen Murti monument in Delhi where they laid a wreath at the monument, commemorating the role of three Indian regiments who fought at the battle of Haifa over a century ago. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on a six-day tour to India. The decision of the name change was first announced last year in April, after PM Modi's visit to Israel. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had taken the decision in this regard at a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade. The brigade carried out the victorious assault on the fortified city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I. There are various accounts of this battle - all narrate the valour with which the lancers undertook the assault on the garrisoned city protected by a joint force of Ottomans, Germany and Austria-Hungary. The liberation of Haifa cleared a supply route for the Allies to the city through the sea. Forty-four Indian soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice during the liberation of the city in World War I. Till date, the 61 Cavalry celebrates September 23 as its Raising Day or "Haifa Day." (With inputs from PTI)

Delhi's Teen Murti Chowk renamed after Israeli city of Haifa

Fed up with malls multiplexes and movies, last month during the onset of winter my wife came up with a different plan for the weekends. The plan was to enjoy the rich heritage of Delhi (as outside tourists do) on lovely and cosy afternoons of Delhi&rsquo;s winter. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

A list was prepared: outing to Qutub Minar/Complex &amp; Mehrauli Archaeological Park, day&rsquo;s picnic at Lodi Garden, stroll in Hauz Khas village with lunch at a restaurant adjacent the main reservoir, visit to Humayun&rsquo;s Tomb and a walk in Chandni Chowk.

&nbsp;

As we went about Delhi following our plan, I realised that Sultanate period (13th to early 16th century) has left a profound impact on the overall heritage of Delhi. It was a bit surprising for me, as in the annals of the history of Delhi, it is Mughals and Britishers who occupy the prominent place and, by and large, own the heritage of the city.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Delhi, however, has a clear and well-demarcated past: The Sultanate period (1206-1526), Mughals (1526-1857, it includes a brief period of Shershah Suri) and colonial rules by the Britishers (1857 onwards).&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Barring a small fort built by Prithviraj Chauhan near Mehrauli (and maybe some establishment at Purana Qila site), Delhi had nothing until the beginning of the 13th century when Sultanate period started.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Circa 1192 was the turning point in the history of India when Prithviraj Chauhan lost a decisive battle and Islamic rule arrived in India. In 1206, the foundation of the Mamluk dynasty was laid and the period of next 320 years is known as the Sultanate period, which was ruled by five dynasties; Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyad and Lodi and the Mamluk dynasty. In 1526, the last Lodi dynasty ruler Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur and the Mughal arrived. Mughal ruled Delhi till 1857 when Britishers dethroned Bahadurshah Jafar and exiled him to Rangoon.

&nbsp;

Mughals and Britishers built huge edifices in Delhi and hugely impacted the city the way it is today. Mughals gave, to name a few, Lal Qila, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Humayun&rsquo;s Tomb to the city. Britishers on other hand changed the city forever with Lutyens&rsquo; Delhi, India Gate and main capital part.

&nbsp;

Notwithstanding to what Britishers and Mughal did, Sultanate period has an indelible mark on the heritage of the city which quite often is bit underrated. Qutub Minar and other monuments in Qutub Complex led the pack. When I am asked by visitors about one place to see in Delhi to feel the true heritage, I put Qutub Complex on top unequivocally.&nbsp; Structures made during the Sultanate period constitute a major part in nearby Mehrauli Archaeological Park. I believe that overall rich heritage spread in Mehrauli area is unparalleled in India barring the exception of Hampi down south (Old Vijaynagar Kingdom).&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Built by the first sultan of Delhi during Sultanate period in the early 13th century, Qutub Minar surpasses another heritage structure in Delhi. You need to appreciate that this 72-meter tall wonder was built 450 years before Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Taj Mahal and 700 years before India Gate and Lutyens&rsquo; Delhi

&nbsp;

The sign of Sultanate period touches day to day life of Delhites. These structures and places of Sultanate period are behind the name of few famous places in Delhi, which interestingly we don&rsquo;t realize. A Delight for morning walkers, Lodi Garden is one such gem of Sultanate period. It is a mesmerising park full of many structures,&nbsp; dating back to the Lodi dynasty (last dynasty of Sultanate period).

&nbsp;

When we go to the Siri Fort Auditorium, not many of us realises that this is the fort constructed by Alauddin Khilzi (you are right, it is Padmavati fame) named Siri Fort. The prominent hub of boutiques, bars and restaurants Hauz Khas dates back to this period only. Hauz Khas (means Royal Tank) built by Khilji (later renovated by Tughlaqs) for meeting water requirement for his new fort and currently Hauz Khas complex is one of the most happening places in Delhi.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Tughlaqabad is also a well-known place in Delhi. It takes its name from the Tughlaq dynasty of the Sultanate period. Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, built this massive fort at this place and ruins of the same still exist.

&nbsp;

Next time when you ride a train at Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station then kindly note that Nizamuddin Aulia was a Sufi living in this area during Khilzi-Tughlaq dynasties (Sultanate period).

&nbsp;

Malcha Marg is a famous road in Delhi near the diplomatic enclave in Chanakyapuri. It is named after a structure built by Firuz Shah Tughlaq and used by them as a hunting lodge. The place was in news recently when the Awadh prince, living alone here, died.

&nbsp;

Similarly, there is Kushak Road in Delhi. It is also named after a hunting lodge of Tughlaq period called Kushak Mahal and it is not a very well-known fact it is situated right inside the Teen Muti Bhawan premises. So the first Prime Minister of India was living in a bungalow next to the hunting lodge of the Tughlaqs.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Delhi, undoubtedly, is one of the richest cities in the world in terms of heritage, monuments and culture. Mirza Ghalib once explained Delhi like this &ldquo;Ik roz apni rooh se poocha, ki dilli kya hai, to yun jawab main keh gaye, yeh duniya mano jism hai aur dilli uski jaan (I asked my soul, &lsquo;What is Delhi?&rsquo; It replied: &lsquo;The world is the body, Delhi its soul&rdquo;).

&nbsp;

Undeniably, the Sultanate period takes a huge part of the credit to make Delhi the soul of the world.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

The Sultanate period takes a huge part of the credit to make Delhi the soul of the world.

Fed up with malls multiplexes and movies, last month during the onset of winter my wife came up with a different plan for the weekends. The plan was to enjoy the rich heritage of Delhi (as outside tourists do) on lovely and cosy afternoons of Delhi’s winter. A list was prepared: outing to Qutub Minar/Complex & Mehrauli Archaeological Park, day’s picnic at Lodi Garden, stroll in Hauz Khas village with lunch at a restaurant adjacent the main reservoir, visit to Humayun’s Tomb and a walk in Chandni Chowk. As we went about Delhi following our plan, I realised that Sultanate period (13th to early 16th century) has left a profound impact on the overall heritage of Delhi. It was a bit surprising for me, as in the annals of the history of Delhi, it is Mughals and Britishers who occupy the prominent place and, by and large, own the heritage of the city. Delhi, however, has a clear and well-demarcated past: The Sultanate period (1206-1526), Mughals (1526-1857, it includes a brief period of Shershah Suri) and colonial rules by the Britishers (1857 onwards). Barring a small fort built by Prithviraj Chauhan near Mehrauli (and maybe some establishment at Purana Qila site), Delhi had nothing until the beginning of the 13th century when Sultanate period started. Circa 1192 was the turning point in the history of India when Prithviraj Chauhan lost a decisive battle and Islamic rule arrived in India. In 1206, the foundation of the Mamluk dynasty was laid and the period of next 320 years is known as the Sultanate period, which was ruled by five dynasties; Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyad and Lodi and the Mamluk dynasty. In 1526, the last Lodi dynasty ruler Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur and the Mughal arrived. Mughal ruled Delhi till 1857 when Britishers dethroned Bahadurshah Jafar and exiled him to Rangoon. Mughals and Britishers built huge edifices in Delhi and hugely impacted the city the way it is today. Mughals gave, to name a few, Lal Qila, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Humayun’s Tomb to the city. Britishers on other hand changed the city forever with Lutyens’ Delhi, India Gate and main capital part. Notwithstanding to what Britishers and Mughal did, Sultanate period has an indelible mark on the heritage of the city which quite often is bit underrated. Qutub Minar and other monuments in Qutub Complex led the pack. When I am asked by visitors about one place to see in Delhi to feel the true heritage, I put Qutub Complex on top unequivocally. Structures made during the Sultanate period constitute a major part in nearby Mehrauli Archaeological Park. I believe that overall rich heritage spread in Mehrauli area is unparalleled in India barring the exception of Hampi down south (Old Vijaynagar Kingdom). Built by the first sultan of Delhi during Sultanate period in the early 13th century, Qutub Minar surpasses another heritage structure in Delhi. You need to appreciate that this 72-meter tall wonder was built 450 years before Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Taj Mahal and 700 years before India Gate and Lutyens’ Delhi The sign of Sultanate period touches day to day life of Delhites. These structures and places of Sultanate period are behind the name of few famous places in Delhi, which interestingly we don’t realize. A Delight for morning walkers, Lodi Garden is one such gem of Sultanate period. It is a mesmerising park full of many structures, dating back to the Lodi dynasty (last dynasty of Sultanate period). When we go to the Siri Fort Auditorium, not many of us realises that this is the fort constructed by Alauddin Khilzi (you are right, it is Padmavati fame) named Siri Fort. The prominent hub of boutiques, bars and restaurants Hauz Khas dates back to this period only. Hauz Khas (means Royal Tank) built by Khilji (later renovated by Tughlaqs) for meeting water requirement for his new fort and currently Hauz Khas complex is one of the most happening places in Delhi. Tughlaqabad is also a well-known place in Delhi. It takes its name from the Tughlaq dynasty of the Sultanate period. Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, built this massive fort at this place and ruins of the same still exist. Next time when you ride a train at Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station then kindly note that Nizamuddin Aulia was a Sufi living in this area during Khilzi-Tughlaq dynasties (Sultanate period). Malcha Marg is a famous road in Delhi near the diplomatic enclave in Chanakyapuri. It is named after a structure built by Firuz Shah Tughlaq and used by them as a hunting lodge. The place was in news recently when the Awadh prince, living alone here, died. Similarly, there is Kushak Road in Delhi. It is also named after a hunting lodge of Tughlaq period called Kushak Mahal and it is not a very well-known fact it is situated right inside the Teen Muti Bhawan premises. So the first Prime Minister of India was living in a bungalow next to the hunting lodge of the Tughlaqs. Delhi, undoubtedly, is one of the richest cities in the world in terms of heritage, monuments and culture. Mirza Ghalib once explained Delhi like this “Ik roz apni rooh se poocha, ki dilli kya hai, to yun jawab main keh gaye, yeh duniya mano jism hai aur dilli uski jaan (I asked my soul, ‘What is Delhi?’ It replied: ‘The world is the body, Delhi its soul”). Undeniably, the Sultanate period takes a huge part of the credit to make Delhi the soul of the world. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: What Sultanate Delhi has to offer to tourists in winter

Union Minister P&nbsp;Chidambaram&#39;s son Karti Chidambaram&#39;s lawyer confirmed on Saturday that nothing was found or seized during the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ed-conducts-raids-at-karti-chidambarams-premises-in-delhi-chennai-over-inx-media-case-29388" target="_blank">raids carried out</a> at Chidambaram&#39;s homes in Delhi and Chennai.&nbsp;

&quot;The ED conducted a raid today. Nothing was found, nothing was seized. The raid concluded at 10.45 a.m,&quot; Karti&#39;s lawyer Arun Natrajan told media.

He also said this was not an enquiry but just a raid, and kept emphasising that nothing was found or seized.

&quot;It was a raid conducted under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),&quot; said Arun Natrajan.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at Karti Chidambaram&rsquo;s premises in New Delhi and Chennai on Saturday morning over his alleged involvement in the INX Media money laundering case.

Enforcement Directorate officials also raided home of former union minister P Chidambaram&#39;s Chennai home on Saturday.

The central probe agency had registered a case against him and others in connection with the case in May last year. Karti Chidambaram has now been called for the probe by the agency on January 16.

It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED&#39;s equivalent of a police First Information Report (FIR), against the accused named in a CBI complaint, including Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its owners Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.

The agency has alleged that Karti Chidambaram received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) conditions to receive investment from Mauritius.&nbsp;

The CBI had also carried out searches at the homes and offices of Karti Chidambaram across four cities for allegedly receiving money from the media firm owned by the Mukerjeas and scuttling a tax probe. &nbsp;

The CBI has said it has also recovered vouchers of Rs 10 lakh which were allegedly paid for the services.&nbsp;

The agency said FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case was granted in March 2006 by the then finance minister even though he was competent to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore and beyond that it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

&quot;In the instant case, the approval for FDI of 800 million USD (over Rs 3,500 crore) was sought. Hence, CCEA was competent to grant approval. However, approval was not obtained from CCEA,&quot; it alleged.&nbsp;

The CBI had filed the FIR against Karti Chidambaram and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.&nbsp;

Former finance minister P Chidambaram, after the CBI searches on May 16, had issued a strong statement in response to the raids, saying the government was using the CBI and other agencies to target his son.

