A total of 447 candidates have filed nomination forms for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polling in Maharashtra on Thursday, which was the last date for the process, an official said, reported news agency PTI. Eleven constituencies in north Maharashtra, western Maharashtra and Marathwada will go to polls in the fourth phase on May 13. As per poll officials, 18 candidates have filed their papers in Nandurbar, 24 in Jalgaon, 31 in Raver, 47 in Jalna, 51 in Aurangabad, 38 in Maval, 42 in Pune, 46 in Shirur, 43 in Ahmednagar, 31 in Shirdi and 76 in Beed, reported PTI. Polling was underway on Friday in 88 constituencies spread across 13 states and union territories in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging people to cast their votes in record numbers. Polling started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. Asserting that their vote is their voice, Modi especially told the youth and women voters to turn up at the polling booths in great numbers, and said a high voter turnout strengthens democracy. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also urged voters to come out and vote to protect democracy from the clutches of dictatorship. He also said that the Constitution should reverberate in their hearts before they push to voting button. In 2019, the BJP had won 52 and its existing allies 12 of these seats, including seven of eight in Uttar Pradesh, all 13, eight and seven in Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh respectively, and four of the five seats each in Assam and Bihar. The constituents of the now INDIA bloc had won 23 seats in the last general election.Polling was held in 102 seats in the the first phase polls on April 19. The turnout in the first phase was recorded at 62.37 per cent which may still be revised upwards as votes are tallied. The voting percentage in the first phase in 2019 was 69.43 per cent when 91 seats went to the polls. (With inputs from PTI)
26 April,2024 12:01 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNearly 7.4 per cent of the 1.49 eligible voters cast their ballots till 9 am in eight Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Friday, officials said, reported news agency PTI. Voting started at 7 am in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha and Yavatmal-Washim seats in the west Vidarbha region and Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani constituencies in Marathwada, and will end at 6 pm, officials said, reported PTI. Till 9 am, the Nanded constituency recorded 7.73 per cent voting for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. It stood at 7.23 per cent in Hingoli, 9.72 per cent in Parbhani, Wardha (7.18), Akola (7.17), Amravati (6.34), Buldhana (6.61) and Yavatmal-Washim (7.23), they said, adding that the average turnout recorded in these eight seats is about 7.4 per cent, reported PTI. Former chief minister Ashok Chavan, who recently switched over from the Congress to the BJP, was among the early voters in the Nanded constituency. As many as 1.49 crore voters, including 77,21,374 men, 72,04,106 women, and 432 persons from the third-gender category, are eligible to cast their ballot across 16,589 polling centres to seal the fate of 204 candidates in the fray in the eight seats. Of the 204 candidates in the fray, there are 21 in Buldhana, 15 in Akola, 37 in Amravati, 24 in Wardha, 17 in Yavatmal-Washim, 33 in Hingoli, 23 in Nanded, and 34 contestants in Parbhani seat. On April 19, five seats in east Vidarbha - Nagpur, Ramtek, Chandrapur, Bhandara-Gondia and Gadchiroli-Chimur - went to polls, registering a voter turnout of 63.70 per cent. Buldhana, Yavatmal-Washim and Hingoli are seeing a direct contest between the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). The undivided Shiv Sena contested the last general elections in the state in alliance with the BJP. It split in 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion, sunk the then Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and sided with the BJP to become the CM. In Buldhana, sitting Shiv Sena MP Prataprao Jadhav is pitted against Narendra Khedekar of Sena (UBT). The Shiv Sena has nominated Rajashri Patil in Yavatmal-Washim, dropping sitting MP Bhavana Gawli. Patil is pitted against Sanjay Deshmukh of the Thackeray-led party. In Hingoli, Rajashtri Patil's husband and sitting MP Hemant Patil was replaced by the Shiv Sena, which gave the ticket to Baburao Kohalikar. The Sena nominee is contesting against Nagesh Patil Ashtikar of Sena (UBT). In Parbhani, Mahadev Jankar of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha is contesting against MP Sanjay Jadhav, nominated by the Shiv Sena (UBT). Jankar has been backed by the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising BJP, Shiv Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Dr B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar, who heads the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), has fielded candidates in seven seats, including himself from Akola. His brother Anandraj Ambedkar is in the fray in Amravati as a Republican Sena nominee. In Akola, the contest is between Anup Dhotre of BJP and Abhay Patil of Congress, with Prakash Ambedkar as the third candidate. Amravati is seeing a battle between MP Navneet Rana, now contesting as a BJP nominee, against Balwant Wankhede of Congress. Dinesh Bub is the Prahar Janshakti Party candidate. The Prahar party, which has two legislators in the assembly, is an ally of the ruling coalition. In Wardha, there is a fight between former Congress MLA Amar Kale, contesting on the symbol of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) - "a man blowing turha" (a traditional trumpet) - against BJP MP Ramdas Tadas. In Nanded, BJP MP Pratap Chikhalikar is pitted against Congress nominee Vasant Chavan. Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh, will vote in three more phases between May 7 and May 20. (With inputs from PTI)
26 April,2024 11:21 AM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondentA Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees' union leader on Thursday claimed the state-run undertaking's plan to buy 2,200 buses was stalled due to delay on the part of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to sign the concerned file, reported news agency PTI. Addressing a press conference in the Congress' Tilak Bhavan office in Mumbai, Shrirang Barge of the ST Karmachari Sangh said 10,000 of 15,600 buses in Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation's fleet were in deplorable condition and delay in signing the file has caused shortage of vehicles in the summer, reported PTI. "Many of the buses in the fleet have run for more than 8.5 lakh kilometres. These are plagued by frequent breakdowns, which inconveniences passengers and staffers. Moreover, MSRTC's operating cost has increased by 1.5 per cent due to such buses," he said. "As the chief minister has not signed the file pertaining to funds, the purchase of 2,200 buses has got stalled. Why hasn't the file been signed? It was sent to the CMO much before the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls came into effect," he claimed. As Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation chairman, the CM owes an explanation for this delay since it takes at least three months for new buses to arrive once a work order is placed, Barge added, reported PTI. MSRTC has awarded a tender for hiring 5,150 e-buses from an EV manufacturing company, and as per the contract, it was supposed to supply 215 buses per month though only 20 mid-sized vehicles have come in so far, he further claimed, reported PTI. In February, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde dedicated 5,150 air-conditioned electric buses to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) fleet. Addressing a gathering at the Khopat bus depot in Thane, CM Shinde called for improvements in all ST bus depots in the state to ensure better passenger amenities and announced surprise inspections to monitor progress, according to the PTI. The addition of 5,150 electric buses to the MSRTC fleet marks a significant step towards modernisation and environmental sustainability, he said, while reiterating the importance of transitioning from diesel to LNG buses to reduce pollution. CM Eknath Shinde assured prompt resolution of pending issues concerning MSRTC workers and staff and emphasised the importance of competing effectively with private bus operators. CM Shinde also emphasised the importance of extending e-bus and AC bus services to rural areas of the state. (With inputs from PTI)
26 April,2024 10:28 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA 57-year-old astrologer filed a case at the Borivali police station, alleging that she was cheated out of Rs 52 lakh by a self-proclaimed saint and astrologer, along with his five accomplices. According to police sources, the astrologer, residing in the Shimpoli area of Borivali West, was threatened by the self-proclaimed saint. The saint claimed that her son would face a tragic death and his business would fail if she did not pay him. Out of fear, she handed over Rs 52 lakh along with her gold jewelry to protect her son over the last six years. According to the statement given to the police, the astrologer attended an astrology course at Borivali College in 2014, where she met Subhash Brida. In 2019, while traveling for a further course in Nasik (Igatpuri), Brida introduced her to Vijay Joshi, claiming him to be a renowned astrologer capable of predicting a child's future before and after birth, as well as resolving personal or financial issues. She was instructed to attend Joshi’s prayer sessions at a temple in Borivali. There, she met a group of individuals identified as Nilesh Mane, Rachna Dalvi, Kishore Tawde, Ruchita Chavan, and Prathamesh Mayekar in 2021. Joshi, who had established an astrology consultancy in Mira Road, requested the victim to write content for him and persuaded her to invest in a hotel business in Navi Mumbai for his son to become a partner. Joshi assured her that he was also investing in this venture and claimed that a Hyderabad-based businessman was the primary investor. Believing Joshi's pretext, she agreed and invested Rs 2.5 lakh as the first installment. In 2023, Joshi informed the victim that the Hyderabad-based businessman demanded his money back due to losses and threatened to commit suicide, leaving a note behind naming the complainant and her son. Joshi continued providing excuses about her son's tragic fate and business losses until he eventually extorted Rs 52 lakh from her, including her jewelry. Upon realising the fraud, she approached the Borivali police station and registered the case. An officer said, "We have registered the case under sections 420 and 34 of the IPC, along with sections 2 (1), 3 (2), and 5 of The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil, and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013."
26 April,2024 10:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanPolling began on Friday morning in eight Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, an official said. Voting started at 7 am in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha and Yavatmal-Washim seats in the west Vidarbha region and Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani constituencies in Marathwada, and will end at 6 pm, the official said. As many as 1.49 crore voters, including 77,21,374 men, 72,04,106 women, and 432 persons from the third-gender category, are eligible to cast their ballot across 16,589 polling centres to seal the fate of 204 candidates in the fray in the eight seats. Of the 204 candidates in the fray, there are 21 in Buldhana, 15 in Akola, 37 in Amravati, 24 in Wardha, 17 in Yavatmal-Washim, 33 in Hingoli, 23 in Nanded, and 34 contestants in Parbhani seat. On April 19, five seats in east Vidarbha - Nagpur, Ramtek, Chandrapur, Bhandara-Gondia and Gadchiroli-Chimur - went to polls, registering a voter turnout of 63.70 per cent. Buldhana, Yavatmal-Washim and Hingoli are seeing a direct contest between the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). The undivided Shiv Sena contested the last general elections in the state in alliance with the BJP. It split in 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion, sunk the then Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and sided with the BJP to become the CM. In Buldhana, sitting Shiv Sena MP Prataprao Jadhav is pitted against Narendra Khedekar of Sena (UBT). The Shiv Sena has nominated Rajashri Patil in Yavatmal-Washim, dropping sitting MP Bhavana Gawli. Patil is pitted against Sanjay Deshmukh of the Thackeray-led party. In Hingoli, Rajashtri Patil's husband and sitting MP Hemant Patil was replaced by the Shiv Sena, which gave the ticket to Baburao Kohalikar. The Sena nominee is contesting against Nagesh Patil Ashtikar of Sena (UBT). In Parbhani, Mahadev Jankar of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha is contesting against MP Sanjay Jadhav, nominated by the Shiv Sena (UBT). Jankar has been backed by the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising BJP, Shiv Shinde Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Dr B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar, who heads the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), has fielded candidates in seven seats, including himself from Akola. His brother Anandraj Ambedkar is in the fray in Amravati as a Republican Sena nominee. In Akola, the contest is between Anup Dhotre of BJP and Abhay Patil of Congress, with Prakash Ambedkar as the third candidate. Amravati is seeing a battle between MP Navneet Rana, now contesting as a BJP nominee, against Balwant Wankhede of Congress. Dinesh Bub is the Prahar Janshakti Party candidate. The Prahar party, which has two legislators in the assembly, is an ally of the ruling coalition. In Wardha, there is a fight between former Congress MLA Amar Kale, contesting on the symbol of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) "a man blowing turha" (a traditional trumpet) against BJP MP Ramdas Tadas. In Nanded, BJP MP Pratap Chikhalikar is pitted against Congress nominee Vasant Chavan. Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh, will vote in three more phases between May 7 and May 20. According to the Election Commission of India, 88 constituencies across 13 states and union territories are set to go for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Kerala has the highest number of constituencies as all 20 seats will poll today, followed by Karnataka with 14 seats. The other states that will go to poll on Friday include Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Tripura, and Manipur. The poll for the Jammu parliamentary seat will also be held on Friday. As many as 1202 candidates, including 1098 males and 102 females are in the fray. The first phase of voting for the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections 2024, the world's largest electoral exercise, was held on April 19 in 102 constituencies across 21 states and UTs. According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout registered was over 62 per cent. The third phase election will be held on May 7. (With inputs from Agencies)
26 April,2024 09:44 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Congress ended an impasse in the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency by declaring the city party chief, and four-time MLA, Varsha Gaikwad as its official candidate. Gaikwad has pipped two senior Congress leaders—Arif Naseem Khan and Bhai Jagtap—on her way to candidacy. Muslims, who have a larger presence here, expected a ticket for Khan, a former MLA from Chandivli, which falls under the North Central constituency. Insiders said a Muslim candidate would have helped the BJP in polarising votes that the Congress didn't want to benefit its rivals. Jagtap was also interested and confident about taking the field. The current MLC from the local self-government, he had won Assembly elections from different segments in the city. He headed the city Congress before Gaikwad. For Gaikwad, the ticket comes as a bonus where Priya Dutt had represented the party before BJP’s Poonam Mahajan won in 2014 and 2019. In fact, the MLA wanted to contest from Mumbai South Central under which her Dharavi Assembly segment falls. But the Shiv Sena (UBT) prevailed in seat-sharing and claimed it for its former MP Anil Desai. Gaikwad resented this and spoke out, but later found favour with party higher-ups. BJP keeps up suspense Close rivals, the BJP has not announced its candidate yet. Mahajan, the sitting MP, is vying for the nomination and a hat-trick of wins. The BJP is likely to announce its candidate any day soon because it now has an idea of who it will be fighting. Among prospective candidates are senior criminal lawyer Ujjwal Nikam and Vile Parle MLA Parag Alawani. Speculators said the BJP was wooing Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray’s personal assistant Milind Narvekar into contesting from here. However, Narvekar had denied any such possibility last week.
26 April,2024 07:30 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra JoreIn a big-hearted gesture from cardiac care in the city, 15 cardiologists practising in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai, have started a service called InstaHeart. This is an emergency heart care initiative by FirstHeart Cardiac Centre, Mumbai. Deadly delay The name ‘InstaHeart’ means an emphasis on the time factor. Cardiologist Dr C B Munjewar of InstaHeart said, “The initiative started this month. The reason for starting it was the rapid increase in heart attack deaths due to undue delay in initiation of proper treatment, which in turn is due to delay in meeting a qualified cardiologist.” How it works is you call their 24x7 active helpline number ‘999 6 999 247’ if you think you are experiencing some unexplained chest pain or some kind of cardiac symptoms. The staff responding will immediately connect you to a super speciality cardiologist on video consultation. You explain to the cardiologist what is happening to you, and since it is a video consultation, the doctor is also watching you as you speak, which gives a fair idea about your condition and he can advise you on the next steps. The process Said Dr Munjewar, “This is a 24/7 service. The usual consultation fee of these doctors is Rs 1,500 and above. But this initial video consultation with these cardiologists will be free for everyone (although any further treatment taken at a hospital or clinic will be chargeable as per their policy). InstaHeart will try to connect you to a cardiologist who is nearest to your location and also on their panel so that in case you need to be personally checked by the cardiologist, there isn’t any undue delay. The cardiologist, depending on that consultation may refer you to a hospital/facility closest to you, where he is also empanelled. While you and the cardiologist are rushing to the hospital, he will inform the hospital doctors about your condition and what preliminary treatment is to be started, like ECG, some urgent blood tests or some medicine etc. while he reaches the hospital. We also provide such patients with contact numbers of ambulance services which helps them to call the ambulance immediately if they need one, instead of wasting precious time looking around for ambulance services.” Speedy action According to Dr Munjewar, the aim is to get expert advice and trigger a quick response. “Many a time, due to delay, by the time the person comes to us, a significant part of the heart is already damaged. If they are experiencing unbearable chest pain, people might be told or even dangerously ‘self-diagnose’ it as acidity. Sometimes, well-meaning but ignorant people tell those experiencing pain that ‘this side’ should be hurting and not that and ‘this is nothing’. Sometimes, those suffering wait and talk it over with family or even neighbours, instead of moving superfast in the correct manner. The fastest way to initiate a medical consultation is a video consultation.” Not fake The doctor said, “Look at the emergency telephone number closely too. It has a 247 at the end, which refers to the 24/7 availability of the service. This will help people remember the number—999 6 999 247. That is the significance of the number,” the Ghatkopar-based doctor said as he added, “We are raising awareness through social media and have had approximately 10 consultations since inception. All of us work/practice full-time apart from this. We thought this was something one could do to save lives.” According to Dr Munjewar, when people first learn about the service, there is some scepticism. “I do not blame them… there is so much fake news whirring around on WhatsApp. This, though, is a genuine and (pun intended) heartfelt service. If we even manage to save one life, InstaHeart is not in vain.” Get in touch More details on: www.instaheart.inEmergency no.: 9996999247
26 April,2024 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharJitendra Pardeshi, tree officer, BMC, speaks out as tree trimming season is on in full swing in Mumbai and Maximum City gets ready for maximum challenges in the forthcoming rainy season. Pardeshi who is also Superintendent of Gardens, said pruning trees is a necessity as citizen safety is top of the priority pyramid. Approximately how many trees are being surveyed for strength/pruning needs?We have approximately 30 lakh trees in Mumbai. Out of this 1,86, 248 are on our roads and we have surveyed approximately 1,40,000 trees. We found that 433 trees are dead. There are 1,13,534 roadside trees that need to be trimmed out of the 1,48,169 surveyed till now. We have at least 120 officers working in 24 wards. Do you have trained staffers conducting this tree-trimming exercise?We have officials who are MSc and PhDs. We also have contractors and a horticulturist. We hold training/workshops in the latest techniques for our officials, so there are regular updates and upgradation and the staff is very well trained. What are you looking for when you decide that a tree needs pruning/cutting?There are several factors. We must also understand that there are trees on the main roads and in building societies. We