Finally, after a long gap, the Central Railway is getting an Air-Conditioned local train for Mumbai. This will be a completely 12-car walkthrough train. The freshly manufactured AC train with underslung electricals was despatched from the manufacturing unit of Integral Coach Factory on Wednesday and is on its way to Mumbai. The train, with electricals from Medha Servodrives due to underslung equipment (248913-14), is a 12-car walkthrough train. The underslung propulsion technology, based on the Train 18 Vande Bharat model, doesn't take up much space for its electrical and other equipment as it is underslung, making more space available for passenger seating. This will be the seventh rake for the Central Railway. As of today, the CR Mumbai division has a total of six rakes with five of them in service operating 66 services. The Western Railway recently got a similar AC rake after which it has been able to increase its services to 109 from November 27. The total number of AC EMU rakes on WR is nine, with eight rakes in service operating 109 trips.
28 November,2024 01:28 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarFacing criticism from the Union government over low student registration for APAAR IDs, the state education department and the State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, have directed all schools to ensure that their students are registered within the next two days. The Union government had set a deadline of November 30 for all students to receive their APAAR IDs, but as of November 25, only 65 lakh students—just 35 per cent of the total—have been issued IDs. To accelerate process, the state has designated November 29 and 30 as APAAR ID Days, during which schools are expected to ensure maximum registrations. To address the challenges, schools are coordinating with municipal officers, block education officers, cluster heads, and education inspectors, who have been instructed to visit campuses during the designated days to oversee the progress. “All schools must observe APAAR ID Days with special campaigns to facilitate registrations. District-level online review meetings will also be held to assess progress and provide further guidance,” state project director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan R Vimala stated in the directive issued on November 26. To ensure success, all districts have been directed to maximise efforts during APAAR ID Days. Officials have emphasised the importance of collaboration and accountability at every level, with district and block-level officers tasked with monitoring the initiative’s implementation. The state government has also mandated special review meetings at the district level to evaluate the progress of APAAR ID generation and address any bottlenecks. Schools and parents speak Prasad Gokhale, a Borivli resident and parent, said, “I am still not clear about what this APAAR ID concept exactly is. If it’s for an online record of results and progress of a child, then that’s fine. The information must be properly safeguarded, otherwise, it could be harmful to both students and parents. I strongly suspect that this data will be provided to private companies in the education sector to increase their customer base.” “We had sent the consent forms to parents and explained to them what they need to do just ahead of elections. Still, many parents have returned to us with concerns about data privacy and other queries. We sent these forms to parents across all three of our schools, which is a total of 8,000 students. It’s not easy to collect data from such a huge number of students and upload it on the government site. We also have to verify all the details. Completing this in two days is simply not possible—it will take time,” said Rohan Bhatt, chairman of the Children’s Academy Group of Schools. “For parents who are not sending their consent, we have requested them to share their reasons for refusal. The work of gathering data is ongoing. However, due to exams, Diwali vacations, and then the elections, we couldn’t collect much data during this period,” said Sunita George, Principal of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim. “Many parents ask for official government letters or clarification. Now, there’s even a refusal format, but indirectly, officials are pushing us to get parents to consent. They question why we couldn’t obtain consent, why data hasn’t been uploaded, what actions we’re taking as principals, and how many meetings we’ve held to explain the process to parents,” said a principal from a school in South Mumbai. What is APAAR ID? The APAAR ID (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is a unique lifelong identification number introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Designed to track a student’s academic journey from pre-primary to higher education, it stores records of learning outcomes, extracurricular achievements, and skills. Unlike Aadhaar, APAAR focuses solely on education, acting as an “edulocker” for academic data. The Union Education Ministry has instructed schools to secure parental consent for APAAR enrolment. The system aims to address issues like student dropouts and ensure consistency in monitoring educational progress. Roles of schools and parents Schools:>> Update Aadhaar details for students. >> Obtain parental consent. >> Upload student data on the UDISE+ portal. >> Ensure compliance with deadlines, now extended to November 30. Parents:>> Provide consent for data sharing. >> Verify Aadhaar details for accuracy. >> Engage with schools to understand APAAR’s benefits and address concerns. APAAR registration process1. Verification: Visit the school to confirm demographic details. 2. Parental Consent: Secure consent for minors. 3. Authentication: Identity is verified through the school. 4. ID Creation: APAAR ID is generated and linked to DigiLocker.
28 November,2024 12:27 PM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghThe updated platform numbering at Dadar station, introduced on Wednesday morning, has added to the confusion for passengers on Central Railway (CR). Now, when fast local or express trains arrive, platform 9A will be on one side of the train and platform 10 on the other. It will now be for the first time that one train will arrive on two platforms 9A on one side and 10 on the other side. Till Tuesday, the platforms had been numbered platforms 10 and 10A respectively. Also, platform numbers at Dadar had been changed in less than a year and such frequent changes have not gone well with commuters. “Why make it more confusing unnecessarily, just keep both of them as 10 as there is a single line between them. CSMT has platform 2 and not 2 and 2A for either side of the line. Follow this and keep both as 10,” said commuter Nishant Singh. “We have still not got used to 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. And now this. They just do as they like without taking into consideration the practicality of things. Imagine the announcement of a train coming on platforms 10 and 9A. It sounds like school, class and division,” commuter Khurshed Lawyer said. Officials said the changes have been done due to the peculiar layout and length of the platforms. While the old Platform 10 (now 9A) is shorter, the adjoining platform 10A (now 10) is long to cater to 22-car trains. Hence the changes of numbers for a synchronised announcement system and for better comprehension. “Yes. Central Railway has decided to rename platform numbers at Dadar station. This initiative is aimed at simplifying platform identification for passengers and ensuring a seamless travel experience. So platform 10 (previously serving both Mail/Express and suburban trains) will be renumbered as platform 9A and will exclusively serve suburban trains,” said a CR official Platform 10A (also previously serving Mail/Express and suburban trains) will be renumbered as platform 10. This platform will now exclusively cater to Mail/Express trains, ensuring ample space for 22-coach trains,” a CR official said.
28 November,2024 12:25 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Mogra pumping station project in Andheri, which has only been on the paper, can finally be seen getting on track after 17 years. This comes after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), after several hurdles, submitted the cost of the disputed land in the Bombay High Court. The BMC had finalised a tender for the pumping station way back in 2021. The acquisition process of the land was delayed due to legal proceedings regarding land ownership between two private parties. Mogra Nallah, where the station will be built. File pic The BMC was asked to pay Rs 33 crore and proceed with the work of the pumping station. “The amount has been deposited. The cost will be disbursed to the party after the court’s decision. But that is not the BMC’s purview, and we can start the work now,” said a municipal official. BMC officials said that the work order has been issued for the construction of the pumping station. Officials said that as per the tender, the work will require 24 months, including the year’s monsoon, and it may be completed by December 2026. The new pumping station will help in the monsoon of 2027. The pumping station is crucial to reduce flooding in Andheri. File Pic/Anurag Ahire The Mogra pumping station is crucial to reduce flooding in Andheri, which gets submerged every year during monsoon. It was suggested by the Chitale Committee after the July 2005 floods, which submerged the entire city. To prevent a recurrence of the July 26, 2005 floods, when the city was devastated following 944 mm of rainfall in a single day, the Chitale Committee and the BRIMSTOWAD report recommended the setting up of pumping stations at eight locations to drain large amounts of water stored in low-lying areas during the high tide and heavy rain. Out of these eight, six—at Haji Ali, Lovegrove, Cleveland, Irla, Britannia, and Ghazdarbandh—were already set up, except for the Mogra and Mahul pumping stations. The BMC had earlier appointed contractors—M/s Michigan Engineers and M/s Mhalsa Construction (jointly)—for the construction of the Mogra pumping station in June 2021, at a cost of Rs 393 crore.
28 November,2024 12:25 PM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleCaretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde all but conceded his claim for the top job on Wednesday, saying he left the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to name its chief ministerial candidate. Devendra Fadnavis is now the hot favourite for the post, as party workers want the high command to reward the ex-CM for his performance in the elections and also make up for the party’s decision to make him work as Dy CM in the Shinde government that was formed after the Shiv Sena split in 2022. On Wednesday afternoon, Shinde said his party will abide by the call taken by Modi and Shah and support the new chief minister, whoever it is. (From left) Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar at a media briefing. File Pic/Shadab Khan He said the Mahayuti leaders (himself, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar) will meet Shah in Delhi on Thursday to decide the future course of action. The name of the new CM is expected to be announced after this meeting. The state BJP has been waiting for all decks to be cleared before holding its Legislative Party meeting, which will formally elect the leader who will also be the CM-elect. The CM-elect will be endorsed by the alliance partners with a letter of support, which along with BJP’s own list, will be submitted to the governor, who will invite him to form the government. ‘Ladka Bhau’ “I have always worked as a common man,” said Shinde at a press conference held at his Thane residence. “When I was CM, the people thought I was their brother, not CM. For me, the identity of ‘Ladkya Bahinincha Ladka Bhau’ (referring to the cash benefit scheme for women that gave the Mahayuti an unbeatable advantage over the MVA) is much more valuable than any other post. I am content. I don’t cry, I fight’.” Four-day suspense Thus, Shinde ended an impasse, agreeing to go by the BJP’s wish four days after the massive mandate for Mahayuti. The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP have together won numbers so big that none of their political rivals from the MVA has the strength to deserve the Leader of the Opposition post in the Assembly. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, senior BJP leader. File Pic/Satej Shinde However, there was no clarity from Shinde whether he would become a Dy CM in the new government or give the position to one of his party colleagues, like his MP son Shrikant. The second Dy CM will be from Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party. Delhi-bound? Some observers said if Shinde does not take up the Dy CM’s job, he may opt for a berth in the Union ministry or stay in Maharashtra to work fulltime as the Sena’s chief ‘Mentor’. In the Mahayuti, the BJP has surpassed its 2014 tally in the house, and with that bench strength, the party has decided to install its representative as the CM. Shinde and his party workers were reluctant to step down. The Sena’s show of strength did not go down well with the BJP high command, which had clearly sent a message that Shinde won’t continue in the CMO. Shinde, who kept a studied silence for three days, invited the media to his Thane residence on Wednesday. He said he had telephonic conversations with PM Modi and Shah on Tuesday, after which he decided to reach out to the media with his decision. “I have told them [Modi and Shah] over the phone that they should not think that I am an obstacle while they decide about the CM candidate,” he said. ““I am happy that I could work for the betterment of people in two and a half years. We combined development with welfare, and it was because of this combination that we were voted to power with such a big majority. I was Mahayuti’s CM. The BJP supported me, and Modi and Shah stood behind me rock solid. It is time I supported them.” What next? In a coordinated ‘advance’ move, the BJP also announced a press conference. As Shinde’s event ended, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule began his briefing in Nagpur. “I welcome Shinde’s decision and thank him for strengthening the Mahayuti. He has demonstrated that our battle was not for the CM’s post, but for the 12 crore people of Maharashtra. On the other hand, the MVA had many CM candidates. The Congress had seven or eight. The NCP (SP) had three, and the Sena (UBT) had two – the father and son,” he said. According to Bawankule, Shinde will be the Mahayuti’s main leader, a pillar, even in the days to come. “We are proud of him,” said the BJP chief, whose name has also cropped up as one of the probables for the CM’s post, because of his Other Backward Castes (OBC) status. But he has been supporting Fadnavis, his party colleague for three decades. Bawankule confirmed that Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar were scheduled to meet Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday to discuss everything – the CM’s name and distribution of power (number of ministerial berths, portfolios and district guardian ministers each ally will get). Answer soon: Fadnavis Talking to reporters in Sambhaji Nagar before Shinde’s announcement, Fadnavis said the talks of the CM candidate will be answered very soon. He said there were no differences in Mahayuti and they had decided everything together before the elections. “Three parties will sit together and decide,” he said, adding that the CM’s face will be decided first, who in turn, will submit the list of MLAs to the governor for government formation. “Our high command is in talks with the alliance partners. We said that we will decide together after the elections. We will meet our senior leaders in Delhi tomorrow and decide things. Whatever people had in their minds, Honorable Shinde has dispelled all doubts today.” By month-end: Pawar Ajit Pawar said he had been invited to Delhi for the meeting with Shah on Thursday. “We will meet tomorrow and after that a new government with a CM and two Dy CMs will be formed,” he said, adding that the ceremony could be on November 30 or December 1. Pawar, who is expected to continue as finance minister, said, “The Winter Session to be held in Nagpur is fast approaching. We will have to approve supplementary demands. There is a lot of work pressure.”
