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Delhi News Highlights: Cinema halls to reopen with 100% capacity; 200 people allowed in weddings, funerals

Delhi Dengue Cases Latest Updates, Farmer Protest Highlights: The order stated that owners of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes will be responsible for strict adherence to SOP and official guidelines as well as Covid protocol at the premises.

By: Express Web Desk
New Delhi | Updated: October 30, 2021 11:25 IST
A health worker administers Covid-19 vaccine dose to a beneficiary at Matasundri college in New Delhi. (Express File Photo)A health worker administers Covid-19 vaccine dose to a beneficiary at Matasundri college in New Delhi. (Express File Photo)

Delhi News Highlights: The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday allowed full-seating capacity in cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes, and also raised the number of people attending wedding functions and last rites from 100 to 200. An order, issued by the DDMA, listing various allowed and restricted activities in view of Covid will come into effect from the intervening night of October 31 and November 1, news agency PTI reported.

The order stated that owners of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes will be responsible for strict adherence to standard operating protocol (SOP) and official guidelines as well as Covid-appropriate behaviour at the premises. It also allowed all the authorised weekly markets in the city to reopen from November 1.

In another news, the Delhi High Court Friday asked the Delhi government to “get down to some real work” instead of focusing merely on “populism” and pulled it up for poor implementation of The Street Vendors Act in the national capital. Behave like a responsible government, it told the government.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police today started removing barricades from the Ghazipur border where farmers have been protesting. Similarly, roadblocks could also been seen getting cleared at the Tikri border Thursday night. This comes days after a Supreme Court hearing that saw farmer unions arguing that the police were responsible for the blockade at the Delhi borders.

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New Delhi Today Highlights: Delhi AQI in "poor" category; 90% with Covid antibodies in Delhi’s latest sero survey. Follow live updates here.

22:14 (IST)29 Oct 2021
DDMA issues SOP on reopening of Delhi schools for all grades: ‘Physical attendance not compulsory’

Emphasising the voluntary nature of physical attendance, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued an SOP permitting schools to open for children of all grades from Monday but all precautions to maintain 50% capacity and social distancing will remain.

The DDMA on Friday issued the SOP to be followed in all such institutes while allowing primary and middle school students to return. Read More

21:15 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi records 37 new Covid-19 cases, zero death

Delhi reports 37 new Covid-19 cases, 48 recoveries and zero deaths in the last 24 hours.

20:19 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi’s air quality poor for third day in a row, no respite for next 7 days

For the third consecutive day, Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘poor’ category on Friday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) has been deteriorating over the past few days – from 232 on Wednesday, 268 on Thursday, to 283 on Friday, with PM 10 and PM 2.5 as the main pollutants.

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, air quality is likely to remain in the lower end of the ‘very poor’ category over the weekend as well as the subsequent five days. Read More

18:57 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Cinema halls to reopen with 100 pc capacity; 200 people allowed in weddings, funerals

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Friday allowed full-seating capacity in cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes, and also raised the number of people attending wedding functions and last rites from 100 to 200. An order, issued by the DDMA, listing various allowed and restricted activities in view of Covid will come into effect from the intervening night of October 31 and November 1.

The order stated that owners of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes will be responsible for strict adherence to standard operating protocol (SOP) and official guidelines as well as Covid-appropriate behaviour at the premises. It also allowed all the authorised weekly markets in the city to reopen from November 1. (PTI)

17:32 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi riots case: Prosecution opposes Ishrat Jahan’s bail plea

The prosecution opposed former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan’s bail application in a northeast Delhi riot UAPA case, stating that an accused will be responsible for the acts of others in a conspiracy.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad made the arguments before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat. Read More

16:12 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi riots: Delhi Assembly committee issues notice to Facebook

The Delhi Legislative Assembly’s Committee on Peace and Harmony has issued a notice to Facebook India to appear before it on November 2. The committee is examining the “unprecedented communal disharmony and violence in Delhi in February 2020”.

“In continuation of previous proceedings, the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s Committee on Peace and Harmony has decided to call upon representatives of Facebook India to depose its view on the important role of social media in curbing the spread of false, provocative and malicious messages which can fan violence and disharmony,” the government said in a statement. Read More

14:23 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi cop dismissed for criticising govt policies on social media

A Delhi police constable, posted in North Delhi’s Subzi Mandi police station, was dismissed from his services for criticizing government policies on social media platforms and posting ‘derogatory comments’. Action has been taken against him by the Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana after the IT wing of the special branch monitored the content and informed the police chief about the posts.

He has been removed as per rules under Article 311 (2)(b) of the Constitution of India.

Senior officers of the Delhi Police have informed the staff working with them about social media guidelines and have asked them to refrain from criticizing government policies on social media platforms.

12:56 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Faridabad: Man held for shooting at friend’s cousins for opposing their relationship

A man was arrested in Faridabad Thursday for allegedly shooting at his friend’s cousins who were opposed to their relationship.

