<p>The Delhi government has issued schools a 117-point checklist for ensuring student safety in their premises and warned that there would be &quot;zero tolerance&quot; for any violation.</p>

<p>The checklist, including everything from toilets to cybersecurity, has been prepared in the wake of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/class-xi-student-murdered-pradyuman-wanted-exams-postponed-cbi-23720">the brutal killing of a schoolboy in a Gurgaon school </a>and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/new-delhi-five-year-old-raped-by-peon-inside-school-premises-accused-arrested-4843">the rape of a minor girl by a school attendant in Delhi</a>, officials said.</p>

<p>&quot;The checklist has been designed to encapsulate the minimum standards of school safety to emphasize zero tolerance against any violation in this regard.</p>

<p>Practicability of implementation and monitoring has been kept duly in mind,&quot; a senior official of Directorate of Education (DoE) said.</p>

<p>Among the points listed are school safety committees, monthly safety walks to identify loopholes in security in the premises, securing boundary walls with grills, CCTV surveillance, maintaining records of every entry into the school and restricting visitors.</p>

<p>&quot;All toilets should be well lit and have easy release lock from inside and no lock from outside. There should be no deployment of male staff in toilets for primary classes and all toilet visits of students up to Class 2 should be surpervised by a lady caretaker,&quot; the guidelines state.</p>

<p>The guidelines have been issued to all schools in the national capital.</p>

<p>The government has also directed that prior written consent be sought from parents for allowing children to stay back post school hours and co-curricular activities held beyond school timings be supervised by at least two teachers.</p>

<p>Visits to laboratories, sports room, auditorium, library, computer room, gymnasium and assembly hall and the like should be under direct supervision of relevant teachers.</p>

<p>Schools have also been asked to ensure cyber security in accordance with existing cyber and IT laws. This includes installation of firewall, filtering and monitoring mechanisms in all computers in the school premises, regular review of filtering and blocking policies and procedure and ensuring that children use computers under the supervision of teachers.</p>


The checklist, including everything from toilets to cybersecurity, has been prepared in the wake of the brutal killing of a schoolboy in a Gurgaon school and the rape of a minor girl by a school attendant in Delhi, officials said

The Delhi government has issued schools a 117-point checklist for ensuring student safety in their premises and warned that there would be "zero tolerance" for any violation. The checklist, including everything from toilets to cybersecurity, has been prepared in the wake of the brutal killing of a schoolboy in a Gurgaon school and the rape of a minor girl by a school attendant in Delhi, officials said. "The checklist has been designed to encapsulate the minimum standards of school safety to emphasize zero tolerance against any violation in this regard. Practicability of implementation and monitoring has been kept duly in mind," a senior official of Directorate of Education (DoE) said. Among the points listed are school safety committees, monthly safety walks to identify loopholes in security in the premises, securing boundary walls with grills, CCTV surveillance, maintaining records of every entry into the school and restricting visitors. "All toilets should be well lit and have easy release lock from inside and no lock from outside. There should be no deployment of male staff in toilets for primary classes and all toilet visits of students up to Class 2 should be surpervised by a lady caretaker," the guidelines state. The guidelines have been issued to all schools in the national capital. The government has also directed that prior written consent be sought from parents for allowing children to stay back post school hours and co-curricular activities held beyond school timings be supervised by at least two teachers. Visits to laboratories, sports room, auditorium, library, computer room, gymnasium and assembly hall and the like should be under direct supervision of relevant teachers. Schools have also been asked to ensure cyber security in accordance with existing cyber and IT laws. This includes installation of firewall, filtering and monitoring mechanisms in all computers in the school premises, regular review of filtering and blocking policies and procedure and ensuring that children use computers under the supervision of teachers.

Delhi government issues 117-point checklist to schools on student safety

<p>Bangalore, Silicon Valley of India, now known as Bengaluru has emerged as the best host among 45 cities of the world for digital hosting of businesses.</p>

<p>Bengaluru is rated highest for the digital environment of people, skills, financial environment, innovation and entrepreneurship, new technology development, and ICT infrastructure, according to a report from The Economist, published on Tuesday.</p>

<p>&ldquo;India&rsquo;s cities may suffer from infrastructure deficits, pollution, poverty and other ills, but when it comes to the environment for digital transformation, their executives are remarkably optimistic&quot;, the report said.</p>

<p>San Francisco came in the second followed by Mumbai and New Delhi, while Tokyo, Yokohama, and Berlin were at the bottom.</p>

<p>Citing a case study in digital security, the report&nbsp;mentioned that it was surprising to see train riders in San Francisco were unable to pay their fares, hackers had attacked the system&#39;s computers, encrypting all its data, and were demanding a ransom to return it.</p>

<p>The report has taken&nbsp;into consideration four broad parametres to rank cities: digital security, health security, infrastructure security&nbsp;and personal security.</p>

<p>Top 10 cities on the list of 45 were Bengaluru, San Francisco, Mumbai, New Delhi, Beijing, Manila, Shanghai, Jakarta, London, and Madrid.</p>

<p>The Economist surveyed, 2,620 executives across the 45 cities in June and July, in partnership with telecommunications firm Telstra Corp.&nbsp;</p>

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Bangalore, Silicon Valley of India, now known as Bengaluru has emerged as the best host among 45 cities of the world for digital hosting of businesses?

Bangalore, Silicon Valley of India, now known as Bengaluru has emerged as the best host among 45 cities of the world for digital hosting of businesses. Bengaluru is rated highest for the digital environment of people, skills, financial environment, innovation and entrepreneurship, new technology development, and ICT infrastructure, according to a report from The Economist, published on Tuesday. “India’s cities may suffer from infrastructure deficits, pollution, poverty and other ills, but when it comes to the environment for digital transformation, their executives are remarkably optimistic", the report said. San Francisco came in the second followed by Mumbai and New Delhi, while Tokyo, Yokohama, and Berlin were at the bottom. Citing a case study in digital security, the report mentioned that it was surprising to see train riders in San Francisco were unable to pay their fares, hackers had attacked the system's computers, encrypting all its data, and were demanding a ransom to return it. The report has taken into consideration four broad parametres to rank cities: digital security, health security, infrastructure security and personal security. Top 10 cities on the list of 45 were Bengaluru, San Francisco, Mumbai, New Delhi, Beijing, Manila, Shanghai, Jakarta, London, and Madrid. The Economist surveyed, 2,620 executives across the 45 cities in June and July, in partnership with telecommunications firm Telstra Corp.

Bengaluru beats San Francisco to emerge on top in 'best digital environment' survey

<p>We have been cribbing for a while to have a decent place to eat, drink, some good music to go with your drinks and of course a good ambience to have a chilled out evening with your friends or a good place to take your girl out on a date. Well, looks like our prayers have been answered. There is this new place -The Irish House, that just got launched this Wednesday at the Epicuria in Nehru Place.</p>

<p>It was time for them to arrive in the national capital. After winning hearts in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, The Irish House has finally found its way to make it to Delhi.</p>

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<p>An extensive calendar of events and activities sets the mood for the good times. (Others)</p>
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<p>The entrance flaunts 16 antique clocks -two of them replicating a ship&#39;s steering wheel -&nbsp;and 13 photo frames. The photo frames also deceit the early lives of Ireland, some old buildings, one colorful stretch of homes and there is a colorful painting framed with a farm in the forefront and old buildings in the background.</p>

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<p>The signature pub grub includes Fish &amp; Chips, Murphy&rsquo;s BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Grande Nachos and lots more. (Others)</p>
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<p>Once you go past the clock-wall you will hit an entrance that boasts of two huge wooden doors. The blackish doors will lead you to a world that looks a little like an Irish house. The bar counter on the left of the floor flaunts wooden counter with beer taps painted in gold -- that augurs really well with the wooden interiors. The beer taps fill up both house bred and other beer brands.</p>

<p>The tall wooden tables and chairs right next to the bar counter add to the authenticity of the club. The walls are also different in there. They are your regular bricks and cemented ones alright but they have this wooden feel -- a little rusted too -- all over it. Add to these bricks there are these frames of unconventional -- I dare say -- quotes all over them. For the smokers, there is a whole section dedicated to keeping your chimney burning. There are special seating arrangements!</p>

<p>The food provided right from the great Irish fish and chips to the beetroot and goat cheese sliders with blue potato chips, to the Mexican salsa. Every single dish was properly cooked and tasted really well. The fish was crunchy on the outside and the inside had enough to give your taste buds something to remember. The pub is Irish alright but what is a beer house without some nachos? The chefs in the kitchen got this one bang on too. The Grande Nachos served along with kidney beans, spicy jalapenos, fresh peppers, the dips were sour cream, fresh tomato salsa and the seasonal guacamole of course! What&#39;s nachos without the green dip? For the crazy chicken fans, there is a Chicken Grande Nachos too.</p>

<p>What stood out was the brownie in a jar --The Irish Riverdance-- dessert! The Riverdance came in stuffed with elements by a mug load. It had a beer mug stacked with gooey brownie, brownie crumbles, vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate bites, chocolate truffles, chocolate coated cookies, topped with caramel sauce, caramelised nuts and fresh lager beer! Now, that a mug loaded for a dessert! It was surreal!</p>

<p>Well, let&#39;s just say, the Irish have truly arrived.</p>

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<p>Brownie in a jar: The Irish Riverdance dessert (Others)</p>
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The Irish House launches its first Delhi outlet at Epicuria, Nehru Place

We have been cribbing for a while to have a decent place to eat, drink, some good music to go with your drinks and of course a good ambience to have a chilled out evening with your friends or a good place to take your girl out on a date. Well, looks like our prayers have been answered. There is this new place -The Irish House, that just got launched this Wednesday at the Epicuria in Nehru Place. It was time for them to arrive in the national capital. After winning hearts in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, The Irish House has finally found its way to make it to Delhi. An extensive calendar of events and activities sets the mood for the good times. (Others) × The entrance flaunts 16 antique clocks -two of them replicating a ship's steering wheel - and 13 photo frames. The photo frames also deceit the early lives of Ireland, some old buildings, one colorful stretch of homes and there is a colorful painting framed with a farm in the forefront and old buildings in the background. The signature pub grub includes Fish & Chips, Murphy’s BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Grande Nachos and lots more. (Others) × Once you go past the clock-wall you will hit an entrance that boasts of two huge wooden doors. The blackish doors will lead you to a world that looks a little like an Irish house. The bar counter on the left of the floor flaunts wooden counter with beer taps painted in gold -- that augurs really well with the wooden interiors. The beer taps fill up both house bred and other beer brands. The tall wooden tables and chairs right next to the bar counter add to the authenticity of the club. The walls are also different in there. They are your regular bricks and cemented ones alright but they have this wooden feel -- a little rusted too -- all over it. Add to these bricks there are these frames of unconventional -- I dare say -- quotes all over them. For the smokers, there is a whole section dedicated to keeping your chimney burning. There are special seating arrangements! The food provided right from the great Irish fish and chips to the beetroot and goat cheese sliders with blue potato chips, to the Mexican salsa. Every single dish was properly cooked and tasted really well. The fish was crunchy on the outside and the inside had enough to give your taste buds something to remember. The pub is Irish alright but what is a beer house without some nachos? The chefs in the kitchen got this one bang on too. The Grande Nachos served along with kidney beans, spicy jalapenos, fresh peppers, the dips were sour cream, fresh tomato salsa and the seasonal guacamole of course! What's nachos without the green dip? For the crazy chicken fans, there is a Chicken Grande Nachos too. What stood out was the brownie in a jar --The Irish Riverdance-- dessert! The Riverdance came in stuffed with elements by a mug load. It had a beer mug stacked with gooey brownie, brownie crumbles, vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate bites, chocolate truffles, chocolate coated cookies, topped with caramel sauce, caramelised nuts and fresh lager beer! Now, that a mug loaded for a dessert! It was surreal! Well, let's just say, the Irish have truly arrived. Brownie in a jar: The Irish Riverdance dessert (Others) ×

Pub culture in Delhi with a pinch of Irish essence

<p>The Capital will have to deal with the hazardous smog for a few more days. The Air Quality Index at ITO area stood at 317 on Tuesday which is considered as hazardous according to CPCB data.<br />
<br />
Residential area RK Puram AQI stood at 241 while Punjabi Bagh at 273. With winter setting in, the smog is likely to continue and the experts state that air quality is likely to worsen in the coming days with &#39;calm&#39; weather conditions not allowing dispersal of particulate matter easily.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s RK Puram at 241 &amp; Punjabi Bagh at 273 (Very unhealthy), ITO at 317 (Hazardous) in Air Quality Index</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/925557090990485505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&ldquo;The particulates in the air are not getting dispersed due to the lack of wind while a large gap between the natural temperature and dew point, at which water droplets begin to condense, are keeping the pollutants trapped and making them float in the air,&rdquo; CPCB&rsquo;s air lab head Dipankar Saha told PTI.&nbsp;<br />
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The CPCB recorded an AQI (air quality index) of 351, which falls in the &lsquo;very poor&rsquo; category, on Tuesday. A &lsquo;very poor&rsquo; AQI comes with the warning that people may develop respiratory illness on prolonged exposure. Exposure to &#39;poor&#39;air also has adverse health effects on healthy people as well those already suffering from respiratory illness.&nbsp;<br />
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The Air Quality Index at ITO area stood at 317 on Tuesday which is considered as hazardous according to CPCB data

The Capital will have to deal with the hazardous smog for a few more days. The Air Quality Index at ITO area stood at 317 on Tuesday which is considered as hazardous according to CPCB data. Residential area RK Puram AQI stood at 241 while Punjabi Bagh at 273. With winter setting in, the smog is likely to continue and the experts state that air quality is likely to worsen in the coming days with 'calm' weather conditions not allowing dispersal of particulate matter easily. #Delhi's RK Puram at 241 & Punjabi Bagh at 273 (Very unhealthy), ITO at 317 (Hazardous) in Air Quality Index — ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2017 × “The particulates in the air are not getting dispersed due to the lack of wind while a large gap between the natural temperature and dew point, at which water droplets begin to condense, are keeping the pollutants trapped and making them float in the air,” CPCB’s air lab head Dipankar Saha told PTI. The CPCB recorded an AQI (air quality index) of 351, which falls in the ‘very poor’ category, on Tuesday. A ‘very poor’ AQI comes with the warning that people may develop respiratory illness on prolonged exposure. Exposure to 'poor'air also has adverse health effects on healthy people as well those already suffering from respiratory illness.

Air quality in Delhi likely to worsen in coming days

<p>China today asked the international community to recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter terrorism, amid mounting pressure on its all-weather ally to take action against terror groups and dismantle their safe havens.</p>

<p>Reacting to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson&#39;s remarks in New Delhi that terror safe havens in Pakistan will not be tolerated, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said for many years Islamabad has made positive efforts and &quot;great sacrifices&quot; on counter-terrorism front.</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan has made important contributions to world peace and maintaining regional stability. We believe that the international community should recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter-terrorism,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Geng, however, said the Chinese side supports the international community in the fight against terrorism.</p>

<p>Referring to Tillerson&#39;s visit to Islamabad, Geng said, &quot;We welcome Pakistan and the US to conduct counter-terrorism cooperation based on mutual respect and jointly committed regional and world peace and stability.&quot;</p>

<p>Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a joint statement after their comprehensive talks on a range of key issues yesterday asked Pakistan to take action against terror groups, which the US said are now threatening the stability of the Pakistani government as well.</p>

<p>&quot;Terror safe havens will not be tolerated,&quot; Tillerson has said while assuring full support to India in fighting terrorism.</p>

<p>Speaking of Indo-US ties, Geng said, &quot;We welcome India and Pakistan and all other countries in the world to develop friendly cooperation. We believe this relationship is conducive the regional stability besides regional development and prosperity.</p>


Reacting to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's remarks in New Delhi that terror safe havens in Pakistan will not be tolerated, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said for many years Islamabad has made positive efforts and "great sacrifices" on counter-terrorism front.

China today asked the international community to recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter terrorism, amid mounting pressure on its all-weather ally to take action against terror groups and dismantle their safe havens. Reacting to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's remarks in New Delhi that terror safe havens in Pakistan will not be tolerated, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said for many years Islamabad has made positive efforts and "great sacrifices" on counter-terrorism front. "Pakistan has made important contributions to world peace and maintaining regional stability. We believe that the international community should recognise the efforts made by Pakistan in counter-terrorism," he said. Geng, however, said the Chinese side supports the international community in the fight against terrorism. Referring to Tillerson's visit to Islamabad, Geng said, "We welcome Pakistan and the US to conduct counter-terrorism cooperation based on mutual respect and jointly committed regional and world peace and stability." Tillerson and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in a joint statement after their comprehensive talks on a range of key issues yesterday asked Pakistan to take action against terror groups, which the US said are now threatening the stability of the Pakistani government as well. "Terror safe havens will not be tolerated," Tillerson has said while assuring full support to India in fighting terrorism. Speaking of Indo-US ties, Geng said, "We welcome India and Pakistan and all other countries in the world to develop friendly cooperation. We believe this relationship is conducive the regional stability besides regional development and prosperity.

Global community should recognise Pak's efforts in fighting terrorism: China

<p>New Delhi, the capital city of India is one of the busiest city in the country. Delhi over the years has experienced spectacular growth in population due to the constant influx of people from neighbouring states such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, in search of employment and business.</p>

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<h5>Growth in population has created demand for transportation and thus, there are a remarkable increase in motor-vehicles.</h5>
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<p>NCR has witnessed rapid growth in terms of industrialisation and urbanisation. This growth has put a pressure on supporting systems like infrastructure, housing and transportation. Growth in population has created demand for transportation and thus, there is a remarkable increase in motor-vehicles&nbsp;in the city. The yearly compounding growth of vehicular population for the year 2016 is 9.93 per cent.</p>

<p>With this immense growth in vehicular population, the traffic scenario also becomes challenging, particularly in regard to road accidents. An accident is a man-made tragedy but in some cases, it can be prevented, such as road accidents&nbsp;because of&nbsp;poor vision of drivers.</p>

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<p>Poor vision is one the reasons for road accidents. According to a study done in National Capital Region, 50 per cent drivers are suffering from hypermetropia, whereas, 35 per cent has blurred distance vision. Drivers with poor vision are likely to get more involved in road accidents. Out of every 10 commercial drivers, 3 drivers&nbsp;are short-sighted which means they are myopic.</p>

<p>The study advocates that drivers with poor vision are responsible for almost 30 per cent of total road accidents. The survey has categorised drivers with poor vision as, &quot;acceptable, marginal and unacceptable&quot;. 35 per cent&nbsp;of drivers have myopia or blurred distance vision, therefore, they are categorised in the marginal and unacceptable category. Whereas, 10 per cent&nbsp;of drivers are unfit to drive any vehicle. Drivers facing such disorders, have problems in reading signboards, they also fail&nbsp;to see a U-turn and often get stuck in potholes, that result in major road accidents.</p>

<p>50 per cent drivers are suffering from hypermetropia, out of which 40 per cent&nbsp;cases are severe and, hence, they are also unfit to drive. Drivers with such disability will find problems in bumper-to-bumper driving.</p>

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<h5>Color blindness and glare blindness is another rising issue that is responsible for accidents.</h5>
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<p>Color blindness and glare blindness is another rising issue that is responsible for accidents. After doing the respective test, it was discovered that 19 per cent drivers are severely colour blind. Such disability would be responsible for traffic rule violations. They tend to misjudge between traffic lights which increases the risk of road accidents.</p>

<p>Unacceptable and marginal category people are more involved in accident cases. It is also very alarming to know that drivers suffering from night vision were not even aware that they must wear spectacles to improve their vision quality.</p>

<p>Every year almost 1.5 lakh people die in road accidents. And drivers with visual impairment are responsible for 70-80 per cent of cases. Even though, poor vision is nowhere to be mentioned when any FIR is filed in such cases. To reduce the risk of road accidents, transport authority of India must take strict actions before renewing a license or granting the new one.</p>

<p>Eye health and check-up&nbsp;is very important. To create awareness and to focus attention on blindness and vision impairment is necessary to curb such miserable incidents.</p>


A driver with visual impairment has a crash involvement rate of 81 per cent

New Delhi, the capital city of India is one of the busiest city in the country. Delhi over the years has experienced spectacular growth in population due to the constant influx of people from neighbouring states such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, in search of employment and business. Growth in population has created demand for transportation and thus, there are a remarkable increase in motor-vehicles. × NCR has witnessed rapid growth in terms of industrialisation and urbanisation. This growth has put a pressure on supporting systems like infrastructure, housing and transportation. Growth in population has created demand for transportation and thus, there is a remarkable increase in motor-vehicles in the city. The yearly compounding growth of vehicular population for the year 2016 is 9.93 per cent. With this immense growth in vehicular population, the traffic scenario also becomes challenging, particularly in regard to road accidents. An accident is a man-made tragedy but in some cases, it can be prevented, such as road accidents because of poor vision of drivers. Poor vision is one the reasons for road accidents. × Poor vision is one the reasons for road accidents. According to a study done in National Capital Region, 50 per cent drivers are suffering from hypermetropia, whereas, 35 per cent has blurred distance vision. Drivers with poor vision are likely to get more involved in road accidents. Out of every 10 commercial drivers, 3 drivers are short-sighted which means they are myopic. The study advocates that drivers with poor vision are responsible for almost 30 per cent of total road accidents. The survey has categorised drivers with poor vision as, "acceptable, marginal and unacceptable". 35 per cent of drivers have myopia or blurred distance vision, therefore, they are categorised in the marginal and unacceptable category. Whereas, 10 per cent of drivers are unfit to drive any vehicle. Drivers facing such disorders, have problems in reading signboards, they also fail to see a U-turn and often get stuck in potholes, that result in major road accidents. 50 per cent drivers are suffering from hypermetropia, out of which 40 per cent cases are severe and, hence, they are also unfit to drive. Drivers with such disability will find problems in bumper-to-bumper driving. Color blindness and glare blindness is another rising issue that is responsible for accidents. × Color blindness and glare blindness is another rising issue that is responsible for accidents. After doing the respective test, it was discovered that 19 per cent drivers are severely colour blind. Such disability would be responsible for traffic rule violations. They tend to misjudge between traffic lights which increases the risk of road accidents. Unacceptable and marginal category people are more involved in accident cases. It is also very alarming to know that drivers suffering from night vision were not even aware that they must wear spectacles to improve their vision quality. Every year almost 1.5 lakh people die in road accidents. And drivers with visual impairment are responsible for 70-80 per cent of cases. Even though, poor vision is nowhere to be mentioned when any FIR is filed in such cases. To reduce the risk of road accidents, transport authority of India must take strict actions before renewing a license or granting the new one. Eye health and check-up is very important. To create awareness and to focus attention on blindness and vision impairment is necessary to curb such miserable incidents.

Watch: Drivers' poor vision leading to more accidents in National Capital Region

<p>This was a couple of years back. With my family, I was standing on the banks of river Hudson, eagerly waiting for the 4th July firework to play out in the night sky of New York City. Then it started, a burst of colour one after the another, as well as patterns and designs of all sorts, turning the stratosphere into a palette.</p>

<p>Celebrating the American independence day with firecrackers is a time-old custom in the US. I have witnessed student organisations, individuals, municipal corporations, military, all celebrating from the Pacific coast to New England, from the lake of Michigan to the hills of Tennesse. In all my years of stay in the US, I haven&#39;t come across even a whispering concern at the environmental damage that this annual ritual might cause.</p>

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<h5>The Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR.</h5>
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<p>Contrast this with what I experienced in the Delhi-NCR when I moved to Delhi last year. Immediately after Diwali, a heavy unpenetrable smog hung over schools and playgrounds, houses and hospitals. We could breathe, but with fear. Suffocation didn&#39;t seem to be a far-fetched idea in a gas chamber named Delhi.</p>

<p>Eventually, the huge civic protest against lenient environmental norms during festivals forced the hand of the government. Today, the Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR.</p>

<p>After the ban was pronounced, there has emerged over the last few dates an equally voracious argument whether such a verdict stems from a disregard of the cultural belief and practices of Hindus.</p>

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<h5>One of the biggest problem plaguing Diwali firework in India is the sale of illegal Chinese firecrackers in the local market.</h5>
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<p>Diwali or Deepavali is the festival of light but over the years, increasingly, it has become the festival of sound. Loud, crackling, incessant sound of firecracker - bursting and emitting smoke at the same time. But one should not only be thinking that it is sound or the smoke itself which is creating all the problems. Rather, it is the chemical compounds used in firecrackers that makes it so dangerous.</p>

<p>One of the biggest problem plaguing Diwali firework in India is the sale of illegal Chinese firecrackers in the local market. All Chinese firecrackers contain potassium chlorate, an ingredient whose use had been banned by the Indian government since 1992. Potassium Chlorate, when mixed with Sulphur, makes an extremely reactive compound, prone to explosion. The ban, however, led to the beginning of an illegal trade in Chinese firecrackers in India. Using of Chlorate, thus, did not stop, putting all the users in a potentially dangerous situation.</p>

<p>Those who argue that we are taking the fun out of Diwali by banning firecrackers may decide to learn from the examples of Europe and the US so that they can have the firework as well as maintain a standard of air quality.</p>

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<p>If we go by Europe&#39;s example, the best practice they follow is to limit the time of use not only to dates but also down by the hours. In Finland, for instance, they can burst firecrackers only on New Year&#39;s Eve and that also between 6 pm to 2 am. The same guideline holds true for Netherlands and Norway. In the UK fireworks can be sold only through specialist stores.</p>

<p>Most of these countries also have an age bar, ranging from 16-18 years, for people to whom fireworks can be sold to.</p>

<p>The US does not have such a blanket approach to firecrackers; the laws governing consumer fireworks vary widely from state to state, or from county to county. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the body governing the firework-related regulations, defines what fireworks may be considered consumer fireworks. Consumer fireworks in the United States are limited to 500 grams (this was previously 200 grams until recent years) of composition, and firecrackers may have up to 50 milligrams of flash powder.</p>

<p>Moreover, reloadable shells are limited to 1.75&quot; in diameter, and shells in pre-fused tubes are limited to 2&quot;. Any fireworks that exceed these limits are not considered consumer fireworks and need a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).</p>

<p>Most states allow different forms of fireworks on 4th July but barring few states, such as Georgia almost all of them prohibits the sale and use of firecrackers without a permit.</p>

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<h5>The five chemicals-lithium, arsenic, lead antinomy- banned by the Supreme Court of India.</h5>
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<p>Regulation and accountability to environmental norms rather than a straightforward ban seem to be a more effective response in this case. And Sivakasi, the main center of firecracker manufacture in India, is claiming of already following these norms. The five chemicals-lithium, arsenic, lead antinomy- banned by the Supreme Court of India have never been used, according to the manufacturers of Sivakasi.</p>

<p>The less Diwali celebration becomes a show, more we concentrate on the spirit, and greater our focus becomes on making all celebrations sustainable, we will learn to tread the earth with more care.</p>


Regulation and accountability to environmental norms rather than a straightforward ban seem to be a more effective in India

This was a couple of years back. With my family, I was standing on the banks of river Hudson, eagerly waiting for the 4th July firework to play out in the night sky of New York City. Then it started, a burst of colour one after the another, as well as patterns and designs of all sorts, turning the stratosphere into a palette. Celebrating the American independence day with firecrackers is a time-old custom in the US. I have witnessed student organisations, individuals, municipal corporations, military, all celebrating from the Pacific coast to New England, from the lake of Michigan to the hills of Tennesse. In all my years of stay in the US, I haven't come across even a whispering concern at the environmental damage that this annual ritual might cause. The Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR. × Contrast this with what I experienced in the Delhi-NCR when I moved to Delhi last year. Immediately after Diwali, a heavy unpenetrable smog hung over schools and playgrounds, houses and hospitals. We could breathe, but with fear. Suffocation didn't seem to be a far-fetched idea in a gas chamber named Delhi. Eventually, the huge civic protest against lenient environmental norms during festivals forced the hand of the government. Today, the Supreme Court of India has imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR. After the ban was pronounced, there has emerged over the last few dates an equally voracious argument whether such a verdict stems from a disregard of the cultural belief and practices of Hindus. One of the biggest problem plaguing Diwali firework in India is the sale of illegal Chinese firecrackers in the local market. × Diwali or Deepavali is the festival of light but over the years, increasingly, it has become the festival of sound. Loud, crackling, incessant sound of firecracker - bursting and emitting smoke at the same time. But one should not only be thinking that it is sound or the smoke itself which is creating all the problems. Rather, it is the chemical compounds used in firecrackers that makes it so dangerous. One of the biggest problem plaguing Diwali firework in India is the sale of illegal Chinese firecrackers in the local market. All Chinese firecrackers contain potassium chlorate, an ingredient whose use had been banned by the Indian government since 1992. Potassium Chlorate, when mixed with Sulphur, makes an extremely reactive compound, prone to explosion. The ban, however, led to the beginning of an illegal trade in Chinese firecrackers in India. Using of Chlorate, thus, did not stop, putting all the users in a potentially dangerous situation. Those who argue that we are taking the fun out of Diwali by banning firecrackers may decide to learn from the examples of Europe and the US so that they can have the firework as well as maintain a standard of air quality. Europe limits the time of firecracker use. The limit is not only to dates but also down by the hours. × If we go by Europe's example, the best practice they follow is to limit the time of use not only to dates but also down by the hours. In Finland, for instance, they can burst firecrackers only on New Year's Eve and that also between 6 pm to 2 am. The same guideline holds true for Netherlands and Norway. In the UK fireworks can be sold only through specialist stores. Most of these countries also have an age bar, ranging from 16-18 years, for people to whom fireworks can be sold to. The US does not have such a blanket approach to firecrackers; the laws governing consumer fireworks vary widely from state to state, or from county to county. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the body governing the firework-related regulations, defines what fireworks may be considered consumer fireworks. Consumer fireworks in the United States are limited to 500 grams (this was previously 200 grams until recent years) of composition, and firecrackers may have up to 50 milligrams of flash powder. Moreover, reloadable shells are limited to 1.75" in diameter, and shells in pre-fused tubes are limited to 2". Any fireworks that exceed these limits are not considered consumer fireworks and need a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Most states allow different forms of fireworks on 4th July but barring few states, such as Georgia almost all of them prohibits the sale and use of firecrackers without a permit. The five chemicals-lithium, arsenic, lead antinomy- banned by the Supreme Court of India. × Regulation and accountability to environmental norms rather than a straightforward ban seem to be a more effective response in this case. And Sivakasi, the main center of firecracker manufacture in India, is claiming of already following these norms. The five chemicals-lithium, arsenic, lead antinomy- banned by the Supreme Court of India have never been used, according to the manufacturers of Sivakasi. The less Diwali celebration becomes a show, more we concentrate on the spirit, and greater our focus becomes on making all celebrations sustainable, we will learn to tread the earth with more care.

