-Outlook A break-up of the expenses suggests that an average of Rs 22,000 was spent per day on entertaining about 150-200 guests. “Its natural,” says BJP spokesperson Virendar Bisht after RTI query revealed that Uttarakhand chief ministerspent Rs 68,59,865 from the exchequer for buying snacks for his guests. "Such expenses are natural as most of the Janta Darbar & official meetings take place at CM office. But, if they go beyond a limit...

-The Indian Express Breathing has certainly become injurious to health in Delhi. Yet, those of us who live here and have vocalised our breathlessness, struggle to acknowledge that we too have somehow contributed to what the social media has termed an “apocalypse”. Delhi, where 25 million people reside, has struggled to breathe this month. A thick layer of smog, initially deemed “severe” and then an “emergency”, enveloped the national capital region....

-The Indian Express Delhi has become world’s air pollution outcaste. Its decision-makers haven’t understood the consequences. The first thing that the Central and Delhi governments should own up to regarding the air pollution crisis is that everyone was forewarned and cannot pretend to be taken unawares. This “winter of our discontent” is the season when, as temperatures dip, pollutants hover around the surface of the city and do not waft upwards. Things...

-The Indian Express Delhi air pollution: The current smog and poor air quality in the National Capital Region has been blamed in part on stubble burning by farmers, especially in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana. What is the genesis of the problem? What are its potential solutions? * How widespread is crop stubble burning? It is mainly confined to Punjab, Haryana and parts of western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where farmers grow paddy and...

-Down to Earth The city is already short of about 5,000 public buses to cover all its 865 routes The odd-even road rationing scheme is back in Delhi. According to latest reports, this scheme will be enforced from November 13-17, which means cars with license plates ending in odd and even numbers will be allowed to ply on alternate days. As the city gasped for breath due to worsening smog, the Supreme court-appointed...