He also said this was not an enquiry but just a raid, and kept emphasising that nothing was found or seized.

Union Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram's lawyer confirmed on Saturday that nothing was found or seized during the raids carried out at Chidambaram's homes in Delhi and Chennai. "The ED conducted a raid today. Nothing was found, nothing was seized. The raid concluded at 10.45 a.m," Karti's lawyer Arun Natrajan told media. He also said this was not an enquiry but just a raid, and kept emphasising that nothing was found or seized. "It was a raid conducted under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)," said Arun Natrajan. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at Karti Chidambaram’s premises in New Delhi and Chennai on Saturday morning over his alleged involvement in the INX Media money laundering case. Enforcement Directorate officials also raided home of former union minister P Chidambaram's Chennai home on Saturday. The central probe agency had registered a case against him and others in connection with the case in May last year. Karti Chidambaram has now been called for the probe by the agency on January 16. It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED's equivalent of a police First Information Report (FIR), against the accused named in a CBI complaint, including Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its owners Peter and Indrani Mukerjea. The agency has alleged that Karti Chidambaram received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) conditions to receive investment from Mauritius. The CBI had also carried out searches at the homes and offices of Karti Chidambaram across four cities for allegedly receiving money from the media firm owned by the Mukerjeas and scuttling a tax probe. The CBI has said it has also recovered vouchers of Rs 10 lakh which were allegedly paid for the services. The agency said FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case was granted in March 2006 by the then finance minister even though he was competent to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore and beyond that it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). "In the instant case, the approval for FDI of 800 million USD (over Rs 3,500 crore) was sought. Hence, CCEA was competent to grant approval. However, approval was not obtained from CCEA," it alleged. The CBI had filed the FIR against Karti Chidambaram and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct. Former finance minister P Chidambaram, after the CBI searches on May 16, had issued a strong statement in response to the raids, saying the government was using the CBI and other agencies to target his son.

Nothing found or seized after raids at Chidambaram's premises in Chennai, Delhi: Lawyer

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today carried out raids at Karti Chidambaram&rsquo;s premises in New Delhi and Chennai over his alleged involvement in the INX Media money laundering case.

Fresh summons were issued to Karti Chidambaram, the son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, on Thursday&nbsp;after he failed to show up for the probe in the INX Media case.&nbsp;

Enforcement Directorate officials also raided&nbsp;home of former union minister P Chidambaram&#39;s Chennai home on Saturday.

The ED case pertains to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 by&nbsp;then finance minister P Chidambaram.

The central probe agency had registered a case against him and others in connection with the case in May last year. Karti Chidambaram has now been called for the probe by the agency on January 16.

It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED&#39;s equivalent of a police First Information Report (FIR), against the accused named in a CBI complaint, including Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its owners Peter and Indrani&nbsp;Mukerjea.

The agency has alleged that Karti Chidambaram received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) conditions to receive investment from Mauritius.&nbsp;

The CBI had also carried out searches at the homes and offices of Karti Chidambaram across four cities for allegedly receiving money from the media firm owned by the Mukerjeas and scuttling a tax probe. &nbsp;

The CBI has said it has also recovered vouchers of Rs 10 lakh which were allegedly paid for the services.&nbsp;

The agency said FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case was granted in March 2006 by the then finance minister even though he was competent to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore and beyond that it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

&quot;In the instant case, the approval for FDI of 800 million USD (over Rs 3,500 crore) was sought. Hence, CCEA was competent to grant approval. However, approval was not obtained from CCEA,&quot; it alleged.&nbsp;

The CBI had filed the FIR against Karti Chidambaram and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.&nbsp;

The Chidambarams have denied all the charges made against them.&nbsp;

Former finance minister P Chidambaram, after the CBI searches on May 16, had issued a strong statement in response to the raids, saying the government was using the CBI and other agencies to target his son.

(With PTI inputs)

Enforcement Directorate officials also raided home of former union minister P Chidambaram's Chennai home on Saturday

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today carried out raids at Karti Chidambaram’s premises in New Delhi and Chennai over his alleged involvement in the INX Media money laundering case. Fresh summons were issued to Karti Chidambaram, the son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, on Thursday after he failed to show up for the probe in the INX Media case. Enforcement Directorate officials also raided home of former union minister P Chidambaram's Chennai home on Saturday. The ED case pertains to the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval granted in 2006 by then finance minister P Chidambaram. The central probe agency had registered a case against him and others in connection with the case in May last year. Karti Chidambaram has now been called for the probe by the agency on January 16. It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the ED's equivalent of a police First Information Report (FIR), against the accused named in a CBI complaint, including Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its owners Peter and Indrani Mukerjea. The agency has alleged that Karti Chidambaram received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) conditions to receive investment from Mauritius. The CBI had also carried out searches at the homes and offices of Karti Chidambaram across four cities for allegedly receiving money from the media firm owned by the Mukerjeas and scuttling a tax probe. The CBI has said it has also recovered vouchers of Rs 10 lakh which were allegedly paid for the services. The agency said FIPB approval in the Aircel-Maxis FDI case was granted in March 2006 by the then finance minister even though he was competent to accord approval on project proposals only up to Rs 600 crore and beyond that it required the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). "In the instant case, the approval for FDI of 800 million USD (over Rs 3,500 crore) was sought. Hence, CCEA was competent to grant approval. However, approval was not obtained from CCEA," it alleged. The CBI had filed the FIR against Karti Chidambaram and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct. The Chidambarams have denied all the charges made against them. Former finance minister P Chidambaram, after the CBI searches on May 16, had issued a strong statement in response to the raids, saying the government was using the CBI and other agencies to target his son. (With PTI inputs)

ED conducts raids at Chidambaram's premises in Chennai over INX Media Case

More than five rape cases were reported on an average every day in the national capital last year, and in most incidents, the accused was known to the victim, according to Delhi Police data.

In 2017, 2,049 rape cases were reported as opposed to 2,064 in 2016.

As many as 3,273 molestation cases were reported last year in comparison to 4,035 in 2016, according to the statistics shared by Delhi Police.

The cases of eve-teasing declined from 894 in 2016 to 621 last year, it said.

Almost 92 per cent of the rape cases were solved as opposed to 86 per cent in 2016, the statistics said.

Eighty-three per cent of the molestation cases were worked out in 2017 as compared to 72 per cent in 2016.

Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik said that a host of initiatives were taken for women&#39;s safety as it was a priority focus area for them.

&quot;Under the banner of &#39;Sashakti&#39;, extensive self-defence training was imparted by our trainers and around 2 lakh girls were covered in 2017,&quot; he said.

Some of the other initiatives included ensuring high- visibility of police personnel in vulnerable areas, introduction of women patrols and making &#39;Himmat&#39; app bilingual and more user-friendly, the police chief said.

He attributed the decrease in the crimes against women to these initiatives.

The police also kept a constant liaison with civic authorities apprising them of the dark and lonely stretches in the city.

The district police took strict action against drinking in public places, which often acts as a precursor to crime against women, with as many as 23,094 people being arrested for the offence, the police said.

The police claimed that in 96.63 per cent of the rape cases the accused was known to the victim, with friends or family friends being the perpetrators in 38.99 per cent of the cases.

Neighbours were the accused in 19.08 per cent of the cases and relatives were involved in 14.20 per cent of the cases.

Employers or co-workers were the perpetrators in 3.86 per cent of the cases, the statistics said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The police claimed that in 96.63 per cent of the rape cases the accused was known to the victim, with friends or family friends being the perpetrators in 38.99 per cent of the cases

More than five rape cases were reported on an average every day in the national capital last year, and in most incidents, the accused was known to the victim, according to Delhi Police data. In 2017, 2,049 rape cases were reported as opposed to 2,064 in 2016. As many as 3,273 molestation cases were reported last year in comparison to 4,035 in 2016, according to the statistics shared by Delhi Police. The cases of eve-teasing declined from 894 in 2016 to 621 last year, it said. Almost 92 per cent of the rape cases were solved as opposed to 86 per cent in 2016, the statistics said. Eighty-three per cent of the molestation cases were worked out in 2017 as compared to 72 per cent in 2016. Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik said that a host of initiatives were taken for women's safety as it was a priority focus area for them. "Under the banner of 'Sashakti', extensive self-defence training was imparted by our trainers and around 2 lakh girls were covered in 2017," he said. Some of the other initiatives included ensuring high- visibility of police personnel in vulnerable areas, introduction of women patrols and making 'Himmat' app bilingual and more user-friendly, the police chief said. He attributed the decrease in the crimes against women to these initiatives. The police also kept a constant liaison with civic authorities apprising them of the dark and lonely stretches in the city. The district police took strict action against drinking in public places, which often acts as a precursor to crime against women, with as many as 23,094 people being arrested for the offence, the police said. The police claimed that in 96.63 per cent of the rape cases the accused was known to the victim, with friends or family friends being the perpetrators in 38.99 per cent of the cases. Neighbours were the accused in 19.08 per cent of the cases and relatives were involved in 14.20 per cent of the cases. Employers or co-workers were the perpetrators in 3.86 per cent of the cases, the statistics said.

Over five rape cases reported every day in Delhi in 2017

The media has reported that 44 homeless people have died in Delhi this winter.

On Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal blamed Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for the deaths, saying he had appointed a &quot;useless officer&quot;. &nbsp;

&quot;LG refuses to consult us before appointing officers,&quot; Kejriwal said, adding, &quot;How do we run (a) government like this?&quot;

Kejriwal compared the 44 deaths this year to the &quot;negligible deaths&quot; last year, and added that he was issuing a show-cause notice to the CEO of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB).&nbsp;

&quot;Media reporting 44 deaths of homeless due to cold. Am issuing show cause notice to CEO, DUSIB. Negligible deaths last year. This year, LG appointed a useless officer. LG refuses to consult us before appointing officers. How do we run govt like this?&quot; Kejriwal tweeted on Monday.&nbsp;

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Media reporting 44 deaths of homeless due to cold. Am issuing show cause notice to CEO, DUSIB. Negligible deaths last year. This year, LG appointed a useless officer. LG refuses to consult us before appointing officers. How do we run govt like this?
&mdash; Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/950302512766058496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Delhi&#39;s AAP government and the LG have been in a long-running feud.&nbsp;

The AAP&#39;s main bone of contention is that they are an &quot;elected&quot;&nbsp;government but the LG, who is &quot;appointed&quot; by the Centre, gets the last word on most schemes and ideas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The LG had most recently <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-plans-home-delivery-of-40-government-services-lg-says-no-27811" target="_blank">squashed the Delhi government&#39;s proposal</a> to home-deliver over 40 government services including caste and birth certificates, pensions, and social welfare schemes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The media has reported that 44 homeless people have died so far

The media has reported that 44 homeless people have died in Delhi this winter. On Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal blamed Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal for the deaths, saying he had appointed a "useless officer". "LG refuses to consult us before appointing officers," Kejriwal said, adding, "How do we run (a) government like this?" Kejriwal compared the 44 deaths this year to the "negligible deaths" last year, and added that he was issuing a show-cause notice to the CEO of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB). "Media reporting 44 deaths of homeless due to cold. Am issuing show cause notice to CEO, DUSIB. Negligible deaths last year. This year, LG appointed a useless officer. LG refuses to consult us before appointing officers. How do we run govt like this?" Kejriwal tweeted on Monday. Media reporting 44 deaths of homeless due to cold. Am issuing show cause notice to CEO, DUSIB. Negligible deaths last year. This year, LG appointed a useless officer. LG refuses to consult us before appointing officers. How do we run govt like this? — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 8, 2018 × Delhi's AAP government and the LG have been in a long-running feud. The AAP's main bone of contention is that they are an "elected" government but the LG, who is "appointed" by the Centre, gets the last word on most schemes and ideas. The LG had most recently squashed the Delhi government's proposal to home-deliver over 40 government services including caste and birth certificates, pensions, and social welfare schemes.

Delhi: Kejriwal blames LG for deaths due to cold, says he appointed 'useless officer'

The Delhi High Court today commuted the death penalty awarded to two convicts in the 2009 Jigisha Ghosh murder case to life imprisonment.

A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta, however, upheld the life imprisonment awarded to the third convict by a trial court in the case.

&quot;We commute death sentence awarded to two convicts to life imprisonment,&quot; the bench said.

While convicts Ravi Kapoor and Amit Shukla were handed down death penalty by the trial court in 2016, the third offender Baljeet Malik was given reprieve from the gallows for his good conduct in jail and awarded life imprisonment for murder of the IT executive and other counts.