Regulation and accountability more effective than ban on firecrackers

<p>India has given away 27,000 tickets to the opening games of the FIFA U-17 World Cup to fill empty stands, an official said Friday, in a desperate bid to avoid an embarrassing repeat of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.</p>

<p>The under-17 World Cup, which kicks off on Friday, marks India&#39;s first attempt at hosting a FIFA tournament, but sales for the high-profile event have been poor, despite some seats costing less than a dollar.</p>

<p>Organisers are now scrambling to ensure that the 56,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi appears packed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the opening games which will see India play the United States.</p>

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<h5>Organisers are now scrambling to ensure that the 56,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi appears packed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the opening games which will see India play the United States</h5>
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<p>&quot;We have given away 27,000 tickets to schools around the Delhi region and will also provide pick and drop facility. It will be embarrassing for us if the stadium looks empty,&quot; an organising committee member told AFP on condition of anonymity.</p>

<p>The event, which runs until October 28, has been dogged by bad news, with Greenpeace issuing a report Wednesday that said the poor quality of air in India`s pollution-clogged cities poses a &quot;serious health risk&quot; to players and spectators during the tournament.</p>

<p>Twenty-four nations are competing in the event, which is being held in New Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, Guwahati and Kolkata.</p>

<p>Greenpeace said all the six cities &quot;share dangerous levels of air pollution&quot; but singled out New Delhi as the venue with the highest risk.</p>

<p>&quot;Air pollution levels during the Indian tournament could be significantly worse than during the 2008 Beijing Olympics,&quot; the report warned.</p>

<p>India will host its last game of the tournament on October 16, just before pollution levels spike around the Diwali festival, when Hindus celebrate by setting off huge amounts of fireworks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Media reports said matches were deliberately kept out of Delhi after October 16 because of pollution fears.</p>

<p>India`s Supreme Court has ordered authorities to take precautions ahead of the festival, and measures under consideration include pulling some cars off roads and closing polluting industries.</p>

<p>World Cup organisers did not comment on the Greenpeace report.</p>

<p>The event is among India`s highest-profile global tournaments after the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010 which were meant to showcase the country`s status as an emerging power but instead left memories of shoddy venues, empty stadiums and massive budget overruns.</p>


India take on USA in their first game today at 8 pm in Delhi

India has given away 27,000 tickets to the opening games of the FIFA U-17 World Cup to fill empty stands, an official said Friday, in a desperate bid to avoid an embarrassing repeat of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The under-17 World Cup, which kicks off on Friday, marks India's first attempt at hosting a FIFA tournament, but sales for the high-profile event have been poor, despite some seats costing less than a dollar. Organisers are now scrambling to ensure that the 56,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi appears packed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the opening games which will see India play the United States. Organisers are now scrambling to ensure that the 56,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi appears packed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the opening games which will see India play the United States × "We have given away 27,000 tickets to schools around the Delhi region and will also provide pick and drop facility. It will be embarrassing for us if the stadium looks empty," an organising committee member told AFP on condition of anonymity. The event, which runs until October 28, has been dogged by bad news, with Greenpeace issuing a report Wednesday that said the poor quality of air in India`s pollution-clogged cities poses a "serious health risk" to players and spectators during the tournament. Twenty-four nations are competing in the event, which is being held in New Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, Guwahati and Kolkata. Greenpeace said all the six cities "share dangerous levels of air pollution" but singled out New Delhi as the venue with the highest risk. "Air pollution levels during the Indian tournament could be significantly worse than during the 2008 Beijing Olympics," the report warned. India will host its last game of the tournament on October 16, just before pollution levels spike around the Diwali festival, when Hindus celebrate by setting off huge amounts of fireworks. Media reports said matches were deliberately kept out of Delhi after October 16 because of pollution fears. India`s Supreme Court has ordered authorities to take precautions ahead of the festival, and measures under consideration include pulling some cars off roads and closing polluting industries. World Cup organisers did not comment on the Greenpeace report. The event is among India`s highest-profile global tournaments after the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in 2010 which were meant to showcase the country`s status as an emerging power but instead left memories of shoddy venues, empty stadiums and massive budget overruns.

U-17 Football World Cup: To avoid 'embarrassment', India gives 27,000 tickets away free

<p>The maiden visit by President Kovind to Djibouti comes in the wake of the opening of a Chinese military base in Djibouti. As India renew its strategic calibration for the region, the visit highlights the geopolitical significance of Horn of Africa. The Indian navy has been operating in the region, carrying on anti-piracy drives as well as in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Yemen.</p>

<p>Djibouti is located at the entrance to the Red Sea from the Indian Ocean: connecting Africa, the West Asia and rest of Asia. It is also the gateway to region&rsquo;s multiple conflicts &mdash; inter-state and intra-state. In recent years, Djibouti has assumed significance for hosting multiple foreign military bases on its territory, including an important American base, used for counter-terrorism operations in Yemen and Somalia. India has traditionally engaged with African nations through its soft power initiatives, such as contribution to school and college education, laying of optic fiber networks, training of hospital staff and other skill development projects.</p>

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<h5>The increased Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean region has raised alarm bells ringing in New Delhi.</h5>
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<p>It has often been said that the Indian Navy&#39;s operational area stretches from Bab-el-Mandeb to Straits of Malacca. The Indian strategic community has been arguing for some time at countering the growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean region. The Chinese base in Djibouti is a realisation of those concerns. The protection of sea lines of communication and controlling the choke points, and maintaining access to major islands of the Indian Ocean are central to India&rsquo;s security and economic prosperity. It has often been mentioned of New Delhi being the &#39;net security provider&#39; in the Indian Ocean region; Djibouti, a strategic naval outpost, is a step in that direction to fulfil that objective.</p>

<p>The increased Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean region has raised alarm bells ringing in New Delhi. The docking of Chinese submarines in Pakistan and denial of a similar request by Sri Lanka point to the assertive nature of Chinese naval activity which can only be countered by defensive capabilities being built up by the Indian Navy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian navy has been developing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a strategic outpost to monitor rival naval activity in the region. Over the past few years, India has also beefed up its military capacities on the strategic Bay of Bengal island territory which includes the refurbishment of naval air stations and operational turn around facilities. To counter increasing Chinese surveillance activities close to the Andaman Islands, New Delhi has been investing in the development of an integrated surveillance network in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea with radar stations in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and other littorals to keep track of Chinese naval activity.</p>

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<h5>The increased non-traditional security challenges in the region and the West Asia also demand enhanced cooperation between the US and India through LEMOA.</h5>
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<p>An Indian outpost in Djibouti will have a huge signalling effect on the Chinese strategic thinkers with respect to their ambition in the Indian Ocean region. The increased non-traditional security challenges in the region and the West Asia also demand enhanced cooperation between the US and India through LEMOA. The agreement helps Indian armed forces to develop their capabilities, play better humanitarian assistance and relief operations, and to operate beyond the South Asian region in safeguarding its vital national interests.</p>

<p>It needs to be further highlighted that the Chinese naval activities in the South China Seas might be a precursor to their strategic ambitions of having an influence over another important maritime choke point at Bab-el-Mandeb. China for long has been trying to gain influence at major global choke points through a string of new naval bases and a series of economic deals. Through these various choke points nearly 90 per cent of all global trade passes. If any of the main trade chokepoints were disrupted, it would have an adverse impact on global GDP, employment, and inflation of nearly every country.</p>

<p>India currently does not have an embassy in Djibouti. The president&rsquo;s visit suggests New Delhi is now revisiting its approach towards the region and re-engage strategically.</p>


President Kovind's visit to Djibouti suggests New Delhi's plan to secure India?s security and economic prosperity in the Indian Ocean region

The maiden visit by President Kovind to Djibouti comes in the wake of the opening of a Chinese military base in Djibouti. As India renew its strategic calibration for the region, the visit highlights the geopolitical significance of Horn of Africa. The Indian navy has been operating in the region, carrying on anti-piracy drives as well as in the evacuation of Indian nationals from Yemen. Djibouti is located at the entrance to the Red Sea from the Indian Ocean: connecting Africa, the West Asia and rest of Asia. It is also the gateway to region’s multiple conflicts — inter-state and intra-state. In recent years, Djibouti has assumed significance for hosting multiple foreign military bases on its territory, including an important American base, used for counter-terrorism operations in Yemen and Somalia. India has traditionally engaged with African nations through its soft power initiatives, such as contribution to school and college education, laying of optic fiber networks, training of hospital staff and other skill development projects. The increased Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean region has raised alarm bells ringing in New Delhi. × It has often been said that the Indian Navy's operational area stretches from Bab-el-Mandeb to Straits of Malacca. The Indian strategic community has been arguing for some time at countering the growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean region. The Chinese base in Djibouti is a realisation of those concerns. The protection of sea lines of communication and controlling the choke points, and maintaining access to major islands of the Indian Ocean are central to India’s security and economic prosperity. It has often been mentioned of New Delhi being the 'net security provider' in the Indian Ocean region; Djibouti, a strategic naval outpost, is a step in that direction to fulfil that objective. The increased Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean region has raised alarm bells ringing in New Delhi. The docking of Chinese submarines in Pakistan and denial of a similar request by Sri Lanka point to the assertive nature of Chinese naval activity which can only be countered by defensive capabilities being built up by the Indian Navy. The Indian navy has been developing the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a strategic outpost to monitor rival naval activity in the region. Over the past few years, India has also beefed up its military capacities on the strategic Bay of Bengal island territory which includes the refurbishment of naval air stations and operational turn around facilities. To counter increasing Chinese surveillance activities close to the Andaman Islands, New Delhi has been investing in the development of an integrated surveillance network in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea with radar stations in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and other littorals to keep track of Chinese naval activity. The increased non-traditional security challenges in the region and the West Asia also demand enhanced cooperation between the US and India through LEMOA. × An Indian outpost in Djibouti will have a huge signalling effect on the Chinese strategic thinkers with respect to their ambition in the Indian Ocean region. The increased non-traditional security challenges in the region and the West Asia also demand enhanced cooperation between the US and India through LEMOA. The agreement helps Indian armed forces to develop their capabilities, play better humanitarian assistance and relief operations, and to operate beyond the South Asian region in safeguarding its vital national interests. It needs to be further highlighted that the Chinese naval activities in the South China Seas might be a precursor to their strategic ambitions of having an influence over another important maritime choke point at Bab-el-Mandeb. China for long has been trying to gain influence at major global choke points through a string of new naval bases and a series of economic deals. Through these various choke points nearly 90 per cent of all global trade passes. If any of the main trade chokepoints were disrupted, it would have an adverse impact on global GDP, employment, and inflation of nearly every country. India currently does not have an embassy in Djibouti. The president’s visit suggests New Delhi is now revisiting its approach towards the region and re-engage strategically.

To counter China, India needs a military base in Djibouti

<p>India lost 0-3 to the USA in their opening game of the under-17 World Cup.&nbsp;</p>

<p>USA captain Josh Sargent scored from the penalty spot in the 31st minute of the game.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Defender Chris Durkin doubled the USA&#39;s lead in the 51st minute and Andrew Carleton put another one past Indian goalie Dheeraj Singh to put the game past the Indians.&nbsp;</p>

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????India 0-1 USA????<br />
????Paraguay 2-2 Mali???? <a href="https://t.co/Cn2u5PX5r5">pic.twitter.com/Cn2u5PX5r5</a></p>
&mdash; #FIFAU17WC ???????? (@FIFAcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAcom/status/916322265960136705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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????India 0-3 USA????<br />
????Paraguay 3-2 Mali???? <a href="https://t.co/6n0pRrafH2">pic.twitter.com/6n0pRrafH2</a></p>
&mdash; #FIFAU17WC ???????? (@FIFAcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFAcom/status/916338362255945729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>India might have lost, but they did not lose their honour.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian goalie Dheeraj Singh kept a lot out of his net, and the midfielder Komal Thatal and the forward Aniket Jadhav also impressed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two sides were playing in Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This was the first time India were playing at a World Cup although as hosts, they qualify automatically.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The other game, Paraguay versus Mali, was a five-goal thriller.</p>

<p>Paraguay finally clinched it with a 3-2&nbsp; win.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


India lost 0-3 to the USA in their opening game of the under-17 World Cup. USA captain Josh Sargent scored from the penalty spot in the 31st minute of the game. Defender Chris Durkin doubled the USA's lead in the 51st minute and Andrew Carleton put another one past Indian goalie Dheeraj Singh to put the game past the Indians. HT | #FIFAU17WC ????India 0-1 USA???? ????Paraguay 2-2 Mali???? pic.twitter.com/Cn2u5PX5r5 — #FIFAU17WC ???????? (@FIFAcom) October 6, 2017 × FT | #FIFAU17WC ????India 0-3 USA???? ????Paraguay 3-2 Mali???? pic.twitter.com/6n0pRrafH2 — #FIFAU17WC ???????? (@FIFAcom) October 6, 2017 × India might have lost, but they did not lose their honour. Indian goalie Dheeraj Singh kept a lot out of his net, and the midfielder Komal Thatal and the forward Aniket Jadhav also impressed. The two sides were playing in Delhi. This was the first time India were playing at a World Cup although as hosts, they qualify automatically. The other game, Paraguay versus Mali, was a five-goal thriller. Paraguay finally clinched it with a 3-2 win.

U-17 Football World Cup: India lose 0-3 to USA in opening game

<p>It has been six months since Putul Daloi&#39;s husband, Chandan, died. The approach to her tiny home in Bengali Mohalla in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, takes you through streets crowded with cows and buffaloes. This is the heart of the dairy business, and the smell of cow dung hangs in the air. Most of the inhabitants of the mohalla are Bengali migrants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On one wall of 26-year-old Putul&#39;s home is a poster of Durga, in her Kali incarnation. Beside it is an old photograph of her husband. A more recent photograph of him stands on a table with an agarbatti lighted before it.</p>

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<p>Putul Daloi lives in Bengali Mohalla (left) in New Delhi, not far from the mall where her husband worked (Others)</p>
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<p>Chandan Daloi, 30, had worked at the Vasant Square Mall for seven years. He was part of the housekeeping team employed by World Class Services Private Limited to provide cleaning services. On November 11, 2016, Chandan and another worker were asked to clean a septic tank in the mall&rsquo;s premises. Chandan descended into the tank &ndash; without any protective gear &ndash; and choked on the poisonous gases. His colleague Israil jumped in to help him, but he also collapsed. News reports state that a beat constable used a rope to pull them out of the tank and rushed them to hospital. Chandan was declared dead on arrival. Israil survived.</p>

<p>&quot;When I heard the news, I ran to the mall,&quot; Putul recounts, &quot;but I was not allowed in. I was told that Chandan had been sent to Fortis Hospital. Hundreds of people from Bengali Mohalla gathered at the hospital, but we were chased away. I pleaded that he was my husband, I had to see him. Even my son was not allowed in. They chased us away as if we were criminals.</p>

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<p>&ldquo;The anguish of not being able to see him in his last moments continues to haunt me.&quot; Putul is close to tears as she speaks. &ldquo;My husband was made to do this illegal work,&quot; she says. &nbsp;Putul told him to quit the job when she learned he had to clean the septic tank from time to time. Chandan had disregarded her, believing he would lose the job if he refused to clean the tank and knowing that it would not be easy to get another job.</p>

<p>&quot;Those who made him do it must be caught. Everyone knows there is fatal gas inside the tanks, yet my husband was asked to go down into it. Why? Why are only people of my caste employed for cleaning the sewers and gutters? There is such a hue and cry about &quot;development&quot; in India, and yet humans are made to clean the shit out of the gutters of malls? Why are people still dying inside those sewers? I want answers to my question.&quot;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/03_no_life_should_end_in_the_gutter_bs.max-1400x1120-20170922070234.jpg" />
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<p>&#39;Everyone knows there is fatal gas inside the tanks, yet my husband was asked to go down into it&#39;, says Putul, about how Chandan Daloi (right) lost his life (Others)</p>
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<p>Fortunately, Putul is not alone in her battle for justice. She has not succumbed to pressure. An IT professional at whose house Putul is employed as a domestic worker helped her file the first information report (FIR) with the police. Non-government organisations and the employer of another relative in the mohalla also provided support.</p>

<p>&quot;The post-mortem report testified to the truth &ndash; the cause of death was suffocation due to poisonous gas,&quot; adds Deepali Daloi, Putul&#39;s relative. &quot;The company tried to manipulate the report, saying that the death had been caused by electrocution. But everyone knows the truth. When the sahibs from the kothis (housing colonies) threatened to file a case against the company, they corrected the report.&rdquo; The system is apathetic to us, Deepali adds. &quot;If such is the state of affairs in Delhi, can you imagine the situation in far-flung villages?&quot;</p>

<p>After months of follow-up, Chandan&#39;s employers paid Putul Rs. 10 lakhs (a Supreme Court judgment of March 27, 2014, recommended Rs. 10 lakhs as compensation for all those who had died while cleaning sewers/septic tanks since 1993) and assured Putul that she would be given a job.</p>

<p>Ironically, they offered her the same housekeeping job that had claimed the life of her husband.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Finally,&quot; Putul says wryly, &quot;caste matters. I cannot get my husband back. I want only that no one else should have to face this ordeal. No life should end in a gutter.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Putul and Chandan are Bagadis, a scheduled caste. They came to Delhi from Kandikpur village in the Sundarbans, in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. There was no work in the village. At the mall, Chandan earned Rs. 9,800, and they paid Rs. 3,500 as rent for their room.</p>

<p>Now depressed and unable to return to her work as a cook in the bungalows nearby, Putul knows that she cannot return to the Sundarbans. There is nothing to go back to. Her mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his family barely manage to live off their 2&ndash;2.5 bighas (roughly 0.6 acres) of farmland.</p>

<p>Though she hates the idea, Putul knows she may end up taking the cleaning job on offer. &quot;Now it is a compulsion. Everyone says that with this work I can bring up my child in a better and more secure way.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Amit, Putul&#39;s nine-year-old son, returns home from school with a strawberry ice cream. He is in upper KG at the Vasant Public School. He remembers his father taking them to the mall for pizza and burgers. And then, that November day, he saw his father being brought home, stitches running down his body from head to navel.</p>

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<p>Their son, Amit, 9, with his father&#39;s photograph: &#39;I will become an engineer and develop technology that will prevent humans cleaning gutters&#39; (Others)</p>
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<p>&quot;They made him go down into that dirty gutter and he died in it,&quot; says Amit fiercely. &quot;They put a safety belt there later, just to deceive people. Had the belt been there earlier, it would have got dirty as Papa climbed into the gutter. But the belt was spotless.&quot;</p>

