Delhi's air quality in 'very poor' category at 386, 'severe' at 16 stations
New Delhi (PTI): The air quality in the national capital was recorded in the "very poor" category on Sunday morning, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 386, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
Data from the CPCB's Sameer app revealed that 16 monitoring stations in the city reported air quality in the "severe" category, while the remaining stations recorded "very poor" levels.
As per CPCB standards, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 to 100 "satisfactory", 101 to 200 "moderate", 201 to 300 "poor", 301 to 400 "very poor", and 401 to 500 "severe".
The minimum temperature settled at 9.4 degrees Celsius, which is 1.3 degrees above the season's average, while the humidity was recorded at 91 per cent at 8:30 am, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 17 degrees Celsius, with the IMD forecasting a yellow alert for the city due to moderate fog.
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Forest official caught on video seeking bribe from elephant attack victim in Karnataka
Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): An official in the Forest Department has come under scrutiny after a video surfaced allegedly showing him demanding a bribe from a farmer who lost areca nut and banana crops in a wild elephant attack.
The video, now circulating widely on social media, purportedly shows the official asking the farmer to pay “money for expenses” while assessing crop damage, drawing public criticism.
As per Forest Department procedure, officials are required to visit sites where crops are damaged by wild animals and prepare an assessment report, based on which government compensation is released.
The incident is reported to have occurred in Kanathi village in Chikkamagaluru taluk, where the farmer allegedly lost 65 areca nut trees in an elephant attack.
Sources said the official told the farmer that the number of damaged trees could be inflated in the report in exchange for money.
“If you give money for expenses, I will increase the number, and you will get more compensation from the government. If you don’t pay, I will record only 65,” he is heard saying.
The officer has been identified as Veerabhadra Nayak, a Deputy Range Forest Officer (DRFO) posted at Kanathi Beat under the Chikkamagaluru Forest Division, sources close to Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre said.
When the farmer refused to pay, the officer reportedly waited briefly before recording the damage as 65 trees in the report, according to the video.
The video was shared on 'X' by a user who tagged Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre and official department handles, prompting calls for action.
Netizens have demanded strict action against the officer for allegedly seeking a bribe from a farmer already facing financial distress due to crop loss.
