Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray. (PTI Photo)Mumbai News Highlights: The Shiv Sena led Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Sunday announced that they will reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) by Rs. 2.08 for Petrol per litre and ₹1.44 for diesel per litre with immediate effect. This comes a day after the Centre’s decision to excise duty on petrol and diesel prices.
Mumbai on Sunday reported 234 new Covid-19 cases, zero deaths. A total of 151 patients were discharged during the day. At present there are 1,294 active cases in the city and the recovery rate stands at 98 per cent.
Addressing a rally in Pune, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray Sunday reiterated his demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring in a Uniform Civil Code at the earliest. Thackeray was speaking at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune. Thackeray also asked to rename Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar, ANI reported.
After his much-talked-about Ayodhya visit on June 5 has been cancelled, Thackeray said, “Two days ago, I tweeted about postponing my Ayodhya visit. I intentionally gave the statement to allow everyone to give their reactions. Those who were against my Ayodhya visit were trying to trap me, but I decided not to fall into this controversy.”
Pune police have given the nod to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s rally, scheduled to take place at Ganesh Kala Krida Rang Manch later today, under 13 specific conditions. These include directions to speakers at the rally to refrain from making any provocative statements or comments hurting communal sentiments, while those attending the rally have been asked to avoid chanting slogans or taking out vehicle rallies before or after the event. Police commissioner Amitabh Gupta said over 200 officials and constabulary have been deployed for Sunday morning’s rally. The State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) has also been additionally deployed.
A day after the Centre reduced excise duty on fuel, the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government on Sunday reduced the Value Added Tax (VAT) on per litre petrol by Rs 2.08 and diesel by Rs 1.44.
senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said the reduction in VAT on fuel done by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government was inadequate and termed it as a "cruel joke" played on the people.
"An announcement which suits the economic condition of Maharashtra was expected. Our share in the country's GDP is 15 per cent. The central government was bearing a financial burden of Rs 2,20,000 crore and the state should have borne at least 10 per cent of the burden," the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly said. (PTI)
Mumbai on Sunday reported 234 new coronavirus positive cases, which raised the city's infection tally to 10,62,908, while the toll remained unchanged at 19,566 as no death was reported, the civic body said.
A total of 151 patients were discharged during the day, taking the recovery count to 10,42,048, the health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.
There are 1,294 active cases in the city at present. The recovery rate of Mumbai is 98 per cent. (PTI)
Maharashtra on Sunday reported 326 Covid-19 cases, taking the state's tally to 78,82,802, while the toll remained at 1,47,856 with no fresh deaths reported, an official said. A release from the state health department said 251 patients were discharged during the day.
State health bulletin data showed the recovery rate was 98.10 per cent, while the fatality rate stood at 1.87 per cent. Mumbai reported 234 cases during the day.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday described the central government's move of slashing excise duty on fuel as a mere "eyewash" and said if it really wanted to provide relief to people, then it should reduce the price of LPG cylinder to Rs 400 and also restore subsidy on it.
The Centre on Saturday announced a record Rs 8 per litre cut in excise duty on petrol and Rs 6 reduction on diesel. "If the Modi government is honest, then the unjust increase in excise duty imposed since 2014 should be withdrawn," Patole said. (PTI)
In a rare accomplishment, 10-year-old skater Rhythm Mamania from Mumbai became one of the youngest Indian mountaineers to climb the Everest base camp, a trek which she completed in 11 days. Her parents - Harshal and Urmi - accompanied her during the trek earlier this month.
"Rhythm, a Class 5 student from MET Rishikul Vidyalaya in suburban Bandra, reached the Everest base camp on May 6 at around 1 pm," her mother Urmi told PTI on Sunday. The base camp is situated at 5,364 metres and it took 11 days for her to complete the expedition, she said.
Rhythm, a resident of Worli, said, "Skating ring or base camp summit, it's the determination that gets you a long way." "Along with skating, trekking has always been my passion, but this trek taught me how important it is to be a responsible trekker and also solve the mountain waste management problem," she added. (PTI)
The Shiv Sena led Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Sunday announced that they will reduce the Value Added Tax (VAT) by Rs. 2.08 for Petrol per litre and u20b91.44 for diesel per litre with immediate effect.
After reducing the VAT on petrol and diesel, the per month revenue from petrol will reduce by Rs 80 crore, while that from diesel by Rs 125 crore. The central government on Saturday announced a record Rs 8 per litre cut in excise duty on petrol and Rs 6 reduction on diesel. (With Inputs from PTI)
MP Navneet Rana will appear before Parliamentary Privileges Committee of Lok Sabha on May 23rd in connection with her allegation of "patently illegal arrest and the consequent inhuman treatment meted out to her in Khar Police Station, Mumbai". (ANI)
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday slammed MNS chief Raj Thackeray's claim that he had deferred his visit to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh as there was ploy to "trap" his party workers into legal issues, and said such comments were made out of frustration.
"Who can stop you from going to Ayodhya? What conspiracy can be there?" Raut sought to know while talking to reporters here. It was a "BJP-sponsored" visit, the Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson claimed, while noting that Uttar Pradesh is governed by the saffron party.
"If there is opposition from one BJP MP, defy that opposition and go ahead. Who will trap you? All such comments are made out of frustration. There is a need for counseling and treatment (over such comments)," the Rajya Sabha member said. (PTI)
Echoing the melodies of history, the Cooperage Bandstand Garden is one of the torch-bearing green spaces in Mumbai. Since 1867, the garden situated towards the south end of Mumbai’s iconic oval maidan on Madame Cama Road has been a rich cultural heritage site as well.
The crown jewel of the garden is its circular wooden canopied bandstand surrounded by a grass amphitheatre. The 150-year-old structure, one of the few remaining bandstands in Mumbai, was recently restored and is an apt venue for cultural events which are also free for all. The city’s bandstands traditionally hosted cultural events, especially musical events, for the public. Krutarth Patnaik writes..
Two days after he called off his proposed Ayodhya visit, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday alleged that he was forced to take the decision in view of a “trap” that was being laid for him and his workers ahead of the election season in Maharashtra.
“Those who were rattled by my announcement to visit Ayodhya were planning to lay down a trap…,” the MNS chief said while addressing a morning rally at the overflowing Ganesh Kala Kridha Manch in Pune city. Elections to 14 municipal corporations, 25 zilla parishads and scores of gram panchayats are overdue in Maharashtra. Read more
A sessions court in Maharashtra’s Palghar district on Friday convicted a 25-year-old man and sentenced him to life imprisonment for killing a 26-year-old man by running a car over him after a brawl during a mutual friend’s birthday party on January 15, 2018. Additional sessions judge DH Keluskar also fined the convicted Nimesh Tanna of Rs 10,000.
The incident took place at Achchhad village in Talasari taluka. According to the complainant Hemant Bora, Tanna rammed his car into that of the victim Pratik Patel near Sahyadri hotel after they left a resort after the party in a bitter note. Bora was travelling along with Patel in his car at the time. Read more
A tanker carrying edible oil overturned on the busy Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway here in Maharashtra, disrupting traffic movement on the road for about three hours, police said on Sunday. After the accident took place on Saturday, a number of locals rushed to the spot and looted the oil overflowing from the tanker, they said.
The driver of the tanker, carrying 12,000 litres of edible oil for processing from Surat in Gujarat to neighbouring Mumbai, lost control over the wheels near Tawa village. As a result, the vehicle overturned and the oil leaked from it. Many villagers rushed to the spot and took away the leaked oil in their cans and other vessels, the official said. (PTI)
After his much-talked-about Ayodhya visit on June 5 has been cancelled, Thackeray said, “Two days ago, I tweeted about postponing my Ayodhya visit. I intentionally gave the statement to allow everyone to give their reactions. Those who were against my Ayodhya visit were trying to trap me, but I decided not to fall into this controversy.” (ANI)
Addressing a rally in Pune, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray Sunday reiterated his demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring in a Uniform Civil Code at the earliest. Thackeray was speaking at the Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune. Thackeray also asked to rename Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar.
The Cathedral Vidya School (CVSL) in Lonavala, a residential IB (International Baccalaureate) World School, which also offers Cambridge IGCSE curriculum, has shut down. The teaching and non-teaching staff and parents were informed on Saturday via an email from the management that it is no longer financially viable to continue operations.
This comes at a time when the students were set to resume classes from Monday. While most IB and Cambridge IGCSE schools in Maharashtra begin academic year in June-July, CVSL starts its new session in May and goes into vacation from June-end to August, as it rains heavily in Lonavala. Read more
From the renewed row over the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi built by him, to the disturbed quiet around his spare tomb near Aurangabad, Aurangzeb finds himself back at the heart of controversies. However, one piece of history involving the Mughal Emperor is slowly coming to life in Maharashtra. For the past six months now, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been excavating a 400-year-old hammam located opposite the ‘Bibi Ka Maqbara’ built by Aurangzeb in Aurangabad. Vallabh Ozarkar writes
The Bombay High Court recently held that the mayor of a municipal corporation has “no choice or discretion as to who should be recognised as the leader of the House”. The court said that as per the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, “the mayor has to first determine which party in the ruling combination has greatest numerical strength and then recognise the leader of that party as the leader of House”.
The HC observed that a decision by the mayor of the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC) to remove councillor Shyam M Agarwal – the leader of the House from BJP – and replacing him with a candidate supported by the Congress was “arbitrary and contrary to the MMC Act”. Read more
A 36-year-old man, who was the superintendent of a government secondary school and hostel in Palghar district was sent to 5 years in jail by a sessions court for molesting a 16-year-old tribal girl. An FIR was registered in the case on March 2, 2018.
The 16-year-old victim told police that she has been staying in the girl’s hostel and studying in the school since childhood. On December 31, 2017, the accused called her to his room in the evening saying that her mother had called her over the phone. As the girl went to take the call, he told her that the phone line had got disconnected and asked her to come again around 9.30 pm. Read more
At a time when open spaces in Mumbai are a priced commodity, the southern end of the Acharya Atre maidan in Ghatkopar has been encroached by the BMC, local BJP leaders have alleged. The party workers said that the solid waste management (SWM) department of the local N ward has set up a motor loader chowki (office) and a segregation unit at the area during the pandemic.
The entire maidan was under the MHADA in the 1960s, and was later handed over to the BMC. Three former prime ministers – Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and V P Singh – have addressed meetings at the maidan. In 2019, the BJP had unveiled its party manifesto at the maidan. Now, cricket tournaments are held at the spot.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in a speaking order Friday asked Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her husband MLA Ravi Rana to remove an ‘unauthorised’ structure from their apartment within seven days from the receipt of the letter. The civic body said this in reply to a response submitted by the Rana couple on May 19. Earlier, on May 10, the civic body had issued a notice to Member of Parliament (MP) Navneet Rana and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Ravi Rana over unauthorised construction at their Mumbai apartment. Read more
Central parts of Mumbai on Saturday received first pre-monsoon showers of the season with light rains reported in Dadar and Matunga areas. The Maharashtra capital which faced one of its hottest summers this year was witnessing a cloudy weather since Thursday. There were a few incidents of motorbike-riders skidding on the wet asphalt surface on the bridge connecting eastern and western sides of Matunga, police said. The neighbouring Navi Mumbai city witnessed lightning flashes but no showers till late in the evening. (PTI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said the Central government’s reduction of excise duty on petrol and diesel was not enough and demanded that it be brought down further to what it was six or seven years ago. In a statement, Thackeray criticised the Central government for minimal reduction of excise duty on petrol and diesel.
“Two months ago, the excise duty on petrol was hiked by Rs 18.42 per litre and today, it has been reduced by Rs 8, while the duty on diesel was increased by Rs 18.24 per litre and now it has been brought down by Rs 6. It is not good to make drastic hikes and then provide minimal reduction,” the chief minister said.
Hello and welcome to today's live blog. We bring to you the latest news updates from across Mumbai and Maharashtra. Follow this space!
Mumbai on Saturday reported 198 Covid-19 cases, taking its tally to 10,62,674, while the death toll remained unchanged at 19,566, a civic official said.
The discharge of 131 persons took the recovery count to 10,41,897, leaving the metropolis with an active caseload of 1,211, he said. He said only four of the 198 persons detected with the infection during the day needed hospitalisation. (PTI)
BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the Maharashtra government should bring down the state taxes on petrol and diesel after the Union government offered a major relief.
In a social media post, Fadnavis said, "By reducing excise duty on petrol and diesel, the union government is going to bear revenue implication to the tune of Rs one lakh crore annually. Maharashtra government needs to follow suit and reduce state excise duty on petrol and diesel further." The state excise duty makes fuel rates in Maharashtra one of the highest in the country, and "political parties should take steps to offer further relief to people instead of organising protest rallies on the streets," the former chief minister said. (PTI)
A magistrate's court in Maharashtra has ordered a farmer who unintentionally triggered a massive wildfire to plant 1,000 saplings and take care of them.
Subhash Ramrao Patil, resident of Nandgaon village in Satara district, admitted to his guilt before a Judicial Magistrate First Class in Karad tehsil on Friday.
Magistrate S A Virani then ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 5,000, and also plant 1,000 saplings and take care of them. Patil was asked to submit a detailed report about the plantation and survival of saplings to the forest department's office at Malkapur. (PTI)
Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 307 Covid-19 cases, including 198 from Mumbai. So far, 77,32.792 persons have recovered from the infection,including 240 in the last 24 hours, leaving the state with an active caseload of 1,828.
A state health department bulletin said Satara, Sangli, Nandurbar, Dhule, Beed, Latur, Hingoli, Akola, Buldhana, Yavatmal and Gondia districts have no active case currently. The recovery rate in the state stood at 98.10 per cent and the fatality rate was 1.87 per cent.
The Congress has left its leadership issue unresolved at its Chintan Shivir held recently and the party's present condition is miserable, which is not good for the country's democracy, the Shiv Sena said on Saturday. (PTI)
After two days of poor to very poor Air Quality Index in Mumbai, the pollution levels dropped on Saturday morning. The system of Air Quality Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) recorded an AQI of 197, which falls in the moderate category, a drop from 309 and 286 AQIs on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
According to SAFAR’s forecast, the AQI is likely to remain in the moderate category for the next two days. “AQI of Mumbai indicates ‘upper end of moderate’ and likely to be within ‘moderate’ for the next 2 days,” SAFAR said. Read More
Over the last six decades, a statue of a farmer with maize in one hand and a pigeon in another at Cadell Road in Mumbai’s Prabhadevi has come to be known as the nagda putla or naked statue. Designed by noted sculptor Ramchandra Pandurang Kamat and set up in the 1950s, the statue has also faced some opposition from religious groups in the past but has managed to withstand it for over half a century now.
Vinayak Talwar, a volunteer with Khaki Tours who takes people on trips in the Prabhadevi area says the nagda putla is a popular local landmark. Mohamed Thaver writes..
TAKING UMBRAGE at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to allow redevelopment of listed heritage grade-III structures and precincts without its permission, Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) has called for comprehensive guidelines for development work in these areas.
The committee has also recommended that the proposals of redevelopment in grade III and precincts should be sent before it until guidelines are formed. The issue has also been raised with municipal commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal. Read More
IN ITS chargesheet against NCP Minister Nawab Malik, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that “several rounds of meetings” were held among Malik, his brother Aslam, Dawood Ibrahim’s sister Haseena Parkar, and 1993 serial blasts convict Sardar Khan over the Goawala compound in Kurla, in connection to which a money-laundering case has been filed.
On Friday, a special court took cognizance of the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) filed last month which has named Malik, Khan, Solidus Investments Pvt Ltd, and Malik Infrastructure, companies linked to the minister, as accused. Read More
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has denied allegations of Rs 9,380 crore scam in the construction of housing units for Project Affected Persons (PAP) on private land. In a statement issued on Friday, the BMC said that there is no financial irregularity in getting tenements for Project Affected Persons. Read More
The authorities of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district have relocated six elephants to Jamnagar in Gujarat for their "better health and management", a senior official has said.
The six elephants - four males and two females - were so far kept in Botezari Elephant Camp in Kolsa forest range in the TATR, Dr Jitendra Ramgaonkar, Chief Conservator of Forests of the reserve said in a statement.
Earlier, the elephant camp was at Moharli. Since all these elephants are of the same pedigree, there is a possibility of their offspring having serious defects, he said.
It was decided to relocate six elephants from the tiger project at Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust in Jamnagar. Permission was obtained from Project Elephant Department and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
On Thursday, all these elephants were sent from Botezari Hussey Camp of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Project to Gujarat in six vehicles under tight security.
After this, trained elephants will be brought from Karnataka, Ramgaonkar said. (PTI)
The Central Railway (CR) on Friday said it is running four extra shuttle services of the mini-train between the hill station of Matheran and Aman Lodge station on weekdays till the end of this month.
Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer of the CR, said services have been added to the existing 16 services till May 31, starting from Friday.
The step was taken considering the rush of visitors at the hill station situated about 100 km from Mumbai. The CR already operates 20 services of mini-train on weekends.
Neral-Matheran mini-train services have been suspended for long after the tracks were washed away due to landslides and floods, but Matheran-Aman Lodge service is in operation. (PTI)
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Friday announced that it would start free 'Shiv Yoga Kendra' in its 24 wards from June 1.
In a release, it said each of these free classes will have 30 persons, who need to apply to the local ward office in a set format.
"The Yoga classes could be arranged in open spaces, BMC schools, marriage halls, ward offices and any public area. They will be conducted from Monday to Friday. The BMC, in its budget for 2022-23, had announced the setting up of 200 Shiv Yog Kendras under its 'better health through yoga' plan," an official said.
The BMC has also made a provision of Rs 25 crore for capital expenditure and Rs 5 crore for revenue expenditure in the budget, he said, adding that the civic body will appoint a Yoga training organization to provide instructors to conduct these classes. (PTI)
Mumbai on Friday reported 213 Covid-19 cases, a slight dip from the 223 witnessed a day earlier. The recovery count rose by 155 to touch 10,41,766, leaving the metropolis with an active caseload of 1,144.
Of the 213 new cases, only nine required hospitalisation, including one needing oxygen support, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said. (PTI)