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Visuals from the area around Akshardham, shot at 6:55 am showed smog engulfing the city.

The air quality in the national capital was recorded in the 'very poor' category on Friday. As per the Central Pollution Control Board, the overall Air Quality Index (AQI) at Anand Vihar, Delhi, stood at 374 on Friday morning.

Earlier on Thursday, the air quality in the national capital continued to remain in 'poor' category. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi, as per SAFAR-India (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research), was recorded at 276 on Thursday morning.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted no rainfall in the National Capital till December 11. There will be clear skies with shallow to moderate fog in the morning across the city. Delhi has been experiencing air quality in the range of 'severe' to 'very poor' over the last few weeks.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh hit out at Union Minister Bhupender Yadav saying that he gave a "gol mol" reply to pointed questions on public health and air pollution inside Parliament.

The Congress MP was referring to the reply he received from the Union Minister during Question Hour on 'air pollution in NCR and the country' in Rajya Sabha on the fourth day of the ongoing Winter Session.

Jairam Ramesh asked a question about whether the Centre was considering a review of the Pollution Control Act that was passed in 1981 and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

To this Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said, "In view of the problem of air pollution in the country, a provision of Rs 19,711 crore was made by the Central government. And to define the standards that were set, 131 cities in the country were also identified. Schemes were implemented by the central government to identify these cities, all provisions were made keeping in mind the toxic emissions that spread in the air, especially PM 2.5 and PM 10. And I would like to say that the standards which were made in these 131 cities, progress was made quite satisfactorily."

"Rather, I would like to tell Jairam Ramesh that the municipalities that did good work and contributed in these 131 cities were also given awards in a positive manner. Because this topic is related to the lives of all of us, and especially the local municipalities, we should participate in it as much as possible, and those who have done good work should be specially compensated," he added.

The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'.

(ANI)

During the inauguration, Chief Justice Chandrachud addressed a gathering and emphasised the significant stride toward gender diversity within the judiciary in the recent recruitment processes for civil judge junior division positions across various states.

Highlighting the findings of the "State of the Judiciary" report, Chief Justice Chandrachud revealed, "Out of 16 states, which recently conducted the civil judge junior division recruitment process, 14 states had more than 50 per cent selection of women judicial officers."

The Chief Justice commended the progress made by these states in promoting gender balance within the judicial system, emphasizing the importance of creating an inclusive and representative judiciary that reflects the diversity of the society it serves.

"In some states, even in the absence of a horizontal 30 per cent reservation, the number of women being recruited at the lowest level of the Indian judiciary has gone up to 70-80 per cent," he added.

The CJI further said that the tribunals in the country play a significant role in assisting to unclog delays in courts and in aiding the overall dispensation of justice.

"One of the objectives of tribunals was to combat and battle the delays faced by our courts and it was hoped that these tribunals, which are untethered by strict rules of evidence and procedure, would help unclog the courts and aid overall in the dispensation of justice," the CJI said.

He further said that there is a constant tussle about who will get ultimate control over the appointment of judges even as vacancies arise and appointments are kept pending for a long period.

"There is this constant tussle about who will get ultimate control over the appointment of judges," CJI Chandrachud said.

The CJI also emphasised the need to make courtrooms more accessible to differently-abled persons.
"Technology cannot become the sole medium to access justice, and physical access to courts can never be understated and hence must be constantly improved," he added.

The CJI further said that infrastructural advances must be guided by the objective of accommodating people with diverse needs from diverse segments of our society.

"A well-maintained and accessible infrastructure can enhance the public's confidence in the state's ability to meet not only their legal needs but also account for their comfort as they navigate through the complexities of these daunting legal journeys," he added.

(ANI)

This crucial phase of the project holds significance for the state's transportation infrastructure, aiming to enhance connectivity between Motera and Gandhinagar.

Accompanied by Chief Advisor Hasmukh Adhia, Chairman of Metro Rail Corporation SS Rathore, and other senior secretaries, CM Patel meticulously examined various aspects of the railway route and stations currently under construction.

During the inspection, the Chief Minister's visit covered a span from Bhaijipura to Ch-2, focusing on key areas including Dholakuwa, Randesan, Gift City, and other strategic locations along the route.

In addition to assessing the Metro Rail developments, CM Patel extended his scrutiny to the construction work underway on the Visat to Narmada to Koba Circle road.

The Chief Minister engaged with project stakeholders, obtaining technical insights into the ongoing construction activities.

The Metro Rail Phase-2 project is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping Gujarat's modernised and interconnected urban landscape.

(ANI)

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