UPDATED: Oct 20, 2026 18:20 IST
Delhi's air quality slipped into the 'poor' category with the Air Quality Index touching 216 ahead of Dussehra and Diwali festivities, prompting the Delhi government to roll out its Winter Pollution Plan. Enforced from 1 November to 28 February, the plan introduces strict measures to curb vehicular emissions, construction dust, and traffic congestion across the national capital. Key initiatives include a ban on non-BS6 vehicles registered outside Delhi, strict enforcement of the 'no PUC, no fuel' mandate at petrol pumps, deployment of artificial intelligence-powered cameras to monitor construction and waste burning, and a 50% work-from-home advisory for government and private offices. Public transport is being augmented with additional electric buses, increased metro trips, and improved last-mile connectivity. Ground reporting also highlighted government preparations to shift schools to hybrid or online modes if pollution levels escalate further during winter.
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Drugs Infiltrating From BJP States, Gujarat Port: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Hits Back At Amit Shah
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah following the latter's criticism of the Aam Aadmi Party government regarding the drug menace in the state. Mann alleged that narcotics enter Punjab from BJP-governed states, asserting that Rajasthan has widespread drug issues, Haryana has become a hub for gangsters, and consignments originate from Gujarat. Pointing to 3,000-kilogram drug seizures linked to Kandla port, Mann questioned the Centre's failure to halt such shipments. He further challenged Amit Shah over cross-border smuggling from Pakistan, pointing out that the Border Security Force exercises jurisdiction across a 50-kilometre range along the border, and accused the Home Minister of indulging in cheap politics only during elections.
Amit Shah: '31 दिसंबर 2029 तक हम पंजाब से नशे के कारोबार को समाप्त कर देंगे'
Speaking after visiting the families of three anti-drug activists who lost their lives in Gurdaspur, Sangrur, and Mansa, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a direct attack on the AAP government over the spreading drug menace in Punjab. Addressing the public on Vijayadashami, Amit Shah stated, '31 दिसंबर 2029 को हम देश से और विशेषकर पंजाब से नशे को समाप्त कर कर पंजाब और देश को नशा मुक्त बनाएंगे।' He questioned why Punjab registered zero arrests under the stringent PIT-NDPS provisions despite 929 arrests nationwide. Amit Shah urged the Bhagwant Mann government to hand over the remaining two drug-related death investigations to the CBI, noting that one inquiry had already been transferred. Highlighting national anti-narcotics efforts, Shah affirmed that the Narendra Modi government remains dedicated to securing a drug-free India.
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Mann Slams Shah Over Kandla Port Drugs, BSF Border Checks and Haryana Gangsters
A major political showdown erupted in Punjab as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over allegations surrounding the state's drug problem. Mann accused the Centre and Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states of attempting to defame Punjab, questioning why large consignments of narcotics, including seizures of up to 3,000 kilograms, continue to enter through Gujarat's Kandla port. He also pointed to cross-border drug smuggling and raised questions over the Border Security Force's 50-kilometre operational jurisdiction along the border, which functions under the Union Home Ministry. Mann alleged that Haryana has become a hub for gangsters and that drugs are flowing in through Rajasthan. The remarks came as Amit Shah arrived in Punjab to campaign and meet families affected by drug-related incidents. Editors highlighted that the narcotics menace has evolved into a central political issue across party lines ahead of upcoming elections.