Mumbai: By the end of July, the BMC plans to launch an integrated construction and demolition (C&D) waste management portal, which aims to ensure that not a single kilogramme of construction and demolition waste is disposed of without monitoring.For the first time, a soil exchange platform will also be part of the portal, wherein developers, contractors, infrastructure agencies and others requiring excavated soil for backfilling, land development or infrastructure works can source it as part of circular economy principles. Besides, all generators and producers of C&D waste, including govt agencies such as MMRDA, MbPA, Mhada, the railways, PWD, Metro Rail and SRA, as well as infrastructure agencies, utility service providers and projects not covered under AutoDCR in the city, will be brought under a single platform as part of a standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the BMC. This is aimed at ensuring that no waste generated in the city is dumped illegally in mangroves, nullahs or along roadsides within or outside the city, and that all waste generated is accounted for.The portal will be integrated with the AutoDCR system, while the vehicle tracking and monitoring system (VTMS) will form an integral part of the portal, which will help in monitoring the vehicles used for dumping debris. All debris and construction waste generated and disposed of within the city will be tracked and accounted for, enabling the BMC to prevent illegal dumping.According to civic officials, AutoDCR, VTMS and a payment gateway will be integrated into the portal. Agencies and contractors, who are required to submit a detailed waste management plan specifying the quantities of demolition, excavation and construction waste and obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the solid waste management (SWM) department for their projects, will now also have to register on the portal.“The C&D waste will be transported to the BMC’s Dahisar and Shilphata processing plants, while excavated material will either be sent to the Deonar landfill site or supplied to agencies requiring excavated soil,” officials said.

Mumbai: The chargesheet in the Goregaon drugs case, in which two MBA students died in April, has alleged that 2,800 Ecstasy pills were sent to Mumbai via international courier, concealed inside a midi dress, by a German national in Feb. This parcel and, subsequently, another consignment of 1,000 Ecstasy pills were allegedly ordered from the German by prime accused Mahesh Khemlani. The German has been shown as a wanted accused in the case.Two MBA students, aged 28 and 24, died on April 12, a day after they popped the pills offered by one of their batchmates at a music concert in Goregaon East. Another 25-year-old woman who consumed the pill received treatment and survived. Vanrai police arrested 14 people on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, besides provisions of the NDPS Act. A 3,000-page-long chargesheet was filed before a Borivli magistrate court against 12 of the 14 accused persons this past week.The chargesheetalleges that the first consignment of Ecstasy pills came to Mumbai on Feb 11 via the US and Dubai. It was received and paid for by a co-accused, Dipesh Hemvani, at his Ulhasnagar residence, according to records with the Ulhasnagar post office. The label on the parcel said it contained a Black Sweetheart Midi Dress. Subsequently, another parcel arrived in March via Europe and Delhi, and was again accepted by Hemvani in Ulhasnagar. According to the police, Hemvani handed over the pills later to key accused Ayush Sahitya.The chargesheet further alleges that Khemlani and Sahitya met with the German national at a five-star hotel in Juhu between April 1 and April 3. Khemlani paid the hotel bills. Further, Khemlani had another meeting with the German national at a club in Mira Road.According to the chargesheet, Khemlani and Sahitya first met in Thailand, where they had discussions regarding drugs. Subsequently, they met in Goa and a club in Mira-Bhayander. They had monetary transactions up to $9,000 in connection with Ecstasy dealings and also used crypto wallets.To build a watertight case against the accused, the Vanrai police have got the statement of the 25-year-old survivor recorded before a magistrate court at Andheri. Police have also attached forensic reports to the chargesheet, which confirm that MDMA, or Ecstasy, caused the deaths of the two MBA students.Advocates Surendra Landge and Azad Gupta, who previously represented Patel, said they would go through the police’s claims in the chargesheet.

Uddhav said he would personally join the protest with Sonam Wangchuk if required

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday extended support to the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, calling it a “genuine movement for students” and urging all political parties to come together in support of the protesters. Uddhav also said Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi should go and back them.Uddhav said he would personally join the protest with Sonam Wangchuk if required and appealed to all political parties, including the Congress and even the BJP, to participate in the July 20 demonstration. Uddhav also took a dig at Union minister Nitin Gadkari, saying when the whole country was talking about potholes and poor roads, Gadkari was talking about ethanol.“Currently, there is a very strange situation in the country. After many years, the opposition party has a huge task to do in the country and in Maharashtra. Corruption is going on wherever we point the finger. There are potholes on the roads. Those who are responsible for the roads … like Gadkari, are talking about ethanol. All the work is going on indiscriminately,” said Uddhav.“The issue raised by Abhijeet Dipke at Jantar Mantar in Delhi is about the future of many youths. NEET exam papers were leaked, many students committed suicide. No one paid attention to it. The govt does not have time. The ruling party is more interested in splitting rival parties. Where the country’s fortunes are leaking, students are committing suicide, there is no time to pay attention. I fully support this movement and Sonam Wangchuk,” said Uddhav.“Sonam Wangchuk’s intelligence should be used. The person is on an indefinite fast. Four days ago, (Shiv Sena-UBT MP) Arvind Sawant was sent to meet him. I had requested Sonamji not go on a fast… because the country needs people like him. The govt has nothing to lose…. Sonam Wangchuk’s condition is deteriorating day by day. I would say that today, a moment has come when all parties in the country should come together,” said Uddhav.“I am not of the opinion that anyone should carry party flags there. But Abhijit Dipke is raising the voice for the youths of the country. I saw a video on social media that a march has been organized on the 20th. Abhijit Dipke has claimed that an attempt will be made to break up this movement…who are Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijit Dipke fighting for? Not only the youth but also the parents should be awake. Every political party across the country should do something in support of Abhijit Dipke and Sonam Wangchuk in their state. Until the country wakes up, the careless rulers will not wake up,” said Uddhav.“Of course, he (Rahul Gandhi) should go. I will also go. Whoever in the country feels like it, they should go. Even if they are from the BJP. Going beyond the party, if they have interest in the youth of this country, they should leave the party shoes aside and join the movement,” said Uddhav.

Mumbai: The fracture within the NCP’s leadership was made public on Monday with party national secretary Sachchidanand Singh sending a legal notice challenging deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar’s election as national NCP president. On Monday, the party’s working president Praful Patel also spoke out about the vacuum in the party after Sunetra’s husband Ajit Pawar’s death and the “need for corrective measures.”“To fill Ajit Pawar’s vacuum is not an easy task. There is a need to take corrective measures within the party,” Patel told mediapersons in what is his first public acknowledgement of the NCP’s internal issues.After former NCP chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar’s death in an air crash in Jan, the party has gone through a leadership churn. As his wife Sunetra Pawar took over the party’s reins, Patel and state party chief Sunil Tatkare were viewed as challengers and increasingly sidelined. Instead, her son, Rajya Sabha MP Parth Pawar, started calling the shots within the party. The rise of Parth Pawar has not gone down well with many within the party, who are questioning why they need to listen to someone with little political experience.Singh served a legal notice dated July 9 to Sunetra Pawar, Praful Patel and national general secretary Brijmohan Shrivastav, demanding that her election be declared null and void.According to party records dated Feb 17, it was agreed that national working president Praful Patel would temporarily officiate as the national president following Ajit Pawar’s passing, the letter said. It also said that the party’s constitution was amended on Feb 16.“Instead of following proper constitutional protocols, Brijmohan Shrivastav, a General Secretary, independently passed a resolution on February 18, calling for a national convention and initiating an election process to choose a permanent Party President,” Singh stated in the notice. However, it said the power to call for a national convention rested solely with Patel.The letter thus calls into question the validity of the national convention held at the NSCI Club on Feb 26, in which Sunetra Pawar was elected as national NCP chief.Singh has also questioned the party’s official submissions to the Election Commission of India. The notice points out that the communications sent by the party to the EC on Feb 28 and March 10 regarding the election are “internally inconsistent”. Also, Singh said that a final list of office-bearers was submitted to the EC on April 29, without any notification or mandate from the national delegates.Singh has given the party 15 days to declare Sunetra Pawar’s election and that of the revised list of office-bearers null and void. He has asked for the party’s communications to the EC on Feb 28, March 10 and April 29 to also be declared void. Besides, he has sought constitution of a Central Election Authority to conduct fresh, free and fair organisational elections strictly adhering to the party constitution after serving due notice to all national delegates.How tensions grew within partyJan 28: Ajit Pawar dies in an air crash at BaramatiFeb 26: Sunetra Pawar elected as national NCP president at the party’s national convention at the NSCI Club in Mumbai. Praful Patel is re-elected as national working president and Sunil Tatkare as state party presidentFeb 28: Sunetra writes to the Election Commission, asks for decisions between Ajit Pawar’s death and her elevation to be declared null and voidMarch 10: Sunetra Pawar writes to the EC about her appointment as party chief. She sends a list of 14 office-bearers but omits the designations of 12 members, including Praful Patel and Sunil TatkareApril 29: Sunetra Pawar’s letter to EC lists Pawar and Tatkare as part of its national executive but omits their designations as national working president and state presidentJune 12: Sunetra targets indiscipline in the party

The nearly two-hour funeral was conducted with around 15 people using their mobile phone flashlights to perform the last rites

Navi Mumbai: Residents of Karanjade were forced to cremate an 82-year-old man under the light of mobile phone torches at the crematorium near a talao on Sunday night, after the facility was left without electricity.The nearly two-hour funeral was conducted with around 15 people using their mobile phone flashlights to perform the last rites. It was the second cremation within a week to take place in darkness after the power supply to the crematorium was allegedly disconnected by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) over pending dues.The Cidco-developed node, located near the Navi Mumbai International Airport, falls under a local gram panchayat. The crematorium and its surrounding area were shrouded in darkness, prompting concern among residents over the lack of basic civic infrastructure.Local resident Vikram Jaiswal (82) passed away on Sunday. He had recently been discharged from hospital after undergoing treatment for a liver-related ailment and was recuperating at home under medication.His son, Anil, said, “Most of those present at the crematorium had used their mobile torch. There were around 30 persons present at the crematorium.”Local activist Ganesh Utekar alleged, “The agencies are unable to provide power supply to the crematorium. Hence cremation was done using mobile torch lights. The crematorium area also gets light from the high mast light installed near the talao, but adding to the woes it remains dysfunctional since long.”However, MSEDCL assistant engineer Amit Palve said, “The power supply has been cut off since long over bill default.”Rejecting the claim that the disruption was due to unpaid electricity bills, Karanjade Sarpanch Mangesh Shelar said, “People should contact me as there is another switch for power supply. The new staffer does not know about the switch.”A staff member at the crematorium said, “This was the second cremation done without power supply. The last one was held on Saturday night. The gram panchayat maintains the crematorium and pays the power utility bill. The power supply will be restored soon as somebody has inspected the site on Monday. ”– Umesh K Parida