NEW DELHI 23 NOVEMBER 2025 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES Sew Much for Tradition MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE VOICES DIVINE TRAGEDY Once Upon a Forbidden Raj Romance Cave of Curiosities Books Without Borders History Strikes Back Devdutt Pattanaik Prabhu Chawla Ravi Shankar Shankkar Aiyar Neha Sinha Santwana Bhattacharya Ajai Sahni Uproar in Punjab over Chandigarh going to L-G H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh A political controversy has emerged in Punjab following the Centre’s decision to introduce the Constitution (131 Amendment) Bill 2025 in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. This bill proposes to appoint a Lieutenant-Governor to administer the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Thus the claim of Punjab over Chandigarh gets further ‘CLEAN’ YAMUNA HC 3-member panel to look into ‘shocking state of affairs’ U D AYA N K I S H O R @ New Delhi TERMING the efforts to control pollution in the Yamuna a “shocking state of affairs”, the Delhi High Court on Saturday formed a three-member panel to expedite action on redevelopment plans for industrial areas. A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Manmeet Pritam Singh formed the committee comprising officials of Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to look into whether to expedite action on redevelopment plans for industrial areas and to ensure proper treatment of wastewater flowing into the river. The bench made the observation after going through the status reports filed by DSIIDC, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on the redevelopment plans of the industrial areas in the national capital. Noting that the cabinet decision on the redevelopment issue was taken in 2023, the bench said, “Your (DSIIDC) reports have come only in 2025”. After going through the DJB’s report, the HC said, “First issue is whether the sewage is being treated by the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), second issue is mixing… After treating, it goes into the drain and gets mixed with untreated water.” “Shocking state of affairs, absolutely shocking... Citizens are struggling. Government is bogged down by the bureaucrats. The court is also getting bogged down by them. We’ll just say wind up DSIIDC if this is how it’ll work,” the HC said. REDUCE PENDENCY OF CASES KEY: JUSTICE KANT CJI-designate Justice Surya Kant on Saturday said dealing with a huge backlog of over 5 crore cases in the country will be his top priorities as head of the judiciary. diluted as the governor will no 240 of the Constitution of Inlonger be the administrator of dia, in alignment with other the Union Territory If the bill Union Territories without leg. is passed, it could have vast islatures—Andaman & consequences as the state Nicobar Islands, Lakshadwould be going to polls weep, Dadra & Nagar Tussle after 15 months. over capital Haveli and Daman & Sources claimed that Diu and Puducherry city the Constitution (131 (when its Legislative AsAmendment) Bill 2025 is sembly is dissolved or listed in the bulletin on the suspended). Rajya Sabha website, which Taking to X, Punjab CM seeks to include the Union Ter- Bhagwant Mann said, “We ritory of Chandigarh in Article strongly oppose in the strong- est terms the proposed constitution (131st Amendment) Bill being brought by the central government in the upcoming winter session of Parliament. The amendment is against the interests of Punjab…..” Congress leader and LoP Partap Singh Bajwa issued a call for unity across political spectrum as the BJP-led Centre move ahead with a sensitive amendment concerning Chandigarh’s governance. Punjab’s claim SAD chief Sukhbir Badal said that the bill sought to take the Union Territory out of Punjab’s administrative control. He said, “It seeks to end Punjab’s claim to Chandigarh as its capital city.’’ Let’s weaken the drug-terror link, says Modi at G20 Proposes knowledge repository, Africa skills multiplier; global healthcare response team public-health emergencies. “We are stronger when we PRIME Minister Narendra work together in the face of Modi on Saturday called for a health emergencies and natucoordinated global push to dis- ral disasters,” he said. With Afmantle the drug–terror nexus, rica hosting the G20 Summit strengthen health-emergency for the first time, Modi said responses, creation of a Global “Now is the right moment for Traditional Knowledge Reposi- us to revisit our development tory and accelerate skills devel- parameters and focus on opment across Africa, growth that is inclusive in his address to world and sustainable.” India leaders at the 20th G20 also proposed a G20-AfSummit in Johannesrica Skills Multiplier burg on Saturday . Initiative, aimed at creIn a warning on the We’re stronger ating 1 million certified when we work rise of lethal synthetic together in the trainers in Africa withdrugs, Modi said: “To face of health in the next decade. overcome the challenge The G20 leaders also emergencies of drug trafficking, esadopted a joint declaraand disasters pecially the spread of tion addressing terrorNarendra Modi, substances like fentaism and climate change On setting up of a nyl, India proposes a and broader global chalglobal healthcare G20 Initiative on Counlenges on the opening response team tering the drug–terror day of the summit. The nexus. Let us weaken document was finalised the wretched drug-ter ror without the US. economy .” Earlier, South African PresiThe proposed platform, he dent Cyril Ramaphosa welsaid would integrate finance, comed Modi at the Summit governance and security tools venue with a ‘namaste’. Modi to choke networks that channel was seen interacting informalnarcotics revenue into global ly with global leaders such as terrorism. Further, the PM UK Prime Minister Keir Starmcalled for creation of a G20 Glo- er, Italian Prime Minister Giorbal Healthcare Response Team, gia Meloni, and UN Secretary designed for rapid deployment General Antonio Guterres during natural disasters and among others. P7 J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi HEAD-LINING ACT Australian batter Travis Head’s 69-ball century helped them beat England within two days in the first Ashes Test in Perth | AFP | P11 U N D E R - 1 7 PA L E S T I N I A N T E A M OF SEEKING SOLACE AND FINDING JOY IN FOOTBALL C H A N D R A P R A B H U @ Chennai ON Saturday evening, as the U17 Palestinian men’s football team held on to a 1-1 draw against India U17 at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad, in the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers tournament, they walked off the field with their heads held high. The result may not be what they wanted, but for them reaching Ahmedabad and taking the field itself was a struggle. Amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine over the last two years or so, sport had taken a backseat. For this team, the prepa- ration had been far from ideal. They did not win any matches at the the West Asian Football Federation’s (WAFF) U17 Championship last month. Out of 23 total players selected, 18 were from West Bank, but only 11 from the region turned up. Several players had their lives uprooted and displaced because of the conflict, losing their documents in the process. Mohammed Joma Suleiman, the team manager, claimed that bringing in the players with Palestinian roots from other countries to their homeland proved to be a big hindrance. “Because of the EXPRESS READ Student suicide: Cops scan CCTV footage SIR FALLOUT Alleged Bangladeshi infiltrators wait to return home following the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in North 24-Parganas, West Bengal on Saturday | PTI | P8 More money for nations hit by climate change The police have examined the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the school and the Rajendra Place Metro station, where a student of Class 10 jumped to his death. Four of his classmates have already been quizzed. Other aspects are being scrutinised. P3 United Nations climate talks in Brazil on Saturday reached a subdued agreement to deliver more money to countries hit hardest by climate change to help them adapt to extreme weather’s wrath. But the agreement doesn’t include an explicit detailed map to phase out fossil fuels. FOUL AIR CAQM allows govts to decide on work from home E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi THE Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revised GRAP III guidelines for the NCR and adjoining areas, borrowing two guidelines from the GRAP IV chapter, which recommends far stricter steps for pollution control. In the latest order, the CAQM allowed the Centre, Delhi and other state governments in NCR to decide about allowing work from home option to offices in their respective juris- dictions. Earlier, governments could invoke this provision only when the Graded Response Action Plan, Stage IV, (GRAP IV) guidelines were proclaimed by the CAQM. As per the protocol, the CAQM invokes GRAP IV when the average daily value of air quality index (AQI) hits the 400-mark. The two measures currently now shifted to GRAP III allow the Delhi government to decide on allowing public, municipal, and even private offices to work on 