Modi-Imran exchange pleasantries during SCO Summit in Bishkek
Bishkek, Jun 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan exchanged pleasantries on Friday during the SCO summit in Bishkek, official sources said.
Modi exchanged usual pleasantries with Khan in the Leaders' Lounge at venue of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here, they said.
Both Modi and Khan were here to attend the annual summit of the SCO.
The exchange of pleasantries came over two weeks after Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi wrote separate letters to their Indian counterparts, pushing for restarting the bilateral talks.
India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together.
Khan had also made a telephone call to Modi on May 26 and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries.
On his part, Modi said creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.
Following the phone call and letter by Khan to Prime Minister Modi after his re-election for a second term, there were speculation that both may have a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit here.
Modi arrived here in the Kyrgyz capital on Thursday on a two-day visit to attend the annual summit of the SCO. He held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
He also held talks with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov on Friday during a bilateral visit during which the two countries upgraded their relations to strategic partnership level.
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Need 27 months to fix pollution backlog of 27 years, where was your protest before: Delhi CM
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday criticised those who protested at India Gate over deteriorating air quality, questioning the absence of their demonstrations during previous administrations when air pollution was a persistent issue.
"I want to ask those protesting at India Gate: the problem of air pollution is not new and has been around for years. Where were your protests before? What did the previous government do? There is a backlog of 27 years. The government at least needs 27 months to work. After 27 months, you can ask me about the steps we have taken to address the air pollution issue," Gupta said at an event.
Highlighting her government's initiatives to combat air pollution, Gupta mentioned that electric heaters were distributed among night guards of various Residents' Welfare Associations (RWAs) to reduce smoke and pollution from open fires used during winter.
She pointed out that electric heaters are a safe, clean, and environmentally friendly alternative that can effectively contribute to the battle against pollution.
According to her, the government is working in "mission mode" to reduce pollution levels.
The distribution of electric heaters took place at Dilli Haat, Pitampura, funded by the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contributions from the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC). Gupta expressed her gratitude to Environment and Industries Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and DSIIDC for their support.
Gupta also mentioned that the Delhi government is taking aggressive action to combat pollution. The initiatives include expanding mechanical street sweeping and water-sprinkling systems on roads, installing mist-spray technology on electricity poles, and implementing a comprehensive dust-mitigation plan throughout the city.
Additionally, strict measures have been enforced to control emissions from industrial units. Gupta informed that wall-to-wall carpeting of approximately 1,400 kilometres of Delhi's roads is underway to minimise dust dispersion.
The open burning of waste or firewood is strictly prohibited, and gas connections are being provided to families in need to reduce reliance on firewood as fuel.
The chief minister said that due to these efforts, pollution levels have shown improvement, but sustained reduction is possible only with active public participation.
She urged RWAs, residents, and local communities to take immediate action if they observe wood, coal, or waste being burned anywhere.
She emphasised that every citizen plays a crucial role in this fight against pollution, as it is a shared responsibility between the government and society.
