Page 2 - New Delhi

CBI produces Deputy CM Sisodia before court in Delhi excise scam case

The CBI on Monday produced Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, arrested in a corruption case related to the excise policy, before a city court. There was a heavy security presence in and outside the Rouse Avenue Courts premises. The agency produced Sisodia before special judge M K Nagpal and was likely to seek his custodial interrogation. The CBI on Sunday evening arrested Sisodia in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22.

New Delhi World Book Fair to be held from February 25: National Book Trust

With the participation of over 30 countries and nearly 1,000 publishers and exhibitors, the New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) is returning to its full physical form after a gap of three years, the National Book Trust announced on Thursday. This year's festival will be inaugurated on February 25 by education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain, and NBT chairman Govind Prasad Sharma, among others. The last physical edition of the festival was in January 2020 and then the pandemic enforced the book gala to go online. Based on the theme of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', the book fair will host France as the guest country with the participation of 16 French authors, including the Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux, and more than 60 publishers, literary agents and cultural representatives. "Today we are seeing French people are more and more interested in Indian literature. France and India are two big countries of literature. We have dozens of people arriving from .

Heavy security deployment at MCD headquarters for Delhi mayoral poll

Authorities have stepped up security inside the municipal House and on the Civic Centre premises in Delhi for the mayoral poll, scheduled to begin shortly. Several civil defence personnel, including women members, have been deployed in the chamber of the House. Civic Centre is the headquarters of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Heavy deployment of paramilitary force has been done on the premises of the Civic Centre. After much delay since the high-stakes civic polls in Delhi, the stage is set for the election of a new mayor following a Supreme Court order. During the municipal House, election to the posts of mayor, deputy mayor and six members of the standing committee will be held. The exercise to hold elections to the top post will be carried out after previous three failed attempts. Last week, Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena gave his nod to convene the municipal House for holding the mayoral election following the apex court order. The top court on February 17 ordered

Delhi sees dense fog but min temp 3 notches above normal at 14.6 degrees C

Delhi and neighbouring areas witnessed a dense layer of fog on Wednesday morning, an unusual phenomenon for the month, even as the minimum temperature settled three notches above normal at 14.6 degrees Celsius. The visibility levels dropped to 50 metres at the Palam observatory, near the Indira Gandhi International Airport, an official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. "Dense fog observed at isolated places over Haryana, Delhi and west Rajasthan, and shallow to moderate fog over Bihar and Odisha," an IMD official said. Mahesh Palawat, a senior meteorologist at Skymet Weather, said a cyclonic circulation has developed over Punjab and Haryana under the influence of a western disturbance affecting the western Himalayan region. "Warm and humid easterly winds and cool northwesterly winds are interacting over the region due to the induced cyclonic circulation. The increase in humidity and condensation are leading to fog formation. Such weather is not common in February,"

Delhi is one city where indiscipline is the highest: N R Narayana Murthy

Citing an example of traffic rule violation in the national capital, Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy on Tuesday said that he feels uncomfortable coming to Delhi because it is the one city where indiscipline is the highest. While speaking at the All India Management Association (AIMA) Foundation Day, Murthy shared that people should treat community property better than personal property as one of the values to avoid issues of dishonesty in public governance. "I really feel very uncomfortable coming to Delhi, this is one city where indiscipline is the highest. Let me give you an example. I came yesterday from the Airport. At a red signal, there were so many cars, motorbikes and scooters, you know, violating the red light without a single care. "If we can't even wait a minute or two, just to move forward. Do you think those people will wait if there is money? Of course they won't wait," Murthy said. He said while emphasising on the creation of right value in the corporate world.

Nearly 7,000 kg single-use plastic seized by MCD in February in Delhi

Nearly 7,000 kilogram of single-use plastic has been seized by the civic authorities in February so far in the city under a 100-day campaign, officials said on Monday. As many as 587 penalties have been issued to the violators from February 1-20, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said in a statement. Among the 12 zones of the MCD, the maximum amount (1,263 kg) of single-use plastic has been seized from Shahdara South Zone. This is followed by Rohini Zone (1,003 kg), Najafgarh Zone (977 kg) and South Zone (789 kg) Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on January 21 had kicked off a thematic 100-day campaign to make areas under the municipal corporation free of plastic. "The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has seized 6,939 kg of SUP plastic items and issued 587 challans from 1st February to 20th February 2023," the statement said. Strict action is being taken by zonal teams of the MCD to curb single-use plastic (SUP), it said. The identified SUP items include earbuds with plas