50% strength, while letting the rest of the staff to work from home. A similar option has been provided to the Centre to decide about letting government employees work from home. The CAQM notice has directed all agencies responsible for the implementation of GRAP guidelines in the NCR to take note of the modifications and immediately proceed with their implementation. The average daily AQI in Delhi on Saturday was 370, while Wazirpur weather station recorded it at 445. Many stations have been consistently recording AQI at more than 400, even when the city average has stayed below this mark. P3 ‘I want a Place in Hearts of Women’ current situation, we could not bring players to train together, and our preparation was not that good,” Suleiman told this daily. “There is a player from Gaza, we cannot bring anyone from Gaza also because of the war and the genocide is happening there (Israel have repeatedly denied any and all accusations of genocide),” he added. For the team, football is a way of resistance and bringing joy to the kids back home. “They know what it means to carry the Palestinian flag on their crests. Since the start, they know this is a mission and this way, they can share the happiness to Palestinian P11 kids,” said Suleiman. AMMA SPEAKS The Infinite Strength Hidden Within DRONE DROPS Global arms trafficking module tied to ISI busted EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi DELHI Police’s Crime Branch has busted an international arms trafficking module allegedly linked to ISI-backed arms network with the arrest of four people. They recovered high end Turkiye (PX-5.7) and China (PX-3) made weapons smuggled from Pakistan through drones. Ten foreign made semi-automatic pistols along with 92 live cartridges were also seized. The seized weapon PX-5.7 is only used by Special Forces. Police said they got a tip-off on November 19 on a cross-border arms trafficking module involved in supplying sophisticated illegal weapons in Delhi/ NCR. It was found that they would come to Rohini to deliver the arms consignment. A trap was laid in Rohini Sector-28 and four people were apprehended with foreign-made semi-automatic pistols and live cartridges, DCP (Crime) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said. Those arrested are Mandeep Singh (38) Dalvinder Kumar (34), both residents of Punjab; Rohan Tomar (30) and Ajay (37). The module was involved in smuggling weapons using drones. Yadav said the consignment is dropped at locations near the border, where receivers on the Indian side retrieve them. The network relies on local collaborators who monitor police movement, facilitate pickups, and transport it to safe houses. Payments are routed through hawala channels. NUCLEAR SECTOR TO OPEN FOR PRIVATE PLAYERS A bill seeking to open the civil nuclear sector for private players is among the 10 proposed legislations listed for introduction in the winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1 | P7 ICAR gags scientists after row over performance of two new GE rice varieties duction, climate adaptability, and water conservation”. AgriTHE Indian Council for Agri- culture minister Shivraj Singh cultural Research (ICAR) is Chouhan hailed the effort. evolving organisational guideBut a platform of scientists, lines for scientists after a re- farmer leaders, medical excent controversy over data re- perts, consumer rights activlated to genome-edited ists, and members of (GE) rice varieties. the Coalition for a GMThese guidelines reFree India rubbished strict scientists from the claim, citing data sharing their research mined from ICAR’s own findings with the media All India Coordinated and journals, this newsResearch Project on paper has learnt. They Rice for 2023 and 2024. Developing also direct scientists to The Coalition said ICtwo new GE avoid publishing any reAR’s own limited data varieties is an search papers in interdidn’t support its pubexceptional national journals until achievement lished report. ICAR they are fully confident pushed back with a of ICAR about their findings. point-by-point rebuttal. It all began after the Shivraj Chouhan “Seeking research government on May 4 credits, scientists are alannounced the release of two ways in a rush to get their works GE rice lines developed by published, which sometimes are ICAR — Pusa DST-1 and DRR not backed by robust data,” said Dhan 100 (Kamala), which it a scientist. “The new fiat will said “have the potential to lead to fewer publication of rebring about revolutionary search papers. But it will enchanges in terms of higher pro- hance credibility .” J I T E N D R A C H O U B E Y @ New Delhi