Expelled from Congress, Zeeshan Siddique joins Ajit Pawar's NCP; To contest from Bandra East
Mumbai (PTI): The Ajit Pawar-led NCP on Friday released its second list, comprising seven candidates including MLA Zeeshan Siddique and two former BJP MPs, for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
Zeeshan Siddique, whose father and NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead earlier this month, will contest from Bandra East, which he had won in 2019 on a Congress ticket. He also joined the NCP.
The legislator on Thursday criticised the decision of the Shiv Sena (UBT), a partner of Congress in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), to field Varun Sardesai in his constituency for the November 20 polls, saying staying together was never in their nature.
Zeeshan had been suspended from Congress for cross-voting in the recent legislative council elections. His father and Congress veteran Baba Siddique had crossed over to the NCP, a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, earlier this year.
Former BJP MP Pratap Chikhalikar, who lost the Lok Sabha polls from Nanded, has been nominated from Loha.
BJP ex-MP Sanjay Kaka Patil, who unsuccessfully contested from Sangli in the general elections, has been given an NCP ticket. He also joined the party on Friday.
Sanjay Kaka Patil will face off with NCP (SP) candidate Rohit Patil, son of late NCP leader R R Patil, in Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal constituency in Sangli district.
Nishikant Patil will take on NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil in Islampur, while Sana Malik, daughter of former minister Nawab Malik, has been nominated from Anushakti Nagar in Mumbai.
NCP has given the ticket to Sunil Tingre from Wadgaon Sheri in Pune.
It has picked Dnyaneshwar Katke from Shrirur. Until recently, Katke was the Pune district chief of the Uddhav Thackeray-led NCP (SP).
Earlier, NCP had released its first list featuring 38 candidates. NCP, BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are the constituents of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra.
Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Air pollution: Health Ministry asks public to minimise exposure to bad air, use public transport
New Delhi (PTI): As air pollution levels spike in many cities, the government has urged all states to enhance their preparedness and strengthen the capacity of healthcare workforce to tackle the menace which is likely to worsen in the festival season and onset of winter.
The Union Health Ministry has also urged the public to use public transport and avoid heavily congested areas.
In a letter to states and UTs, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Atul Goel has advised them to discourage stubble and waste burning and spread awareness among people about reducing firecrackers during festivities, promoting public transportation, limiting reliance on diesel-based generators, and curbing smoking.
"Additionally, individuals should be advised to minimise their exposure to polluted air by monitoring air quality indices through government mobile applications before venturing outdoors, avoiding heavily congested areas, and opting for cleaner fuels at home for cooking, heating, and lighting," Dr Goel said in the letter written last week.
He said air pollution has recently become a serious health challenge, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in certain states/UTs reaching moderate to poor levels.
This may even worsen considering the upcoming festive season and onset of winter, he said.
Air pollution is a significant contributor to acute health conditions and exacerbates the progression of chronic diseases affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular systems. These chronic illnesses, attributed to prolonged exposure to air pollution, often lead to an increase in premature mortality.
The adverse effects are particularly severe for vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, individuals with pre-existing health conditions, and those who face higher exposure risks due to their occupations, such as traffic police officers and municipal workers, Dr Goel said.
"In light of this, I urge the state health departments and healthcare facilities to enhance their preparedness. This should include intensifying public awareness campaigns, disseminating targeted messaging through designated mass media channels in regional languages, strengthening the capacity of the healthcare workforce, and scaling up participation in sentinel surveillance systems for air pollution-related diseases under the National Program on Climate Change and Human Health," he said.
He also stressed on raising public awareness about actions to prevent further degradation of air quality at this critical time.
These include discouraging stubble and waste burning, reducing firecrackers during festivities, promoting public transportation over personal diesel- or petrol-powered vehicles, limiting reliance on diesel-based generators, and curbing smoking.
He said outdoor activities such as sports and exercise should be restricted, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Those experiencing worsening symptoms or discomfort due to poor air quality should seek immediate medical attention.
