Page 4 - Bmc

Rs 20 crore spent on cages for lions, wolves, otters. But there's a catch

Byculla Zoo has spent nearly Rs 20 crore on empty cages for animals that are not yet part of the zoo

Modak Sagar lake overflows, water stock of city's 7 reservoirs reaches 68%

Modak Sagar lake, one of the seven reservoirs that supply potable water to Mumbai and its suburbs, has started overflowing following incessant rains in the catchment area, an official said on Friday. The Modak Sagar lake built on the Vaitarna river in neighbouring Thane district started overflowing at 10.52 pm on Thursday night, he said. This is the fourth lake, after Vihar, Tansa and Tulsi, to overflow this monsoon season. Thane District Information Officer Manoj Sanap said that after it started overflowing, two gates of the dam were opened to release 6,000 cusecs of water. Tulsi lake located in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park was the first to overflow this year. It started overflowing on July 20. Mumbai receives 3,800 MLD (millions of litres per day) water from the seven reservoirs - Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Vihar and Tulsi - located in Mumbai, Thane and Nashik districts. According to the civic administration, the aggregate water stock of the

BMC declares holiday for schools, colleges as IMD issues 'red alert'

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday declared a holiday for all government and private schools and colleges on July 27 after the IMD issued a "red alert" for the metropolis. Iqbal Singh Chahal, municipal commissioner and administrator of the BMC, issued a statement about it on Wednesday night. "In view of the red alert issued for Mumbai, the BMC has declared a holiday for all municipal, government-run and private primary, secondary and higher secondary schools and all colleges in the city and suburbs on Thursday as safety of students is a top priority," the statement said. The IMD Mumbai issued "extremely heavy rainfall" warning (red alert) for Mumbai city and its suburban areas from 8 pm on July 26 to afternoon on July 27. "The BMC requests all citizens to stay alert, remain indoors and kindly follow instructions from the administration," Chahal urged. While the BMC said that the weather department's 'red alert' will be valid till afternoon, IMD officials ...

ED arrests businessman Sujit Patkar in BMC Covid-19 centres' case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested businessman Sujit Patkar, a friend of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, and another person in connection with a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in setting up of jumbo COVID-19 treatment facilities here, an official said on Thursday. Patkar and his three partners allegedly bagged Mumbai civic body contracts fraudulently for managing COVID-19 field hospitals in the city during the pandemic, officials earlier said. The ED arrested Patkar and doctor Kishore Bisure on Wednesday night after their alleged involvement in the case came to light, an official said. Bisure was the dean of the Dahisar jumbo COVID-19 centre, the official said. Both of them will be produced before a court later in the day, he said. The ED last month conducted raids at 15 locations in Mumbai in connection with the money laundering case against Patkar and others. The raids were conducted at locations of some officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal ...

As heavy rains batter Mumbai, Shinde visits BMC's disaster management dept

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday visited the Disaster Management Department at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters and reviewed the situation after heavy rains lashed the city and its adjoining areas. "In view of the continuous rains in Mumbai and the orange alert issued by the IMD, Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde visited the Disaster Management Department at BMC Headquarters and reviewed the situation. The Chief Minister appreciated the pre-monsoon works and various measures taken by the municipal administration," the BMC tweeted. Heavy rains lashed Mumbai and adjoining Thane and Palghar districts on Wednesday, disrupting suburban rail traffic and causing water-logging in low-lying areas from where people were evacuated.

Fadnavis gave up chance to install BJP mayor in BMC for Shiv Sena: Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said Devendra Fadnavis gave up the opportunity to install a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mayor in Mumbai after the 2017 civic polls for the sake of the Shiv Sena at his request. But Uddhav Thackeray repaid this gesture by severing the alliance with the BJP two years later, the CM said on Saturday at a conclave of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) workers here. Shinde also sought to assuage concerns of his party colleagues after the Nationalist Congress Party's group led by Ajit Pawar joined his government a fortnight ago. Certain equations have to be formed in politics. Looking at the development (carried out by his government), Ajit Pawar too has backed our government, he said. In June 2022, Shinde and 39 other Shiv Sena MLAs revolted against Uddhav Thackeray, then chief minister and president of the undivided Shiv Sena. One of the main reasons cited by them was that Ajit Pawar, as finance minister, did not allocate funds for their ...

Shiv Sena (UBT) takes out march to protest against 'corruption' in BMC

A march led by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray to protest against "corruption" in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the last one year began in south Mumbai on Saturday afternoon. The 'morcha', which began from Metro Cinema, will culminate outside the civic body's headquarters. Top leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party including MLAs and MPs are part of the morcha. MLA Sunil Prabhu said there has been an "outburst" of corruption in the BMC. The BMC was controlled by the then undivided Shiv Sena from 1997-2022. The term of its General Body ended in March 2022. As fresh elections have not taken place, the civic body is now controlled by an administrator appointed by the Maharashtra government headed by Eknath Shinde. Shinde became chief minister on June 30, 2022, after splitting the Shiv Sena and toppling the Uddhav Thackeray-led government.

