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Schools in Delhi shut down till further orders due to pollution

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Due to ‘very poor’ air quality, all schools in Delhi will remain closed from December 3 onwards till further order, Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Thursday.

Earlier on November 13, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced to shut down physical classes in schools for a week, adding that education will continue in virtual mode. After a gap of almost two weeks, all schools in the national capital were reopening on November 29.

This move of the Delhi government came after the Supreme Court of India gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the Centre, Delhi and its neighbouring states to act against rising air pollution. Despite the ban, CBSE exams would go ahead with necessary precautions and safety measures.

The state government took a similar decision on Monday when it announced a blanket ban on all the construction and demolition (C&D) activities in the city until further orders. Besides, the entry of non-CNG and non-electric trucks from outside of Delhi was also prohibited on the same date till December 7 to reduce vehicular emission.

While stubble burning in the neighbouring states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab is reported to be a major source of pollution in the capital, dust from the construction and demolition activities, vehicular emission and pollution from open burning contribute as the city’s own source of pollution.

On Thursday, Delhi’s overall AQI at 9.30 a.m. stood at 382 with the level of PM2.5 and PM10 standing at 227 and 401, respectively, as per System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the air quality is likely to remain in the ‘Very Poor’ category on December 3 and December 4. “Winds are likely to remain slow/calm during December 3 to 5 which are unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants. The Outlook for subsequent five days: The air quality is likely to remain in Very Poor category with PM2.5 to be the predominant pollutant,” It added.

Maharashtra

Struggle Against Land Mafia in Waqf Properties: New Amended Bill Adds to the Challenges

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New Delhi : In the ongoing battle to protect Waqf properties and ensure their benefits reach the deserving, land mafias, encroachers, and illegal groups were already a major hurdle. Now, the government’s newly amended bill has emerged as another significant challenge. Advocate Dr. Syed Ejaz Abbas Naqvi has strongly criticized this move and demanded immediate reforms. He stated that the primary objective of Waqf was to benefit the needy, but unfortunately, this objective has completely failed. On the other hand, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the largest Sikh religious organization, has been actively involved in the welfare of its community for decades. As a result, the Sikh community has nearly eradicated beggars and human rickshaw pullers.

Illegal Encroachments and Misuse of Waqf Lands Exposed :
According to Dr. Naqvi, Waqf properties have suffered the most due to unlawful encroachments by vested interest groups. The most unfortunate fact is that many Waqf lands were originally donated for the shrines (Dargahs) of Syed families, but they have been grossly misused. He revealed that a well-known individual shamelessly sold an acre of prime Waqf land on Mumbai’s Altamount Road for just 1.6 million rupees, a blatant violation of Waqf principles and laws.

Demand for a Stricter Amendment in Section 52 :
Dr. Naqvi has called on the government to take strict action against those who illegally sell Waqf properties. He has urged for an immediate amendment to Section 52 of the Waqf Act to introduce

capital punishment or life imprisonment* for unauthorized Waqf land sellers. This issue is a major setback for those fighting to safeguard Waqf properties, who are already battling corrupt elements and illegal land grabbers. It remains to be seen whether the government takes these concerns seriously and enacts effective legislation to protect Waqf lands.

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Bollywood

Salman Khan’s stardom is on point! ‘Sikander’ becomes a blockbuster, collects more than ₹150 crore worldwide!

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Sajid Nadiadwala’s film ‘Sikander’, directed by A.R. Murugadoss and starring Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna, was no less than a gift for fans on the occasion of Eid. Due to Salman Khan’s tremendous fan following, the film has made a strong hold at the box office. Full of action, emotion and entertainment, ‘Sikander’ is continuously winning the hearts of the audience. In such a situation, the film has earned ₹7.02 crores on the fifth day of its release, which clearly shows that the film still has a hold.

The magic of ‘Sikander’ at the box office is not stopping, even if the film has to face record level piracy. This action packed entertainer, one of the biggest opening films of the year 2025, has maintained a strong hold in terms of earnings since its release. There was no decline in the earnings of ‘Sikander’ even on the fifth day. The film earned ₹ 7.02 crores even on a weekday like Monday, which proves its strong hold and craze among the audience. With this, the film has crossed the important milestone of ₹ 100 crores in India. So far, the total earnings of the film have reached ₹ 105.18 crores. The special thing is that ‘Sikander’ crossed the ₹ 100 crore mark worldwide on just the second day, which makes it one of the biggest success stories of 2025.

Salman Khan has made a strong comeback on the big screen, and this time the beautiful Rashmika Mandana is seen with him. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by A.R. Directed by a master storyteller like Murugadoss, ‘Sikandar’ is currently performing well in theatres.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Cleanup Marshal and Swachh Mumbai campaign ended, fine collection from citizens also stopped, BMC helpline number released

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Mumbai: Mumbai BMC has abolished the clean-up marshal policy, after which now the clean-up marshal has disappeared from the streets of the city. The Municipal Corporation has completely banned the clean-up marshal and the Swachh Mumbai Mission has been stopped. This means that now no clean-up marshal will be able to force citizens to pay fines or take any other punitive action. After complaints against clean-up marshals, Mumbai BMC has decided to stop and suspend the service of clean-up marshals from today.

The Solid Waste Management Department of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, under the Department of Garbage and Sanitation, oversees public cleanliness in Mumbai and the ‘Swachh Mumbai Mission’ has been closed from April 4, 2025. However, the Municipal Corporation administration has appealed to the citizens that if any fine has been imposed on them despite this, then they can complain about it. Complaints regarding cleanup marshals can be made to the divisional control room of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation at 022-23855128 and 022-23877691 (extension number 549/500).

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