The 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 KalyanikarStudents at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, argue that the most recent circular has gone too far in limiting democratic freedoms on campus. Just days after suspending a Dalit PhD scholar and placing nationwide restrictions on his campus access for his involvement in a January demonstration outside Parliament, the institute has now released another circular imposing even tighter constraints on engagement with political matters. The new directive prohibits faculty and students from organising or participating in demonstrations, protests, or processions of any kind within and in front of the gates of all TISS campuses. Additionally, it extends the restrictions to online activities, prohibiting students and faculty from initiating or engaging in online petitions, marches, flash mobs, or even viewing, screening, or broadcasting events, seminars, workshops, meetings, etc., related to political issues. April 24 circular Last week, Ramadas Prini Sivanandan, also known as Ramadas KS, and the general secretary of the Progressive Students Forum (PSF), faced a two-year suspension and ban from all TISS campuses, including those in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and Tuljapur. Ramadas's suspension and debarment stem from several incidents, including the screening of the banned BBC documentary 'Raam Ke Naam' on campus, organising controversial events, and participating in protests. The TISS administration issued a public notice on April 18 outlining Ramadas’s involvement in activities deemed to violate the institute’s disciplinary rules. These activities included organising a Bhagat Singh memorial lecture with speakers considered contentious, staging protests outside the director’s bungalow at midnight with loud slogans, and promoting the screening of the documentary Ram Ke Naam via social media platforms. The recent circular imposing restrictions on students and faculty regarding activities against or in support of any political leader or issues has sparked discontent among several student unions on campus. The circular issued on April 24 by the institute reads: “All faculty, staff, and students are hereby informed that on 16th March 2024, the Election Commission of India announced the date of Lok Sabha Elections 2024, and with this, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force, regulating electoral governance. Accordingly, the following activities shall remain strictly prohibited within the campus till the completion of the election process.” The circular issued by Narendra Mishra, officiating registrar of TISS, further warned: "The above list is only illustrative and not exhaustive and is not intended to substitute any other detailed orders, directions/instructions on the above subjects, which must be strictly observed and followed. Any violation of the above will be dealt with strictly as per rules." Professor Manoj Kumar Tiwari, In-charge Vice-Chancellor or TISS couldn't be reached for comments. The circular restricts students>> Demonstrations, protests, or processions at TISS campuses.>> Screenings or online events on political topics.>> Marches, flash mobs, or online petitions supporting political entities.>> Disrupting operations.>> Using institute property for banners, flags, slogans.>> No chaotic behaviour or unauthorised entry; students must carry IDs. April 24The day the circular was issued
26 April,2024 07:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghPassengers may face state transport bus shortage this vacation season as plan to buy 2,200 new buses has been stalled over delay in signature by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is also the chairman of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), trade union leaders have alleged. “As the chief minister has not signed the file for the funds required to purchase buses for the corporation, the purchase of 2,200 buses has been stalled. All this will obviously hit passengers and eventually also the employees. What is the reason behind not signing even after sending the file on time?” questioned trade union leader Shrirang Barge of ST Karmachari Congress. “Nearly 10,000 buses of ST are in deplorable condition and the mechanical staff at depots are slogging with their repair work, but the buses are beyond repair. Also, bus drivers are struggling to run these pathetic buses and facing a lot of trouble while driving even short distances. It is also a public safety issue,” he added. “The MSRTC has approved a tender of 2,200 ready-made buses with body construction from Ashok Leyland Company. But the funds required for that have yet to come from the government as they are awaiting the final signature for the work order. Buses cannot be procured without work order for which funds are awaited,” he said. “Eventually, delays in payment leads to court cases by manufacturers and complicates things further. The file has been sent to Shinde’s office much before the Code of Conduct, but still remains unsigned,” he alleged. “Now all this will lead to problems during the next month when vacation begins,” he said. 2,200No of new buses yet to arrive
26 April,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarAs many as five flamingos were found dead and seven injured around DPS Lake in Navi Mumbai on Thursday, shocking bird lovers and environmentalists. This takes the toll of dead flamingos found in a week to eight. As morning walkers sounded alerts on WhatsApp groups, bird rescuer Sunpreet Sawardekar and his team from the Wildlife Welfare Association (WWA) swung into action and shifted the injured pink birds to their hospital at Manpada in Thane. The forest department has taken charge of the seven carcasses and dispatched them to Mumbai Veterinary College, Panvel, for a post-mortem examination, Range Forest Officer Sudhir Manjare said. Meanwhile, the NatConnect Foundation has written to the chief minister requesting a high-level inquiry into these incidents and corrective steps to protect the biodiversity of the flamingo city of Navi Mumbai. NatConnect director B N Kumar recalled that this was the second tragedy involving the avian guests within seven days. Last Friday, three flamingos were found dead and one was injured. Kumar has also taken up the issue with the 141-year-old research body BNHS and alerted the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) commissioner and state mangrove cell. NGO NatConnect was informed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests V S Ramarao that a team will be sent to the site to study the situation and suggest action. NatConnect pointed out that the DPS Lake, an intertidal wetland, remains dry as the water inlets have been blocked. “One on the southern end of the lake under the road to the Nerul jetty has been buried in the road and this channel must be reopened,” he said. Rekha Sankhala from the Save Flamingos & Mangroves forum has also requested the NMMC and CIDCO to reopen water flow to the lake. Bird lovers feel that the flamingos might be getting disoriented due to the non-availability of food in the dry lake and flying helter-skelter. NatConnect also said that BNHS Deputy Director Dr Rahul Khot expressed shock at the incidents and that flamingos are coming onto the roads. BNHS has been insisting on maintaining the wetlands in Navi Mumbai in proper condition as flamingos fly in here from Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) during high tide.
26 April,2024 07:13 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentReleased from jail in the morning, committed a theft in the evening and the next day, gets back in jail again. A 21-year-old habitual criminal identified as Narayan Raju Parmar, involved in over half-a-dozen thefts, snatchings, and cheating cases, was arrested by the Borivli police in October last year. With his arrest, the cops had solved four cases including one of snatching, two thefts and one cheating case. He has been in jail since November 2023 and was released on bail on Sunday morning. ‘Within seven hours’ According to police sources, within seven hours of his release, he committed another theft, snatching a gold mangalsutra from the neck of a 63-year-old woman near Gora Gandhi Hotel on Sunday evening. The following day, around 10 pm, he again stole a purse containing gold ornaments from a 50-year-old woman in an auto-rickshaw near Kalpana Chaval Chowk. In both cases, the stolen gold valuables were worth about Rs 1.25 lakh. Under the guidance of DCP Anand Bhoite and Senior Inspector Ninad Sawant, Borivli PSIs Rajesh Kadam and Indrjeet Patil, along with their detection team began their investigation. With the help of CCTV footage, Parmar was identified and arrested on April 23, said an officer. Parmar has a previous criminal record and was arrested by the Borivli cops with an 18-year-old accused in October 2023.
26 April,2024 07:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanAfter spending over 210 days underground and more than 100 days in jail following her arrest, the Mumbai Sessions Court finally approved bail for Shivangi Mehta, director of operations at Bliss Consultants, on Wednesday. The court ordered her release under various conditions. Shivangi Mehta’s husband, Ashesh Mehta, is still in jail, and his bail application is scheduled to be heard in the session’s court on Friday. According to sources, the court granted bail to Shivangi and ordered her release upon furnishing a PR bond of Rs 1,00,000/- with one or more sureties in the like amount. The court has also ordered Mehta to surrender her passport to the investigating officer within one week of her release. She was directed to make herself available for interrogation by the investigating officer as and when required, with prior intimation. The court instructed Shivangi not to leave India without prior permission from the court and refrain from alienating any movable and immovable property in her name or the name of her relatives, if any, without permission from the court. She is also prohibited from tampering with the prosecution evidence or pressurising the prosecution witnesses in any manner until the conclusion of the trial. Shivangi is required to furnish her contact number and residential address to the investigating officer and keep him updated in case of any change. At the time of the order, SPP Adv Seema Deshpande for state, ASI Avhad, and PI Sawardekar attached to EOW were present. Adv Abad Ponda a/w Adv Vinay Bhanushali, Adv. Sanmit Vaze for Shivangi Mehta were also presented in the court. Case history The Mehtas are the founders and directors of Bliss Consultants, which has 2,400 customers and a growth rate of 500 per cent across more than nine countries. However, their fortunes took a drastic turn when they were ensnared in a drug-related case by the Khaniyadhana police of Shivpuri district in Madhya Pradesh in June 2023. During a crackdown on drug rackets, the police arrested Nisaar Zubair Khan, a resident of Mira Road in Thane district, on June 9, 2023. Khan was found in possession of 142 grams of mephedrone (MD) valued at R17 lakh. During his interrogation, Khan implicated the couple, claiming that he had been working for them and transporting drugs across the country. Upon receiving this information, officers from the Khaniyadhana police travelled to Mumbai, where the couple was detained and taken to the Aarey police station, where Khan identified them among 12 individuals. The couple was then released with a summons to appear before the authorities for further investigation. However, the couple went into hiding in July 2023. Subsequently, an ex-MLA filed a case against them at Amboli police station, which was later transferred to the EOW. The investigation included charges under the MPID Act, and the authorities seized the couple’s property and bank accounts. Numerous FIRs, exceeding 150, were filed against the couple nationwide. Additionally, an FIR was lodged against Ashesh’s father, Shailesh Mehta, by the Sohana police in SAS Nagar district, Punjab, on December 2. Shailesh was arrested and spent over two months in jail before being released on bail. However, in the same month, the Madhya Pradesh police cleared the couple of involvement in the drug case, removing their names from the investigation. Nonetheless, the EOW police arrested the couple in December 2023, and they have been in jail since then. 210No of days Shivangi spent in jail 150Approx no of FIRs against the couple
26 April,2024 07:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanADVERTISEMENT
