Mumbai Beat

While all structures on footpaths built on or before January 1, 1995 and under litigations will spared in this drive, those built after this date will be demolished, said Municipal Commissioner K Nalinakshan after a high-level meeting at the civic headquarters today. Commissioner of Police Ronnie Mendonca among others attended the meeting. The ones built before 1995 will be provided alternate accomodation in October.

To ensure proper coordination among all the agencies involved, Joint Municipal Coordinator Ajay Mehta will coordinate the operations. The demolition squads will consist of personnel from the Collector8217;s office, MHADA, PWD and the police. The demolitions will be carried out under the directions of the municipal commissioner.

Last week Naliankshan had announced that the BMC would removeencroachments and take up beautification of all footpaths in Mumbai.

Marathi in courts: Plea admitted

The Bombay High Court today admitted a public interest litigation challenging two notifications of Maharashtra government issued on July 21 last declaring Marathi as the official language in all the subordinate civil and criminal courts of the state.

However, Justice A V Sawant and Justice Rajan Kochar refused to grant a stay on the use of Marathi in the subordinate courts because only 10 per cent of the judicial work was currently being undertaken in that language.

The petitioners were given liberty to move the court after two months for final hearing.

A group of advocates, led by Ashok Sapatnekar, filed the petition contending that the notifications issued by the state government by exercising powers vested in it under section 137 2 of CPC and section 272 of CrPC were illegal and should be set aside.

The petitioners submitted that so far the proceedings in all taluka and districtcourts were conducted in both English and Marathi languages. Pleadings were also filed in both the languages whereas court proceedings were maintained in English only. Besides, the record was transmitted to appellate courts by preparing paper books which were exclusively in English.

Moreover, they argued, authorities were cited by lawyers in English and arguments were also advanced in that language. Even the judgements were delivered in English. PTI

Heavy showers, winds forecast

Trees were uprooted in several parts of the city following the heavy rains and strong winds which lashed since Monday night.

According to the fire brigade, reports of five trees being uprooted came in from Quarter Road no 5 in Borivali, near Chandan cinema in Juhu, and two places on the Juhu-Tara Road.

Traffic on these roads was disrupted for nearly three hours, even as firemen and civic staff tried to remove the trees. The Juhu-Chandan cinema road and Juhu-Tara Road were declared one-way to traffic for about twohours.

A pan shop situated at 69, Bazar Road near the Ahmed Palace building in Bandra was crushed under a tree though nobody was injured, fire brigade sources said.

Meanwhile, the weather bureau has forecast intermittent heavy showers at regular intervals to continue to lash Mumbai and its adjoining areas till Wednesday evening.