belagavi l Monday l November 09, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 20 l late city EDITION Delhi air quality ‘very poor’ as Diwali celebrations begin Delhi’s air quality stood at 371, in the ‘very poor’ category, on Sunday evening as residents stepped out to celebrate the festival of lights Quality Set to worsen to ‘severe’ today Transport sector largest contributor The national capital’s air quality is forecast to turn ‘severe’ (401-500) on Monday following Diwali celebrations, combined with vehicular emissions, as well as the peak stubble-burning season. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, air quality is likely to remain in ‘severe’ category for a few days. The city’s average AQI on Saturday was 369. ■ ■ Of the 59 monitoring stations that recorded data on Sunday, air quality was in ‘severe’ category at 12 and in ‘very poor’ category at 22. PM2.5 was the predominant pollutant in national capital Transport sector was set to be largest contributor to city’s pollution on Sunday (19%). Stubble burning is set to contribute 3.5% | P7 460 Jahangirpuri recorded the worst AQI in the city on Sunday CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ‘Time Bank’ to reward elderly support cracker jolt Stray dog jumps from building to her death S o v i V i d ya d h ara n @T’Puram Anubhab Roy @ Bengaluru Despite the state government’s directive to burst green crackers within a window of 8pm to 10pm to celebrate Deepavali, Bengaluru has witnessed bursting of illegal firecrackers beyond the prescribed time limit. So severe has the sound of firecrackers been that a stray dog in Kannamangala jumped to her death from a high floor of a 14-storey building. “The dog was eight months old, and I was habilitating her at the building (currently under construction) with the help of one of the security guards. She must have been sleeping when firecrackers made her jump to her death on the night of Friday (November 6). We found her body on Saturday morning. She had been safely living at the building without a problem,” said a community feeder living in the area. Dogs are known to be around four times more sensitive to sound than humans. A study by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) found that in case of loud sounds, this sensitivity triggers acute fear in dogs. Every firecracker blast, to a dog, is nothing short of a grenade going off. Their reaction is often fear, confusion, agitation, or even aggression. In India, a cracker can legally be as loud as 125 decibels. Even this legal limit would cause such an effect on dogs. The feeder said that another dog, a pet, ran away when the family took it on a walk in Kannamangala. “Firecrackers were burst suddenly, which spooked the dog to run away from the walker. The family is inconsolable,” she added. P5 GOA’s Palolem Beach best in Asia, sixth in global list It has been adjudged the best beach in Asia and ranked sixth among the world’s top 25 in Beach.com’s global index, the state tourism dept said | P8 Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers sweets to security personnel on Diwali in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, on Sunday | PTI At Bastar, Modi cautions against ‘Dimagi Naxals’ PM says total eradication of Maoist, Naxalite terror has made this Diwali extraordinary forests, but ‘dimagi Naxals’ (their ideological supporters) Prime Minister Narendra have taken control of several Modi on Sunday celebrated Di- organisations,” he said. wali in the once terror-scarred Emphasising the noteworthy Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, describ- shift in national security policy ing the total eradication of since 2014, the PM also conMaoist and left-wing extremist trasted past decades of heavy terror as significant for India’s casualties, such as the tragic internal security . 2010 Dantewada ambush that Addressing troops on the claimed 76 CRPF personnel, ground at a CRPF camp, PM with recent milestones, noting Modi noted that this that for the first time year’s Diwali is exin 47 years, not a single traordinary, marking CRPF soldier lost their the first time in 40-50 life in the line of duty years that the entire We gave security over the past year. forces freedom to country is completely Modi alleged that take necessary free from Maoist and decision. We also previous governments Naxalite terror, ena- worked to stop the tied the hands of secubling development to support that Left- rity forces during finally take root in Wing Extremism ground operations and long-neglected tribal denied them the freereceived from certain people heartlands. dom to retaliate effecwithin the While celebrating tively against Maoist the military victory government and attacks. “We gave secuthe system over ar med insurrity forces the freedom gents, Modi issued a to take every necesNarendra Modi sharp warning against sary decision. We also what he termed “Dimagi Nax- worked to stop the support that als” who he said have infiltrat- Left-Wing Extremism received ed