BJP suspends 'Aakrosh Andolan' against BMC in wake of Buldhana bus tragedy

In light of the deadly bus accident on the Samruddhi Expressway that claimed the lives of 25 people, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Saturday suspended its "Aakrosh Andolan" to protest against the alleged corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Taking to Twitter, the BJP's Mumbai unit president Ashish Shelar expressed grief at the loss of lives in the expressway accident. We have decided to suspend the BJP-Shiv Sena-RPI protest against those who looted Mumbai for 25 years. However, we will continue to ask them questions, Shelar tweeted in an apparent reference to the Thackerays. The BJP-Shiv Sena "Akrsoh Andolan" was being viewed as a counter protest against a march organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to protest against corruption in the city civic body. The Shiv Sena controlled the BMC for 25 consecutive years from 1997-2002. Twenty-five passengers were charred to death after the bus they were travelling in caught fire after hitting a divider following a tyre

Ensure no illegal slaughter in south Mumbai housing society on Bakrid: HC

The Bombay High Court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure no illegal slaughtering of animals is carried out during the Bakrid festival at a residential colony in south Mumbai. Bakrid or Eid-al-Adha is being celebrated on Thursday. In a special urgent hearing held on Wednesday after the regular court hours, a division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Jitendra Jain said slaughtering can be permitted at the Nathani Heights society only if licence is granted by the civic body. "In the event, the Municipal Corporation has not issued a licence to undertake slaughtering of animals at the said place, the officers of the Municipal Corporation with the aid of the police personnel shall take appropriate action in accordance with law to prevent slaughtering of animals proposed for tomorrow (June 29)," the court said. The bench was hearing a petition filed by one Haresh Jain, a resident of the society, seeking complete ban on slaughtering of animals ...

Water stock in Mumbai lakes down to 7%, BMC to impose water cut from July 1

With the level of lakes supplying water to Mumbai going down due to inadequate rainfall in their catchment areas, the city civic body has decided to impose a 10 per cent water cut here starting from Saturday, officials said. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal also appealed to citizens to save water and use it judiciously. The southwest monsoon covered Mumbai on Sunday after a delay of two weeks. Talking to PTI, Chahal said on Wednesday that the BMC has decided to implement 10 water cut in Mumbai from July 1 as the stock in lakes supplying water to the city is about seven per cent. Mumbai receives 3,800 MLD (millions of litres per day) of water from seven reservoirs namely Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Vihar and Tulsi, located in Mumbai, Thane and Nashik districts. According to a BMC report, the seven lakes had 7.26 per cent stock at 6 am on Wednesday. On the same day in 2022 and 2021, the ...

Water stock in lakes down to 7%, BMC to impose water cut from Sat

With the level of lakes supplying water to Mumbai going down due to inadequate rainfall in their catchment areas, the city civic body has decided to impose a 10 per cent water cut here starting from Saturday, officials said. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has also appealed to citizens to save water and use it judiciously. The southwest monsoon covered Mumbai on Sunday, its entry into the financial capital being two weeks. Chahal told PTI on Wednesday that the BMC has decided to implement 10 water cut in Mumbai from July 1, as the stock in lakes supplying water to the city is about seven per cent. Mumbai receives 3,800 MLD (millions of litres per day) water from seven reservoirs namely Bhatsa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Tansa, Modak Sagar, Vihar and Tulsi, located in Mumbai, Thane and Nashik districts. According to a BMC report, the seven lakes had 7.26 per cent stock at 6 am on Wednesday. On the same day in 2022 and 2021, the lakes

Moderate to heavy rain likely to occur in Mumbai today: BMC officials

As southwest monsoon advanced over Mumbai and heavy rainfall with lightning and thunderstorm lashed the city on Sunday, BMC officials have predicted moderate to heavy rainfall for Monday with a possibility of occasional intense spells."In the last 24 hours, Mumbai city received 31 mm of rainfall, Eastern Suburbs received 54 mm of rainfall & Western Suburbs received 59 mm of rainfall. Today moderate to heavy rain is likely to occur in the city and suburbs and there is a possibility of occasional intense spells," BMC officials said.A source from BMC's official data said, "Monsoon onset is declared in Mumbai but despite the rains of past 2 days, water level in Mumbai water supplying lakes is quite low. Today at 8 am lakes had only 6.57% of the useful content of live storage. In previous years the same level on 26th June was 9.34% in 2022 and 16.25% in 2021."Earlier on Sunday, the IMD said that the southwest monsoon is active now and has covered the whole of Maharashtra, it will ...

Thackeray family looted Mumbaikars in last 15 years: Shrikant Shinde

Shiv Sena leader and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde on Sunday launched a scathing attack on former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and his MLA son Aaditya Thackeray, accusing them of looting Mumbai and pushing the 'Marathi manoos' out of the city in the last 15 years. Shinde, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was addressing the party's 'Shakha Sampark' drive at Versova in Mumbai. He sought to know why the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had acquired body bags during the COVID-19 pandemic period at a cost of Rs 6,719 apiece, whereas the same body bags were bought for Rs 350 each by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). Shinde also accused Uddhav Thackeray of leading the BMC to become the most corrupt municipal body in Asia. The Shiv Sena undivided ruled the BMC for more than 25 years. The party split last year following the rebellion by Eknath Shinde and 39 other party MLAs against Uddhav Thackeray. "How is it possible that TMC buys body bags at Rs 350 each

Mahanagar Gas to set up Rs 500-cr biogas plant in city, signs MoU with BMC

City gas distributor Mahanagar Gas on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to set up 1,000 tonnes per day (TPD) compressed biogas (CBG) plant in the megapolis at an investment of around Rs 500 crore. The proposed plant will process up to 1,000 TPD of deep segregated food and vegetable waste that will be supplied by the civic body, the utility company, which is a subsidiary of gas major Gail, a statement said. The waste, also known as CBG feedstock, will be collected from hotels, restaurants, banquet halls, and large vegetable markets/mandis in the city. The feedstock supply will be managed by BMC and will include collection, segregation and delivery. The plant on completion will provide a three-in-one solution, functioning as a biomass waste treatment plant, an organic fertiliser production plant and a green fuel production unit. The compressed biogas produced by the plant will be consumed within the city, it said without disclosing

Ahead of monsoon, BMC scoops a million tons silt from city gutters

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has cleared nearly a million tons of garbage and silt from the network of Mumbai's gutters and drains

G20 disaster risk group meeting begins in Mumbai; delegates visit BMC

The G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group (DRRWG) meeting began on Tuesday, with the delegates visiting the Emergency Operations Centre at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters. The delegates to the three-day meeting appreciated BMC's preparedness to handle various disasters and lauded the prevention and mitigation measures of the civic body, an official release said. They also appreciated the magnificent and spectacular architecture of the 128-year-old BMC headquarters. The BMC Disaster Management Department is preparing a multi hazard vulnerability and risk assessment plan and is also in the process of developing various predictive/early warning system modules of various hazards for early action.

BMC announces ban on two-wheelers on Parel TT flyover from June 1

Two-wheelers and heavy vehicles, including public transport buses, will not be allowed to ply on Parel TT flyover in central Mumbai from June 1, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced on Monday. The BMC in a release said it has received a no objection certificate from the Mumbai traffic police to ban heavy vehicles on this decades old bridge on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marg, which serves as one of the major corridors in the city. The civic body plans to install height barriers of 2.5 meters and hence, no heavy vehicles, including BEST buses, will be allowed to use the bridge from June 1, Ulhas Mahale, deputy municipal commissioner (Infrastructure) told PTI. The BMC has started filling potholes on the road to avoid inconvenience to citizens during monsoon. Heavy vehicles cause potholes on the road every year. Hence, the traffic police requested the BMC's bridge department to take measures to ban heavy vehicles on the flyover, the release stated. Citizens have, however,

Citizens in Mumbai to receive weather updates on phones during monsoon: BMC

Citizens in Mumbai will receive weather updates on their mobile phones through SMSes during monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Tuesday. "An SMS alert will be sent to citizens during an emergency," the BMC said. BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Tuesday chaired a meeting with various agencies on disaster management as monsoon preparedness. Officials of BEST, MMRDA, MSRDC, PWD, Mumbai Metro, Railways, NDRF, IMD, MHADA and other agencies along with the civic officials attended the meeting. The District Disaster Management Department has set up a control room to provide timely alerts about weather conditions and it has a mechanism to provide real-time weather alerts. Chahal directed all departments and agencies to expedite coordination to mitigate the possible challenges during the monsoon, the release said. For the smooth operation of suburban trains, which are used by more than 70 lakh people daily, Chahal directed the BMC's garden department to comp

Benefits of technology should be made available to senior citizens: HC

The Bombay High Court has said that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should ensure that benefits of modern technology are made available to the public, especially senior citizens, to make commuting in the city "easier and more comfortable". A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and R N Laddha was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) about the non-availability of a foot-over-bridge (FOB) connecting Bandra (East) railway station with the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) office-end. Disposing of the PIL on Monday, the court said the BMC should consider whether a part of the sky-walk can be a mechanized walkway so that it becomes useful to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. "The Central and Western Railways as also the Metro Rail have provided such mechanisms at several railway stations including escalators," the court said. Benefits of modern technology should be made available to commuters to make their commuting life in ..

BMC launches demolition drive against illegal film studios in coastal area

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday undertook a demolition drive against five unauthorised film studios in Madh, Erangal and Bhati areas in the Western suburbs. These studios, located in the P-North ward of the city, fall in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and the demolition would be completed within two days, the civic body said in a statement. A day before, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had tweeted about likely action by the BMC while claiming that dozens of unauthorized studios worth Rs 1,000 crore had come up there in 2021 when the Uddhav Thackeray-led government was in power in Maharashtra. After receiving complaints, officials of the P-North ward conducted inspection and served legal notices to studio owners, it said. Of 11 film studios operating illegally in the area, four were dismantled by their owners after getting the notice, two studios obtained required permissions and five studios had secured stay orders. On April 6, the National Green Tribunal ...