More and more of the capital’s best known monuments may now be illuminated through solar energy.

Building on the experience gained over the last three years and keen on promoting the use of environment—friendly solar energy, the Delhi government plans to light up more of the capital’s historical sites through cheap and plentiful energy from the sun. The 13th century Qutub Minar, the 17th century red sandstone Red Fort and the 16th century Humayun’s Tomb — all declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites — are among the six sites where the Delhi government plans to install solar power plants to replace conventional sources of electricity.

Contractors will provide maintenance for five years

The Public Works Department of the Delhi Government has got estimates sanctioned for 60 road projects worth Rs.520 crore and of these works for 20 have also been awarded and are scheduled to begin next month. PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan said on Friday that the Department had got 674 roads of over 60 feet width from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and has drawn up plans for completely redeveloping them by end of March 2014.

Taking a giant leap forward towards protecting the environment, the Delhi Government has imposed a blanket ban on manufacture, sale, storage and use of plastic bags in the city. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said: “After considering the adverse effects of plastic carry bags on the environment, we decided to ban them. It has also been observed that plastic bags cause blockage of gutters, drains and sewerage system, thereby resulting in serious environmental and public health-related problems”.

Arrangement to kick off temporarily from Saturday until disposal of a plea

Altering an earlier order, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday temporarily restored the BRT corridor in South Delhi exclusively for plying of buses.
In an interim order, a Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Manmohan Singh said restoration of the corridor would continue till disposal of a petition by a non-government organisation seeking opening up the corridor to traffic other than buses and the Delhi Government plea to retain the corridor in the interest of common good.

Notification banning manufacture, sale, transportation & storage to be issued today

The Delhi Government has decided to impose a complete ban on manufacture, sale, display, transportation and storage of gutka and other related products in the city. Health Minister A. K. Walia said on Monday that the decision was taken at a high-level meeting at Delhi Secretariat and a notification to this effect will be issued on Tuesday. “Gutka and other products contain paan masala, nicotine and tobacco particles, hence are harmful.

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought suggestions from the Delhi Government on diverting chartered buses as well as some Delhi Transport Corporation buses passing the BRT corridor with a view to seeing whether retaining the corridor and simultaneously decongesting the carriageway along it was possible.

A Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Manmohan Singh sought the suggestions while hearing petitions seeking opening up the corridor for traffic other than buses on the dedicated stretch to unburden the overburdened carriageway along it and opposing it by the Delhi Government.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday intervened in the Delhi assembly discussion on public distribution system during Question Hour and noted that her government agreed with the Opposition that there was corruption in the system and therefore it was “looking for ways to provide ration and cash transfers to the families in a proper way to ensure food security”.

After a number of BJP members had questioned Food and Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf on the issue of a large number of people being left out of the purview of the system, the Chief Minister said there was large scale diversion of kerosene and other supplies due to which the Centre decided to put a cap on the number of cards.

The Delhi Government on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that it had constituted a high-power committee as directed by it and was in the process of putting in place mechanisms for long-term and short-term solution to the water-logging woes of the Capital.

A Division Bench of the Court comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Vipin Sanghi had on August 28 directed the Government to set up a high-power committee taking on board all the stake holders to suggest long-term and short-term measures to deal with water-logging in the city.

Delhi-NCR is fast becoming an “island of heat”, as surface temperatures have risen by 2-3 degree Centigrade in the past three decades, says a new study.

To curb the rapidly increasing vehicular population in the city, the Delhi government is mulling a number of measures, including hefty hike in parking fees, introduction of congestion charges for entering in specific areas and improving the public transport system.

The government has already taken an in-principle decision to increase parking fees on the recommendation of the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) and the high court-appointed Special Task Force.