<p>Amit has grown up to caste prejudice all too quickly. &quot;When my friends in school learned about the death of my father, they asked me why he got into that gutter, why was he doing this dirty work in the first place? I had not known my father was doing this work, so I was silent.&quot;</p>

<p>Amit picks up a mobile phone and shows me pictures of his father. He has a story to accompany each photograph. &quot;When Papa went down into the gutter, he took off his clothes and left the phone with them. After he died, I have taken his phone,&quot; he explains. &quot;Every day after school I look at his pictures and then play for some time on the phone.&quot;</p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v_Js8H89Fpg" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>Amit jumps up and points to a red footprint, framed on the wall. It is an impression of Chandan&rsquo;s foot, taken after his death. The red is from the alta used to decorate the hands and feet on auspicious occasions. There is a belief in the community that the footprint will ensure that the soul never departs. Amit says, &quot;See, my father is here.&quot;</p>

<p>Some 50-60 members of their extended family are in Delhi, Putul informs us.Entire villages seem to have moved to the cities. All of them are involved in some sort of cleaning work, mostly as contract workers. They have escaped the village, but not the caste identities that limit their lives and livelihoods. &quot;Housekeeping&quot; is only a euphemism; it has not changed their conditions of work.</p>

<p>Putul&#39;s father, Pradip, has been sweeping and cleaning for a long time in Delhi&#39;s Chittaranjan Park. Chandan&rsquo;s elder brother Nirmal and sister Sumitra had come to Delhi before them. Men from their community generally get jobs in housekeeping or gardening and women take up domestic work.</p>

<p>Deepak, Chandan&#39;s maternal uncle, came to Delhi 20 years ago from the same village, Kandikpur. &nbsp;After years spent sweeping and cleaning as a casual worker, he now runs a meat and fish shop. &ldquo;The work of manual scavenging continues unabated,&quot; Deepak says. &quot;It must stop. Occasionally, when there is a death, the issue makes the news. Should we &nbsp;wait for someone to die before we take the issue seriously?&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/05_no_life_should_end_in_the_gutter_bs_img.max-1400x1120_nxvbshu-20170922070409.jpg" />
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<p>&#39;Caste matters&#39;, says Putul. &#39;I cannot get my husband back. I want only that no one else should have to face this ordeal&#39; (Others)</p>
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<p>Putul, who has studied till Class 8 in the Bengali medium, is determined to live in Delhi and make her son a &quot;big man&quot;. She will keep him away from the work of sweeping and scrubbing. &quot;I will fight to my last breath to break the shackles of caste,&quot; she declares.</p>

<p>Amit clings to his mother and says, &quot;I will become an engineer and develop technology that will prevent humans cleaning gutters.&quot;</p>

<p>Postscript: Sometime after the author met the bereaved family, Putul did take up her husband&#39;s job at the mall. Though she said she hated the idea, she felt compelled to, in order to support herself and her son.</p>

<p>This<a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/no-life-should-end-in-the-gutter/">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/the-commander-heights-of-kargils-economy/">article</a><a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/no-life-should-end-in-the-gutter/">&nbsp;</a>was originally published on 30/ 05/2017 on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/">People&#39;s Archive of Rural India.</a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Photo Courtesy: Bhasha Singh</p>


In November 2016, Chandan Daloi died while cleaning a septic tank at a Delhi mall. ?Why is only our caste employed for cleaning the sewers, and why are people still dying inside them?, asks his wife, Putul

It has been six months since Putul Daloi's husband, Chandan, died. The approach to her tiny home in Bengali Mohalla in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, takes you through streets crowded with cows and buffaloes. This is the heart of the dairy business, and the smell of cow dung hangs in the air. Most of the inhabitants of the mohalla are Bengali migrants. On one wall of 26-year-old Putul's home is a poster of Durga, in her Kali incarnation. Beside it is an old photograph of her husband. A more recent photograph of him stands on a table with an agarbatti lighted before it. Putul Daloi lives in Bengali Mohalla (left) in New Delhi, not far from the mall where her husband worked (Others) × Chandan Daloi, 30, had worked at the Vasant Square Mall for seven years. He was part of the housekeeping team employed by World Class Services Private Limited to provide cleaning services. On November 11, 2016, Chandan and another worker were asked to clean a septic tank in the mall’s premises. Chandan descended into the tank – without any protective gear – and choked on the poisonous gases. His colleague Israil jumped in to help him, but he also collapsed. News reports state that a beat constable used a rope to pull them out of the tank and rushed them to hospital. Chandan was declared dead on arrival. Israil survived. "When I heard the news, I ran to the mall," Putul recounts, "but I was not allowed in. I was told that Chandan had been sent to Fortis Hospital. Hundreds of people from Bengali Mohalla gathered at the hospital, but we were chased away. I pleaded that he was my husband, I had to see him. Even my son was not allowed in. They chased us away as if we were criminals. “The anguish of not being able to see him in his last moments continues to haunt me." Putul is close to tears as she speaks. “My husband was made to do this illegal work," she says. Putul told him to quit the job when she learned he had to clean the septic tank from time to time. Chandan had disregarded her, believing he would lose the job if he refused to clean the tank and knowing that it would not be easy to get another job. "Those who made him do it must be caught. Everyone knows there is fatal gas inside the tanks, yet my husband was asked to go down into it. Why? Why are only people of my caste employed for cleaning the sewers and gutters? There is such a hue and cry about "development" in India, and yet humans are made to clean the shit out of the gutters of malls? Why are people still dying inside those sewers? I want answers to my question." 'Everyone knows there is fatal gas inside the tanks, yet my husband was asked to go down into it', says Putul, about how Chandan Daloi (right) lost his life (Others) × Fortunately, Putul is not alone in her battle for justice. She has not succumbed to pressure. An IT professional at whose house Putul is employed as a domestic worker helped her file the first information report (FIR) with the police. Non-government organisations and the employer of another relative in the mohalla also provided support. "The post-mortem report testified to the truth – the cause of death was suffocation due to poisonous gas," adds Deepali Daloi, Putul's relative. "The company tried to manipulate the report, saying that the death had been caused by electrocution. But everyone knows the truth. When the sahibs from the kothis (housing colonies) threatened to file a case against the company, they corrected the report.” The system is apathetic to us, Deepali adds. "If such is the state of affairs in Delhi, can you imagine the situation in far-flung villages?" After months of follow-up, Chandan's employers paid Putul Rs. 10 lakhs (a Supreme Court judgment of March 27, 2014, recommended Rs. 10 lakhs as compensation for all those who had died while cleaning sewers/septic tanks since 1993) and assured Putul that she would be given a job. Ironically, they offered her the same housekeeping job that had claimed the life of her husband. “Finally," Putul says wryly, "caste matters. I cannot get my husband back. I want only that no one else should have to face this ordeal. No life should end in a gutter.” Putul and Chandan are Bagadis, a scheduled caste. They came to Delhi from Kandikpur village in the Sundarbans, in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. There was no work in the village. At the mall, Chandan earned Rs. 9,800, and they paid Rs. 3,500 as rent for their room. Now depressed and unable to return to her work as a cook in the bungalows nearby, Putul knows that she cannot return to the Sundarbans. There is nothing to go back to. Her mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his family barely manage to live off their 2–2.5 bighas (roughly 0.6 acres) of farmland. Though she hates the idea, Putul knows she may end up taking the cleaning job on offer. "Now it is a compulsion. Everyone says that with this work I can bring up my child in a better and more secure way.” Amit, Putul's nine-year-old son, returns home from school with a strawberry ice cream. He is in upper KG at the Vasant Public School. He remembers his father taking them to the mall for pizza and burgers. And then, that November day, he saw his father being brought home, stitches running down his body from head to navel. Their son, Amit, 9, with his father's photograph: 'I will become an engineer and develop technology that will prevent humans cleaning gutters' (Others) × "They made him go down into that dirty gutter and he died in it," says Amit fiercely. "They put a safety belt there later, just to deceive people. Had the belt been there earlier, it would have got dirty as Papa climbed into the gutter. But the belt was spotless." Amit has grown up to caste prejudice all too quickly. "When my friends in school learned about the death of my father, they asked me why he got into that gutter, why was he doing this dirty work in the first place? I had not known my father was doing this work, so I was silent." Amit picks up a mobile phone and shows me pictures of his father. He has a story to accompany each photograph. "When Papa went down into the gutter, he took off his clothes and left the phone with them. After he died, I have taken his phone," he explains. "Every day after school I look at his pictures and then play for some time on the phone." Amit jumps up and points to a red footprint, framed on the wall. It is an impression of Chandan’s foot, taken after his death. The red is from the alta used to decorate the hands and feet on auspicious occasions. There is a belief in the community that the footprint will ensure that the soul never departs. Amit says, "See, my father is here." Some 50-60 members of their extended family are in Delhi, Putul informs us.Entire villages seem to have moved to the cities. All of them are involved in some sort of cleaning work, mostly as contract workers. They have escaped the village, but not the caste identities that limit their lives and livelihoods. "Housekeeping" is only a euphemism; it has not changed their conditions of work. Putul's father, Pradip, has been sweeping and cleaning for a long time in Delhi's Chittaranjan Park. Chandan’s elder brother Nirmal and sister Sumitra had come to Delhi before them. Men from their community generally get jobs in housekeeping or gardening and women take up domestic work. Deepak, Chandan's maternal uncle, came to Delhi 20 years ago from the same village, Kandikpur. After years spent sweeping and cleaning as a casual worker, he now runs a meat and fish shop. “The work of manual scavenging continues unabated," Deepak says. "It must stop. Occasionally, when there is a death, the issue makes the news. Should we wait for someone to die before we take the issue seriously?” 'Caste matters', says Putul. 'I cannot get my husband back. I want only that no one else should have to face this ordeal' (Others) × Putul, who has studied till Class 8 in the Bengali medium, is determined to live in Delhi and make her son a "big man". She will keep him away from the work of sweeping and scrubbing. "I will fight to my last breath to break the shackles of caste," she declares. Amit clings to his mother and says, "I will become an engineer and develop technology that will prevent humans cleaning gutters." Postscript: Sometime after the author met the bereaved family, Putul did take up her husband's job at the mall. Though she said she hated the idea, she felt compelled to, in order to support herself and her son. This article was originally published on 30/ 05/2017 on the People's Archive of Rural India. Photo Courtesy: Bhasha Singh

No life should end in the gutter

<p>By&nbsp;<span>Asit<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/asit-k-biswas-361607"> K. </a>Biswas,&nbsp;Cecilia<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cecilia-tortajada-325645"> </a>Tortajada&nbsp;and Udisha<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/udisha-saklani-380210"> </a>Saklani*</span></p>

<p>As summer temperatures soar above 40&deg;C in New Delhi, <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/parched-delhi-water-crisis-jal-board-djb-dda-summer-city-struggles-to-get-enough-water-4667380">acute water shortages</a> are gripping parts of India&rsquo;s capital. Signs of <a href="http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/delhi-ranked-second-among-worlds-most-waterstressed-cities-45456">water stress</a> are now everywhere, and residents in southern and western parts of the city have not received a regular, reliable water supply for months.</p>

<p>Water shortages are becoming something of an annual ritual in Delhi, the world&rsquo;s <a href="https://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/publications/files/wup2014-highlights.Pdf">second most populous city</a>. By 2030, it is estimated <a href="https://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/publications/files/wup2014-highlights.Pdf">to grow by 11 million, from 14 million residents to 25 million</a> &ndash; a megacity atop a megacity.</p>

<p>Without any changes in the city&rsquo;s water management policies, the prospect of all those urban residents having access to water is grim.</p>

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<p>A man bathes under a broken water pipeline in New Delhi, India June 5, 2017 (Reuters)</p>
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<p><strong>Unsustainable water policies</strong></p>

<p>Delhi&rsquo;s current water policy, instituted by the ruling left-wing Aam Admi Party in 2015, promises <a href="http://www.delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/74fc0a8049fb1e4f84afcee4899821f2/Tariff+14.08.2015.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&amp;lmod=-820044332&amp;CACHEID=74fc0a8049fb1e4f84afcee4899821f2">20,000 litres of free water per household per month</a>. Assuming a household has five members, this means some 130 litres per capita per day should be available every day.</p>

<p>This plan is hampered by several basic problems. First and foremost, the city does not actually have enough water to make it happen, nor does it have enough money to give all this water away for free. Currently, some neighbourhoods have access to water just <a href="http://www.safewaternetwork.org/sites/default/files/Safe%20Water%20Network_Delhi%20City%20Report.PDF">one to two hours a day</a></p>

<p>Reliable data on individual consumption is not available, as numerous households in Delhi still lack functional meters, but leakage, thefts and losses also reduce the available water supply.</p>

<p>In 2016, the Delhi Jal Board (the hindi word <em>jal</em> means water), which is responsible for the city&rsquo;s drinking and waste water management, estimated total distribution <a href="http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/d624c0004054d4aabea4fea1527a7156/ch-13.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&amp;lmod=-888712437&amp;CACHEID=d624c0004054d4aabea4fea1527a7156">losses of around 40</a>&nbsp;per cent. Many cities in both the developed and developing world have losses in the 4 per cent&nbsp;to 20 per cent&nbsp;range.</p>

<p>As a result, Delhi must actually produce daily 182 litres per person for individuals to receive their allotted 130 litres.</p>

<p>Even this 130 litres target is flawed, because it&rsquo;s arbitrary. A person can live a perfectly healthy life at around 75 lpcd. In many European cities, <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/drastic-action-needed-to-cut-water-use-here-world-water-day">including Malaga in Spain, and Leipzig in Germany</a>, per capita daily water consumption is 92 litres or less.</p>

<p>In Delhi, people in high-income households may consume up to a staggering <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/features/homes-and-gardens/how-much-water-does-an-urban-citizen-need/article4393634.ece">600 litres</a>. As the country&rsquo;s <a href="https://ecell.in/eureka13/resources/tracking%20the%20growth%20of%20indian%20middle%20class.pdf">middle class continues to grow</a>, the need to build awareness of water as a scarce resource and instil conservation practices among the citizenry will grow more urgent.</p>

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<p>A waterlogged street in Delhi. How can a city with so much rain face water shortages? (Reuters)</p>
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<p><strong>Neglecting natural resources</strong></p>

<p>Anyone who has ever lived in or travelled to Delhi during monsoon season, between June and September, can testify to its water-clogged roads and overflowing sewers. How can a place with so much rain suffer from serious water scarcity?</p>

<p>The answer is a basic one: mismanagement of resources. In the southern and <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/groundwater-table-dips-across-delhi/article6274363.ece">southwestern districts of the city</a>, which are particularly affected by both water shortages and flooding, harvesting rainwater holds particular potential.</p>

<p>In 1965, Singapore had water-management indicators similar to those of Delhi. Today, it reports that just <a href="https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/unaccountedforwater">5 per cent&nbsp;of its supply is unaccounted for</a>, thanks to significant <a href="http://www.eco-business.com/news/singapore-tokyo-among-top-ten-best-cities-urban-sustainability">water reuse, desalination, storm water storage and conservation efforts</a>.</p>

<p>Delhi has imposed <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-hc-upholds-rule-on-rainwater-harvesting-in-buildings-on-plots-500-sq-m-or-more-2826522">mandatory norms</a> for installing rainwater harvesting structures and created financial incentives. But because of a lack of oversight, these reforms have not lead to <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Rainwater-harvesting-remains-a-mirage/articleshow/52841649.cms">large-scale adoption of available technologies</a>.</p>

<p>Surface sources of clean water are admittedly limited as well; untreated waste water and industrial effluents are routinely discharged into Delhi&rsquo;s water bodies.</p>

<p>The Yamuna River, near Delhi, is <a href="https://thewire.in/150756/ganga-water-project-agra/">an important source of drinking water</a> for downstream cities. But it has been an <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/pollution/yamuna-pollution-supreme-court-seeks-report-on-sewage-treatment-plants/articleshow/57257387.cms">open sewer for decades</a>.</p>

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<p>Boys pose for a selfie in front of the foam covering the polluted Yamuna river in New Delhi, November 2016 (Reuters)</p>
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<p>According to estimates of Central Pollution Control Board, every day, almost 40 per cent&nbsp;of untreated sewage from Delhi either seeps into the ground or <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-bio-toilets-solve-indias-sanitation-problems-and-save-the-yamuna-river-67727">is discharged into the Yamuna River</a>. The fact that other sources report this figure <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-60-of-sewage-remains-untreated-in-delhi-2070947">at 60</a>&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;is telling: wastewater-treatment facilities are not only lacking &ndash; they are abysmally poorly managed.</p>

<p>Ill-planned housing projects and an ever-expanding number of <a href="http://www.delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/f91b008046c5ef03bddbfd7d994b04ce/water+policy_21112016.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&amp;lmod=604996771">private water pumps</a>, installed by households, industries and companies that wish to ensure an uninterrupted personal water supply, have also severely damaged groundwater tables.</p>

<p>The myriad of institutional challenges facing Delhi&rsquo;s water board exacerbate these supply- and management-side issues.</p>

<p>First, the Delhi Jal Board&rsquo;s chief executive is always an Indian administrative service officer, a high-ranking civil servant likely to be transferred at any moment to another position. The average job tenure of 18 to 30 months does not favour effective performance or strategic planning. In this short time, a CEO must learn all about water, gain a complete understanding of the city&rsquo;s existing programs and infrastructure and, ideally, conceive of executable initiatives to upgrade the system.</p>

<p>To fulfil such gargantuan tasks satisfactorily and develop a strategic plan for the future, a term of six to eight years would be more reasonable.</p>

<p>Nor do the corrupt practices of many water board staffers help. <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/DJB-suspends-14-engineers-for-corruption/articleshow/29021662.cms">In 2015, for example, engineers and officers</a> from the board were suspended for cheating and forgery regarding water equipment. This does not help the organisation&rsquo;s functioning or credibility among residents.</p>

<p><strong>Making Delhi sustainable</strong></p>

<p>Here&rsquo;s the good news: for the first time in at least two decades, the Delhi Jal Board seems to have competent and effective leadership. <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-delhi-jal-board-introduces-water-atms-in-capital-2428111">A few water ATMs</a>, which dispense drinking water at a significantly cheaper price than bottled water, have been installed in a few locations across the city.</p>

<p>Thanks in part to aggressive social media advertising, these are gaining popularity among residents.</p>

<figure>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lUNob8TEjxo?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe></p>

<p>Water &lsquo;ATMS&rsquo; have been introduced in the capital since 2014 to mitigate water shortage.</p>

<figcaption>
<p>The <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221458181400010X">concept of &ldquo;constructed wetlands&rdquo;</a> &ndash; a pilot <a href="http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/rashtrapati-bhawan-to-use-wetlands-to-treat-sewage/527966/">project proposed in 2009</a> which features an artificial marsh made of plants that absorb the impurities in water &ndash; has also been moved forward. The project aims to clean up an eight-kilometre stretch of <a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/aap-delhi-drain-cleanup-yamuna-najafgarh-drain-israeli-firm-roped-in/1/877490.html">supplementary waste water drain</a> that, like most of Delhi&rsquo;s waste water, dumps into the Yamuna river.</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>Other <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/clean-up-plans-fail-in-muddy-yamuna-ngt-seeks-action/story-AtwS15hXrAzDmgynzqSRxH.html">programs to clean up the Yamuna have thus far failed</a>. If successfully completed, Delhi&rsquo;s wetlands pilot may be replicable in the many other Indian cities facing water shortages <a href="https://theconversation.com/indias-wells-are-running-dry-fast-78372">thanks in part to polluted waterways</a>.</p>

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<p>Slum dwellers carry filled water container from a tanker provided by the state-run Delhi Jal Board (Reuters)</p>
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<p><img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/80402/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />There is no intrinsic reason why Delhi residents could not have a reliable supply of water that can be drunk straight from the tap, 24 hours a day, without any health concerns or interruptions, within the decade. But it will take a lot of political work, from both within and beyond the Delhi Jal Board, to get there.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>*<span>Asit<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/asit-k-biswas-361607"> K. </a>Biswas:&nbsp;</span>Distinguished Visiting Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore</p>

<p><span>Cecilia<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cecilia-tortajada-325645"> </a>Tortajada: </span>Senior Research Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore<span>&nbsp;</span></p>

<p><span>Udisha<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/udisha-saklani-380210"> </a>Saklani:&nbsp;</span>Independent Policy Researcher, National University of Singapore</p>

<section>&nbsp;</section>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-delhi-is-running-out-of-water-80402">original article</a>.</p>


Acute water shortages are gripping parts of India?s capital and there is little hope for the situation to change.

By Asit K. Biswas, Cecilia Tortajada and Udisha Saklani* As summer temperatures soar above 40°C in New Delhi, acute water shortages are gripping parts of India’s capital. Signs of water stress are now everywhere, and residents in southern and western parts of the city have not received a regular, reliable water supply for months. Water shortages are becoming something of an annual ritual in Delhi, the world’s second most populous city. By 2030, it is estimated to grow by 11 million, from 14 million residents to 25 million – a megacity atop a megacity. Without any changes in the city’s water management policies, the prospect of all those urban residents having access to water is grim. A man bathes under a broken water pipeline in New Delhi, India June 5, 2017 (Reuters) × Unsustainable water policies Delhi’s current water policy, instituted by the ruling left-wing Aam Admi Party in 2015, promises 20,000 litres of free water per household per month. Assuming a household has five members, this means some 130 litres per capita per day should be available every day. This plan is hampered by several basic problems. First and foremost, the city does not actually have enough water to make it happen, nor does it have enough money to give all this water away for free. Currently, some neighbourhoods have access to water just one to two hours a day Reliable data on individual consumption is not available, as numerous households in Delhi still lack functional meters, but leakage, thefts and losses also reduce the available water supply. In 2016, the Delhi Jal Board (the hindi word jal means water), which is responsible for the city’s drinking and waste water management, estimated total distribution losses of around 40 per cent. Many cities in both the developed and developing world have losses in the 4 per cent to 20 per cent range. As a result, Delhi must actually produce daily 182 litres per person for individuals to receive their allotted 130 litres. Even this 130 litres target is flawed, because it’s arbitrary. A person can live a perfectly healthy life at around 75 lpcd. In many European cities, including Malaga in Spain, and Leipzig in Germany, per capita daily water consumption is 92 litres or less. In Delhi, people in high-income households may consume up to a staggering 600 litres. As the country’s middle class continues to grow, the need to build awareness of water as a scarce resource and instil conservation practices among the citizenry will grow more urgent. A waterlogged street in Delhi. How can a city with so much rain face water shortages? (Reuters) × Neglecting natural resources Anyone who has ever lived in or travelled to Delhi during monsoon season, between June and September, can testify to its water-clogged roads and overflowing sewers. How can a place with so much rain suffer from serious water scarcity? The answer is a basic one: mismanagement of resources. In the southern and southwestern districts of the city, which are particularly affected by both water shortages and flooding, harvesting rainwater holds particular potential. In 1965, Singapore had water-management indicators similar to those of Delhi. Today, it reports that just 5 per cent of its supply is unaccounted for, thanks to significant water reuse, desalination, storm water storage and conservation efforts. Delhi has imposed mandatory norms for installing rainwater harvesting structures and created financial incentives. But because of a lack of oversight, these reforms have not lead to large-scale adoption of available technologies. Surface sources of clean water are admittedly limited as well; untreated waste water and industrial effluents are routinely discharged into Delhi’s water bodies. The Yamuna River, near Delhi, is an important source of drinking water for downstream cities. But it has been an open sewer for decades. Boys pose for a selfie in front of the foam covering the polluted Yamuna river in New Delhi, November 2016 (Reuters) × According to estimates of Central Pollution Control Board, every day, almost 40 per cent of untreated sewage from Delhi either seeps into the ground or is discharged into the Yamuna River. The fact that other sources report this figure at 60 per cent is telling: wastewater-treatment facilities are not only lacking – they are abysmally poorly managed. Ill-planned housing projects and an ever-expanding number of private water pumps, installed by households, industries and companies that wish to ensure an uninterrupted personal water supply, have also severely damaged groundwater tables. The myriad of institutional challenges facing Delhi’s water board exacerbate these supply- and management-side issues. First, the Delhi Jal Board’s chief executive is always an Indian administrative service officer, a high-ranking civil servant likely to be transferred at any moment to another position. The average job tenure of 18 to 30 months does not favour effective performance or strategic planning. In this short time, a CEO must learn all about water, gain a complete understanding of the city’s existing programs and infrastructure and, ideally, conceive of executable initiatives to upgrade the system. To fulfil such gargantuan tasks satisfactorily and develop a strategic plan for the future, a term of six to eight years would be more reasonable. Nor do the corrupt practices of many water board staffers help. In 2015, for example, engineers and officers from the board were suspended for cheating and forgery regarding water equipment. This does not help the organisation’s functioning or credibility among residents. Making Delhi sustainable Here’s the good news: for the first time in at least two decades, the Delhi Jal Board seems to have competent and effective leadership. A few water ATMs, which dispense drinking water at a significantly cheaper price than bottled water, have been installed in a few locations across the city. Thanks in part to aggressive social media advertising, these are gaining popularity among residents. Water ‘ATMS’ have been introduced in the capital since 2014 to mitigate water shortage. The concept of “constructed wetlands” – a pilot project proposed in 2009 which features an artificial marsh made of plants that absorb the impurities in water – has also been moved forward. The project aims to clean up an eight-kilometre stretch of supplementary waste water drain that, like most of Delhi’s waste water, dumps into the Yamuna river. Other programs to clean up the Yamuna have thus far failed. If successfully completed, Delhi’s wetlands pilot may be replicable in the many other Indian cities facing water shortages thanks in part to polluted waterways. Slum dwellers carry filled water container from a tanker provided by the state-run Delhi Jal Board (Reuters) × There is no intrinsic reason why Delhi residents could not have a reliable supply of water that can be drunk straight from the tap, 24 hours a day, without any health concerns or interruptions, within the decade. But it will take a lot of political work, from both within and beyond the Delhi Jal Board, to get there. *Asit K. Biswas: Distinguished Visiting Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore Cecilia Tortajada: Senior Research Fellow, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore Udisha Saklani: Independent Policy Researcher, National University of Singapore This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

New Delhi is running out of water this summer

<p>A Dehi man chopped off his daughters ears because, so he claims,&nbsp;he believed a &quot;ghost&quot; would take her away if he didn&#39;t, ANI reports.</p>

<p>Delhi police arrested the man, 35, named Amrit Bahadur. The incident took place at about 1:30am on Thursday.</p>

<p>Family told the police that the father has been &quot;mentally disturbed&quot; since the death of his baby daughter a few months ago.</p>

<p>Since that happened, he has had hallucationations about a &quot;ghost&quot; who threatened to also take away his second child.</p>

<p>The district chief of police explained some&nbsp;background information to ANI:</p>

<p>&quot;Bahadur works in an unorganised sector as a cleaner. He came to his house around 1:30 am&nbsp;and he was drunk. He was having hallucinations. He felt that something is there that&#39;s compelling him to do this act and if he does not do that then he may lose his daughter. Therefore, he said that he chopped off the girl&#39;s ear. In the meantime, the family woke up and called up the neighbours who informed the police and the girl was rescued,&quot; DCP (Shahdra) Nupur Prasad told ANI.</p>

<p>The girl was referred to AIIMS hospital.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash">#Delhi</a>: Man in GTB Nagar chopped off daughter&rsquo;s ears after &quot;hallucinations&quot;, claimed that a supernatural power asked him to do so; arrested <a href="https://t.co/y5TlWKDb3x">pic.twitter.com/y5TlWKDb3x</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/878076709077041152">June 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A case has been registered, father arrested. Child has been referred to AIIMS: DCP, Shahdara, Nupur Prasad <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/2wl9utPUuD">pic.twitter.com/2wl9utPUuD</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/878077122715070464">June 23, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


A Dehi man chopped off his daughters ears because, so he claims, he believed a "ghost" would take her away if he didn't, ANI reports. Delhi police arrested the man, 35, named Amrit Bahadur. The incident took place at about 1:30am on Thursday. Family told the police that the father has been "mentally disturbed" since the death of his baby daughter a few months ago. Since that happened, he has had hallucationations about a "ghost" who threatened to also take away his second child. The district chief of police explained some background information to ANI: "Bahadur works in an unorganised sector as a cleaner. He came to his house around 1:30 am and he was drunk. He was having hallucinations. He felt that something is there that's compelling him to do this act and if he does not do that then he may lose his daughter. Therefore, he said that he chopped off the girl's ear. In the meantime, the family woke up and called up the neighbours who informed the police and the girl was rescued," DCP (Shahdra) Nupur Prasad told ANI. The girl was referred to AIIMS hospital. #Delhi: Man in GTB Nagar chopped off daughter’s ears after "hallucinations", claimed that a supernatural power asked him to do so; arrested pic.twitter.com/y5TlWKDb3x — ANI (@ANI_news) June 23, 2017 × A case has been registered, father arrested. Child has been referred to AIIMS: DCP, Shahdara, Nupur Prasad #Delhi pic.twitter.com/2wl9utPUuD — ANI (@ANI_news) June 23, 2017 ×

Father chops off daughter's ear because 'ghost' told him to: Delhi Police

<p>The sane people in Bangladesh do not think that Bangladesh and India are enemies although since 1975, right wing political forces have tried to paint such a picture. Even today, some fringe elements in the Bangladeshi intelligentsia keep peddling such a narrative to an audience that thrives on this.</p>

<p>However, over the past several years, the sensible quarters of the civil society and media have been able to reassert, by and large, the objective narrative of mutual trust and the benefits of Bangladesh-India cooperation and the need for strengthening it. India didn&rsquo;t do anything in the last 46 years that shows New Delhi&#39;s intent to gobble up Bangladesh. Nor it is possible. False fear mongering and small neighbour mentality are out.</p>

<p>There are big economic and political changes taking place in the region and beyond. It is an ongoing geopolitical game and all the interested parties are trying to get the most out of it through conventional non-violent means i.e. strategic posturing, economic cooperation, diplomacy, etc.</p>

<p>Unlike in the past, today, bigger domestic constituencies of leading developing countries are getting increasingly interested in their nations&#39; regional and global standings. Therefore, alongside international politics and security, other factors such as economic benefits, regional or international stature and even domestic politics have become important determinants of bilateral and multilateral relationship between countries.</p>

<p>Since the Narendra Modi-led Hindu nationalist BJP government came to power in India in 2014, riding on the development plank, India-Bangladesh relationship needed a reboot. The secular Awami League under Sheikh Hasina, with a history of good relations with the secular Indian National Congress, continued to be in power in Dhaka for a second term.</p>

<p>Both the governments realised that inter-state relations come ahead of inter-party relations across the border and thus developed a good working relationship. Moreover, Bangladesh and India have a shared history and commonalities of culture, not to mention the huge volume of bilateral trade and other interactions.</p>

<p>However, Bangladesh is an aspirational country and it is already the world&rsquo;s 31st largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. It has a big population with a large number of young people who want jobs and a good life. Therefore, when it comes to economy, Bangladesh, like other Least Developed Countries (LDCs), needs more FDI in infrastructure, manufacturing, processing industries and other fields. As the western, Japanese and West Asian finances are drying out, China is fast stepping into that vacuum. It has overtaken India as the largest trading partner of Bangladesh. Bangladesh&#39;s military is also dependent on Chinese supply of military hardware as those are of reasonable standards and are affordable.</p>

<p>Bangladesh&rsquo;s cosiness with China seems to have puzzled India, Beijing&#39;s geopolitical competitor. It is a different matter that India is currently utilising China&rsquo;s economic rise and has replaced Pakistan as China&#39;s largest trade partner in South Asia.</p>

<p>To nullify the Bangladesh-China intimacy, India has proposed a long-term defence cooperation pact with Bangladesh which&nbsp;&nbsp;involves purchasing Indian military armaments, various military-to-military cooperation measures like training, capacity building, joint exercises, etc.</p>

<p>Much has not been disclosed but there is a sense that India would also seek a deeper military strategic alliance. This would serve the Modi government very well as the overall security and geopolitical rise of India are key promises made by Modi. If successful, this defence agreement with Bangladesh would help Modi in his 2019 re-election bid. He can then claim that he has been successful in &lsquo;isolating Pakistan in South Asia&rsquo; and &lsquo;resisting China in this part of South Asia&rsquo;.</p>

<p>What does this mean for Bangladesh and the Awami League government?</p>

<p>Bangladesh doesn&rsquo;t need Indian armaments which are not known for their quality although Dhaka may wish to reduce its dependence on Chinese armaments, owing to China&rsquo;s proximity to Myanmar. But for that, Dhaka would do better to look at Russia or Eastern Europe.</p>

<p>The Awami League government of Bangladesh, unlike the BJP in India, will be significantly embarrassed in the domestic political sphere if this agreement goes through. Its detractors have long accused it as a pro-India party.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moreover, Bangladesh still has important unresolved issues with India like water sharing of the Teesta and other rivers.</p>

<p>India also did not support Bangladesh on the humanitarian Rohingya issue, considering its own geostrategic interest in Myanmar. Most importantly, a comprehensive India-Bangladesh defence pact would inevitably raise the obvious question as to who the pact is against. It will send China, Bangladesh&rsquo;s strategic economic partner, a wrong signal. Beijing has just committed to invest a whopping $27 billion in Bangladesh while indicating that it could invest another $13 billion in the private sector. Bangladesh, therefore, will do well to keep out of the India-China geopolitical competition and engage in economic ties with both.</p>

<p>The Modi government made the lingering Land Boundary Agreement a reality and allowed more Bangladeshi products to reach the Indian markets without tariff. Bangladesh actively and consistently went after hideouts of northeast Indian insurgents along its border. Bangladesh will probably reciprocate by allowing India&rsquo;s landlocked northeast region to use its seaports for a reasonable fee.</p>

<p>Bangladesh doesn&rsquo;t consider India as an enemy but it is surrounded by the country on three sides. The adjacent northeastern region of India is a highly militarised zone and keeps Bangladesh wary at all times. It is also difficult for Bangladesh to gauge the direction of India&#39;s domestic politics in the light of anti-Bangladesh rhetoric, specially on immigrants, used in previous general elections. India&rsquo;s record of politico-military involvement in Sri Lanka also doesn&#39;t help.</p>

<p>Many Bangladeshis are worried about the state of Muslims in India as news of discrimination and persecution by Hindutva activists keep making news. On the other hand, Bangladesh&rsquo;s current relationship with Pakistan is moving from bad to worse. Currently, Bangladesh&rsquo;s relationship with the rest of the Islamic world is less cosy than in the past for obvious reasons. Even though India and Bangladesh share a warm relationship at present, Bangladesh doesn&rsquo;t want to put all its eggs in the same basket by aligning too closely with the saffron dispensation in New Delhi.</p>

<p>Therefore, neither Bangladesh wants acrimony with India nor does it need any defence cooperation. It&rsquo;s better that Bangladesh&rsquo;s defence remains independent of India. Rather, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on friendly coexistence and cooperation in countering terrorism and extremism would be a fair shot for both the countries. Hopefully, the Indian government would understand Bangladesh&rsquo;s conundrum and would settle for something sustainable for both the sides.</p>


Dhaka and New Delhi should instead agree on friendly coexistence and cooperation in countering terrorism

The sane people in Bangladesh do not think that Bangladesh and India are enemies although since 1975, right wing political forces have tried to paint such a picture. Even today, some fringe elements in the Bangladeshi intelligentsia keep peddling such a narrative to an audience that thrives on this. However, over the past several years, the sensible quarters of the civil society and media have been able to reassert, by and large, the objective narrative of mutual trust and the benefits of Bangladesh-India cooperation and the need for strengthening it. India didn’t do anything in the last 46 years that shows New Delhi's intent to gobble up Bangladesh. Nor it is possible. False fear mongering and small neighbour mentality are out. There are big economic and political changes taking place in the region and beyond. It is an ongoing geopolitical game and all the interested parties are trying to get the most out of it through conventional non-violent means i.e. strategic posturing, economic cooperation, diplomacy, etc. Unlike in the past, today, bigger domestic constituencies of leading developing countries are getting increasingly interested in their nations' regional and global standings. Therefore, alongside international politics and security, other factors such as economic benefits, regional or international stature and even domestic politics have become important determinants of bilateral and multilateral relationship between countries. Since the Narendra Modi-led Hindu nationalist BJP government came to power in India in 2014, riding on the development plank, India-Bangladesh relationship needed a reboot. The secular Awami League under Sheikh Hasina, with a history of good relations with the secular Indian National Congress, continued to be in power in Dhaka for a second term. Both the governments realised that inter-state relations come ahead of inter-party relations across the border and thus developed a good working relationship. Moreover, Bangladesh and India have a shared history and commonalities of culture, not to mention the huge volume of bilateral trade and other interactions. However, Bangladesh is an aspirational country and it is already the world’s 31st largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity. It has a big population with a large number of young people who want jobs and a good life. Therefore, when it comes to economy, Bangladesh, like other Least Developed Countries (LDCs), needs more FDI in infrastructure, manufacturing, processing industries and other fields. As the western, Japanese and West Asian finances are drying out, China is fast stepping into that vacuum. It has overtaken India as the largest trading partner of Bangladesh. Bangladesh's military is also dependent on Chinese supply of military hardware as those are of reasonable standards and are affordable. Bangladesh’s cosiness with China seems to have puzzled India, Beijing's geopolitical competitor. It is a different matter that India is currently utilising China’s economic rise and has replaced Pakistan as China's largest trade partner in South Asia. To nullify the Bangladesh-China intimacy, India has proposed a long-term defence cooperation pact with Bangladesh which involves purchasing Indian military armaments, various military-to-military cooperation measures like training, capacity building, joint exercises, etc. Much has not been disclosed but there is a sense that India would also seek a deeper military strategic alliance. This would serve the Modi government very well as the overall security and geopolitical rise of India are key promises made by Modi. If successful, this defence agreement with Bangladesh would help Modi in his 2019 re-election bid. He can then claim that he has been successful in ‘isolating Pakistan in South Asia’ and ‘resisting China in this part of South Asia’. What does this mean for Bangladesh and the Awami League government? Bangladesh doesn’t need Indian armaments which are not known for their quality although Dhaka may wish to reduce its dependence on Chinese armaments, owing to China’s proximity to Myanmar. But for that, Dhaka would do better to look at Russia or Eastern Europe. The Awami League government of Bangladesh, unlike the BJP in India, will be significantly embarrassed in the domestic political sphere if this agreement goes through. Its detractors have long accused it as a pro-India party. Moreover, Bangladesh still has important unresolved issues with India like water sharing of the Teesta and other rivers. India also did not support Bangladesh on the humanitarian Rohingya issue, considering its own geostrategic interest in Myanmar. Most importantly, a comprehensive India-Bangladesh defence pact would inevitably raise the obvious question as to who the pact is against. It will send China, Bangladesh’s strategic economic partner, a wrong signal. Beijing has just committed to invest a whopping $27 billion in Bangladesh while indicating that it could invest another $13 billion in the private sector. Bangladesh, therefore, will do well to keep out of the India-China geopolitical competition and engage in economic ties with both. The Modi government made the lingering Land Boundary Agreement a reality and allowed more Bangladeshi products to reach the Indian markets without tariff. Bangladesh actively and consistently went after hideouts of northeast Indian insurgents along its border. Bangladesh will probably reciprocate by allowing India’s landlocked northeast region to use its seaports for a reasonable fee. Bangladesh doesn’t consider India as an enemy but it is surrounded by the country on three sides. The adjacent northeastern region of India is a highly militarised zone and keeps Bangladesh wary at all times. It is also difficult for Bangladesh to gauge the direction of India's domestic politics in the light of anti-Bangladesh rhetoric, specially on immigrants, used in previous general elections. India’s record of politico-military involvement in Sri Lanka also doesn't help. Many Bangladeshis are worried about the state of Muslims in India as news of discrimination and persecution by Hindutva activists keep making news. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s current relationship with Pakistan is moving from bad to worse. Currently, Bangladesh’s relationship with the rest of the Islamic world is less cosy than in the past for obvious reasons. Even though India and Bangladesh share a warm relationship at present, Bangladesh doesn’t want to put all its eggs in the same basket by aligning too closely with the saffron dispensation in New Delhi. Therefore, neither Bangladesh wants acrimony with India nor does it need any defence cooperation. It’s better that Bangladesh’s defence remains independent of India. Rather, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on friendly coexistence and cooperation in countering terrorism and extremism would be a fair shot for both the countries. Hopefully, the Indian government would understand Bangladesh’s conundrum and would settle for something sustainable for both the sides.

Why a long-term defence pact with India is not in Bangladesh?s interest

<p>India&#39;s environment ministry notified the Supreme Court-approved &#39;Graded Response Action Plan&#39; on its website early Monday morning. The plan features emergency measures like the&nbsp;odd-even vehicle&nbsp;scheme (running&nbsp;vehicles with odd and&nbsp;even numbers on alternate days) and halting construction activities to improve the Delhi-National Capital Region&#39;s (NCR) poor air quality. This is the first time that a graded plan -- wherein a fixed set of measures will have to be taken depending on how bad the pollution gets -- to improve air quality will be enforced in India.</p>

<p>The plan categorises pollution levels as emergency, severe, very poor, and moderate. The notification entrusts the SC-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to implement the graded action plan.</p>

<p>A task force, comprising members from the Central Pollution Control Board, the environment ministry, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana pollution boards, India Meteorological Department (IMD), health experts and other stakeholders, will facilitate implementation of the plan. Based on the forecast for critical pollution days, the measures will have to be rolled out at least two weeks in advance.</p>

<p>EPCA and other authorities have the power to pull up polluters and legally enforce the plan when air-quality in Delhi-NCR plunges, said senior officials from the ministry.</p>

<p>&quot;Our first aim is to prevent pollution levels from crossing emergency levels where public health is threatened. Hence, graded action marked for &#39;poor&#39; category of air-quality has to be enforced through the year,&quot; said Sunita Narain, EPCA member and director-general, Centre for Science and Environment.</p>

<p>Narain added, &quot;We need to be well prepared, since measures such as closing down construction sites will lead to labour distress. But these measures are necessary, even Beijing and Paris enforce these emergency actions.&quot;</p>

<p>The graded response action plan framework relies on IIT-Kanpur&#39;s study that analysed air-quality of Delhi-NCR over a period of one year and the major sources of pollution.</p>

<p>Analysis of the past air quality trend shows that severe and very Poor air quality is anticipated throughout the winter months of November to February and largely poor category during the summer months of March to May.</p>

<p>Road dust, biomass burning, construction, power plants and industries contribute to pollution in Delhi round the year.</p>

<p>During winter biomass burning, solid waste burning, firecrackers, stubble burning and secondary particles contribute greater to pollution while fly ash, vehicles and biomass burning are the big pollutants in the summers.</p>

<p>(This report first appeared in DNA)</p>


According to the plan, a fixed set of measures will have to be taken depending on how bad pollution gets

India's environment ministry notified the Supreme Court-approved 'Graded Response Action Plan' on its website early Monday morning. The plan features emergency measures like the odd-even vehicle scheme (running vehicles with odd and even numbers on alternate days) and halting construction activities to improve the Delhi-National Capital Region's (NCR) poor air quality. This is the first time that a graded plan -- wherein a fixed set of measures will have to be taken depending on how bad the pollution gets -- to improve air quality will be enforced in India. The plan categorises pollution levels as emergency, severe, very poor, and moderate. The notification entrusts the SC-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to implement the graded action plan. A task force, comprising members from the Central Pollution Control Board, the environment ministry, Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana pollution boards, India Meteorological Department (IMD), health experts and other stakeholders, will facilitate implementation of the plan. Based on the forecast for critical pollution days, the measures will have to be rolled out at least two weeks in advance. EPCA and other authorities have the power to pull up polluters and legally enforce the plan when air-quality in Delhi-NCR plunges, said senior officials from the ministry. "Our first aim is to prevent pollution levels from crossing emergency levels where public health is threatened. Hence, graded action marked for 'poor' category of air-quality has to be enforced through the year," said Sunita Narain, EPCA member and director-general, Centre for Science and Environment. Narain added, "We need to be well prepared, since measures such as closing down construction sites will lead to labour distress. But these measures are necessary, even Beijing and Paris enforce these emergency actions." The graded response action plan framework relies on IIT-Kanpur's study that analysed air-quality of Delhi-NCR over a period of one year and the major sources of pollution. Analysis of the past air quality trend shows that severe and very Poor air quality is anticipated throughout the winter months of November to February and largely poor category during the summer months of March to May. Road dust, biomass burning, construction, power plants and industries contribute to pollution in Delhi round the year. During winter biomass burning, solid waste burning, firecrackers, stubble burning and secondary particles contribute greater to pollution while fly ash, vehicles and biomass burning are the big pollutants in the summers. (This report first appeared in DNA)

India: Delhi gets pollution action plan, odd-even may come back on bad days

<p>&nbsp;Two teenagers were killed by a speeding train while they posed for selfies at a railway track in the Indian capital of New Delhi.</p>

<p>The incident took place in East Delhi&#39;s Pandav Nagar area on Saturday (January 14). The victims, Yash Kumar (16) and Shubham Saini (14), along with their five friends, had reportedly rented a camera to build a modelling portfolio.</p>

<p>The teenagers were clicking a selfie in front of an approaching train. However, they did not notice that another train was coming on the adjacent track and the boys were killed in the confusion while jumping tracks.</p>

<p>The duo&#39;s friends, who stood at a distance of a few feet, had a narrow-escape themselves, said local media reports.</p>

<p>&quot;The children went to the tracks to take a selfie. They clicked some selfies there with train but they didn&#39;t see the train coming from the other side and the two kids were mowed down by it,&quot; said Kumar&#39;s uncle on Monday (January 16).</p>

<p>The deceased teens were classmates at a private school in East Delhi. Police have seized the camera and an investigation is on.</p>

<p>Incidents like these are not uncommon in India as local youths play on the train track to boast about their feats of &#39;daredevil&#39;. Many people become victim to grievous accidents when they stumble while performing dangerous stunts.</p>

<p>The rise of selfie photography in some of the world&#39;s most beautiful, and dangerous, places is sparking a range of interventions aimed at combating risk-taking that has resulted in a string of gruesome deaths worldwide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


The victims, and five friends, had reportedly rented a camera to build a modelling portfolio

Two teenagers were killed by a speeding train while they posed for selfies at a railway track in the Indian capital of New Delhi. The incident took place in East Delhi's Pandav Nagar area on Saturday (January 14). The victims, Yash Kumar (16) and Shubham Saini (14), along with their five friends, had reportedly rented a camera to build a modelling portfolio. The teenagers were clicking a selfie in front of an approaching train. However, they did not notice that another train was coming on the adjacent track and the boys were killed in the confusion while jumping tracks. The duo's friends, who stood at a distance of a few feet, had a narrow-escape themselves, said local media reports. "The children went to the tracks to take a selfie. They clicked some selfies there with train but they didn't see the train coming from the other side and the two kids were mowed down by it," said Kumar's uncle on Monday (January 16). The deceased teens were classmates at a private school in East Delhi. Police have seized the camera and an investigation is on. Incidents like these are not uncommon in India as local youths play on the train track to boast about their feats of 'daredevil'. Many people become victim to grievous accidents when they stumble while performing dangerous stunts. The rise of selfie photography in some of the world's most beautiful, and dangerous, places is sparking a range of interventions aimed at combating risk-taking that has resulted in a string of gruesome deaths worldwide. (Reuters)

India: Two teen boys killed by speeding train while taking selfie

<p>After a cancellation in Bengaluru and&nbsp;a rescheduling in Mumbai, now reports suggest that the concert in Delhi featuring French DJ David Guetta may be cancelled.</p>

<p>According to <b><i>News18.com</i></b> on Saturday, Delhi police will explain the reasons behind the cancellation of the concert &mdash; scheduled for Sunday, January 15 &mdash; to the festival organisers.</p>

<p>ANI reported that the cancellation was due to lack of requisite clearance because of which the Delhi police rejected permission for the Sunburn Festival in the capital city.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;<em>News18</em>&nbsp;report also said that the lack of security personnel was because of the Republic Day parade preparations. Intelligence agencies have reportedly instructed the Delhi police to not let big congregations take place before January 26.</p>

<p>In a tweet posted on Friday, Sunburn Festival had said that the Grammy-winning star would perform in Mumbai and Delhi on the same day.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Alert?src=hash">#Alert</a> - Tag your friends &amp; let them know! <a href="https://t.co/uUbMDvfJc5">pic.twitter.com/uUbMDvfJc5</a></p>
&mdash; Sunburn Festival (@SunburnFestival) <a href="https://twitter.com/SunburnFestival/status/819975823176433665">January 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>His Mumbai show is to be held on Sunday afternoon, while his event in the capital was scheduled for the same evening.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We&#39;re issuing permission for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DavidGuetta?src=hash">#DavidGuetta</a>&#39;s concert in Mumbai,rescheduled for Jan 15,at Jio Gardens, Bandra Kurla Complex: Mumbai Police PRO</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/820197861681807360">January 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We&#39;re issuing permission for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DavidGuetta?src=hash">#DavidGuetta</a>&#39;s concert in Mumbai,rescheduled for Jan 15,at Jio Gardens, Bandra Kurla Complex: Mumbai Police PRO</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/820197861681807360">January 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Mumbai concert was earlier supposed to take place at Mahalaxmi Racecourse but the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) denied permission. It was then shifted to Reliance Jio Garden but failed to get clearance from the Mumbai Police.</p>

<p>&quot;We regret the cancellation of the Sunburn Arena with David Guetta this evening. We are happy to add that we have succeeded in rescheduling the event for Sunday, January 15 between 11 AM to 4 PM at the same venue - Jio Gardens, BKC,&quot; Harindra Singh, Managing Director &amp; Chairman, Percept Limited said.</p>

<p>&quot;We are complying with all the regulatory requirements as prescribed by the authorities. The current tickets will be valid for the rescheduled show on Sunday,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The Hyderabad show &quot;went really well&quot;, Harindra Singh said, ANI reported.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Events to take place tomorrow in Delhi and Mumbai, went really well in Hyderabad today: Harindra Singh, Sunburn organiser <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DavidGuetta?src=hash">#DavidGuetta</a> <a href="https://t.co/xZHlf8OZat">pic.twitter.com/xZHlf8OZat</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/820317721480957953">January 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Bengaluru, Guetta was scheduled to headline a special gig on Thursday, kickstarting his four-city tour to Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi. However, it was cancelled, with organisers and authorities citing conflicting reasons.</p>

<p>(This report first appeared in DNA)</p>
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The star DJ's Mumbai show is to be held on Sunday afternoon, while his event in the Indian capital was scheduled for the same evening

After a cancellation in Bengaluru and a rescheduling in Mumbai, now reports suggest that the concert in Delhi featuring French DJ David Guetta may be cancelled. According to News18.com on Saturday, Delhi police will explain the reasons behind the cancellation of the concert — scheduled for Sunday, January 15 — to the festival organisers. ANI reported that the cancellation was due to lack of requisite clearance because of which the Delhi police rejected permission for the Sunburn Festival in the capital city. The News18 report also said that the lack of security personnel was because of the Republic Day parade preparations. Intelligence agencies have reportedly instructed the Delhi police to not let big congregations take place before January 26. In a tweet posted on Friday, Sunburn Festival had said that the Grammy-winning star would perform in Mumbai and Delhi on the same day. #Alert - Tag your friends & let them know! pic.twitter.com/uUbMDvfJc5 — Sunburn Festival (@SunburnFestival) January 13, 2017 × His Mumbai show is to be held on Sunday afternoon, while his event in the capital was scheduled for the same evening. We're issuing permission for #DavidGuetta's concert in Mumbai,rescheduled for Jan 15,at Jio Gardens, Bandra Kurla Complex: Mumbai Police PRO — ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017 × We're issuing permission for #DavidGuetta's concert in Mumbai,rescheduled for Jan 15,at Jio Gardens, Bandra Kurla Complex: Mumbai Police PRO — ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017 × The Mumbai concert was earlier supposed to take place at Mahalaxmi Racecourse but the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) denied permission. It was then shifted to Reliance Jio Garden but failed to get clearance from the Mumbai Police. "We regret the cancellation of the Sunburn Arena with David Guetta this evening. We are happy to add that we have succeeded in rescheduling the event for Sunday, January 15 between 11 AM to 4 PM at the same venue - Jio Gardens, BKC," Harindra Singh, Managing Director & Chairman, Percept Limited said. "We are complying with all the regulatory requirements as prescribed by the authorities. The current tickets will be valid for the rescheduled show on Sunday," he said. The Hyderabad show "went really well", Harindra Singh said, ANI reported. Events to take place tomorrow in Delhi and Mumbai, went really well in Hyderabad today: Harindra Singh, Sunburn organiser #DavidGuetta pic.twitter.com/xZHlf8OZat — ANI (@ANI_news) January 14, 2017 × In Bengaluru, Guetta was scheduled to headline a special gig on Thursday, kickstarting his four-city tour to Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi. However, it was cancelled, with organisers and authorities citing conflicting reasons. (This report first appeared in DNA)

David Guetta's Delhi concert might be cancelled over security concerns

<p>India&nbsp;has decided to ditch its sabre-rattling approach after its army warned about the perils of a &quot;controlled warfare&quot; with Pakistan, local media agency Ananda Bazar Patrika has reported.<br />
<br />
Certain sections of the Indian government have been keen on inflicting reprisal attacks on jihadist groups in Pakistan but the army feels such stratagem would further escalate hostilities between the two countries, the report said.<br />
<br />
The report suggests that New Delhi has paid heed to the warning and is now seeking to put diplomatic pressure instead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The discussions &mdash; attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh, defence minister Manohar Parikar, finance minister Arun Jaitley, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Intelligence&nbsp;&mdash; were held in a closed-door meeting recently.<br />
<br />
India has&nbsp;decided to present documentary proofs to the rest of the world of Pakistan&rsquo;s involvement in the recent attack in Uri, Kashmir, which claimed lives of 18 Indian soldiers on September 18.<br />
<br />
Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj is also scheduled to bring up the Uri terror attack at the UN meeting on September 26.<br />
<br />
It has also been decided that the Indian government will pass on evidence to foreign investors in Pakistan in the hope that they will understand how their investment in the country is actually strengthening the hands of terror.<br />
<br />
At the same time, India is careful not to internationalise the Kashmir issue through these acts.<br />
<br />
New Delhi is optimistic that these international moves will bear results. India&rsquo;s position has already been strengthened by UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon&#39;s strong condemnation of the Uri attack. Even the US, UK, France and Beijing have deplored the attack in no uncertain terms.<br />
<br />
Though the Indian government has refrained from&nbsp;a full-fledged attack against Pakistan, the Modi government has instructed the Indian army to increase its presence along the Line of Control (LoC).<br />
<br />
The army is expected to retaliate in strongest possible terms in event of a further attack, infiltration or instigation from Pakistan&rsquo;s side.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;The action has to be taken without getting influenced by emotions, anger. It has to be taken coolly and with proper planning,&rdquo; junior foreign minister of India VK&nbsp;Singh said.<br />
<br />
(WION)</p>


New Delhi now plans to put diplomatic pressure on Pakistan after its army advised the government to refrain from military strikes

India has decided to ditch its sabre-rattling approach after its army warned about the perils of a "controlled warfare" with Pakistan, local media agency Ananda Bazar Patrika has reported. Certain sections of the Indian government have been keen on inflicting reprisal attacks on jihadist groups in Pakistan but the army feels such stratagem would further escalate hostilities between the two countries, the report said. The report suggests that New Delhi has paid heed to the warning and is now seeking to put diplomatic pressure instead. The discussions — attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Rajnath Singh, defence minister Manohar Parikar, finance minister Arun Jaitley, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Intelligence — were held in a closed-door meeting recently. India has decided to present documentary proofs to the rest of the world of Pakistan’s involvement in the recent attack in Uri, Kashmir, which claimed lives of 18 Indian soldiers on September 18. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj is also scheduled to bring up the Uri terror attack at the UN meeting on September 26. It has also been decided that the Indian government will pass on evidence to foreign investors in Pakistan in the hope that they will understand how their investment in the country is actually strengthening the hands of terror. At the same time, India is careful not to internationalise the Kashmir issue through these acts. New Delhi is optimistic that these international moves will bear results. India’s position has already been strengthened by UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon's strong condemnation of the Uri attack. Even the US, UK, France and Beijing have deplored the attack in no uncertain terms. Though the Indian government has refrained from a full-fledged attack against Pakistan, the Modi government has instructed the Indian army to increase its presence along the Line of Control (LoC). The army is expected to retaliate in strongest possible terms in event of a further attack, infiltration or instigation from Pakistan’s side. “The action has to be taken without getting influenced by emotions, anger. It has to be taken coolly and with proper planning,” junior foreign minister of India VK Singh said. (WION)

Uri terror attack: India pivots stance on 'controlled warfare' amid army warning

<p>North India woke up to another foggy morning Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Visibility was low in the Indian capital Delhi and cars out on the roads early in the morning had their hazard lights on.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Punjab: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash">#Visuals</a> of dense fog from Amritsar city <a href="https://t.co/eNIWi4RoFP">pic.twitter.com/eNIWi4RoFP</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/806690118899679232">December 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>Six international and seven domestic flights were delayed. One domestic flight was cancelled, taking the total number of flights disrupted to 14.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A total of 112 trains were disrupted; 94 were running late, two were cancelled and 16 rescheduled.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dense fog and cold were also reported from the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


14 flights and 112 trains into and out of the capital Delhi were disrupted

North India woke up to another foggy morning Thursday. Visibility was low in the Indian capital Delhi and cars out on the roads early in the morning had their hazard lights on. Punjab: #Visuals of dense fog from Amritsar city pic.twitter.com/eNIWi4RoFP — ANI (@ANI_news) December 8, 2016 × Six international and seven domestic flights were delayed. One domestic flight was cancelled, taking the total number of flights disrupted to 14. A total of 112 trains were disrupted; 94 were running late, two were cancelled and 16 rescheduled. Dense fog and cold were also reported from the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. (WION)

North India wakes up to another foggy morning

<p>Two days ahead of the Heart of Asia conference in the Indian city of Amritsar, external affairs ministry clarified that there would be no bilateral talks with Pakistan on the sidelines of the meeting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India emphasised that it would not accept the atmosphere of &quot;continued terror&quot; as the &quot;new normal&quot; in the bilateral relationship.</p>

<p>External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, &quot;We have not received any request from Pakistan for a bilateral meeting.&quot;</p>

<p>He added that the government is awaiting detailed information on the specifics of the Nagrota terror attack, in which 7 Indian armymen were killed, before it decides on the next steps.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I do wish to emphasise that the government takes this incident very seriously and will do what it feels is required for our national security,&quot; he asserted.</p>

<p>Pakistan will be represented by Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs advisor to Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the conference on December 3 and 4.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tensions between the two South Asian neighbours heightened after India&#39;s surgical strikes against militants on Pakistan-administered Kashmir.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Replying to a question on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif&#39;s telephonic call with US President-elect Trump, Swarup said the Indian government is looking forward to the US addressing Pakistan&#39;s &quot;most outstanding of outstanding problems - terrorism&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We have seen the reports of the conversation (between Trump and Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif) that were one-sided and claimed the President-elect promised to help Pakistan with all outstanding issues,&quot; Swarup said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan today claimed that Trump&#39;s &quot;willingness to play any role&quot; in resolving its &quot;outstanding issues&quot; was a reference to the Kashmir issue.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


New Delhi emphasised that bilateral ties cannot improve amid continued attacks along the Line of Control

Two days ahead of the Heart of Asia conference in the Indian city of Amritsar, external affairs ministry clarified that there would be no bilateral talks with Pakistan on the sidelines of the meeting. India emphasised that it would not accept the atmosphere of "continued terror" as the "new normal" in the bilateral relationship. External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "We have not received any request from Pakistan for a bilateral meeting." He added that the government is awaiting detailed information on the specifics of the Nagrota terror attack, in which 7 Indian armymen were killed, before it decides on the next steps. "I do wish to emphasise that the government takes this incident very seriously and will do what it feels is required for our national security," he asserted. Pakistan will be represented by Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs advisor to Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the conference on December 3 and 4. Tensions between the two South Asian neighbours heightened after India's surgical strikes against militants on Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Replying to a question on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's telephonic call with US President-elect Trump, Swarup said the Indian government is looking forward to the US addressing Pakistan's "most outstanding of outstanding problems - terrorism". "We have seen the reports of the conversation (between Trump and Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif) that were one-sided and claimed the President-elect promised to help Pakistan with all outstanding issues," Swarup said. Pakistan today claimed that Trump's "willingness to play any role" in resolving its "outstanding issues" was a reference to the Kashmir issue. (WION with inputs from PTI)

India: No talks with Pakistan in atmosphere of 'continued terror'

<p>Delhi is one of the world&#39;s most polluted cities and there has been much head-scratching about what can be done to tackle the problem.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A lot has already been done; the city&#39;s bus fleet has been converted to compressed natural gas, the courts have begun to tax large diesel SUVs, but the city seems to get dirtier every year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tarun Sebastian Nanda, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Indian and Dutch parentage, has decided to take an alternate route. Rather than going large scale, he has decided to take small steps to fight pollution in the city.</p>

<p>An environmental engineer, Nanda has begun to clean the city&#39;s water bodies with home-made, floating &quot;islands&quot;. (Like the air, much of the city&#39;s water is in poor condition too. A report by the Delhi government&#39;s Department of Environment says 107 of the city&#39;s 1,012 water bodies are untraceable.)&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>This is what Nanda does:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>He collects old PVC drainpipes and cuts them up. After inserting plastic bottles into the pipes to keep them buoyant, Tarun then ties them up to make a frame out of the pipes.<br />
The next step is to wrap the frame in a mesh and stuff it with coir fibre. Aquatic plants are planted into this before the island is placed in the water.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nanda says one of his islands can be put together for less than Rs 4,000.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The &quot;islands&quot;, which can be carried by two people, are then placed in a water body.</p>

<p>The plants take the nutrients from water and use them to grow. The roots act like as a filter to block suspended solids. They also act as a place for microorganisms to live, which in turn break down the pollutants, converting nitrates and phosphates into biomass.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nanda has so far made about 50 of the islands -- the idea wasn&#39;t his own; Nanda says this is an established engineering practice around the world. He&nbsp;dropped them in the wetlands of south Delhi&rsquo;s Vasant Kunj and Vasant Vihar.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Did they work?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>&ldquo;The very fact that the plants are growing is evidence that they are working,&quot; says Nanda.</p>

<p>Although one can start seeing the results within a month when the plants grow, it will take nearly six months before the water samples are tested for the pollution levels.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nanda also notes that pollution levels will not come down significantly unless at least half of the water body is covered with the islands. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The next step, says Nanda, is to take the idea around the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To begin with, he plans on holding workshops in Delhi to train people on how to make his islands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it&#39;s been tough dealing with bureaucracy in the city&#39;s municipalities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;m hoping that as public get more involved, the govt also gets more involved and they&#39;ll give me permission to do this officially. My intention is to do it with or without official permission. There&#39;s no reason why these water bodies exist like this,&quot; he says.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>How to make your island</strong></p>

<p>You&#39;ll need:&nbsp;</p>

<p>- 1-litre plastic bottles (about 25 of them)<br />
- &nbsp;HDPE piping (7 metres)&nbsp;<br />
- Roll of plastic mesh (available in wholesale markets)</p>

<p>- Coir fibre (7 to 8 kgs)</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
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<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
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<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
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<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
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<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
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<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
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<p>Floating islands. (WION)</p>
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Tarun Sebastian Nanda has dropped these islands in the wetlands of south Delhi?s Vasant Kunj and Vasant Vihar

Delhi is one of the world's most polluted cities and there has been much head-scratching about what can be done to tackle the problem. A lot has already been done; the city's bus fleet has been converted to compressed natural gas, the courts have begun to tax large diesel SUVs, but the city seems to get dirtier every year. Tarun Sebastian Nanda, a 35-year-old UK citizen of Indian and Dutch parentage, has decided to take an alternate route. Rather than going large scale, he has decided to take small steps to fight pollution in the city. An environmental engineer, Nanda has begun to clean the city's water bodies with home-made, floating "islands". (Like the air, much of the city's water is in poor condition too. A report by the Delhi government's Department of Environment says 107 of the city's 1,012 water bodies are untraceable.) This is what Nanda does: He collects old PVC drainpipes and cuts them up. After inserting plastic bottles into the pipes to keep them buoyant, Tarun then ties them up to make a frame out of the pipes. The next step is to wrap the frame in a mesh and stuff it with coir fibre. Aquatic plants are planted into this before the island is placed in the water. Nanda says one of his islands can be put together for less than Rs 4,000. The "islands", which can be carried by two people, are then placed in a water body. The plants take the nutrients from water and use them to grow. The roots act like as a filter to block suspended solids. They also act as a place for microorganisms to live, which in turn break down the pollutants, converting nitrates and phosphates into biomass. Nanda has so far made about 50 of the islands -- the idea wasn't his own; Nanda says this is an established engineering practice around the world. He dropped them in the wetlands of south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj and Vasant Vihar. Did they work? “The very fact that the plants are growing is evidence that they are working," says Nanda. Although one can start seeing the results within a month when the plants grow, it will take nearly six months before the water samples are tested for the pollution levels. Nanda also notes that pollution levels will not come down significantly unless at least half of the water body is covered with the islands. The next step, says Nanda, is to take the idea around the country. To begin with, he plans on holding workshops in Delhi to train people on how to make his islands. But it's been tough dealing with bureaucracy in the city's municipalities. "I'm hoping that as public get more involved, the govt also gets more involved and they'll give me permission to do this officially. My intention is to do it with or without official permission. There's no reason why these water bodies exist like this," he says. How to make your island You'll need: - 1-litre plastic bottles (about 25 of them) - HDPE piping (7 metres) - Roll of plastic mesh (available in wholesale markets) - Coir fibre (7 to 8 kgs) Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) × Floating islands. (WION) ×

Environmental engineer clears New Delhi's water bodies with 'floating islands'

<p>Pakistan is considering pulling out four officers posted at its high commission in New Delhi days after India declared one of its officials&nbsp;persona non grata for espionage activities, a media report said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>&ldquo;This is under consideration. A final decision would be taken shortly,&rdquo; a source at the foreign office was quoted as saying by Dawn News.</p>

<p>The names of the officers &mdash; commercial counsellor Syed Furrukh Habib and first secretaries Khadim Hussain, Mudassir Cheema and Shahid Iqbal &mdash; were made public after a recorded statement of high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar was released to the media, the report said.</p>

<p>Akhtar was expelled from India after being declared persona non grata. Akhtar told Dawn News that he had given the statement under duress.</p>

<p>In a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan had also declared an Indian high commission official as persona non grata after New Delhi&rsquo;s action against Akhtar following Indian police&rsquo;s busting of an ISI-run spy ring.</p>

<p>Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the Pakistan high commission and had diplomatic immunity, was allegedly&nbsp;procuring critical details&nbsp;including about deployment of BSF personnel along the Indo-Pak border from two other accomplices who were arrested in Delhi.</p>

<p>Akhtar and two others &mdash; identified as Subhash Jangir and Maulana Ramzan &mdash;&nbsp;were picked up from Delhi Zoo last week.</p>

<p>Akhtar was released after about three hours of interrogation since he enjoys diplomatic immunity.</p>

<p>A fourth person, Shoaib, a Jodhpur-based passport and visa agent, was detained by Rajasthan police later.</p>

<p>(PTI)&nbsp;</p>


The four officials had been named by expelled staffer Mehmood Akhtar

Pakistan is considering pulling out four officers posted at its high commission in New Delhi days after India declared one of its officials persona non grata for espionage activities, a media report said on Tuesday. “This is under consideration. A final decision would be taken shortly,” a source at the foreign office was quoted as saying by Dawn News. The names of the officers — commercial counsellor Syed Furrukh Habib and first secretaries Khadim Hussain, Mudassir Cheema and Shahid Iqbal — were made public after a recorded statement of high commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar was released to the media, the report said. Akhtar was expelled from India after being declared persona non grata. Akhtar told Dawn News that he had given the statement under duress. In a tit-for-tat action, Pakistan had also declared an Indian high commission official as persona non grata after New Delhi’s action against Akhtar following Indian police’s busting of an ISI-run spy ring. Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the Pakistan high commission and had diplomatic immunity, was allegedly procuring critical details including about deployment of BSF personnel along the Indo-Pak border from two other accomplices who were arrested in Delhi. Akhtar and two others — identified as Subhash Jangir and Maulana Ramzan — were picked up from Delhi Zoo last week. Akhtar was released after about three hours of interrogation since he enjoys diplomatic immunity. A fourth person, Shoaib, a Jodhpur-based passport and visa agent, was detained by Rajasthan police later. (PTI)

Pak likely to pull out 4 high commission staffers from India: Report

<p>Delhi Police on Monday briefly detained Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia after they tried to enter a government hospital in the Indian capital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman who had committed suicide earlier in the&nbsp;day, dissatisfied over the implementation of one rank one pension scheme for the Indian Army.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hours later, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was also detained after he protested outside another hospital where the soldier&#39;s body had been&nbsp;taken for post-mortem.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ex serviceman suicide issue: Cong VP Rahul Gandhi has been released from Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi) after being detained by police <a href="https://t.co/KvgkwU17Un">pic.twitter.com/KvgkwU17Un</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793761706312728576">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>The family of the deceased soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal,&nbsp;was&nbsp;also reportedly detained&nbsp;for continuing to protest at New Delhi&#39;s Ram Manohar Lohia hospital even after the body was taken to the&nbsp;Lady Hardinge hospital for the post-mortem.<br />
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Family members detained as well as they are contacting political leaders and holding demonstration here: MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/Ks7FwlK2qt">pic.twitter.com/Ks7FwlK2qt</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793745960719429632">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Rahul argued with the police about the reason for the arrest of the family members.<br />
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a>: Inside visuals of the Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi), where Congress VP Rahul Gandhi has been detained. <a href="https://t.co/Tr0F34XMTn">pic.twitter.com/Tr0F34XMTn</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793760420259442689">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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This is &#39;goondagardi&#39; (hooliganism), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said about his deputy being&nbsp;detained,&nbsp;adding that he was determined to meet Grewal&#39;s family. &quot;I am the chief minister of Delhi. An ex-serviceman has committed suicide. Is it not my duty to meet the grieving family?&quot; Kejriwal said.<br />
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deputy CM has also been detained, we have a cabinet meeting today which we will have to cancel now. This is &#39;gundagardi&#39;: Delhi CM Kejriwal <a href="https://t.co/QpftaqnHrA">pic.twitter.com/QpftaqnHrA</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793754612398329856">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>Rahul was forbidden from entering the hospital premises&nbsp;for &#39;disruption of duty,&#39; Delhi Police had earlier told Indian&nbsp;news agency ANI.<br />
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Security personnel not allowing Rahul Gandhi to enter RML Hospital to meet family of ex-serviceman(who committed suicide) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OROP?src=hash">#OROP</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nnd3a8M8qk">pic.twitter.com/Nnd3a8M8qk</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793731887881519104">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">RGandhi detained at Mandir Marg PS for &#39;disruption of duty&#39;after he wasn&#39;t allowed to enter RML hosp to meet ex-serviceman&#39;s family-MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/bqtfShbuKe">pic.twitter.com/bqtfShbuKe</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793745082436296704">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Democracy doesn&#39;t mean creating obstruction. Leaders must also understand that hosp is not the place to hold any demonstrations: MK Meena <a href="https://t.co/yLKvutCRG9">pic.twitter.com/yLKvutCRG9</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793746332389257216">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>He retailated with a caustic tweet: &quot;A new India is being built&rdquo;.&nbsp;<br />
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<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Naya Hindustan ban raha hai bhaiya: Rahul Gandhi after not being allowed to meet family of ex-serviceman in RML Hospital <a href="https://t.co/v1IWKaOSVl">pic.twitter.com/v1IWKaOSVl</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/793732623327637504">November 2, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>Rahul Gandhi had earlier condoled his death on Twitter and urged PM Modi that &ldquo;OROP be implemented in a meaningful way.&rdquo;</p>

<p>On Saturday, the Congress vice-president had written to&nbsp;PM Modi, asking his government to ensure that the grievances of defence personnel relating to their salary and pensions were addressed. He had specifically mentioned the OROP scheme and the disability pension in his letter.</p>

<p>Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at New Delhi&#39;s Jantar Mantar over the implementation of the Indian government&#39;s One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a suicide note, Grewal, 70, said he was taking the extreme step for the soldiers.</p>

<p>Police said that&nbsp;he along with some other ex-servicemen was in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Indian defence ministry over the issue of OROP.</p>

<p>Grewal&#39;s son told ANI that his father took the extreme step because the government had failed to fulfil the demands related to OROP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government.<br />
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(WION with inputs from ANI)</p>

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The Congress vice-president attacked the Narendra Modi-government and sarcastically tweeted: A new India is being built

Delhi Police on Monday briefly detained Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia after they tried to enter a government hospital in the Indian capital to meet the family of the ex-serviceman who had committed suicide earlier in the day, dissatisfied over the implementation of one rank one pension scheme for the Indian Army. Hours later, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was also detained after he protested outside another hospital where the soldier's body had been taken for post-mortem. Ex serviceman suicide issue: Cong VP Rahul Gandhi has been released from Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi) after being detained by police pic.twitter.com/KvgkwU17Un — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × The family of the deceased soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal, was also reportedly detained for continuing to protest at New Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia hospital even after the body was taken to the Lady Hardinge hospital for the post-mortem. Delhi: Family members detained as well as they are contacting political leaders and holding demonstration here: MK Meena pic.twitter.com/Ks7FwlK2qt — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul argued with the police about the reason for the arrest of the family members. #WATCH: Inside visuals of the Mandir Marg Police station (Delhi), where Congress VP Rahul Gandhi has been detained. pic.twitter.com/Tr0F34XMTn — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × This is 'goondagardi' (hooliganism), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said about his deputy being detained, adding that he was determined to meet Grewal's family. "I am the chief minister of Delhi. An ex-serviceman has committed suicide. Is it not my duty to meet the grieving family?" Kejriwal said. Deputy CM has also been detained, we have a cabinet meeting today which we will have to cancel now. This is 'gundagardi': Delhi CM Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/QpftaqnHrA — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul was forbidden from entering the hospital premises for 'disruption of duty,' Delhi Police had earlier told Indian news agency ANI. Security personnel not allowing Rahul Gandhi to enter RML Hospital to meet family of ex-serviceman(who committed suicide) #OROP pic.twitter.com/Nnd3a8M8qk — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × RGandhi detained at Mandir Marg PS for 'disruption of duty'after he wasn't allowed to enter RML hosp to meet ex-serviceman's family-MK Meena pic.twitter.com/bqtfShbuKe — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Democracy doesn't mean creating obstruction. Leaders must also understand that hosp is not the place to hold any demonstrations: MK Meena pic.twitter.com/yLKvutCRG9 — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × He retailated with a caustic tweet: "A new India is being built”. Naya Hindustan ban raha hai bhaiya: Rahul Gandhi after not being allowed to meet family of ex-serviceman in RML Hospital pic.twitter.com/v1IWKaOSVl — ANI (@ANI_news) November 2, 2016 × Rahul Gandhi had earlier condoled his death on Twitter and urged PM Modi that “OROP be implemented in a meaningful way.” On Saturday, the Congress vice-president had written to PM Modi, asking his government to ensure that the grievances of defence personnel relating to their salary and pensions were addressed. He had specifically mentioned the OROP scheme and the disability pension in his letter. Indian Army soldier, Ram Kishan Grewal allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar over the implementation of the Indian government's One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme. In a suicide note, Grewal, 70, said he was taking the extreme step for the soldiers. Police said that he along with some other ex-servicemen was in the process of submitting a memorandum to the Indian defence ministry over the issue of OROP. Grewal's son told ANI that his father took the extreme step because the government had failed to fulfil the demands related to OROP. Ex-servicemen have been protesting over the OROP scheme introduced by the government. (WION with inputs from ANI)

India ex-serviceman suicide: Rahul Gandhi, Delhi CM briefly detained while trying to meet deceased's family

<p>Hours after India asked a Pakistan high commission staffer to leave the country on charges of espionage, Pakistan asked an official of the Indian High Commission to leave the country for &#39;violating the Vienna convention&#39; on diplomatic relations.</p>

<p>Pakistan&#39;s foreign secretary summoned the Indian high commissioner, declaring the official, Surjeet Singh, persona-non-grata, and asked him to leave the country by October 29, a press release by the ministry of foreign affairs said. The Indian High Commission has been asked to make &quot;urgent arrangements&quot; for him and his family to leave&nbsp;the country, the statement read.</p>

<p>Earlier in the day, Delhi police had detained Pakistan high commission staffer, Mahmood Akhtar,&nbsp;and arrested two others - Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, who were allegedly working for an ISI spy ring, PTI reported. &nbsp; Akhtar was, however, let off soon after since he has diplomatic immunity on Indian soil. He was asked to leave India within 48 hours.</p>

<p>Another Pakistani spy, Shoaib, was arrested in the evening from Rajasthan, and is being brought to the national capital for further interrogation, news agency ANI reported.</p>

<p>PTI reported the police as saying Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the high commission, was &quot;procuring critical details&quot; from the other two men arrested. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Ramzan and Jangir, who were produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate have been remanded for custodial interrogation till November 8.</p>

<p>&quot;The accused were involved in espionage activities for over a year-and-a-half. We were watching their activities for past six months. On a specific input, they were held yesterday. Akhtar is a kingpin of the spy ring,&quot; joint commissioner of police (crime branch) R S Yadav said at a press conference.</p>

<p>PTI quoted a senior police officer as saying, &quot;Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies. People who were financially weak would be lured by promise of getting big money.&quot;</p>

<p>Akhtar confessed during interrogation that he was posted in the Pakistan high commission for about two-and-a-half years and was working in the visa section, police said.</p>

<p>He said he was on deputation to the ISI since January 2013. He was a serving Hawaldar of 40 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan army and a native of village Kahuta in Rawalpindi district, police officials told PTI.</p>

<p>Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned by the Indian foreign ministry after Akhtar&#39;s detention.</p>

<p>The Pakistan foreign office said in a statement that Basit strongly protested with the Indian foreign secretary the &quot;detention and manhandling&quot; of the Pakistan high commission staffer in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention, according to Pakistan foreign office.</p>

<p>The Pakistani envoy also denied the accusations as &quot;false and unsubstantiated&quot;.</p>

<p>Tensions between India and Pakistan have been mounting for the last few months.</p>

<p>India&rsquo;s Uri army base near the de-facto border dividing Kashmir was attacked by militants on September 18; India blames Pakistan for the attack.</p>

<p>Following the terror attack, India launched what it called a &quot;surgical strike&quot; on jihadist staging posts in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


Islamabad asked the Indian official to leave the country hours after New Delhi expelled a Pakistan high commission staffer and arrested two

Hours after India asked a Pakistan high commission staffer to leave the country on charges of espionage, Pakistan asked an official of the Indian High Commission to leave the country for 'violating the Vienna convention' on diplomatic relations. Pakistan's foreign secretary summoned the Indian high commissioner, declaring the official, Surjeet Singh, persona-non-grata, and asked him to leave the country by October 29, a press release by the ministry of foreign affairs said. The Indian High Commission has been asked to make "urgent arrangements" for him and his family to leave the country, the statement read. Earlier in the day, Delhi police had detained Pakistan high commission staffer, Mahmood Akhtar, and arrested two others - Maulana Ramzan and Subhash Jangir, who were allegedly working for an ISI spy ring, PTI reported. Akhtar was, however, let off soon after since he has diplomatic immunity on Indian soil. He was asked to leave India within 48 hours. Another Pakistani spy, Shoaib, was arrested in the evening from Rajasthan, and is being brought to the national capital for further interrogation, news agency ANI reported. PTI reported the police as saying Akhtar, who worked in the visa section of the high commission, was "procuring critical details" from the other two men arrested. Ramzan and Jangir, who were produced before the chief metropolitan magistrate have been remanded for custodial interrogation till November 8. "The accused were involved in espionage activities for over a year-and-a-half. We were watching their activities for past six months. On a specific input, they were held yesterday. Akhtar is a kingpin of the spy ring," joint commissioner of police (crime branch) R S Yadav said at a press conference. PTI quoted a senior police officer as saying, "Since Akhtar was working in the visa department, it gave easy access to him to identify people who could work for him as spies. People who were financially weak would be lured by promise of getting big money." Akhtar confessed during interrogation that he was posted in the Pakistan high commission for about two-and-a-half years and was working in the visa section, police said. He said he was on deputation to the ISI since January 2013. He was a serving Hawaldar of 40 Baloch Regiment of Pakistan army and a native of village Kahuta in Rawalpindi district, police officials told PTI. Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned by the Indian foreign ministry after Akhtar's detention. The Pakistan foreign office said in a statement that Basit strongly protested with the Indian foreign secretary the "detention and manhandling" of the Pakistan high commission staffer in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention, according to Pakistan foreign office. The Pakistani envoy also denied the accusations as "false and unsubstantiated". Tensions between India and Pakistan have been mounting for the last few months. India’s Uri army base near the de-facto border dividing Kashmir was attacked by militants on September 18; India blames Pakistan for the attack. Following the terror attack, India launched what it called a "surgical strike" on jihadist staging posts in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Diplomatic warfare: India, Pakistan expel each other's high commission officials

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