Dust storm lashes Delhi and NCR, air traffic and Metro hit
New Delhi, May 13: A powerful dust storm accompanied by rains on Sunday evening brought down the temperature in the national capital and adjoining areas, seriously disrupting air traffic and Metro services, officials said.
As the storm blew at a highest speed of 70 km per hour, the mercury crashed from 39 degrees Celsius at 4 p.m. to 25 degrees half hour later, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told IANS. By early evening, the skies had turned dark.
Power supply was affected in many areas in Delhi and Gurugram in Haryana.
More than 40 incoming flights to the Indira Gandhi International Airport were diverted between 4.15 and 5.30 p.m. due to poor visibility and strong winds, an airport official said.
Delhi Metro operations were also hit. Thousands of commuters were stuck on the winding and busy Blue Line, which links Dwarka in west Delhi to Noida and Vaishali in Uttar Pradesh, for more than 45 minutes.
The Violet Line, one of the six lines of the Delhi Metro that connects Kashmere Gate in north Delhi to Escorts Mujesar in Faridabad in Haryana, was also disrupted.
In both cases, toppling trees fell and damaged overhead Metro wiring, an official spokesman said.
When the Metro services finally resumed after around two hours, the trains plied at halting speed.
The rains and storm brought down trees and tree branches in some areas and led to traffic snarls, forcing two-wheeler drivers to take shelter under bridges and flyovers. Motorists switched on headlights to find their way in the enveloping darkness.
The Delhi Fire Service said it received over 30 calls linked to falling trees and two calls related to wall collapse within two hours of the storm hitting the national capital. But no casualty was reported.
The dramatic change in weather, however, did bring respite to residents from the sweltering heat.
The Met department had forecast rain and thunderstorm with gusty winds on Sunday.
Mahesh Palawat, Director of the private weather forecast agency Skymet, told IANS that the change in weather was due to western disturbance which reached Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on Saturday evening.
"A cyclonic circulation formed near Haryana and north Rajasthan along with the western disturbance. South-easterly and easterly winds are creating moisture and high temperature in the region which caused the formation of thunder clouds. The strom blew over a trough which is spread from north Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
"Delhi falls within the trough, but now this will move towards western Uttar Pradesh. There is a likelihood of light rains with thunder towards the afternoon or evening for two more days. Westerly winds will form again and temperature will begin to rise after May 15," Palawat said.
Just after the dust storm hit Delhi and the National Capital Region, Delhi, Gurugram and Noida received heavy to moderate rains.
The Met official said Sunday morning was the hottest of the season, with minimum temperature recorded at 30.6 degrees Celsius, five notches above the season's average.
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.
Supreme Court takes suo motu cognizance of Karnataka HC Judge's controversial remarks, seeks report
New Delhi: The Supreme Court, on September 20, took suo motu cognizance of video clips containing controversial remarks made by Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda of the Karnataka High Court. A five-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy, has ordered a report from the Karnataka High Court.
The decision follows two videos that surfaced on social media, showing Justice Srishananda referring to an area in Bengaluru as "Pakistan" and making objectionable comments toward a woman advocate during hearings. The Court directed the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court to submit a report after consulting the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court. The matter will be further examined on Monday.
Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasised the responsibility of judges in the age of social media, stating, "We are closely watched, and we have to act accordingly."
The comments have drawn widespread criticism, including from prominent lawyers, after the video went viral on social media.