Delhi Lt Governor trying to act against Vidhan Sabha committees: AAP

The AAP on Monday alleged that Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena is trying to "act" against Vidhan Sabha committees and has written to the chief secretary and the assembly seeking details on their functioning. Party national spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told a press conference that the Petitions Committee of the Delhi assembly had recommended action against officials on three different issues. But the Lt Governor (LG), instead of taking action against them, decided to take action against the committees, he alleged. "The Delhi LG is trying to act against Vidhan Sabha committees. He has written to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and the Delhi Vidhan Sabha questioning how the committees are functioning and whether they are going against the law," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said. "He feels that they are interfering in the work of government officials. The LG has problems with the committees. This makes it clear that whatever the officials do to interfere in the functioning of the government is

Delhi Waqf Board moves HC against Centre's decision: Amanatullah Khan

The Delhi Waqf Board has moved the High Court against the Centre's decision to take over 123 Waqf properties, Board chairman Amanatullah Khan said on Monday. He asserted that the 123 properties are with the Waqf Board for long and the Centre was bypassing the law and courts in trying to "occupy it forcibly". The Land and Development Office (L&DO) of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently decided to take over the 123 properties of the Delhi Waqf Board, including mosques, dargah and graveyards.

Deputy CM Sisodia meets market associations to prepare for Delhi Budget

Delhi Transport and Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot and Chamber of Trade and Industries Chairman Brijesh Goyal were also present during the meeting

Dilli 6 food festival serves authentic old Delhi flavours and delicacies

The much sought-after food festival, "Dilli 6", is back in the capital to tickle the taste buds of Delhiites with authentic old Delhi flavours and delicacies. The ongoing festival, now in its 13th edition at Crowne Plaza New Delhi Okhla, has roped in street food 'khansamas' from the by lanes of 'Purani Delhi' to curate a unique dining experience -- 'Chandni Chowk Ki Galiya'. It is themed as "Bazaar-E-Purani", an ode to the iconic market places of Chandni Chowk which have stood through times, generations and dynasties. So be it a stall serving the much relished deep-fried breads from Chandni Chowk's iconic 'paranthe wali gali' or different counters of kebabs, kulfi offering street style experience, the menu boasts of cyclic dishes with over 100 options such as 'dahi bhalla', 'golgappe', 'aloo chaat', 'fruit kulia chaat', 'matra kulcha', 'chole bhature' and more. "Our chefs have collaborated with local khansamas to capture the secrets behind the aromatic delicacies which are deeply .

RWAs hopeful that new Delhi mayor will address long-pending civic issues

With Delhi set to get a new mayor soon, the resident welfare associations (RWAs) of the city are hopeful that the long-pending civic issues would be addressed, certain policies would be re-drafted and the pending Local Area Development (LAD) funds would finally be released. The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the issuance of a notice within 24 hours for convening the first meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to fix the date for the election of the mayor, the deputy mayor and the members of the standing committee. The RWAs expressed satisfaction over the Supreme Court order, saying they always wanted a mayor to be elected as soon as possible. Atul Goyal, president of the United Residents Joint Action of Delhi, said the city and the citizens are suffering in the absence of a mayor. The RWAs feel a lot of pending issues need to be addressed at the earliest -- be it those related to sanitation, encroachment, waterlogging or potholes. BS Vohra, president of the East Del

Delhi govt submits report to NGT, says solid waste consistently increasing

The Delhi government has filed a status report before the National Green Tribunal, saying the quantity of municipal solid waste was "consistently increasing" because of various factors, including a rapid population growth and mass migration. In October last year, the NGT had directed the Delhi government to pay Rs 900 crore environmental compensation for improper management of solid municipal waste, saying citizens cannot be faced with an emergency situation due to lack of governance. It had also formed a committee to find the factual situation and determine the future course of action, including suggestions for disaster management plans, regarding the incidents of fire at the Bhalswa dump yard and Ghazipur landfill. On Thursday, the tribunal heard the matters related to the management of solid and liquid waste along with the fire incidents at the dumpsites. The Delhi Chief Secretary appeared before the tribunal through video conferencing. An order from the tribunal is ...

PM to inaugurate 'Aadi Mahotsav' in Delhi to showcase tribal culture today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 'Aadi Mahotsav', the mega National Tribal Festival on Thursday at 10According to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office, the Aadi Mahotsav, which celebrates the spirit of tribal culture, crafts, cuisine, commerce and traditional art, is an annual initiative of the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation Limited (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. This year, it is being organised from 16 to 27 February at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi."The programme will showcase the rich and diverse heritage of tribes from across the country in over 200 stalls at the venue. Around 1000 tribal artisans will participate in the Mahotsav. Since 2023 is being celebrated as the International Year of Millets, along with usual attractions like handicrafts, handloom, pottery, jewellery etc., a special focus in the Mahotsav will be on showcasing Shree Anna grown by tribals," the statement said.

Taxi, auto drivers benefitting from Delhi govt policies: Transport Minister

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Wednesday said taxi and auto drivers are continuously benefitting from the policies of the Delhi government. Addressing the drivers of kali-peeli cabs, the minister assured them that he would meet them on a regular basis to understand and address their issues. "Taxi and auto drivers in Delhi are continuously benefitting from the policies of the Delhi government with each driver saving more than Rs 7,000," he said. Various charges, including penalties, levied on autos and taxis were revised in 2019 by the government. The Delhi government had recently increased auto and taxi fares. During the programme, representatives from the union submitted various demands to the minister, who, in turn, assured of providing all possible help. The taxis have existed since decades and still plying on the roads of Delhi. With time, there have been more options for the users to travel but Delhi government is standing with our taxi drivers," he said. "During

Fire breaks out at HDFC Bank in Greater Kailash, no casualty reported

A fire broke out at an HDFC Bank in the national capital's Greater Kailash-II area on Thursday, an official said.

Delhi records minimum temperature of 8.6 degrees Celsius, AQI of 156

Delhiites woke up to a windy Wednesday morning with the minimum temperature settling at 8.6 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year. The air quality index (AQI) was recorded at 156, which is in the moderate category. The relative humidity at 8.30 am was recorded at 100 per cent. The weatherman has forecast strong surface winds during day time with the maximum temperature likely to settle around 20 degrees Celsius.

No backchannel talks being held between Pakistan and India, says Khar

Pakistan said on Thursday that no backchannel talks were being held between Islamabad and New Delhi. "At this moment, there is no such thing under way," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar told the Senate - the upper house of parliament. She added that backchannel diplomacy was desirable when it was result-oriented. Separately, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch at the weekly media briefing reiterated Khar's remarks about no secret diplomatic engagements with India. "There is no backchannel diplomacy between India and Pakistan," Baloch said. Speaking in the Senate, Khar went on to say that Pakistan had always taken initiatives to promote peace in the region but right now, the cross-border hostility [from India] is of a unique type. She said that Pakistan was asked at international forums sometimes to normalise its ties with India, but the world should look at the messages New Delhi was sending to Islamabad. "The messages that we are getting are a

Commuters face long jams in central Delhi of Republic Day Parade rehearsal

Commuters had a harrowing time Monday morning as they found themselves stuck in long jams on Central Delhi roads owing restrictions made ahead of Republic Day Parade rehearsal. Police said they received several calls from commuters reporting traffic woes. Vikas Marg (from Laxmi Nagar to ITO), Pragat Maidan, and Akshardham were three of several such stretches which witnessed intractable snarls. Ankita Singh, a commuter, said, "Traffic from Noida till Akshardham was heavy. The route leading towards ITO also had jam and the GPS showed 40 minutes to cover a distance of around 6 kilometres." Several commuters took to Twitter to inform others about the traffic situation in the city, with one of them reporting heavy jams on ITO, Pragati Maidan, and Geeta Colony flyover. While one said that traffic did not move at ITO for over an hour, another commuter, who said he was stuck in jam for two hours, advised people against venturing out on roads. Prerna Singh, who works in central Delhi, sai

Sukhu meets Prez Murmu, V-P Dhankhar to discuss pension schemes in Delhi

Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday called on the President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar

Egyptian Prez, 180-member military contingent to be part of Republic Day

Abdel Fattah El-Sisi is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on January 24 and will be greeted by Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh