Page 7 - Maharashtra

Seven dead during Ganesh idol immersion in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh

Ganesh festival culminated on a teary note for lakhs of devotees who bid farewell to the adorable elephant-headed god they consecrated and worshipped for ten days, while at least seven persons died in various incidents, including drowning, after immersing idols in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In Maharashtra, four persons drowned and 13 went missing in various water bodies in Thane, Pune, Nanded, Nashik, Jalgaon, and Amravati districts, officials said on Sunday. In Mumbai city, where immersion processions extend several hours, a man died of electrocution and five other individuals sustained injuries, civic officials said. The incident occurred on Khairani Road in the Sakinaka area on Sunday morning when a Ganesh idol came into contact with a hanging electric wire. In Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, two teenage boys drowned after falling into a stream during the immersion of an idol of Lord Ganesh, police said on Sunday. The boys drowned after falling into a stream during the

Modi great leader whether Trump says so or not: Fadnavis on foreign policy

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great leader irrespective of whether US President Donald Trump says it or not, and added that India frames its own foreign policy, which cannot be dictated to it by any other country. His statement comes in the wake of Trump's praise of PM Modi. Trump on Friday said, "I'll always be friends with (Narendra) Modi, he's a great prime minister. He's great. I'll always be friends, but I just don't like what he's doing at this particular moment." The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable" When asked about the US President's remarks, CM Fadnavis said, "Whether Trump says it or not, PM Modi is great. All world leaders feel that he is a great ...

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange hospitalised a day after ending fast

A day after Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange ended his fast, doctors attend to him in a hospital here on Wednesday said he had dehydration and low blood sugar, and was being administered intravenous (IV) fluids. Jarange, who began his hunger strike in Mumbai on August 29, called off the protest on Tuesday afternoon after the Maharashtra government accepted most of his demands, including granting eligible Marathas Kunbi caste certificates, which will make them eligible for reservation benefits available to OBCs. The 43-year-old activist accepted a glass of fruit juice offered by senior BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who heads the cabinet sub-committee on Maratha reservation, at south Mumbai's Azad Maidan, the site of his agitation, marking the end of his fast. Jarange, who hails from Jalna district in the Marathwada region, later left the venue in an ambulance for a medical check-up. He was then shifted to a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where he receive

Inox Green inks O&M deals for 189 MWp solar projects across three states

Inox Green Energy Services on Wednesday said it has inked pacts with multiple customers to provide operations and maintenance services for 189.1 MWp of operational solar projects. According to a company statement, the pacts include 96.6 MWp with a global PE-backed Independent Power Producer (IPP) for their projects located in Maharashtra and 92.5 MWp with an IPP for their projects located in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. With these additions, Inox Green's solar O&M portfolio has touched 1.8 GW, taking the total renewable O&M portfolio to 5.3 GW, the statement added. "Being one of the leading renewable O&M services providers in the country, we are confident of capturing a significant portion of the upcoming opportunities and rapidly scaling up our portfolio in the coming years," SK Mathu Sudhana, CEO of Inox Green, said. Inox Green Energy Services is engaged in the business of providing long-term O&M services for renewable energy projects. Its customers include some of ...

Jarange ends hunger strike as Maharashtra govt accepts Maratha quota demand

Maratha activist Manoj Jarange said the Maharashtra government agreed to implement the Hyderabad Gazette granting OBC status to Marathas and withdraw protest cases

Jarange meets delegation, demands Marathwada's Marathas be declared Kunbis

Activist Manoj Jarange on Saturday told a delegation led by retired High Court judge Sandeep Shinde that the government must declare all Marathas of Marathwada as Kunbis and be given reservation. The delegation met Jarange at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai this afternoon. He has been on an indefinite hunger strike since Friday seeking quota in government jobs and education for the Maratha community. Jarange said the committee under retired judge Shinde had studied gazettes related to the issue for the past 13 months and now it was time for the panel to submit its report to pave the way for Marathas to get Kunbi status. Jarange has been seeking a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis an agrarian caste included in the OBC category which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. "Marathas in Marathwada must be declared as Kunbis and given reservation. The Hydera

Shah visits Lalbaugcha Raja, CM residence and meets DyCM Shinde in Mumbai

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is in Mumbai to attend the ongoing Ganesh festivities, visited Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' residence and later took 'darshan' of the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati with his family members. Shah also held a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state BJP leaders. Shah arrived in the city on Friday night. On Saturday morning, he met Shinde at the state government's Sahyadri Guest House in south Mumbai, where he also interacted with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) joint general secretary Atul Limaye, Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan and newly appointed Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam. Shah later visited 'Varsha', the official residence of CM Fadnavis, party sources said. After that the Union minister visited the famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh mandal with his family members as part of his annual tradition. CM Fadnavis and Deputy CM Shinde also accompanied them. Shah is also scheduled to pay a visit to the Ganesh pandals in

Maratha quota stir: Govt panel to hold talks with Jarange, says minister

Maharashtra Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Saturday said that a government delegation has been deputed to hold talks with Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, who is staging an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan. Talking to reporters after a meeting of the cabinet sub-committee, the state water resources minister said issues raised by Jarange were discussed in detail and the government is committed to resolving them positively. Jarange has been seeking a 10 per cent quota for Marathas under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category. He has demanded that Marathas be recognised as Kunbis an agrarian caste included in the OBC category which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education. Vikhe Patil said that the delegation headed by Justice Sandeep Shinde (retired) will hold talks with Jarange. Justice Shinde heads the high-level committee constituted to scrutinise Kunbi records of the Maratha community. The minister further said, "We have discu

Maratha quota stir enters day 2: Hunger strike, traffic snarls, and more

Maratha quota protest: Thousands joined the protest at Azad Maidan despite police limits; hunger strike, traffic chaos, and rain tested Mumbai's civic infrastructure

Maratha quota: Protest enters second day as Jarange continues fast

Maratha quota agitation leader Manoj Jarange continued his indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai's historic Azad Maidan on the second day, declaring he would not budge until the community's demands were fulfilled. Jarange and his supporters battled mud on the ground due to overnight rains and bemoaned the lack of basic amenities, including a paucity of water in toilets. Jarange is demanding that all Marathas be recognised as Kunbis under OBC for job and education reservations. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the state government is positive about resolving the issues of the Marathas, if they are social and financial in nature and not related to political reservation. Fadnavis has said the cabinet sub-committee on issues related to the Maratha community was discussing Jarange's demands and will find a solution within the constitutional framework. The 43-year-old activist has warned that he will stop taking water in the next two days, and more Marathas

Maharashtra signs ₹33,768 cr MoUs; industries to generate 33,000 jobs

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the state government has signed 17 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various companies, attracting investments worth Rs 33,768.89 crore that are expected to generate more than 33,000 jobs. The MoUs, signed in the presence of Fadnavis and Industries Minister Uday Samant, span diverse sectors including electronics, steel, solar energy, electric buses and trucks, and defence-related industries, which will come up in north Maharashtra, Pune, Vidarbha and Konkan. The chief minister assured investors that the state government is committed to providing a smooth experience in Maharashtra. The MoUs of Rs 33,768.89 crore are expected to generate 33,483 jobs. "We will not stop at signing agreements. The government will remain a partner at every stage of investment, ensuring there are no hurdles," he said. He highlighted the state's 'Maitri' portal, a single-window platform aimed at facilitating quick approvals for land, permiss

Maratha quota protest: Maha govt open to talks with Jarange, say ministers

Maharashtra ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday said the state government is ready to talk with Maratha quota movement leader Manoj Jarange, stressing that his demands are being viewed sympathetically. However, BJP member of legislative council Parinay Fuke cautioned against yielding to what he called unconstitutional demands, saying it would trigger bigger protests by the Other Backward Class (OBC) groups. Jarange started his agitation at the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Friday morning to press for reservation in education and government jobs for Marathas. Water Resources Minister and Maratha reservation sub-committee chairperson Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said they have Jarange's memorandum of demands and it would be taken up for discussion. Jarange Patil has arrived in Mumbai, and he says he is ready for talks with the government. We too are ready. Reservation was never treated as a matter of prestige by the government. Once his memorandum i

Heavy rains disrupt life in Latur; schools shut, rescue teams in action

Heavy downpour has disrupted life in Maharashtra's Latur district, prompting the administration to declare a school holiday on Friday, officials said. Of the 60 revenue circles in the district in the state's Marathwada region, 29 had reported excessive rainfall till Thursday night as water levels in rivers and streams rose, triggering rescue operations, they said. About 50 roads and bridges were shut after water began to flow over the structures. With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for August 29, District Collector and Disaster Management Authority Chairperson Varsha Thakur-Ghuge has announced a holiday for all schools from Class 1 to 12, an official said. Disaster management teams and local villagers rescued ten persons stranded in flood-hit areas of Shirur Anantpal and Ahmedpur talukas. An Army team has also arrived in Ahmedpur. In Shirur Anantpal, five persons trapped in a riverside shed and three labourers stuck during bridge construction on t

Palghar building collapse: Fadnavis announces ₹5 lakh aid for victims' kin

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday expressed grief over the death of 17 persons in a building collapse at Virar in Palghar district and announced an assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of the deceased. The building, which was allegedly unauthorised and housed nearly 50 flats, collapsed on an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area of Palghar, adjoining Mumbai, at 12.05 am on Wednesday, according to officials. A one-year-old girl's birthday party was underway on the fourth floor when 12 flats in a wing of the building collapsed, trapping residents and guests under the debris, as per eyewitnesses. The child was among the deceased. Police have arrested the builder of the four-storey structure, Ramabai Apartment, after the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) lodged a complaint, the official said. Seventeen persons have died so far, and Chief Minister Fadnavis has expressed profound grief and paid heartfelt tribute to the deceased, a statement fr

Two more bodies found, death toll in Palghar building collapse rises to 17

The death toll in the collapse of a building at Virar in Maharashtra's Palghar district has gone up to 15 with the recovery of three more bodies overnight, officials said on Thursday. The unauthorised four-storey building, housing nearly 50 flats, collapsed on an adjacent vacant tenement at Vijay Nagar in Virar area at 12.05 am on Wednesday, they said. A one-year-old girl's birthday party was underway on the fourth floor when 12 flats in a wing of the building collapsed, trapping residents and guests under the debris, as per eyewitnesses. Palghar District Collector Dr Indu Rani Jakhar on Thursday morning confirmed that the death toll in the incident has gone up to 15. The work of clearing the debris by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other rescue teams will continue to ensure no other person was trapped under the rubble, she told PTI.

Maharashtra govt forms committee to study impact of pigeons on human health

Amid controversy over the closure of 'kabutarkhanas' in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has set up an expert committee to examine the impact of pigeons on human health as directed by the Bombay High Court. In response to three writ petitions, the high court had on August 13 asked the government to set up a committee to study health hazards associated with pigeons and the practice of feeding them in public places. The Urban Development Department on August 22 issued an order appointing a 13-member committee headed by Rajay Kan Devad, Director, Public Health Services, Pune. Its other members include representatives from the Bombay Natural History Society, Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur, pulmonologists from Mumbai, microbiologists, and senior officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. The committee will study the impact of pigeon droppings on health, public feeding of the

Maratha quota protest: Maha govt delegation to meet Jarange at Shivneri

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday stepped up its efforts to reach out to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, lining up a ministerial delegation to meet him at Shivneri. Jarange set out for Mumbai in the morning as he remained firm on launching his agitation from August 29 in the Maharashtra capital. The activist told reporters that he had received a phone call from cabinet sub-committee head and state minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil informing him that a government team would reach Shivneri in Pune district for discussions. The delegation sent by Vikhe Patil will be coming to Shivneri. The government has shown willingness to hold discussions, but our stand on the Mumbai agitation remains unchanged, Jarange told reporters. Meanwhile, Vikhe Patil said the cabinet sub-committee, which held its first meeting on Monday, had deliberated on Jarange's demands concerning extending reservation benefits to close relatives of the Maratha community. He added that the Shinde committee

2 dead, 9 injured as part of building collapses in Maharashtra's Palghar

Two persons were killed and nine others injured after a part of a building collapsed in Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district, an official said on Wednesday. The injured have been rushed to various hospitals in Virar and Nalasopara, on the outskirts of Mumbai. The rear portion of the four-storey Ramabai Apartment, located on Narangi Road in Vasai, crashed onto a chawl in the vicinity around 12.05 am, he said. Rescuers have pulled 11 individuals, some with serious injuries, from the debris so far and two of them have been declared dead, said the official from the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVMC). The fire department and two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to the accident spot, he said. Citing preliminary information, Vivekanand Kadam, District Disaster Management Officer of Palghar, said the rear portion of Ramabai Apartment fell on the adjoining chawl. Multiple residents were trapped under the debris, he said. Unfortunately, we ha

Supreme Court halts police action against Sanjay Kumar in voter rolls case

Supreme Court seeks response from the Election Commission and the Maharashtra government; says no coercive action until further hearing

Leaders claiming vote theft are consoling themselves over loss: CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said leaders alleging vote theft were doing so to provide solace to their workers for their defeat in polls instead of introspecting about their loss. Fadnavis's remark has come after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday said that he had been talking about "vote theft" since 2016, and the Election Commission should have conducted a probe when both Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the BJP's Anurag Thakur alleged voter list fraud. Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis, in a veiled jibe, said, "Poet Ghalib once said 'Dil behelana ke liye khayal acha hain' (to console the heart, this thought is good). I want to say that they (leaders) are trying to provide solace to themselves and their workers by claiming there was a conspiracy behind their defeat in elecctions. But I want to tell them that they must introspect about their defeat, or they will never win." Asked about Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's statement