Indian Sub-continent

NEW DELHI (AP) — Toxic smog shrouded the Indian capital as air quality plummeted to hazardous levels Thursday after tens of thousands of people set off a multitude of firecrackers to celebrate the major Hindu festival of Diwali.

Islamabad, Nov 8 (PTI) Pakistan authorities have seized smuggled Indian and other Direct-To-Home (DTH) equipment worth Rs 7.83 crore from various markets in a nation-wide crack down against the illegal devices, revealed a report.

The report was submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday after it took up a suo motu case relating to easy availability of Indian DTH or magic box in the Pakistani market.

The DTH Satellite TV is the latest technology to deliver digital TV satellite service to households.

New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) Authorities responded to over 300 calls about fire incidents, triggered by firecrackers and LPG cylinder blast among others, on Diwali night in Delhi, including an incident in which two children were killed and two others were injured, officials said on Thursday.

According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), a record number of 271 fire-related calls were received by its offices till midnight on Diwali and 74 more calls till 8 AM on Thursday.

New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) On the second anniversary of demonetisation, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday questioned the rationale behind the Modi government's note ban move and termed it as "a self inflicted deep wound" on the Indian economy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 8, 2016, announced a ban on then in use Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination bank notes with immediate effect.

Raipur, Nov 7 (PTI) A village sarpanch's husband was killed by Naxals in Sukma district of poll-bound Chhattisgarh Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Kalmu Dhruva, the victim, was a worker of the Communist Party of India (CPI) while his wife is sarpanch of Bodko village, said Sukma Superintendent of Police Abhishek Meena.

"According to villagers, he was brutally beaten to death with sticks by the ultras," the SP said, adding that a police team has been sent to the spot.

Naxals have called for a boycott of the Assembly polls.

Kolkata, Nov 8 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday said that demonetisation was a "disaster" for the country on its second anniversary.

The chief minister said she had been describing it as a "dark day" since demonetisation was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016.

"#DarkDay Today is the second anniversary of #DeMonetisation disaster. From the moment it was announced I said so," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle.

"Renowned economists, common people and all experts now agree," she said.

New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) In a scathing assessment of the demonetisation exercise, former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the "scars and wounds" it caused are getting more visible with time and the decision's second anniversary is a day to remember how "economic misadventures" can roil the nation.

The senior Congress leader asked the government to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy.

KANPUR: To keep the Ganga River clean and clear, the city’s thirteen nullahs are being tapped on a war footing. Besides, as many as 7000 cusec waters will be released daily in order to increase the water level of the river. There will also be endeavours to minimise pollutants in the water flow.

Bioremediation process is considered to be amply used in order to treat the contaminated water by altering environmental conditions to stimulate the growth of micro-organisms and degrade the target pollutants.

Islamabad, Nov 7 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday extended his good wishes to the Hindu community on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights.

"Wishing all our Hindu citizens a happy Diwali," Khan tweeted.

National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser also greeted Hindu parliamentarians and the Hindu community.

"Pakistan is a pluralistic country and enriched with cultural diversity," he said.

Kolkata, Nov 7 (PTI) West Bengal government decided to observe 'Rosogolla Day' on November 14, to commemorate the first anniversary of the state's famous sweet getting Geographical Indication (GI) tag as 'Bengal's Rosogolla', an official said Wednesday.

Different varieties of rosogollas would be showcased in the stalls of the 'Mishti Hub' (Sweetmeat Hub), set up in one part of the Eco Park in New Town area here, HIDCO Chairman Debasish Sen told PTI.

The Eco Park is managed by the West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO), a state PSU.