According to the police, the accused Pawan, a native of Palwal, had separated from his wife five years ago. In recent years, he got acquainted with one Lokesh and formed a friendship, they added. The two had been staying together for some time.
Last week, Lokesh returned to his house in Faridabad after a fight with Pawan and allegedly decided to part ways. Police said Pawan suspected that Lokesh’s family was opposed to their friendship and had coaxed him to leave.

11:35 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi Police starts removing barricades at Ghazipur border

The Delhi Police on Friday started removing barricades from the Ghazipur border where farmers have been protesting against the Centre’s three new agri laws. Similar scenes were also seen at the Tikri border on Thursday night.

DCP (East district) Priyanka Kashyap told The Indian Express that they were removing the barricades from Ghazipur and traffic movement would start in the coming days.

11:11 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi: Clear skies today, AQI likely to be in ‘very poor’ category for next 5 days

Clear skies, a minimum temperature of 14 degree Celsius and a maximum of 29 degree Celsius are on the forecast for Delhi on Friday. The air quality is likely to be ‘very poor.’

The Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi said in an update on Friday morning that the air quality over Delhi-NCR is likely to be in the lower end of the ‘very poor’ category on Friday and Saturday, and will remain in the ‘very poor’ category on Sunday as well. For the subsequent five days, air quality is likely to remain in the ‘very poor’ category with PM2.5 as the main pollutant.

For the second consecutive day on Thursday, the AQI was in the ‘poor’ category – 268 – with PM2.5 and PM10 being the main pollutants, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin.



09:34 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi Police starts removing barricades at Tikri border point

The Delhi Police on Thursday night started removing roadblocks placed at the Tikri border point where farmers have been protesting against the Centre's three farm laws, with sources indicating that one carriageway of the road will open in the coming days.

The move comes days after a Supreme Court hearing that saw farmer unions arguing that the police were responsible for the blockade at the Delhi borders. The police had put multiple layers of barricades on the roads, complete with giant nails and huge concrete blocks as thousands of farmers had tried to cross Delhi borders in November last year.

Four out of the eight layers of barricades at the Tikri border have been removed. However, the cement barricades are still there and the road remains closed for commuters, an officer said. 

09:33 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Max temperature settles at 28.5 degrees in Delhi

The maximum temperature in Delhi settled three notches below the normal at 28.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The weather office predicted mainly clear sky and colder days and nights for next two days. The city witnessed a cold Thursday morning as it recorded a minimum temperature of 14.6 degrees Celsius, one notch below the season's average, the IMD said. According to the MeT department, the humidity level was recorded at 50 per cent at 5.30 pm on Thursday. 

09:20 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi: ‘Bike ambulance service stopped due to pandemic’

The bike ambulance service launched by the AAP government in February 2019 was discontinued in March 2020, due to the outbreak of the pandemic, a response to an RTI states.

According to the response to the RTI, filed by Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana, 16 such bike ambulances were bought by the government. The reply, however, states that services were cut short as Covid started to spread in the city last year.

09:20 (IST)29 Oct 2021
Delhi’s sex ratio rises, infant mortality dips

Delhi has recorded an improvement in its sex ratio at birth — from 920 females per thousand males in 2019 to 933 in 2020. The infant mortality rate, meanwhile, has dipped from 24.19 to 20.37 between 2019 and 2020.

The data is part of the Annual Report on Registration of Births and Deaths in Delhi 2020.

The increase in sex ratio is the result of social awareness and it is a matter of great pride that society is being educated and understands the importance of girls, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia said in a statement.

23:12 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Across Delhi govt schools, new programme to help parents be more hands-on with their children

The programme had been carried out on a pilot basis in 40 schools in the East and Southeast districts. (File photo)Focusing on one-on-one interactions with parents of each child every month, a new programme called ‘Parent Samvaad’ in Delhi government schools aims not only to increase parents’ participation in their children’s education but also help them with how they can do so. According to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the programme is not just a means to keep parents connected to their children’s schools but as a step to “transform” parenting.

Over the years, the Delhi government has focused on activating school management committees (SMCs) — which comprise members of the school as well as parents — by holding elections for them and creating an SMC fund for autonomous expenditure of schools. There are currently around 14,000 SMC members in government schools. With the new aim of facilitating regular one-on-one interactions with parents of 18 lakh children enrolled in these schools, an additional 22,000 ‘school mitras’ or parent volunteers have been brought on board.

17:37 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Delhi riots case: Court says mobile data has pornographic material, can't be given to co-accused

A court said the mobile data which has been collected from several accused in the Delhi riots conspiracy case cannot be provided to the co-accused as it allegedly contains pornographic material and would hamper their privacy.


Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, JNU students Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, Jamia Coordination Committee member Safoora Zargar, former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and 13 others are the accused in the case and have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).


