The BMC initiative seeks to ensure that biodegradable waste generated by housing societies, institutions, hospitals, and commercial establishments is scientifically processed at source, while dry waste is channelled only to authorised recyclers

Mumbai: In a push to reduce the city’s dependence on landfills and long-distance transportation of garbage, the BMC has launched a decentralised waste processing mission under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.As part of the initiative, the BMC has also invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from technically qualified agencies to help Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs) set up and operate on-site waste processing systems.The initiative seeks to ensure that biodegradable waste generated by housing societies, institutions, hospitals, and commercial establishments is scientifically processed at source, while dry waste is channelled only to authorised recyclers. To encourage compliance, the BMC has announced a property tax rebate of up to 15% for housing societies that scientifically process wet waste within their premises and adhere to BMC guidelines.Civic officials said the move is aimed at reducing waste transportation, improving segregation and recycling, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and promoting a circular economy.The BMC has identified 3,177 BWGs across Mumbai, of which 2,025 have already been registered with it. Officials said 513 properties have earmarked space for installing decentralised waste processing units.Further to facilitate implementation, the BMC has floated an EOI to empanel third-party agencies that will assist societies and institutions with site assessments, technology selection, installation, operation and maintenance of waste processing systems, staff training, statutory compliance and linkage of dry waste with authorised recyclers. The civic body said all proposed technologies will undergo technical evaluation before approval.According to the EOI notice, interested agencies can procure tender documents from August 1. Queries and comments can be submitted until August 7, when a pre-bid meeting will also be held. The last date for submission of the EOI is August 14.Civic officials said the initiative if successful could significantly reduce the burden on Mumbai’s waste collection, transportation and disposal infrastructure while accelerating the city’s transition towards a circular economy.“The future of waste management lies not in transporting waste across the city, but in processing it where it is generated,” a BMC oficial said, urging housing societies, commercial establishments and institutions to participate in the initiative.

Civic officials said Rs 23.1 lakh of the total penalty amount has been recovered specifically from offenders involved in illegal dumping and unauthorised transport of construction and demolition waste

Mumbai: BMC has collected a little over Rs 70 lakh in penalties and booked 4,006 violators since the city’s new Solid Waste Management (SWM), Cleanliness and Sanitation Bye-laws came into force on April 1.The objective of the penalties was “not revenue generation, but behavioural change”, said the civic administration, adding that enforcement must become a part of daily sanitation management rather than an occasional drive.Civic officials said Rs 23.1 lakh of the total penalty amount has been recovered specifically from offenders involved in illegal dumping and unauthorised transport of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, one of the biggest contributors to recurring garbage hotspots across the city.Mumbai generates around 8,000 tonnes of C&D waste daily due to redevelopment projects, Metro construction, road concretisation and large-scale excavation works.Under the new bye-laws, dumping construction and demolition waste illegally or at unauthorised locations attracts a fine of Rs 20,000 per vehicle, while transporting construction and demolition waste without a permit Rs 25,000 per vehicle. The action has been taken by junior supervisors, who have been empowered under the 2025 bye-laws to issue penalties and enforce cleanliness regulations at the ward level.Under these bye-laws, BMC has also specified penal action for 21 types of offences, including throwing garbage on roads/lanes/footpaths/gardens/public places (Rs 500), spitting (Rs 250), bathing in open and public places (Rs 300), urinating (Rs 500), defecating (Rs 500), feeding animals or birds in open spaces and public places (Rs 500), washing utensils/clothes/any other items in public places (Rs 300), and washing vehicles (Rs 500).Recently, while reviewing the drive, municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide directed all 25 ward offices to significantly intensify enforcement, with a focus on garbage-vulnerable locations, construction sites, markets, highways and other public places.Under the fresh directions, ward teams have been asked to step up surveillance and take strict action against illegal dumping of garbage and C&D waste, open dumping on roads and footpaths, repeat offenders creating chronic garbage spots, unauthorised transport of construction debris and commercial establishments violating the SWM bye-laws.The civic administration expects stricter field supervision and sustained penalties to reduce recurring dumping points and improve visible cleanliness across Mumbai. Officials have also been instructed to identify habitual offenders and initiate stronger action under the provisions of the new bye-laws.The SWM Bye-laws, 2025 replaced the earlier enforcement framework and gave ward-level officials greater powers to penalise violations related to littering, waste segregation, illegal dumping and sanitation-related public nuisance.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday wrote to Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Rashmi Shukla, seeking clarity on how the state government’s decision to withdraw cases against students and youths who participated in protests would be implemented.In his letter, Thackeray referred to the Maharashtra Home Department’s earlier order directing the withdrawal, through due legal process, of cases registered against students, youths and others who took part in protests across the state in support of the agitation held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.While welcoming the government’s decision, Thackeray said there was uncertainty over its implementation, as many students were still receiving police notices and several investigations and court proceedings were continuing.“We welcome this decision. However, we are continuously being contacted by numerous students, parents, lawyers and citizens from across the state, and confusion has arisen regarding how the actual implementation of this decision will take place. Many students are still receiving police notices, investigations are ongoing in some cases, and in many places, cases are pending in courts,” the letter stated.Seeking clarity, Thackeray asked whether the Home Department’s order would apply to all FIRs, investigations and pending cases related to the student protests across Maharashtra.He also sought clarification on whether ongoing investigations and penal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other applicable laws would be immediately stayed. In addition, he asked whether police stations would begin the process of withdrawing cases on their own or whether students and their lawyers would have to file separate applications.The Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA also sought details on the procedure for withdrawing cases pending before courts, including whether applications would be filed through public prosecutors under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and whether the government had fixed any timeline for completing the process.Thackeray further asked whether Maharashtra Police had issued a uniform Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or circular to all police commissioners, superintendents of police and police stations to ensure consistent implementation of the government’s decision. He urged that such instructions be made public.He also sought clarification on the status of students who continue to face arrest, interrogation, attendance requirements or other police action despite the government’s announcement.“It is extremely essential that the decision taken by the government does not remain merely on paper and is implemented uniformly and effectively across the entire state. The unnecessary impact of criminal cases should not affect the educational, professional and social future of students protesting through democratic means,” he said in the letter.Thackeray urged the DGP to issue immediate clarifications, direct all police authorities to implement the decision uniformly across Maharashtra and place the instructions in the public domain.

Mumbai: The state’s anti-conversion law, called the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, 2026, is now in force in the state after being published in the official gazette on receiving the assent of President Droupadi Murmu.Officials said the Act was published in the official gazette on July 30 and came into force on the same date. “Legal action may now be initiated in cases involving unlawful religious conversion in the state strictly in accordance with the provisions of the new Act,” a senior official said.The legislation was passed by the legislature during the budget session in March before being sent to the governor and then the President for assent.The Act prohibits religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, allurement, misrepresentation or under the promise of marriage. It mandates imprisonment of up to seven years for violations, rising to 10 years for repeat offenders.It mandates a 60-day prior notice to the district magistrate before conversion, allowing complaints by parents, siblings and other relatives of the convert.The bill had been opposed by the Congress, NCP SP, Samajwadi party and CPI (M) in the assembly but was supported by the SS UBT.Congress MLAs had argued in the state assembly that the legislation was unconstitutional and an infringement on the right to privacy. The Samajwadi Party held that it was targeted at a particular community. The Opposition had wanted the legislation to be referred to a joint select committee.Defending the legislation, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said it was intended to curb forced or fraudulent religious conversions and was not aimed at voluntary conversions or interfaith marriages.At least 12 other states already have an anti-conversion legislation in place, including Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhatisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Also, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Haryana and Rajasthan.

BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide has instructed ward officers to conduct regular inspections; remove encroachments from footpaths around schools, hospitals, railway and Metro stations; demolish illegal constructions; address traffic bottlenecks; and prioritise pothole complaints received through BMC’s ‘Marg’ app

Mumbai: The BMC on Saturday launched a citywide drive to improve “visible cleanliness”, directing all ward offices to identify and permanently eliminate garbage vulnerable points (GVPs), install CCTV cameras at such locations and initiate strict penal action against those caught dumping waste in public.There are 231 GVPs in the city, of which 49 have been elevated so far, and on 73 locations CCTV cameras have been placed.Municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide, in a meeting held along with all heads of departments at the BMC headquarters, instructed ward officers to conduct regular inspections; remove encroachments from footpaths around schools, hospitals, railway and Metro stations; demolish illegal constructions; address traffic bottlenecks; and prioritise pothole complaints received through BMC’s ‘Marg’ app.Bhide said the civic body has mapped garbage hotspots across Mumbai on Google Maps and will subject each location to a structured assessment to identify the source and type of waste, plug gaps in collection and transportation, engage with residents and commercial establishments, and step up awareness campaigns. CCTV surveillance will be installed at all GVPs to deter littering, while repeat offenders will face penal action.The BMC said the campaign will focus on markets, major roads, footpaths, beaches, public spaces, vacant plots, drains and water bodies. It also plans to strengthen interception systems to prevent plastic and other solid waste from entering drains, creeks and the sea during the monsoon.Bhide asked assistant municipal commissioners to conduct regular field visits and work with local elected representatives to sustain cleanliness. Zonal deputy commissioners have been asked to review sanitation work every week, with special emphasis on clearing roadside garbage that poses health risks during the monsoon.The civic chief also directed officials to intensify special cleanliness drives at heritage sites, tourist attractions and other high-footfall public areas. Officers and staff who carry out the highest number of enforcement actions against littering will be recognised, she said.Separately, Bhide ordered immediate removal of encroachments from footpaths near schools, hospitals, railway and Metro stations and markets, saying nearly half of Mumbai’s commuters travel on foot and pedestrian infrastructure must remain obstruction-free. Illegal hawkers, unauthorised ramps and other obstructions are to be removed to make footpaths fully walkable.On potholes, the BMC said complaints have declined as more roads are being concretised. It claimed that 96% of pothole complaints received on the ‘Marg’ app between June 10 and July 30 have been resolved and directed officials to maintain the pace of redressal.Reiterating the Bombay high court’s observations on illegal constructions, Bhide said payment of property tax, electricity connections or old occupancy do not confer legality on unauthorised structures, and directed officials to ensure that such constructions are not regularised under any circumstances.

Wooden gavel. LAW concept. 3D Icon isolated on white background

Navi Mumbai: A 32-year-old man, Monish Ashok Gharat, residing in Ulwe, was convicted and sentenced to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment for attempt to murder and fined Rs 1 lakh by the Panvel district Additional Sessions Court on July 29. The sentence followed the trial in an FIR registered against him at Nhava Sheva police station on May 31, 2023.The conviction order was pronounced by Additional Sessions Judge Santosh R. Chavan after 13 prosecution witnesses were produced before the court by Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Yashwant Bhopi for recording their testimony. The chargesheet was filed against Gharat on July 28, 2023, while charges were framed against him after two years on May 5, 2025. Thereafter, on July 7, 2025, the commencement of evidence was initiated, followed by the final judgement on July 29, 2026.APP Bhopi said, “The accused was found guilty of deliberately crashing a dumper vehicle, owned by his sister Jyoti Ashok Gharat, into Ulwe police chowki twice and damaging two parked police vehicles, including the Nirbhaya Squad vehicle. He even attempted to hit a biker with a pillion rider by driving on the wrong side near Kharkopar railway station, as the pillion rider was recording him while he drove on the wrong side. Thereafter, he attempted to ram into a police jeep chasing him. The then senior inspector Sanjay Dhumal was compelled to fire two rounds at the dumper and deflate the tyres to stop it, as the accused driver Gharat went berserk after a domestic quarrel when he initially crashed the dumper into his building’s main gate.”APP Bhopi added, “The accused Gharat is entitled to the benefit of set-off vide Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, for the period of detention undergone by him. In default of payment of the Rs 1 lakh fine, the accused Gharat will suffer further rigorous imprisonment for one year, as per the court judgement.”Court constable Ashok Palkar said, “The accused Monish Gharat, after being arrested on May 31, 2023, approached the High Court seeking bail, but it was rejected. Hence, he approached the Supreme Court, where again his bail application was rejected. Hence, for the past three years, he was in jail custody as an undertrial. On May 31, 2023, Gharat quarrelled with his family members, who were annoyed with him over his criminal antecedents, as he was previously booked for thefts and brawls. Hence, he drove his sister’s dumper parked outside Balaji Darshan society in Ulwe, where he resided with his family. He attempted to enter the building when the security guard did not open the gate, as heavy vehicle parking was not allowed inside the building premises. Gharat got annoyed and crashed into the main gate. Thereafter, he went driving berserk on the street and deliberately crashed into Ulwe police chowki operating from a container, damaged two parked police vehicles and attempted to hit a biker and also attempted to crash into the police jeep chasing him.”

A financial dispute over thirty-two crore rupees allegedly led to a murder conspiracy, GSM Foils chairman Sagar Bhanusali is accused of hiring contract killers to eliminate his mananging director

VASAI: A financial dispute over Rs 32 crore allegedly turned into a murder conspiracy, with GSM Foils chairman Sagar Bhanusali accused of plotting the killing of the company’s managing director Mohansingh Parmar (46) to avoid repayment and regain complete control of the firm, police said.According to investigators, Bhanusali allegedly hired contract killers to carry out the attack after he failed to clear the amount he owed to Parmar following the sale of his stake in GSM Foils.How the alleged conspiracy beganPolice said the dispute began after Bhanusali allegedly convinced Parmar to purchase his stake in the company. Parmar reportedly paid nearly Rs 32 crore for the stake, but Bhanusali allegedly failed to repay the amount.Investigators suspect that instead of settling the financial liability, Bhanusali allegedly decided to eliminate Parmar and take complete control of the company.The alleged conspiracy reportedly took shape when Bhanusali came under severe financial pressure following losses in the stock market.Financial losses allegedly pushed chairman into debtAccording to police, Bhanusali had invested heavily in international stock markets and suffered major losses after a decline in the US market following the Iran-Israel conflict.The losses allegedly left him burdened with debts running into crores. Investigators believe the financial crisis became a key reason behind the alleged plan to kill Parmar, as Bhanusali wanted to escape repayment of Rs 32 crore and retain control of GSM Foils.Alleged contract killing planPolice alleged that Bhanusali then planned a contract killing and brought in people to execute the attack on Parmar.Investigators said around Rs 30 lakh was allegedly fixed for the murder plan, with an advance payment of Rs 5 lakh allegedly made.Police said several people were allegedly involved in different roles, including arranging the firearm, carrying out surveillance on Parmar’s movements and helping the attackers escape after the shooting.Attack inside GSM Foils premisesThe alleged plan was executed on July 24 at GSM Foils’ premises in Diamond Industrial Estate, Navjeevan, Vasai East.According to police, two motorcycle-borne assailants intercepted Parmar and opened fire at him.The first bullet hit Parmar on his shoulder, while the second shot allegedly failed after the pistol jammed. The attacker then allegedly hit Parmar with the butt of the weapon before fleeing from the spot.Parmar was immediately taken for medical treatment. Police said his condition is stable and improving.How police cracked the alleged murder conspiracyDuring the investigation, Waliv police allegedly identified Bhanusali as the mastermind behind the attack.Using technical intelligence and local inputs, police traced him to Uttar Pradesh and arrested him with the assistance of the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force.Six other accused allegedly involved in the conspiracy were later arrested from different locations.Seven accused arrestedThe arrested accused include Sujit Devendrabhai Pandey, who police identified as the alleged shooter.Other accused include Manoj Mulchand Thathera, who allegedly arranged the illegal firearm from Uttar Pradesh; Gokul Omprakash Gautam, who allegedly helped procure the weapon; Anup Virendra Prajapati, who allegedly conducted reconnaissance, rode the motorcycle, helped the shooter escape and attempted to destroy evidence; and Vijaykumar Prajapat Vishwakarma, who allegedly arranged the vehicle and the shooter.Probe into possible larger conspiracyPolice said the source of the pistol used in the attack is yet to be traced.Investigators are examining scientific, technical, digital, financial and forensic evidence to determine whether the alleged conspiracy has links to any larger financial, commercial or organised crime network.The investigation is ongoing.GSM Foils operations continueGSM Foils, which manufactures blister foils and aluminium pharma foils for the pharmaceutical industry, informed the National Stock Exchange (NSE) that the incident took place in the Naikpada area under Waliv police station limits.The company said its manufacturing units in Vasai and Ahmedabad continue to operate normally.The company’s shares on the NSE closed at the 20% lower circuit at Rs 192 on Friday.

MUMBAI: Paving the way for the trial to commence, over five years after Antilia bomb scare and murder of Mansukh Hiran, a special court on Saturday framed anti-terror and murder charges against ten accused, including dismissed cops Sachin Waze, Sunil Mane and Pradeep Sharma.The accused pleaded not guilty. The accused have been booked under various charges, including the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code. On July 20, observing that as a case is made out by the prosecution for framing of the charge, the court posted the matter for framing the charges. The maximum sentence attracted is the death penalty.On February 25, 2021, an SUV with explosives was found near Antilia, industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in south Mumbai. The prosecution has claimed that Hiran, the vehicle owner, was murdered on March 4, 2021, because he knew of the conspiracy. Ten accused, including dismissed police officers Sachin Waze, Sunil Mane and Pradeep Sharma, have been named. Waze was arrested that same month.The NIA had submitted that Waze is mastermind of the entire conspiracy and in pursuance of the same placed a threat along with a vehicle laden with explosives near the residence of the industrialist “with the intent to terrorise wealthy prosperous individuals and also to extort money by putting into fear of that consequences, and also a post on the telegram channel of Jaish-ul-Hind was a deliberate attempt to give credibility to the terror”.It was further argued that Waze, Mane, Sharma, Santosh Shelar, Anand Jadhav, Satish Mothkuri, and Manish Soni entered into a criminal conspiracy and intentionally caused the death of Hiran “as he refused to accept the responsibility of placing the vehicle laden with gelatin sticks and was a weak link who would unearth the entire conspiracy which is a direct outcome of the terrorist act”. It was further submitted that in pursuant to the criminal conspiracy, Waze, Mane, Shelar, Jadhav, Mothkuri, Soni, and Sharma abducted Hiran to eliminate him. Dismissed cop Riyazuddin Kazi is also accused of destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy. Naresh Gaur was accused of providing five SIM cards, out of which one was allegedly used in Hiran’s murder.