While sentencing the two to death, the trial court had said the 28-year-old woman was killed in a &quot;cold-blooded, inhuman and cruel manner&quot; and &quot;brutally mauled to death&quot;.

The police had claimed robbery was the motive behind the killing.

While seeking setting aside of the conviction and order on sentence for Shukla and Malik, their advocate Amit Kumar had contended before the HC that the trial court had committed error by awarding death penalty and life imprisonment to his clients respectively, simply on the basis of biased jail/ probation report about the two.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

'We commute death sentence awarded to two convicts to life imprisonment,' the court said

The Delhi High Court today commuted the death penalty awarded to two convicts in the 2009 Jigisha Ghosh murder case to life imprisonment. A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and I S Mehta, however, upheld the life imprisonment awarded to the third convict by a trial court in the case. "We commute death sentence awarded to two convicts to life imprisonment," the bench said. While convicts Ravi Kapoor and Amit Shukla were handed down death penalty by the trial court in 2016, the third offender Baljeet Malik was given reprieve from the gallows for his good conduct in jail and awarded life imprisonment for murder of the IT executive and other counts. While sentencing the two to death, the trial court had said the 28-year-old woman was killed in a "cold-blooded, inhuman and cruel manner" and "brutally mauled to death". The police had claimed robbery was the motive behind the killing. While seeking setting aside of the conviction and order on sentence for Shukla and Malik, their advocate Amit Kumar had contended before the HC that the trial court had committed error by awarding death penalty and life imprisonment to his clients respectively, simply on the basis of biased jail/ probation report about the two.

Jigisha Ghosh murder case: Delhi High Court commutes death penalty for 2 to life imprisonment

Train and flight services have been affected for the fourth day in a row due to the thick fog in the capital and several other parts of North India. 60 trains delayed, 18 rescheduled and 14 cancelled on Thursday due to prevailing fog conditions in the national capital.

Flights at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport have also been equally affected with 20 flights delayed due to low visibility as fog shrouded Delhi.&nbsp;

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20 flights delayed at Delhi airport due to low visibility as fog shrouded the national capital <a href="https://t.co/dmYozsSEmt">pic.twitter.com/dmYozsSEmt</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948732465153126400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The government on Monday said that it was monitoring the situation and trying to bring some improvement in the system after flight services went for a toss due to heavy fog in the last few days.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a>: Total 60 trains delayed, 18 rescheduled and 14 cancelled due to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fog</a> in the national capital <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948758691917922305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Yesterday 21 trains were cancelled and 59 trains, 8 flights delayed.

 
&nbsp;

Train and flight services have been affected for the fourth day in a row due to the thick fog in the capital and several other parts of North India. 60 trains delayed, 18 rescheduled and 14 cancelled on Thursday due to prevailing fog conditions in the national capital. Flights at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport have also been equally affected with 20 flights delayed due to low visibility as fog shrouded Delhi. 20 flights delayed at Delhi airport due to low visibility as fog shrouded the national capital pic.twitter.com/dmYozsSEmt — ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2018 × The government on Monday said that it was monitoring the situation and trying to bring some improvement in the system after flight services went for a toss due to heavy fog in the last few days. #UPDATE: Total 60 trains delayed, 18 rescheduled and 14 cancelled due to #fog in the national capital #Delhi — ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2018 × Yesterday 21 trains were cancelled and 59 trains, 8 flights delayed.

Delhi fog: 20 flights, 60 trains delayed

16-year-old Nisar Ahmed will soon be heading to the&nbsp;Racers Track Club in Kingston, Jamaica, home of athletics superstar Usain Bolt.&nbsp;

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Nisar will train there for a month.&nbsp;

At the recent Delhi State Athletics meet, the Government Boys Secondary School, Ashok Vihar&nbsp;student broke two national under-16 records.

He shaved 0.02 seconds off the 100m record, running it in 11 seconds. He ran the 200 metres in 22.08 seconds.&nbsp;

Nisar is also called &quot;Delhi&#39;s Usain Bolt&quot;.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nisar hails from the Bada Bagh slums in the capital&#39;s Azadpur area.

His father is a rickshaw puller, his mother a domestic maid. They could not attend the meet at which he broke the two national records, he said, because of a lack of money.&nbsp;

Nisar is going to Kingston courtesy the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and sports management company Anglian Medal Hunt who have picked 14 athletes from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Delhi in the 15-18 age group to train at Racers Track Club.&nbsp;

16-year-old Nisar Ahmed, also called 'Delhi's Usain Bolt', will undergo a month's training at the Racer's Track Club in Kingston

16-year-old Nisar Ahmed will soon be heading to the Racers Track Club in Kingston, Jamaica, home of athletics superstar Usain Bolt. × Nisar will train there for a month. At the recent Delhi State Athletics meet, the Government Boys Secondary School, Ashok Vihar student broke two national under-16 records. He shaved 0.02 seconds off the 100m record, running it in 11 seconds. He ran the 200 metres in 22.08 seconds. Nisar is also called "Delhi's Usain Bolt". Nisar hails from the Bada Bagh slums in the capital's Azadpur area. His father is a rickshaw puller, his mother a domestic maid. They could not attend the meet at which he broke the two national records, he said, because of a lack of money. Nisar is going to Kingston courtesy the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and sports management company Anglian Medal Hunt who have picked 14 athletes from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Delhi in the 15-18 age group to train at Racers Track Club.

Delhi rickshaw puller's son to train at same Jamaica academy as Usain Bolt

Low visibility in the national capital left 20 flights delayed, six cancelled and 64 trains delayed, 24 rescheduled and 21 cancelled on Tuesday.&nbsp;

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20 flights delayed, six cancelled at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> airport due to prevailing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fog?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fog</a> conditions resulting in low visibility <a href="https://t.co/tDaiecQhK7">pic.twitter.com/tDaiecQhK7</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948009346125905920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Cold wave conditions continued unabated in parts of Delhi with the temperature dropping to 8-degree Celsius on Tuesday morning.&nbsp;

Delhi has been covered with a heavy blanket of fog for the last few days which las lead to disruptions in flight and train operations due to low visibility.&nbsp;

Yesterday&#39;s average air quality index (AQI) was at 400 and the levels of Particulate Matter were in the &quot;Very Poor&quot; category, according to SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research).

Delhi woke up to a thick fog on Monday morning, the first day of the new year, and hundreds of passengers were stranded at the airport for several hours as flight operations were temporarily suspended after visibility on the runways dropped below 50 metres.

Five domestic and seven International flights were earlier delayed in the morning because of poor visibility.

Low visibility in the national capital has left 20 flights delayed, six cancelled and 64 trains delayed, 24 rescheduled and 21 cancelled

Low visibility in the national capital left 20 flights delayed, six cancelled and 64 trains delayed, 24 rescheduled and 21 cancelled on Tuesday. 20 flights delayed, six cancelled at #Delhi airport due to prevailing #fog conditions resulting in low visibility pic.twitter.com/tDaiecQhK7 — ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018 × Cold wave conditions continued unabated in parts of Delhi with the temperature dropping to 8-degree Celsius on Tuesday morning. Delhi has been covered with a heavy blanket of fog for the last few days which las lead to disruptions in flight and train operations due to low visibility. Yesterday's average air quality index (AQI) was at 400 and the levels of Particulate Matter were in the "Very Poor" category, according to SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research). Delhi woke up to a thick fog on Monday morning, the first day of the new year, and hundreds of passengers were stranded at the airport for several hours as flight operations were temporarily suspended after visibility on the runways dropped below 50 metres. Five domestic and seven International flights were earlier delayed in the morning because of poor visibility.

Delhi fog continues; flights and trains delayed, cancelled

Delhi woke up to a heavy blanket of smog and high levels of air pollution surpassing the hazardous mark on Sunday.&nbsp;

The decreasing temperature and dense fog have caused&nbsp;low visibility resulting in service disruption of trains and flights in the national capital.&nbsp;

More than 40 flights were diverted and more than 90 flights were affected at the Delhi airport on Sunday.&nbsp;

Operations at the&nbsp;airport were on halt until 11 am and have now been resumed.&nbsp;

Northen areas of Delhi such as Shadipur has been recorded&nbsp;at 387(hazardous) following RK Puram at 350 (hazardous) on the air quality index.&nbsp;

According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the fog condition today is expected to remain dense and continue till tomorrow.

The minimum and maximum temperature are likely to hover around 7 and 22 degrees Celsius respectively.

On Friday morning, north-western plains, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh, were covered under&nbsp;dense fog.

More than 40 flights were diverted and more than 90 flights were affected at the Delhi airport on Sunday

Delhi woke up to a heavy blanket of smog and high levels of air pollution surpassing the hazardous mark on Sunday. The decreasing temperature and dense fog have caused low visibility resulting in service disruption of trains and flights in the national capital. More than 40 flights were diverted and more than 90 flights were affected at the Delhi airport on Sunday. Operations at the airport were on halt until 11 am and have now been resumed. Northen areas of Delhi such as Shadipur has been recorded at 387(hazardous) following RK Puram at 350 (hazardous) on the air quality index. According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the fog condition today is expected to remain dense and continue till tomorrow. The minimum and maximum temperature are likely to hover around 7 and 22 degrees Celsius respectively. On Friday morning, north-western plains, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh, were covered under dense fog.

Flights in Delhi affected due to low visibility

Several environmental experts on Saturday issued a warning against the high level&nbsp;of pollution in New Delhi and adjoining region&nbsp;and said that&nbsp;if the pollution level continues to remain at this level, the citizens&nbsp;will soon have to walk around with oxygen cylinders on their backs.

A person would need at least five oxygen cylinders a day, they&nbsp;warned.&nbsp;

The warning was issued after the national capital&#39;s air became the cause of several ailments, including premature birth, reducing lung immunity, allergies or aggravation of existing allergies, strokes, heart and lung disease, cancer and other acute respiratory diseases, as per media reports.

Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that about 92 per cent of the world&#39;s population, including in India, lives in areas where air quality is below acceptable standards.&nbsp;

It further said that 88 per cent of premature deaths occur in low and middle-income countries where air pollution is high and escalating.

Air pollution in Delhi-NCR occurs due to a complex mix of pollution from human activities such as vehicle emissions, industry, construction, residential fuel burning, dust and sea salt, according to the website delhiair.org.

The NCR generates 10,000 tons per day of municipal solid waste, much of which is eventually burned, and thus, adding particulate pollution to the air.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Union Environment Ministry gave a week&#39;s time to agencies to respond whether deadlines listed in a plan to clean Delhi&#39;s air by a Supreme Court-monitored panel suits them or not.

The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has also come out with several recommendations in the &#39;Comprehensive Action Plan for Air Pollution&#39;, which was submitted in the apex court last month.&nbsp;

The warning was issued after Delhi's air became the cause of several ailments

Several environmental experts on Saturday issued a warning against the high level of pollution in New Delhi and adjoining region and said that if the pollution level continues to remain at this level, the citizens will soon have to walk around with oxygen cylinders on their backs. A person would need at least five oxygen cylinders a day, they warned. The warning was issued after the national capital's air became the cause of several ailments, including premature birth, reducing lung immunity, allergies or aggravation of existing allergies, strokes, heart and lung disease, cancer and other acute respiratory diseases, as per media reports. Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that about 92 per cent of the world's population, including in India, lives in areas where air quality is below acceptable standards. It further said that 88 per cent of premature deaths occur in low and middle-income countries where air pollution is high and escalating. Air pollution in Delhi-NCR occurs due to a complex mix of pollution from human activities such as vehicle emissions, industry, construction, residential fuel burning, dust and sea salt, according to the website delhiair.org. The NCR generates 10,000 tons per day of municipal solid waste, much of which is eventually burned, and thus, adding particulate pollution to the air. Meanwhile, on Friday, the Union Environment Ministry gave a week's time to agencies to respond whether deadlines listed in a plan to clean Delhi's air by a Supreme Court-monitored panel suits them or not. The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has also come out with several recommendations in the 'Comprehensive Action Plan for Air Pollution', which was submitted in the apex court last month.

Soon Delhiites will need 5 oxygen cylinders a day to survive: Experts

Indian Cricketer Rajneesh Gurbani on Saturday stepped up for his team Vidarbha by taking a hat-trick to restrict Delhi to 295 in the first innings of the Ranji Trophy Final.&nbsp;

The medium-pacer bowled Vikas Sharma and Navdeep Saini of the last two deliveries of his 23rd over, before castling centurion Dhruv Shorey of the first ball of his 24th over.&nbsp;

With this hat-trick, Gurbani is only the second bowler after B Kalyanasundaram of Tamil Nadu to achieve this feat in a Ranji Trophy final.&nbsp;

The first hat-trick in a Ranji final came in 1972/73 in Chennai against Mumbai.&nbsp;

The best bit about Gurbani&#39;s achievement came from the fact that he suffered an ankle injury on Friday which made him leave&nbsp;the field in the middle of the over for 30 minutes.

