Delhi has been declared the most polluted capital in the world in terms of air quality for the fourth year in a row in 2021, reveals a new report which says 35 out of 50 cities with the worst air quality were in India.
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The World Air Quality Report released by Swiss organization IQAir is based on PM 2.5 data from 6,475 cities in 117 countries.
The dataset used to generate this report was derived from the IQAir real-time online air quality monitoring platform, which aggregates, validates, calibrates, and harmonizes data from air quality monitoring stations around the globe.
The report said that publicly available air quality monitoring station data continued to increase in 2021. India, New Zealand, and Canada, in particular, saw significant increases.
Air pollution has a massive impact on human health in India. The researchers said, “India was home to 11 of the 15 most polluted cities in Central and South Asia in 2021. Delhi saw a 14.6 per cent increase in PM2.5 concentrations in 2021 with levels rising to 96.4 ug/m3 from 84 ug/m3 in 2020. No cities in India met the WHO air quality guideline of 5 ug/m3. In 2021, 48% of India’s cities exceeded 50 ug/m3, or more than 10 times the WHO guideline.”
Air pollution causes and aggravates many diseases, ranging from asthma to cancer, lung illnesses and heart disease and in this age of COVID-19, researchers have found that exposure to PM2.5 increases both the risk of contracting the virus and of suffering more severe symptoms when infected, including death.
As Dhami was the face of the elections, giving him a second chance, despite his loss, is being considered, said sources. (Twitter)
The 11-day stalemate over the selection of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature party leader in Uttarakhand seems to be inching towards an end, as the party has scheduled the meeting of the legislature in Dehradun on Monday evening.
Even as the suspense on the name of the CM continues, Uttarakhand BJP leaders confirmed the newly elected chief minister will take the oath with 11 cabinet ministers at the city’s Parade Ground at 11 am on March 23.
Central observers Rajnath Singh and Meenakshi Lekhi will reach the capital on Monday and announce the name of the new legislative party leader. Pro-tem speaker Banishar Bhagat will take the oath at Raj Bhavan. Later, Bhagat will administer the oath to the newly elected members at the Vidhan Sabha.
Even as the BJP cadre in the state is anxiously awaiting for the next chief minister of the hill state, hectic parleys went on in the national capital.
Acting chief minister Pushhkar Singh Dhami, former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and BJP president Madan Kaushik called on home minister Amit Shah, BJP national general secretary (organization) BL Santosh, among others.
Adoption practices in India are primarily informed by the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956 (HAMA) and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (JJ Act).
Both legislations have different provisions and objectives. HAMA is the statute that governs the adoption of and by Hindus. The definition of ‘Hindus’ here includes Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. It gives an adoptive child all the rights of a natural-born child, including the right to inheritance.
Until the JJ Act, the Guardians and Ward Act (GWA), 1980 was the only means for non-Hindu individuals to become guardians of children from their communities. However, since the GWA appoints individuals as legal guardians and not natural parents, guardianship is terminated once the ward turns 21 and the ward assumes individual identity.
The year 2015 also saw a moment of transition in the adoption process with the introduction of the Child Adoption Resource Authority (CARA). Central Adoption Resource Authority is an autonomous and statutory body of Ministry of Women and Child Development in the Government of India. The system acts as a centralised digital database of adoptable children and prospective parents. It functions as the nodal body for the adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions. CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the 1993 Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, ratified by Government of India in 2003.CARA primarily deals with the adoption of “orphaned, abandoned and surrendered” children through recognised adoption agencies. In 2018, CARA has allowed individuals in a live-in relationship to adopt children from and within India.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s first visit to India brought with it an investment plan of Rs 3.2 lakh crore in the next five years, indicating that the India-Japan partnership will only deepen. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the massive boost that such an investment target would provide to the country’s economy and said India was committed to providing “all possible support to Japanese firms”.
Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Part of Quad, Kishida and Modi, in their bilateral meeting on Saturday, also discussed China’s presence in the South China Sea as well as India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. The two leaders agreed that strong India-Japan ties will encourage peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
The United States on Tuesday (local time) said India would not be violating US sanctions by purchasing discounted Russian oil but added that such a move would put the world’s largest democracy on the “wrong side of history”.
Asked about the reports of India considering a Russian offer to buy crude oil and other commodities at discount prices a week after the US banned all Russian energy imports, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Joe Biden administration’s message would be for countries to abide by US sanctions.
“I don’t believe this would be violating that, but also think about where you want to stand,” Psaki said. “When the history books are written at this moment in time, support for Russia – the Russian leadership – is support for an invasion that obviously is having a devastating impact”.
India has not condemned the invasion of Ukraine and has abstained from voting at the United Nations calling out Russia’s aggression. US officials have said in recent weeks they would like India to distance itself from Russia as much as possible, while also recognizing its heavy reliance on Moscow for everything from arms and ammunition to missiles and fighter jets.
In a heartbreaking tragedy, five Indian students were killed in a road accident in Canada, said India’s High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria on Monday, adding that two others were injured and were hospitalized.
The accident occurred on Saturday on the Ontario highway and two injured students were rushed to the hospital.
Taking to Twitter, Ajay Bisaria expressed deepest condolences to the families of the victims.
India has decided to temporarily relocate its embassy in Ukraine to Poland, the government said on Sunday.
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The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the decision to move the embassy from Kyiv was being taken in view of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Ukraine, including attacks in the western parts of the country.
“The situation will be reassessed in the light of further developments,” it added.
Earlier this month Ukraine’s government said that it had helped evacuate about 20,000 Indian students from areas of the country attacked by Russian forces following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but several were still trapped.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Electronics and IT.
India will definitely lead the charge on capitalising on the business opportunity emerging from next-generation technologies Web 3.0 and the Metaverse , said Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Electronics and IT.
Newer opportunities also extend into electronics, deep tech to quantum computing among others, the minister said speaking at the seventh edition of the ET Startup Awards 2021 event held in Bengaluru today.
“If you’re a dispassionate observer of nations, India is today one of pre-eminent countries in using technology and being at the forefront of innovation. We will be leading the charge into Web 3 and all of the innovations around the Internet…,” he said at an interactive session with ET’s Surabhi Agarwal.
Referring to prime minister Narendra Modi’s speech about the “Techade” Chandrasekhar said the wholesome push into innovation in India will be delivered by improvements in the fields of electronics and system design, semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, deep technology, and quantum computing.
India had announced a semiconductor policy late last year, offering incentives for investment in the manufacturing of chips. The minister said the push towards a holistic innovation economy also stems from a global search to find alternatives to China’s domination in these areas.
On the several issues around the data protection policy and frameworks being deliberated by the Centre, the minister sought to assure the business community that the policymakers would ensure the rules don’t become roadblocks: “We will not do anything knee jerk or even remotely as a speed bump to retard the momentum in the startup ecosystem today. This is in itself a clarity…”
Speaking of the startup ecosystem, Chandrasekhar said the Indian community has come a long way from the position before 2014, with the government creating an enabling environment for startups to thrive. The Minister quoted a Credit Suisse report to drive home the point that access to capital in the Indian business system has grown enormously. “The Government will keep expanding these opportunities.”
Sanand Factory in Gujarat, India, created by Studio Saar, explores how a factory can go beyond being eco-friendly to also be healthier and happier for workers. The new factory is built on the site of a former lakebed. It features a seasonal lake that varies in depth by the time of year. Additionally, the facility was commissioned by electronics manufacturer Secure Meters, who works in the automotive industry.
The designers promoted staff wellbeing in addition to reducing energy consumption. For instance, there is a recreation area, a canteen for staff and many sustainable features throughout the factory from rainwater collection to 2,000 trees planted on site.
Furthermore, the factory is expandable. Built in phases, the facility is economical and allows for production to start in record time. The clients wanted an inclusive environment that promoted communication and collaboration. As a result, they wanted to break down the hierarchy often seen in manufacturing workplaces.
Therefore, the facility is built on a 25-acre site that has been repurposed and designated for industrial development. It is split into three zones for manufacturing, employee recreation and visitors. The facility has four buildings: a main manufacturing line, a utility bay, a canteen and recreation center and a reception building.
