Shiv Sena (UBT) extends support to Congress after Haryana poll debacle
New Delhi: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena extended support to its ally Congress after the party's loss in the Haryana Assembly elections. While the Congress faced criticism for its defeat, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece expressed concern over alleged irregularities in the vote counting process and questioned the parole release of rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim just days before the elections.
The Sena editorial highlighted Congress’ complaint to the Election Commission (EC) regarding a delay in updating the election results, which they claimed allowed the BJP to overturn their initial lead. The EC has since denied the allegations, calling them baseless. The editorial, however, argued that the EC’s response did not adequately address the Congress’ concerns, particularly the sudden surge in the BJP’s vote tally after a delay in data updates.
Referring to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini’s pre-poll statement that “all arrangements” were made for the BJP’s victory, the editorial questioned how the party managed to secure a win when anti-incumbency factors and local protests, including those by farmers and wrestlers, were seemingly against them.
The Sena also took a dig at the BJP for the parole release of Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Released six days before the election for the 10th time in two years, the Dera Sacha Sauda chief reportedly asked his followers to vote for the BJP. The Congress had earlier flagged this as a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Despite their backing of the Congress, the Shiv Sena was not devoid of criticism. The editorial advised the Congress’ Maharashtra unit to take lessons from the Haryana defeat to avoid a similar fate in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, adding that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition remains confident of victory in the state.
In Haryana, the BJP secured 48 of the 90 seats, with the Congress trailing at 37. The results were seen as a major setback for the Congress, which was predicted to win according to exit polls but fell behind due to what it termed an "unexpected" shift in results during counting.
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Assam's Byrnihat tops global pollution list; Delhi most polluted capital: Report
New Delhi (PTI): Thirteen of the world's top 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Assam topping the list, according to a new report published on Tuesday.
The World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir said Delhi remains the most polluted capital city globally, while India ranked as the world's fifth most polluted country in 2024, down from third in 2023.
The report said India saw a 7 percent decline in PM2.5 concentrations in 2024, averaging 50.6 micrograms per cubic metre, compared to 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023. Yet, 13 of the world's 20 most polluted cities are in India.
Air pollution in Delhi worsened, with the annual average PM2.5 concentration rising from 102.4 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 to 108.3 micrograms per cubic metre in 2024.
The Indian cities in the world's top 20 most polluted cities are Byrnihat, Delhi, Punjab's Mullanpur, Faridabad, Loni, Gurugram, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh and Noida.
Overall, 35 percent of the Indian cities reported annual PM2.5 levels exceeding 10 times the WHO limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre, the report said.
The high level of pollution in Byrnihat, a town on the border of Assam and Meghalaya, is due to emissions from local factories, including distilleries, iron and steel plants.
Delhi grapples with high air pollution year-round and the problem worsens in winter when unfavourable meteorological conditions, combined with vehicular emissions, paddy-straw burning, firecrackers and other local pollution sources, make the air quality hazardous.
Air pollution remains a serious health risk in India, reducing life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years.
According to a Lancet Planetary Health study published last year, about 1.5 million deaths in India every year from 2009 to 2019 were potentially linked to long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution.
PM2.5 refers to tiny air pollution particles smaller than 2.5 microns, which can enter the lungs and bloodstream, leading to breathing problems, heart disease and even cancer. Sources include vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions and the burning of wood or crop waste.
Former WHO chief scientist and health ministry advisor Soumya Swaminathan said India has made progress in air quality data collection but lacks sufficient action.
"We have the data; now we need action. Some solutions are easy like replacing biomass with LPG. India already has a scheme for this, but we must further subsidise additional cylinders. The first cylinder is free, but the poorest families, especially women, should receive higher subsidies. This will improve their health and reduce outdoor air pollution," she told PTI in an interview.
In cities, expanding public transport and imposing fines on certain cars could help. "A mix of incentives and penalties is necessary," she said.
"Finally, strict enforcement of emission laws is crucial. Industries and construction sites must comply with regulations and install equipment to cut emissions instead of taking shortcuts," the former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research added.
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