Paperwallah! Roundup of morning newspapers

Thousands of people in the national capital violated time restrictions and burst banned firecrackers this Diwali defying appeals and Supreme Court ruling, Hindustan Times has reported. By midnight on Sunday, the noxious fumes pushed the level of PM2.5, which takes the heaviest toll on human health among all air pollutants, to almost 18 times of what is considered safe to breathe.

The Times of India has reported that a group of 27 European parliamentarians will be the first foreign lawmakers to travel to Jammu and Kashmir to see the ground situation. The move is seen as a significant shift by the Modi government, indicating a desire to address international opinion over the communication lockdown and detention of political leaders that followed the decision to nullify Article 370.

The delayed rollout of a new sand-mining policy by Jagan Reddy government in Andhra has led to nearly 30 lakh workers in the construction industry losing out on employment over the last 4-5 months. An acute shortage of sand has stalled most building activity in the state. The Indian Express report said that at least 3 suicides have been reported in a month related to the issue.

A decision on granting ownership rights to residents of 69 affluent—but unregularized—colonies in Delhi, including Sainik Farms, Vasant Kunj and Chhatarpur, is likely to be taken after the Delhi assembly elections early next year, business paper Mint has reported. Last week’s decision by the Union cabinet on regularization of some of Delhi’s unauthorized colonies excluded these affluent neighbourhoods and those built on forest land.