The Mogra pumping station project in Andheri, which has only been on the paper, can finally be seen getting on track after 17 years. This comes after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), after several hurdles, submitted the cost of the disputed land in the Bombay High Court. The BMC had finalised a tender for the pumping station way back in 2021. The acquisition process of the land was delayed due to legal proceedings regarding land ownership between two private parties. Mogra Nallah, where the station will be built. File pic The BMC was asked to pay Rs 33 crore and proceed with the work of the pumping station. “The amount has been deposited. The cost will be disbursed to the party after the court’s decision. But that is not the BMC’s purview, and we can start the work now,” said a municipal official. BMC officials said that the work order has been issued for the construction of the pumping station. Officials said that as per the tender, the work will require 24 months, including the year’s monsoon, and it may be completed by December 2026. The new pumping station will help in the monsoon of 2027. The pumping station is crucial to reduce flooding in Andheri. File Pic/Anurag Ahire The Mogra pumping station is crucial to reduce flooding in Andheri, which gets submerged every year during monsoon. It was suggested by the Chitale Committee after the July 2005 floods, which submerged the entire city. To prevent a recurrence of the July 26, 2005 floods, when the city was devastated following 944 mm of rainfall in a single day, the Chitale Committee and the BRIMSTOWAD report recommended the setting up of pumping stations at eight locations to drain large amounts of water stored in low-lying areas during the high tide and heavy rain. Out of these eight, six—at Haji Ali, Lovegrove, Cleveland, Irla, Britannia, and Ghazdarbandh—were already set up, except for the Mogra and Mahul pumping stations. The BMC had earlier appointed contractors—M/s Michigan Engineers and M/s Mhalsa Construction (jointly)—for the construction of the Mogra pumping station in June 2021, at a cost of Rs 393 crore.
28 November,2024 08:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleIn the fifth such incident this year, a mother and son lost their lives in a collision with a dumper truck near a school in Kurla’s Nehru Nagar area. The tragedy occurred on Tuesday when Kavita Singadiya, 32, and her son, Pravin Singadiya, 12, were fatally hit by a dumper while riding an Activa scooter near Kedarnath School in Kurla at around 7.15 am. Speaking to mid-day, Kaluram Singadiya, Kavita’s husband said, “As usual, my wife had headed out to drop our son at school. Kavita was riding the Activa. I received a call that both of them had met with an accident and were admitted to Rajawadi Hospital. When I reached the hospital, both were in the emergency ward. My wife was pronounced dead by the doctors at around 7.30 am, and my son was declared dead an hour later, at around 8.30 am.” The dumper truck, which was involved in the collision on November 26, has been confiscated by the police “The school was just 100 to 200 metres from the accident spot. We demand that dumpers should not be allowed near schools, as many parents and students walk on these narrow roads in the morning. If the dumper had been restricted, this accident could have been avoided. I also demand strict legal action against the driver,” he said. “My son was very fond of studying and wanted to become a doctor. Despite financial constraints, we enrolled him in a reputed school because he was so dedicated to his studies,” Kaluram said. The family also has a younger daughter named Tamanna. Following Kaluram’s statement, the Nehru Nagar police registered an FIR against the dumper driver. “An FIR has been registered against the accused, Rizwan Rehman, 32. His blood samples have been sent for forensic analysis to determine if he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. Further investigation is ongoing,” said Navnath Dhavale, DCP, ZoneVI. Rehman has been booked under Section 106 (causing death by negligence) and Section 281 (rash or negligent driving on public roads) of the BNS.