But the bowler resumed his play on Saturday and ended the innings with 6 wickets for 59 runs.

This is not the first time when Gurbani has proved his calibre. In the semifinal also, Gurbani took a total of 12 wickets, including seven in the second innings to enforce the win against Karnataka.&nbsp;

Gurbani took 6 wickets in the first innings to restrict Delhi to 295

Indian Cricketer Rajneesh Gurbani on Saturday stepped up for his team Vidarbha by taking a hat-trick to restrict Delhi to 295 in the first innings of the Ranji Trophy Final. The medium-pacer bowled Vikas Sharma and Navdeep Saini of the last two deliveries of his 23rd over, before castling centurion Dhruv Shorey of the first ball of his 24th over. With this hat-trick, Gurbani is only the second bowler after B Kalyanasundaram of Tamil Nadu to achieve this feat in a Ranji Trophy final. The first hat-trick in a Ranji final came in 1972/73 in Chennai against Mumbai. The best bit about Gurbani's achievement came from the fact that he suffered an ankle injury on Friday which made him leave the field in the middle of the over for 30 minutes. But the bowler resumed his play on Saturday and ended the innings with 6 wickets for 59 runs. This is not the first time when Gurbani has proved his calibre. In the semifinal also, Gurbani took a total of 12 wickets, including seven in the second innings to enforce the win against Karnataka.

Rajneesh Gurbani becomes 2nd bowler to take hat-trick in Ranji final

After the Indian cricketer took to Twitter, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/cricket/shikhar-dhawan-slams-airline-for-not-allowing-his-family-onboard-28076">slamming Emirates airline&nbsp;for causing inconvenience to his family</a>, the airlines issued an official statement.

Emirates stated that all passengers must adhere to the travelling regulations of the countries in which the airline operates.

The statement noted that passengers must carry relevant documents while travelling abroad.&nbsp;

&quot;Since 1 June 2015, according to South African regulations, anyone travelling to the country with a minor under 18 needs to prove parenthood or guardianship - while adults travelling alone with their children need to show that they have the consent of their non-travelling partner,&quot; Emirates noted in an official response.

&quot;Like all airlines, we must comply with the laws of every country in which we operate and this is a shared responsibility with passengers, who are required to hold valid travel documents for all countries on their itinerary,&quot; the statement further read.

The 32-year-old opening batsman tweeted and complained that his wife and child were not allowed aboard at the Dubai airport.&nbsp;

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We&#39;re sorry to hear this, Shikhar. We&#39;d like to find out more on a private message. Please include your booking reference or e-ticket numbers starting in 176. <a href="https://t.co/67ooSY3Pnf">https://t.co/67ooSY3Pnf</a>
&mdash; Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmiratesSupport/status/946665505276026880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Absolutely unprofessional from @emirates. Was on my way 2 SA with my fam &amp; was told that my wife and kids can&#39;t board the flight from Dubai to SA. Was asked to produce birth certificates &amp; other documents for my kids at the airport which we obviously didn&#39;t have at that moment,&quot; he tweeted.&nbsp;

Dhawan was travelling to South Africa along with his family for Team India&#39;s 56-day tour of South Africa.

India will play a series of three Tests, six ODIs and three T20s against South Africa.&nbsp;

The first Test match will be played on January 5 in Cape Town.

(With inputs from ANI)&nbsp;

After the Indian cricketer took to Twitter, slamming Emirates airline for causing inconvenience to his family, the airlines issued an official statement. Emirates stated that all passengers must adhere to the travelling regulations of the countries in which the airline operates. The statement noted that passengers must carry relevant documents while travelling abroad. "Since 1 June 2015, according to South African regulations, anyone travelling to the country with a minor under 18 needs to prove parenthood or guardianship - while adults travelling alone with their children need to show that they have the consent of their non-travelling partner," Emirates noted in an official response. "Like all airlines, we must comply with the laws of every country in which we operate and this is a shared responsibility with passengers, who are required to hold valid travel documents for all countries on their itinerary," the statement further read. The 32-year-old opening batsman tweeted and complained that his wife and child were not allowed aboard at the Dubai airport. We're sorry to hear this, Shikhar. We'd like to find out more on a private message. Please include your booking reference or e-ticket numbers starting in 176. https://t.co/67ooSY3Pnf — Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) December 29, 2017 × "Absolutely unprofessional from @emirates. Was on my way 2 SA with my fam & was told that my wife and kids can't board the flight from Dubai to SA. Was asked to produce birth certificates & other documents for my kids at the airport which we obviously didn't have at that moment," he tweeted. Dhawan was travelling to South Africa along with his family for Team India's 56-day tour of South Africa. India will play a series of three Tests, six ODIs and three T20s against South Africa. The first Test match will be played on January 5 in Cape Town. (With inputs from ANI)

WION Morning News brief, 30 December 2017

Scrumptious seekh kebabs on skewers and juicy chicken tikkas spread in front of food stalls to draw meat-loving customers may soon have to be relegated to inside shelves in south Delhi, as the area&#39;s civic body has proposed a ban on their display in the open.

The proposal was brought in the BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) House in its meeting recently and was approved by it, Leader of House Shikha Rai said, adding that hygiene and &quot;sentiments of people affected by the sight&quot; of meat were the main reasons behind the move.

The proposal holds for &quot;both raw and cooked meat&quot; of all kinds, displayed by shop-owners right outside of their shops, he said.

&quot;It was a private member resolution originally moved by a councillor from Kakrola village in Najafgarh Zone in the Health Committee meeting. The committee then moved it to the SDMC House, which then approved it,&quot; a spokesperson of the SDMC said.

&quot;Since it was a private member resolution, the proposal would now be sent to the Commissioner to be examined, if it is in accordance with the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act,&quot; he said, adding, &quot;He may accept or reject it&quot;.

South Delhi is home to many eateries and restaurants selling meat products in areas including Hauz Khas, New Friends&#39; Colony, Kamal Cinema in Safdarjung Green Park, Amar Colony Market near Lajpat Nagar. Display of skewered kebabs and shawarma is a common sight at eating joints selling meat in various parts of Delhi.

The proposal has drawn a sharp reaction from political parties and the medical fraternity.

Abhishek Dutt, Congress councillor and leader of his party in the SDMC House, said, &quot;This is an interference in people&#39;s personal lives. Just because the BJP has majority in the House it cannot make such dictatorial decisions. If it&#39;s related to hygiene they should challan those flouting rules. What is the need for bringing in such a blanket ban,&quot; he said.

Dutt added that they had opposed the move but due to the BJP&#39;s majority in the House, it was approved.

Praveen Shankar Kapoor, Delhi BJP spokesperson, said that the move was taken from public health angle and maintained that there would be no curbs on the sale of non-vegetarian food.

The AAP reacted cautiously to the move, and Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, a party spokesperson, said that the proposal should be discussed and AAP councillors would share their views on the matter.

The Indian Medical Association raised an objection to the proposal, saying any food has to be hygienic, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

&quot;We do not find any rational behind the move that prohibits display of only non-vegetarian food outside shops, restaurants. If contamination of food is the concern then why keep out vegetarian food and snacks out of this order,&quot; IMA President K K Aggarwal said.

A restaurant owner in south Delhi&#39;s Amar Colony area, who did not wish to be named, said that the move was &quot;fine from hygiene perspective&quot;, but the civic body should &quot;offer a solution&quot; to these eateries and tell them how should it be displayed properly, instead of just proposing a ban.

&quot;Also, the argument that sight of non-veg food offends sentiments of people does not hold water,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

The proposal holds for 'both raw and cooked meat' of all kinds, displayed by shop-owners right outside of their shops, said BJP-ruled SDMC House

Scrumptious seekh kebabs on skewers and juicy chicken tikkas spread in front of food stalls to draw meat-loving customers may soon have to be relegated to inside shelves in south Delhi, as the area's civic body has proposed a ban on their display in the open. The proposal was brought in the BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) House in its meeting recently and was approved by it, Leader of House Shikha Rai said, adding that hygiene and "sentiments of people affected by the sight" of meat were the main reasons behind the move. The proposal holds for "both raw and cooked meat" of all kinds, displayed by shop-owners right outside of their shops, he said. "It was a private member resolution originally moved by a councillor from Kakrola village in Najafgarh Zone in the Health Committee meeting. The committee then moved it to the SDMC House, which then approved it," a spokesperson of the SDMC said. "Since it was a private member resolution, the proposal would now be sent to the Commissioner to be examined, if it is in accordance with the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act," he said, adding, "He may accept or reject it". South Delhi is home to many eateries and restaurants selling meat products in areas including Hauz Khas, New Friends' Colony, Kamal Cinema in Safdarjung Green Park, Amar Colony Market near Lajpat Nagar. Display of skewered kebabs and shawarma is a common sight at eating joints selling meat in various parts of Delhi. The proposal has drawn a sharp reaction from political parties and the medical fraternity. Abhishek Dutt, Congress councillor and leader of his party in the SDMC House, said, "This is an interference in people's personal lives. Just because the BJP has majority in the House it cannot make such dictatorial decisions. If it's related to hygiene they should challan those flouting rules. What is the need for bringing in such a blanket ban," he said. Dutt added that they had opposed the move but due to the BJP's majority in the House, it was approved. Praveen Shankar Kapoor, Delhi BJP spokesperson, said that the move was taken from public health angle and maintained that there would be no curbs on the sale of non-vegetarian food. The AAP reacted cautiously to the move, and Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, a party spokesperson, said that the proposal should be discussed and AAP councillors would share their views on the matter. The Indian Medical Association raised an objection to the proposal, saying any food has to be hygienic, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian. "We do not find any rational behind the move that prohibits display of only non-vegetarian food outside shops, restaurants. If contamination of food is the concern then why keep out vegetarian food and snacks out of this order," IMA President K K Aggarwal said. A restaurant owner in south Delhi's Amar Colony area, who did not wish to be named, said that the move was "fine from hygiene perspective", but the civic body should "offer a solution" to these eateries and tell them how should it be displayed properly, instead of just proposing a ban. "Also, the argument that sight of non-veg food offends sentiments of people does not hold water," he said.

Delhi civic body proposes ban on display of non-veg food outside eateries

Coordinated action to combat stubble burning, commissioning studies and launch of a hotline and an app to report violations are some of the measures in the 12-point draft plan formulated by a high-level task force to combat air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.

The draft action plan also calls for formulating a journey planner app which integrates the Metro, the DIMTS and the DTC services and integrated ticketing across the DTC, cluster and metro within six months.

The high-level task force headed by the principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formulated the draft Air Action Plan ? Abatement of Air Pollution in the Delhi NCR and has invited suggestions in 15 days to make it more &quot;effective and practical&quot;.

&quot;The action plan lists key actions that the task force will monitor. It is recognised that the agencies responsible for the various determinants of air quality will take a number of other steps based on their assessment of need.

&quot;The secretary, MoEF will be responsible for overall coordination of the action agenda,&quot; said the draft which has been put up on the Environment Ministrys website.

The draft proposes coordinated action to combat stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and also monitor enforcement measures to reduce stubble burning.

It also calls for implementing rollout of a plan for properly disposing of crop stubble and ensuring that independent data on stubble burning is available in real time in collaboration with department of science and technology among others.

The plan says that in collaboration with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), it should be ensured that the Delhi-NCR has an adequate network of air quality monitoring stations.

&quot;Commission and validate source attribution studies for the NCR (annually). Set up an anti-pollution helpline in the NCR districts to register complaints of specific violations.

&quot;A pollution app should also be prepared wherein citizens can take a picture of the violation and upload it for quick remedial action,&quot; the plan said.

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The deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR means that babies in the region are inhaling a cigarette the moment they are born. (WION Web Team)
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For power plants in the NCR region, it calls for NOx curtailment measures in a time-bound manner by the NTPC and other operators and asks the Environment Ministry to develop a Dashboard of all the Red Category polluting units in the NCR.

Each of these units should install a certified pollution meter within their premises, it said.

&quot;Strict action should be taken regarding brick kilns operating in the NCR, especially in areas like Bagpat (UP), Jhajjar (Haryana) without environmental clearance. Enforce all brick kilns to migrate to zig-zag technology,&quot; the draft said.

Noting that mechanised road sweeping is about 15 per cent in Delhi, the draft plan also says that it should be increased to at least 40 per cent in the next four months.

It also asks the Delhi PWD, the Irrigation Department and the MCDs to take up green paving of central verges, roadside berms, sides of drains, over the next one year with monitorable targets.

It has asked the corporations in Delhi to reduce dust and ensure that SoPs are followed at construction sites in terms of curtaining and sprinkling water among other measures.