In the hearing conducted through video conferencing, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat orally made the remarks in response to the applications under Section 207 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) filed by the accused, which said that they are supplied with a copy of all the evidence and material relied upon by the prosecution in the charge sheet. (PTI)

14:19 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Caught on camera: Security guards assault residents of Noida society

Two men were allegedly assaulted by security guards with lathis outside Amrapali Sapphire society in Noida Sector 46 on Wednesday night and a video of the incident has gone viral. The police said the victims are tenants in the society and had a scuffle with one of the guards over a parking sticker which led to the assault. A case has been registered and six guards have been detained in the case. The victims sustained minor injuries. Read more

13:56 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Rejected lover arrested for threatening woman with gun

A 34-year-old man was arrested here for allegedly forcing a woman to keep Karvachauth fast on gunpoint, police said on Thursday. The incident took place in southeast Delhi's Badarpur area on Sunday, when Rahul, the accused, went to the woman's house and threatened her to keep fast for him, they said.

According to police, the accused wanted to be in a relationship with the woman, but was rejected many times by her. The accused threatened the woman if she didn't keep the fast he would kill her then himself with the gun, they said. When it got the information about the incident, a police team reached the woman's house and found Rahul with a firearm, a senior police officer said.  He was caught and taken into police custody by Sub Inspector Prakash Chand who was part of the police team.

The accused was booked under relevant sections of the Arms Act and section 451 (House-trespass) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, Esha Pandey, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast), said. (PTI)

12:56 (IST)28 Oct 2021
UP main chalta hoga, yahan nahin: Delhi HC slams UP police in case of couple who eloped and got married

The Delhi High Court on Thursday slammed the Uttar Pradesh police for arresting two men for alleged kidnapping in connection with a case where a woman and man had eloped and got married.

“We will not permit this to happen here. UP mai chalta hoga, yahan nahi. Ye cheez Dilli mai bardaasht nai karenge. Aap agar aankh aur kaan band karke kaam karte hai, yahan koi ilaj nahi hai uska. (This might work in UP, not here. We will not tolerate this in Delhi. If you work with your eyes and ears covered, there is no remedy for it here) The FIR has (the woman’s) age mentioned and you are saying they didn’t tell you her age,” the Bench told the UP Police.

The High Court had pulled up UP Police for registering a kidnapping case against a Delhi family in the matter and for making arrests in the case without informing Delhi Police. The Court had asked the SHO of Shamli police station in UP to appear before it on Thursday along with the case file.

Read more

12:12 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Truck rams into group of women farmers in Haryana; three dead, two injured

Three women farmers died while two more were injured after a truck allegedly rammed into them on Thursday morning in Haryana’s Jhajjar district. Police said the women had been part of farmers’ protests and were waiting for an autorickshaw to return to their native village in Mansa, Punjab when the incident took place.  The victims have been identified as Amarjeet Kaur, Gurmail Kaur and Harsinder Kaur. Read more

11:41 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Three Delhi cops face action for 'misconduct'

Three policemen of Mandawali police station in east Delhi have been sent to district line after a complaint was received against them alleging professional misconduct, officials said on Wednesday. Head Constable (HC) Prempal, HC Rajeev Malik and Constable Deepak have been sent to district line, they said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Priyanka Kashyap said that a complaint was received alleging professional misconduct on account of Mandawali Police station staff and supervisory lapse wherein a fact finding inquiry has been ordered into the matter. "The three police personnel has been 'line haazir' and explanation has been issued to SHO Mandawali for supervisory lapse," she said.

Further details will be shared once the inquiry is concluded, she added. (PTI)

11:22 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Delhi govt’s Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Scheme: how to apply, who is eligible

The Delhi government’s Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Scheme, under which people over the age of 60 are taken for a pilgrimage free of cost, is expected to restart in a month’s time. The scheme, which started in 2018, has been suspended for a year and a half because of Covid. Between 2018 and 2020, 35,000 people from Delhi were taken on these trips.

On Wednesday, the government decided to include Ayodhya in its list of places that one can visit.

11:00 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Delhi: Two arrested with 500 kg of firecrackers in Sadar Bazaar

Delhi Police have arrested two men with over 500 kg of illegal firecrackers in North Delhi’s Sadar Bazaar. The accused bought the firecrackers from Hapur in Uttar Pradesh and were transporting it to Delhi in their pick-up van when the police caught them.

On Tuesday morning, the patrolling staff found the vehicle parked near a hotel in Sadar Bazaar. The staff approached the accused who initially lied that they were carrying household items. When the police checked the vehicle, they found 591.5 kg of firecrackers packed inside plastic bags.

Read more

10:47 (IST)28 Oct 2021
898 petty offence cases against minors closed: Delhi govt tells HC

898 cases of alleged petty offences against minors, which were pending and remained inconclusive for over one year, have been closed before the Juvenile Justice Boards (JJB) here, the Delhi government told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Anup Jairam Bhambhani, which had earlier pulled up the Delhi government for not complying with its direction to pull-the-plug on such cases, emphasised that closure was not a 'mere formality' and the rehabilitation and care of children in conflict with the law was at the core of the entire exercise.

