The residents of Thane district will have to bear with water-cut for 24 hours till Friday 12pm, due to urgent repair work. Repair work to be taken from Katai Naka to Sheel Tank of the Barvi gravity channel , causing a complete water shutdown in Nehru Nagar and Kolshet Lower Village under Manpada Ward Committee. (Diva, Mumbra (Ward No. (except parts of 26 and 31) and all parts of Kalwa Ward Committee and Rupadevi Pada of Wagle Ward Committee, Kisanner No) The residents will also have to face low water pressure for the next 2 days after the supply starts. The BMC has asked the residents to corporate with the Thane Municipal Corporation by using water sparingly for the next few days. MIDC supplies water to Mumbra, Diva, Kalwa, Majiwada-Manpada and Wagle (in some areas) ward committees in the Thane Municipal Corporation area, this repair undertaken according to their water supply scheme.
19 September,2024 06:05 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentCentral Railway’s (CR) Pune Division will operate traffic and power blocks for pre-NI and NI (non-interlocking) works at Rahuri-Padhegaon stations in connection with the doubling project of Daund-Manmad section. The pre-NI work of three days will commence from Thursday and go on till Saturday. During the pre-NI period, blocks will be operated for three hours. The NI work will be of 34 hours, starting from 5.30 am on Sunday and will end at 3.30 pm on Monday, September 23. A one-hour speed trial will be conducted for CRS inspection from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm. Repercussions on train operations Saturday, September 21: The service of train no 11041 Dadar-Sainagar Shirdi Express will remain cancelled. Sunday, September 22: Train no 11042 Sainagar Shirdi-Dadar Express will not operate on Sunday. The railways has said that these blocks are crucial for the modernisation of rail infrastructure and essential for better connectivity. "Passengers are requested to bear with the railways for the inconvenience caused," a press release issued by the Public Relations Department of Central Railway, Mumbai stated. CR's renewable energy efforts save Rs 4.62 crore The share of renewable energy consumption on Central Railway has reached 9.9% for traction (railway train operation) and 6.5% for non-traction (all other purposes) and it is likely to increase soon. These initiatives have led to total savings of Rs 4.62 crore, which includes savings of Rs.2.66 crore by the Mumbai Division, Rs 1.09 crore by the Bhusaval Division, Rs 0.69 crore by the Pune Division, Rs 0.10 crore by the Nagpur Division and Rs 0.08 crore by Solapur Division. Harnessing solar power is one of the various measures being adopted by Central Railway to utilize green and renewable energy resources. Solar Panels have been installed at 205 locations over all 5 divisions of Central Railway including 47 locations in Mumbai Division, 58 locations in Nagpur Division, 50 locations in Pune Division, 32 locations in Bhusaval Division and 18 locations in Solapur Division July-2024 which have provided significant Power for CR’s requirements and has resulted in a considerable saving of revenue as well. During the FY 2023-24, Solar Panels on Central Railway’s five divisions have generated 8.04 MU (Million Units) of Power which is equivalent to reducing 6594.81 tonnes of Carbon Foot Print.
19 September,2024 05:02 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bombay High Court questioned whether the ruling party was working against its own MP, Kangana Ranaut, in the ongoing controversy over the certification of her film Emergency. Ranaut directed and co-produced the film, which portrays the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and it has been delayed due to protests expressed by Sikh organisations over alleged historical inaccuracy, reported PTI. According to the report, during the hearing, the Bombay HC chastised the Central Board of Picture Certification (CBFC) for neglecting to decide on certifying the movie. Venkatesh Dhond, senior attorney for Zed Entertainment, said that the CBFC was purposefully delaying the release for political purposes, alleging that the ruling party was attempting to pacify specific sections before the Haryana elections, the report further added. Justice BP Colabawalla noted that Ranaut, a BJP MP, was also a co-producer of Emergency, prompting the inquiry, "The co-producer herself is a BJP MP. She is also part of the ruling party. So you are saying her own party is against its member?" Following this, the senior attorney said that the saffron party was ready to displease its sitting parliamentarian to appease a particular section of society, stated the PTI report. The court underlined its disapproval of the CBFC's handling of the situation, adding that creative freedom and freedom of speech should not be restricted due to concerns about public disruption. The HC, per the news agency report, said, "It was not for the CBFC to come to a conclusion that there may be a law and order problem and hence a movie cannot be certified." "This has to stop. Otherwise, we are completely curtailing creative freedom and freedom of expression by doing all this," the HC said. It asked, "Does the CBFC think the public in this country is so naive and stupid to believe everything they see in films? What about creative freedom?" The court has asked the CBFC to make a verdict on the film's certification by September 25. The bench further stressed that worries about potential law and order difficulties should not affect the certification process, as this was not a valid grounds to withhold certification, the news agency report stated.
