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Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: Nehru Park set to host 150 air purifiers in anti-pollution plan
The Delhi government will install 150 outdoor air purifiers at Nehru Park in a pilot project aimed at creating the city's first 'clean air zone,' environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, outlining a plan that experts called unviable and impractical. An air purifier already installed at the Jangpura fuel station. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo) Sirsa said the devices, upto nine-feet-tall PM 2.5 particulate matter filters, will be spread across the 85-acre park and maintain 'good' air quality even during peak pollution periods. 'This initiative is part of the government's efforts to improve air quality in the city. It will be a first-of-its-kind pilot project in the country to improve air quality at a public park,' Sirsa told HT. The announcement comes as Delhi has grappled for years with hazardous air pollution levels that peak in the transition to winter. It follows the closure of two expensive smog towers that authorities deemed ineffective, after the then Aam Aadmi Party government touted them as first-of-its-kind solutions to the city's bad air crisis. In 2023, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee called the Connaught Place smog tower experiment ineffective in improving outdoor air quality. The new project will be carried out through a corporate social responsibility partnership with private firm Umeandus, which has tested the technology at four locations including Anand Vihar, a Jangpura petrol pump, New Moti Bagh and outside the Taj Ambassador hotel. Each purifier will cover approximately 600 square metres and requires approval from the New Delhi Municipal Council before installation can begin, Sirsa said. The devices are easy to install and occupy minimal space, according to the minister. Officials said each machine costs around ₹ 5 lakh and the project will be funded through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Experts questioned the viability of outdoor air purification technology, pointing to the failure of previous initiatives. 'The best example is our two Delhi smog towers at Anand Vihar and Connaught Place. As of now, we have not seen any evidence to suggest how air purifiers outside can clean up air in an effective radius in the city,' said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director of research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment. 'It is more important to assess the viability of technology that is already installed, before more investments flow in. The same funds could be used to reduce emissions at source,' she added. Air purifiers are typically effective in enclosed places where the same air is recirculated – a device out in the open will need to filter a potentially unending supply of bad air, depending on wind conditions. Nehru Park, known for its lush lawns and trees including gulmohar, neem and ashoka, attracts hundreds of walkers, joggers and yoga enthusiasts daily, particularly during morning and evening hours. The park also hosts regular cultural events. The initiative forms part of the BJP government's broader air quality strategy, including its manifesto promise to halve Delhi's pollution levels by 2030. Earlier this month, the government released a Mitigation Action Plan featuring over 1,000 water sprinklers, 140 anti-smog guns, cloud seeding experiments, audits of pollution under control centres every six months, installation of automatic number plate recognition cameras on Delhi's border points for end-of-life vehicles, and 5,000 additional electric buses. Delhi consistently ranks among the world's most polluted cities, with air quality frequently reaching hazardous levels.
Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
No new excise policy for Delhi, current one to continue till March '26
With no clarity on a new excise policy that has been under preparation for over 33 months, the Delhi government on Friday announced the extension of the existing liquor policy till March 2026 — one of the longest such extension since the scrapping of the 2021-22 excise regime in September 2022 following allegations of irregularities. The last implemented excise policy (2021-22) was withdrawn following allegations of irregularities in September 2022.(Representational) The extension means the city will continue to operate under the 2020-21 policy — which has already been extended five times. The move, officials said, was necessary to ensure uninterrupted liquor supply as the current extension was set to expire on June 30. The last implemented excise policy (2021-22) was withdrawn following allegations of irregularities in September 2022. 'The competent authority has granted approval for continuation of the excise duty-based regime… for the excise year 2025-26 (July 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026),' said a June 27 order issued by the excise department. It confirmed that wholesale licenses (L-1, L-1F), retail (L-2), hotel, club, and restaurant licenses would be renewed on existing terms upon payment of the applicable fees. An excise official said licensees across all categories will need to renew their permits to continue operations, including Delhi government-run liquor vends. The rollout of a new policy has now been stalled for nearly two years. Initially expected in late 2022, its drafting was delayed first due to ongoing probes into alleged corruption in the 2021-22 excise policy and later by the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, and assembly elections in early 2025. Following a CBI inquiry and the arrests of several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including then chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the government reverted to the 2020-21 regime in September 2022. The continued extensions have created supply issues, with many popular Indian and international liquor brands — especially premium whiskies, vodkas, and wines — frequently out of stock. Industry observers and consumers have urged the government to revamp the policy to match the more liberal excise regimes in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, where private retail players are allowed and customer experience is more robust. Currently, only government-run liquor outlets operate in Delhi. While the current policy technically allows for private participation, no decision has been taken on whether to allow private players until the new policy is implemented. The newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Delhi has said it is drafting a new excise regime that will focus on 'transparency, quality, and accountability,' with improved consumer experience and safeguards for public health. A high-level committee headed by chief secretary Dharmendra is reviewing practices from other states and consulting stakeholders. Chief minister Rekha Gupta recently told HT that the new policy aims to reduce business flight to neighbouring Gurugram and Noida. 'It will enhance consumer experience while ensuring regulatory checks,' she said. However, this policy appears to have been delayed for now. A separate circular issued Friday added that all existing licenses, including L-6 (government retail), L-6FG (supermarkets), and L-10 (hotels/clubs/restaurants), would be renewed for the nine-month period starting July 2025, subject to compliance with the Delhi Excise Act, 2009, and Delhi Excise Rules, 2010. Vinod Giri, director general of the Brewers Association of India, the extension of the policy should have been extended in entirety. 'Old policy had provision for private retail which is essential for ensuring a consumer friendly and market driven product availability and retailing experience in the city. So we urge the government to ensure that private vends is introduced using existing provisions in the policy as soon as possible which is in the interest of consumers, industry and also the government,' he said.
Canada News.Net
12 hours ago
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Kejriwal hails IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's journey to ISS as a moment of "immense pride" for India
New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday hailed Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he embarked on a journey to the International Space Station as part of Axiom Mission 4. Shukla has become the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's iconic voyage 41 years ago in 1984. In a post on X, Kejriwal said, 'A moment of immense pride for the entire nation as IAF Group Captain and astronaut #ShubhanshuShukla embarks on his journey to the International Space Station as part of #AxiomMission4. His contribution to this mission is invaluable. Another Indian makes history in space today - bringing glory, knowledge, and inspiration back home.' Earlier in the day, Union Minister Jitendra Singh hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to open up the space sector to private players as a 'turning point' that sparked a 'miraculous' transformation. He projected that the sector could grow to 40-45 billion US dollars in a decade, and added that experiments to be conducted by astronaut Shukla during the Axiom-4 mission will help prepare for future space missions like Chandrayaan-4 and the Bharat Space Station planned for 2035. 'I think one of the greatest turning points in India's space journey has been PM Modi's pathbreaking decision to allow the private sector to step in. The change has been miraculous. The transformation in the last 4-5 years - there are thousands of crores of investment happening from the private sector,' Singh told ANI. He further said that India's space sector is set for rapid growth in the coming years.'Our future projections indicate that in about 8-10 years we might go up to 4-5 times higher, about 40-45 billion US dollars. So, the opening of the space for the private sector was a very courageous decision which could have been taken only by a political dispensation with a tremendous amount of conviction and willpower,' the Union Minister said. Referring to India's growing ambitions in space exploration, Singh said the recent Axiom Mission 4 would provide valuable experience for future Indian missions. 'I think it will be a good experience also for future missions. This, coupled with Chandrayaan 4, also for missions like Bharat Space Station, which we plan to have by 2035 and for prolonged stay in space or in microgravity conditions - what are the arrangements to be put in place will also be learnt through the experiments to be conducted by Shubhanshu,' Singh said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hailed the successful launch of the Axiom Mission 4 and stated that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is carrying the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indian citizens.'We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is on the way to become the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success!' PM Modi said in a post on X. Singh, in a prior X post following the successful lift-off of Axiom Mission 4, said that India's rise to the status of a 'Viksit Bharat' has begun through space exploration. 'Congratulations, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla -- you are the first Indian Astronaut to embark on a mission to the International Space Station. Indeed,a proud moment for India! ISRO's growing global collaborations, after the reforms introduced by the government headed by PM Narendra Modi, have placed India as a frontline nation in Space exploration,' Singh wrote. He said Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will carry out seven important experiments designed by Indian institutes. The minister also took the opportunity to remember and honour the visionaries behind India's space ambitions, Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan. The Axiom Mission 4 was launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 am Eastern Time (noon IST). (ANI)
India Gazette
16 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Gradually bringing bus system back on track": Delhi CM Rekha inaugurates 100 electric buses at Narela bus depot
New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday inaugurated the Narela bus depot and flagged off 100 electric buses, which will operate on nine routes across the national capital. Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister reiterated the government's commitment to modernising the public transport system and affirmed the goal of revamping Delhi's bus services and 'bringing them back on track.' 'Today we have inaugurated the Narela Bus Depot and dedicated 100 Devi electric buses, which will operate on nine routes... These are equipped with excellent depot was completed in just 3 months. Our goal is to transition Delhi's public transport system to an electric mode, update the transport system, and ensure minimal inconvenience to the public,' the Chief Minister told reporters after the inauguration. She was accompanied by Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Yogendra Chandolia. Earlier, BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia mentioned that the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government has kept rural areas in mind and has also contributed to helping save the environment with the newly inaugurated electric buses. 'Keeping the rural areas of Delhi in mind, the Rekha Gupta government of Delhi has established a DTC depot here, and 105 small buses will be dispatched from here. This is the Delhi government's contribution to saving Delhi's environment. These are electric buses, and women will travel for free on these buses. These small buses will address the problem of traffic jams,' he said. He also mentioned the goal of full electrification of buses while taking a shot at the Aam Aadmi Party for spreading lies and not doing work for the people of Delhi, 'In the coming times, all buses in Delhi will be electric to improve Delhi's environment... They (Aam Aadmi Party) have nothing but lies; if they had worked on time, they would not be in the opposition today...' On World Environment Day (June 5), CM Gupta had announced that 280 electric buses would be added to Delhi's fleet by 2027 as part of a comprehensive electric vehicle (EV) policy. Speaking to ANI, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said earlier, 'We have decided to give 280 electric buses to Delhi. By 2027, the whole fleet of buses provided by the Delhi government will be electric. We are also bringing in a new EV policy.' CM Gupta praised the new buses, calling them a tremendous asset for Delhi and highlighting their high comfort level and security features. (ANI)
New Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
'AAP politicising school management committees to plant party workers,' alleges Punjab LoP Bajwa
CHANDIGARH: Senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, today lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, accusing it of the "gross misuse of administrative authority" by politicising the reconstitution of School Management Committees (SMCs) for the 2025–2027 term. According to written instructions issued by the state's education department, school heads have been directed to coordinate with Block Primary Education Officers to submit details of newly constituted SMCs. However, Bajwa alleged that the so-called 'education experts', to be appointed as members, must be chosen from department-supplied lists that are 'stacked with AAP workers chosen on the basis of political loyalty, not professional merit.' 'Instead of empowering local communities, the AAP government is shamelessly using SMCs to install their political cadre at the grassroots level of education,' Bajwa alleged, pointing to a deeply troubling instruction that explicitly demands members be picked from pre-fixed lists aligned with assembly constituencies.
