NEWS

With civic polls round the corner, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has put the Balgandharva Rangmandir revamp plan on hold following opposition from certain quarters.

The political party has decided to launch an awareness campaign regarding the project to clear misconceptions, seek public support and avoid any controversy.

The brainchild of noted humourist Pu La Deshpande, the auditorium has become a hub of the city’s cultural activity. It is a popular venue for cultural events, plays and art exhibitions. The hall has staged numerous functions and plays since it was inaugurated in 1968.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath on Tuesday ordered that a proposal be submitted for using drone to send life-saving drugs to remote areas of the state.

He said work on setting up a virology institute in Lucknow should be expedited and added that the institute would be modeled on the pattern of National Institute of Virology, Pune.

He said high quality investigations and research would be possible once the institute starts functioning.

To comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) issued by the Centre for the upcoming Haridwar Mahakumbh, the state government is mulling to notify the Mahakumbh period from April 10-27.

The proposal was discussed during the state cabinet meeting led by chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Tuesday in Dehradun. If approved, the Mahakumbh Mela would be officially organised for only 18 days against the present proposed period of about two months from February 27-April 30 comprising six Shahi Snaans or auspicious baths during the mega-event. The government is expecting about eight lakh people on normal days while ten lakh on the auspicious baths.

The move has come after the Centre's SOP on the Mahakumbh few weeks ago in which it urged the state to shorten its period citing the ongoing pandemic.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has informed the Supreme Court that the continuous ambient air quality monitoring system (CAAQMS) data for Delhi reveals that the annual concentration of PM (particulate matter) has decreased gradually since 2016.

"Despite the increase in the number of vehicles, growing population, increased industrial activities and adverse meteorology, there has been a consistent improvement in air quality, resulting in 38 per cent reduction in PM 10 and 30 per cent in PM 2.5 in 2020 with respect to 2016 in Delhi," said an affidavit filed by the MoEF&CC.

The ministry in the affidavit submitted the details of the steps taken by the Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and adjoining areas to prevent and control air pollution in Delhi-NCR.