19 September,2024 02:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a groundbreaking initiative, Mumbai University (MU) has introduced the University Department Ranking Framework (UDRF), a first-of-its-kind evaluation system designed to assess and rank academic departments, schools, institutions, centres, sub-campuses, and model colleges. This new framework aims to promote academic excellence, research output, and governance quality across the university. The top-ranking departments will be awarded Research and Infrastructure Grants ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakhs, along with citations and mementoes. This initiative, approved by the University’s Management Council on September 12, marks a pioneering step in the Indian higher education system. The Mumbai University, known for its diverse academic offerings, has 15 departments under the Science faculty, 8 under Commerce, Skills, Online/Distance Education, and Management, 10 in Humanities and Social Sciences, 15 under Languages, 12 in Interdisciplinary Studies, and 20 specialized Centres of Studies. Under the UDRF, all these departments will undergo a quantitative evaluation process based on established parameters such as those used in the NIRF, QS/Times Rankings, and NAAC/NBA Accreditations. Grant Allocation and Categories Departments will be ranked in their respective categories, with the top-ranking departments in the Science category receiving a research grant of Rs 15 lakhs. Other category toppers will be awarded Rs 10 lakhs, while top-performing Centres of Studies will receive Rs 5 lakhs. Second-place departments will also be recognized, with grants of Rs 7 lakhs for Science, Rs 5 lakhs for Humanities, Commerce, and Management, and Rs 2 lakhs for Centres of Studies. In addition to individual departmental rankings, an overall ranking of all 80 departments, schools, and centres will be announced. The highest-performing department in the overall category will receive an additional research grant of Rs 10 lakhs, while the second-placed department will receive Rs5 lakhs. Special funding will also be available for departments demonstrating potential for research excellence under the 'Department with Potential for Research Excellence' category. The university will also honour individual faculty members with awards for outstanding contributions to research and innovation, including the 'Best Research Funding and Innovation Award' and the 'Outstanding Research Publications Award'. Speaking about the launch of the UDRF, MU Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ravindra Kulkarni, said, "The introduction of the University Department Ranking Framework is a significant step toward fostering academic excellence and innovative research. This evaluation process will motivate departments to focus on their strengths, continuously upgrade their capabilities, and align with global quality standards." This framework is expected to enhance the university’s academic ecosystem by fostering healthy competition among departments and encouraging a culture of continuous improvement. Evaluation Criteria The ranking framework is based on six key evaluation criteria: Research and Professional Activities Departmental Administration and Management Student Support, Achievements, and Progression Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Processes Faculty Output Conferences, Workshops, and Collaborations These criteria encompass grants and funding received from government agencies and industries, research and development outcomes, publications, patents, academic collaborations, student achievements, alumni support, and green initiatives, among other factors. External expert committees will evaluate the departments in each category. Departments with lower rankings will be encouraged to improve and will receive guidance through the 'VC Initiative Mechanism' to support necessary reforms. The University’s Research and Development Cell (RDC), Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), NIRF Cell, and Board of Deans have played key roles in shaping this framework.
19 September,2024 01:03 PM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghDespite verbal duels and 'credit war', especially about the launch of a slew of welfare and development schemes among the MahaYuti partners, NCP national president and Deputy Maharashtra Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday told his party legislators that the NCP will contest upcoming Assembly election in the MahaYuti grouping along with the alliance partners. Pawar at the special meeting with the party legislators also said that the NCP has already reached an understanding with the BJP and Shiv Sena whereby the party will get 54 seats which it had won in the 2019 Assembly election. He also hinted that the party would settle at 60 seats instead of pressing for its earlier demand of 80 to 90 seats. Pawar has scoffed at media reports that the BJP may ditch the NCP ahead of the Assembly election. He also ruled out the possibility of the NCP proposing friendly fights in a few seats. A senior party functionary said: "There is a clarity now among the legislators as party president and Ajit Pawar has made it amply clear that the NCP's 54 seats, which it bagged in the last Assembly election, will remain with it and there is no question of exchange with BJP or Shiv Sena. Further, he also clearly announced that the NCP along with the BJP and Shiv Sena will together contest Assembly elections in MahaYuti with the sole objective of retaining power after the Assembly elections." He further said that the party president has directed all the legislators and party office bearers to avoid war of words over various issues including the CM's face and also to not go on making statements giving credit to him (Ajit Pawar) for the launch of Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana and other schemes as it is the MahaYuti's initiatives. Pawar told the legislators that nearly 2.50 crore eligible women beneficiaries will be covered under the Ladki Bahin scheme, and they will get Rs 7,000 for the period July-November. He was of the view that the NCP along with BJP and Shiv Sena will benefit as these women beneficiaries will vote for the MahaYuti. The meeting also discussed a survey done by a digital marketing and political management firm with nearly 3.25 lakh samples especially from the districts where Ajit Pawar has so far carried out his Jansanman Yatra promoting the Ladki Bahin scheme. "Wherever the Jansanman Yatra has gone, the ratings of Ajit Pawar in particular and NCP in general have increased from 20 per cent to over 50 per cent. Ajit Pawar has an average 48 per cent rating, and it will come handy for NCP to get a political mileage in the upcoming assembly election,"said a senior NCP minister. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 September,2024 12:59 PM IST | Mumbai | IANSThe body of an unidentified man was discovered in Upvan Lake in Thane city, Maharashtra, on Thursday morning, according to civic officials. The body was spotted at around 7:43 am by people out for a morning walk near Upvan Lake, who immediately informed the police, said Yasin Tadvi, head of the Thane Municipal Corporation’s disaster management cell. Local fire brigade personnel and members of the regional disaster management team arrived at the scene and retrieved the body from the Upvan lake. The deceased man is believed to be aged between 40 and 45 years, the official added. The body was sent to a government hospital for a postmortem, and a case of accidental death has been registered. Police are currently investigating the incident. Body of Unidentified Man Found in Suitcase Near Ulhasnagar in Thane district The body of an unidentified man was discovered inside a suitcase at a rubbish dump in Varap village, near Ulhasnagar. Titwala police have registered a murder case and launched an investigation into the incident stated a previous mid-day report. The report cited sources stating that six separate teams had been formed to solve the case, and efforts were underway to identify the deceased. On August 15 morning, a local resident discovered the suitcase in the landfill. Initially, the resident assumed the bag had money, but was stunned to discover a dead body inside. When Senior Police Inspector Suresh Kadam of Titwala Police Station and his crew learnt of the event, they rushed to the location, the report stated. "A resident called the station after finding the body in the suitcase, and we responded immediately," said a police officer. The body was then sent to a government hospital for a post-mortem, the report stated. Senior PI Suresh Kadam told mid-day, "We have registered a murder case and are further investigating the matter; we have formed six different teams to conduct the probe. Firstly, we are trying to identify the deceased since no identity card was found near the body. Meanwhile, we are also waiting for the medical report to ascertain how was the person killed."
19 September,2024 11:21 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA fire broke out at a housing complex in Thane district of Maharashtra, the civic officials said on Tuesday. According to the Regional Disaster Management Cell (RDMC) of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), the incident took place at around 1:15 pm on Tuesday when a blaze broke out at some scrap materials stored near Wing A of the housing complex. "The firefighters and the civic staff promptly responded to the scene with one fire truck and one rescue vehicle. No one was injured in the incident," an official said. The fire was extinguished by the firefighters around 1:30 pm and the situation is now under control, the official said. Meanwhile, in an another incident, a 50-year-old man was killed and another person was injured in a massive fire that broke out at a hotel in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai, the civic officials said on Sunday. The incident took place on September 5 at 3:15 am, days later the man injured in the incident died during the treatment at a hospital in Mumbai, they said. "A fire had broke out at Kyma Hotel, located in the Corporate Building, 1 G Block, BKC in Bandra East. The incident was reported by Kurla Bhabha Hospital," an official said. The official added that the fire was caused by a blast in the outdoor unit of an air conditioner. The incident took place during repair work on the 2nd floor podium of the hotel, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. According to updates from an official of the BKC Police Station in western suburbs of Mumbai, the fire caused by the blast in the AC had resulted in two individuals suffering severe burn injuries, the BMC said. One of the person injured in the incident was identified as Sujit Pal, 33, he is in critical condition with 80 per cent burns and the other person injured in the incident was identified as Taranath, 50, suffered 70 per cent burns and was declared dead by the doctors at 11:15 am on the same day, the civic body had said on Sunday. "The fire has caused significant distress and the authorities are investigating the incident further," the official added.
19 September,2024 11:00 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA minor fire broke out in the electrical duct in a 16-storey residential building in Kurla (East) area of Mumbai on Saturday afternoon. Three people have been hospitalised after they complained of suffocation, officials in Mumbai civic body said. The fire started in the duct on the fourth floor of Savera Heights in Nehru Nagar around 2.40 pm, said a release issued by the Mumbai civic body. The blaze was confined to the electric wiring and installations in the duct from fourth to the 15th floor of the ground-plus-upper 17-floored building. Three vehicles of Mumbai fire brigade reached the spot immediately, it said, adding that the cause of the blaze was yet to be ascertained. The fire was extinguished at 3.06 pm. After three residents complained of suffocation, they were rushed to the Rajawadi Hospital. The condition of the residents, identified as Anisha Hiwale. 55; Ashok Hiwale, 59; and Manisha Pathare, 38, are said to be stable. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
19 September,2024 10:59 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIA fire started early this morning at the Shanti Sagar Building in Ghatkopar, causing smoke to engulf the entire edifice. CP Control reported the incident at approximately 01:35 am. The fire, which was contained to the electric wiring and installations in the common meter cabin on the ground level, was extinguished by 02:06 am. Smoke filled the building, leaving 80-90 people stranded on different floors. These people were saved successfully via the staircase, said an official. Dr Inamdar (Medical Officer) reported that 13 people were affected by smoke inhalation. Twelve of these were admitted to the hospital, while one was treated and discharged from the outpatient department. All admitted patients were reported to be in stable condition. The injured are: 1. Harsha Anil Bhise (F, 35)2. Sweety Sandip Kadam (F, 45)3. Janvi Milind Raigaonkar (F, 17)4. Priyanka Kale (F, 30)5. Jasim Salim Sayyad (M, 17)6. Jyoti Milind Raigaonkar (F, 32)7. Firoza Iqbal Shaikh (F, 35)8. Laxmi Laxman Kadam (F, 50)9. Laxman Rambhau Kadam (M, 60)10. Mansi Shrivastava (F, 24)11. Akshara Sachin Date (F, 19)12. Abid Shah (M, 22)13. Amir Iqbal Khan (M, 27) – treated on an OPD basis and discharged. The fire's cause is under investigation. This is breaking news, further details awaited
19 September,2024 10:57 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOn Thursday morning, a bungalow at the Lokhandwala Complex in Andheri caught fire. When the Mumbai Fire Brigade were notified of the fire, they reached the spot with two fire tenders to tackle the flames. The fire was first notified around 9 am, officials said. The blaze was detected in a ground-plus-one-storey home in Lokhandwala complex, said the officials. The bungalow's ground and first floor are affected by the fire. Employees from the electricity supply company, ambulance civic ward, and Mumbai fire department have all rushed to the spot too. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Mumbai: Fire breaks out at 2nd cross lane, Lokhandwala#Fire #Andheri #Lokhandwala #Mumbai #MumbaiNews pic.twitter.com/ei9Q2L0wsb — Mid Day (@mid_day) September 19, 2024 Meanwhile, the visuals from the scene that surfaced showed a thick smoke billowing out of the Andheri bungalow as the fire blazes. This is breaking news, further details awaited
19 September,2024 10:55 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentA 57-year-old man was injured while 25 to 30 persons were rescued after a fire broke out in a 62-storey residential building in south Mumbai's Byculla area around midnight, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Sunday. The blaze erupted in a flat on the 10th floor of the Monte South building's A wing in the Khatao Mill Compound in Byculla at 11.42 pm on Saturday, the civic body said, adding smoke filled the entire floor. Some persons were stranded on the upper floors of the building. The officials said 25 to 30 persons were rescued through the staircase. A man, identified as Pandurang Shinde, was injured, the BMC said. It was a "level-2" blaze which was confined to the electric wiring and installations, wooden furniture, household articles, wardrobe, mattresses, wooden beds, sofas, curtains, electronic appliances, false ceilings, doors, windows and modular kitchen of the 10th floor flat and curtains, window glass, etc of an apartment on the 11th floor, the official said. Eight water tankers and six fire engines were rushed to the spot, the official said, adding that four hose lines and nine motor pumps were in operation. The blaze was extinguished at 2.45 am, he said. While firefighting, an explosion of a refrigerator compressor occurred in the kitchen of the 10th floor flat, he said. The cause of the fire was not yet known. There were reports that the blaze erupted after suspected short-circuit in one of the flats on the 10th floor of the tower. Meanwhile, a fire broke out in a building in Mumbai's Tardeo area in the early hours of Saturday. No one was injured in the incident as it occurred after working hours. The fire started around 9 pm in one of the units at Patthe Bapurao Marg in Tardeo. There are several industrial units in the area. The Mumbai Fire Brigade sent five engines to the spot. Fire was confined on the first floor of a ground plus upper one storey structure. (With inputs from PTI)
19 September,2024 10:53 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