The draft also asks for procurement of additional buses and improvement of last mile connectivity while increasing the number of metro coaches.

&quot;Ensure that non-destined trucks do not enter Delhi. Ensure compliance of the toll and municipal charges for entering of trucks in Delhi,&quot; the draft said.

The draft also asks divisional commissioners to assess the management of municipal solid waste in their jurisdictions and within 15 days, prepare a plan to ensure 100 per cent collection and processing.

&quot;The plan must have monitorable timelines and an independent verification mechanism. Steps will be taken to combat road dust and dust arising from construction activities, broadly following the model set by Delhi,&quot; it said.

It also asks for completion of Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways within target dates.

&quot;Encouraging electric vehicles and promoting shared and connected mobility. Policy support to encourage electric vehicles, prioritising the use of EVs for public transport and promoting shared and connected mobility.

&quot;In collaboration with the traffic police, identify choke points and take up projects to reduce congestion at these points. Similar exercise may be done in respect of Meerut, Rohtak and Gurugram divisions,&quot; the draft says.

In the draft, the MCDs have also been asked to increase decentralised processing of bio-degradable waste and to fill the gap between the waste collected and processed.

&quot;An independent verification mechanism should be set up to check whether 100 per cent solid waste is actually being collected--with specific focus on poor communities such as slums and JJ clusters,&quot; it said.

The draft also calls for steps to be taken to ensure that no fires break out at sanitary landfills among others.

The draft action plan also calls for formulating a journey planner app which integrates the Metro, the DIMTS and the DTC services

Coordinated action to combat stubble burning, commissioning studies and launch of a hotline and an app to report violations are some of the measures in the 12-point draft plan formulated by a high-level task force to combat air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. The draft action plan also calls for formulating a journey planner app which integrates the Metro, the DIMTS and the DTC services and integrated ticketing across the DTC, cluster and metro within six months. The high-level task force headed by the principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has formulated the draft Air Action Plan ? Abatement of Air Pollution in the Delhi NCR and has invited suggestions in 15 days to make it more "effective and practical". "The action plan lists key actions that the task force will monitor. It is recognised that the agencies responsible for the various determinants of air quality will take a number of other steps based on their assessment of need. "The secretary, MoEF will be responsible for overall coordination of the action agenda," said the draft which has been put up on the Environment Ministrys website. The draft proposes coordinated action to combat stubble burning in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and also monitor enforcement measures to reduce stubble burning. It also calls for implementing rollout of a plan for properly disposing of crop stubble and ensuring that independent data on stubble burning is available in real time in collaboration with department of science and technology among others. The plan says that in collaboration with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), it should be ensured that the Delhi-NCR has an adequate network of air quality monitoring stations. "Commission and validate source attribution studies for the NCR (annually). Set up an anti-pollution helpline in the NCR districts to register complaints of specific violations. "A pollution app should also be prepared wherein citizens can take a picture of the violation and upload it for quick remedial action," the plan said. The deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR means that babies in the region are inhaling a cigarette the moment they are born. (WION Web Team) × For power plants in the NCR region, it calls for NOx curtailment measures in a time-bound manner by the NTPC and other operators and asks the Environment Ministry to develop a Dashboard of all the Red Category polluting units in the NCR. Each of these units should install a certified pollution meter within their premises, it said. "Strict action should be taken regarding brick kilns operating in the NCR, especially in areas like Bagpat (UP), Jhajjar (Haryana) without environmental clearance. Enforce all brick kilns to migrate to zig-zag technology," the draft said. Noting that mechanised road sweeping is about 15 per cent in Delhi, the draft plan also says that it should be increased to at least 40 per cent in the next four months. It also asks the Delhi PWD, the Irrigation Department and the MCDs to take up green paving of central verges, roadside berms, sides of drains, over the next one year with monitorable targets. It has asked the corporations in Delhi to reduce dust and ensure that SoPs are followed at construction sites in terms of curtaining and sprinkling water among other measures. The draft also asks for procurement of additional buses and improvement of last mile connectivity while increasing the number of metro coaches. "Ensure that non-destined trucks do not enter Delhi. Ensure compliance of the toll and municipal charges for entering of trucks in Delhi," the draft said. The draft also asks divisional commissioners to assess the management of municipal solid waste in their jurisdictions and within 15 days, prepare a plan to ensure 100 per cent collection and processing. "The plan must have monitorable timelines and an independent verification mechanism. Steps will be taken to combat road dust and dust arising from construction activities, broadly following the model set by Delhi," it said. It also asks for completion of Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways within target dates. "Encouraging electric vehicles and promoting shared and connected mobility. Policy support to encourage electric vehicles, prioritising the use of EVs for public transport and promoting shared and connected mobility. "In collaboration with the traffic police, identify choke points and take up projects to reduce congestion at these points. Similar exercise may be done in respect of Meerut, Rohtak and Gurugram divisions," the draft says. In the draft, the MCDs have also been asked to increase decentralised processing of bio-degradable waste and to fill the gap between the waste collected and processed. "An independent verification mechanism should be set up to check whether 100 per cent solid waste is actually being collected--with specific focus on poor communities such as slums and JJ clusters," it said. The draft also calls for steps to be taken to ensure that no fires break out at sanitary landfills among others.

12-point draft plan formulated to combat air pollution in Delhi-NCR

There is an excitement in the air! Yes, it&rsquo;s that time of the year when families come together to celebrate the Christmas spirit and enjoy holidays.

In my host organisation&nbsp;Indus Action, it&rsquo;s campaign season, and the entire organization is gearing for intense hard work for the coming few months so that eligible children do not miss out on their right to education due to lack of information.

In my&nbsp;last blog, I had shared my host organisation&rsquo;s aim to enroll 1 million kids by ensuring effective implementation of the Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education Act (RTE). This provision mandates that unaided private schools reserve at least 25% of their entry level seats for children belonging to the disadvantaged and weaker groups. Though often debated, this provision aims to promote inclusion in the society through the young change-makers in the classrooms.

As I become acquainted with the campaign process, I understand that Indus Action works at two levels &ndash; community and the government &ndash; to ensure that the campaigns are successful.&nbsp;

The campaign season, which usually starts 3-4 months prior the admission process, involves intense awareness generation about this provision, especially at the community level,&nbsp; so that eligible families are able to avail its benefit.&nbsp;The organisation&rsquo;s missed call helpline and community calling banks are vital tools to disseminate information to the people about the entire admission process, which includes follow ups with eligible families, informing them about the benefits of this provision, the documents required, application dates, lottery dates and support once selected in the lottery. They also are useful in collecting data on the number of eligible families and successful enrollments.

When the admission cycle starts, help-desks and application centres are set up to ensure that parents and eligible families get adequate support to fill the application online. These application centers are within the community and managed by individuals, who have been trained by the organisation, so that the support available is also easily accessible by the eligible families. These become important as most of the time, families who are not internet savvy or aware of online application system, spend a lot of time and resources in getting an online application filled.

Collaboration with the government is central to the efforts of the organisation, as their belief is to not blame the system, but rather ironing out the creases to make it more efficient. The government support can help to expand the reach and impact of the efforts. The governments (through state-level partnerships) in turn are supported to adopt technology to strengthen their online system for increased transparency in filling applications, lottery system, tracking of students admitted and a database of schools, along with grievance redressal mechanism and user friendly procedures. These, once set in motion, will make the states capable to adapt the technology to implement other policies as well.

Indus Action is aiming to make the entire admission process as cost effective as possible. As CEO Tarun Cherukuri shared during one of our weekly meetings: in the first campaign in 2013, they got 160 children enrolled in @INR 20,000 per child! Whereas last year, more than 30,000 children were enrolled into private schools under this provision for about INR 200 per child, across 5 states through its Partner Entrepreneur Network in Bangalore, Delhi, Lucknow, Pune, and Raipur.

The ambitious target for this campaign season 2017-2018, is to enroll more than 3 lakh children in private schools across India, and 1 million children by 2020.

People face innumerable barriers like poverty, caste, class, gender, disability, religion, race, among others. Because of these social barriers, they lack the access to information about their own rights of which they are them deprived of. Indus Action for me is a bridge leading people to access information about their legislated rights. Children from disadvantaged communities also face barriers because their parents do not have access to information about the Section 12(1)(c), which mandates that the private schools reserve 25% of their seats for such children. This is the provision on which Indus Action is currently focused on with the aim of enrolling 1 million children into schools under this provision.

This&nbsp;article&nbsp;was originally published on 9/12/2017 on&nbsp;American India Foundation

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

&nbsp;

Children from disadvantaged communities who face barriers because their parents do not have access to information about the Section 12(1)(c), which mandates that the private schools reserve 25% of their seats for such children.

There is an excitement in the air! Yes, it’s that time of the year when families come together to celebrate the Christmas spirit and enjoy holidays. In my host organisation Indus Action, it’s campaign season, and the entire organization is gearing for intense hard work for the coming few months so that eligible children do not miss out on their right to education due to lack of information. In my last blog, I had shared my host organisation’s aim to enroll 1 million kids by ensuring effective implementation of the Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education Act (RTE). This provision mandates that unaided private schools reserve at least 25% of their entry level seats for children belonging to the disadvantaged and weaker groups. Though often debated, this provision aims to promote inclusion in the society through the young change-makers in the classrooms. As I become acquainted with the campaign process, I understand that Indus Action works at two levels – community and the government – to ensure that the campaigns are successful. The campaign season, which usually starts 3-4 months prior the admission process, involves intense awareness generation about this provision, especially at the community level, so that eligible families are able to avail its benefit. The organisation’s missed call helpline and community calling banks are vital tools to disseminate information to the people about the entire admission process, which includes follow ups with eligible families, informing them about the benefits of this provision, the documents required, application dates, lottery dates and support once selected in the lottery. They also are useful in collecting data on the number of eligible families and successful enrollments. When the admission cycle starts, help-desks and application centres are set up to ensure that parents and eligible families get adequate support to fill the application online. These application centers are within the community and managed by individuals, who have been trained by the organisation, so that the support available is also easily accessible by the eligible families. These become important as most of the time, families who are not internet savvy or aware of online application system, spend a lot of time and resources in getting an online application filled. Collaboration with the government is central to the efforts of the organisation, as their belief is to not blame the system, but rather ironing out the creases to make it more efficient. The government support can help to expand the reach and impact of the efforts. The governments (through state-level partnerships) in turn are supported to adopt technology to strengthen their online system for increased transparency in filling applications, lottery system, tracking of students admitted and a database of schools, along with grievance redressal mechanism and user friendly procedures. These, once set in motion, will make the states capable to adapt the technology to implement other policies as well. Indus Action is aiming to make the entire admission process as cost effective as possible. As CEO Tarun Cherukuri shared during one of our weekly meetings: in the first campaign in 2013, they got 160 children enrolled in @INR 20,000 per child! Whereas last year, more than 30,000 children were enrolled into private schools under this provision for about INR 200 per child, across 5 states through its Partner Entrepreneur Network in Bangalore, Delhi, Lucknow, Pune, and Raipur. The ambitious target for this campaign season 2017-2018, is to enroll more than 3 lakh children in private schools across India, and 1 million children by 2020. People face innumerable barriers like poverty, caste, class, gender, disability, religion, race, among others. Because of these social barriers, they lack the access to information about their own rights of which they are them deprived of. Indus Action for me is a bridge leading people to access information about their legislated rights. Children from disadvantaged communities also face barriers because their parents do not have access to information about the Section 12(1)(c), which mandates that the private schools reserve 25% of their seats for such children. This is the provision on which Indus Action is currently focused on with the aim of enrolling 1 million children into schools under this provision. This article was originally published on 9/12/2017 on American India Foundation (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion:  Will all kids go to school as Delhi starts nursery admission?

Opposition parties today slammed Delhi&#39;s AAP government over <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-jal-board-hikes-water-tariff-on-consumption-over-20000-litres-27749">the increase in water and sewer charges</a>, with the BJP calling it an &quot;irresponsible&quot; decision and the Congress accusing the ruling party of &quot;breaking&quot; its poll promises.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari met Lt. Gov. Anil Baijal after the Delhi Jal Board earlier today approved a combined 20 per cent hike in water and sewer charges for consumption above 20,000 litres a month, effective from February 2018. Tiwari sought Baijal&#39;s intervention in the matter.

&quot;The decision to raise water and sewer charges by 20 per cent is an irresponsible action of the government,&quot; he said. 
Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta too urged Baijal to ask Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to rollback the hike.

&quot;The man who is raising a hue and cry over the increase in the fares of the Delhi Metro shows no scruple in hiking (water and sewer) tariff by 20 per cent,&quot; Gupta said.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said the AAP was going back on the promises it had made to the people before coming to power.

&quot;The Kejriwal government has been systematically breaking all its elections promises as within days after coming to power in 2015, water charges were hiked by 10 per cent,&quot; Maken said.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the SAD-BJP MLA, said the hike was a &quot;betrayal&quot; by the AAP government.

&quot;Resorting to increase in charges of necessities of daily life Kejriwal has failed to keep his promises of providing cheaper services in Delhi,&quot; Sirsa said in a statement.&nbsp;

The increase will be applicable for water consumption over 20,000 litres in a month

Opposition parties today slammed Delhi's AAP government over the increase in water and sewer charges, with the BJP calling it an "irresponsible" decision and the Congress accusing the ruling party of "breaking" its poll promises. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari met Lt. Gov. Anil Baijal after the Delhi Jal Board earlier today approved a combined 20 per cent hike in water and sewer charges for consumption above 20,000 litres a month, effective from February 2018. Tiwari sought Baijal's intervention in the matter. "The decision to raise water and sewer charges by 20 per cent is an irresponsible action of the government," he said. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta too urged Baijal to ask Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to rollback the hike. "The man who is raising a hue and cry over the increase in the fares of the Delhi Metro shows no scruple in hiking (water and sewer) tariff by 20 per cent," Gupta said. Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said the AAP was going back on the promises it had made to the people before coming to power. "The Kejriwal government has been systematically breaking all its elections promises as within days after coming to power in 2015, water charges were hiked by 10 per cent," Maken said. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the SAD-BJP MLA, said the hike was a "betrayal" by the AAP government. "Resorting to increase in charges of necessities of daily life Kejriwal has failed to keep his promises of providing cheaper services in Delhi," Sirsa said in a statement.

Opposition slams Delhi government for hiking water, sewer tariffs

Days after 41 girls were&nbsp;rescued from <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/head-of-rohini-ashram-where-girls-were-abused-faces-delhi-high-court-wrath-27458" target="_blank">Rohini ashram</a>, more girls have been released from the ashram.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Delhi: More girls being released from ashram owned by Baba Virender Dev Dikshit in Rohini after 41 girls allegedly kept under illegal confinement at the ashram were rescued earlier this week <a href="https://t.co/SSwQtMxdgq">pic.twitter.com/SSwQtMxdgq</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/944492191623266304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya ashram had illegally confined minor girls and women in &quot;animal-like&nbsp;conditions&quot;. A raid conducted earlier this week revealed that the girls had no privacy even for bathing.

Massive stock of medicines and syringes were also recovered in the raids.&nbsp;

Earlier the Delhi High Court had indicated that a warrant should be issued against the head of the Ashram in Rohini.

The court initiated a probe after a PIL was filed by NGO foundation for Social Empowerment informing that several minors and women were illegally confined.&nbsp;

The high court had said that the warrant&nbsp;will be issued against the head, Virender Dev Dikshit, if details of the ashram are not submitted.&nbsp;

The court has asked that if the girls were not illegally confined why were they kept behind locked doors.&nbsp;The bench also wanted an answer as to why the founder was not making an appearance if he is genuine and honest.

The ashram is owned by self-styled&nbsp;godman Baba Virendra Dev.&nbsp;

According to media&nbsp;reports, Baba Virendra Dev Dikshit considers himself to be an incarnation of Lord Krishna. He had the obsession of surrounding&nbsp;himself with 16,000 women, to match the belief that Lord Krishna had same&nbsp;number of wives.

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&nbsp;

Days after 41 girls were?rescued from the Rohini ashram, more girls have been released from the ashram

Days after 41 girls were rescued from Rohini ashram, more girls have been released from the ashram. Delhi: More girls being released from ashram owned by Baba Virender Dev Dikshit in Rohini after 41 girls allegedly kept under illegal confinement at the ashram were rescued earlier this week pic.twitter.com/SSwQtMxdgq — ANI (@ANI) December 23, 2017 × The Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya ashram had illegally confined minor girls and women in "animal-like conditions". A raid conducted earlier this week revealed that the girls had no privacy even for bathing. Massive stock of medicines and syringes were also recovered in the raids. Earlier the Delhi High Court had indicated that a warrant should be issued against the head of the Ashram in Rohini. The court initiated a probe after a PIL was filed by NGO foundation for Social Empowerment informing that several minors and women were illegally confined. The high court had said that the warrant will be issued against the head, Virender Dev Dikshit, if details of the ashram are not submitted. The court has asked that if the girls were not illegally confined why were they kept behind locked doors. The bench also wanted an answer as to why the founder was not making an appearance if he is genuine and honest. The ashram is owned by self-styled godman Baba Virendra Dev. According to media reports, Baba Virendra Dev Dikshit considers himself to be an incarnation of Lord Krishna. He had the obsession of surrounding himself with 16,000 women, to match the belief that Lord Krishna had same number of wives.

More girls rescued from Delhi ashram

The Delhi High Court has indicated that a warrant should be issued against the head of the Ashram in Rohini.

The&nbsp;court&#39;s move came after a probe was conducted into a&nbsp;matter&nbsp;by CBI.

A&nbsp;case of alleged sexual assault of women/minor girls in a residential facility of Ashram was notified to the court by a PIL.

The PIL was filed by NGO foundation for Social Empowerment and it informed that several minors and women were illegally confined.&nbsp;

The high court said that the warrant&nbsp;will be issued against the head, Virender Dev Dikshit, if details of the ashram are not submitted.&nbsp;

The court has asked that if the girls were not illegally confined why were they kept behind locked doors.&nbsp;The bench also wanted an answer as to why the founder was not making an appearance if he is genuine and honest.

The High Cout has also put an enquiry asking the financial status and the source of funding of the ashram.&nbsp;The court has also asked for a quick response related to a list of all eight ashrams of Virendra Dev Dikshit. The court also questioned the meditation being taught if the inmates are being forcibly kept in prison-like conditions.&nbsp;

A resident residing in the area has said that several complaints were taken to the police in the last 20-22 years, however, nothing was availed.&nbsp;

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In the last 20-22 years, numerous complainants have approached the Police, but to no avail. I was also threatened for raising my voice in the media, but I was not afraid,wanted to save innocent girls: Neighbour of Baba Virendra Dev Dikshit&#39;s Ashram in Delhi&#39;s Rohini <a href="https://t.co/10Suhe2uW8">pic.twitter.com/10Suhe2uW8</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/944098073361260544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2017</a></blockquote>
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A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar has asked the founder of the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya in North Delhi Rohini to appear before January 4.&nbsp;

The High court had initiated a CBI investigation into the matter after claims had surfaced saying that girls and women were put under illegal confinement in an &quot; animal-like&quot; condition behind metal doors in a &quot;Fortress&quot; surrounded by barbed wires.&nbsp;

(With input&nbsp;from agencies)&nbsp;

A?case of alleged sexual assault of women/minor girls in a residential facility of Ashram was notified to the court by a PIL

The Delhi High Court has indicated that a warrant should be issued against the head of the Ashram in Rohini. The court's move came after a probe was conducted into a matter by CBI. A case of alleged sexual assault of women/minor girls in a residential facility of Ashram was notified to the court by a PIL. The PIL was filed by NGO foundation for Social Empowerment and it informed that several minors and women were illegally confined. The high court said that the warrant will be issued against the head, Virender Dev Dikshit, if details of the ashram are not submitted. The court has asked that if the girls were not illegally confined why were they kept behind locked doors. The bench also wanted an answer as to why the founder was not making an appearance if he is genuine and honest. The High Cout has also put an enquiry asking the financial status and the source of funding of the ashram. The court has also asked for a quick response related to a list of all eight ashrams of Virendra Dev Dikshit. The court also questioned the meditation being taught if the inmates are being forcibly kept in prison-like conditions. A resident residing in the area has said that several complaints were taken to the police in the last 20-22 years, however, nothing was availed. In the last 20-22 years, numerous complainants have approached the Police, but to no avail. I was also threatened for raising my voice in the media, but I was not afraid,wanted to save innocent girls: Neighbour of Baba Virendra Dev Dikshit's Ashram in Delhi's Rohini pic.twitter.com/10Suhe2uW8 — ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2017 × A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar has asked the founder of the Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya in North Delhi Rohini to appear before January 4. The High court had initiated a CBI investigation into the matter after claims had surfaced saying that girls and women were put under illegal confinement in an " animal-like" condition behind metal doors in a "Fortress" surrounded by barbed wires. (With input from agencies)

Head of Rohini ashram where girls were abused faces Delhi High Court wrath

Delhi&#39;s much-talked about &quot;anti-smog gun&quot; failed to do very much.&nbsp;

The gun was rolled out and &quot;atomised water&quot; water fired from it at Anand Vihar ISBT on Wednesday but PTI reported that PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels continued to rise.&nbsp;

The gun was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-government-to-test-anti-smog-gun-today-27242" target="_blank">thrown into battle</a> around 10 am.&nbsp;

But, PTI reported, the hourly readings of PM 2.5 between 10 am and 2 pm were: 444, 421, 476, 509 and 460&nbsp;micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3)&nbsp;

The hourly readings of PM 10 were 630, 608, 736, 842 and 702.

The 24-hour prescribed limits of the ultra-fine pollutants, which trigger respiratory and cardiovascular issues, are 60 and 100 respectively.

The anti-smog gun is attached to a water tanker, and shoots out tiny droplets of water -- atomised water -- as high as 50 metres.&nbsp;

It is hoped tiny pollutants (like PM 2.5 and 10) will then stick to the droplets and fall back to the ground, cleaning out the air somewhat like rain does.&nbsp;

Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain was at the trial.

He said the government would take a call on whether to use the gun elsewhere in the city after monitoring data collected by a Delhi Pollution Control Committee team.&nbsp;

The gun costs like Rs 20 lakh a piece.&nbsp;

The gun, which shoots out tiny droplets of water as high as 50 metres, was rolled out for a trial at Anand Vihar ?SBT today

Delhi's much-talked about "anti-smog gun" failed to do very much. The gun was rolled out and "atomised water" water fired from it at Anand Vihar ISBT on Wednesday but PTI reported that PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels continued to rise. The gun was thrown into battle around 10 am. But, PTI reported, the hourly readings of PM 2.5 between 10 am and 2 pm were: 444, 421, 476, 509 and 460 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) The hourly readings of PM 10 were 630, 608, 736, 842 and 702. The 24-hour prescribed limits of the ultra-fine pollutants, which trigger respiratory and cardiovascular issues, are 60 and 100 respectively. The anti-smog gun is attached to a water tanker, and shoots out tiny droplets of water -- atomised water -- as high as 50 metres. It is hoped tiny pollutants (like PM 2.5 and 10) will then stick to the droplets and fall back to the ground, cleaning out the air somewhat like rain does. Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain was at the trial. He said the government would take a call on whether to use the gun elsewhere in the city after monitoring data collected by a Delhi Pollution Control Committee team. The gun costs like Rs 20 lakh a piece.

Failure: Delhi's 'anti-smog gun'

By Sparshita&nbsp;Saxena

Undeniably, India is country that runs on &#39;chai&#39;. Between umpteen variants that lace the numerous chai stalls and sophisticated &#39;Cha bars&#39; of the country, one thing that remains constant is the sentiment associated with the drink.

India&#39;s love for tea is reinstated when the beverage is consumed enthusiastically even when the mercury soars during scorching Indian summers.&nbsp;

December 15 is observed as a day dedicated to the love of tea, celebrating the passion shared by tea-lovers all across the globe. Chai lovers, food enthusiasts, celebrated Chefs and eminent personalities took to Twitter to express their views on the International Tea Day.

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Indian tea came from a tea plant indigenous to India, that grew wild in areas of Assam adjacent to China. Our culture of adding milk &amp; spices to tea is believed to have started with an effort to make tea more warming and to cut down acidity.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalTeaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InternationalTeaDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Storiesin280?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Storiesin280</a>
&mdash; Ranveer Brar (@ranveerbrar) <a href="https://twitter.com/ranveerbrar/status/941561071835406336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Today is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalTeaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InternationalTeaDay</a> - The first one was celebrated in New Delhi in 2005 Cheers to that! Nothing better than some Garam Chai - It doesn&rsquo;t matter what time of the day is! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeaLove?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeaLove</a> <a href="https://t.co/pUTkabK2ww">pic.twitter.com/pUTkabK2ww</a>
&mdash; Ajay Chopra (@mchefajaychopra) <a href="https://twitter.com/mchefajaychopra/status/941537065178746880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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For the love of ek cutting chai ??<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InternationalTeaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InternationalTeaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/7P6Iicyfxn">https://t.co/7P6Iicyfxn</a>
&mdash; Sanjeev Kapoor (@SanjeevKapoor) <a href="https://twitter.com/SanjeevKapoor/status/941558211231956992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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If there is any staunch, die-hard tea-lover reading this piece, we bring to you few cafes in Delhi where your cup of tea promises to range from exquisite to unmistakably soothing. Take a look!

Jugmug Thela

From herbal infusions, iced teas to the regular masala chai fair and gourmet varieties, this place offers potions that you cannot turn down and some scrummy cakes and tidbits to go along.&nbsp;

Where: Shed 4, Khasra 258, Behind Kuldeep House, Lane 3, Westend Marg, Saidulajab, Near Saket, New Delhi

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BP9MNNKFoAj/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">No romance like that of piping hot chai and a chilly winter morning in the hills. In the absence of hills, come by our cafe for the next best chai. experience. :-) #Repost @reteshgondal ??? Winter rain and early morning hot Indian ginger masala chai! Bliss!! #tea #chai #incredibleindia #bliss #morning #winter #hot #beverage #ginger #slowmotion #video #travel #traveldiaries #travelgram #roadtrip #enroute #tirthanvalley #rajuscottage #himachal #masalachai #cafe #streetsidecafe #chaiwallah #jugmuglove #vegetarian #vegan #healthy #fitfam</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="&lt;Macro 'profile_link'&gt;" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Jugmug Thela</a> (@jugmugthela) on <time datetime="2017-02-01T04:47:29+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jan 31, 2017 at 8:47pm PST</time>
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Anandini Tea Room

Another must visit for a chai-lover, this place lets you take home a selection of gourmet teas, tisanes and festive blends like Saat Ras Masala Chai, Humming Homewards and Firdaus.&nbsp;

Where: 10-A, DDA Flats, Shahpur Jat, Siri Fort, New Delhi - 110049

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BcKb4_Dj0KZ/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Anandini Himalaya Tea and their glistening magic. Find new flavours, feelings and aromas in our new menu. ????? #newmenunewlove</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="&lt;Macro 'profile_link'&gt;" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Anandini Himalaya Tea</a> (@anandini_himalaya_tea) on <time datetime="2017-12-01T14:31:24+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Dec 1, 2017 at 6:31am PST</time>
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Chaayos

This promising cafe has now sprawled all across the city offering over 50 varieties of chai along with a range of lip-smacking snacks.

The &#39;desi chai&#39; here is a bestseller along with Gud wali chai that is a winter special. The food menu is also impressive, difficult to turn down, sure to appease your palate. &nbsp;

Where: Multiple outlets

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BcPd23RnyyI/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Chaayos (@chaayos)</a> on <time datetime="2017-12-03T13:24:47+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Dec 3, 2017 at 5:24am PST</time>
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Oxford Cha Bar

Savour teas from all around the country and arrive at your favourite. Besides the all-time favourite masala tea, the cafe also offers teas from Sikkim, Himachal and Kerala among others. Explore your options from Ayurvedic, herbal, decaf, infused teas and much more.

Where: N-81, Oxford Bookstore, Connaught Place, New Delhi 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

December 15 is observed as a day dedicated to the love of tea, celebrating the passion for the beverage shared by tea-lovers all across the globe

By Sparshita Saxena Undeniably, India is country that runs on 'chai'. Between umpteen variants that lace the numerous chai stalls and sophisticated 'Cha bars' of the country, one thing that remains constant is the sentiment associated with the drink. India's love for tea is reinstated when the beverage is consumed enthusiastically even when the mercury soars during scorching Indian summers. December 15 is observed as a day dedicated to the love of tea, celebrating the passion shared by tea-lovers all across the globe. Chai lovers, food enthusiasts, celebrated Chefs and eminent personalities took to Twitter to express their views on the International Tea Day. Indian tea came from a tea plant indigenous to India, that grew wild in areas of Assam adjacent to China. Our culture of adding milk & spices to tea is believed to have started with an effort to make tea more warming and to cut down acidity.#InternationalTeaDay #Storiesin280 — Ranveer Brar (@ranveerbrar) December 15, 2017 × Today is #InternationalTeaDay - The first one was celebrated in New Delhi in 2005 Cheers to that! Nothing better than some Garam Chai - It doesn’t matter what time of the day is! #TeaLove pic.twitter.com/pUTkabK2ww — Ajay Chopra (@mchefajaychopra) December 15, 2017 × For the love of ek cutting chai ??#InternationalTeaDay https://t.co/7P6Iicyfxn — Sanjeev Kapoor (@SanjeevKapoor) December 15, 2017 × If there is any staunch, die-hard tea-lover reading this piece, we bring to you few cafes in Delhi where your cup of tea promises to range from exquisite to unmistakably soothing. Take a look! Jugmug Thela From herbal infusions, iced teas to the regular masala chai fair and gourmet varieties, this place offers potions that you cannot turn down and some scrummy cakes and tidbits to go along. Where: Shed 4, Khasra 258, Behind Kuldeep House, Lane 3, Westend Marg, Saidulajab, Near Saket, New Delhi No romance like that of piping hot chai and a chilly winter morning in the hills. In the absence of hills, come by our cafe for the next best chai. experience. :-) #Repost @reteshgondal ??? Winter rain and early morning hot Indian ginger masala chai! Bliss!! #tea #chai #incredibleindia #bliss #morning #winter #hot #beverage #ginger #slowmotion #video #travel #traveldiaries #travelgram #roadtrip #enroute #tirthanvalley #rajuscottage #himachal #masalachai #cafe #streetsidecafe #chaiwallah #jugmuglove #vegetarian #vegan #healthy #fitfam A post shared by Jugmug Thela (@jugmugthela) on Jan 31, 2017 at 8:47pm PST × Anandini Tea Room Another must visit for a chai-lover, this place lets you take home a selection of gourmet teas, tisanes and festive blends like Saat Ras Masala Chai, Humming Homewards and Firdaus. Where: 10-A, DDA Flats, Shahpur Jat, Siri Fort, New Delhi - 110049 Anandini Himalaya Tea and their glistening magic. Find new flavours, feelings and aromas in our new menu. ????? #newmenunewlove A post shared by Anandini Himalaya Tea (@anandini_himalaya_tea) on Dec 1, 2017 at 6:31am PST × Chaayos This promising cafe has now sprawled all across the city offering over 50 varieties of chai along with a range of lip-smacking snacks. The 'desi chai' here is a bestseller along with Gud wali chai that is a winter special. The food menu is also impressive, difficult to turn down, sure to appease your palate. Where: Multiple outlets A post shared by Chaayos (@chaayos) on Dec 3, 2017 at 5:24am PST × Oxford Cha Bar Savour teas from all around the country and arrive at your favourite. Besides the all-time favourite masala tea, the cafe also offers teas from Sikkim, Himachal and Kerala among others. Explore your options from Ayurvedic, herbal, decaf, infused teas and much more. Where: N-81, Oxford Bookstore, Connaught Place, New Delhi

International Tea Day 2017: Must visit cafes for your perfect cuppa this winter

Twelve trains were cancelled, two rescheduled and&nbsp;25 trains delayed due to fog as cold wave intensified in the national capital on Friday.&nbsp;

The India Meteorological Department&nbsp;said the minimum temperature in Delhi is likely to be 8 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature will hover around 18 degrees Celsius, five degrees below normal.

The national capital had been experiencing bitter cold for the past few days.

People took refuge at night shelters in Delhi and lit fire to keep themselves warm at several locations.

Earlier on December 13, at least 13 trains were delayed, 10 cancelled and one rescheduled due to foggy weather and low visibility in the national capital. 
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The India Meteorological Department report said the minimum temperature in Delhi to be 8 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature of 18 degrees Celsius.

Twelve trains were cancelled, two rescheduled and 25 trains delayed due to fog as cold wave intensified in the national capital on Friday. The India Meteorological Department said the minimum temperature in Delhi is likely to be 8 degrees Celsius and maximum temperature will hover around 18 degrees Celsius, five degrees below normal. The national capital had been experiencing bitter cold for the past few days. People took refuge at night shelters in Delhi and lit fire to keep themselves warm at several locations. Earlier on December 13, at least 13 trains were delayed, 10 cancelled and one rescheduled due to foggy weather and low visibility in the national capital.

12 trains cancelled, 25 delayed due to fog in Delhi

Lifting&nbsp;the ban put on cement industry in Delhi, the&nbsp;supreme&nbsp;court has allowed the use of&nbsp;petcoke in these industries.

The cement industry can now use petcoke&nbsp;as feedstock.

The court had imposed the ban on the cement industry&nbsp;in November.

The ban was&nbsp;put&nbsp;to keep a check&nbsp;on the&nbsp;level of&nbsp;pollutants in the air.&nbsp;

Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur has issued the exemption order for cement units.&nbsp;

While he also asked the government to frame guidelines for the use of petcoke.

Delhi NCR experienced severe air pollution during the last month. The level of pollutants increased due to stubble burning from neighbouring states.The government along with NGT issued several restrictive&nbsp;measures to improve the quality of air.&nbsp;

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The court had imposed the ban on the cement industry?in November

Lifting the ban put on cement industry in Delhi, the supreme court has allowed the use of petcoke in these industries. The cement industry can now use petcoke as feedstock. The court had imposed the ban on the cement industry in November. The ban was put to keep a check on the level of pollutants in the air. Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur has issued the exemption order for cement units. While he also asked the government to frame guidelines for the use of petcoke. Delhi NCR experienced severe air pollution during the last month. The level of pollutants increased due to stubble burning from neighbouring states.The government along with NGT issued several restrictive measures to improve the quality of air.

As pollution level reduces in Delhi, Supreme Court allows use of petcoke in cement industry

The Delhi High court has rebuked the AAP government over their decision to provide compensation and job to the family of ex-Armyman.

Ex-Armyman Ram Kishan Grewal had committed suicide on November 2016 while protesting against One Rank One Pension (OROP) after which the Delhi government decided to confer the status of&nbsp;&quot;martyr&quot;. The government also assured a sum of Rs 1 crore along with a job to his family.

The Delhi High Court responded to the decision by saying government was &quot;setting a trend - commit suicide and get Rs 1 crore compensation.&quot;

It added, &quot;Imagine you are setting a trend, commit suicide and get Rs 1 crore compensation. And, when you are giving Rs 1 crore compensation to his family, where is the question of compensatory employment?&quot; a bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said.

The court&#39;s rebuke came after two petitions were filed in the court against the Delhi government&#39;s decision to accord the status of martyr to Ram Kishan Grewal.

The court also rejected the two pleas citing that it was premature and not maintainable at this stage. It also added that the Lieutenant Governor was to take a decision on the matter.&nbsp;

The Delhi Government has also announced to declare the Rajasthan based politician cum farmer Gajendra Singh Kalyanwat as a marytr. He had allegedly committed suicide during an anti-land bill rally by AAP at Jantar Mantar on April 22, 2015.

The court again dismissed a plea seeking the rejection of Delhi government&#39;s decision on Gajendra Singh Kalyanwat. The courts&nbsp;dismissal was based on the argument that the petition was devoid of merit and the petitioner was unable to place legal explanation of the term &quot;martyr&quot;

Ex-Armyman Ram Kishan Grewal had committed suicide

The Delhi High court has rebuked the AAP government over their decision to provide compensation and job to the family of ex-Armyman. Ex-Armyman Ram Kishan Grewal had committed suicide on November 2016 while protesting against One Rank One Pension (OROP) after which the Delhi government decided to confer the status of "martyr". The government also assured a sum of Rs 1 crore along with a job to his family. The Delhi High Court responded to the decision by saying government was "setting a trend - commit suicide and get Rs 1 crore compensation." It added, "Imagine you are setting a trend, commit suicide and get Rs 1 crore compensation. And, when you are giving Rs 1 crore compensation to his family, where is the question of compensatory employment?" a bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said. The court's rebuke came after two petitions were filed in the court against the Delhi government's decision to accord the status of martyr to Ram Kishan Grewal. The court also rejected the two pleas citing that it was premature and not maintainable at this stage. It also added that the Lieutenant Governor was to take a decision on the matter. The Delhi Government has also announced to declare the Rajasthan based politician cum farmer Gajendra Singh Kalyanwat as a marytr. He had allegedly committed suicide during an anti-land bill rally by AAP at Jantar Mantar on April 22, 2015. The court again dismissed a plea seeking the rejection of Delhi government's decision on Gajendra Singh Kalyanwat. The courts dismissal was based on the argument that the petition was devoid of merit and the petitioner was unable to place legal explanation of the term "martyr"

Delhi govt setting a trend - commit suicide and get Rs 1 crore compensation: Delhi high court

The body of an African national was found under mysterious circumstances at Mahatma Gandhi (MG) road in New Delhi on Monday.

The identity of the deceased person is yet to be ascertained. A passerby noticed the body and immediately informed the police, who sent the body for post-mortem.

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Body of an African national found at MG Road in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>, this morning. Identity yet to be ascertained.
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/940077085812387840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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As per reports, there are no visible injury marks on the body but reports say&nbsp;unnatural death is suspected.

Earlier in the year, there were&nbsp;a series of racial attacks on Africans in Delhi and adjoining areas.&nbsp; 
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The identity of the deceased person is yet to be ascertained.

The body of an African national was found under mysterious circumstances at Mahatma Gandhi (MG) road in New Delhi on Monday. The identity of the deceased person is yet to be ascertained. A passerby noticed the body and immediately informed the police, who sent the body for post-mortem. Body of an African national found at MG Road in #Delhi, this morning. Identity yet to be ascertained. — ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2017 × As per reports, there are no visible injury marks on the body but reports say unnatural death is suspected. Earlier in the year, there were a series of racial attacks on Africans in Delhi and adjoining areas.

African national found dead under mysterious circumstances at MG Road

In another case of medical negligence, a man has held responsible&nbsp;BL Kapur Super Speciality Hospital in Karol Bagh, New Delhi for the death of his daughter.&nbsp;

The man alleges that his daughter passed away at the hospital due to alleged medical negligence.

He said his daughter fell sick and experienced breathing&nbsp;problems and severe headache after undergoing surgery in the hospital. While the doctors consistently said that all that was normal, reports said.&nbsp;

The girl had undergone&nbsp;a transplant surgery in the hospital.&nbsp;

The doctors later shifted the girl to ICU claiming that her symptoms were a&nbsp;result of infection.&nbsp;The father added that even after shifting her to the ICU, the doctors assured him that everything was normal.

The father said &quot;what was more shocking was when the doctors said now she will have to be shifted to a ventilator because of breathing issues. They said that this is a normal process so don&#39;t worry,&quot; media reports quoted him as saying.

The father has stated that the hospital was at&nbsp;fault.

The girl died on November 25th.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>: Man alleges his daughter passed away at BL Kapur Super Speciality Hospital in Karol Bagh due to alleged medical negligence. <a href="https://t.co/llwxWycVvk">pic.twitter.com/llwxWycVvk</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/939882255119290368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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A few days later, doctors said that they will have to shift her to ICU as she had some infection. And what was most shocking was when the doctors said now she will have to be shifted to ventilator because of breathing issues. They said this is normal process so don&#39;t worry:Father <a href="https://t.co/JkN2Emhh6h">pic.twitter.com/JkN2Emhh6h</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/939883646160273409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The incident has added to the deaths that have occurred&nbsp;in the Delhi-NCR region due to medical negligence.&nbsp;

The Delhi government recently&nbsp;cancelled the licence of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/max-hospital-found-guilty-of-medical-negligence-report-25974" target="_blank">Max Hospital at Shalimar Bagh </a>after the hospital incorrectly declared a newborn dead and handed over the baby to the parents in a plastic bag.

Also, an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/haryana-health-department-registers-fir-against-fortis-hospital-26358" target="_blank">FIR has been registered against Gurugram Fortis hospital</a> in the dengue death case.

The Haryana health department has registered an FIR under Section 304(2) of the Indian Penal Code. The hospital had charged an exorbitant amount for a dengue patient, who died later.

The parents of the victim claimed that the hospital staff kept their daughter on the ventilator for three days even after she had stopped responding to the treatment.

In another case of medical negligence, a man has held responsible?BL Kapur Super Speciality Hospital in Karol Bagh, New Delhi for the death of his daughter

In another case of medical negligence, a man has held responsible BL Kapur Super Speciality Hospital in Karol Bagh, New Delhi for the death of his daughter. The man alleges that his daughter passed away at the hospital due to alleged medical negligence. He said his daughter fell sick and experienced breathing problems and severe headache after undergoing surgery in the hospital. While the doctors consistently said that all that was normal, reports said. The girl had undergone a transplant surgery in the hospital. The doctors later shifted the girl to ICU claiming that her symptoms were a result of infection. The father added that even after shifting her to the ICU, the doctors assured him that everything was normal. The father said "what was more shocking was when the doctors said now she will have to be shifted to a ventilator because of breathing issues. They said that this is a normal process so don't worry," media reports quoted him as saying. The father has stated that the hospital was at fault. The girl died on November 25th. #Delhi: Man alleges his daughter passed away at BL Kapur Super Speciality Hospital in Karol Bagh due to alleged medical negligence. pic.twitter.com/llwxWycVvk — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2017 × A few days later, doctors said that they will have to shift her to ICU as she had some infection. And what was most shocking was when the doctors said now she will have to be shifted to ventilator because of breathing issues. They said this is normal process so don't worry:Father pic.twitter.com/JkN2Emhh6h — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2017 × The incident has added to the deaths that have occurred in the Delhi-NCR region due to medical negligence. The Delhi government recently cancelled the licence of Max Hospital at Shalimar Bagh after the hospital incorrectly declared a newborn dead and handed over the baby to the parents in a plastic bag. Also, an FIR has been registered against Gurugram Fortis hospital in the dengue death case. The Haryana health department has registered an FIR under Section 304(2) of the Indian Penal Code. The hospital had charged an exorbitant amount for a dengue patient, who died later. The parents of the victim claimed that the hospital staff kept their daughter on the ventilator for three days even after she had stopped responding to the treatment.

Another girl dies in Delhi due to 'medical negligence'

Inspired from &#39;Black lives matter&#39;, scores of students, activists and members of Muslim community took out a silent protest &#39;Muslim lives matter&#39; in New Delhi on Saturday following hacking of a Muslim man in Rajasthan under the pretext of &#39;love jihad&#39;.

Holding placards such as &#39;Muslim Lives Matter&#39; and &#39;Speak up against bigotry&#39;, the protesters swarmed Delhi&#39;s Connaught Place area and formed a human chain to register their protest against hate crimes like these.

All India Kisan Sabha General Secretary and CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah, who participated in the protest, said there has been a deliberate attempt to create a vicious atmosphere against the Muslims in the country and the attack was an outcome of that.

&quot;The crime is a result of hateful atmosphere. All over the country, there have been efforts to create a vicious atmosphere against Muslims,&quot; Mollah told ANI.

He further said 10 to 12 such incidents have occurred in Rajasthan in the last two years and attributed it to the communalised atmosphere in the state.

&quot;A communalised atmosphere has been created in Rajasthan. This has instigated even the common people to kill Muslims. RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are creating this atmosphere which has to be stopped,&quot; he added.

The protest was staged against the brutal killing in Rajsamand, where Mohammed Afrazul Khan, a Bengali migrant worker in Rajasthan was burnt alive, allegedly for &#39;love jihad&#39;.

The crime that has shocked the nation came to light after the perpetrator filmed the incident on Dev heritage road in Rajnagar area and uploaded it on the social media.

The accused has been identified as Shambhu Lal Raigar, a former marble trader. The videos that were uploaded on social media by 14-year-old nephew of Raigar, record him saying he killed Afrazul to save a woman from &quot;love jihad&quot;.

The police has arrested Raigar and his nephew and declared that a death penalty would be sought for the former.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) said the prima facie reports cited the man seen in the video was not a &#39;normal human being&#39;, and a further investigation has been initiated in the matter.

Earlier in the day, the Rajasthan government also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim, while the West Bengal government provided widow pension to the deceased&#39;s wife and assured employment to the kin.&nbsp;

Holding placards such as 'Muslim Lives Matter' and 'Speak up against bigotry', the protesters swarmed Delhi's Connaught Place area and formed a human chain to register their protest against hate crimes like these.

Inspired from 'Black lives matter', scores of students, activists and members of Muslim community took out a silent protest 'Muslim lives matter' in New Delhi on Saturday following hacking of a Muslim man in Rajasthan under the pretext of 'love jihad'. Holding placards such as 'Muslim Lives Matter' and 'Speak up against bigotry', the protesters swarmed Delhi's Connaught Place area and formed a human chain to register their protest against hate crimes like these. All India Kisan Sabha General Secretary and CPI(M) leader Hannan Mollah, who participated in the protest, said there has been a deliberate attempt to create a vicious atmosphere against the Muslims in the country and the attack was an outcome of that. "The crime is a result of hateful atmosphere. All over the country, there have been efforts to create a vicious atmosphere against Muslims," Mollah told ANI. He further said 10 to 12 such incidents have occurred in Rajasthan in the last two years and attributed it to the communalised atmosphere in the state. "A communalised atmosphere has been created in Rajasthan. This has instigated even the common people to kill Muslims. RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are creating this atmosphere which has to be stopped," he added. The protest was staged against the brutal killing in Rajsamand, where Mohammed Afrazul Khan, a Bengali migrant worker in Rajasthan was burnt alive, allegedly for 'love jihad'. The crime that has shocked the nation came to light after the perpetrator filmed the incident on Dev heritage road in Rajnagar area and uploaded it on the social media. The accused has been identified as Shambhu Lal Raigar, a former marble trader. The videos that were uploaded on social media by 14-year-old nephew of Raigar, record him saying he killed Afrazul to save a woman from "love jihad". The police has arrested Raigar and his nephew and declared that a death penalty would be sought for the former. Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) said the prima facie reports cited the man seen in the video was not a 'normal human being', and a further investigation has been initiated in the matter. Earlier in the day, the Rajasthan government also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family of the victim, while the West Bengal government provided widow pension to the deceased's wife and assured employment to the kin.

Students, activists protest against Rajasthan hacking in Delhi

The closure of the Max hospital at Shalimar Bagh has severely inconvenienced its patients.

The hospital has been allowed to continue treating existing patients but is not allowed to take in new ones.&nbsp;

People visiting the out-patient department are being told to go elsewhere.&nbsp;

A relative of one such patient lashed out at the Delhi government on Sunday.&nbsp;

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Coming here for past 5 months for routine pregnancy tests of my Bhabhi for free. Gynae wasn&#39;t feeling heartbeats of fetus so we came for test yesterday but OPD was locked. If the child dies, will Delhi govt. take responsibility?: Patient&#39;s relative at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MaxHospital?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MaxHospital</a>, Shalimar Bagh <a href="https://t.co/T1DMXqWoRx">pic.twitter.com/T1DMXqWoRx</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/939775164169908225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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He said he had been coming to Max, Shalimar Bagh for the past five months with his sister-in-law.&nbsp;

His sister-in-law he said is pregnant.&nbsp;

But on Saturday, he said, they were turned away.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He added that he had come to Max on Saturday because a gyanecologist was unable to hear his sister-in-law&#39;s foetus&#39; heartbeat.&nbsp;

There have been other similar media report. Of patient trying to access essential services like dialysis being told to go elsewhere.

The Delhi government had cancelled the hospital&#39;s licence after it incorrectly declared a newborn dead.&nbsp;

Premature newborn twins -- a boy and a girl -- had been declared dead on on November 30.&nbsp;

The twins were handed over to their parents in plastic bags.&nbsp;

On the way to the crematorium however, the parents realised that the boy was still alive.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-govt-wont-hesitate-in-acting-against-erring-hospitals-says-arvind-kejriwal-26331" target="_blank">Delhi government won&#39;t hesitate to act against erring private hospitals, says Kejriwal</a>&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/baby-wrongly-declared-dead-by-max-hospital-passes-away-26023" target="_blank">Newborn incorrectly declared dead by Max hospital dies</a>

The boy however also died later.&nbsp; 
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The man had come to the Max hospital in Shalimar Bagh because a gynaecologist could not hear the heartbeat of his sister-in-law's foetus

The closure of the Max hospital at Shalimar Bagh has severely inconvenienced its patients. The hospital has been allowed to continue treating existing patients but is not allowed to take in new ones. People visiting the out-patient department are being told to go elsewhere. A relative of one such patient lashed out at the Delhi government on Sunday. Coming here for past 5 months for routine pregnancy tests of my Bhabhi for free. Gynae wasn't feeling heartbeats of fetus so we came for test yesterday but OPD was locked. If the child dies, will Delhi govt. take responsibility?: Patient's relative at #MaxHospital, Shalimar Bagh pic.twitter.com/T1DMXqWoRx — ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2017 × He said he had been coming to Max, Shalimar Bagh for the past five months with his sister-in-law. His sister-in-law he said is pregnant. But on Saturday, he said, they were turned away. He added that he had come to Max on Saturday because a gyanecologist was unable to hear his sister-in-law's foetus' heartbeat. There have been other similar media report. Of patient trying to access essential services like dialysis being told to go elsewhere. The Delhi government had cancelled the hospital's licence after it incorrectly declared a newborn dead. Premature newborn twins -- a boy and a girl -- had been declared dead on on November 30. The twins were handed over to their parents in plastic bags. On the way to the crematorium however, the parents realised that the boy was still alive. Also read: Delhi government won't hesitate to act against erring private hospitals, says Kejriwal Also read: Newborn incorrectly declared dead by Max hospital dies The boy however also died later.

At closed Max hospital, man asks: If child dies, will Delhi government take responsibility?

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