Page 117 - Maharashtra

524 buildings declared dangerous in Navi Mumbai, occupants asked to vacate

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has declared 524 buildings under its jurisdiction as dangerous after a detailed survey in the city limits, the civic body said on Thursday. Out of these buildings, 61 fall in C-1 category (most dangerous, unfit for occupation and require immediate demolition), 114 are in C-2A category (need to be vacated and structural repairs required), 300 in C-2B (need repairs without vacating) and 49 in C-3 (need minor repairs), Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar said in a release. The power and water supply to buildings classified as C-1 will be immediately disconnected. These buildings need to be razed immediately, the civic body said. The owners and occupants of the dangerous buildings have been asked to vacate the premises to avert any accident and loss of life, the release said. The occupants of buildings in categories other than C-1 need to carry out the repairs and reoccupy after the civic body certifies them as fit for occupation,

Maha CM, Dy CM take test drive on under-construction Trans-Harbour Link

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday inspected the under-construction Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) project, India's "longest" sea bridge that will reduce the travel time between the metropolis and and its satellite city Navi Mumbai, by taking a test drive on it. The chief minister termed the project as "game changer", while Fadnavis said it will be considered an "engineering marvel". The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed the Mumbai-bound carriageway of the project, also known as the Sewri-Nhava Sheva Trans Harbour Link, a 22-km long and six-lane access-controlled expressway grade bridge. The bridge begins at Sewri in south Mumbai and terminates at Chirle near Nhava Sheva in neighbouring Raigad district. An MMRDA official said it is the longest sea bridge in the country. A small function was held on the deck of the bridge, following which Shinde and Fadnavis went for a test drive towards Navi .

Manohar Joshi's condition critical after suffering from brain haemorrhage

The health condition of former Maharashtra chief minister and ex-Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi is critical and he continues to be in a semi-comatose state, a city-based private hospital, where he was admitted two days back after suffering from brain haemorrhage, said on Wednesday. His son Unmesh Joshi also said his father continues to remain unconscious. Manohar Joshi (85), a veteran Shiv Sena leader, was admitted to P D Hinduja Hospital in a "semi-coma state" on Monday. In a statement, the hospital said, "Joshi is critical and semi-comatose. His brain haemorrhage is stable. He continues to be in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), being managed medically, and his condition is being closely monitored." In a medical emergency, Joshi was admitted to the hospital on May 22 in a semi-coma condition. He was breathing on his own and was not on a ventilator, it said. Talking to PTI, his son Unmesh said his father is unconscious and doctors treating him have asked him to "wait and watch". "

Sex work an offence if it causes public nuisance, says Mumbai court

Challenging the order in the Sessions Court, the woman with two minor children, also denied indulging in any immoral activities as alleged by the police

Uttar Pradesh surpasses Maharashtra in sugar production this season

Uttar Pradesh has surpassed Maharashtra in sugar production in the current season even as 118 sugar mills operated in UP during the period compared to 210 mills that were operational in the western state. UP's Cane Development and Sugar Mills' minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary told PTI, "UP is ahead of Maharashtra as far as production of sugar is concerned along with a number of other factors." Elaborating further, Chaudhary said, "The total sugar produced by Uttar Pradesh in sugar season 2022-2023 is 107.29 lakh tonnes (which includes 3.05 lakh tonnes of Khandsari (physically extracted sugar from liquid jaggery), as compared to 105.30 lakh tonnes by Maharashtra. The area under cane cultivation in Uttar Pradesh is 28.53 lakh hectare (maximum in India) as compared to 14.87 lakh hectare in Maharashtra." The sugarcane crushing season runs from October to June. "The sugarcane production in UP has been 2,348 lakh tonnes, while in Maharashtra it was 1,413 lakh tonnes," Chaudhary said. He

Maha govt to hike aid for couples in mass marriages to Rs 25,000: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said the financial assistance provided to couples in mass marriages will be increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. Shinde was speaking at a mass marriage event in Palghar district, where at least 325 couples tied the knot in his presence. Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said mass marriages were the need of the hour, as people cannot afford big weddings. The government will hike the financial assistance provided to eligible couples during mass marriages to Rs 25,000 from the present Rs 10,000 and directives will be given to the concerned officials regarding the same, he said. Speaking about developmental projects in the district, Shinde said a 150-bed ESIS Hospital is coming up in the region, which will cater to the working class. The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) will carry out various projects to develop Palghar, he said.

Lumpy skin disease returns; over 10,000 active cases reported till May 18

Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Karnataka lead the way; 1.9 million vaccine doses administered in new cycle

Govt's 'admission of failure': MVA slams plan to yank out Rs 2,000 notes

Maharashtra's opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi slammed the move to withdraw the Rs 2,000 currency notes by September 30 as an admission of failure by the Bharatiya Janata Party govt at the Centre

Bombay HC asks CBI not to take action against Wankhede till Monday

The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the CBI not to take any "coercive action", such as arrest, against former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede who is accused of demanding Rs 25 crore bribe from superstar Shah Rukh Khan for not implicating his son Aryan in the Cordelia cruise 'drug bust' case. Wankhede, an Indian Revenue Service official, has moved the court with a petition seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation against him. A vacation bench of the court passed the order after recording Wankhede's undertaking that he will remain present at the CBI's office in BKC area here at 11 am on May 20. The CBI shall not take any "coercive action" against Wankhede till May 22, the HC said.

BRS expansion: KCR announces programme to increase footprint in Maharashtra

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday announced a month-long programme to expand his Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's network in over 45,000 villages in urban civic bodies in Maharashtra. Rao made the announcement while addressing the party cadres' training programme in Nanded, where he asserted that the efforts taken by his party workers during this 30-day exercise may change the politics of Maharashtra. This was his fourth rally in Maharashtra in four months - of which three were held in Nanded district alone. His first rally was held in February this year. "We will go to over 45,000 villages in Maharashtra and in 5,000 municipal wards in civic bodies," Rao said at the training programme attended by party representatives from across 288 Assembly constituencies in Maharashtra. He asked party workers to form nine committees at each place, comprising farmers, youth, women, backward classes, tribals, minorities, students and workers. "From May 22 to June 22, go

Maha ministers rejoice bullock-cart races verdict, call it farmers victory

Maharashtra Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict upholding the validity of amendment laws allowing 'Jallikattu' and bullock-cart races, and said the state government will provide all assistance to organise bullock-cart races. State Revenue and Animal Husbandry Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said the SC's verdict was the victory of farmers. The SC on Thursday upheld the validity of amendment Acts of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka which allowed bull-taming sport 'Jallikattu', bullock-cart races and buffalo racing sport 'Kambala' respectively. 'Jallikattu', also known "eruthazhuvuthal", is a bull-taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as part of the Pongal harvest festival. The 'Kambala' race, held in Karnataka between November and March, involves a pair of buffaloes tied to a plough and anchored by one person. They are made to run in parallel muddy tracks in a competition in which the fastest team wins. After the SC's verdict, Desai

After Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP wants quick decision on MLAs' disqualification

Last week, the SC had put the question of the 16 MLAs in the Maharashtra Speaker's domain, and to take the decision in a reasonable time

70 women go missing from Maha every day: LoP Danve raises concerns

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve has claimed that 70 women/girls go missing from the state every day and has asked the government to take steps for the safety and security of women. In a letter written on Wednesday to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home department charge, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Danve said it has come to light that from January to March this, more than 5,510 women and girls have gone missing from the state. Giving details, he said 1,600 went missing in January, 1,810 in February and 2,200 in March. "The graph of missing girls and women is growing in state," Danve claimed. Maharashtra is known as one of the leading states for women's security. The government should initiate steps immediately for the safety and security of women in the state, he said. Notably, Maharashtra State Commission for Woman chairperson Rupali Chakankar recently asked the state home department to set up a panel t

Nadda to address Maha BJP's executive committee meeting in Pune today

Nearly 1,200 delegates, including the party's district-level office-bearers, will attend the high-level meeting

Will try to get back Shivaji's sword from UK next month, says Maha minister

Maharashtra Minister for Cultural Affairs Sudhir Mungantiwar on Wednesday said he would visit the UK next month and try to bring back a sword and metal claws used by warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century. The metal claws or 'wagh nakh' is a weapon designed to fit over the knuckles or be concealed under and against the palm. It consists of four or five curved blades affixed to a crossbar. This weapon was used by Shivaji Maharaj to kill Afzal Khan, the general of the Adil Shahi dynasty of Bijapur Sultanate. "I had a discussion with the British deputy high commissioner earlier on making available the 'Jagdamba' sword and 'wagh nakh' here. We are signing an memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding the same," Mungantiwar said. The minister had held a meeting with Alan Gemmell, British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India and Imogen Stone, Deputy Head, Political and Bilateral Affairs on April 16. "We are celebrating the 350th anniversary of the coronation

AAP dissolves all units in Maha barring Mumbai in a bid to revamp party

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday announced dissolution of all its units in Maharashtra except in Mumbai, and said the exercise is aimed at strengthening and rebuilding the organisation from the grassroot level. In a release issued late this evening, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party also announced that it would contest all the forthcoming elections in the state. "The Aam Aadmi Party is a national political party and it will contest all the forthcoming elections in Maharashtra at all levels," it said. The party organisation will be rebuilt in the same robust manner as was done in other states, where it is playing an active political role, the release said. Without naming any political party, it also said that rather than indulging in the politics of "pannas khoke" (fifty boxes each containing Rs one crore), it will play politics of welfare. "We are confident that with the leadership in Maharashtra and Delhi, the AAP will be able to provide the glorious state of Maharashtra with a

Rising heat: Tankers roped in to supply water in Maha's scarcity-hit places

Eighteen villages and four settlements in Jalna and Hingoli districts of Marathwada region in Maharashtra are currently facing water shortage and tankers have been roped in to supply water at these places, the administration said in its report on Wednesday. The report issued by the divisional commissioner office said the administration has acquired 447 wells across six districts of Marathwada so far. "Due to the summer season, various places in Marathwada are facing water issues. Eighteen villages and four wadis (settlements) in Jalna and Hingoli districts are facing water shortage. Therefore, the administration has started supplying water through tankers at these places. Of them, 10 villages and four settlements are from Jalna, while eight villages are from Hingoli," the report said. In order to meet the water needs of the people, the administration has also acquired 447 wells in six out of the total eight districts of Marathwada - 85 each in Aurangabad and Jalna, 177 in Hingoli, 1

Amid political row, Hindu Mahasabha activists 'purify' Trimbakeshwar Temple

As a political brawl erupted over the alleged trespass of the famed Trimbakeshwar Temple by some Muslims on May 13, a group of Hindu Mahasabha activists 'purified' the entrance to the place of worship

Gadkari requests Maha govt to consider shifting of proposed thermal project

Union minister Nitin Gadkari has written a letter to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to consider shifting of the proposed 2x660 MW thermal power project from Koradi in Nagpur to another location. In the letter dated May 14, Nagpur Lok Sabha member Gadkari mentioned that the NGO 'Vidarbha Connect' has said the power project can be set up at Parshivni (Parseoni) in Nagpur district. Gadkari cited a letter and concerns raised by the NGO which has requested for consideration and cancellation of the proposed 2x660 MW thermal power project proposed at Koradi in Nagpur on the ground of health hazards and to shift it to another location. The Union minister said the NGO's representation states that Mahagenco is planning to erect a new thermal power project with a total capacity of 1,320 MW at Koradi. The present power generation capacity of Koradi thermal power station is 2,600 MW and falls in the Nagpur metro region limits. The units at Koradi are adding to the health ..

Shiv Sena (UBT) accuses BJP of trying to set up laboratory of riots in Maha

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to set up a "laboratory of riots" in Maharashtra to disturb social peace and polarise voters. May be they want to fight elections by dividing the society, just like they "broke the Shiv Sena" to form government in Maharashtra, an editorial in the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' said referring to the split in the Sena last year following which Eknath Shinde became the CM with the BJP's support. The people of the state need to be alert as they are surrounded by those who crave for power by side-stepping the Constitution, national unity and religious coexistence, the Marathi publication claimed. Maharashtra witnessed communal clashes on Saturday and Sunday in Akola city and Shevgaon village in Ahmednagar district, respectively, in which one person was killed and 13 others injured. In another incident, members of a different religion allegedly tried to force their way in