"The purpose of this exercise is to ensure that children receive rehabilitation. What we need to know is, is there a procedure for rehabilitation being followed?... This is not a mere formality. The idea is to not close but ensures that nobody in need of care and protection is overlooked," the bench said. (PTI)

10:18 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Delhi govt launches another campaign for celebrating pollution-free Diwali

The Delhi government on Wednesday launched a campaign to motivate people to embrace tradition and eliminate pollution on Diwali. Environment Minister Gopal Rai launched the 'Patake Nahi, Diya Jalao' campaign by lighting diyas (lamps) at his residence and appealed to people not to buy firecrackers this festival. He said the Arvind Kejriwal government will encourage people to celebrate Diwali with diyas through the campaign just like those times when crackers did not exist at all.

"The pollution levels in Delhi are very high around Diwali due to stubble burning in neighbouring states. The use of crackers during the Diwali season becomes very fatal. Especially when it comes to the elderly and the children, it can be very dangerous," he said. The government has already ordered a complete ban on sale and use of firecrackers.

To stop pollution in Delhi, the 'Yuddh Pradushan ke Viruddh' campaign is being run by the Delhi government. This consists of the Anti-Dust Campaign, 'Red Light On Gaadi Off' Campaign, curbs on biomass burning and the use of bio decomposers to cut down stubble pollution at the source. (PTI)

10:06 (IST)28 Oct 2021
AAP govt to provide Rs 1 cr ex-gratia to family of firefighter who died in line of duty

Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said the AAP government will provide an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore to the family of 'brave firefighter' Praveen Kumar who succumbed to burns after getting injured in the line of duty, an official statement said.

Jain made the announcement during a visit to the family of Kumar, who succumbed to his burn injuries on Wednesday that he had sustained during a fire fighting operation in Narela Industrial Area on October 9. "Praveen kumar is a hero of Delhi Fire Service. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the family in these tough times," Jain said in a statement.

The statement said that Home Minister Jain declared an ex-gratia of Rs 1 crore to support the family of the martyr. (PTI)

09:38 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Farmers’ group alleges lathi charge at Singhu

A group of farmers from the Hind Mazdoor Kisan Samiti heading towards Singhu border to protest against the killing of Lakhbir Singh alleged they were manhandled and lathi-charged by the Delhi Police. The protesters tried to remove barricades Wednesday evening, but were removed from the area. The protesters said they came from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to give “ardas” to Lakhbir, who was allegedly killed by Nihang Sikhs, and that they wanted to protest against farmers at the Singhu border. Read more

09:26 (IST)28 Oct 2021
Delhi HC pulls up UP Police for making arrest from Delhi without information

Pulling up UP Police for registering a kidnapping case against a Delhi family in a matter connected to alleged elopement of a woman and for making arrests in the case without informing Delhi Police, the Delhi High Court has asked the SHO of Shamli police station in UP to remain present before it on Thursday along with the case file.

“One fails to understand when [the woman] is major and has left her parental home of her own free will and married to [the man], how an offence under Section 366 IPC and consequential offence under Section 368 IPC is made out. It is unfortunate that even without finding that [the woman] was major or minor, and without finding correct facts from her, arrests in the FIR in question have been made,” Justice Mukta Gupta said in an order.

Read more

09:11 (IST)28 Oct 2021
AAP councillor joins Congress

Aam Aadmi Party councillor Sahista, who represents the Sri Ram Colony ward in North East Delhi, joined the Congress Wednesday in the presence of the party’state unit president Anil Kumar. Choudhary said that people from the minority communities had lost faith in the AAP government as the promises made to them were never fulfilled. Read more

09:03 (IST)28 Oct 2021
90% with Covid antibodies in Delhi’s latest sero survey

Around 90 per cent of those tested as part of the sixth serological survey in Delhi have Covid antibodies, official sources said Wednesday. The latest sero survey was conducted in the last week of September, and a total of 28,000 blood samples were collected from all the 280 civic wards. Sero positivity shows the presence of antibodies in samples, and the last such survey in Delhi, conducted in January, showed a rate of 56 per cent. Read more

22:38 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi HC refuses to hear plea on evacuating Indians from Afghanistan

The Delhi High Court Wednesday declined to entertain a petition seeking immediate evacuation of 227 Indian nationals and Afghan nationals of Indian origin from Afghanistan. The court, however, asked the Centre to take a decision on the petitioner’s representation on the issue.

The division bench of Chief Justice D.N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh questioned the petitioner about the source of his information pertaining to the 227 persons and said that it has “doubts” about the facts mentioned in the petition.

“How did you get the copy of somebody’s private application? This is not an easy task,” the court asked the counsel representing the petitioner. Read More

21:08 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Doorstep delivery of ration: Even if we have not stayed your scheme, your issues with Centre remains, HC tells Delhi govt

The Delhi High Court Wednesday said that Delhi government cannot challenge the Centre’s objection to its scheme for home delivery of ration “by a side wind” and clarified that even if it has not stayed the scheme, the same does not resolve the government’s issues with the Centre.

Meanwhile, the Union government submitted that it has challenged before the Supreme Court the HC order of last month, which allowed Delhi government to curtail the supplies of the existing fair price shop owners to divert the same for home delivery of ration.