28 November,2024 07:56 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheThe updated platform numbering at Dadar station, introduced on Wednesday morning, has added to the confusion for passengers on Central Railway (CR). Now, when fast local or express trains arrive, platform 9A will be on one side of the train and platform 10 on the other. It will now be for the first time that one train will arrive on two platforms 9A on one side and 10 on the other side. Till Tuesday, the platforms had been numbered platforms 10 and 10A respectively. Also, platform numbers at Dadar had been changed in less than a year and such frequent changes have not gone well with commuters. “Why make it more confusing unnecessarily, just keep both of them as 10 as there is a single line between them. CSMT has platform 2 and not 2 and 2A for either side of the line. Follow this and keep both as 10,” said commuter Nishant Singh. “We have still not got used to 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. And now this. They just do as they like without taking into consideration the practicality of things. Imagine the announcement of a train coming on platforms 10 and 9A. It sounds like school, class and division,” commuter Khurshed Lawyer said. Officials said the changes have been done due to the peculiar layout and length of the platforms. While the old Platform 10 (now 9A) is shorter, the adjoining platform 10A (now 10) is long to cater to 22-car trains. Hence the changes of numbers for a synchronised announcement system and for better comprehension. “Yes. Central Railway has decided to rename platform numbers at Dadar station. This initiative is aimed at simplifying platform identification for passengers and ensuring a seamless travel experience. So platform 10 (previously serving both Mail/Express and suburban trains) will be renumbered as platform 9A and will exclusively serve suburban trains,” said a CR official Platform 10A (also previously serving Mail/Express and suburban trains) will be renumbered as platform 10. This platform will now exclusively cater to Mail/Express trains, ensuring ample space for 22-coach trains,” a CR official said.
28 November,2024 07:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe police have booked the owner and the manager of Vivanta Hotel in Nalasopara for allowing the stay of foreign nationals without informing the local authorities as per the mandatory rule of Form C. According to the FIR registered at Tulinj, the foreign nationals stayed in the hotel from September 26 to October 5. “We came to know about the illegal stay of the foreign nationals when we checked the registers,” said the zonal DCP Pournima Chougule-Shringi. “The FIR has been registered against the hotel manager Sonu Lallankumar Jha, 26, and owners Suresh Shetty and Ratnakar Shetty,” she added. “If a foreigner resides in a hotel in our area, we should be informed by the hotel within 24 hours. We are concerned about their safety and security,” the DCP added. It’s the same hotel where BJP heavyweights, including Vinod Tawade were alleged to have been caught red-handed while distributing cash on the eve of recently concluded state Assembly polls. What is Form C? A hotel owner or manager needs to fill up the form mentioning full details of the foreign guest(s), and submit it to the authorities within 24 hours after the arrival of a foreigner.
28 November,2024 07:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaFacing criticism from the Union government over low student registration for APAAR IDs, the state education department and the State Project Director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, have directed all schools to ensure that their students are registered within the next two days. The Union government had set a deadline of November 30 for all students to receive their APAAR IDs, but as of November 25, only 65 lakh students—just 35 per cent of the total—have been issued IDs. To accelerate process, the state has designated November 29 and 30 as APAAR ID Days, during which schools are expected to ensure maximum registrations. To address the challenges, schools are coordinating with municipal officers, block education officers, cluster heads, and education inspectors, who have been instructed to visit campuses during the designated days to oversee the progress. “All schools must observe APAAR ID Days with special campaigns to facilitate registrations. District-level online review meetings will also be held to assess progress and provide further guidance,” state project director of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan R Vimala stated in the directive issued on November 26. To ensure success, all districts have been directed to maximise efforts during APAAR ID Days. Officials have emphasised the importance of collaboration and accountability at every level, with district and block-level officers tasked with monitoring the initiative’s implementation. The state government has also mandated special review meetings at the district level to evaluate the progress of APAAR ID generation and address any bottlenecks. Schools and parents speak Prasad Gokhale, a Borivli resident and parent, said, “I am still not clear about what this APAAR ID concept exactly is. If it’s for an online record of results and progress of a child, then that’s fine. The information must be properly safeguarded, otherwise, it could be harmful to both students and parents. I strongly suspect that this data will be provided to private companies in the education sector to increase their customer base.” “We had sent the consent forms to parents and explained to them what they need to do just ahead of elections. Still, many parents have returned to us with concerns about data privacy and other queries. We sent these forms to parents across all three of our schools, which is a total of 8,000 students. It’s not easy to collect data from such a huge number of students and upload it on the government site. We also have to verify all the details. Completing this in two days is simply not possible—it will take time,” said Rohan Bhatt, chairman of the Children’s Academy Group of Schools. “For parents who are not sending their consent, we have requested them to share their reasons for refusal. The work of gathering data is ongoing. However, due to exams, Diwali vacations, and then the elections, we couldn’t collect much data during this period,” said Sunita George, Principal of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim. “Many parents ask for official government letters or clarification. Now, there’s even a refusal format, but indirectly, officials are pushing us to get parents to consent. They question why we couldn’t obtain consent, why data hasn’t been uploaded, what actions we’re taking as principals, and how many meetings we’ve held to explain the process to parents,” said a principal from a school in South Mumbai. What is APAAR ID? The APAAR ID (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) is a unique lifelong identification number introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Designed to track a student’s academic journey from pre-primary to higher education, it stores records of learning outcomes, extracurricular achievements, and skills. Unlike Aadhaar, APAAR focuses solely on education, acting as an “edulocker” for academic data. The Union Education Ministry has instructed schools to secure parental consent for APAAR enrolment. The system aims to address issues like student dropouts and ensure consistency in monitoring educational progress. Roles of schools and parents Schools:>> Update Aadhaar details for students. >> Obtain parental consent. >> Upload student data on the UDISE+ portal. >> Ensure compliance with deadlines, now extended to November 30. Parents:>> Provide consent for data sharing. >> Verify Aadhaar details for accuracy. >> Engage with schools to understand APAAR’s benefits and address concerns. APAAR registration process1. Verification: Visit the school to confirm demographic details. 2. Parental Consent: Secure consent for minors. 3. Authentication: Identity is verified through the school. 4. ID Creation: APAAR ID is generated and linked to DigiLocker.
28 November,2024 07:41 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghFour people, including a firefighter, were injured in a fire that broke out at a Dongri high-rise. The fire was likely caused by an LPG gas cylinder explosion on the 15th floor of the 22-storied Ansari Heights building. The Mumbai Fire Bridge will conduct an audit of the building today. According to the fire bridge report, the fire broke out at 1 pm. Samin Nasir Ansari, 44, suffered 22 per cent burns, Nasir Ansari, 47, suffered 15 per cent burns and Sana Ansari sustained minor burns. The three belonged to the same family. Anjali Jamdade, a female firefighter, was also injured after a windowpane fell on her. Fire brigade officer rescue a man “There was a cylinder blast in the 15th-floor room. Embers from the blast landed on the 10th floor and the 19th floor. Subsequently, a gas cylinder in the kitchen on the 10th floor and a compressor in the air conditioning unit on the 19th floor exploded. The fire also spread to the 16th floor. While placing the hose on the road, a sheet of glass fell on Jamdade and she suffered a cut on her back,” said the official. Residents of the upper floors took refuge on the terrace while those on the lower floors exited the building. “We didn’t use the internal firefighting system to control the fire. Our team will visit the spot and check if the firefighting system is functional,” the official added. Seeing the fire in the building located at Nishan Pada Cross Lane, a narrow road in Dongri, locals started removing two-wheelers in the vicinity. “We were aware that the bikes would make it difficult for the firefighters,” Sarfraz Konkani said, that more than 150 two-wheelers were removed. Kashib Basal said that he, along with Sarfraz, Imran Sheikh, Awad Basal, Stefan Balkrishan and Habibula Rehaman removed bikes parked this helped fire bridge reach the spot. Fire at Andheri A fire broke out on the 5th floor of the 6-storeyed Chinchan building located at Veera Desai Road in Andheri West. The fire started around 8.30 am on Wednesday and was extinguished in 20 minutes. The house where the fire broke out was completely charred but there were no casualties reported.
28 November,2024 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer SurveThey’ve got your bag The installation of three wise monkeys at Kalina’s University campus doubles up as a space to keep backpacks. Rekha Bhardwaj’s reel-life learnings (Left) Raghav Sachar and (right) Rekha Bhardwaj re-create the classic track, with Sachar playing the flute to complement Bhardwaj’s vocals. Pic Courtesy/Instagram If you think it’s only the new-age musicians who are acing their Instagram game, you might be wrong. Veteran singer Rekha Bhardwaj’s now viral collaboration with musician Raghav Sachar for a short rendition of Bhardwaj’s song Aise Kyun is a classic case in point. “Rekha ji was an absolute delight to work with. Even though the reels format is new to her, she embraced the concept with contagious enthusiasm. When I spoke with her recently to inform her of all the praise the video has garnered online, she was pleasantly surprised at how many people her voice had managed to reach. I saw her patiently replying to each comment under the video with a message of gratitude later,” Sachar recalled over a call with this diarist. Sachar now looks forward to sharing his collaboration with popular singer Sunidhi Chauhan online soon. Crowning tribute to the martyrs of the 26/11 attack The artwork shows a police officer crowning Ratan Tata. PIC COURTESY/OMKAR PATIL This past Tuesday marked 16 years since the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008. Artist Omkar Patil (below) used his art to pay tribute. As part of his latest series reimagining iconic Mumbai buildings, Patil said, “I wanted to honour the police force, commandos, and civilians who lost their lives.” The artwork features the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel at Apollo Bunder, depicting a police officer crowning the late Ratan Tata, with the hotel’s dome as the crown (Taj). “Taj means crown, and I see the hotel as a jewel on Mr Ratan Tata’s head. I wanted to portray this with the dome. The rescue operation was rigorous, and the attacks caused significant loss of life and property, making the building deeply symbolic,” he explained. The artwork received over 1,500 shares. Patil added, “If my work helps people pause and remember the martyrs, I’ve achieved my aim.” Striking a chord for a good cause Fr Rob Galea. PIC COURTESY/INSTAGRAM While all eyes are on an India-Australia cricket tour right now, Father Rob Galea from Victoria is flying into India for a good cause this weekend. The priest from the Sandhurst Diocese in Southeast Australia, who doubles as a popular gospel singer-songwriter, will perform at the St Anthony’s Church in Malwani, Malad on November 30 and December 1. St Anthony’s Church The proceeds from the concert will go towards building a bigger church for the neighbourhood’s growing number of worshippers. “Father Galea’s team reached out to us with the idea to host him as part of his India tour. In our brief online interaction, he acknowledged that he had a huge following in India, which came to his notice during online sermons when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world,” shared parish priest Father Cajetan Menezes (inset) of the church. For more information and passes, log on to @sac.malwani on Instagram. X-ray vision David O’Flynn interacts with the museum team. PIC COURTESY/ INSTAGRAM Ahead of opening the semi-permanent Ancient Worlds Gallery, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS), supported by the British Deputy High Commission, is collaborating with the British Museum to enhance their conservation methodology. “In this vein, this month, X-ray imaging scientist David O’ Flynn from the British Museum’s Department of Scientific Research visited the museum to understand the needs of the Indian objects as well as the ones coming from the British Museum,” Joyoti Roy (inset), lead curator of the project shared. It’s not plastic, but squid eggs! Multiple squid egg cases clustered together resemble balloons PIC COURTESY/Sahir Doshi If you are walking along the beach, and come across what looks like a plastic balloon, there’s a chance it might actually be a squid egg. After several shore trails in areas like Juhu and Bandstand, conservation educator Sahir Doshi (above) recently spotted the cephalopods eggs with their eyes visible on a South Mumbai beach. “Squids tend to lay their eggs post-monsoon, mostly in October, in intertidal zones. These are sheltered patches of water where animals can grow up safely, away from predators,” he explained. The eggs are often clustered together, and resemble plastic cases. “The Indian Ocean squid is the most common squid found in Mumbai. During low tide on a large sandy beach like Juhu, there’s a high chance you might spot a few,” Doshi told this diarist.
28 November,2024 07:12 AM IST | Mumbai | Team mid-dayCaretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde all but conceded his claim for the top job on Wednesday, saying he left the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to name its chief ministerial candidate. Devendra Fadnavis is now the hot favourite for the post, as party workers want the high command to reward the ex-CM for his performance in the elections and also make up for the party’s decision to make him work as Dy CM in the Shinde government that was formed after the Shiv Sena split in 2022. On Wednesday afternoon, Shinde said his party will abide by the call taken by Modi and Shah and support the new chief minister, whoever it is. (From left) Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar at a media briefing. File Pic/Shadab Khan He said the Mahayuti leaders (himself, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar) will meet Shah in Delhi on Thursday to decide the future course of action. The name of the new CM is expected to be announced after this meeting. The state BJP has been waiting for all decks to be cleared before holding its Legislative Party meeting, which will formally elect the leader who will also be the CM-elect. The CM-elect will be endorsed by the alliance partners with a letter of support, which along with BJP’s own list, will be submitted to the governor, who will invite him to form the government. ‘Ladka Bhau’ “I have always worked as a common man,” said Shinde at a press conference held at his Thane residence. “When I was CM, the people thought I was their brother, not CM. For me, the identity of ‘Ladkya Bahinincha Ladka Bhau’ (referring to the cash benefit scheme for women that gave the Mahayuti an unbeatable advantage over the MVA) is much more valuable than any other post. I am content. I don’t cry, I fight’.” Four-day suspense Thus, Shinde ended an impasse, agreeing to go by the BJP’s wish four days after the massive mandate for Mahayuti. The BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP have together won numbers so big that none of their political rivals from the MVA has the strength to deserve the Leader of the Opposition post in the Assembly. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, senior BJP leader. File Pic/Satej Shinde However, there was no clarity from Shinde whether he would become a Dy CM in the new government or give the position to one of his party colleagues, like his MP son Shrikant. The second Dy CM will be from Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party. Delhi-bound? Some observers said if Shinde does not take up the Dy CM’s job, he may opt for a berth in the Union ministry or stay in Maharashtra to work fulltime as the Sena’s chief ‘Mentor’. In the Mahayuti, the BJP has surpassed its 2014 tally in the house, and with that bench strength, the party has decided to install its representative as the CM. Shinde and his party workers were reluctant to step down. The Sena’s show of strength did not go down well with the BJP high command, which had clearly sent a message that Shinde won’t continue in the CMO. Shinde, who kept a studied silence for three days, invited the media to his Thane residence on Wednesday. He said he had telephonic conversations with PM Modi and Shah on Tuesday, after which he decided to reach out to the media with his decision. “I have told them [Modi and Shah] over the phone that they should not think that I am an obstacle while they decide about the CM candidate,” he said. ““I am happy that I could work for the betterment of people in two and a half years. We combined development with welfare, and it was because of this combination that we were voted to power with such a big majority. I was Mahayuti’s CM. The BJP supported me, and Modi and Shah stood behind me rock solid. It is time I supported them.” What next? In a coordinated ‘advance’ move, the BJP also announced a press conference. As Shinde’s event ended, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule began his briefing in Nagpur. “I welcome Shinde’s decision and thank him for strengthening the Mahayuti. He has demonstrated that our battle was not for the CM’s post, but for the 12 crore people of Maharashtra. On the other hand, the MVA had many CM candidates. The Congress had seven or eight. The NCP (SP) had three, and the Sena (UBT) had two – the father and son,” he said. According to Bawankule, Shinde will be the Mahayuti’s main leader, a pillar, even in the days to come. “We are proud of him,” said the BJP chief, whose name has also cropped up as one of the probables for the CM’s post, because