Mumbai: In a major “quality-control” measure ahead of the new academic year, Mumbai University has denied affiliation to 30 BEd colleges that failed to comply with mandatory academic and infrastructure norms, effectively shutting them out of this year’s admissions process.The decision means these colleges will not be able to participate in the state CET Cell’s BEd admission rounds, resulting in a reduction in the total number of seats available for aspiring teacher trainees.The action follows “repeated non-compliance” despite a reprieve granted last year, officials said. The university then proposed cancelling the affiliations of several colleges for failing to appoint approved full-time principals and faculty and for inadequate infrastructure. However, following intervention by the state govt, the institutions were given six months to rectify the deficiencies. They were allowed to continue after paying a penalty of Rs 1 lakh each.A year later, nearly 30 colleges still failed to meet the prescribed conditions, prompting the university to withhold their affiliation for the 2026-27 academic year.The timing is significant, as colleges seeking to participate in the first round of CET admissions are required to submit valid affiliation certificates to the CET Cell by July 10. Without the university’s approval, these institutions will be ineligible to admit first-year B Ed students this year.University officials said the deficiencies go beyond paperwork. Many of the colleges continue to function without approved full-time principals and permanent faculty, relying instead on contractual and temporary teachers. Several of these appointments, officials said, also do not satisfy the required eligibility norms, raising serious concerns over academic quality.“The colleges have continued to collect substantial fees from students without ensuring the minimum standards expected of a teacher education institution,” a university official said, adding that the action was intended to safeguard the quality of the B Ed programme.Academicians have welcomed the move. A principal, requesting anonymity, said several colleges had been avoiding the appointment of qualified permanent faculty for years, contributing to a steady decline in academic standards. “The university’s decision was long overdue,” the principal said.The university has also sought documentary proof of students’ mandatory teaching internships after inspections reportedly found instances where students remained enrolled on paper but were not attending classes regularly. Since internship is a compulsory component of the B Ed curriculum, colleges have been directed to submit records establishing that students have completed the required training.

Senior Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre was arrested for assaulting hospital staff. Mhatre’s health deteriorated after his arrest, and he was hospitalized

KALYAN: Senior Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, 72, was admitted to Thane Civil Hospital after his health reportedly deteriorated within four hours of his arrest in the doctor assault case on Tuesday.According to police, Mhatre complained of severe chest pain and was found to be suffering from high blood pressure, prostate-related ailments and kidney-related issues. He was shifted to the hospital for treatment and observation.A three-time corporator from Dombivli, Mhatre was arrested by the Vishnu Nagar police along with four others in connection with the alleged assault on doctors and medical staff at the KDMC-run Shastri Nagar Hospital. The action followed an FIR lodged by doctor Vaibhav Salunkhe.The accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010, for allegedly assaulting the doctor during a dispute at the hospital.Police had earlier arrested three of his alleged associates — Akshay Karande, Ramesh Pawar and Pramod Nikam — for their role in the attack on doctors and hospital staff.The assault had sparked widespread outrage across the medical fraternity, prompting the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to suspend routine outpatient services across KDMC-run hospitals and several private hospitals in Kalyan-Dombivli, while emergency services continued. Doctors had demanded the immediate arrest of all those involved and strict implementation of the Maharashtra Medicare Act.The incident also triggered political reactions. NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray visited Shastri Nagar Hospital and demanded Mhatre’s immediate arrest. Kalyan MP Dr. Shrikant Shinde also condemned the assault, saying no one who takes the law into their own hands would be spared.Meanwhile, despite the arrest of the main accused, the family of one of the young doctors allegedly assaulted during the attack says the incident has left her traumatised and fearful about returning to work.Dr. Shrushti Baviskar, who joined the KDMC-run hospital barely a month ago in her first posting, is now reconsidering whether to continue working there, according to her family.Her father, Mahendra Baviskar, said the attack on doctors and nurses had deeply shaken the family.“The attack showed complete disregard for the law. Such incidents should never happen to healthcare workers who are only performing their duty,” he said.Speaking to TOI, her mother, Sangeeta Baviskar, said her daughter continues to struggle with the psychological impact of the assault.“She is frightened after the attack. She keeps wondering whether she should continue working at this hospital because those who attacked her may target her again in the future. This is her first job as a doctor, and she had joined KDMC only a month ago,” she said.The attack on medical staff had triggered protests by doctors across Kalyan-Dombivli, with routine OPD services suspended as a mark of protest while emergency services remained operational. The medical fraternity has maintained that along with arrests, stronger measures are needed to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers in government hospitals.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis (L) defended the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link project (R)