28 November,2024 11:09 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra JoreIn what can be called an important initiative, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Fisheries Survey of India, UNDP -Mangrove Cell, and NGO Vanashakti removed 300 kg of marine debris from a 150 MTR radius near Sindhudurg Fort coral reefs. Director of NGO Vanashakti, Stalin D said, "Around 300 kg of marine debris was removed from a 150 MTR radius near Sindhudurg fort coral reefs. Scuba divers from Malwan came forward in full support as their livelihood was getting impacted. Tourists were getting to see dirty sections of corals littered with ghost nets and non-degradable trash. Now the section looks clean. Vanashakti will continue this project to ensure the entire marine floor on the Malwan shore is clean. This project is titled Clean Shores." Environmentalist Stalin D told Mid-Day that this is the first time that an underwater Ocean floor cleanup operation has been undertaken in India and Maharashtra on a large scale. "Ocean floors and coral reefs are being strangulated with huge quantities of marine debris. Marine animals like crabs, fish and turtles get stuck in the debris and perish painfully. The entire ecosystem gets seriously contaminated. Ghost nets left or broken during fishing operations float and are brought to the corals by the currents. They damage the corals and also are an eyesore for tourists who flock to Malwan to see corals and understand marine ecosystems." Stalin also said that the task of cleaning the ocean floor is very laborious and needs extensive manpower. "Skilled divers are needed to retrieve the marine debris. The cost of this exercise of retrieving marine debris is an expensive one. Due to the challenges posed underwater, the extraction of nets and putting them into bundles takes a lot of time. We are thankful to the Maharashtra State Environment department especially MPCB which has been very sensitive to this issue and has agreed to support the initiative on a long-term basis. The local fishermen are very happy to see this initiative as it helps boost healthy fisheries. Institutions like the Fisheries Survey of India have also lent their support to this initiative. The drives will continue over the next year and we are sure that it will create healthy ecosystem marine zones in Sindhudurg" Stalin said.
28 November,2024 11:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Ranjeet JadhavRenowned writer Sarayu Ahuja was bitten on her left arm by a langur at the upscale Otters Club in Bandra West on Wednesday morning when she was having coffee with friends. Sarayu Ahuja said that she was having coffee with some friends at the club, when the monkey came and sat on the table. "Sighting the monkey was not a surprise; it has been spotted at the club quite often," she added. The Otters Club moved quickly contacting Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). Shocked Otters Club members claimed this was a familiar monkey and a friendly one. A member recalled seeing the monkey at a breakfast table, where he was sitting days ago. The Khar Gymkhana, too, had witnessed a monkey on the club premises around a month and a half ago. Here's how to respond if a monkey attacks you or enters your home: 1. How to prevent monkeys from entering your surroundings? According to experts, this is not an easy task as monkeys are a part of urban biodiversity and the food chain. However, keeping premises clean, managing edible garbage and not feeding or entertaining them at all helps stave them off. Bamboo scaffolding should be removed as soon as repair work is done so that monkeys don’t get easy access to homes as they are creatures of habit. Apart from scaffolding, they use gas pipelines to gain access to kitchens and drain pipes to enter other spaces. 2. What to do if a monkey invades your space? Make sure you secure yourself, children and elders. Allow it to go away on its own by giving way. Keep calm. Do not scare, entertain or provoke. 3. What is immediate medical care if a monkey bites/attacks you? One must immediately clean the area with antiseptic lotion and rush to the nearest doctor. Precautionary tetanus and anti-rabies vaccines are necessary if one is scratched or bitten. 4. What happens if a rogue monkey is trapped? Any primate trapped amid a conflict situation is first medically and psychologically examined for behaviour triggers. Most of the time, it is the element of surprise or confrontation that causes them to attack. Animals showing unusual behaviour are sent to rescue centres for lifetime care and those which have the scope are rehabilitated.
28 November,2024 10:51 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRenowned writer Sarayu Ahuja was bitten on her left arm by a langur at the upscale Otters Club in Bandra West on Wednesday morning when she was having coffee with friends. “Yesterday, as per my routine, I was having coffee with some friends at the club. This monkey came and joined us at the table. Sighting the monkey was not a surprise; it has been spotted at the club quite often. It hops onto tables, sometimes members give it something to eat. So I was not startled to see it,” Ahuja said. The outside of Otters Club in Bandra West on Wednesday. Pic/Nimesh Dave The writer added, “Some of my companions got up and left though. I did not as I had been taught never to move or get up abruptly when near an animal so as not to startle it. I reached for my coffee and suddenly this monkey grabbed my hand. I was wearing a windcheater, which acted as a sheath. I felt his claws but not the teeth. The monkey then bent down, tasted the coffee, and spat it out.” A monkey cools off in the Khar Gymkhana swimming pool a month and a half ago; (left) the simian on the diving board at the club Ahuja said, “I had not quite processed what had happened. I was more worried about my mobile phone which was on the table and it seemed to have disappeared! The monkey jumped off and hopped into some trees thereafter. Dr Sandeep Chopra, a club member and friend, told me to first wash my arm, which was bleeding. Then, he gave me a tetanus and an anti-rabies shot. I need to have five anti-rabies shots in all, spaced out over a few days.” The Bandra resident said with a laugh, “Incidentally, I located my mobile phone, maybe I should have shared my coffee with the rude intruder!” Cage scene The Otters Club moved quickly contacting Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). Ashok Motwani, chief executive officer (CEO) of the club, said, “I informed them and they answered that the forest department has been informed and will take the necessary action.” Otters Club in Bandra West. Pic/Nimesh Dave Pawan Sharma, founder and president, RAWW and honorary wildlife warden with the forest department, said on Wednesday evening, “We are leaving for the club to evaluate the situation and see how we can best handle it. We must remember this is an intelligent animal, it may not be lured into a cage we install in order to rescue it. We will also have certain dos and don’ts for members, after talking to the club management.” Table manners Shocked Otters Club members claimed this was a familiar monkey and a friendly one. A member recalled seeing the monkey at a breakfast table, where he was sitting days ago. “He eats the choicest food, even drinks something and disappears. He has a black face and a very long tail. I think black-faced monkeys are friendly while red-faced ones are more aggressive,” he said. The Khar Gymkhana, too, had witnessed a monkey on the club premises around a month and a half ago. Pawan Sharma, founder and president, RAWW Gaurav Kapadia, Khar Gymkhana president, said, “We had a monkey visiting the club often at the time. There was a video doing the rounds on WhatsApp of the monkey swimming in the club pool. I think we called the BMC and were informed that we had to call the forest department. However, the monkey disappeared in a day or two post that.” One can hear people speaking in the video in the background stating, “See this monkey, I believe there are a lot of monkeys in Goregaon.” Another person says, “I spotted one outside my building.” A woman had the last word, stating, “At least these monkeys can access clubs where memberships are simply unaffordable for most. These clubs are out of our league, but the monkeys, they have a free membership to these swish clubs.” Monkey business in Mumbai Three species of primates are found in Mumbai—the rhesus macaque, bonnet macaque and langur. There has been an increase in the number of negative interactions between humans and primates. Range Forest Officer Rakesh Bhoir from the Mumbai Range, Thane Forest Department (Territorial), said, “On an average, my office receives two to three calls complaining about monkeys entering buildings and housing societies daily. One reason for the negative interactions between humans and primates is people feeding them. A woman was injured in an encounter with a langur on Wednesday. We have created awareness in the area and our teams are taking efforts to rescue the langur.” Sources from the forest department told this newspaper that in the past 10 days, there have been three instances of human-primate conflict in Mumbai. On Monday, an 11-year-old boy was injured by a monkey at Mahalaxmi but, thankfully, he sustained minor injuries. On November 21, a monkey had charged at a railway employee at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus yard. Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane and President of NGO RAWW, Pawan Sharma said, “All three incidents are quite unfortunate, the forest department has evaluated the situation and is initiating necessary actions as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The officials have visited the spots where the negative interactions occurred, and all three victims have already taken preventive treatment. To prevent any further conflicts, the department has decided to rescue the animals and rehabilitate them. Similarly, the authorities concerned from each area have been given an advisory to follow until the rescue operation is completed.” Sharma said the incidents at CSMT, Mahalaxmi and Otters Club involved a rhesus macaque, bonnet macaque and langur respectively. “All the animals had been ranging freely near the locations for many days without any negative interactions with humans. We are trying to find out what caused such unusual behaviour,” he added. Managing monkey menace mindfully 1 How to prevent monkeys from entering your surroundings?According to experts, this is not an easy task as monkeys are a part of urban biodiversity and the food chain. However, keeping premises clean, managing edible garbage and not feeding or entertaining them at all helps stave them off. Bamboo scaffolding should be removed as soon as repair work is done so that monkeys don’t get easy access to homes as they are creatures of habit. Apart from scaffolding, they use gas pipelines to gain access to kitchens and drain pipes to enter other spaces. 2 What to do if a monkey invades your space?Make sure you secure yourself, children and elders. Allow it to go away on its own by giving way. Keep calm. Do not scare, entertain or provoke. 3 What is immediate medical care if a monkey bites/attacks you?One must immediately clean the area with antiseptic lotion and rush to the nearest doctor. Precautionary tetanus and anti-rabies vaccines are necessary if one is scratched or bitten. Sparse history of violence In the past two years, there have rarely been any serious attacks on people. Most monkeys are free-ranging solitary animals. They usually try to snatch food from people or attempt to scare them to show territorial dominance. What happens if a rogue monkey is trapped? Any primate trapped amid a conflict situation is first medically and psychologically examined for behaviour triggers. Most of the time, it is the element of surprise or confrontation that causes them to attack. Animals showing unusual behaviour are sent to rescue centres for lifetime care and those which have the scope are rehabilitated. With inputs from Ranjeet Jadhav
28 November,2024 10:49 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharRenowned writer Sarayu Ahuja was bitten on her left arm by a langur at the upscale Otters Club in Bandra West on Wednesday morning when she was having coffee with friends. Sarayu Ahuja said that she was having coffee with some friends at the club, when the monkey came and sat on the table. "Sighting the monkey was not a surprise; it has been spotted at the club quite often," she added. The Otters Club moved quickly contacting Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). Shocked Otters Club members claimed this was a familiar monkey and a friendly one. A member recalled seeing the monkey at a breakfast table, where he was sitting days ago. The Khar Gymkhana, too, had witnessed a monkey on the club premises around a month and a half ago. Monkey business in Mumbai Three species of primates are found in Mumbai—the rhesus macaque, bonnet macaque and langur. There has been an increase in the number of negative interactions between humans and primates. Range Forest Officer Rakesh Bhoir from the Mumbai Range, Thane Forest Department (Territorial), said, “On an average, my office receives two to three calls complaining about monkeys entering buildings and housing societies daily. One reason for the negative interactions between humans and primates is people feeding them. A woman was injured in an encounter with a langur on Wednesday. We have created awareness in the area and our teams are taking efforts to rescue the langur.” Sources from the forest department told this newspaper that in the past 10 days, there have been three instances of human-primate conflict in Mumbai. On Monday, an 11-year-old boy was injured by a monkey at Mahalaxmi but, thankfully, he sustained minor injuries. On November 21, a monkey had charged at a railway employee at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus yard. Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane and President of NGO RAWW, Pawan Sharma said, “All three incidents are quite unfortunate, the forest department has evaluated the situation and is initiating necessary actions as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The officials have visited the spots where the negative interactions occurred, and all three victims have already taken preventive treatment. To prevent any further conflicts, the department has decided to rescue the animals and rehabilitate them. Similarly, the authorities concerned from each area have been given an advisory to follow until the rescue operation is completed.” Sharma said the incidents at CSMT, Mahalaxmi and Otters Club involved a rhesus macaque, bonnet macaque and langur respectively. “All the animals had been ranging freely near the locations for many days without any negative interactions with humans. We are trying to find out what caused such unusual behaviour,” he added. (With inputs from Ranjeet Jadhav)
