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Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Trees pruned to help ad hoarding get better visibility in Mumbai, FIR lodged
Mumbai: BMC on Thursday registered a police complaint against an unknown person for illegally damaging trees, allegedly to facilitate the visibility of an advertisement hoarding within the Western Railway (WR) compound along the Senapati Bapat Marg. In the complaint filed at NM Joshi Marg police station, the civic body invoked Sections 8 and 21 of the Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975. Additional municipal commissioner in charge of the city area, Dr Ashwini Joshi, directed officials to initiate legal action immediately for the irreversible damage caused to the green cover. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai G South assistant municipal commissioner Swapnaja Kshirsagar said the damage was first noticed during a routine inspection conducted on July 30, 2025. According to the BMC's garden department, a total of 13 trees—including Karanj, Tamhan, Shevar, and Tabebia species—were found damaged on the footpath adjacent to the Western Railway compound wall. The trees were pruned or severely lopped, which officials alleged was done to clear the line of sight for a commercial hoarding being erected within the railway premises. Officials detailed specific instances of the damage: branches and tops of Karanj trees were cut; all parts above 10 feet were removed for eight Tamhan trees; and two each of Shevar and Tabebia trees were entirely stripped of upper portions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Pieces of Clothing Older Women should Avoid Learn More Undo The Shevar trees also showed signs of poisoning, the complaint stated. "By the time we reached the site for conducting an inspection, even the parts of the trees that were cut had been taken away and gone. There was no trace at the site. These are almost a decade-old trees and unfortunately, they have been beheaded. We registered a complaint with the local police station and as per procedure, the court will now seek permission to take further action by registering an FIR in the case," said a BMC official. When contacted, Western Railway said that an FIR was not yet registered and that the matter was between the advertisement agency and BMC. (Inputs by Manthan K Mehta)
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Power bills as high as monthly rent a ‘rude shock' in Palava
Mumbai: More than 300 residents of Palava, a posh township in Dombivli, are facing a peculiarly disturbing situation—their power bills for the past many months are not just inflated, in some cases, they are higher than the monthly rent or close to the home loan EMIs they pay for their flats. And the difference isn't a small one either. Those who received power dues in the range of Rs 2,000-Rs 2,500 per month for their 2BHK flats before March, are now getting bills as high as Rs 15,000-30,000 a month for the past four months. So much so that a resident had to take a personal loan to clear his Rs 20,000 outstanding bill to avoid disconnection. This, the residents allege, is due to the change of old meters to smart meters. A Mahavitaran official, though, said it was due to the unavailability of a person who collects meter readings. "The person has not reported to duty, so physical meter readings haven't been taken for the past four months. We're looking for a replacement, but till then, average readings are being issued," said an MSEDCL official when approached by a resident. While Mahavitaran authorities also claim some meter readings are genuine due to high consumption during summer, residents hit by the power jolt said they have been suffering for eight months straight. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gentle, Needle-Free Way to Monitor Blood Sugar—Now Being Tried by Seniors Zakdavi Undo "Last winter, for the months of Dec, Jan and Feb, when air-conditioners weren't used, I received a monthly bill of Rs 16,000 against Rs 1,800-2,000 during the same period the year before," claimed one, adding there "seems to be a major billing scam". You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai New Zealand-based Vinay Kumar Jaiswal, who owns a flat in Palava, said it has been vacant for five years but he has received a bill of over Rs 10,000 for June, even when the meter put against his flat shows zero reading. There were others away during summer vacations in May, who have received power bills upwards of Rs 10,000. Resident Unmesh Rahatade, who received a power bill of Rs 3,860 for March, was handed a bill of Rs 28,920 for June and Rs 19,650 for July. A Palava housing society member said, "Mahavitaran authorities told us the issue is between the power distributor and individual subscriber, and the society doesn't need to interfere as consumers can approach redressal forums." Jagdish Bodke, executive engineer of Kalyan east division of MSEDCL, told TOI, the problem is due to poor network in some housing complexes or areas. "There are 7,600 consumers whose meter reading has not been coming from SIM card due to network issues. Therefore, these people were issued higher bills mentioning 'Reading Not Taken or Reading Not Available'. We installed boosters in some areas, and reading has started coming in for some. The problem now remains with only 1,400 TOD meters. This problem should end in the next few days. Those who have paid higher bills will see an adjustment or reduction in their future bills." (With inputs by Pradeep Gupta)
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Include us in deliberations, say experts wary of govt's back-and-forth on policy
Mumbai: Even as the Maharashtra cabinet announced the scrapping of both govt resolutions (GRs), released in April and June, regarding the three-language formula, educationists and linguists remain wary of the state's back-and-forth on the issue and have urged it to include them in future consultations and deliberations. Laxmikanth Deshmukh, chairman of the Marathi Language Advisory Committee, said, "It's good that the GRs have been scrapped and that state govt has formed a committee under educationist Narendra Jadhav. I hope the committee reaches out to us and everyone who objects to the policy and hears our views - though I still feel there is no need for a third language in the state." The state's Marathi Language Advisory Committee joined the rising opposition against the three-language formula when it passed a resolution on June 27 opposing the teaching of Hindi in schools before the class 5. This marked the first time a govt-appointed panel officially opposed Hindi instruction before class 5. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Speaking on the mounting opposition, educationist-linguist Shripad Bhalchandra Joshi said, "It is welcome that the govt has withdrawn both GRs. However, given govt's past approach to discussions and committee formation, I think it is necessary for them to give representation to all relevant stakeholders. I would also suggest that they make the committee's work more transparent by publishing its schedule and method of study. " Bhau Gawande, former deputy director of education, said that on Sunday afternoon - just hours before the policy was put on hold - he and a number of educationists met with top-ranking education department officials. "They tried explaining their reasoning - like the Academic Bank of Credits and the benefits of multi-vocal education. We only asked: 'Why does a third language need to be taught? Any other subject could be taught instead. ' We also pointed out that children who don't speak Marathi at home would have to learn four languages. Overall, it was a non-conclusive meeting." Madhav Suryavanshi of the Shikshan Vikas Manch expressed hesitation in trusting the govt's announcement. "Until an official order is issued canceling the decision to implement the three-language formula from class 1, the government's stance cannot be trusted," he said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Masunda lake makeover deteriorates rapidly raising safety concerns
Thane: The ambitious Masunda Lake (Talaopali) makeover, launched in 2021 under the Smart City initiative at a cost of ₹6 crore, has deteriorated rapidly, raising safety concerns, complain visitors and local activists. Regulars point out how cracks have appeared on the cantilever glass walkways, railings are damaged, and bamboos have been placed at certain spots while benches are broken, discouraging people from visiting this once-popular spot. Masunda Lake, a key landmark in Thane, was transformed with features like glass walkways over the water, LED lighting, sturdy steel railings, and spacious promenades designed to boost its appeal as a regional tourist attraction. However, ongoing neglect by civic authorities left the area in disrepair, posing serious risks to public safety. "Negligence by the corporation is evident, and the poor quality of work is clear to anyone who visits. This used to be a favourite destination, but visitor numbers declined sharply in recent years due to lack of upkeep," said Amar Sharma, a regular visitor from the suburbs. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Rahul Pingale, spokesperson for Thane Congress, condemned the misuse of taxpayers' money. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Here's What a New Roof Should Cost You In 2025 HomeBuddy Learn More Undo Following an on-site inspection on Friday, Thane Congress workers barricaded hazardous sections near the broken glass walkways and urged civic engineers to initiate urgent repairs before waiting for any mishaps. "Several years ago, local BJP leaders accused the project of corruption and petitioned the Central govt for an investigation. Yet the public remains unaware of any findings. How can such rapid degradation happen unless there was poor workmanship or corruption involved? We demand a thorough inquiry into all Smart City projects," Pingale questioned. Attempts to reach Sandeep Malvi, CEO of Thane Smart City Limited, for comments were unsuccessful.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Prosthesis helps flamingo stand, may help it fly again
Navi Mumbai: This is no flight of fancy. A Greater flamingo found injured in Nerul's NRI wetland and whose left leg had to be amputated could soon take to the skies again. Makarand Saraf, a lecturer from Mumbai's All India Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and his team have successfully fitted a prosthesis on the adolescent bird. However, since the artificial leg only enables it to walk, not fly, next on the team's agenda is an improvised prosthesis that will help it take wing, reports Umesh K Parida. The bird, which is suspected to have got its leg entangled in a fishing net or nylon fishing line, was first spotted by wildlife photographer Abhijit Chattopadhyay, who alerted forest officials led by Vikas Bairagi. After initial treatment, it was released back in the wetland on May 15. But with it hovering around the same spot, the team decided to give it a prosthetic leg that would help it move around. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai An adolescent Greater flamingo, whose left leg had to be amputated due to an injury, has been given a prosthetic leg. With the director of All India Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Dr Anil Kumar Gaur green-signalling the project after the bird was found hovering around the same place it was released after initial treatment, AIIPMR lecturer Makarand Saraf, along with photographer Abhijit Chattopadhyay and Vikas Bairagi, took measurements for the fabrication of the bird's prosthesis on May 17 in the form of a plaster of Paris cast, but abandoned the idea of taking a foam impression after finding the bird distressed due to the human contact. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Aged 50-85 With No Life Insurance Could Get This Reassured Get Quote Undo Then stepped in two companies, including a German firm's Indian arm. Amit Mukerji, director-special projects, at Otto Bock Healthcare India Pvt Ltd, provided prosthesis fabrication support, while the inner lining material for the prosthesis was provided by Rushabh Shah of Podiapro India Pvt Ltd, with technical support from Bhoomiksha Rathore. With the team facing challenges with the prosthetic leg's buoyancy due to its closed foot design, it was redesigned to a single toe open foot with side support, and fitted on the bird on July 6. The artificial leg has improved the bird's balance, mobility and chances of its survival in the wild. No fitment or skin problems were observed when the Greater flamingo underwent a check on July 19. The bird's progress has come as a huge boost to the team which has now decided to work on a new prosthesis that will help it fly. Saraf said, "The carbon fibre impregnated with a matrix of acrylic resin (carbon fibre used in manufacture of aeroplane parts and Formula 1 racing cars) helped keep the prosthesis light, strong, waterproof, and durable — suitable for a wading bird's lifestyle. " The other members of the team that has helped the bird stand on its two legs were Urmila Naukudkar, and prosthetics-orthotics students Sachin Kawankar, Kashish Malhotra, Chailsi Pareek, Mohit Mujumdar and Amruta Dhakate. The Otto Bock team of Santosh Rout, Jemin Chauhan and Katyayan Sharma had made the prosthesis.