have to ensure the safety of life and property. We do know what we are doing. What specifically are some unique Mumbai challenges when it comes to tree trimming?There is a density of buildings here. One part of the tree receives sunlight, while a building may block the sun on the other part. So, there is an imbalance and we need to correct that through pruning. We also have to cut certain branches to prolong the life of the tree. We do our job, but at times, when the wind velocity is too much, the tree cannot withstand the force. We saw that recently in Dubai. There seems to be some sort of trust deficit between the civic authorities and citizens. The latter often accuse the former of unnecessarily hacking trees or surreptitiously cutting them completely under the guise of pre-monsoon tree trimming... This is untrue. We want to be on same page as our citizens and we have a well-trained, well-equipped team to handle this. We also up awareness by informing the concerned police station in the ward about when and where the trimming will take place. We are fully committed to preservation and protection, but we need to prune if there is any danger. One may have a difference of opinion at times, but overall, we are with people. Tree trimming will be over by June 7. I also exhort people not to shelter under trees or park under them when there are showers, to take protection from the rain. In fact, during monsoon, we will also have an officer stationed in the Disaster Control Room, so that there can be immediate response in case of any tree-related incidents. 1,13,534No of trees that need to be trimmed
26 April,2024 07:25 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharThe Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai has arrested an African national, B O Afo, almost six months after seizing 2.170 kg of MDMA worth Rs 2 crore. The accused involvement was discovered following the seizure, he was tracked to Navi Mumbai, where he had been hiding and had disconnected his phone. The officials also found the drug syndicate involved has links to the Netherlands. The seized MDMA The NCB sources said the seized drugs would have been distributed to cities like Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Goa and Hyderabad. Investigators are identifying the other key associates in the larger syndicate. “Afo was arrested on Tuesday and remanded in police custody till April 28 after being produced in court. We found he has international links, which are being investigated,” said Amit Ghawate, additional director, NCB, Mumbai. According to the NCB, Afo was using a fake passport and his visa had expired. “He came to India in 2018 and has been staying here since then,” said an official from the NCB. The drug bust In October 2023, the NCB received information about a parcel containing a huge quantity of high-value drugs being sourced from the Netherlands and transported into Mumbai. Analysis led to the identification and detection of the parcel on October 19, 2023 at the Foreign Post Office, Mumbai. When the parcel was unboxed, they were found to contain items such as toys, crayons, pens, etc. “However, on closer examination, it was observed that the packaging was abnormal. When one side was cut open, layers of multi-coloured MDMA tablets were found concealed between the layers of the flap. When other flaps of the package were cut open, more such tablets were recovered. A total of 4,970 MDMA tablets were seized,” said an NCB official. International angle Since the quantity of the drugs was huge and there was an international angle, an extensive investigation was initiated by the NCB. “The syndicate had carefully maintained a technical evasive manoeuvre to avoid any identification. However, in the course of our in-depth investigation, credible technical analysis led to the identification of a financial trail,” said the official. After the seizure, the accused came to know about the police operation and disconnected his mobile phones and was roaming without any gadgets. “During the investigation, we found that he was making domestic as well as international transactions from his debit and credit cards. Some money was also sent to the Netherlands to his syndicate subordinates,” said an NCB official. “The syndicate was using new tricks and the parcels and modes of transport they use differ. However, with the help of international bank accounts and transactions, we are trying to trace accused operating from foreign countries,” said the official. 4,970No of MDMA tablets seized
26 April,2024 07:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Faisal TandelVillagers of Halchinchali in Solapur district are upset with all political parties. The village lacks motorable roads and despite having a large holding pond, it remains dry in the summer with villagers having to walk more than a kilometer every day to fetch water. “We have tap connections, but no water. For the past four years, villagers have been walking for over a kilometer just to fetch water as our own 83-hectare holding pond is dry during the summer. There is a need to raise the boundary walls of the pond and make provisions for storage. When in good condition, the pond also provides water to Akkalkot city. Roads in the village were repaired 15 years ago and now one cannot even drive a vehicle on it,” said Shreeshel Madhale, sarpanch of the village. Approaching the elected representatives has not yielded results. “We have met MPs and MLAs from all parties, but no one has been able to solve our problem of water supply during the summer,” he said. Villagers have to scale down the well if there is no electricity “Resources are taken from our village to the city. But our villages remain neglected. We neither have good roads nor enough water for drinking in summer. This problem has existed for the last five years. But no one is looking at it seriously. Raising the boundary wall of the pond will increase the storage of water, so we don’t suffer in summer,” Manav Ghodke, former Gram Panchayat member, said. “We are now managing by fetching water from private wells and in their absence God knows what situation the villagers would have to face. The population of the village is around 2,400 but no one has been able to solve even our basic needs,” villager Sharanappa Bansode said. “There are around nine members in my family. We need to engage at least one person to bring water from the well. We have no option as there is no alternative resource available in our village,” villager Khajedduin Golandaj said. Another villager Satish Narote, said, “We are just a few kilometres away from the city and the government needs to solve our problems as our daily life is a struggle.” 15 yrsSince the roads were last repaired
26 April,2024 07:20 AM IST | Solapur | Sameer SurveOn March 21, at the BMC community toilet in Malad’s Ambujwadi, three members of a family died while cleaning a water tank contaminated with faecal leakage from an adjoining septic tank. One month later, BMC’s P North ward officials prepared a report confirming this but attributed the tragedy to the family’s “wrongdoings.” Assistant Commissioner Kiran Dighavkar stated that the report, prepared by the executive engineer, had been submitted to the ward’s deputy commissioner. While the officials have not released the report to the press, Dighavkar said, “We have found that they had punctured the water tank to increase the capacity of the septic tank to avoid cleaning it frequently, which was their wrongdoing as that amounts to structural damage.” When asked for further explanation for this theory of wanting an additional septic tank, as BMC provides free desludging services to community-based organisation (CBO) toilets, he said, “He may have not wanted to call someone frequently to clean the toilet as until desludging finishes, the toilet needs to be kept shut.” Desludging work can last for a few hours or more, depending on factors like the size of the tank, volume of waste, and quality of equipment used by the civic body. The family of the deceased 45-year-old Ramlagan Kevat and his two sons, Suraj, 18, and Bikas, 20, earlier told mid-day that BMC had never sent staff to desludge the septic tank. Instead, they alleged that the staff had asked for Rs 5,000 to provide the desludging services. Dighavkar dismissed this as a baseless claim. Since its inception in 2017, the toilet where the deaths occurred has had three tanks. Two were underground tanks: one for waste and the other for borehole water. The borehole water was earlier pumped onto the rooftop tank using a motor. For the past couple of years, the CBO Om Jai Durga Seva Society, tasked with managing the toilet, had directed the supply to the overhead tank through a separate pipe as the motor incurred frequent repair costs. The deceased Ramlagan was a secretary of this CBO. Confirming mid-day’s earlier reporting on the matter, Dighavkar said, “They had managed to bring in a new water connection, which is why he wanted to clean that underground water tank which was not in use.” However, he added, “He (Ramlagan) thought he would repair the puncture he made earlier and turn it into a usable water tank again.” Another CBO member, Sunil Mishra, denied this. He said, “As they were pulled out from the water tank by the locals, we have been maintaining from the start that there was a leakage somewhere because of which waste was transferred to the water tank. Now that the BMC is also saying the same, we are convinced that the leak has been there since the toilet was constructed, which makes it BMC’s responsibility.” He added, “Locals here or Ramlagan had no reason to puncture the tank.” Meanwhile, Chimaji Adhav, senior inspector at Malwani police station, said the investigation is still ongoing as far as they are concerned. “We have not received any report from the BMC,” he said. From the day of the incident until March 26, when BMC ordered an inquiry into the matter after an FIR was filed against P North officials by the family for negligence, there was a contradiction between the BMC ward officials and the Malwani police. The former kept insisting it was a septic tank into which the residents fell, while the police stated it was a water tank containing waste.
26 April,2024 07:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Eshan KalyanikarADVERTISEMENT