of his Other Backward Castes (OBC) status. But he has been supporting Fadnavis, his party colleague for three decades. Bawankule confirmed that Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar were scheduled to meet Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday to discuss everything – the CM’s name and distribution of power (number of ministerial berths, portfolios and district guardian ministers each ally will get). Answer soon: Fadnavis Talking to reporters in Sambhaji Nagar before Shinde’s announcement, Fadnavis said the talks of the CM candidate will be answered very soon. He said there were no differences in Mahayuti and they had decided everything together before the elections. “Three parties will sit together and decide,” he said, adding that the CM’s face will be decided first, who in turn, will submit the list of MLAs to the governor for government formation. “Our high command is in talks with the alliance partners. We said that we will decide together after the elections. We will meet our senior leaders in Delhi tomorrow and decide things. Whatever people had in their minds, Honorable Shinde has dispelled all doubts today.” By month-end: Pawar Ajit Pawar said he had been invited to Delhi for the meeting with Shah on Thursday. “We will meet tomorrow and after that a new government with a CM and two Dy CMs will be formed,” he said, adding that the ceremony could be on November 30 or December 1. Pawar, who is expected to continue as finance minister, said, “The Winter Session to be held in Nagpur is fast approaching. We will have to approve supplementary demands. There is a lot of work pressure.”
28 November,2024 07:07 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra JoreRenowned writer Sarayu Ahuja was bitten on her left arm by a langur at the upscale Otters Club in Bandra West on Wednesday morning when she was having coffee with friends. “Yesterday, as per my routine, I was having coffee with some friends at the club. This monkey came and joined us at the table. Sighting the monkey was not a surprise; it has been spotted at the club quite often. It hops onto tables, sometimes members give it something to eat. So I was not startled to see it,” Ahuja said. The outside of Otters Club in Bandra West on Wednesday. Pic/Nimesh Dave The writer added, “Some of my companions got up and left though. I did not as I had been taught never to move or get up abruptly when near an animal so as not to startle it. I reached for my coffee and suddenly this monkey grabbed my hand. I was wearing a windcheater, which acted as a sheath. I felt his claws but not the teeth. The monkey then bent down, tasted the coffee, and spat it out.” A monkey cools off in the Khar Gymkhana swimming pool a month and a half ago; (left) the simian on the diving board at the club Ahuja said, “I had not quite processed what had happened. I was more worried about my mobile phone which was on the table and it seemed to have disappeared! The monkey jumped off and hopped into some trees thereafter. Dr Sandeep Chopra, a club member and friend, told me to first wash my arm, which was bleeding. Then, he gave me a tetanus and an anti-rabies shot. I need to have five anti-rabies shots in all, spaced out over a few days.” The Bandra resident said with a laugh, “Incidentally, I located my mobile phone, maybe I should have shared my coffee with the rude intruder!” Cage scene The Otters Club moved quickly contacting Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW). Ashok Motwani, chief executive officer (CEO) of the club, said, “I informed them and they answered that the forest department has been informed and will take the necessary action.” Otters Club in Bandra West. Pic/Nimesh Dave Pawan Sharma, founder and president, RAWW and honorary wildlife warden with the forest department, said on Wednesday evening, “We are leaving for the club to evaluate the situation and see how we can best handle it. We must remember this is an intelligent animal, it may not be lured into a cage we install in order to rescue it. We will also have certain dos and don’ts for members, after talking to the club management.” Table manners Shocked Otters Club members claimed this was a familiar monkey and a friendly one. A member recalled seeing the monkey at a breakfast table, where he was sitting days ago. “He eats the choicest food, even drinks something and disappears. He has a black face and a very long tail. I think black-faced monkeys are friendly while red-faced ones are more aggressive,” he said. The Khar Gymkhana, too, had witnessed a monkey on the club premises around a month and a half ago. Pawan Sharma, founder and president, RAWW Gaurav Kapadia, Khar Gymkhana president, said, “We had a monkey visiting the club often at the time. There was a video doing the rounds on WhatsApp of the monkey swimming in the club pool. I think we called the BMC and were informed that we had to call the forest department. However, the monkey disappeared in a day or two post that.” One can hear people speaking in the video in the background stating, “See this monkey, I believe there are a lot of monkeys in Goregaon.” Another person says, “I spotted one outside my building.” A woman had the last word, stating, “At least these monkeys can access clubs where memberships are simply unaffordable for most. These clubs are out of our league, but the monkeys, they have a free membership to these swish clubs.” Monkey business in Mumbai Three species of primates are found in Mumbai—the rhesus macaque, bonnet macaque and langur. There has been an increase in the number of negative interactions between humans and primates. Range Forest Officer Rakesh Bhoir from the Mumbai Range, Thane Forest Department (Territorial), said, “On an average, my office receives two to three calls complaining about monkeys entering buildings and housing societies daily. One reason for the negative interactions between humans and primates is people feeding them. A woman was injured in an encounter with a langur on Wednesday. We have created awareness in the area and our teams are taking efforts to rescue the langur.” Sources from the forest department told this newspaper that in the past 10 days, there have been three instances of human-primate conflict in Mumbai. On Monday, an 11-year-old boy was injured by a monkey at Mahalaxmi but, thankfully, he sustained minor injuries. On November 21, a monkey had charged at a railway employee at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus yard. Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane and President of NGO RAWW, Pawan Sharma said, “All three incidents are quite unfortunate, the forest department has evaluated the situation and is initiating necessary actions as per the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The officials have visited the spots where the negative interactions occurred, and all three victims have already taken preventive treatment. To prevent any further conflicts, the department has decided to rescue the animals and rehabilitate them. Similarly, the authorities concerned from each area have been given an advisory to follow until the rescue operation is completed.” Sharma said the incidents at CSMT, Mahalaxmi and Otters Club involved a rhesus macaque, bonnet macaque and langur respectively. “All the animals had been ranging freely near the locations for many days without any negative interactions with humans. We are trying to find out what caused such unusual behaviour,” he added. Managing monkey menace mindfully 1 How to prevent monkeys from entering your surroundings?According to experts, this is not an easy task as monkeys are a part of urban biodiversity and the food chain. However, keeping premises clean, managing edible garbage and not feeding or entertaining them at all helps stave them off. Bamboo scaffolding should be removed as soon as repair work is done so that monkeys don’t get easy access to homes as they are creatures of habit. Apart from scaffolding, they use gas pipelines to gain access to kitchens and drain pipes to enter other spaces. 2 What to do if a monkey invades your space?Make sure you secure yourself, children and elders. Allow it to go away on its own by giving way. Keep calm. Do not scare, entertain or provoke. 3 What is immediate medical care if a monkey bites/attacks you?One must immediately clean the area with antiseptic lotion and rush to the nearest doctor. Precautionary tetanus and anti-rabies vaccines are necessary if one is scratched or bitten. Sparse history of violence In the past two years, there have rarely been any serious attacks on people. Most monkeys are free-ranging solitary animals. They usually try to snatch food from people or attempt to scare them to show territorial dominance. What happens if a rogue monkey is trapped? Any primate trapped amid a conflict situation is first medically and psychologically examined for behaviour triggers. Most of the time, it is the element of surprise or confrontation that causes them to attack. Animals showing unusual behaviour are sent to rescue centres for lifetime care and those which have the scope are rehabilitated. With inputs from Ranjeet Jadhav
28 November,2024 07:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal AsharDo you know what the stars hold for you in terms of love life, career, business and personal wellness today? Well, read on to know your astrological predictions as per your zodiac sign for November 28. Aries March 21 – April 20Someone behaving towards you in an unacceptable manner is pulled up by higher authorities. Don’t ignore pain.Cosmic tip: Step back from what you know is not correct according to karma. Taurus April 21 – May 20It’s difficult to convince a Taurean about a change in attitude, which quickly resolves an argument. Cosmic tip: Peacefully accept nothing will be completed before 12 noon, as the karmic cycle changes then. GeminiMay 21 – June 21Don’t remain caught in the same old run-around that comes with not listening to advice. Use career opportunities wisely.Cosmic tip: Appreciate what’s going right in life and how there’s such an improvement. Cancer June 22 – July 23Accept advice in the spirit it is meant. Staying away from juvenile one-up-man-ship tactics is wise. Several unusual ideas are workable for a project. Cosmic tip: Don’t retaliate to real or veiled provocation. Leo July 24 - Aug 23Delayed communication of any kind (calls, emails, messages, letters, etc.) is frustrating but has to be accepted.Cosmic tip: Gently steer a relationship back on track before it has a chance to derail. Virgo Aug 24 – Sept 23Strategies and tactics are in place, ready to move ahead. Do re-check completed work carefully. Cosmic tip: Agreeing to a change of plans is no problem. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Libra Sept 24 – Oct 22Creative ideas need to be practical and in-step with mindset of the common people; so rework them. Work is very hectic. Cosmic tip: Make a relationship re-blossom in the manner it used to be. Scorpio Oct 23 – Nov 22Changed circumstances focus on the truth that was not being accepted. Cosmic tip: Take necessary action instead of just talking about the issue without any decision made. Sagittarius Nov 23 – Dec 22Discuss a pending matter with the boss first before suggesting changes. Remain in a position of advantage by being understanding.Cosmic tip: Keep interactions within accepted office procedures and rules. Capricorn Dec 23 – Jan 20A new kind of a life with a new purpose makes this an interesting time in life. Make lifestyle changes after enough thought. Cosmic tip: Don’t discuss important malleable plans with anyone just yet. Aquarius Jan 21 – Feb 19Continuing to make monthly financial investments is followed through diligently. Cosmic tip: Try to maintain a balance between working incessantly and just taking it easy. Pisces Feb 20 – March 20Accepting a truth at face value is a better way of dealing with an issue. Cosmic tip: Look to resolving areas of conflict, rather than seething in anger or thinking how unfair life is sometimes.
28 November,2024 12:48 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirley BoseThree police head constables from Mumbai and Maharashtra made India proud by winning gold and silver medals at the 11th Latin American World Police and Fire Games 2024, held in Cali, Colombia, from November 17 to 24, 2024. The event saw around 2,500 participants from 32 countries competing in various sports. Navneet More Among the winners was Head Constable Navneet More, who is attached to the LA-2 at Tardeo police station. More won a total of three medals, including two golds in swimming and one silver in the Chase competition. The swimming event featured four disciplines: Butterfly, Freestyle, Breaststroke, and Backstroke. More dominated these events, securing gold in two and silver in the Chase. His outstanding performance earned him a spot in the upcoming World Police and Fire Games, scheduled to take place in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, from June 27 to July 6, 2025. Ravindra Salve Head Constable Ravindra Salve from the Chikalthana police station in Aurangabad also made his mark at the Games, winning a gold medal in Powerlifting. Salve impressed everyone with his strength, lifting a total of 590 kg — 215 kg in the squat, 140 kg in the bench press, and 225 kg in the deadlift. Kishor Dange Meanwhile, Head Constable Kishor Dange from the Jalna SP office won a silver medal in Bodybuilding. Dange, who is also a World Champion in bodybuilding, clinched second place in the open weight category with a total of 405 kg lifted. The Mumbai Police will warmly welcome these champions at the airport on Thursday, celebrating their remarkable achievements on the international stage.
27 November,2024 11:25 PM IST | Mumbai | Shirish VaktaniaADVERTISEMENT