28 November,2024 10:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharMumbai witnessed a notable dip in temperatures, with the minimum dropping to 18.7 degrees Celsius. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience clear skies on Thursday, November 28, with temperatures ranging from a cool 15 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 33 degrees Celsius during the day. According to the Mumbai weather updates of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai's Santacruz observatory in suburban Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 33.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 18.7 degrees Celsius. The weather department's data showed that the city observatory in Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 33.2 degrees Celcius and the minimum temperature was recorded at 22 degrees Celsius. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates by the IMD, the maximum temperature will likely be around 33 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature will likely be around 15 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity is 45 per cent. The sun rose at 06:54 AM and will set at 5:59 PM. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "mainly clear sky" for the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'moderate' category On November 28, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'moderate' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 133 at 9:05 AM. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'moderate' AQI. Shivaji Nagar recorded 'poor' air quality with an AQI of 230. Kandivali and Bandra Kurla Complex recorded 'moderate' air quality with an AQI of 117 and 156, respectively. Kurla and Sion recorded 'moderate' air quality, with AQIs of 103 and 117. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 124, while Thane registered a 'moderate' AQI of 116. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'. Meanwhile, as air pollution levels continue to rise in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revised guidelines issued last year for construction sites. The civic body will also form squads at the ward level to visit construction sites and act if guidelines are flouted. Sensor-based air pollution monitoring systems will be installed at all construction project work sites and immediate action to be taken if pollution levels are detected above the limit.
28 November,2024 09:18 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the fifth such incident this year, a mother and son lost their lives in a collision with a dumper truck near a school in Kurla’s Nehru Nagar area. The tragedy occurred on Tuesday when Kavita Singadiya, 32, and her son, Pravin Singadiya, 12, were fatally hit by a dumper while riding an Activa scooter near Kedarnath School in Kurla at around 7.15 am. Speaking to mid-day, Kaluram Singadiya, Kavita’s husband said, “As usual, my wife had headed out to drop our son at school. Kavita was riding the Activa. I received a call that both of them had met with an accident and were admitted to Rajawadi Hospital. When I reached the hospital, both were in the emergency ward. My wife was pronounced dead by the doctors at around 7.30 am, and my son was declared dead an hour later, at around 8.30 am.” The dumper truck, which was involved in the collision on November 26, has been confiscated by the police “The school was just 100 to 200 metres from the accident spot. We demand that dumpers should not be allowed near schools, as many parents and students walk on these narrow roads in the morning. If the dumper had been restricted, this accident could have been avoided. I also demand strict legal action against the driver,” he said. “My son was very fond of studying and wanted to become a doctor. Despite financial constraints, we enrolled him in a reputed school because he was so dedicated to his studies,” Kaluram said. The family also has a younger daughter named Tamanna. Following Kaluram’s statement, the Nehru Nagar police registered an FIR against the dumper driver. “An FIR has been registered against the accused, Rizwan Rehman, 32. His blood samples have been sent for forensic analysis to determine if he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. Further investigation is ongoing,” said Navnath Dhavale, DCP, ZoneVI. Rehman has been booked under Section 106 (causing death by negligence) and Section 281 (rash or negligent driving on public roads) of the BNS.
28 November,2024 07:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheADVERTISEMENT