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday strongly defended the Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s Missing Link project amid criticism following a landslide near its tunnel.The CM said such initial challenges were inevitable in major infrastructure projects, news agency PTI reported.Replying to a discussion on heavy rains and flood management in the state assembly, Fadnavis accused critics of spreading misinformation through television, social media and hired trolls, warning that those defaming Maharashtra with false claims would not be spared.“10 years from today, those who hurl abuse won’t be around, but there will be the connecting link and the names of Devendra Fadnavis and (deputy CM) Eknath Shinde,” the chief minister said.Fadnavis said the Missing Link features India’s widest cable-stayed bridge and massive viaducts capable of withstanding wind speeds of up to 170 kmph.He added that the project has reduced accidents in the ghat section and improved traffic flow.Drawing a comparison with the Konkan Railway, Fadnavis said engineering achievements should not be judged by a single incident and that the government would implement additional safety measures.Traffic on the Missing Link remained suspended for over 18 hours after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall on Monday.Fadnavis also accused critics of deliberately spreading misinformation.“The very next day after the connecting link was opened, some people appeared on television and started making false claims. They are habitual liars. Some people on social media are also spreading misleading information after taking money. Those who insult Maharashtra by deliberately spreading lies will not be spared,” he said.Opened to traffic on May 1, the 13.3-km Missing Link bypasses the Lonavala-Khandala ghat section through two twin tunnels. It is designed to reduce the travel distance by 5.7 km and cut travel time between Mumbai and Pune by 20 to 30 minutes, PTI reported.“It was because the Mahayuti government had the courage that we built the connecting (Missing) link. Some people started saying that such a road should never have been built because landslides can occur. If governments start thinking like that, no major infrastructure project can ever be undertaken,” Fadnavis said.Recalling the Konkan Railway project, he said many had opposed it over landslide concerns. “But there was one person, (former railway minister) Madhu Dandavate, who had the courage to say that it would be built,” he said.“After the Konkan Railway became operational, landslides occurred almost every year for nearly 15 years. Every year, we learned from those incidents, carried out corrective works and gradually ensured such landslides stopped. If we had allowed fear to dictate our decisions, then the Konkan Railway would never have come into existence,” he said.Fadnavis said the previous Congress-led government had prepared a proposal for the Missing Link but shelved it.“However, the then Honorable chief minister wrote a two-page note, cited 14 different reasons, and shut down the file, declaring that this missing link could not be built,” he said.The CM said his government revived the project after consulting experts. “They told us it was technically possible and that it could be executed safely. We went ahead and completed it. This is not merely a connecting road. It is an engineering marvel,” he said.Following the landslide, the government consulted experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), who recommended additional protective measures.“The IIT experts have identified a few more vulnerable locations where wire mesh and slope protection should be installed. We will implement these recommendations,” he said.On Mumbai’s flood management, Fadnavis said the government has prepared a comprehensive Rs 13,000-crore Integrated Flood Control Plan.“It has been submitted to the central government and, after approval, implementation will begin. Once completed, around 370 flood hotspots across Mumbai will be eliminated,” he said.Explaining the challenge, he said Mumbai’s drainage system depends on discharging rainwater into the sea, but high tides often prevent stormwater from flowing out.Fadnavis added that the government has strengthened monitoring of desilting work, imposed heavy penalties on contractors for lapses and increased transparency in civic contracts and project execution.He said the government’s objective is not just to respond to floods but to build permanent infrastructure that minimises disruption during extreme weather events.(With agency inputs)

The Material Recycling Association of India seeks removal of import duty on aluminium scrap (AI-generated image used for representational purposes)

MUMBAI: The Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI) has urged the Prime Minister’s Office to abolish the 2.5% Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on imported aluminium scrap, arguing that the levy is raising input costs for recyclers and downstream manufacturers at a time when India depends on imports for nearly 80-85% of its aluminium scrap requirement.In a representation to the PMO, the industry body said removing the duty would strengthen thousands of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), improve the competitiveness of Indian manufacturers, create employment and support the country’s transition towards low-carbon manufacturing.MRAI said India’s secondary aluminium production has expanded from about 0.85 million tonnes in FY16 to nearly 2.2 million tonnes in FY26 and now accounts for around 35% of domestic aluminium consumption.The sector supports nearly seven lakh direct and indirect jobs, with women making up about 46% of the skilled workforce engaged in sorting, segregation and processing of scrap.The association pointed out that aluminium scrap remains the only major non-ferrous metal scrap attracting import duty, while copper, zinc and lead scrap have already been exempted.It also noted that countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea allow duty-free imports of aluminium scrap, giving their recycling industries a cost advantage over Indian manufacturers.MRAI president Sanjay Mehta said aluminium scrap should be treated as a strategic industrial raw material rather than as waste.According to him, removing the import duty would improve raw material security, lower production costs and help India emerge as a global hub for aluminium recycling and advanced material recovery.The association maintained that imported aluminium scrap undergoes processing, including sorting, smelting and alloying, to produce alloy ingots, billets, castings and other value-added products that comply with domestic BIS and international quality standards. These products are widely used by sectors such as automobiles, engineering, steel and packaging.Industry representatives also highlighted emerging supply risks. Senior vice-president Dhawal Shah said several aluminium scrap-exporting regions, including the European Union, the US, GCC countries and parts of Africa, are increasingly adopting policies to retain scrap for domestic value addition, making uninterrupted access to imported scrap critical for India’s manufacturing sector.MRAI said the ministry of mines had constituted a Joint Working Group comprising representatives of primary aluminium producers and the recycling industry to examine the issue.According to the association, the group, at its June 17 meeting, agreed that removal of the 2.5% duty should be considered in the larger national interest.The industry body argued that eliminating the duty would also help India achieve its environmental goals. It cited estimates that recycled aluminium consumes up to 95% less energy and generates up to 90% lower carbon dioxide emissions than primary aluminium production.It also referred to NITI Aayog’s aluminium sector decarbonisation roadmap, which projects secondary aluminium could account for nearly 45% of the country’s aluminium demand by 2028.Industry executives said retaining the duty creates an inverted duty structure, allowing competing countries to import aluminium scrap duty-free, undertake value addition and export finished aluminium products to India under preferential tariff arrangements.MRAI has sought a meeting with the PMO to present its recommendations, stating that removal of the duty on aluminium scrap (HSN 7602) would improve raw material availability, enhance MSME competitiveness, attract investment into recycling and strengthen India’s manufacturing and sustainability objectives.