Weather news highlights: IMD predicts very dense fog over several parts in north India, issues advisory

WEather word highlights: As subject working capital new delhi grappled with the duplicate whammy of fog and toxic smog on Thursday, several flights at the Indira Gandhi International airport were impacted. Several airlines, including SpiceJet, Air India and IndiGo, released travel advisories, urging passengers to check the status of their flights beforehand.The foggy conditions are likely to continue for the next few days as the Indian Meteorological Department predicted dense to very dense fog for major parts of north and northeast India. Temperatures are likely to slump further in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand over the next two days, IMD said in a statement on Thursday.Here is the area-wise fog prediction by the IMD:Punjab: Dense to very dense fog conditions likely during early morning hours on December 19 and 20. Dense fog is expected in isolated pockets during early morning hours on December 21, 24 and 25.Haryana & Chandigarh: Dense to very dense fog is expected during early morning hours from December 19 to 21. Dense fog is also expected in isolated pockets during early morning hours on December 22, 24 and 25.Uttar Pradesh: The IMD has predicted dense to very dense fog during early morning hours at a few to many places in UP from December 19 to 21. Dense fog is expected in isolated pockets during early morning hours from December 22 to 25.Uttarakhand: Dense to very dense fog is predicted in isolated pockets during early morning hours on December 19 and 20. Dense fog is also expected in isolated pockets during early morning hours on December 21.Bihar: The IMD forecast predicts dense fog during early morning hours at a few places from December 19 to 22.Jharkhand: Dense fog is likely expected in isolated pockets during early morning hours on December 19 and 20.Odisha: Dense fog is expected in isolated pockets during early morning hours on December 19 and 20.Cold days ahead, says IMDThe next couple of days are likely to be cold as the weatherman predicts cold to severe cold conditions over isolated places in Uttar Pradesh on December 19 and 20. Similarly, cold conditions are expected over isolated places in Uttarakhand on December 19 and 20.Western disturbances approaching northAccording to the IMD, light rainfall or snowfall is likely to happen at several places in J&K, Ladakh on December 20 and 21, and in Himachal Pradesh on December 22 and 23. This weather system will also bring rain, snow in parts of Uttarakhand on December 20 and 21. Light rainfall is expected at isolated places over Punjab between December 20 to 22.Delhi smog sets off political blame-gameAs Delhi's air troubles worsen with falling temperatures, the ruling BJP government blamed the previous AAP government for leaving the air quality and other civic issues in doldrums. Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said the current Delhi government (BJP) is tackling pollution and civic issues left behind by the previous Aam Aadmi Party government led by Arvind Kejriwal. He said the issues facing the national capital did not develop overnight but are the result of "11 years of neglect" by the AAP party.Verma listed a wide range of civic and environmental works that he said should have been completed over the past decade, including removal of garbage dumps, repair of footpaths and parks, e-waste management, cleaning of the Yamuna, maintenance of drains, sewage treatment plants, water treatment facilities, plastic waste management, road cleaning, and implementation of an electric vehicle policy."All these works should have been done in 11 years. If even half of the work had been completed, we would only have had to finish the remaining part. But not even a single task was completed. Before we started working, less than five per cent of these projects had been executed," Verma said.