https://www.scmp.com/rss/524208/feed The latest news and top stories on Manjinder Singh Sirsa, a prominent Indian politician. He currently serves as a cabinet minister in the Delhi Government, holding portfolios including Forest and Environment, Food and Supplies, and Industries. Formerly a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Rajouri Garden, he also led the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee as President. Known for his active involvement in Sikh community affairs and extensive relief operations, his work includes... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Authorities in India’s capital Delhi rolled out strict measures on Wednesday in an attempt to curb pollution, including a ban on vehicles not compliant with the latest emission control norms and regulating attendance in private and government offices. The air quality index in the Delhi region, home to 30 million people, has been in the “severe” category for the past few days, often crossing the 450 mark. In addition, shallow fog in parts of the city worsened visibility that affected flights and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336803/indias-delhi-battles-severe-pollution-traffic-bans-work-home-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3336803/indias-delhi-battles-severe-pollution-traffic-bans-work-home-order?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:50:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse India trialled cloud seeding over its smog-filled capital for the first time, spraying a chemical from an aeroplane to encourage rain and wash deadly particles out of the air. Cloud seeding is the practice of using aeroplanes to fire salt or other chemicals into clouds to induce rain. New Delhi city authorities, working with the government’s Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, launched a test run on Thursday afternoon using a Cessna light aeroplane over the city’s northern Burari area. “A... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3330278/india-tries-delhi-cloud-seeding-first-time-bring-rain-help-fight-deadly-smog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3330278/india-tries-delhi-cloud-seeding-first-time-bring-rain-help-fight-deadly-smog?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 15:58:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse India’s capital New Delhi was shrouded in a thick, toxic haze on Monday as air pollution levels soared to more than 16 times the World Health Organization’s recommended daily maximum. New Delhi and its sprawling metropolitan region – home to more than 30 million people – is regularly ranked among the world’s most polluted capitals, with acrid smog blanketing the skyline each winter. Cooler air traps pollutants close to the ground, creating a deadly mix of emissions from crop burning, factories... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329653/indias-capital-celebrates-diwali-cloaked-acrid-smog-despite-green-firecrackers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329653/indias-capital-celebrates-diwali-cloaked-acrid-smog-despite-green-firecrackers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:24:35 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s capital has put the brakes on a contentious vehicle scrappage policy aimed at curbing deadly air pollution after fierce resistance from residents, highlighting the city’s struggle to balance environmental urgency with economic realities and the need to find alternative solutions. The rule, which took effect on July 1 in New Delhi but is now suspended, barred refuelling and permitted impounding of private petrol cars older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10. Officials had... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3317274/clean-air-hold-indias-capital-slams-brakes-vehicle-ban-plan-amid-public-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3317274/clean-air-hold-indias-capital-slams-brakes-vehicle-ban-plan-amid-public-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 09:00:10 +0000