various organisations and from certain people within the political parties, and urged citi- government and the system,” zens to remain vigilant against he said. ongoing attempts to undermine Citing a World Bank report, the nation’s Constitution and the PM said 50 crore people had democratic fabric. come out of extreme poverty in “We must remember one India over the last 12 years. more thing. Naxalites have What decades of ‘garibi hatao’ been eliminated, but the threat slogans could not achieve, the is not over yet. Armed Naxal- country accomplished in just ites have disappeared from the 12 years, he said. E J A Z K A I S E R @Raipur What if the 60 minutes you spent helping an elderly person today earn you assistance in your hour of need, years later? This is the principle behind Time Bank, a communitybased mutual support system that Keralam plans to introduce statewide. The proposal assumes significance as nearly one in four people in the state is projected to be aged 60 and above by 2036. The newly-established department of senior citizens has drawn up the proposal for Time Bank, treating voluntary service hours as a social resource and creating a mechanism for reciprocal community support. A trial was held in Elikulam How it would work? Volunteers earn credits by helping senior citizens; every hour of service is digitally recorded Credits earned can be redeemed for help or transferred to relatives Students may use credits for grace marks, travel coupons Senior citizens can volunteer and earn credits too Digital platform will track volunteers and credits Volunteers will be mobilised through NSS, NCC, Kudumbashree panchayat in Kottayam under the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC). “Under the proposed system, time that registered volunteers spend helping senior citizens will be digitally recorded and converted into time credits,” director of the department Arun S Nair told TNIE. Though detailed guidelines are yet to be formalised, the department envisages allowing participants to redeem accumulated credits for assistance when required or transfer them to their family members, following models practised in countries such as the UK. Since Nat’l women’s panel orders impartial probe into J’khand activist’s death M U K E S H R A N J A N @Ranchi Taking ‘suo-motu’ cognisance of the alleged suicide of tribal activist Nisha Bhagat, who had in a Facebook Live video alleged harassment by Jharkhand gove r n m e n t , t h e N at i o n a l Commission for Women (NCW) has requested a detailed action taken report within seven days. In a social media post, the commission stated that chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar had sought an impartial and thorough investigation and information on steps taken on complaints previously filed by the victim, besides BJP demands CBI probe The BJP has demanded a CBI investigation into the matter. Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi questioned the state’s law-and-order situation and protection of tribal rights. The CPI (ML) also called for an impartial inquiry. steps to ensure the preservation of the Facebook Live recording and other digital evidence. “No woman’s suffering or cry for help should go unheard,” the NCW said. In the nearly 11-minute video that she posted hours before ending her life on November 6, Bhagat is seen crying and alleging that speaking out against the “Hemant Soren government and its land brokers meant inviting death”. She speaks emotionally about her alleged fight against land mafia and voices frustration over the administration’s response to her complaints. She also expresses concern over the distress her death would cause her parents in the video, which ends abruptly She was found dead . at her residence in Ranchi hours later. students may have to wait several years before they need to redeem the credits, the department is also exploring options to make them usable earlier, including as grace marks in academics or for travel and fuel coupons. A digital platform will form the backbone of the system, incorporating volunteer registration, recording of service hours and a time-credit mechanism, supported by a mobile app or web portal and a management information system dashboard. Activities that count as services for the elderly include companionship visits, helping senior citizens with digital services such as smartphones, UPI and video calls, and organising reading clubs, indoor games and recreational activities. EXPRESS READ 2 more bodies recovered near Chamundi Hills Mysuru: The investigation into the murder of seven members of a family in Bengaluru took a significant turn on Sunday, with the recovery of two more bodies from the forest area near the foothills of Chamundi Hills in Mysuru. The deceased have been identified as Shivakumar (30) and his wife Divya (30), residents of Dayananda Nagar, Bengaluru. Another plaint filed against Veeramani Chennai: In a fresh twist in the probe against granite baron R Veeramani, who is facing charges of sexually harassing minors, another girl has filed a complaint of harassment, police said on Sunday. Action has been initiated based on the statement of the minor, who was previously a witness in an already registered case, they said. P5 Petrol samples tested at 67 sites, says DKS Bengaluru: In reaction to complaints that engine performance in vehicles is being adversely affected by the increased proportion of ethanol blending in fuel, petrol samples have been collected and tested at petrol pumps at 67 locations across Karnataka, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Sunday. P4 Rajnath pays homage to war heroes in Sikkim Gangtok: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Sherathang near Nathu La in Sikkim on Sunday and paid homage to fallen soldiers at the war memorial. Addressing Army personnel stationed at the IndiaChina border, Singh said such memorials served as a lasting tribute to war heroes who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. The defence minister also paid tribute to the families of armed forces personnel who lost their loved ones while serving the nation. Quake unsettles Japan An employee crouches amid books that fell off the shelves in Toyota after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook central Japan early Sunday. Though there were no deaths, the quake shattered storefront windows and caused transport disruption across the country. Around 10.53am (JST), a 4.3-magnitude quake also struck the Kumamoto region | AP HDK demands probe into WhatsApp Donors pour in, 100 units blood collected in 2 days chat of Hassan DC demanding bribe f o r 4 - y r - o l d c an c er pa t i en t S u n i l Pat i l @ Belagavi It was a community-driven gesture to help a four-year-old girl suffering from B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (BALL), a type of blood cancer. The initiative to support Vanshika Shashikant Hosmani, being treated at KLE Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital and MRC and Cancer Hospital, Belagavi, successfully collected 100 units of blood, providing crucial support for her ongoing treatment. Vanshika was diagnosed with cancer recently and is expected to undergo treatment for approximately three years. According to her doctors, she is likely to require frequent transfusions of blood products, including packed red blood cells and platelet concentrates, during her treatment and chemotherapy . Following an appeal from Vanshika’s family the Incredi, ble Belgaum Foundation, in association with corporator Shankar Patil, organised a special blood donation drive at KLE Hospital on November 6 and 7, seeking support from voluntary donors. The appeal received an overwhelming response from donors, volunteers and well-wishers, completing the target of collecting 100 units of blood, said Vinayak Naykoji of Incredible Belgaum. Vanshika’s father Shashikant Hosamani said, “We shifted to Belagavi for our daughter’s treatment. We are new to this city and were worried about arranging such a big requirement of blood throughout the year. Incredible Belgaum and people of Belagavi connected and we are overwhelmed with such great re- sponse.” The campaign, titled “Save Vanshika – One Little Life, One Big Mission”, highlighted the importance of continued voluntary blood donation for patients undergoing prolonged cancer treatment. While the 100-unit collection provided immediate support, Vanshika’s treatment is expected to continue for some years, during which she may require further blood and platelet transfusions. The organisers urged eligible donors to continue supporting patients in need of blood. “Every donor is a hero. Every donation matters,” Naykoji said E x p ress Ne w s S er v i c e @ Hassan Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday urged Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and DG&IGP MA Saleem to investigate the alleged WhatsApp chat between Shashikiran, the personnel assistant of Hassan Deputy Commissioner (DC) KS Latha Kumari, and a stone crusher unit manager, demanding a huge bribe to clear files. Kumaraswamy said the WhatsApp chat involves giving Rs 75lakh to Hassan district minister KM Shivalingegowda to continue her as Hassan DC. HD Kumaraswamy KS Latha Kumari He said a state government official, his face covered with a towel, handed over a copy of the chat to him and left. “Is Shivakumar, who asked the people to complain to him if any official demanded a bribe, ready to act against the complaint against the DC and district minister?” he asked. He said the Congress government failed to maintain financial discipline and announced crores of rupees for schemes and programmes, despite a fund crunch. Contractors’ bills to the tune of Rs 39,000crore are pending, he said. Reacting to the allegations, Shivakumar said Latha Kumari was discharging her duties effectively and ensuring good administration. Speaking in Hassan after visiting the Hasanamba temple, he said leaders should not become disturbed or lose their temper over remarks by opposition leaders.