The division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh said that it seems the Delhi government wants a “stamp of approval” from the court, even when the issue of conflict between the Centre and Delhi government is not before it. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Delhi government, earlier submitted that the court should clarify that there is no stay and that there should be implementation. Read More

19:35 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Farm fires, calm winds take Delhi’s air quality from bad to worse

Delhi’s air quality index once again slipped to the ‘poor’ category on Wednesday, and is likely to deteriorate further to the ‘very poor’ category by Thursday.

The AQI on Wednesday was 232 with PM10 being the main pollutant, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) bulletin.

So far this month, the national capital has recorded four ‘poor’ AQI days.

AQI in the 201 to 300 range is considered ‘poor’, while an index between 301 and 400 is categorised as ‘very poor’. AQI in the ‘poor’ range can cause “breathing discomfort to most people on prolonged exposure”, and ‘very poor’ AQI can lead to “respiratory illness on prolonged exposure”, according to the CPCB. Read More

19:11 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Petition seeks removal of ‘unnecessary’ police barricades from Delhi roads

The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre and the Delhi Police on a petition seeking removal of “unnecessary and hazardous” barricading from the roads in the national capital, and strict compliance with the standing order on the use of mobile barricades.

The division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh, while asking authorities to respond to the petition, listed the case for hearing on November 24.

A petition filed by Jan Sewa Welfare Society states that there is a “menace of unmindful and erratic installation” of mobile barricades by police on the roads and in residential colonies. The plea states that the same is a violation of the guidelines contained in a 2018 standing order on usage of iron barricades. Read More

18:06 (IST)27 Oct 2021
The hard-to-miss fragrant sentinel along Delhi’s roads around this time of the year

Entire streets are swathed in the unmistakable smell of its flowers in the evening, and vehicles parked beneath the trees are peppered with the tiny, white blooms that have become associated with these days of the year when the rains have subsided and a slight nip in the air heralds the coming of winter. The flowers are scattered over the fruits on a fruit seller’s cart that is parked beneath a Saptaparni tree in the east of Kailash, and they carpet the ground around it. Whiffs of the smell can be caught from cars and auto rickshaws, even a little distance away from the tree itself.

Almost every lane in the city has its own Saptaparni tree, and almost everyone feels differently about it. While for some, the fragrance is a harbinger of the festive season, others are taken back to childhood memories. For many others, the distinct smell brings with it bouts of allergic reactions and nausea. Read More

15:25 (IST)27 Oct 2021
HC issues summons to Ramdev in suit by doctors over misinformation against allopathy

The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued summons to Ramdev on a lawsuit by several doctors' associations for allegedly spreading misinformation against allopathy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the plea was not frivolous and a case for its institution was “definitely” made out.

Justice C Hari Shankar granted four weeks to Ramdev to file his response to the suit. The judge clarified that he was “not expressing any opinion” on the merits of the allegations in the plaint against the Yoga Guru and the issue of grant of any relief, interim or otherwise, shall be looked into subsequently.

Apart from Ramdev, the summons was also issued and a response ought from Acharya Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurveda on the suit. The court also issued notice to social media platforms Google, Facebook, and Twitter. (PTI)

15:23 (IST)27 Oct 2021
DDMA allows Chhath celebrations in public; Sisodia says pre-decided venues, limited attendance will be allowed

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has allowed Chhath celebrations in public in a decision taken on Wednesday.

The body, which is headed by the Delhi L-G Anil Baijal, had earlier banned public celebrations of the festival, which is primarily observed by people from Purvanchal.

“Many people’s sentiments are associated with Chhath, DDMA has granted permission to celebrate it in public… We have observed that Covid is under control in the city and there is no need to worry but there is a need to be very careful. The celebrations will have to follow a very strict protocol, celebrations will be held only at pre-decided locations, a limited number of people will be allowed and masks will be mandatory,” said the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Read More

14:08 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi schools to reopen from Nov 1 for all classes

After more than 18 months, all schools in Delhi will be permitted to re-open for all classes—including at the primary level—from November 1. Primary and middle school grades—up to class VIII—have not been opened for even a single day since schools in Delhi shut as a precaution against Covid-19 on March 12, 2020. Schools had opened shortly for classes IX to XII, starting January this year, before closing completely on April 9 because of the second wave of the pandemic.

They opened again for classes IX to XII on September 1, but there had been no approval for schools to open for younger children.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has granted permission for reopening of school for students of all classes starting from November 1. So far, only students from Classes IX to XII were allowed in schools. No school will force parents to send children to schools and the learning will continue in a blended mode. The staff should be 100% vaccinated, it said.

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13:29 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Ayodhya included in Delhi govt free pilgrimage scheme: Kejriwal

The Delhi Cabinet on Wednesday approved the inclusion of Ayodhya in its free pilgrimage scheme for the elderly, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced. Kejriwal had on Tuesday offered prayers at the Ram Janambhoomi site in Ayodhya. The announcement by Kejriwal comes ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls early next year which his AAP plans to contest.

