In the Akola Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress has invoked the Maratha card, intensifying the stakes in the election. With the BJP’s Anup Dhotre, VBA’s Adv Dr Prakash Ambedkar, and Dr Abhay Patil from Congress in the fray, a three-way contest is imminent in the constituency. Given that the two major candidates hail from the Maratha community, there is a likelihood of Hindu votes being polarised. The outcome of this three-way contest hinges on whose favor the division of votes will fall this time. Historically, it has been observed that in such scenarios, the BJP tends to benefit. Speculation is rife regarding whether this trend will repeat itself this year. Nevertheless, despite the triangular fight in Akola, the sitting MP and grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar, appears to be in a comfortable position. Three-way contest In the Akola constituency, caste politics and the dynamics of vote division have wielded significant influence in every Lok Sabha election. Over the past three and a half decades, barring two exceptions, Akola has witnessed a three-way contest. Remarkably, this scenario has consistently favored the BJP. Historically, until 1989, the Akola constituency was a stronghold of the Congress party. However, since then, the BJP has held sway, with Pandurang Fundkar representing three times, and Prakash Ambedkar twice with Congress support. However, with the former Union Minister of State Sanjay Dhotre of the BJP securing four consecutive terms, Akola earned a reputation as a BJP stronghold, with Congress unable to break the streak of defeats over the years. In recent elections, the Congress’s decision to field minority candidates resulted in a three-way contest among Dalits, Muslims, and Hindus, ultimately benefiting the BJP. Despite the ongoing three-way contest, there are expectations of significant strategic shifts. Maratha card Prakash Ambedkar’s backing of two Congress candidates and one from the NCP in the state raises speculation about Maha Vikas Aghadi’s potential candidate against him in Akola. Congress strategically plays the Maratha card by fielding Dr Abhay Patil, considering the dominance of Maratha voters in Akola. The constituency’s diverse electorate, including Dalits, Muslims, OBCs, Malis, Dhangars, and tribal communities, holds significant sway over the election outcome. While religious sentiments took precedence in the 2019 elections, indications point to a return to caste politics this time. With Congress’s innovative approach, the contest in Akola gains vibrant hues, setting the stage for a closely fought battle among all three contenders, with the outcome hinging on who can navigate the altered political dynamics effectively. Saffron again? The BJP has not lost a Lok Sabha election in the Akola constituency since 2004. Threatening its chances of making it five in a row are, ironically, allegations of parivarwad (dynasticism), with the ruling party fielding Anup Dhotre, son of four-time MP Sanjay Dhotre. The BJP has established Akola as its stronghold by promoting leaders from the majority Kunbi-Maratha community. The last two general elections heavily favored the BJP due to two factors: the influence of Narendra Modi and the Congress’s decision to field a Muslim candidate - Hidayatulla Patel, leading to increased polarisation. In 2019, Patel received 254,370 votes, mainly from the Muslim community, while Ambedkar garnered 278,848 votes, primarily from Dalit voters. Meanwhile, the BJP’s Sanjay Dhotre secured a significant victory with a margin of 554,444 votes. Despite its underdeveloped status, in Akola, caste, and religion take precedence over developmental issues such as water scarcity and inadequate job opportunities in elections. Now, with this enticing battle, between BJP, Congress, and VBA, with VBA going solo this time, will the vote polarisation benefit the saffron party, is the curiosity within the political circles? A ray of hope for Ambedkar Prakash Ambedkar, leader of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), sees a glimmer of hope amid a streak of defeats since 2004. The VBA decided to contest alone in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due to unresolved infighting among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents over seat sharing. Ambedkar accused the MVA of sidelining minority candidates from the LS elections. “Clear signs of match-fixing between Congress, Shiv Sena, and BJP are emerging, with weaker candidates being fielded and covert ties being exposed, such as Nana Patole’s withdrawal from the Bhandara-Gondiya seat,” explained Ambedkar, elaborating on his decision to go solo. He added, “They (Congress) have sidelined Muslim candidates not only in Akola but throughout the state. Muslims, Christians, and Jains. Now, is there any distinction between MVA and Mahayuti?” Ambedkar remains hopeful that Muslims will support him despite Congress nominating Patil. VBA emphasises Patil’s ties to VHP and RSS in talks with Muslim leaders. Ambedkar also aims for Maratha votes through his connection with Manoj Jarange-Patil. In 2019, he contested from Akola and Solapur but lost, despite previous wins in 1998 and 1999. In the 2019 General Election, VBA, allied with AIMIM, impacted Congress and NCP candidates in nine Lok Sabha seats. Poll analysts suggest that Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA has the potential to make a substantial impact on the vote share of opposition alliance partners, citing figures from the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Vidarbha. “In many constituencies of Maharashtra, the combined vote share of the VBA and Congress surpasses that of the BJP. In the past, Congress leaders have pointed fingers at the VBA for defeats on several seats by narrow margins, which could have otherwise swung in their favour, they have alleged. Some of the congress leaders even today accuse the VBA of covertly aiding the BJP in both parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2019. However, all attention is focused on one question: While the VBA may significantly influence the vote share of both the BJP and Congress, will it secure victory and secure a seat in Parliament as it has done before,?” said Mayur Ayare, a poll analyst and a teacher of political science from Nagpur. VBA’s past performance in Vidarbha In 2014, Ambedkar secured 2,38,776 (14.28 per cent) votes in the Akola Lok Sabha constituency, a figure that increased by about 40,000 votes in 2019, reaching 2,78,848 votes. Similarly, in Bhandara-Gondia, a BRP-BMS candidate garnered a voter share of 0.16 per cent in 2014, whereas a VBA candidate in 2019 secured a vote share of 3.68 per cent. In Ramtek, BRP-BMS candidate Sandeep Nandeshwar received 2,640 votes in 2014, but in 2019, VBA’s Kiran Rodge received 36,340 votes, marking a significant jump of almost 34,000 votes. Mohan Rathod of BRP-BMS secured 22,143 votes in 2014 in Yavatmal-Washim, whereas Vanchit’s Pravin Pawar garnered 94,228 votes in 2019. Describing Vanchit’s performance in 2019 as exceptional, Ambedkar said: “I am very sure that this time around VBA will come out not only ‘changing the dynamics of the voting pattern’ in this Lok Sabha election but also emerge as a stronger party than before.” Sanjay Patil, a Mumbai-based researcher and an expert in urban politics and elections, said, The VBA’s vote share surged from 2014 to 2019, yet converting this into seats is key. Some VBA supporters feel uncertain, sparking talk of a potential VBA-Congress alliance. However, there’s concern about vote polarization and division, especially with the Congress fielding a candidate linked to the RSS. Winning seats, not just boosting vote shares, is the ultimate measure of success.
20 April,2024 07:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghThis time, it wasn’t a sea of saffron, but white kurtas and beards that descended on Matoshree. About 60 Muslims from Jogeshwari and Versova met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday. The meeting, an initiative of Jogeshwari corporator Raju Pednekar, saw an interesting exchange of views. Thackeray made it clear that he was a Hindu, but his Hindutva wasn’t that of the BJP, related RTI activist Mansoor Darvesh. “We believe in insaniyat [humanity]; in taking everyone along,” the former CM said. This election was to save the Constitution and secularism, he told the delegation. He reminded the Muslims that his father Sena chief Bal Thackeray had permitted a Sunni ijtema to be held just behind his house when the Sena was in power in 1997. The Intelligence Bureau had cautioned Thackeray then, saying it could be dangerous, given the historical animosity between him and Muslims. However, the Sena founder had dismissed their fears. On their part, the Muslims told him that they appreciated his work during COVID, and also his refusal to compromise with the BJP. “Sanjay Raut even went to jail, but you didn’t bend,” businessman Iqbal Chunawala told him. Riyaz Bhamla, businessman and social worker, thanked Thackeray for sanctioning funds for the upgradation of the Oshiwara municipal maternity home, a project taken up by Pednekar. As CM, Thackeray had inaugurated the project. “The new hospital will be a boon to us,” Bhamla told him. There were some issues that the delegation raised with him: the lack of Muslim candidates this time (“You should have come earlier,” was the reply); the fear that Sena candidates for whom the Muslims would campaign would later defect to the BJP (“I’ll make them take a vow in public that they won’t”); the absence of Sena programmes in Muslim areas (“I’ll set up a committee for this”). Thackeray turned down their request to hold a rally in Jogeshwari for his candidate Amol Kirtikar, saying he was to tour the state, but assured them that his son Aaditya would come to the area. He asked the delegation to attend the last rally of the MVA which would be held in Mumbai on May 17. Incidentally, Amol Kirtikar is the son of Gajanan Kirtikar, whose name featured in the Srikrishna Commission report on the 92-93 riots. Kirtikar had led a rally to the police station which later turned violent, according to the Commission’s report, which described this as the first major violent incident of the 1993 phase of the riots in Jogeshwari. In 2008, Kirtikar was acquitted by a special court handling riots cases. But none of this featured in Thursday’s meeting. The delegation was charmed by the former CM’s “humility”. “He listened to us carefully,” said Bhamla. Darvesh told him, “Election or no election, we must keep meeting.” Chunawala recalled the time when a Sena mayor was elected with the help of the Muslim League in 1973. “It seems those days are back,” he told Thackeray. The latter responded by saying that wherever he travels, he finds Muslims supporting him wholeheartedly.
20 April,2024 07:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Jyoti PunwaniThe Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) and Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA) have endorsed activist and filmmaker Ashoke Pandit’s name for the Mumbai North West constituency. These organisations have written a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in this regard. The IMPPA is said to be the largest, oldest, and most esteemed producers’ association in India. Pandit, who is the member of the executive committee has also previously served as the body’s senior vice-president and vice-president. The members associated with the body claim that he has been a strong voice for the Indian film industry working for the welfare of filmmakers and artistes. During the pandemic, Pandit had conducted relief efforts, including fundraising initiatives and facilitating vaccination drives for industry members. It may be noted that Pandit has also been advocating for the rights and welfare of the Kashmiri Pandit community. “Ashoke-ji's passion for the environment and his dedication to preserving open spaces and gardens are commendable. By working closely with citizens, he mobilises community support for the conservation of gardens and open spaces. Through awareness campaigns, public meetings, and collaborative initiatives, he fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among residents, encouraging them to actively participate in protecting these valuable resources. Ashoke-ji has selflessly dedicated his life for the welfare of all human beings and he has always gone the extra mile for anyone in need and therefore we at IMPPA wholeheartedly endorse the name of Pandit-ji for the candidature of Member of Parliament for the Mumbai North West constituency in the upcoming general elections. We are sure that your kind self shall do the needful in the matter at the earliest and oblige,” stated the letter written to CM Eknath Shinde by IMPPA President Abhay Sinha. Kuku Kohli from IFTDA has written to Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis recommending the name of Pandit. IFTDA in its letter has also claimed that it has more than 10,000 member directors/assistant directors associated with it and is the leading association in the whole of India. There have been several speculations and discussions in political circles about who will be Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NDA candidate for the Mumbai North West seat. It was also speculated that said actor Govinda Ahuja who joined Eknath Shinde faction recently might get the ticket from North West but it does not seem that he will be fielded. Speculations of Marathi actor Sharad Ponkshe and Ravindra Waikar to contest from Mumbai North West have fizzled out. With its cosmopolitan character, the voters who are Marathi (37.2%), Muslim (19.3%), North Indian (18.3%), and Gujarati/Marwadi (12.4%) play a crucial role in this constituency. Besides, the constituency also has its share of South Indians (5.6%), Christians (2.8%), Punjabis (1.3%) and Sindhis (1%). The Mumbai North West constituency has six Assembly segments, which includes Andheri East, Versova, Andheri West, Jogeshwari East, Dindoshi and Goregaon. Of the six constituencies, three are with BJP , two with Shiv Sena UBT and one with Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde faction where Ravindra Waikar of UBT had switched sides and joined Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde faction.
20 April,2024 07:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavThe Mumbai North Lok Sabha constituency has the most first-time voters in the city—20,519, including two in the transgender category. The seat also boasts the highest number of female first-time voters, with its Borivli Assembly segment alone accounting for 1,851. Mumbai Suburban district has witnessed a surge in new voter registrations, with 75,199 individuals getting onboard to exercise their franchise for the first time. Mumbai City district has a total of 23,196 first-time voters. The Mumbai Suburban district comprises four Parliamentary constituencies and a part of the Mumbai South Central seat. The district also comprises 26 Vidhan Sabha seats. An official from Mumbai Suburban district collector’s officer told mid-day, “We have run various programmes under the SVEEP [Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation] committee to encourage the youth so that they register as voters. The number of first-time voters registered this time in the district is significant. It is not possible to give exact statistics about newly registered first-time voters with respect to demographics as the census did not take place due to the pandemic, but the number is quite healthy.” The official added that the surge in new voter registrations indicates a growing interest and participation in the democratic process among the youth and first-time voters in the region. “It also reflects a sense of responsibility and awareness among the citizens towards their role in shaping the future of the country,” he said. Mumbai North Central has the second highest number of first-time voters—16,837, followed by Mumbai North East (16,768) and North West (16,529). The two Vidhan Sabha seats from the South Central Lok Sabha constituency that fall in the Mumbai Suburban district have 4,546 registered first-time voters while the four in the City district have 7,076 in total. The Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat has 11,097 first-time voters.
20 April,2024 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariA 57-year-old woman and her four-year-old grandson were crushed to death under the wheel of a water tanker, while the driver fled from the scene in Virar West on Friday afternoon. The driver Jeet Narayan Jaiswal, a resident of Virar, is yet to be arrested by Arnala police. Local eyewitnesses told mid-day that the baby Vivaan Yadav tragically died on the spot, while his grandmother, Amravati Yadav, was in distress and fighting for survival after the accident. However, despite her critical condition, no one stepped forward to take her to a nearby hospital. Also, the ambulance arrived at the spot after one hour. “I was passing by the accident scene when I noticed chaos on the road. So, I stopped the vehicle and learned that a baby and a woman were trapped under the wheel of a water tanker. People told me that the accident took place nearly 30 minutes before I reached there,” said Purushottam Singh, a resident of Virar. “People kept calling an ambulance but it arrived after more than one hour, and the cops reached 40–50 minutes after the accident,” said Singh. “My grandson died on the spot and his grandmother was gasping for air and lying in a pool of blood. After the ambulance arrived, she was rushed to Sanjeevani Hospital but was declared dead on arrival,” said Lal Bahadur Yadav, husband of the deceased, who runs an autorickshaw. The baby’s uncle, Arun Yadav, is a solution engineer in a cement company. “We all used to live in Laljipada, Kandivli but shifted to Virar six months ago after I bought a flat here. My mother would escort my nephew from school to home and it would take hardly 10 minutes of walk,” Arun told mid-day. “As usual, on Friday, my mother went to bring my nephew from his school and they were coming back home. Both of them were walking on the footpath near our society when the water tanker driver crushed them under the wheel. The tanker was fully loaded and the child died on the spot,” Arun said. “My mother was struggling to survive but none of the onlookers pulled her out, otherwise she would have survived. In Virar, people are not even safe on the footpath,” Arun added. A security guard of the society, where the accident took place, said, “One tanker was already inside the society's premises to unload water. The other tanker entered the society only after the first one drove out. I don’t know how the accident took place, but the tanker driver was reversing and dragged them for a few meters before it stopped near the gate.” No MV Act in FIR A team of Arnala police conducted panchnama at the crime spot and registered an FIR under sections 304-A, 279, 337, and 338 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). On being questioned about the absence of the MV Act inspector, Vijay Patil said, “The driver was reversing, so the MV Act will not be added to this FIR. If required, we will add a relevant section of MV Act in the charge sheet.” 57Age of the grandmother
20 April,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaWomen advocates who were forced to take a break or say goodbye to litigation altogether post motherhood, have reason to cheer. A day care centre or creche was opened recently. The facility, which is located on the ground floor of the Central Telegraph Office (CTO) in Fort opposite the High Court, was inaugurated earlier this month by the Honourable Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya. This centre, conceptualised and designed by Justice Revati Mohite-Dere, will provide day care services initially for the children of the members of the Bar Associations practicing in the High Court at Bombay (Principal Seat) and staff members of the Bombay High Court. Sources said, “Guidelines are already framed, just some Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are still to be put in place. The space though is fully completed and we are ready to go operational, a decision will be taken soon.” The day care will function from 10 am to 5.30 pm, on days the court is working and will admit kids aged 1 to 8 years. The approximate monthly charges, the court website says, is R2,500 for high court staff and R4,000 for advocates. Art ’n’ heart What strikes you first about the air-conditioned, 1,000 sq feet space is its effective use of colour and facilities, with a compact kitchen/pantry for preparation / warming of food, sleeping facility for children, activity and dining area. Basics like toilets are provided, there is a nanny and ayah, as part of the centre staff. There is a play area, too, for the children and the green lawn with a tree amidst it with Warli work on the wall is an eye-catcher. The centre emanates an easy-breezy vibe and pops of colour, like art depicting monkeys swinging of vines bring a chirpy, cheery sentiment and innocent energy to the place. The green scene is perfect The genesis Several hurrahs are being heard across, especially from organisations like the Interactive Lawyers Association for Women (ILAW), which claims that they were one of the first, “to push for a creche, as we have a lot of women advocates who had to take a long break or discontinue working for lack of such a facility”. Anita Shekhar Castellino, advocate, said that a creche “was inaugurated a few years ago, but was not functional after that. We also had the COVID-19 pandemic that brought many initiatives to a screeching halt. We noted that many young women advocates would drop out of the profession or take a long break after marriage, especially after having a child as there was no safe place to leave your child especially one space which was easily accessible during working hours.” Some reports stated that this space was earmarked for a day care but was turned into a documents storage room. This has fortunately gone back to what it was originally meant for: child care. Many women reminded that the Central govt had amended the Maternity Benefit Act making it mandatory for companies with more than 50 employees to have creche/day care facilities, to encourage women to continue working and become self-reliant. That lent more strength to the efforts to make this place functional. After a journey with a few obstacles and speed breakers, the venue is ready and will welcome its young guests, infants and children very soon. 8 yrsAge limit of the children at creche
20 April,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharEven as the central government has formed a committee to examine various issues related to the queer community, the members of the community are unsure of its implications due to the wordings. The central government’s notification to form the committee comes in wake of the Supreme Court judgment on same-sex marriage. The committee is headed by the cabinet secretary and the social justice department secretary will be its convener. It includes as members the secretaries from other central departments like the home affairs, women and child development, health and family welfare, and the legislative department under the law ministry. “It is likely for the first time that a government notification finds mention of the word ‘queer’. While there are some progressive things mentioned in it, nothing can be certain because the notification also uses the word ‘may’,” said Suhail Abbasi, co-founder and chairperson of city-based Humsafar Trust. The notification states that the committee “may examine and submit the recommendation on measures to be taken by the Centre and states in ensuring no discrimination in access to goods and services for the queer community.” Furthermore, it also allows the committee to suggest measures to be taken to mitigate threats of violence and harassment, and to ensure that “queer persons are not subjected to involuntary medical treatments, surgeries, etc., including modules to cover mental health of queer persons”. It also asks the committee to recommend measures to be taken to have discrimination-free access to social welfare entitlements and on “any other issues as deemed necessary”. “It has been two days since the notification has come out but no government agency has reached out to us and this is how it usually works. But no officials have reached out to queer representatives from across the country as far as I know,” said Abbasi, adding that the notification merely offers a glimmer of hope so far. Saurabh Garg, secretary to the union government’s social justice and empowerment department, who is the convener of the committee, said he did not wish to comment on the notification’s ambiguity or the deliberations held in the aftermath.
20 April,2024 07:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Eshan KalyanikarAs the Lok Sabha elections began on Friday with the first phase in five of the 48 constituencies in the state, doctors have called for caution on the part of voters to avoid heat-related health complications. According to data from the public health department, there have been 82 heatstroke cases in the state since March. Just earlier this week, the city recorded 39.7 degrees Celsius, the hottest it has been in the last few years. “Heatstroke is an extreme event, but there are other issues that can be a problem, like heat exhaustion, in which people feel tired and dizzy,” said Dr Vimal Pahuja, a physician at LH Hiranandani Hospital. He added that this leads to a dip in water levels in the body, making the body prone to infections. “There have been cases where people have had a UTI because there has been a lot of water loss without the person realising it,” he said. Dr Monica Goel, another general physician who practices at P D Hinduja Hospital and Sushrusha Hospital, said, “We have seen a rise in stomach infections like gastroenteritis. This is common as people end up consuming foul water at times in summer months.” Both these doctors said that those with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions need to be particularly mindful when stepping out. “Such individuals can choose to cast their votes earlier in the day or in the early evening hours,” said Dr Pahuja. Dr Goel said, “Adequate water intake at frequent intervals is needed at any point in the day for everyone, but this is more important for those with illnesses. People need to carry their water bottles on voting days.” ‘Infants can develop a high fever’ Vasai-based paediatrician Dr Anjali Gokarn recalled the case of an infant who visited her hospital a couple of days ago with a high fever. She said, “The child was less than six months old. The family lived in a kaccha house with a tin roof and inadequate ventilation,” she said, adding that this is how most people in the country live. “The child’s fever was a result of severe dehydration. We do not recommend water for children less than six months, but in this case, we had to provide some amount of water to him because he was extremely thirsty,” Dr. Gokarn said. The prevention, she said, is to ensure a cool environment for children. “It is important for families to not assume such dehydration fever in the first instance and let the doctor decide.”
20 April,2024 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe Salman Khan firing incident inspired a youth from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh to make a prank call using the name of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The accused called a taxi company claiming to be the gangster and said that he had booked a ride from Galaxy Apartments to Bandra police station two days before the firing incident. Rohit Tyagi has been arrested previously in Delhi for making such prank calls. The student told the cops that he made the prank call just for fun. The Mumbai police brought him from Ghaziabad to the city and arrested him. On Sunday morning, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal rode a bike to Salman Khan’s residence and fired at it. They quickly fled the scene and were later traced to Bhuj in Gujarat. Tyagi saw this news at his home on television and subsequently made the prank call. A police officer said, “Tyagi started following the news and planned a prank call to the taxi company. He called and claimed to be Lawrence Bishnoi. He told them that two days after the firing incident, he booked a taxi from outside Galaxy Apartments and got dropped off at Bandra police station He also provided them with the number of the taxi that allegedly ferried him.” The taxi company immediately informed the Mumbai police about the incident. The Bandra police were alerted and took the taxi driver into custody, after which it emerged that it was most likely a prank call. A team, under the guidance of Police Commissioner Raj Tilak Roshan and Senior Inspector Sanjay Marathe of Bandra police, station started the investigation. They obtained information and traced the caller to Ghaziabad. They took Tyagi into custody and questioned him, after which he confessed to making the prank call.
20 April,2024 07:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaFor the first time in the history of the flamingo city of Navi Mumbai, some pink birds were seen walking along Palm Beach Road in the wee hours of Friday, claimed Navi Mumbai-based Environmentalists. “We saw one bird rolling and trying to stand on the service road off Palm Beach at the NRI signal and tried to rescue it. After a while, the bird collapsed and died,” said 22-year-old cinematographer and bird lover Hamraj Khurana. He alerted the NRI police which kept the bird aside as nobody else could be contacted at that time. “This is a case of a hit-and-run and the CCTV camera in the vicinity ought to have recorded the incident that occurred around 1.45 am,” Khurana added. Khurana noticed another flamingo walking on Palm Beach Road, later, and posted a video on his Instagram page. “It is bizarre that the flamingos came out of their wetland habitat and landed on the road,” NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar said and called for an investigation by the environment department. “The DPS Flamingo Lake is dry and few birds that land there could be struggling to get food. The NRI wetland is dirty and hardly any flamingos land there. We observe thousands of flamingos landing at TS Chanakya wetland during the high tide in Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) and hundreds of bird lovers thronging the area,” Kumar added. NatConnect has once again appealed to Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to push the City and Industrial Development Corporation to hand over the DPS Flamingo Lake and save biodiversity. Environment lover Rekha Sankhala expressed her shock at the death of the birds and appealed to motorists to be careful when they speed away on empty roads. NMMC which erected solar lamp panels at TS Chanakya removed them after environmentalists protested as the structures could impact the birds in the wetland. CIDCO was also forced to pull down a gigantic sign board at Nerul Jetty after seven flamingos died as they crashed into the structure.
20 April,2024 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentWhile the Congress made a last-ditch failed effort to swap Mumbai North with Sangli with the Thackeray Sena, the chief of Mumbai Congress Varsha Gaikwad and senior party leaders chose to move on and cooperate with the MVA partner that has declared all its candidates in Mumbai. Gaikwad was interested in contesting Mumbai South Central, but Sena (UBT) bagged it in seat-sharing. The Congress hasn’t yet for its share of two — Mumbai North and Mumbai North Central. It is said that senior Congress leaders, including Gaikwad and Bhai Jagtap, could be made candidates here. It seems the local Congress leaders, who enjoyed an upper hand in seat-sharing till 2019, have been made to understand (by the high command's recent moves) that their golden days are long gone, and it is the Sena (UBT) that has taken over the reins. Congress’s Lok Sabha candidates will not be able to do much in the two constituencies without UBT’s support. Ticket aspirants and repeaters of the Congress in this year's Assembly elections foresee UBT's role in fixing/tweaking the Mumbai seat-sharing formula. So, no wise leader of a weaker side will attempt to spoil relations with the Sena UBT’s top leadership and its influencers. Gaikwad, who was at her aggressive best in demanding a fair share for her Mumbai unit, attended a meeting of INDIA bloc on Thursday night. Gaikwad and her party colleagues, Rajya Sabha MP Chandrakant Handore, ex-Mumbai president Bhai Jagtap and ex-MP Husain Dalwai made their presence felt with aggressive criticism of the BJP. Sena's South Central candidate Anil Desai, senior Sena leader Subhash Desai, local AAP, NCP (SP), Samajwadi Party, the CPI and RPI factions, together with Congress, formed a picture of unity and set the tone for the Opposition's campaign that will talk about the accusation that the Centre was planning to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. Dharavi's redevelopment will also feature in the campaign, and the MVA expects Gaikwad, the local MLA, to drive it hard against Shinde Sena MP and candidate, Rahul Shewale (South Central). In MVA, while the Congress is battling to decide two candidates, Sena (UBT) has taken a lead in the campaign. The BJP began with a bang last month in Mumbai North and North East to be much ahead of its competition there. In North Central, where the BJP has put the nomination on hold, the Congress is lagging for the same reason. Except for Shewale, no other candidate of Shinde Sena has been declared. With a month to go for voting in Mumbai, the parties have time till May 3 (the last day for the 5th phase nomination) to get us a clear picture of the battlefield.
20 April,2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra JoreADVERTISEMENT
