People celebrate Diwali at Sewri, Mumbai. (Express Photo/File)Mumbai News Highlights: The air quality of Mumbai dropped to the unhealthy category on Diwali eve Sunday. According to IQAir, an air quality monitoring website, the Air Quality Index (AQI) value was 153 in Mumbai Sunday evening. Data also showed that the primary pollutants in the air were PM 2.5 components, which are primarily discharged from ashes, crackers, smoke, and tobacco.
Meanwhile, city-based Awaaz Foundation has written to the police and Maharashtra government after a chemical test revealed the presence of highly toxic substances in firecrackers. The foundation’s convener Sumaira Abdulali said that a test that the organisation conducted independently revealed the presence of toxic chemicals such as arsenic, sulphur, barium and chlorine in firecrackers, she said.
NCP president Sharad Pawar said he will participate in the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra when it enters Maharashtra as an attempt is being made through it to bring harmony in society. Pawar said state Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat had met him and extended an invitation to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass outreach programme, when it enters the state on November 7.
The air quality of Mumbai dropped to the unhealthy category on Diwali eve Sunday. According to IQAir, an air quality monitoring website, the Air Quality Index (AQI) value was 153 in Mumbai Sunday evening.
Data also showed that the primary pollutants in the air were PM 2.5 components, which are primarily discharged from ashes, crackers, smoke, and tobacco. Read more
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) president and former CM Uddhav Thackeray visited the Pandharpur and Dahegaon villages in the Aurangabad district to assess crop damage due to rain.
Thackeray demanded the Maharashtra government declare "wet drought" in the state and provide Rs 50,000 per hectare as compensation to farmers affected by rains without waiting for the loss assessment reports.
NCP president Sharad Pawar said he will participate in the Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra when it enters Maharashtra as an attempt is being made through it to bring harmony in society.
Pawar said state Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat had met him and extended an invitation to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass outreach programme, when it enters the state on November 7.
Mumbai-based Awaaz Foundation has written to the police and Maharashtra government after a chemical test revealed the presence of highly toxic substances in firecrackers.
The organisation along with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had tested noise levels of firecrackers and found that they all fell within the permissible decibel limit of 120, the foundation's convener Sumaira Abdulali said.
However, a test that the organisation conducted independently revealed the presence of toxic chemicals such as arsenic, sulphur, barium and chlorine in firecrackers, she said.
"For the first time since we started testing in 2008 all crackers have fallen within permissible decibel limit of 120. The maximum was 114 from a series of 10,000 crackers," Abdulali said. (PTI)
The Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra has either stayed or reversed at least half a dozen decisions taken by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime including shifting of the Aarey Metro car shed and restoring general consent to the CBI to probe cases in the state.
These decisions include restoring the voting rights of farmers to Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets, restarting pension for the people jailed during the Emergency, and electing village heads and municipal council presidents directly from the people. (PTI)
A speeding Ferrari car rammed into the railing on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) and was totally damaged in the early hours of Wednesday, said the police.
The incident took place around 3 am when the Ferrari owned by a private company entered the Sea Link from the Bandra end, said the police. “The car was speeding and we suspect it was about to race on the Sea Link but within 200 to 300 metres, it veered out of control and rammed into the railing of the...read more
After a two-year gap due to the pandemic, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) now has an elected students’ union.
A panel of students, with representatives from the Ambedkar Students’ Association, Fraternity Movement, Northeast Students’ Forum, Adivasi Students’ forum and Muslim Students’ Federation won the executive posts in the election held on Friday night. Read more...
Apart from lights, sweets and firecrackers, Maharashtra has a distinctive tradition of ‘Diwali Anks’, which are special magazines released during Diwali, a literary treat for Marathi readers, amid the festivity. After a sluggish two years of the pandemic, they are back in the market with newer schemes such as combination offers, additional audio-books and digital ‘Diwali Pahat’ programmes, embracing digital marketing to reach a larger audience.
The tradition of reading the ‘Diwali Ank’ has been dear to many Marathi households. It evolved during simpler times when adults and children spent their Diwali vacation reading various magazines that ranged from social, philosophical, health and women’s issues to caricatures, humour and children’s special issues. Read more...
The weather forecast predicted a mainly clear sky in the morning and a partly cloudy sky towards the afternoon/evening in the city and its suburbs.
The university of Mumbai held an early Diwali celebration party for its foreign students on Friday evening. A cultural programme was held at the Convocation Hall of Mumbai University on its Fort campus, and attended by over 100 students from different countries such as Afghanistan, Nepal, Kenya, Indonesia, Mauritius and Singapore, among others.
The programme was organised by the Department of Students’ Welfare to help foreign students from the varsity and affiliated colleges to experience the festival. Read more...
A MAGISTRATE court recently rejected bail to the man booked for allegedly crashing his car on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, killing five persons. The Metropolitan Magistrate court in Dadar on Thursday rejected the bail plea of Irfan Bilakiya, stating that the investigation is still in progress.
“Admittedly in this case, investigation is at initial stage, as per say of Investigating Officer statements of witnesses have yet not been recorded due to their serious medical condition,” the court said. Know more...
The NM Joshi Marg police has booked a 58-year-old senior executive of a private limited company for allegedly sexually harassing a former woman employee. The woman, who reported to him when she worked there, has alleged in her statement to police that the senior executive made obscene gestures and passed lewd comments that made her uncomfortable.
In her statement to police, the 43-year-old woman has alleged that she worked in the company for seven years and was handling marketing. She would report to the person, against whom she has lodged an FIR. “He would call me to his cabin and made gestures that made me uncomfortable. Also, he used to send me messages on WhatsApp from time to time to get...read more
A Public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Bombay High Court on Friday by the Govandi New Sangam Welfare Society, seeking permanent closure of the incinerators of the bio-medical waste treatment plant of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Govandi/Deonar, citing the public health crisis caused by toxic emissions released by the incinerators.
The PIL also referred to the closure notice issued by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for the plant’s failure to comply with the relevant rules. Know more here
Retired Maharashtra government officials can now have all the information related to their pension as well as tools to solve any problems they face, while sitting in the comfort of their home.
The Office of Principal Accountant General (Accounts and Entitlements)-1, Maharashtra, has rolled out pension-related digital initiatives for senior citizen pensioners in its jurisdiction as part of the ‘Pension at your Doorstep’ programme. This programme includes ‘Pension Samvad’, as part of which officials chat and resolve pensioners’ issues from the comfort of their homes, and ‘Pension Sewa Patra’, an online drop box. Click here to know more
The Maharashtra government has decided to provide jobs to 75,000 youths, in a step aimed at tackling unemployment in the state. Making the announcement, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday the jobs will be provided in various departments of the state government.
The announcement came on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Rozgar Mela, the government drive to recruit 10 lakh people over 18 months. On Saturday, 75,000 new employees in 38 Union ministries and departments were handed appointment letters at functions in multiple locations across the country. Read more...
In its detailed order rejecting bail to Anil Deshmukh in a corruption case, a special CBI court has said that dismissed policeman Sachin Waze “was used” by the former state home minister for collection of bribe money from bar owners.
The bail pleas of Deshmukh, and his co-accused and staffer Sanjeev Palande, were rejected by the court on Friday. Know more here
In its detailed order rejecting anticipatory bail to suspended IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi in connection with an extortion case, the sessions court has said he has absconded for a long period.
Tripathi was booked eight months ago following allegations that three policemen had extorted money from ‘angadias’ at his behest. Tripathi’s previous pre-arrest bail plea was rejected in March. He approached court again last week after his co-accused were granted bail over the past few months. Read more...
Lighting up the beach, a set of 32 tetrapods have arrived at Mumbai’s Girgaum Chowpatty. Unlike their heavy-duty cousins that line Marine Drive, these new arrivals are a more whimsical lot. Together, they form a light-based public art installation that opened on October 22, ahead of Diwali.
Simply called ‘Tetrapods’, the installation is a homage to the geometry of the four-legged structures that protect Mumbai’s shoreline. First laid in the late 1990s along Marine Drive, tetrapods have been integral to this city built through coastal reclamation. An estimated 6,000 tetrapods are found at Marine Drive alone. They became synonymous with the city and often feature in films, photographs and sketches of Mumbai. This light-based installation comes as the latest interpretation. Benita Fernando reports
A cyber fraudster made a fake identity card of the Indian Army, a fake Aadhaar card and even dressed in Army uniform and made a Mumbai woman transfer Rs 3.68 lakh as a part of an “Army protocol” before taking her apartment on rent.
An FIR was registered on October 18 at Andheri police station. The 33-year-old complainant, who resides in Andheri, told the police she runs a travel business in partnership from home. Her husband is in the Merchant Navy. Read more
In order to showcase the changing face of the city over the years vis-a-vis the ongoing rapid infrastructure development work, an ‘Infinite Mumbai’ monument was installed at Worli by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in collaboration with Acko General Insurance and Surreal Design Studio in August.
The 14-feet tall and 22-feet wide art installation has been put up at the junction of R G Thadani road and Pochkhanwala road in Worli and will be maintained by Acko General Insurance Insurance for the next few years. Vallabh Ozarkar reports for this week's Art Street
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Thursday slammed Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for failing to provide the needy of the state the aid promised in the form of Diwali kits via ration shops.
“At a time when the cost of living is increasing in the state and many agrarian families are facing the brunt of crop losses due to unseasonal rain, this jumla has hit the citizens hard,” said Aam Aadmi Party’s Mumbai president Preeti Sharma Menon. Read more
The University of Mumbai held an early Diwali celebration party for its foreign students on Friday late evening. A cultural program was conducted at Convocation Hall of Mumbai University in its Fort campus where over 100 students coming from different countries such as Afghanistan, Nepal, Kenya, Dubai, Indonesia, Mauritius, Singapore among all participated.
According to information provided by the Mumbai University PRO, the program was held by the Department of Students Welfare with an idea to help foreign students from varsity and affiliated colleges to experience the Diwali festival. Students coming from different countries, experienced a cultural program prepared and performed by India students which included Indian classical songs, folk music from Maharashtra and even devotional songs among all. The festival of Diwali was explained to foreign students. ‘Diwali Faral’ – a collection of snacks specially prepared and relished during Diwali, was also offered during the program as a part of the Diwali celebration.
Counsel General of Japan, Dr Fukahori Yasukata and Herold Brayman, principal commercial officer of US Counsel General, were also present for the program.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said the Eknath Shinde-led government will provide 75,000 government jobs to youth in the state in the next one year.
Speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Fadnavis praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative of providing 10 lakh jobs to youth.
The prime minister had asked various government departments and ministries in June to recruit 10 lakh people on a "mission mode" in the next year and a half. Modi on Saturday distributed 75,000 appointment letters among government job aspirants and said the Centre is also working on multiple fronts to create maximum job opportunities for youngsters.
"Along with this initiative started by the prime minister, our government in Maharashtra under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has decided to give government jobs to 75,000 youth in the state," Fadnavis said.
Of the 75,000 jobs, 18,000 vacancies will be in the police department and an advertisement for the same will be published in the next five to seven days, he said.
"We will provide 75,000 government jobs for the youth of the state in the next one year," the deputy chief minister said. (PTI)
Mumbai Metro One has called on citizens to register for Majhi Metro 2022 and submit their 'Train Decals' with designs they would like to see on the Metro train.
A decal is an image that can be transferred to a surface. Decals or body graphics are used to brand a vehicle. Decals can signify either a theme or just branding. Decals give a character to the vehicle.
"Majhi Metro Festival 2022 revolves around a train decal or body graphic design contest. We want talent to think of any theme/idea and convert that idea into art. The most inspiring & motivating design wins and will be executed on our fleet of trains," according to the media release of Mumbai Metro One.
The details are as follows:
• Registration & Submission
• Judges round - Screening of decal designs
• Designs selection
• Artwork production on the trains & flag off
Important Dates
• Registration & Submission opens: 18th October 2022
• Last Date for Decal Submissions: 18th November 2022
• Exhibition & Winners felicitation: 20th December 2022
• Flag off for the new decal train: 27th December 2022
Shepherds in Maharashtra have started a unique postcard campaign against what they say is a colonial hangover in the form of the provisions of The Forest Act of 1927 which are used to penalise them for grazing their animals in forest land.
Saurabh Hatkar, president of the Medhpal Putra Sena (son of the army of shepherds — the first ever organisation of nomadic shepherds in the state), said they are aiming to flood the office of the chief minister and deputy chief minister with postcards asking for a repeal of the law. Started on October 2, over 10,000 postcards and letters have been sent till date. (Read More)
It is said that in politics, neither friends nor enemies are permanent. What better illustration of this aphorism can there be than the blow hot, blow cold relations between the BJP and the NCP? Whether in politics or sports, both at the Centre and the state, the love-hate relationship between the parties have come with shocks and surprises for observers.
In state politics, the roles of each player is clearly defined. In government, the BJP holds an upper hand over alliance partner Shinde Sena in taking policy decisions. Across the aisle, as the Leader of the Opposition, Sharad's nephew Ajit holds the remote of the MVA. (Read More)
The IMD has predicted a partly cloudy sky with light rain/thundershowers towards the evening/night in the city and suburbs.
Thane district of Maharashtra has reported 78 new coronavirus positive cases, taking its overall infection tally to 7,46,282, a health official said on Saturday. Currently there are 480 active cases in the district.
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