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13:25 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi HC permits group of doctor associations to file suit against Baba Ramdev for his statements against allopathy

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted permission to a group of doctor associations to institute a suit against Yoga guru Ramdev for his statements against allopathy during the Covid-19 pandemic.  A suit under Section 91 of Code of Civil Procedure alleging public nuisance or other wrongful act affecting or likely to affect the public can be instituted only by an Advocate General or with leave from a court.

Issuing summons to Ramdev and others, Justice C Hari Shankar said that the written statements accompanied by affidavit of admission and denial must be filed within four weeks. "Your client is scorning the allopathic treatment protocol. It's clear," the court told the counsel representing Ramdev.

Residents Doctors’ Association of All India Institute of Medical Science, Rishikesh and other unions representing the doctors in the lawsuit against Ramdev have sought a permanent and mandatory injunction against his “sustained and mala fide misinformation campaign” during the Covid-19 pandemic against allopathy. 

12:42 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Six dispensaries and two urban primary health centres to come up in South Delhi

Six dispensaries and two urban primary health centres would be set up in wards where there are no health facilities by South Delhi Municipal Corporation. The SDMC on Tuesday approved the setting up of dispensaries in areas including Badarpur, Sagarpur, Mohan Garden, RK Puram, Tughlakabad and Keshopur. The UPHCs will be set up in Amar Colony and Goela Dairy in Najafgarh. The proposal to set up eight new healthcare facilities was put before the committee which approved it, said a senior SDMC official.

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12:38 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi cabinet passes decision to include Ram Temple at Ayodhya in it's ongoing Chief Minister's Teerth Yatra Scheme

Delhi cabinet Wednesday passed a decision to include the Ram Temple at Ayodhya in it's ongoing Chief Minister's Teerth Yatra Scheme. Under this scheme, senior citizens are taken for pilgrimages across the country and at present, the destinations include the Vaishno Devi Temple, Rameshwaram and Golden Temple in Amritsar. The government pays for travel board and lodging.

12:28 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi: Firefighter, 31, dies after portion of building collapses on him

A 31-year-old firefighter, who was injured while controlling a factory fire, succumbed to injuries Wednesday. Police said the deceased, identified as Praveen Kumar, was posted in the Outer district of Delhi Fire Services. He completed his training in 2019.

He was at the industrial area when he and his team members sustained burn injuries while trying to control a fire in the Bhorgarh area. The men got trapped after a portion of the building collapsed on them. The incident took place on October 9 and all three firefighters present at the spot were injured.

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12:24 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi HC issues notice to Centre, Delhi police on PIL to remove unnecessary barricades from roads

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre and Delhi Police on a PIL seeking removal of unnecessary barricades from roads in Delhi. The petition alleged that there is an "unmindful and erratic installation of mobile police barricades on Delhi Roads and in residential colonies."

In the PIL, the petitioner said that the "mismanagement and unprofessional attitude" of Delhi Police in installation of iron barricades on several roads all over Delhi causes grave hardship and  inconvenience to the safety, security and welfare of the public.

12:08 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Stubble burning: Rain plays spoilsport in Delhi govt’s biodecomposer plans

Rain has delayed spraying of the Pusa decomposer in Delhi, and left fields wet and waterlogged in some places, even as the capital recorded two instances of stubble burning this month.

The decomposer solution, meant to help with decomposition of crop residue after the kharif harvest, was to be sprayed on around 4,000 acres out of 14,000 acres of paddy field in Delhi. Around 30% to 35% of this figure has been covered, according to A P Saini, Joint Director, Agriculture. Rainfall, particularly the wet spell on October 18, left some fields waterlogged and others too moist to run a tractor over, even as wheat sowing season is near, officials in the north and northwest districts said.

11:34 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi: Journalist, stockbroker arrested for cheating cracker factory owner of Rs 8 lakh

A journalist and a stockbroker were arrested by the Ghaziabad police on Tuesday for allegedly cheating the owner of an illegal cracker factory of Rs 8 lakh by promising protection from the police. One of the accused Naveen Chaturvedi formerly worked in a national Hindi daily and presently runs a news portal and weekly magazine. The other accused Hemant Chauhan ran a stock-broking firm based in Vasundhara.

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11:21 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Stubble burning: Rain plays spoilsport in Delhi govt’s biodecomposer plans

Rain has delayed spraying of the Pusa decomposer in Delhi, and left fields wet and waterlogged in some places, even as the capital recorded two instances of stubble burning this month.

The decomposer solution, meant to help with decomposition of crop residue after the kharif harvest, was to be sprayed on around 4,000 acres out of 14,000 acres of paddy field in Delhi. Around 30% to 35% of this figure has been covered, according to A P Saini, Joint Director, Agriculture. Rainfall, particularly the wet spell on October 18, left some fields waterlogged and others too moist to run a tractor over, even as wheat sowing season is near, officials in the north and northwest districts said.

11:13 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi: 8 held for robbing and killing 25-year-old man in Patel Nagar

The Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested two men and apprehended six juveniles and for allegedly robbing and stabbing to death a 25-year-old man in Central Delhi’s Patel Nagar.

The deceased, identified as Manoj, was walking back to his home from work last Friday night when the accused allegedly waylaid and robbed him around 8.30 pm. Manoj, who worked as an electrician at a store in Baljeet Nagar, tried to resist the attack but was stabbed by the group, said the police.

Manoj succumbed to severe injuries on his abdomen, said the police. Manoj’s younger brother Mukesh was informed. The brother rushed to the spot and took Manoj to RML hospital where he was declared dead. Manoj’s belongings were allegedly missing from the spot.

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10:41 (IST)27 Oct 2021
DJB will now provide water connections to all households directly

The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) will now provide all household water connections without any intermediaries, according to the decision taken at a board meeting of the DJB held by Water Minister Satyendar Jain.

While the DJB maintains a pipeline network of around 13,000 km, the connection from the pipeline to the household had to be drawn by the individual consumer. The new decision means that the DJB will lay pipelines as well as install connections and meters. With the DJB taking charge of all connections, handling damaged pipelines, contamination, and unauthorised connections could become easier, said a communication from the government. This can also help provide new meter connections in upcoming colonies.

10:36 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi: Parent outreach programme in government schools to begin this week

The parent outreach programme for school management committees of Delhi government schools to stay continuously and actively engaged with parents of students will be launched this week.

The programme involves the school management committee members as well as active parents who have volunteered to assist in the outreach, referred to as ‘school mitra’. Each school management committee member or school mitra will be assigned the responsibility of reaching out to and staying in touch with up to 50 students who stay in their own or a neighbouring locality.

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10:21 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Over 400 Delhi Metro station gates gradually reopened: DMRC

More than 400 gates at Delhi Metro stations across the network have been gradually reopened since June 7 when services were resumed last after improvement in the coronavirus situation, an official said on Tuesday. The DMRC network's current span is nearly 392 km with 286 stations (including the Noida-Greater Noida Metro Corridor and Rapid Metro, Gurgaon).

Metro services were suspended for several weeks in view of the rising cases amid the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) services were fully suspended since May 10 in view of the Coronavirus-induced lockdown in the capital. It was first imposed on April 19, and successively extended by the city government. The services had run partially, catering only to people from the field of essential services. (PTI)

10:10 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Fuel price hike, Covid safety impact festive shopping in Delhi, says survey

Covid safety and impact on household budget by the steady rise in prices of fuel and essentials have become important criteria for people in Delhi to make decisions on festive shopping, an online survey has found.

The Mood of the Consumer survey by LocalCircles, a community social media platform for people to discuss issues, showed that for 31 per cent Delhi consumers 'budget/value' is the top criteria for their festive season shopping this year, while for 37 per cent 'safety', and for 11 per cent 'selection or range' is the deciding factor. For 21 per cent, 'convenience' was the top priority.

The survey showed a jump in the percentage of households that planned for festival shopping from 30 per cent in May to 60 per cent in September as the Covid situation improved.  "However, rising prices of petrol, diesel and other essentials are having an impact on household budgets," the survey said.

The Delhi survey received more than 40,000 responses from over 16,000 unique households located across the city, of which 65 per cent of respondents were men while 35 per cent were women. (PTI)

09:53 (IST)27 Oct 2021
South MCD has vehicles to fight pollution, but no drivers

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation is “fighting a war against pollution without guns” — the standing committee observed — after it was informed that there is a shortage of drivers leading to several vehicles being halted for months. There is a shortage of over 40 drivers for vehicles like water tankers, jetting machines, garbage picking vehicles and mechanical diggers, said standing committee chairperson B K Oberoi. The number of these vehicles is around 150.

The issue was brought up during the standing committee meeting of the South MCD Tuesday by BJP councillor Poonam Bhati, who said that the corporation is facing a shortage of drivers. “Twenty vehicles remain stationed in offices of SDMC in Amar Colony, Lajpat Nagar and other areas,” said Bhati.

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09:32 (IST)27 Oct 2021
BJP MLA acquitted in Patiala House assault case, court says those who captured footage not examined

A Delhi court Tuesday acquitted BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma and former Delhi MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah, who were accused of assaulting CPI member Ameeque Jamai outside Patiala House Court in February 2016. Jamai was outside the court waiting for the production of former JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar in the 2016 JNU sedition case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Ravindra Kumar Pandey observed that CDs/DVDs seized from various media houses capturing the alleged assault “were not duly proved as per law as the person who recorded and covered the material in the CDs/DVDs were not examined as a witness or associated in the investigation, and no reasonable explanation was offered on behalf of the prosecution”.

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09:12 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Maharashtra MoS swings by Delhi govt schools

Sanjay Bansode, Minister of State, Government of Maharashtra, visited Delhi government schools along with Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia Tuesday and interacted with students. He said that Maharashtra would adopt Delhi’s education model.

