Students can be seen enjoying vada pav after school. (AI-generated image used for representational purpose)

MUMBAI: Vada pav, samosas, cold drinks, chocolates and ice creams will no longer be allowed to be sold, distributed or advertised inside schools or within a 50-metre radius of school premises in Maharashtra under a new statewide order issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).FDA commissioner Tukaram Munde said school authorities will be held accountable for implementing the ban and warned of action against principals and school managements that fail to comply.“I want to make it clear that excess fat, excess trans fat and excess sugar products, including deeply fried foods, excessive sugar drinks, vada pav, samosa, cold drinks, chocolates and ice cream, such junk foods are strictly not allowed inside schools to be sold, not be distributed freely, advertise and also not in the surrounding (50 metres range). Principal and school management should implement this strictly, and there should also be awareness about it among parents,” he said.The official said action will be taken against the principal and the school management who don’t comply and follow.“We will start inspections across the state soon. FDA along with school management will be happy to take a workshop at district level and taluka level to implement it smoothly,” Munde added.He also spoke about complaints related to the alleged MPSC paper leak.“We received an email from an individual on the 21st. We recorded the person’s statement on the 24th. MPSC is an independent body, and it conducts the Food and Drug Inspector examination. We have forwarded the statement and all the documents we received to the MPSC,” Tukaram Munde said.In a separate incident earlier this month, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the food licences of three eateries in Mumbai after inspections allegedly found serious violations of hygiene and food safety norms.According to the FDA, six inspections were carried out, following which the licences of three food businesses in Bhendi Bazaar and Umarkhadi were suspended for failing to comply with food safety regulations.The FDA said one establishment’s food licence was suspended on July 14 after a re-inspection conducted on July 13 found that 25 major deficiencies identified earlier had not been rectified. The outlet had first been inspected on April 16, following which an improvement notice was issued on April 28.During the re-inspection, officials found wet and slippery kitchen floors, absence of records for raw material procurement, no testing records for drinking water quality, lack of documentation regarding the quality of cooking oil, failure to maintain proper segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, and open windows without insect-proof screens, allowing pest entry.(With inputs from ANI)

NGT’s Western Zone Bench recorded that the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, known as Tata Cancer Hospital, stated that blasting vibrations caused structural damage to campus buildings, and dust clouds frequently exceeded permissible limits and posed respiratory hazards, particularly to patients undergoing chemotherapy

Navi Mumbai: Taking note of concerns raised by the Kharghar-based Tata Cancer Hospital over quarry blasting and dust pollution affecting its buildings and patients, National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a response from the Raigad district collector.NGT’s western zone bench recorded that Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), known as Tata Cancer Hospital, stated that blasting vibrations caused structural damage to campus buildings, and dust clouds frequently exceeded permissible limits and posed respiratory hazards, particularly to patients undergoing chemotherapy.The bench directed that ACTREC’s affidavit be served on the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and other parties, giving them two weeks to file rejoinders, if any. The bench, comprising judicial member Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Dr Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, heard an application filed by NatConnect Foundation director B N Kumar, along with a connected suo motu case based on a media report on the quarry menace.The NGT flagged a lack of clarity over quarrying after 2020-21. An MPCB affidavit, citing a Directorate of Geology and Mining report, said quarrying historically took place over an estimated 14 hectares of survey nos. 355 and 356 at Ove, and stone crusher units were also found operational. The affidavit said quarry permissions were granted up to 2020-21, but did not clarify what happened thereafter. The NGT asked the Raigad collector to file an affidavit on the issue.In the connected case, the collector had earlier stated that the quarries operated with valid approvals up to 2020-21, and no authorisation for further excavation was found on record thereafter. NatConnect counsel Ronita Bhattacharya Bector pointed out that sounds of blasting could be heard even now and said this remained a matter of concern. She also raised concerns over dust from the operational stone crushers and its possible impact on cancer patients.The NGT noted that the four-member joint committee’s report on the quarrying issue was yet to be filed. MPCB sought another two weeks, which the bench granted as a “last opportunity”. The committee, comprising representatives of MPCB, Raigad Collectorate, Directorate of Geology and Mining and the Union environment ministry, inspected the area to examine the quarrying and crushing operations and their environmental impact.The NGT granted NatConnect two weeks to file a combined rejoinder and posted the matter for further hearing on September 15.Meanwhile, Jyoti Nadkarni, director of Swarnishta Habitat Restoration Foundation, said she has been receiving complaints from residents about continuous blasts during the day and night. She urged district authorities to investigate and seal the quarries if they were operating without permission.

The plan follows the allotment of Toyota Innova Hycross hybrid vehicles to mayor Ritu Tawde (right) and additional municipal commissioners. Currently, the BMC chief Ashwini Bhide uses an EV (left).

MUMBAI: After deputy mayor Sanjay Ghadi sought accommodation at the Rani Baug bungalow, citing his long commute from Dahisar to south Mumbai and heavy traffic, the bungalow was instead allotted to Additional Municipal Commissioner Avinash Dhakane. Now, the BMC is preparing to induct brand-new Toyota Innova Crysta vehicles for the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition and chairpersons of statutory committees.The BMC is set to propose replacing Mahindra Scorpio-N SUVs used by key elected office-bearers with six new Toyota Innova Crysta vehicles, citing demands from political leaders for greater comfort during long commutes and official inspections.The Rs 1.5-crore proposal covers the Deputy Mayor, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition, and chairpersons of the Standing, Improvements and Education Committees. The move follows the allotment of Toyota Innova Hycross Hybrid vehicles to Mayor Ritu Tawde and Additional Municipal Commissioners.Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde said some committee chairpersons come from far-off suburbs such as Dahisar, Kandivali and Borivali.“There is no separate tender being called for the vehicles and instead, the chairpersons have only asked for another kind of vehicle instead of what has been provided to them,” she said.Opposition party leader in the BMC Kishori Pednekar said she had not made any demand to change her official vehicle.“I was given a Scorpio vehicle since I was appointed leader of the opposition earlier this year. These are new cars and there’s no need to change the same,” she said.However, mayor Tawde hit back at Pednekar, saying that she had earlier agreed to the change of vehicle but had now changed her stance.A BMC official said no additional money was proposed to be spent on the purchase of these cars.“BMC had purchased Scorpio vehicles for a five-year period. In that, some of the cars were given to committee heads and the rest were given to ward officers. However, some ward officers couldn’t get the new cars and had to go back to using the old cars. Hence, the plan is to give the Scorpios that will be changed for the Innova Crysta cars to the ward-level officials who were using the old cars,” the official said.Currently, only the BMC chief uses an electric vehicle.Ganesh Khankar, BJP party leader, said, “We had made a demand to the BMC in the group leaders’ meeting for a change in the cars.”

The commission held that the denial of carriage followed Jain’s failure to comply with baggage and check-in requirements

Mumbai: A district consumer commission has held that an airline’s refusal to allow boarding after a passenger failed to pay excess baggage charges and missed the check-in deadline does not amount to deficiency in service when the airline acts under its contractual conditions of carriage. The consumer commission dismissed a complaint filed by Versova resident Kanti Jain against Brussels Airlines for being denied boarding for a Mumbai-Manchester journey via Brussels scheduled on Sept 12, 2017. The commission considered the plea and documents, including baggage records and the airline’s General Conditions of Carriage. “Consumer Commissions cannot rewrite contractual terms voluntarily accepted by the parties unless such terms are shown to be illegal, arbitrary, unconscionable or contrary to law,” the commission said.The commission held that the airline acted strictly in accordance with the General Conditions of Carriage, the baggage policy and the operational requirements governing international air travel. “No negligence, deficiency in service or unfair trade practice is established,” the commission said on Tuesday.Jain moved the Mumbai Suburban Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in 2026. Jain had booked three confirmed economy-class tickets for travel with two children. Jain alleged that despite confirmed tickets, boarding was denied and fresh tickets had to be purchased from another airline, causing additional expense.Brussels Airlines denied the allegations and said Jain and co-passengers were carrying baggage beyond the permissible free allowance. The airline said applicable excess baggage charges were demanded under its policy, but Jain refused to pay and sought to travel without payment.The commission, however, said Article 8 of the airline’s General Conditions of Carriage permitted the carrier to charge passengers for baggage beyond the free allowance. The order stated, “Thus, the demand made by the Opposite Party requiring payment of excess baggage charges was fully supported by the contractual terms binding upon both parties.”The commission also noted that Jain chose to rearrange the baggage instead of paying the charges and returned to the check-in counter after the stipulated check-in time had expired. “Once the check-in process is closed, the carrier cannot ordinarily accept passengers without disturbing operational schedules, security protocols and aviation safety requirements,” the commission said.Rejecting the allegation of unfair treatment, the commission observed, “The complainant has not produced any evidence to establish that the baggage policy was applied arbitrarily, discriminatorily or contrary to the published conditions.”The commission held that the denial of carriage followed Jain’s failure to comply with baggage and check-in requirements. “Merely because the complainant suffered inconvenience or had to buy fresh tickets from another airline would not by itself establish deficiency in service, when such consequences resulted from his own failure to comply with the contractual requirements.”

The latest I-T data received by the state shows that 94,000 farmers from the beneficiary list pay income tax

Mumbai: The Mahayuti govt had initially estimated that its Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar loan waiver scheme would benefit 56 lakh farmers in the state. However, its exclusion criteria have cut the number down by around 1.4 lakh so far, reducing the number to around 54.6 lakh, according to officials.The waiver does not apply to farmers who pay income tax. The latest I-T data received by the state shows that 94,000 farmers from the beneficiary list pay income tax. Another 47,000 farmers did not fit other criteria listed in the exclusions, sources say. As a result, the number will be reduced by 1.4 lakh.In the scheme, 32 lakh farmers had been shortlisted for the waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh. Another 24 lakh had been shortlisted for the incentive payment, which will be given to farmers who have been repaying their loans regularly.The reduction will take place in the 32 lakh beneficiaries estimated for the loan waiver scheme. The number will now be around 30.6 lakh.So far, the govt has announced a list of 16.9 lakh beneficiaries from the 30.6 lakh beneficiaries for the loan waiver. Of these, 7 lakh farmers have overdue loans from district central cooperative banks and 9.6 lakh from nationalised banks. This amounts to loans worth Rs 13,336 crore. The total funds estimated for the loan waiver scheme are Rs 36,585 crore.The roll-out of the waiver will be done only for those who have Aadhaar-authenticated bank accounts and Farmer IDs. So far, Aadhaar authentication has been concluded for around 6 lakh from the list of 16.9 lakh. Its second list is expected soon. “The delays are mainly caused because of a mismatch between the Aadhaar and bank details and a lack of records in the bank about the overdue crop loan. Once these are resolved, we can announce the next list,” said a senior official.The state had declared the loan waiver on June 2, and it was among the key promises in Mahayuti’s manifesto before the 2024 assembly polls. It covers short-term crop loans taken between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2025. It has three components: a debt waiver, one-time settlement and incentive benefits for those who regularly service their loans.“Farmers who are not on the first list should not panic. The second list will be announced soon,” said state cooperation minister Balasaheb Patil.

In an order issued on Wednesday, BMC said only government and civic programmes and sports-related activities would be permitted on NSCI’s leased land during the 30-day period

Mumbai: BMC has directed the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) in Worli to suspend all commercial events for next 30 days, citing alleged violations of the terms of its land lease and the club’s failure to furnish information sought by the Maharashtra legislature’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).In an order issued on Wednesday, BMC said only government and civic programmes, along with sports-related activities, would be permitted on the leased land during the 30-day period. All other commercial events have been ordered to stop with immediate effect, while authorities have also been directed not to grant fresh permissions for such events and cancel permissions already issued.The action follows observations by the PAC during multiple hearings and a site visit to the NSCI premises in August last year. The committee had sought details on several aspects of the club’s functioning, including revenues from commercial activities, sub-licensing arrangements, membership details and compliance with lease conditions.According to the BMC order, the clarifications submitted by the club were found to be unsatisfactory. The civic body stated that of the 207 programmes organised by NSCI between 2020 and 2025, 194, or 93.72%, were non-sporting events, indicating that the land allotted for promoting sports was being used predominantly for commercial purposes.The order also stated that the club failed to submit complete information despite repeated reminders and a show-cause notice issued in October 2025. Among the information allegedly not furnished were financial details relating to its sub-licence agreement with Cineyug World Wide LLP, audited financial statements of the company and other contractors operating at the premises, year-wise details of non-sports revenue from 2019 onwards, and details of membership fees and membership criteria.The BMC order further alleged breaches of key lease conditions executed in 1993. These include provisions requiring the club to frame rules governing the use of the Olympic Oval, constitute a controlling committee as prescribed under the lease and ensure that the land is used primarily for promoting and supporting sports.“The club has failed to achieve the objective for which the land was granted,” the order stated, adding that the required documents must be submitted within the 30-day period, after which the BMC verify the information and decide on further action.Copies of the order have been sent to the assistant commissioner of G-South ward, the chief fire officer, and deputy commissioners of police concerned, directing them to ensure that no commercial events are held on the premises during the suspension period.When contacted NSCI, a member said that as the managing committee elections are currently underway, they would not want to comment on the issue.