The Indian Express' 'Death by Breath' series found a mention in the Bombay High Court, which took cognisance of various news reports to decide the initiation of a suo motu PIL and asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to respond by listing steps taken by them to mitigate the air quality issue under existing laws. Here are the steps that followed the 'Death by Breath' series: MPCB issued ‘closure notices’ to city-based units of CEAT Tyres and a Deonar-based ready-mix cement plant of JSW Green Cement for flouting air pollution norms. BMC served notices to 97 builders for adhering to the dust mitigation norms. It also officials visited 815 construction sites and issued notices to 461, instructing them to follow the civic guidelines. BMC announced that it is set to press 121 tankers in service along with manpower to carry out regular cleaning on 650 kms of roads. BMC also proposed mini smog towers around the periphery of Shivaji Park, install air purifiers across five locations and set up a command-and-control centre for monitoring AQI to send out alerts and advisories to residents. However, BMC's inaction on October 18, when the AQI reached 411 in Vile Parle, came to the fore when The Indian Express found out no health advisory was sent to residents. Following are the other important updates from Mumbai and Maharashtra in the past week (October 30-November 5): Govt relieved as Manoj Jarange Patil gives new deadline The state government breathed a sigh of relief as Maratha activist Manoj Jarange Patil ended his hunger strike after nine days and have a deadline of January 2 to implement concrete measures to fulfil the Maratha quota demand. However, the week saw violence in many parts of Maharashtra and more upheavals: The Bharatiya Janata Party office in Hingoli was set on fire by unidentified persons. Maharashtra cyber police took down 29 objectionable posts from various platforms in a period of 24 hours. The car of the leader of Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction and Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif was vandalised. Protesters in Beed indulged in arson and vandalism to target the residences of two NCP MLAs and a municipal council building. Around 500 people were booked for blocking traffic on the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway for over three hours and burning tyres. Hemant Patil, a Member of Parliament belonging to the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, announced his resignation as MP in support of the community. The Maharashtra government said it will invoke attempt to murder charges against those who resorted to arson, even as Patil challenged the government to “go ahead” with filing FIRs. Here is all you need to know about the judges who convinced Patil to withdraw his fast-unto-death Among the actions taken by the government to pave way for the Maratha quota included: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde appointed three-member committee of former judges to extend guidance on reservation to Maratha community as well as to battle the ongoing case in the Supreme Court. Shinde directed district Collectors and secretaries to undertake a statewide drive to collect old records on the basis of which Kunbi caste certificates can be given to eligible Marathas. The government asked the State Backward Class Commission to collect empirical data to check social and educational backwardness of Marathas. On the political front Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's dengue diagnosis comes at a time speculations are rife in some quarters that all is not well within the ruling coalition of the BJP, Shiv Sena and the NCP in Maharashtra. During Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's hearing of disqualification pleas of Shiv Sena MLAs, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena claimed that their MLAs did not receive any whip from the party over the election of a Speaker and vote of confidence in July 2022. In the NCP camps, Sharad Pawar faction-led MP Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar camp's Sunil Tatkare wrote separately to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking to expedite the disqualification proceedings against each other. Other important news this week 17 Shah Rukh Khan fans robbed of mobile phones outside Mannat Property registrations in Mumbai cross 10,000 in October, highest in 11 years Maharashtra govt declares 42 talukas in state as drought-hit Six pythons, exotic lizards go missing from Dadar zoo Centuries-old Banganga tank set for facelift Demanding place in hostel, monk holds protest; MU says overage Mumbai Police books influencer Urfi Javed for making video of her fake arrest 2 from Telangana, Gujarat held for sending threat mails to Mukesh Ambani Rapper Badshah appears before cyber police in Fairplay betting app case Nurse got flat in Mumbai via Mhada lottery but only learnt about it 14 years later Photo of the week Things to watch out for next week The Bombay High Court to hear suo motu PIL and other pleas seeking urgent redressal of the issue of deteriorating air quality in Mumbai and surrounding areas by the authorities for 'welfare' of residents. The HC had initiated suo Motu PIL noting that various news reports in recent weeks, including the ‘Death by Breath’ series of The Indian Express present an 'alarming scenario' of air pollution. Western Railway will run 17 new Air-Conditioned (AC) local train services between Churchgate and Virarfrom Monday, taking the the number of AC services from 79 to 96. Similarly, with 10 more AC local services on the Central line, the total number of AC local services will increase to 66 daily on CR route from CSMT to Kalyan, Badlapur, Titawala. News from Mumbai (October 16-22) News from Mumbai: October 9-15 News from Mumbai: September 25 – October 1