They visited two schools, Kautilya Government Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Chirag Enclave, Greater Kailash and School of Excellence, Kalkaji. He spoke with the children there and learned about the ‘Business Blasters’ program under the Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum. He spoke to the children involved in the project about the enterprises that they have begun with the seed money given by the government.

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08:58 (IST)27 Oct 2021
Delhi records 41 Covid-19 cases, zero death; positivity rate at 0.08%

Delhi recorded 41 fresh Covid-19 cases and zero death due to the infection on Tuesday, while the positivity rate stood at 0.08 per cent. Delhi has recorded only four deaths due to the infection in October so far. Last month, five people had succumbed to the disease. Twenty-five patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, the data stated. With the new cases, the coronavirus infection tally in the city climbed to 14,39,671.

22:41 (IST)26 Oct 2021
Decision on reopening of DU campus after Diwali: VC

Amid growing demand for reopening of the campus, Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh said a decision in this regard will be taken after Diwali as there is a fear of recurrence of COVID-19 cases.

Singh also said that in a recent meeting of teachers and principals, he had suggested increasing the timing of colleges by a couple of hours to accommodate the extra number of students admitted and to avoid overcrowding.

Members of the All India Students' Association and other student bodies are on a hunger strike to press for their demand of reopening the campus for students. (PTI)

18:47 (IST)26 Oct 2021
Govt forcibly retires five CBI officers, senior advocate

The government has compulsorily retired five CBI officers and a senior public prosecutor, sources said. The five CBI officers include an assistant superintendent of police and four deputy superintendents of police.

The officers and a senior public prosecutor were compulsorily retired by the president with immediate effect in public interest under clause 56(j) of the Fundamental Rules, the sources said. The officers will be paid three months of salaries and allowances. (PTI)

16:33 (IST)26 Oct 2021
Four of family die in house fire in East Delhi

Four members of a family died after a fire broke out on the third floor of a building in East Delhi's Old Seemapuri area, officials said. The incident took place when the victims were asleep, they said.

The deceased have been identified as Horilal (59), his wife Reena (55), their son Ashu (24) and daughter Rohini (18). The family members were sleeping on the third floor of the house, while their 22-year-old son Akshay had a narrow escape as he was sleeping on the second floor, they said.

Domestic articles in a room on the third floor of the house caught fire, resulting in the death of four people. The building comprised ground plus three floors and situated in an area of about 25 square yards, Delhi Fire Services director Atul Garg said, adding that it was a minor fire. (PTI)

14:23 (IST)26 Oct 2021
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal offers prayers at Ram Janambhoomi site in Ayodhya

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday offered prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya, and said his government will include the temple town of Ayodhya in the Delhi government’s free pilgrimage scheme.

The Delhi chief minister also visited the Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya on the second day of his Ayodhya visit.

“I was fortunate that I got the chance to bow before Ram Lalla and I wish everyone must get this chance. Whatever capability I have, I will use that to make more and more people have ‘darshan’ here,” Kejriwal said after visiting the temples.

New Delhi: A municipal worker carries out fumigation as the number of dengue cases rise, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (PTI Photo)

Granting permission to a group of doctors’ associations to institute a suit against Ramdev for his statements against allopathy during the pandemic, the Delhi High Court Wednesday issued summons to the Yoga guru and others and asked them to file statements within four weeks.

“Clearly, from parts of those video clips, your client is scorning the allopathic treatment protocol. It is clear. If you want me to reproduce those things in the order, I will reproduce it, it might be detrimental to your client,” said Justice C Hari Shankar addressing Ramdev’s counsel.

READ | Allopathy remarks: Delhi HC gives green signal to suit against Ramdev

A group of farmers from the Hind Mazdoor Kisan Samiti heading towards Singhu border to protest against the killing of Lakhbir Singh alleged they were manhandled and lathi-charged by the Delhi Police. The protesters tried to remove barricades Wednesday evening, but were removed from the area. The protesters said they came from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to give “ardas” to Lakhbir, who was allegedly killed by Nihang Sikhs, and that they wanted to protest against farmers at the Singhu border.

READ | Farmers’ group alleges lathi charge at Singhu

Engineering and construction major L&T on Wednesday was handed over the contract for the construction and maintenance of the first three buildings part of the new Common Central Secretariat under the Central Vista revamp plan. The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) on Wednesday handed the letter of award for the first three integrated buildings to house central government ministries in the upcoming Central Vista project.

The financial bids for the contract opened earlier this month where L&T’s bid of Rs 3,141.99 crore was 3.47% less than the Central Public Works Department’s estimate of Rs 3,254 crore. The other bidders included Tata Projects Ltd. and NCC Ltd., who quoted 8.96% and 1.94% over the estimate respectively. The tender inviting bids for the first three common secretariat buildings part of the Central Vista project at an estimated cost of ₹3,408 crore was first issued in May this year.

READ | L&T awarded contract for first Common Secretariat buildings in Central Vista

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First uploaded on: 25-10-2021 at 08:30 IST
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