In a first, a a pack of 10 wild dogs was sighted for the first time in Dongaroli village, located in Mangaon Taluka of Raigad in Maharashtra, approximately 160 kilometers southeast of Mumbai. The pack of wild dogs was sighted on September 18. The remarkable sighting was captured on camera by Daya and Anand Patki, owners of the Dongoroli Bamboo Nursery. Wildlife researcher Shantanu Kuveskar from Mangaon said, "At around 6:15 PM, Daya Patki noticed the wild dogs near their bamboo nursery and immediately contacted me. I urged them to capture a photo as evidence. From a safe distance and without disturbing the animals, the Patkis followed the pack and managed to photograph them in one location. After this, the wild dogs fled into the nearby jungle." Upon inspection of the area, the Patkis found blood and body parts of some animal on the grass, indicating that the dogs had hunted something. Shantanu Kuveskar inquired in Dongaroli village and found that some goats were missing that evening. Initially, the villagers suspected a leopard. However, this incident confirmed that wild dogs were responsible for killing the goats. Kuveskar and the Patki couple searched the surrounding area the next morning but couldn't find the pack. Similar incidents of goats being killed have been reported from nearby villages in recent days. Due to a lack of awareness about wild dogs, locally known as 'kolsunda,' locals often mistake them for leopards, foxes, or stray dogs. "Just two days ago, Anand and I had a discussion about wild dogs, and coincidentally, Anand spotted them the next day. In the past 10 years, I have recorded sightings of wild dogs in various villages of Mangaon Taluka, but without camera traps, photographic evidence was scarce. Wild dogs have been rarely sighted in Govel, a village adjacent to Dongaroli. In recent years, the presence of wild dogs has increased in Raigad district, including Roha, Tala, Murud, Mhasala, Shrivardhan, Mahad, and Mangaon areas. Except for the older generation, locals lack awareness about wild dogs and often overlook them, mistaking them for foxes or stray dogs," said Shantanu Kuveskar. Wild dogs (Dhol) are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, just like tigers.
20 September,2024 05:11 PM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday said that the number of polling stations in Mumbai has been increased for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024. In an official statement, the BMC said that in view of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls and following the directions issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the polling stations in the Mumbai Metropolitan City (comprising Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban Districts) have been rationalised to facilitate smooth voting for the electorate. "The number of polling stations in Mumbai has now increased to 10,111. Compared to the Lok Sabha 2024, there is an increase of 218 polling stations," the BMC said. It said, the average number of voters per polling station, which previously stood at 1,500, has now been reduced to an average of 1,200 voters per booth. The increase in the number of polling stations will help to enhance the efficiency and pace of the voting process. The statement said, as per the directives from the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commission, the administration is actively preparing for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. Under the guidance of Bhushan Gagrani, District Election Officer and Municipal Commissioner of BMC. The rationalisation of polling stations has been carried out. In rationalising the polling stations in Mumbai, the average voter number has been set at up to 1,200 per station. The principle has guided the rationalisation of polling station numbers. The polling has been decentralised whenever required, leading to an increase in certain locations compared to the Lok Sabha 2024. In 2024, there were 2,509 polling stations in Mumbai City and 7,384 in Mumbai Suburban. Following the rationalisation, these numbers have increased to 2,537 and 7,574, respectively, resulting in a total of 10,111 polling stations across the Mumbai Metropolitan City (BMC area) - (Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts), the BMC statement said. "To inform voters about the recent changes in polling station locations resulting from the rationalisation, the administration has initiated an awareness campaign titled 'Know Your Polling Station', the officials said on Friday. Under the initiative, staff will visit voters homes to provide details about the changes and the registered voters will receive information in written, they added.
20 September,2024 04:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bombay High Court on Friday raised concerns about the poor manner in which slum redevelopment buildings were constructed in the city, terming these structures as "vertical slums", reported news agency PTI. A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Somasekhar Sunderesan said such slum redevelopment buildings were constructed in a congested manner, with no space between them, cutting off ventilation and sunlight. "We are not going to appreciate these vertical slums. Buildings constructed are so congested. No light, no space, no sunlight and no ventilation. This will cause health problems. They (slum dwellers) are better off on grounds encroaching," the court said, reported PTI. The bench called it a serious issue against Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution. The bench was set up last month to undertake a "performance audit" of the Maharashtra Slum Area (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act following directives issued by the Supreme Court, reported PTI. The apex court had raised concerns about the working of the Act. The high court on Friday said there has to be robust implementation of provisions of the Act, citing examples of public housing projects in foreign countries. It noted that the influx of migrant workers in the city will keep increasing, and the authorities cannot adopt a wait-and-watch policy. "Migrant workers come in...work is available, pay is available, but no place to stay. Then they stay in slums. We need to understand that this won't stop. It may only increase. We cannot just wait and watch now," it said, reported PTI. The bench directed all parties concerned to submit their suggestions on the issue, which the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) will look into. The court posted the matter for further hearing on October 15. On July 30, the Supreme Court asked the high court to set up a bench to "initiate suo motu proceedings" to conduct a performance audit of the state slum redevelopment law, noting, "The welfare legislation for the poor is gridlocked and more than 1,600 cases related to the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act are pending before the Bombay High Court." (With inputs from PTI)
20 September,2024 02:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe BMC has stated on Friday that the water levels in Mumbai's seven reservoirs, which supply the city with potable water, have reached 98.55 per cent. Based on data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the combined water stock of the Mumbai lakes stands at 14,26,326 million litres at present, or 98.55 per cent of their capacity. Mumbai gets its water from the Upper and Middle Vaitarnas, Bhatsa, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, and Modak Sagar. The civic body's data on the Mumbai lakes indicates that Tansa's water level is 97.51 per cent. 97.24 per cent of the water stock is accessible at Modak-Sagar. In Middle Vaitarna 98.52 per cent, Upper Vaitarna 99.15 per cent, Bhatsa 98.74 per cent, Vihar 100 per cent and Tulsi 99.66 per cent of useful water level is available. In the wake of heavy rains, one more lake supplying water to Mumbai, Middle Vaitarna Lake, started overflowing on July 4. Lakes Vihar and Modak Sagar began to flood on July 25 due to persistently high rains. Around 4 pm on July 24, Tansa Lake started to overflow, increasing the amount of water stored in all seven reservoirs by 17 days in a single day. Approximately 400 million gallons of water are supplied to Mumbai by Tansa Lake, which is situated in the Shahpur region of Thane. On July 26, 2024, it overflowed. One of the two lakes that directly feed water to the BMC, Tulsi Lake, started to overflow on July 20 at around 8:30 am, mimicking the event that occurred on the same day last year at 1:28 pm, according to the civic body. Mumbai rains: MD forecasts light showers today The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light spells of rainfall in Mumbai on Thursday, as per the latest Mumbai weather update. The meteorological agency has forecast a "Partly cloudy sky with possibility of light rain in the city and its suburbs" for the next 24 hours in its most recent Mumbai weather update. It is anticipated that the city will have a maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius and a low temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. A high tide of about 4.70 metres, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said on Friday, would be hitting Mumbai at 1.02 pm. The civic body also said a low tide of about 0.06 metres is expected at 7.17 pm on Friday.
20 September,2024 11:07 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light spells of rainfall in Mumbai on Friday, as per the latest Mumbai weather update. The meteorological agency has forecast a "Partly cloudy sky with possibility of light rain in the city and its suburbs" for the next 24 hours in its most recent Mumbai weather update. It is anticipated that the city will have a maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius and a low temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. A high tide of about 4.70 metres, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said on Friday, would be hitting Mumbai at 1.02 pm. The civic body also said a low tide of about 0.06 metres is expected at 7.17 pm on Friday. Lakes supplying water reached 98.55 pc capacity The BMC had earlier stated on Friday that the water levels in Mumbai's seven reservoirs, which supply the city with potable water, have reached 98.55 per cent. Based on data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the combined water stock of the Mumbai lakes stands at 14,26,326 million litres at present, or 98.55 per cent of their capacity. Mumbai gets its water from the Upper and Middle Vaitarnas, Bhatsa, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, and Modak Sagar. The civic body's data on the Mumbai lakes indicates that Tansa's water level is 97.51 per cent. 97.24 per cent of the water stock is accessible at Modak-Sagar. In Middle Vaitarna 98.52 per cent, Upper Vaitarna 99.15 per cent, Bhatsa 98.74 per cent, Vihar 100 per cent and Tulsi 99.66 per cent of useful water level is available. In the wake of heavy rains, one more lake supplying water to Mumbai, Middle Vaitarna Lake, started overflowing on July 4. Lakes Vihar and Modak Sagar began to flood on July 25 due to persistently high rains. Around 4 pm on July 24, Tansa Lake started to overflow, increasing the amount of water stored in all seven reservoirs by 17 days in a single day. Approximately 400 million gallons of water are supplied to Mumbai by Tansa Lake, which is situated in the Shahpur region of Thane. On July 26, 2024, it overflowed. One of the two lakes that directly feed water to the BMC, Tulsi Lake, started to overflow on July 20 at around 8:30 am, mimicking the event that occurred on the same day last year at 1:28 pm, according to the civic body.
20 September,2024 10:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAccording to sources from AAI, starting from October 27, 2024, Pune International Airport will begin operating daily flights to Dubai and thrice-weekly flights to Bangkok. This new development is set to boost the international connectivity of Pune and the surrounding regions of Western Maharashtra, offering residents more convenient options for travel to key international destinations. Murlidhar Mohol, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, confirmed the development and also expressed his enthusiasm for the enhanced air travel options. “Punekars and people of Western Maharashtra will benefit from this enhanced connectivity for their international journey,” he said, emphasizing the significance of these routes in facilitating both business and leisure travel. Good news for Punekars; Two new international flights! Delighted to announce that 27th October 2024 onwards, Pune-Dubai-Pune (daily) and Pune-Bangkok-Pune flights (thrice a week) will be operational from Pune International Airport. Punekars & people of Western Maharashtra… pic.twitter.com/i3zEPzqzRb — Murlidhar Mohol (@mohol_murlidhar) September 19, 2024 "The daily Pune-Dubai flight is expected to attract a large number of passengers, particularly business travellers and tourists, given Dubai’s status as a global hub. This will also reduce the passenger strain on Mumbai airport as earlier, passengers from western Maharashtra used to travel to Mumbai via road, train or flight just to board the Mumbai-Dubai sector," said an industry analyst from MoCA. "The thrice-weekly Pune-Bangkok flight will cater to tourists seeking to explore the Southeast Asian market which will also reduce the passenger load on Mumbai Airport," the analyst added.
20 September,2024 10:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariApple unveiled the iPhone 16 series on September 9, and the tech giant has now begun selling the new-generation iPhones in India. Enthusiasm for the new models is high, with various outlets across the country experiencing long queues of eager customers. A visual from the Apple Store in Mumbai's BKC shows a large crowd gathered to purchase the iPhone 16. A huge crowd gathered outside the Apple store at Mumbai's BKC, visibly excited to purchase the new iPhone 16, which boasts advanced features that enhance user-friendliness. The iPhone 16 Pro and its larger counterpart, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, both feature Apple's largest-ever displays, measuring 6.3 inches for the Pro and an impressive 6.9 inches for the Pro Max. These devices also showcase the thinnest borders ever seen on an Apple product, along with the advanced Always-On 120Hz ProMotion display technology. A customer, Ujjwal Shah, who came to purchase the newly launched iPhone 16, told ANI, "I have been standing in the queue for the last 21 hours. I’ve been here since 11 AM yesterday, and I will be the first one to enter the store today at 8 AM. I’m very excited... The atmosphere in Mumbai for this phone is absolutely electric... Last year, I stood in the queue for 17 hours." Another buyer, Akshay, told ANI, "I arrived at 6 AM and purchased the iPhone 16 Pro Max. I really like iOS 18, and the zoom camera quality has improved significantly. I came from Surat." Long queues were also seen outside the Apple store in Delhi's Saket. The iPhone 16 series comprises the iPhone 16 (base model), iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 Pro comes in an array of striking colours, including Dark Black Titanium, Bright White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and the new Desert Titanium. Notably, it promises the best battery life ever seen in an iPhone, thanks to optimized power management and larger batteries. The camera system is equally impressive, with a 48MP fusion camera featuring a 2nd-generation quad-pixel sensor and zero shutter lag. The new 48MP ultra-wide camera and a 5x telephoto lens with a 120mm focal length enhance the photographic capabilities, while Camera Control offers versatile options for capturing the perfect shot. New photographic styles allow real-time adjustments to colours and shadows, making each photo unique. On the video front, the iPhone 16 Pro supports 4K120 capture, enabling cinematic-quality recording with frame-by-frame colour grading in Dolby Vision. The device also features enhanced spatial audio capture, offering an immersive experience when viewed with AirPods or Apple Vision Pro. (With inputs from ANI)
20 September,2024 10:11 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Mahalaxmi racecourse will allow a whopping 18 lakh square feet of area for construction in South Mumbai as the BMC proposed 1.33 FSI over the area of 211 acres of open space. The redevelopment of the racecourse has been a talking point for the last few years due to the massive open space and the construction of FSI. As the BMC published a notification inviting suggestions and objections for the proposed modification for the redevelopment of the Mahalaxmi racecourse, it is revealed how much area will be available to construct due to the massive space available at the Mahalaxmi racecourse. Zoru Bathena, an activist raised the que8over the massive use of FSI. "This means, the turf club RWITC can reconstruct their stand or clubhouse into a multistorey building. Using the entire FSI paves the way for a skyscraper." The users are permissible for development or redevelopment will be clubhouses, restaurants, stands, viewing decks, swimming pools, banquet, small departmental stores, conference rooms, and Gymnasium with indoor and outdoor sports like squash, badminton, billiards, table tennis, cricket nets, box cricket, football turf, pickleball and allied users such as security cabin, staff quarters etc and other compatible users as decided by the Municipal Commissioner. Out of 211 acres, (acres), Public Park/Theme Park is proposed on 29.4 acres area. Development stipulation in another 1.96 acres. Existing Amenity of Recreation Ground EOS(2.6) will remain unchanged on 77 acres of the land. The existing Mahalaxmi Racecourse Horse Stable will be in 26.32 acres of land. The existing Mahalaxmi Racetrack will cover 34.12 acres. The existing Mahalaxmi Club/Gymkhana will be on 32.17 acres where they can use the FSI.
20 September,2024 10:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleA 67-year-old man, identified as Kushal Dand, tragically took his own life after allegedly being threatened with a false rape accusation. According to the police, Dand was found dead on the railway tracks near Mulund station. He had left home to buy milk but never returned, prompting his family to start searching for him. They later received a call from the railway police informing them of his death. The police revealed that Dand had been involved in a dispute with the woman, a resident of the same building. Dand had been temporarily assigned the same parking spot as the woman, leading to a verbal altercation between the two. It is alleged that she threatened to falsely accuse Dand of rape, which may have contributed to his tragic decision. Both the woman and Dand resided in Manisha Pride Housing Society.
20 September,2024 09:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheThe Central Railway has a long-term plan to keep the Matheran Light Railway operational during the monsoon and has allocated a sum of Rs 5 crore for the project even as work has begun to resume services post-monsoon by October. Passenger services between Neral and Aman Lodge from June to 15th October during the monsoon every year. Shuttle services between Matheran and Aman Lodge will continue to run as per the current schedule in force. Aman Lodge is the station near Dasturi Point from where road vehicles are available. With an average of 40,000 passengers using the train every month, it has been able to ferry about 3.34 lakh passengers in the last six months while it was on. CR is working on a project to upgrade the narrow gauge line so that it works during the monsoon too. The plan involves strengthening the drains and other assets. "It is a long-term plan. Right now, the work has primarily begun in view of the restarting the train post monsoon," Central Railway chief public relations officer Dr Swapnil Nila said. “Matheran is the nearest and the most popular tourist destination for the citizens of Mumbai. Central Railway with its shuttle services for passengers between Neral/Aman Lodge and Matheran has been instrumental in popularizing this place as a major tourist destination. In addition to providing a comfortable journey to tourists, these services help in cheap and quick transportation of materials also,” a CR spokesperson said. Stated over a century ago in 1907, the latest figures indicate the priority role of railways in providing safe and comfortable travel to its passengers coming to this tourist destination even now. Central Railway has put in herculean efforts to restore the Neral-Matheran track which was washed out due to heavy downpours in 2019. The entire 21km stretch of narrow-gauge line was finally ready and services on the line were resumed last year on 22 October 2022. Before that, only shuttle services between a small 2-km stretch of Aman Lodge and Matheran were in service carrying passengers and parcels. The Neral-Matheran line was built over a century ago in 1907 as a family enterprise of the Peerbhoys and is now on the UNESCO tentative list for Mountain Railways of India.
20 September,2024 09:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarOn Thursday evening, around 7 PM, the slab of a 70-year-old ground-plus-two-story load-bearing building located at Goshala Lane, Diamond Market, Ratna Sagar Compound, Malad East, collapsed. The building, primarily used for storage, housed small businesses. The slab of the first-floor room (Room No. 11), measuring approximately 10 x 10 feet, suddenly collapsed. Two individuals working in the readymade garment industry fell with the collapsing slab and sustained minor injuries. The injured have been identified as Dinesh Bhagwan Solanki, aged 53, and Mahadevarao Mohite, aged 41. Fortunately, no one was in the ground-floor office at the time of the collapse. Local residents, along with the Dindoshi Police and emergency authorities, promptly arrived at the scene. The injured were swiftly rescued and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, thanks to the assistance of locals, according to an officer from the Dindoshi police station. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collapse, the officer added.
20 September,2024 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanADVERTISEMENT
