DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2024, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 20 PAGES BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY WORST AIR QUALITY SINCE 2019, TOP COURT SAYS DON’T LIFT CURBS UNTIL ORDERS Delhi breathes poison AQIat494,citybracesfortoughdaysas weatherconditions stayunfavourable NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 18 ALOK DESHPANDE MUMBAI, NOVEMBER 18 CONGRESS LEADER Rahul Gandhi on Monday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi overhis“ek haintohsafehain(together, we are safe)” poll slogan as the Maharashtra Assembly election campaign drew to a close with political DECISION partiesmaking a last-minute 2024 push to conMAHARASHTRA vince voters. The state goes to the polls on Wednesday. Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, drew a link between the BJP’s alleged proximity to industrialist Gautam Adani and the projects allotted to his company, including the Dharavi redevelopment project in Mumbai. Hitting back, the ruling party said Adani’s growth began when Rajiv CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 DELHI'S AIR, already at toxic levels, turned worse on Monday, turning the city into a gas chamber. The Air Quality Index (AQI) deteriorated from 441 on Sunday to 494, its worst-ever — on a parwiththe city’smost polluted day recorded in 2019. Since2015, whenthe Central Pollution Control Board started maintaining air quality data, the AQI has deteriorated to this level only once before, on November 2, 2019. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 E E X P L A I NE D SOPHIYA MATHEW Campaign ends, Rahul targets PM, BJP: ‘Real election issue Adani, Dharavi’ `7.00 (`8 BIHAR & RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 Why air quality is ● dipping A COMBINATION of meteorological factors, high emission load from Delhi’s own sources as well as stubble-burning has led to a drastic AQI increase. With temperatures dipping but winds remaining calm, pollutant concentration has only gone up over the past three days. SC for GRAP-4 curbs even if AQI below 450, flags delay in action ANANTHAKRISHNAN G NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 18 POINTING TO a delay in implementing strict measures despite theworseningairqualityinDelhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the Supreme Court Monday directed that curbs under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to deal with the situation will remaininforceuntilfurtherorders. “We make it clear that until further orders are passed by this CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Biren, MLAs to Centre: Go after Kuki militants, review AFSPA CM-led meet warns: If demands not met, NDA MLAs & people will decide JIMMY LEIVON, SUKRITA BARUAH & MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL IMPHAL, SILCHAR, NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 18 The Monday morning gloom in Delhi. Praveen Khanna Bishnoi brother Anmol held in US, FBI & India teams in talks FAREED ZAKARIA AT ADDA MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 18 Foreign policy expert, author and CNN news host Fareed Zakaria in conversation with Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, and Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor, The Indian Express, at the Express Adda in Mumbai on Monday. Sankhadeep Banerjee TM MORECENTRALFORCESONWAY ANMOL BISHNOI, 25, younger brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, was detained in CaliforniabytheUSImmigration Department last week. The Indian Express has learnt thatofficialsoftheFBI’sNewDelhi officemetIndiansecurityofficials anddiscussedthepossibilityofhis deportation/extradition. Sources said the US Immigration Department found that one of Anmol’s travel documents was forged. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 HOURS AFTER the Centre ordered an additional 70 companies of paramilitary forces to Manipur in the wake of a new wave of killings and protests there, the state’s ruling alliance MLAs, at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh, passed a resolution Monday, urging the Centre to “review the imposition of AFSPA” in six police stations areas of the valley. The MLAs demanded “mass operationsagainstKukimilitants responsible for” the November 11 abduction and killing of six Meitei women and children CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CENTRE, STATE FAILED: RSS & ABVP PAGE 5 No effective step possible until there’s change of guard in Imphal: Sangma LIZ MATHEW NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 18 THE SECOND largest ally of the BJP-led Manipur government, National People’s Party (NPP), Sunday withdrew support to it, citing its failure to “restore normalcy” in the state and expressing “deep concern”. NPP leader and Meghalaya Chief Minister CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE EXPRESS INTERVIEW CONRAD SANGMA NPP LEADER & MEGHALAYA CM