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An estimated $600 mn is needed to provide farmers with alternatives, but the BJP of PM Narendra Modi and Opposition parties in power in New Delhi and nearby Punjab are squabbling over who will pay As pollution level climbed to 12 times above the recommended limit this week in India’s capital, government officials said they knew what was needed to control the smoky haze, but nothing would be done, at least this year. A major source of the smog at this time of year across northern India, including New Delhi, is farmers burning the stubble of the previous crop to prepare for new plantings in November. An estimated $600 million is needed to provide farmers with alternatives, but the Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opposition parties in power in New Delhi and nearby Punjab states are squabbling over who will pay, said three federal government officials who have been briefed on the situation. “Nothing more is likely to happen this year,” said ...

With Delhi only a few hours into the AAP government’s  odd-even scheme , car traffic at one of the busiest intersections in the city near the Income Tax Office – popularly known as ITO – appeared to be relatively sparse. While trans-Yamuna commuters using cars still appeared to be present in normal numbers, traffic from the South Delhi side appeared to be thin. Speaking to Business Standard, a policeman posted at the intersection said, “Personally, I haven’t seen as many offenders as I thought there would be today.” However, volunteers, pressed into action to ensure the smooth enforcement of the scheme, were present in strength at the intersection, not to mention a sizeable contingent of reporters from various agencies, reaffirming ITO’s status as the pre-eminent bottleneck of Delhi Auto-rickshaws were scarce going towards Mayur Vihar in the morning, according to a Business Standard reporter. However, the commute to office, via an Ola cab, was smooth with little or no...