Mumbai: air quality has shown a marked improvement over the past few days, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation attributing the positive trend to strict enforcement of pollution-control measures across the city and suburbs. Officials said the Air Quality Index has been consistently improving since 26 November 2025, with the most significant progress recorded in the last forty-eight hours.

Wind speed, which had remained low at around three to four kilometres per hour until 28 November, has now increased to between ten and eighteen kilometres per hour, aiding the dispersal of pollutants.

Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani has directed that enforcement continue without pause against private construction sites and government projects found violating pollution norms. Several sites have already been served stop work notices for non-compliance with the earlier twenty-eight-point guideline.

Gagrani clarified that the Graded Response Action Plan Stage 4 is currently not applicable to Mumbai. However, the corporation has intensified monitoring to ensure that all pollution-control directives continue to be implemented firmly.

To ensure widespread compliance, the BMC has deployed ninety four mobile squads across every administrative ward. These teams are inspecting private construction sites and major public works such as road and metro projects. They are also checking sensor based AQI monitoring devices installed at construction locations and issuing notices whenever irregularities are detected.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Joshi is overseeing the daily execution of these measures.

Gagrani said the civic body is carrying out multiple pollution-control initiatives simultaneously. These include converting bakeries and crematoriums to cleaner fuels, using misting machines for dust suppression, washing major roads, and conducting large scale cleanliness drives. Public awareness campaigns are also underway to discourage waste burning and encourage compliance among citizens.

The Mumbai Port Authority has reportedly acted upon BMC’s request to stop bonfires within its premises, which were contributing to local pollution levels.

The BMC reiterated that the improvement in Mumbai’s AQI is the result of coordinated efforts on multiple fronts. With wind conditions now favourable, the civic body stressed the need for continued discipline from all stakeholders.

Gagrani urged private, government, and semi government project heads to adhere strictly to pollution-control guidelines. He appealed to bakeries to shift to clean fuels at the earliest and requested citizens to support the corporation by avoiding open waste burning.

New Delhi, Dec 2: The Rajya Sabha, India’s Upper House of Parliament, witnessed a brief but intense session on Tuesday morning before being adjourned until 2 p.m., as opposition members intensified their protests over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The adjournment, coming just 20 minutes into proceedings, underscored the deepening impasse in the Winter Session, now in its second day, where demands for debate on alleged voter disenfranchisement have overshadowed legislative business.

Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, who assumed office in September, called the House to order at 11 a.m., but was immediately met with slogan-shouting from the Opposition benches.

Led by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and allies from the INDIA bloc — including Trinamool Congress, DMK, and AAP — members trooped into the Well of the House, brandishing placards reading “Vote Chor, Gaddi Chod (Vote Thief, Quit the Throne)”.

They renewed calls for an urgent discussion under Rule 267 on the SIR process, underway in 12 states and union territories ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, claiming it has led to over 30 deaths among Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the wrongful deletion of millions of names, particularly from marginalised communities.

Kharge, invoking Monday’s unresolved notices, accused the government of “saving itself at democracy’s expense”.

“We submitted detailed notices yesterday — names, subjects, everything — but they were ignored. Thirty lives lost, families shattered, and you have ignored it all,” he said.

From the Treasury side, Leader of House J.P. Nadda urged restraint, promising consultations. “The Chair will decide; let’s not derail the session. Multiple bills await,” he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, fired back with a mix of plea and provocation, “You’re fixated on one issue when the nation grapples with floods, jobs, and security. Elections you lose, anger you vent here — focus on governance, not grandstanding.”

His remark drew sharp rebuttals, with Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien retorting, “We’re fighting for votes, not vengeance; your delays are the real drama.”

Chairman Radhakrishnan, maintaining his characteristic calm, appealed for order multiple times, warning against disruptions. Meanwhile, the routine business continued amid uproar and sloganeering. The chairman again pleaded with the opposition members to maintain order, but din persisted, forcing the adjournment till 2 p.m.

Hyderabad, Dec 2: Telangana Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Tuesday warned that Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s movies will not be allowed to be released in theatres in Telangana if he fails to apologise over his “insulting” remarks about Telangana.

He told media persons that screening of Pawan Kalyan’s films will be permitted only after he tenders an unconditional apology for his remarks.

“If Pawan Kalyan apologises, his movies will be screened at least for a couple of days, but if he fails to apologise, his films will not release anywhere in Telangana. I am saying this as the minister for cinematography,” said Venkat Reddy, who also holds the portfolio of roads and buildings.

The minister clarified that the issue is not related to megastar Chiranjeevi, who is elder brother of Pawan Kalyan. “Chiranjeevi is a sober man. He always stays away from controversies,” he said.

He remarked that Pawan Kalyan is new to politics and, after becoming the Deputy Chief Minister, he had been making “controversial” statements.

The minister said that at a time when Telangana completed 12 years, and entered into the 13th year, Pawan Kalyan made the “insulting” remarks.

The Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister had recently blamed the “evil eye” for “dying” coconut trees in the development of the Konaseema region, known for lush green fields.

The Jana Sena leader, who visited the region last week to inspect the coconut trees damaged by seawater from a drain, blamed it on “evil eye”. He was apparently referring to the bifurcation of the state.

His remarks have evoked a strong reaction from leaders in Telangana.

Animal Husbandry Minister Vakati Srihari said that Pawan Kalyan was “unable to digest” the tremendous development of Telangana.

He remarked that the Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM “lacks” maturity.

Srihari alleged that the Jana Sena leader was making such statements for political mileage and demanded that he immediately take back his words.

Congress MLA from Jadcherla J. Anirudh Reddy demanded that Pawan Kalyan tender an unconditional apology.

“If Telangana has cast an evil eye on Godavari and Konaseema, why is Pawan Kalyan staying in Hyderabad?” he asked.

Anirudh Reddy told Pawan Kalyan to sell his properties in Hyderabad and shift to Vijayawada.