A thick blanket of smog enveloped Delhi and the surrounding regions of Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad on Wednesday morning, resulting in flight diversions.

Nearly 10 flights were diverted, including six to Jaipur and one to Lucknow, since 7 am. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that a Zero-metre visibility was recorded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at 8.30 am with the Runway Visual Range varying between 125 and 500 metres at different locations.

In a social media post, Delhi International Airport Limited said that while landing and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. It added that CAT III is a navigation system that enables aircraft to land even when visibility is low.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s air quality index was in the Severe category breaching the 400 mark, while Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad were in the Poor category. Faridabad’s Air Quality Index stood at 188, in the Moderate category.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) said that visibility was poor as the AQI entered the Severe category after remaining in the Very Poor category for two weeks in Delhi. It mentioned that two monitoring stations, including Anand Vihar and Aya Nagar, reported the air quality in the severe category.

Reportedly, very dense fog began forming at around 5.30 am, while the weather department has forecast shallow fog for the day, with the maximum temperature expected to settle at 32 degrees Celsius.

Notably, the second stage of Graded Response Action Plan remains in force in the national capital, which entails mechanical sweeping and water sprinkling on identified roads, and implementation of dust control measures at construction and demolition sites.

An Air Quality Index between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe and above 450 severe plus.

A day before the first phase of assembly election, the Congress released its manifesto for Jharkhand. The manifesto promised caste based survey, 250 units of free electricity every month and filling up of all vacant government posts within a year.

The Congress manifesto was unveiled by the party’s manifesto committee chairman Bandhu Tirkey. The manifesto focused on the seven promises including the 1932 Khatiyan-based domicile policy and implementation of Sarna religious code of the tribals. 

Bandhu Tirkey said that the manifesto promises free electricity up to 250 units to the poor as against 200 units at present. He added that they will fill up all vacant government posts in a year. He further mentioned that the manifesto was formulated keeping in mind the issues being faced by people in the state. He alleged that efforts were made to destabilize the state government.

He continued that there has been no lack of job opportunities, and that the state government has appointed more people than the previous governments. He affirmed that all the job appointments are in the pipeline, and all of these will be completed after the formation of this government again. He asserted that the Manifesto Committee held a Chaupal in every district and interacted with the public. 

Meanwhile, reacting to Congress releasing their manifesto during the silent period, K Ravi Kumar, Chief Election Officer of Jharkhand, said that no-election related matters can be done during the silent period.

He stated that according to the legal provisions, no election-related matters can occur during the silent period, a matter clearly stated in the law, and the Commission has also issued instructions regarding this.

The first phase of assembly election will be held on November 13 for 43 of the total 81 seats of the state. The second phase will be held on November 20. The counting of votes will be held on November 23.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday issued a stern warning to the JMM-Congress alliance, asserting that those who looted money in Jharkhand will be hanged upside down.

Addressing an election rally in Dhanbad, the Union HOme Minister said that in Jharkhand crores of rupees have been seized from Congress and JMM leaders, and all this money belongs to the youth, mothers and sisters of Jharia and Dhanbad. Asking the voters to form the BJP government, Amit Shah said that they will straighten out the looters of these crores of rupees by hanging them upside down. 

He added that the money the parties have looted from the poor tribals, backward classes and youth of Jharkhand, every penny of it will be recovered from them and deposited in the treasury of Jharkhand. He also accused Congress stalwart Rahul Gandhi of not fulfilling his election promises.

Amit Shah claimed that Rahul Gandhi makes many announcements which are not fulfilled. Mentioning that Rahul Gandhi’s party President Mallikarjun Kharge is also saying that nothing is going to be fulfilled, the Union MInister said that PM Modi’s guarantee is written in stone and will fulfil every guarantee.

Amit Shah said that on the coming 20th, all the people have to vote and that their votes will decide the future of Jharkhand. He added that one vote will decide whether the people of the state want JMM, which makes itself a millionaire-billionaire, or they want Narendra Modi’s government, which makes poor mothers Lakhpati Didi.

Earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah promised that if the BJP wins the Jharkhand assembly election, it will form a panel to identify and drive out infiltrators from the state. Furthermore, he also vowed that foreign infiltrators would not be allowed to usurp land by marrying tribal women.

The Assembly Election in Jharkhand will take place on NOvember 13 and 20, and the results will be declared on November 23.