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Delhi L-G writes to Punjab CM over stubble burning, asks to take urgent steps

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Delhi Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena on Friday wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the stubble burning issue and asked him to take urgent action to control it.

“I wish to draw your attention towards the pain and suffering that the people of Delhi are experiencing for no fault of theirs, and request you to undertake urgent and substantive measures to control Parali burning in Punjab, that has converted the National Capital once again into a gas chamber,” said L-G Saxena in his letter.

“It is public knowledge that Air Pollution in Delhi has reached extremely dangerous levels, hovering consistently in the ‘severe plus’ category due to smoke, 95 per cent of which is originating from Parali burning in Punjab,” he said further in the letter.

L-G Saxena also said that contrary to expectations, incidents of Parali burning have increased by a whopping 19 per cent in the period between October 24, 2022 to November 2, 2022, as compared to the corresponding period in 2021.

“Authentic data on Parali burning presents an alarming picture. The figures for 2021 and 2022, for the same period stand at 18,066 and 21,480 respectively. As on November 2, 2022, alone, out of the total 3,825 cases of Parali burning in 6 states, i.e., Punjab, Haryana, UP, MP and Rajasthan, Punjab singularly reported 3,634 cases, while Delhi reported zero”, the letter reads.

L-G Saxena said the situation is violative of the citizens’ fundamental right to health and the right to life. “Apart from other things, the Government of NCTD has also gone out of the way to promote and publicize a ‘bio-decomposer’ for use by the farmers, vide extensive and large-scale advertisements in newspapers and television by spending crores of rupees.

“It is surprising that despite these initiatives and interventions, the cases of stubble burning particularly in your State have not only continued unabated, but increased tragically, severely affecting air quality in the National Capital amongst other places”, the L-G said.

“In a democratic set up, we in the government are expected to adopt multi-modal and proactive approach to quell such foreseeable detriments to human health and life”, read the letter.

“I, on behalf of Delhi and its residents, once again sincerely and earnestly urge you to galvanize all available resources and machinery to make the farmers become willing partners in defeating this repetitive menace and help the Capital — indeed the entire NCR, breathe”, said the L-G in the letter, adding that he has also spoken with Haryana Chief Minister M.L. Khattar to look into this matter over the phone.

However, reacting to the letter, Punjab CM tweeted, “LG Sahib, you are stopping the works of the elected government of Delhi. You stopped the “Red Light On, Gaadi Off” campaign and now doing politics by writing to me. Doing politics is not right on such a serious subject”.

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Medical Fraternity Outraged Over Death Of Doctor; BMC MARD, FAIMA Demand Justice And Systemic Reforms

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Mumbai: The tragic death of Dr. Sampada Mundhe, a young government medical officer posted at the Sub-District Hospital (SDH) in Phaltan, Satara district, has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra’s medical community.

Expressing deep anguish, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (BMC MARD) and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) have strongly condemned the incident, calling for immediate justice, accountability, and urgent reforms to safeguard the mental health and working conditions of doctors.

According to reports, Dr. Mundhe had been under severe mental distress linked to a departmental inquiry and had repeatedly complained to her superiors about harassment and humiliation. Her alleged suicide note reportedly names two police officials and mentions both physical assault and mental harassment.

Despite her repeated appeals for help, no adequate measures were taken to ensure her safety, exposing glaring lapses in institutional oversight and empathy.

Both BMC MARD and FAIMA said the incident highlights the immense pressures and psychological burdens faced by doctors, particularly those serving in peripheral and sub-district hospitals where professional isolation, administrative indifference, and lack of support often compound mental distress.

The organisations expressed deep sorrow over the loss of a young and dedicated doctor who, despite her commitment to public service, was left without institutional protection.

Both associations have urged the Government of Maharashtra to immediately suspend the police officials named in the suicide note and initiate a fair, transparent, and time-bound judicial probe into all aspects of the case. They have also sought accountability from the health department and administrative officers who ignored Dr. Mundhe’s repeated complaints and warning signs.

Further, they have called for comprehensive reforms, including the creation of a robust grievance redressal mechanism and a state-level mental health support system for doctors and healthcare workers facing administrative or disciplinary stress. They also demanded psychological, financial, and legal support for Dr. Mundhe’s family.

“This is not an isolated case—it reflects the deep-rooted neglect of doctors’ mental health and workplace well-being. Those who dedicate their lives to public service deserve dignity, empathy, and protection, not despair,” said Dr Akshay Dongardive, President, FAIMA.

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Navi Mumbai: Congress Urges Suspension Of Politically-Motivated Civic Projects Ahead Of Elections

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Navi Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai District Congress has urged the municipal administration to suspend all development works allegedly sanctioned with political motives ahead of the forthcoming civic elections.

District Congress spokesperson Ravindra Sawant submitted a written representation to Municipal Commissioner Kailash Shinde, demanding that the ongoing projects worth Rs 600 to Rs 650 crore be put on hold until after the elections.

Sawant alleged that the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has approved several projects across wards under the influence of former corporators, despite the civic body being under administrative rule for the past few years.

“The administrator has been effectively addressing public needs and civic issues. Launching these works now appears aimed at helping former corporators take credit and secure financial gains,” he stated.

Describing the move as a betrayal of democratic values, Sawant claimed the projects were intended to influence voters ahead of the polls. He urged that all politically motivated development works be immediately suspended and resumed only after the elections under the supervision of duly elected representatives.

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Madhya Pradesh CM takes jibe at Lalu Prasad Yadav on ‘MISA’

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Patna, Oct 24: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, addressing an election rally in Bihar on Friday, took a jibe at Rastriya Janta Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Yadav for joining hands with the Congress in the Assembly election.

Mohan Yadav said the RJD chief, who once named her daughter Misa after he was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), has now joined hands with the Congress, which has become a sinking boat.

“I can’t understand what made the RJD chief stand with Congress. What is surprising is that he had once named her daughter Misa because he was arrested by the Congress during the Emergency in 1975,” Mohan Yadav said while addressing an election rally in Saharsha, Bihar on Friday.

The Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) was a highly controversial law passed in 1971 that gave the government broad powers to indefinitely detain individuals without a warrant or trial.

From 1975 to 1977, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency, during which MISA was used extensively to quell political dissent.

Lalu Yadav, who was then a political opponent of the ruling government and was arrested under the provisions of MISA during this time. He had named his daughter Misa, who was born in 1976.

Misa Bhrti (49), the eldest daughter of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, is a Lok Sabha MP.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who has been included among the top 40 strong campaigners of the BJP for the Bihar Assembly elections, has been visiting the state and addressing public rallies.

On Friday, Mohan Yadav addressed three back-to-back rallies in Bihar and launched a scathing attack on the RJD and the Congress.

The BJP has deployed an army of party workers and senior functionaries from the Madhya Pradesh unit to manage the elections, where polling is scheduled for November 6 and 11.

Apart from CM Yadav and Union Minister Shivaraj Singh Chouhan, half a dozen senior leaders, including former state BJP President VD Sharma, former home minister Narottam Mishra, state BJP organisational general secretary Hitanand Sharma, cabinet minister for youth affairs Vishwas Sarang, and former minister for cooperatives Arvind Bhadoriya, have been assigned election management duties.

In addition, state BJP in-charge Mahendra Singh and regional organisational general secretary Ajay Jamwal have been given clusters of 20 to 25 assembly seats each.

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