West Indies star all-rounder Andre Russell recently spoke about missing the IPL 2020 on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected. Russell said, "It's not a situation that anyone would want to be in. It is affecting the whole world, and it is affecting me, preventing me from hitting those sixes and do what I do best. I would have been in India right now enjoying the atmosphere and all the good vibes there, but we have to stay as safe as we can at the moment."

Andre Russell talked about the thrill he experiences while playing IPL in India. Russell said, "Let me confess something, IPL is where I get the most goosebumps. I get that in the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) as well, but when it comes to playing in the IPL, especially at Eden Gardens, there is no comparison to that crowd. When I walk out before facing a ball, the welcome I get is love, and yes it puts pressure on me. But it's a good kind of pressure."

Andre Russell made his debut in IPL in 2012 when he played for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). In 2014, Russell was purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders and has never looked back. He has been a key batsman in the KKR line-up winning the highest strike rate in the tournament in 2019 at 205.

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Wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson recently said that one cannot copy MS Dhoni and that the former India skipper can only be appreciated for whatever he has achieved in international cricket.

The official Instagram handle of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings shared a video in which Samson can be seen talking about Dhoni.

 

 

 

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@imsanjusamson VC: @ruphas #WhistlePodu

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"MS Dhoni is a hero, he is a hero for everyone, he has spent so many years in international cricket, he has given us many memories, everyone will be inspired with what he has achieved in international cricket, a guy coming from Jharkhand and then going on to become the most successful Indian captain, he has achieved everything, I feel emotional and connected whenever I talk about MS Dhoni," Samson said in the video posted by Chennai Super Kings.

"You cannot copy MS Dhoni, you just have to look at him and clap your hands. I shared the dressing room with him when I was 19 years old, we were on a tour to England, after that I did not play for India for the next five years," he added.

In the video, the 25-year-old Samson also said that he once had a dream featuring MS Dhoni. The young wicket-keeper then revealed how that dream was fulfilled.

"I really had a dream that Mahi bhai was the captain of the team and he was changing the field. I was standing in the slips and he shouted Sanju go there, this is the dream I had, after some days the news came in that he has stepped down as the captain, and I thought how will my dream come true now," Samson said.

"But after a few days we played a pratice match against England at Mumbai, and Dhoni was the captain in the match and he indeed changed my fielding position, my dream came true, I need to tell this to Mahi bhai that my dream was fulfilled," he added.

Thirty-eight-year-old Dhoni has been currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup. Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the high-profile game.

This year, Dhoni did not find a place for himself in the BCCI's centrally contracted players list.

The board had released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.

Dhoni is the only captain to win all major ICC trophies (50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy).

Under his leadership, India also managed to attain the number one ranking in Test cricket.

IPL 2020 was slated to begin from March 29, but the tournament has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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World champion shuttler P V Sindhu believes foreign coaches would be difficult to hire in a post COVID-19 world, presenting former India internationals the opportunity to step forward and fill in the void. "If the global pandemic continues, bringing coaches from abroad might become difficult, there are a lot of good players in our country who have played at international level, and we can use them in a coaching capacity," Sindhu said on Monday while speaking during an webinar.

The Olympic silver-medallist was addressing the newly-appointed Assistant Directors of the Sports Authority of India through an online session. Sindhu stressed on the importance of parents, coaches, administrators working as a team to build up a champion. "The administrators must know the journey of every sportsperson. The future of Indian sports lies in the hands of young sports administrators like all of you," she said.

"You must visit all the SAI regional centres and be aware of the performances from the players and be in touch with their parents. The parent's involvement is a lot and you need to take feedback from them. This feedback needs to be monitored." The 24-year-old from Hyderabad also said "players must be continuously tracked to avoid age fraud." "You must also understand how the SAI coaching system works and if athletes are receiving the right diet and supplements at the various centres," she added.

Sindhu also stressed on the need to acknowledge the contributions made by parents in the success of athletes. "Before the Rio Olympics we shifted to the academy. My mother gave up her job to care for me. My father took two years leave from his job," she said. "The challenge was recovering from the injury I suffered in 2015. I used to sit and play in the academy. I had to play 23 tournaments in a year to even qualify for the Olympics.

"My father taking leave from his service really helped me. He used to take me to the Railways ground." Sindhu complimented the government for schemes such as Khelo India for propping up various sports from the grassroot level and urged other organisations to do the same. She also urged budding players to not ignore their studies for a career in badminton.

"While you don't need to go to school every day, you must not skip it altogether," she said.

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You cannot blame Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for missing their favourite son in action during what would have been the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Had COVID-19 not wreaked havoc, the cash-rich T20 league would have been in full swing and all eyes would have been trained on Mahendra Singh Dhoni, returning to cricket after a sabbatical.

 

 

 

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#WhistlePodu ðŸ¦ÂðŸ’› VC: @sakshisingh_r @mahi7781

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Dhoni, CSK's decorated captain who led India to 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup triumph besides shepherding the Yellow Brigade to three IPL crowns, has not played competitive cricket since India's 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand.

The 38-year old was supposed to make a much-awaited comeback in the IPL and had also attended CSK's camp before the deadly virus forced sport across the world to come to a grinding halt.

CSK, on Tuesday, shared a video where Dhoni is seen spending time with daughter Ziva and his dog at his lawn in Ranchi with his back towards the camera.

"#Thala @msdhoni's back...quite literally so! Smiling face with smiling eyes #WhistlePodu," CSK captioned the tweet, crediting Dhoni's wife Sakshi for capturing the video.

The veteran wicketkeeper batsman is also seen giving the dog some catches with the ball with Ziva for company.

Meanwhile, dashing England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler has said that Dhoni has always been a big idol and while playing in the IPL one lesson for him has been how the former India skipper manages all the fanfare and still performs in crunch situations.

"MS Dhoni has always been a big idol of mine and chaos is always going around him, people wanting a bit of him, the cricket and the noise.

"....it is such a great lesson to just watch him and see first hand how to manage all that thing if you have to perform at the top level and perform in those crunch moment, that certainly has been one of the massive pluses," Buttler said in an interview to Lancashire Cricket with Warren Hegg.

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Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Mitchell Starc all found a place in Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner's all-time Indian Premier League (IPL) XI. However, Warner left out the likes of Yuvraj Singh, his former Australia teammate Shane Watson and Mumbai Indians duo Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga from the squad.

In an interview with commentator Harsha Bhogle for Cricbuzz, Warner chose himself and Rohit as openers of the line-up. Kohli comes in at no.3 while CSK stalwart Suresh Raina slots into the no.4 position.

At no.5 and no.6 come big hitting all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Glenn Maxwell. CSK skipper M.S. Dhoni comes in at no.7 and is also the wicketkeeper of the side.

Warner's Australia teammate Mitchell Starc comes in at no.8 while MI fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah comes next. Warner then selected Ashish Nehra at no.10 and couldn't choose between wrist spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for the no.11 spot.

Warner also spoke about the similarities he seems to share with Kohli on the show. "I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong," Warner said.

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'.

"You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from," he added.

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India badminton coach Pullela Gopichand on Thursday emphasized on the need for physical literacy as people around the world are fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. Gopichand along with Margaret Whitehead, who is an esteemed philosopher and stalwart of the modern interpretation of physical literacy, also highlighted the importance of support from the top leadership to promote the need for Physical Literacy and see it as a key pillar for the national level development.

"Physical literacy is a very important part of our life. I think physical activity needs to take centre stage. Health, fitness and all of these things are important especially in these days of COVID-19. We see the need for it more and more," Gopichand told reporters via video conferencing during ELMS Sports Foundation webinar. "We need a healthy and happy country during these challenging times. Our vision to improve physical literacy, sporting excellence in India has received a huge fillip with the involvement of stalwarts like Gopichand and Whitehead interacting on the subject," ELMS Sports Foundation's co-promoter Vita Dani said.

"A healthier and happier nation is truly the need of the hour, not just during the challenging times we're living in currently, but also in the future as we look to bounce back," she added, in the webinar that was widely attended by government officials, heads of private institutions, leading faculty from Physical Education and the media.

Mentored by two of India's most popular sports legends -- two-time Olympic medal-winning coach Gopichand and Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra -- ELMS Sports Foundation has been making a huge impact highlighting the subject of physical literacy in the country.

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The Navi Mumbai Municipal corporation (NMMC) has offered cash reward to those people, who report about illegal dumping of debris or garbage within the city limits, especially in mangrove areas. This announcement was made yesterday by municipal commissioner N Ramaswamy, an official said today.

The move is aimed at ensuring that debris is not dumped illegally or in a haphazard manner, the official said adding that the NMMC wants people to send pictures of illegal debris or garbage dumping. "The civic body has offered cash reward of Rs 1,000 to those who expose the people or vehicles dumping debris or garbage illegally in the city, especially in the mangrove areas, " an NMMC spokesperson said.

"The corporation wants people to take photographs of the vehicles dumping debris and send it to us. We will not only act against the vehicle owners or the persons who dump it, but will ensure that they clear the dumped debris from the spot," the spokesperson added. In order to implement this scheme, civic ward officers have been appointed as the nodal officers, he said.

Citizens can share the pictures of illegal dumping of debris on the WhatsApp number- 8422955912. They can also register complaints on the NMMC website- /www.nmmc.gov.in/. In the recent past, illegal dumping of debris in mangroves has been reported widely from the several sections of the society at several places, including Palm Beach Road and Ghansoli. "Names of those who report about debris dumping will not be disclosed," he said.

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Two groups of people - one from Mumbai and the other from Solapur - met with accidents on Tuesday, while they were returning home after attending the three-day Tableeghi Ijtema in Aurangabad. Five people were injured in the first incident that took place on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, while the second one on the Solapur Tujlapur road claimed five lives and left seven people injured.

Speaking about the first incident, Expressway control officer said, “The group was returning from Aurangabad in an Ertiga car when the incident took place around 4 pm. The driver dozed off and the car dashed into the divider. However, all the passengers were rescued in time and rushed to MGM Hospital.” According to the police, the injured have been identified as Afzhal Khan, 35, from Kharghar, Yayut Labeq, 45, from Kamote, Ansar Ali Shaikh, 41, from Chembur, Sajjan Shaikh, 45, and Safiq Shaikh, 18, from Nerul. The Lonavla police have registered a case in the matter.

In the second incident that took place on the Solapur Tuljapur road, the car in which the group was traveling collided head on with an SUV, leaving five passengers dead. Police said seven people were injured in the incident.

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Mahi Malini Pujari says initially she would avoid interacting with guests, but has now grown more confident

Last year, restaurant manager Josein Fernanda found herself in a tough spot when a colleague spotted a bodice and a bunch of padded bras in her bag while they were working on a cruise liner in Goa, where she was working as a manager. The 44-year-old, born a boy in Mumbai's Lamington Road area, says she has always felt like a girl and would clandestinely cross-dress. But, it was a secret that Fernanda had zealously guarded until then. "My boss called me and said, 'I don't want this news to leak. So stop indulging in this.' Well into my 40s, I had reached a point where I couldn't conform to society anymore. There was an overwhelming sense to come out of the closet," she says. Fernanda resigned from the job and returned to Mumbai, liberated but uncertain about what the future held.

Shonali Mude, a former runner-up at Miss Trans Queen 2017 joined in January this year. Mude, who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor, says jobs for transgender are limited. Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks, Mude says she had no luck. She now works as a floor attendant

Being in the public eye
When we meet Fernanda on a weekday afternoon at Third eye Cafe, located on the ground floor of Palm Galleria Mall, Navi Mumbai, she is sitting near the bar with her laptop. The wall facing her reads, 'Be the Change You Want to See'. Wearing a black blazer with slim fit pants and glinting earrings, Fernanda - formerly known as Innocento - has finally embraced change. She chanced upon the cafe while browsing through YouTube, and got in touch with the owners. She now proudly identifies herself as a woman. Along with her, five other trans-women found their lives transformed when were hired as staffers at the restaurant. The cafe currently has six transgender employees, five of whom work as table attendants, while one works as the manager. The restaurant employs around 20 persons.

Josein Fernanda - formerly known as Innocento - finally came out of the closet on learning of this job in January

"As the name suggests, the restaurant was launched with the intention of providing the third gender an opportunity to lead a more respectable life," says co-owner and architect Nimesh Shetty, who started the venture with his partners Prasad Shetty and Nitesh Kandarkar. Nimesh, 27, conceptualised the cafe almost six years ago while working on an architectural thesis around building a community centre for the transgenders. As envisioned, the cafe would be part of the centre. He even conducted a survey to understand whether people would visit a place like this during the thesis. "A lot of people said yes, we accept the third gender. But, are you willing to accept your sister or closest friend as a transgender? That's when people fumbled. This is something we want to work on," says Shetty, who hails from a family of hoteliers.

A typical day
At the restaurant, we see Mahi Malini Pujari, 24, on her feet taking orders and interacting with guests. She's aware of the reaction her presence normally invites - raised eyebrows, unflinching stare, giggles and sometimes nonchalance - but she has learnt to take it all in her stride. In fact, when a bunch of guests arrive, she's the first to guide them to the table and make them comfortable by offering water and exchanging pleasantries. "Initially, I wouldn't utter a word to the guests. I'd take orders and do clearances. I didn't have the confidence to initiate or a hold conversation," says Pujari. The make-up is minimal, just enough to make her look fresh-faced. The 24-year-old worked at Arzoo Foundation, a de-addiction and rehabilitation centre situated at Palghar. Before that she would beg on the streets and in trains. "I joined the hijra community in Bandra after I left home. I didn't even complete my Std X because my parents gave me an ultimatum: 'either I behave like a boy or leave'," she says. Pujari chose the latter. She now lives in an apartment provided by the owners, in Vashi along with the other staff. While the response from the hijra community to her choice of a new career has been fairly encouraging, her family has still not accepted her. "I've let it go," she says.

Know your food
In almost two months' time, Pujari has upped her social skills and also memorised the menu. A part of the credit goes to Fernanda, who the staff treats as 'didi'. "Of course, they need to know how conduct themselves in public. Along with that, she must know the food that we serve here and what goes into its making like the back of their hand. The guests always check with the server first," says Fernanda.

Spread over eleven pages, the menu is extensive with sections separating Italian, Oriental and Indian cuisine. Currently, the restaurant doesn't serve alcohol but it's in the pipeline. We order the beetroot falafel made with parsley pesto, tahini yoghurt and pomegranate for R199. The portion is impressive and scores well on the taste front. "Many come here for the novelty value. But, they'll return only if the food and service is good," says senior staffer Shonali Venkatesh Mude, a former runner-up at Miss Trans Queen 2017, who joined in January this year. Mude, who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor, says careers as a transgender are limited. Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks or even advertisements, where she'd have to portray a woman, Mude says she had no luck. "I wanted a job where I'd get a steady income."

A group of women sitting next to our table have dropped by from Nerul during lunch hour to celebrate a colleague's birthday. That's the overt reason. The real one is to experience what's it like to be served by transgender staff. "I don't mean to treat them as specimens, but we wanted to experience this. I'm happy that we're finally getting to see them in mainstream jobs. Till now, you would see them begging inside trains," says Divyani Fulzele, who works at an IT firm. When they're about to leave, they compliment Mude and promise to return. This time for the peppy vibe and the food. "Compliments work as a confidence-booster. While I'm more educated and experienced than the rest, there was a trepidation about how it'd pan out. But I like coming to work," smiles Mude, who lives with her partner in Khargar.

Setting an example
In 12 months, owner Nimesh Shetty has interviewed over 600 transgenders for the job by seeking help from NGOs and transgender activist Gouri Sawant. "Actually, it's they who interviewed me because they had more questions than I did. It's natural, because they are leaving their comfort zone and for an all-new territory," he adds. He admits some quit the job within weeks because of adjustment issues. "It's a high-pressure job, where sometimes you clock in 10-12 hours. Some couldn't deal with that," he says.

Shetty feels the challenges of being transgender are different from what gay men or women face. "Here, we are talking about survival. Many get thrown out of the house when they come out." For now, Shetty is hopeful that the restaurant will inspire others to follow suit. "We don't want to capitalise on this as a gimmick. The goal is to inspire."

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Sanjay Patil

Sanjay Patil, 35, had made a living out of luck by selling lottery tickets for nearly a decade. But fate dealt him a cruel hand on Friday night, when his brothers found him lying a pool of blood at his lottery centre in Kalamboli.

Sanjay lived with five brothers at Road Pali Village, and had started his online lottery centre at a shop on rent at Mahavir Plaza in 2009. In November 2017, he bought the shop and continued to run his lottery business there. On March 9, he left a missed call on his brother Pradip's number around 11.15 pm. "It was our regular practice; he would give me a missed call, and I'd call him back. That night, he had called later than usual," said Pradip Patil, adding, "He told me he was coming home in 10 minutes. When I questioned him about the delay, he said there was a puncture in his motorcycle's tyre, and he was going to Palmvihar to patch it up."

The family got worried when Sanjay hadn't returned by 12.15 am. Two of his brothers ventured out in search of Sanjay. "My brother and I first checked the auto garage at Palmvihar, but the mechanic told us that Sanjay hadn't arrived there. So, we went to the lottery centre," said Pradip. "When we reached the lottery centre, we found the shutter had been lowered partly, and the light was switched off. We switched on the light and found our brother in a pool of blood," he recalled.

They took Sanjay to MGM Hospital for post-mortem. The Kalamboli police registered an FIR against unidentified persons. The family has no idea who might have attacked Sanjay.

"The deceased had severe injury to the head. There were blood stains on the walls of the lottery centre, which indicate there was retaliation by the deceased," said Kondiram Popere, senior PI at Kalamboli police station. "We have registered a case under IPC Section 302 (murder). There are CCTV cameras around the lottery centre, and we are going through the footage."

Also Read: Car Crashes Into Divider As Driver Dozes Off Near Navi Mumbai

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The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) rodent control is nothing but a lie. According to residents, it's their most convenient way to mint money, because over the years the problem in the area has just got worse. Even after repeated complaints regarding the matter, the civic officials never turned up to solve the issue. However, the civic body claims that they have already killed 6,71,975 rats so far this year, for which Rs 1.46 crore had been allotted.

Trapping rats
According to the civic body's official data, in the period 2016-17, it killed 7,10,555 rats in Navi Mumbai, for which Rs 1 crore was spent. It was less than what they had spent in the year 2015-2016 (Rs 1.22 crore).

Speaking to mid-day about the ways in which rodents are killed, Vaibhav Zunjare, Navi Mumbai rodent control officer, said, "Rats usually lay eight to nine eggs in the holes they stay. After locating the holes, we inject a poisonous liquid that kills them. However, we can count the number of rats killed only when they are trapped in cages. The number for this year is 5,000."

No step taken
Avdoot Chavhan, a resident of Koparkhairne sector 7, where NMMC claims to have killed 1,10,371 rats, said, "I'm living here for the past six years, and till date, I've not seen a single NMMC worker installing a cage to kill rats. Every morning we get the smell of dead rats, that might have been killed by street dogs."

Requesting anonymity, an NMMC official said, "The corporation spends lakhs of rupees every year to repair the furniture of the main office building, as rats damage them."

Team inefficient
When contacted, Santosh Shetty, former Navi Mumbai corporator, said, "The reason for the inefficiency of the rodent control unit is that they don't know how to trap rats. They also don't have even manpower for the work."

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Over 200 residents of Owe Camp village (Those rehabilitated due to the Koyna dam construction in 1960) at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, protested on Thursday from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm, because of several problems they are facing due to the alleged illegal mining in the area for years. They blocked the road for vehicles going towards the mining sites.

They say they have complained to and requested several senior officers from the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) and the Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to act against those involved and stop it, but claim no one helped them. One of the residents, Ramchandra Jadhav said, "For past five to six years we have been facing many issues. Our houses have developed several cracks because of the mining.

Also, when we asked the project manager to show us permission for it, we found none had it. We are facing health issues due to the air pollution." He added, "We have sent letters requesting the mining be stopped, to the PCMC commissioner, tehsildar, collector of Raigad district and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board."

PCMC chief Sudhakar Shinde said, "I haven't seen the letters. But we will look into the matter soon." CIDCO PRO Mohan Ninave did not respond to calls and messages.

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Navy and private firm divers search for Bidre's remains in Bhayander Khadi. Pic/Hanif Patel

Day 1 of the search for assistant inspector Ashwini Bidre's mortal remains with the help of the hi-tech magnetometer was unsuccessful. Navy divers with the help of their private counterparts carried out a five-hour long search with the machine, but found only a gunny bag, which, the police said, was filled with sand. The search operation will continue on Wednesday.

"Search operation began around 12 noon; five Navy divers and two private ones scoured specific locations in Vasai Creek with the magnetometer, but didn't find anything significant," said a police source.

After searching for five hours, experts then carried out a scanning of the creek for a couple of hours. They zeroed in on nine possible locations, of which two had given out strong signals of having metal underwater. "Day 1 hasn't given anything significant. Search will be continued on Wednesday," said DCP (crime) Tushar Doshi.

The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch is probing the murder of Bidre, allegedly killed by inspector Abhay Kurundkar on April 11, 2016. According to co-accused Mahesh Phalnikar, the main accused had dismembered her body and put the parts in a metal trunk, dumping it in Vasai Creek. Investigators are searching for that trunk.

Also Read: Ashwini Bidre Murder Case: Trunk Filled With Body Parts To Be Traced With Iranian Magnetometer

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Fire at a chemical factory in Belapur. Image/Twitter_ANI

Recent reports revealed that a massive fire has broken out at a chemical factory in Belapur, Navi Mumbai. While no casualties or loss of property has been reported, 12 fire tenders have been pressed into action. 

Fire broke out in a chemical factory in Belapur (Mumbai); 12 fire tenders at the spot. (earlier visuals) #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/xhYNvyjaBx

— ANI (@ANI) April 25, 2018

Earlier pictures show the entire factory being gutted by the massive fire. 

More updates awaited

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The body was found on Wednesday

The Vashi police have identified the woman they found stuffed in a metal trunk on Wednesday morning - Kiran Temba Sherpa, 50. A resident of Turbhe, she used to work as a housekeeping staffer in a private firm. The police have refused to divulge any other information, saying they are close to cracking the case.

Around 11 am on Wednesday, a resident of Vashi Gaon had called up the police and told them that a trunk had been washed ashore near Vashi creek, and a foul smell was coming from it. Senior inspector Ajay Landage and his team had reached the spot and found the woman's body with several clothes inside. Officers had then circulated her photo to find out who she was.

Yesterday, a few residents of Turbhe went to the police station and identified the woman. Landage said, "We've got information about her family, but we won't disclose it as probe is on."

The police are confident of cracking the case soon and have registered a case under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) against unknown person/s.

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Go crazy with paints
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Jitendra Patil

Nine days after Jitendra's death in the UAE, his family was able to bring his body back home and perform the last rites on Friday night. The company where Jitendra Patil, 28, worked, arranged for his elder sister Swapna and her husband Parag Patil to travel to Ajman, UAE, and helped them with the formalities to bring the body back. Jitendra had allegedly jumped to his death. mid-day had reported this, 'My son did not jump: UAE govt must probe' (May 21).

'Still doubt it'
Parag said he and his wife flew to UAE on May 23 and the visa and travel expenses were borne by Jitendra's company. The company staff also helped complete the formalities with police and the hospital. "We learnt from them that Jitendra committed suicide from a building where his friend lived. He would often visit his friend's place and practice playing the piano there. On May 15, he visited him and practiced the piano. On the morning of the 16th he jumped to his death from the building. He sustained injuries to his neck and head that caused his death," Parag said. He added, "But we still doubt whether he jumped. I might go back to the UAE and get this investigated."

"Finally we could hold Jitendra's funeral and believe his soul will get mukti. We could also get his belongings from his room and office, which we will keep as his memory," said Swapna. She said his colleagues only praised his hard work and pleasant nature.

Job offer to brother
Parag added that Jitendra's company has cleared all his dues too, and paid them his two month's salary. He said they offered a job to his brother with good remuneration. Another brother-in-law of Jitendra, Santosh Patil, said that his parents were very poor and his elder brother's earnings are not sufficient for the family's financial needs. He said, "Our government should help the family financially." mid-day tried contacting Jitendra's office in UAE by email but received no reply.

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The Vashi plot where NMMC hacked trees and dumped a different soil to prepare for plantation of new trees

Ever heard of trees being hacked to develop a "tree belt"? Perhaps, it happens only in India, in this case, Mumbai. The forest department is livid, and has raised an objection to stop work, after the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation hacked down over a 100 trees of rare species without the department's mandatory permission (as the trees fell in the buffer zone of holding ponds).

The ironic justification given for the hacking is the development of a tree belt under the Centre's AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation). Vashi residents are mighty upset, having watched NMMC officials hack more than 100 trees. A social activist and resident of Navi Mumbai, Rohit Malhotra, said, "We have been keeping an eye on NMMC officials working on this project; so far, nearly a 100 trees, maybe more, have been cut, all done using people's hard-earned money.

The Vashi plot from where NMMC hacked trees

"When I asked NMMC officials why they were cutting trees for a tree belt, they said they wanted to plant 'good and useful' trees, like of fruits and flowers... The hacked trees are local; this soil is suitable for them, not others. Now, they have added debris of a different soil over the natural one... How will they grow and sustain trees of other regions?"

Under AMRUT, NMMC has planned development of a green space in plot no. 45, sector 10 A, Vashi. The R2-crore project will have a plantation of fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, a lawn and walkways. Chief Conservator of Forests N Vasudevan, who heads the department's Mangrove Cell, said, "NMMC has already cut down nearly a hundred trees that were in a buffer zone. They should have taken permission from us. But they didn't acquire an NOC or even sent a request, just suddenly started the work. Hence, we asked their officials to stop."

NMMC Additional Commissioner Mohan Dagaonkar said, "The cut trees are Subabul; these are not indigenous, just wild trees that serve no purpose. We will plant nearly 8,400 fruit- and flower-bearing trees in their place. The forest department has asked us to submit a letter; once we do that, we'll restart the work."

Rs 2crore
Cost of the project

8,400
Number of new trees NMMC plans to plant

Also Read: NMMC Offers Reward To People Who Report Illegal Debris Dumping Within City Limits

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Representational picture

A five-year-old boy was killed and his mother sustained serious injuries when a wall collapsed on them after a LPG cylinder exploded at their home in neighbouring Navi Mumbai this morning, the police said.

As the woman woke up in the morning and went to the kitchen to switch on the stove in her apartment, located in Kalamboli area, the gas from the leaking LPG cylinder came in contact with the flame leading to the explosion, a police official said.

Due to the impact of the blast, a wall of the house collapsed on the woman and other family members who were fast asleep, he said. The woman and her son suffered serious injuries in the mishap. They were rushed to a hospital where the child,
identified as Sohan Baban Katke, was declared dead before admission, the official said.

The Kalamboli police registered an accidental death report and was investigating the incident, he added.

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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

Keeping the legacy of his father and uncle alive, T N Ganjoo, 87, climbs hills in Kharghar every day, armed with 10 litres of water and the determination to see a wave of lush greens on the hillside. On Sunday, Ganjoo planted 100 seed balls on the hills to celebrate Father's Day.

Ganjoo, a retired professor, recently moved to Kharghar. He began going to the hills after he saw a woman carrying a big bag there. He asked her what she would do with its contents, and learnt that she would use it to plant on the hillside. Soon enough, he joined her too.

Back to childhood
This activity takes the Kashmir native back to his childhood, which was full of beautiful green mountains. He missed that greenery in the concrete environs of the city, and thus began planting trees on barren hills. "But today, I see how those beautiful places have become barren due to human activities," Ganjoo told mid-day.

"I have a habit of climbing hills since childhood, because of which I'm fit. For the past year, I carry 10 litres of water on my back and climb the hills, because I want to see them streaked green. My group and I have planted more than 500 saplings. We water them daily."

Spread the word
"So many people have joined us. I spread the word to everyone who I meet, especially youngsters. They need to understand the importance of greenery. The government authorities are not thinking about it, because of which next generation will end up facing so many problems. I think my act will encourage people to try to make a greener society."

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After killing his wife over suspicion that she was having an extra marital affair, a 40-year-old businessman, Dharma Gauda, surrendered before the Koparkhairane police station in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday. Soon after, the cops arrested him and registered an FIR in the matter.

According to the police, on the day of the incident, Gauda had a major fight with his wife Rekha Gauda, following which he hit her with an iron rod twice. She immediately collapsed at the spot and died. When Gauda realised that his wife was dead, he left home and informed a friend about the incident over phone. Thereafter, he went to the Koparkhairane police station and surrendered. Cops further said that the couple used to have frequent fights over the matter and the accused would beat her up.

When the incident took place, their 10-year-old son was in school and 4-year-old daughter was sleeping. On waking up, she found her mother in a pool of blood. Police sources said that the accused runs three bar-cum-restaurants in Navi Mumbai and also has a criminal background.

Speaking to mid-day, Nitin Pawar, deputy commissioner of police, said, “Gauda was suspicious about his wife having an extra marital affair. We arrested him after he surrendered. He will be produced in court on Wednesday. Further investigation into the matter is on."

Also Read: Army Major murders colleague's wife for not accepting his proposal

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Did an ex-Navy lieutenant die of a fall in the bathroom or because his sons and relatives killed him over a property tussle? The Kharghar police will seek answers to just that, after the Panvel judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court on July 2 ruled in the favour of the deceased's youngest son, and directed them to file a murder case against three other sons and three relatives. The case was finally registered on July 7.

The court was acting on the case of merchant navy captain Jagjit Singh, 47, who has alleged his brothers Kuljit Singh, 58, Kuldeep Singh, 54, and Kulmit Singh, 50, and three other relatives killed his father, ex-Navy lieutenant Sarjit Singh Virk, 86, at Kharghar on April 16.

Smelled a rat
Jagjit smelled a rat soon after his brothers called him around 10.47 am on April 16, to inform him that their father had died after falling in the house. A grief-stricken Jagjit was not in the condition to listen to anything immediately after getting the tragic news.

Sarjit Singh with wife Anup Kaur

"But after gaining composure," he told mid-day, "I called Kulmit asking how he [Sarjit] passed away. Kulmit passed the phone to our brother Kuldeep. While he was speaking, Kulmit kept prompting him to tell me that father fell inside the bathroom and succumbed to his injuries."

"I was in Mohali. My brothers said they will take some time to complete the formalities, and that I shouldn't rush to Kharghar. The next day, I got a text message from Kulmit saying they're going to perform my father's final rites. I begged them to wait until I reached through text and WhatsApp messages, and also called the pradhan of the Kharghar Gurudwara and Kharghar cops to tell them about my situation and my objection to the final rites. As a result of that, they waited till I reached Kharghar," Jagjit added.

Injuries on the face
On April 18, Jagjit went to the Kharghar police station, where cops showed him the post-mortem reports and other documents. He was then taken to the mortuary of the Vashi municipality hospital to see his father.

That's where Jagjit saw injuries on his scalp and cheek and three broken teeth. He clicked some pictures. "When I saw the injuries, I was confident that these marks were not caused by some accidental fall; he was hit by something. I had a word with cops, but they refused to entertain my grievances, so I went to court," added Jagjit.

Greed for property
Jagjit's suspicions against his brothers are based on a history of rifts he's had with them over their alleged greed for family property. According to his statement to the cops, Jagjit said, "In 2015, my mother Anup Kaur passed away. She'd distributed her property and some money equally among her four sons, but my brothers Kulmit and Kuldeep siphoned them off. Also, from October 2016 to February 2017, they forced my father to transfer Rs 26 lakh from our joint account to their accounts. I had filed a criminal case against them in Lambi police station, Punjab on April 11for the same."

"Also, my father was witness to attempts made by the same brothers to transfer my share of ancestral land to their name. In the meantime, they took father to Kharghar last year and cut off our communication. After he moved there, the only thing I heard about him was news of his death. I am suspicious of my brothers and other relatives having killed my father to hide their wrongdoings," alleged Jagjit. mid-day reached out to Kulmeet Singh Virk for comment, but he remained unavailable.

Case filed
Jagjit had gone to the cops with his allegations, but they'd turned him down, after which he went to court. His advocate Naresh Pradhan said, "We'd gone to the Panvel JMFC with whatever proof we had, presented our case and told the court that an investigation needs to be done. The court found substance in our demands and asked Kharghar cops to investigate the matter."

Senior inspector of Kharghar police station, Pradeep Tadir, said, "According to the direction of JMFC, we have filed a case against Kuljit Singh, Kulmeet Singh, Kuldeep Singh and three other relatives under sections 302 (murder) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code on July 7. We'll ask for a detailed opinion from our forensic experts to seek clarity. The primary report had suggested that the death was natural and occurred due to a fall."

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Is the new international airport in Navi Mumbai going to become another case of unplanned development? Residents from three villages located 100 metres from the airport have been underwater for the last three days, and up in arms against the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) for its poor planning — ground-levelling work being done by the agency at the airport site has allegedly blocked the drainage and slowed the pace of flowing water, completely inundating Dungi, Rudranagar and Pargaon villages.

Residents of Dungi, Rudranagar and Pargaon villages have been underwater for the last three days

Despite crying hoarse about their plight, CIDCO allegedly didn't send anyone to help the families, or even come up with an alternative for them. Ultimately, residents blocked the main road in protest to get authorities' attention.

Residents said water has gone inside houses of more than 100 people, with none of them being able to stay inside. Shital Patil, a resident, said, "We have not been able to cook for the last two days, or for that matter, even sleep. To make matters worse, my children have caught a cold. What we should do? Is it our problem that rich people want an airport here? It's become a life-and-death situation. If anything happens to my children, CIDCO is responsible."

Another villager, Mahendra Patil, said, "We have been complaining to the authorities about waterlogging since 2013, but they haven't paid attention. This June, I wrote to the tehsildar's office and CIDCO to give shelter to us, but in vain. "We never imagined that we would have to leave our homes and live with others like guests."

Officialspeak
A team has sent to the spot, said CIDCO PRO Mohan Ninave, adding, "We are finding out the reason behind the waterlogging."

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Members of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) today attacked a government office in adjoining Navi Mumbai, to vent their ire over potholes dotting the 39-km stretch between Sion and Panvel. Accidents on pothole-riddled roads have claimed five lives in adjoining Thane region since last month. The victims lost balance and fell as their two-wheeler hit potholes.

The MNS workers stormed in the office of the Public Works Department (PWD) at Turbhe claiming that the Sion-Panvel road is dotted with potholes and has endangered lives of commuters. The protesters shouted slogans, smashed office equipment, threw chairs, pulled down cupboards and smashed window panes, computer terminals, CPU and printers in the office, police said.

They shouted slogans against public works minister Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena and demanded registering of offences against those responsible for the "shoddy" condition of roads. The demanded that officials concerned be booked for murder in cases of pothole related deaths. An official of the APMC police station said offences have been registered against the protesters.

"If people are dying due to poor condition of roads, MNS will continue to undertake such actions. If the roads are not repaired, the next target will be Mantralaya, the state secretariat in south Mumbai," Navi Mumbai MNS unit chief Gajanan Kale said.

Reacting to the incident, Raj Thackeray said, "If the government can't see potholes, it will at least see this protest". Meanwhile, a video of the PWD office attack has gone viral on social media.

On Saturday, Maharashtra PWD minister Chandrakant Patil appeared to make light of deaths due to potholes, when he said,
"When you talk about a death in such an accident, you forget that five lakh other people have travelled on the same
road. You can not put the entire blame on the (condition of) roads alone."

The MNS protest came a day after Congress workers in Mumbai counted potholes in suburban Bandra as part of its "Aao Potholes Giney" (Come, let us count potholes) campaign, accusing the Shiv Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation of not being prepared for the monsoons.

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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

Computer systems of a private hospital in Navi Mumbai have come under a malware attack, with attackers seeking ransom in Bitcoins, police today said. The cyber attack on the computer systems of Mahatma Gandhi Mission Hospital came to light on July 15, police said.

Hospital administrators found the systems locked, with an encrypted message by unidentified attackers demanding ransom in Bitcoins to unlock it, said Tushar Doshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime).

Authorities found that access to the data of the previous 15 days had been blocked. Such attacks are described as `ransomware' attacks,
where a malicious software enters the victim's computer system, and the attackers threaten to publish the data or block access to it unless a ransom is paid.

The Cyber Cell of Navi Mumbai police is investigating the case, DCP Doshi said. "We are trying to ascertain the Internet Protocol
Address (IP) from where the email (demanding ransom) originated," Doshi said.

Computerised billing and medicine prescription system were affected due to the malware attack, but the hospital maintains a written record of all its data, he said. Cyber experts were trying to get the system back on track, the DCP said.

A case under section 43 (hacking) of the Information Technology Act has been registered with the Vashi Police Station. Among the recent cyber attacks of this kind, the `WannaCry ransomware attack' of May 2017 infected more than 2,30,000 computers across 150 countries.

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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

A part of the ceiling in Vashi's Raguleela Mall which is one of the prime centres of attraction collapsed on Tuesday afternoon. There was no report of any casualty or injury. The mall is flocked by thousands of people every day for shopping during the weekends and festivities.

Horrible pictures from #Raghuleela Mall #Vashi. Hope Noone is hurt@mid_day pic.twitter.com/1dEQkOdrO3

— Anuraag Kamble (@AnuragANK) July 24, 2018

"Panic gripped when a part of the ceiling fell down at around 12:25 pm. Security officials have asked people who were inside Raghuleela Mall to stay inside their shops," an eyewitness told as reported in Latestly.

Entire POP of Raghuleela Mall, Vashi fell down few minutes back pic.twitter.com/DQxJqJuNhK

— mumbaikars (@Anish67929937) July 24, 2018

It is not clear whether the collapse has anything to do with heavy rains in the city. Further details were awaited.

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The Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of a 21-year-old man there during the Maratha quota stir last week. During the violence that erupted in Kopar Khairane area of Navi Mumbai during the Maratha reservation agitation on July 25, Rohan Todkar was assaulted by a mob. He later succumbed to his injuries in the state-run JJ Hospital at Byculla in Mumbai on July 27.

An official said that a murder case had been registered at Kopar Khairane police station against unidentified persons. "The case has been handed over to the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch. Investigations into the incident are underway. No arrests have been made so far," Tushar Doshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) told PTI.

Todkar's cousin sister, Shital Shinde, speaking to PTI yesterday, had said that Todkar had ventured out, along with his friends, on July 25 and then got caught in the violence. The youth's last rites were carried out in his native Khonavali village in Patan tehsil in Satara district after authorities assured his family that the culprits would be arrested and compensation would be provided.

Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from PTI

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L-R, Radio City's RJ Salil, RJ Archana, Singer Shankar Mahadevan, Mushtaq, Dadarao Bhilorey at Radio City's Kar Mumbaikar initiative at Vashi Toll Naka

Radio City's RJ Salil and RJ Archana filling the potholes in Vashi for the Kar Mumbaikar initiative

Radio City's RJ Salil and RJ Archana along with Singer Shankar Mahadevan filling potholes at Vashi for the Kar Mumbaikar initiative by Radio City

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Pune city famous for its climate, pensions city which got transform to an IT hub has finally got its reward. Pune has always been counted in the list of the cleanest cities of India. On Monday it was really a proud moment for the Punekars because the Urban Affairs Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri has launched 'The Ease of Living' report on Monday around 3:50 pm.

Out of 4,000 cities and towns in India, where about 300 cities have a population over 1,00,000 and seven cities have a population of more than 3 million, only 3 cities of Maharashtra – Pune, Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai – are the most livable places in the country which means from Maharashtra four cities were into top ten. Pune has been ranked first in the Ease of Living Index with Navi Mumbai coming in second, Greater Mumbai ranked at three and Delhi languishing at 65. 

The report evaluated 111 cities on a 100-point scale across 78 indicators under four primary parameters which was divided- Institutional, Social, Economic and Physical. Although, cities like Howrah, New Town Kolkata, and Durgapur did not take Part in it. While Delhi is really ranked low that is 65th rank. And, Rampur in UP is ranked the lowest. To the utmost surprise, Chhattisgarh has made it to the top 10 in the list and Indore which gives a tough competition to Pune is ranked 8th.

The 'Ease of Living' index is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to assess the most livable cities all over India and rank them on a 100 point scale. Apart from presenting the overall national ranking of 111 cities, the report will present the ranking of the cities across pillars, category, and geographical zone and population classifications. The city of Pune is expected to maintain this rank. And, helps to set a benchmark. It is expected to give a tough competition to all the other cities out there. Known for its cultural capital of Maharashtra state as well as the Oxford of east.

Chennai has been ranked 14 and New Delhi languishes at 65 while Kolkata refused to participate in the survey. While the citizens have been claiming that the city is reeling under lack of open space, ironically Mumbai has been ranked number one among 111 cities in the category of public open spaces. The state's richest civic body, BMC had to collate the data from several institutions, and submit to the central government. While the transportation and security were sent across by the state government, the majority of the data was compiled by the civic body that defined how livable the city is.

Vijay Singhal, additional municipal commissioner, said, "We have topped the list of megacities, which had over 4 million population. There were seven mega cities in this. And wherever we have lacked we will try and improve on those aspects and accordingly try and score better next time."

The rankings of the cities all over Maharashtra are as follows:
Pune is 1st, Navi Mumbai is 2nd, Greater Mumbai is 3rd, Thane is 16th, Virar is 20th, Nasik 21st, Solapur 22nd, Nagpur 31st, Kalyan 50th, Chinchwad 69th, Aurangabad 97th.

With inputs from PTI

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A group of citizens under Environment Life, which works towards cleaning up waterfalls and the space around them, in Mumbai and surrounding areas has cleaned up the waterfalls at Kharghar Driving Range.

The clean-up drive, dedicated to martyred Major Kaustubh Rane, and as a mark of respect for all security forces, was titled 'Waterfall Cleanup Drive VII: Kachare se Azadi' and organised on August 15 from 9 am to 12 pm. To support this cause, the group was joined by retired Air Force sergeant Subhashish Sarkar.

During the drive, the group of 45, aged between six and 70, managed to clear about 230 kg waste from the hill and waterfall area. Till now, Environment Life has carried out such drives at 12 locations, clearing seven tons of garbage left behind by tourists and visitors. Out of the total amount of garbage dumped by picnickers at waterfalls in that area, 150 kg is plastic — plates, spoons, water bottles, wafer packets, carry bags, etc.

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Forest department is utterly displeased with the way the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is going about implementing its tree belt project. On Friday, a range forest officer carried out a panchnama, a copy of which is with mid-day, listing the violations so far.

The panchnama states that the tree plantation done by NMMC contractors is inappropriate — the forest department had warned that plantation should be at least 50 metres away from the buffer zone surrounding the mangroves; and yet, it has been done right next to the boundary. The contractors have also allegedly cut the grown trees improperly and dumped the debris amid the mangroves.

Seeing red over green
An environment activist of Vashi, Rohit Malhotra, said, "NMMC removed 200 trees from the plot opposite Fortis Hospital, while dozens of fully grown and numbered trees inside the Rajiv Gandhi Joggers Park adjoining this plot have been felled, on the ground that were Subabul trees. All this has been done with much impunity... I had lodged a complaint with Prakesh Choudhary, range forest officer of Thane Division, who then deputed range officer Pandurang Gaikwad to survey the site. Mr Gaikwad has prepared the panchnama."

Residents had emailed their complaint to Dinesh Kumar Jain, chief secretary of Maharashtra, who has forwarded it to secretary of the forest department for necessary action.

A forest officer, confirming all violations, said, "I shouted at the contractors when I saw that some trees that were not on the list had been cut. Also, they removed soil from around others in such a way that the trees have tilted.

"However, senior forest officers have refused to sign the panchnama, saying they will settle the matter." "NMMC had taken permission from us to cut the Subabul trees in June 20... But I didn't know they dumped the debris amid mangroves. Also, the plantation in the buffer zone was done without our knowledge. I will visit the spot and decide on further action," said Choudhary.

The other side
NMMC Commissioner N Ramaswamy said, "We took all required permissions to cut the trees and for the project. About this particular complaint, I will check and take action accordingly."

The violations

• Planting trees close to mangroves, in violation of buffer zone distance restrictions
• Hacking full-grown trees inappropriately
• Dumping the cut parts amid the mangroves

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We spotted a new eatery in the busy commercial hub of Sector 17, Vashi, and the signboard got our attention immediately — Nothing But Chicken, it boldly announced, Now Open. Mental note to self — must check this place out. Soon enough, we find ourselves at the new eatery one afternoon. With just four high chairs, the place is more a take-away, but we choose to have our working lunch at Nothing But Chicken (NBC).

The décor is cheery and functional with doodles of smiling hens giving us company. We also note signage about the restaurant being Halal & ISO 22000 compliant, and most importantly for us, that the meat is fresh, not frozen.

Chicken seekh kabab

Chicken all the way
At the entrance, NBC sports a huge refrigerated display that has raw, pre-cut and in some cases, pre-marinated chicken portions. You can choose from a variety of sausages — jalapeno and cheese, cocktail, classic salami to name a few — or you could buy pre-marinated chicken, grill it yourself and enjoy it in the comfort of your home. Options include chimichuri, peri-peri, Greek yogurt and pepper, cheesy garlic breast among others.

The second display counter has all the ready-to-eat goodies — you can choose from a variety of sandwiches and salads or simply opt for a pilaf or chicken vada pow, desi burger, chicken seekh pow or chicken kheema pow. We order the chicken vada pow (`65), grilled chicken wrap (`105), two pieces of galouti seekh kabab (`34), three pieces of classic seekh kabab (`48), tandoori tangdi (`102) and chicken mayo roll (`105). We realise much later that they billed us for a classic salad (`82), which we were not served. When we point it out to the staff the following day, they are polite and refund the amount and the applicable taxes, too.

Chicken vada pow

Back to our chicken encounter. The order is served one item at a time, heated in front of us in a microwave oven. The presentation is fuss-free and practical. The wrap, kababs and tandoori tangdi are so hot, they are steaming right to the very last bite.

Vada pav vs burger
We are informed that the lone difference between a chicken vada pow and a desi burger is the flavour and spices of the patty.

Tandoori tangdi

The former comes served with a chicken patty in a brown bread pav with cheese dip and schezwan sauce. It is tasty, but since the dish is named after the popular Mumbai snack, we would have preferred the traditional chutneys to go with it. That, we feel, could have been the differentiating element between the desi burger and the chicken vada pow. The patty is mildly spiced and despite being reheated, hasn’t become tough. This, in fact, is true for everything we order.

The tandoori tangdi is well marinated with the classic smoky taste, cooked just right so it is tender. The chicken mayo roll is too bland and sour for our taste. The galouti seekh kabab and the classic seekh kabab taste different, in a good way — the chicken in both offerings is tender and flavourful.

The interiors

The grilled chicken wrap is a whole wheat roti with a masala chicken filling. It has the right balance of spice and is quite filling. By now, we need something to quench our thirst; NBC stocks regular soft drinks and we wash down our meal with a couple of fresh fruit juices on offer. With its reasonably priced, no-frills menu, NBC is ideal for a quick, VFM meal, or to help you cut down your chicken preparation time at home. With courteous staff, they seem to have their act in order. However, given their location, they are likely to face stiff competition from their F&B neighbours.

Time 9 am to 11.30 pm
At Sector 17, Shiv Center, Next to Arneja Corner, Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
Call 8828812200

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On Sunday afternoon, a foot overbridge near the Vashi Police Naka collapsed while a part of it was being removed with a crane. Apart from the driver of the crane, who suffered minor injuries, no one has been affected by the incident. However, the incident led to traffic congestion on the road towards Mumbai coming from Navi Mumbai. 

Following the collapse, the Mumbai Traffic Police immediately took to Twitter to inform commuters to take alternative routes. Though cops claimed that the traffic situation normalised on Sunday night, most vehicles on Monday morning took the alternate route via Airoli to avoid getting stuck in traffic.

Watch the video here...

Locals and traffic officials have alleged the Public Works Department (PWD) didn't inform anyone from the Navi Mumbai traffic police or the Vashi police about the dismantling work on Sunday, and that the crane used for it was of a low capacity.

The incident occurred when PWD engineers were dismantling the bridge. When the team was removing a part with the help of a crane, the device couldn't handle the pressure of the bridge, and thus ended up collapsing on the road. Traffic and disaster officials said the crane being used was of a poor capacity.

PWD should have instead brought in two cranes having a good capacity. mid-day reached out to local PWD officer Kishor Patil, but he remained unavailable for comment. PWD built this bridge two years ago. However, locals said that just six months later, it got damaged after a trailer crashed into it. Nobody was using it after that, but PWD decided to demolish it only this month after one-and-a-half years had passed.

Traffic officials said that prior to the collapse, traffic had already been diverted to the other side of the road, so no one was injured in the incident. PWD officials allegedly failed to inform all officials concerned with the area as well as citizens about the demolition, which is why it took longer to manage the situation.

Many users on social networking site Twitter shared videos of the same on their accounts expressing their frustration and anger over the situation. Here's a look at a few.

As of 6.15am in the morning, the entry into #Mumbai still blocked at Mankhurd. Potential traffic mayhem like yesterday. Took 4 hours to cross Vashi flyover yesterday. @MumbaiPolice not answering phones/WhatsApp. Go via Airoli to enter Mumbai.

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

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Crane clearing work still in progress at mankhurd octroi post.#Trafficupdate @MumbaiPolice huge traffic pile on. Took 1 hr to cross #vashibridge pic.twitter.com/OslI3YdcHV

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

@MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice I tried calling/sending WhatsApp messages to 8454999999 to know the status of the Mankhurd incident yesterday (got stuck for 4 hours after that). No one picked up/replied. Is the number correct?

— Nikhil Karkare (@n_karkare) October 8, 2018

#TrafficUpdate #mumbai heavy vehicles stopped right before #vashitoll. Collapsed crane clearing still underway, near mankhurd octroi post. Huge traffic pile on pic.twitter.com/ZKS4jmDuj2

— Sagar Gholap (@gholapsagar) October 8, 2018

Also Read: 4 dead in Pune after hoarding falls on vehicles at Mangalwar Peth

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The Navi Mumbai traffic police, who had been penalising drivers in order to steer them to the right side of the road to little success, have now started filing FIRs instead. The cops began the drive five days before Diwali and have already booked 530 under Section 279 (rash driving) of the Indian 

Penal Code.

Speaking about what kind of motorists inspired this strict action, Koparkhairane traffic API Sachin Khondre said, "Three to four months ago, a man was riding his bike on the wrong side with his pregnant wife and their young daughter, when an out of control dumper coming from the right side of the road collided with them. This is just one example of the kind of issues we face every day with people who flout traffic rules."

Those driving in the opposite lane can not only cause massive traffic congestion, but at times can also lead to accidents. Representational Image

Reducing law breakers
"Half of the time is wasted in fighting with them. This time around, the traffic DCP ordered us to show no mercy towards these violators and directly register a police complaint against them instead of collecting their licence or a fine. This strict initiative has been started so that accidents can be avoided," he said.

Navi Mumbai traffic DCP Sunil Lokhande concurred, "We're taking stringent action by registering a FIR against those driving in the opposite lane as such riding not only causes massive traffic congestion, but at times can also lead to accidents.

"We started this before Diwali because it will help keep everyone safe, at least in the festive season. We've tried so many awareness campaigns, but people did not listen. This strict action [filing FIRs] has actually reduced the number of people who flout rules." How do they catch hold of the culprits? Vashi traffic senior PI Satish Gaikwad said, "We all know the area where these drivers take the wrong side, and apart from medical emergency, all the other reasons they give are fake.

Under bridges and bushes
"To catch such drivers, we sit with the team of a particular police station under a bridge or hide in the bushes, and once we see them coming from the wrong side, we stop them before they try to flee.

"We ask for their licence details and file the FIR on the spot, and also provide them with a copy. We spare only those in the middle of a medical emergency." Traffic officials are hoping to come across fewer violators after this drive as people would now be more scared to break the law.

Hundreds brought to book
Their efforts have been instrumental in bringing 530 such cases to book so far. Gaikwad, who has been registering most of the cases said, "They can get bail by producing a witness or paying Rs 5,000 in cash. Following that, till the time the chargesheet is filed, they have to keep visiting the court."

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A senior citizen was brutally murdered in Koparkhairne on Monday afternoon. The police said some unknown people barged into his flat and beat him to death with the utensils in the house. He was found lying on the floor, covered in blood when the Koparkhairane police reached the spot. The police are interrogating his son who was at home at the time of the incident.

The victim, identified as Vijaykumar Darote, 62, had been living with his only son in a Koparkhairne high-rise for the past few years. On Monday afternoon, some unknown people came to Darote's house on the fifth floor of the building and when he opened the door, they pushed their way in and started beating him up with rods and utensils. When his son tried to intervene, they beat him up, too, and fled from the house.

ACP Pradeep Jadhav said, "We got a call from Darote's son who was present at the time of the brutal assault. He, too, is injured and has been admitted to a hospital. Darote had too many injuries because of which, he died by the time we brought him to the hospital. We are checking CCTV footage of the area and trying to find out the reason behind the murder. We have already started a search for the accused and will arrest them soon."

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Three minor girls drowned on Monday after they fell into a pit at Panvel railway station in Raigad district neighbouring Mumbai, the police said. The trio, all in the age group of 7-10 years, fell into the pit dug up for construction of a platform at around 2 PM, an official said.

The deceased have been identified as Rohita Bhosle, Resham Bhosle and Pratiksha Bhosle, he added.

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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

Against the board...
Information being hidden
I am a resident of Seawoods Estates Phase 1 complex. I want to express my gratitude for highlighting the difficulties faced by residents in accessing the accounts of the society and ensuring transparency. We have been struggling for over three months now to get some answers from the board members of Seawoods Estates Limited on how so much money in the sinking fund was depleted, and for details of contracts with various vendors. But every single enquiry was blocked using some excuse or the other, such as Company Law provisions for secrecy. I myself have received a written reply from SEL in this regard.

The mistake CIDCO made in incorporating a housing complex as a Limited Company is now haunting the residents. Unlike a CHS, the management is able to treat residents as minority shareholders with no rights in the running of the company or access to any information about accounts.

Your earlier reports have helped us save the water body behind Delhi Public School from encroachment and also prevent cruelty against stray dogs in our complex. We need continued support from socially conscious journalists and law enforcement and regulatory authorities to save us from our plight.
Vinod Sankar

False case by BOD
I am willing to answer any queries on the false case filed on me by directors using CEM as complainant for not toeing their line. This is the modus operandi: target one individual and hold him up as an example so than the rest can shut up or else. Similarly, last year individual families in this housing complex were thoroughly harassed over a disagreement with the same directors. Some of them will testify. I also have written proof, a sheaf of papers.
Mrs Kavita Shah

Board is outright corrupt
Compliments to you for the fair coverage of the activities by the board of directors at SEL. The board is outright corrupt and is being controlled by handlers like RK Puglia, Alok Agrawal and a few others who have made SEL a milch cow while treating the fellow residents as either goondas or stupid. They have made SEL a project company, neglecting the day-to-day maintenance and upkeep of the complex. Thank you for your help, it will go a long way in ridding the SEL of the corrupt BOD.
Shashank Jan

Why hide information?
Many thanks for your article on mid-day, which brings awareness among residents of NRI Complex Phase I. The article will be an eye-opener for the board and may compel them to think about their actions and about the need for transparency. The residents are asking one simple thing: sharing of information on expenditure. As all members are shareholders, they should get it as this is our money, too. The directors should not take the escape route just because SEL is a company and they are not obliged to share the desired information.
GD Behera

Autocratic board!
All that has been stated in the paper is true and I fully endorse all statements informed by Mr Butala. There is much correspondence which remains un-replied to, totally autocratic behaviour by the board of directors and chairman, non-transparent approach and high-handedness in every action. When 99% of the complex is run as a CHS, why is this run as a company? Also, there is no headway from the BOD on this as they find it convenient to hide facts under the company banner and the company has tried every stunt to hide information from residents. The plethora of events speaks about the adverse working process of company against its own residents.

The management was trying to force upon residents BIOGAS and DG SETS projects that were not required owing to various health and environmental reasons. The residents' consensus was not taken. The management has managed to crush people's voices since the voting process was under a cloud and manipulated. Even though the proxy against the resolutions handed over to the BOD were more than what they had by sizable numbers, they managed to reject the proxies collected by us without stating reasons and showing up what went wrong. There is a complete goof-up since the BOD was desperate to pass the accounts for FY17-18 in the EGM as there was personal liability on the directors.

During the AGM all the major resolutions were dissented by the residents so how come the same accounts were passed at the EGM, which is huge proof of their manipulation. We want the whole process audited and checked by a third party, but the company wants a non-transparent approach. The present directors, previous directors and a few handlers have teamed up and formed shell companies that appear to be siphoning funds. There are personal interests involved and hence even after all the major resolutions were dissented by residents, the directors have not resigned. This is not a profit-making company and if the services and work is not liked by residents, which you think are honorary, it is best to resign or else prove your position. Both remain not done by the board of directors and they continue their oppressive behaviour.
Capt. Bipin Gupta

In defence of the board...
Fight of power
The woman who is at the forefront in this case against the management didn't bother to arrest the heavy leakage from her flat to the flat below for the last two years, which led to heavy damage to the structure of building no. 25 in the complex. It's a fight of convenience and power in the complex. If so many issues of swindling of money and corruption exist, why is there not even a single complaint to any of the agencies?
N K Sharma

What's the big deal?
I am a resident of Seawoods Estates for the last 10 years. This is the first time I am hearing of an 'NRI Residents Welfare Association'. I have checked with my friends and have drawn a blank. There has been no notification by our management regarding same, and to my knowledge all formation of committees and associations is always communicated through official channels using mail and notice boards. I checked with the NRI phase 2 residents, too.

They, too, have not heard of any such association. Regarding the Rs 23.5-crore repairs agenda for the AGM, it was kept in abeyance and the management had issued a circular that the matter will be taken up after a residents' committee decided on the matter. That the committee is still working is proof that the residents are aware of the problem regarding the repairs needed in the buildings and are working hard to formalise the method of repairs. The copies of building-wise audit reports were given to residents and they have come back with verification and additional photographs of areas where more repairs are needed.

'Review of Accounts of Last 8 years' was on the agenda at our EGM on Nov 9, 2018. It was not accepted by the residents through voting. Your article also mentions that SEL has an income of R 9 to 10 crore every year. This is not an income but the contribution of members given as M&R charges for the complex. We have 1,500 plus flats, hence this huge figure, so what's the big deal?
Ritu Mittal

Contradictions in report
I was shocked to see the cover page report with completely baseless headlines and misinformation attempted to impact the value of over 1,500 accommodations in our prestigious premium complex NRI Complex Phase 1 also known as Seawoods Estates.

I would request you to check the self contradictions in the article. As you mention, the police confirmed no untoward incident at the AGM. So, what's this story on bouncers? That the AGM went off smoothly because of police presence is an obvious answer to the intent of the sponsors of your article. Is there any harm in legally getting police presence to improve attendance, generate confidence in fearless participation, while you will see from police records the background and antecedents of the people involved in the disruption plan?

You mention the statement supposedly by Hafeez Contractor on the state of the building, the mega size of the enviable complex, in your report, but highlight estimated cost of repair out of proportion! There have been past incidents. AGMs have rejected budgets and/or accounts due to some misinformation or misrepresentation of a few.

Boards earlier, too, have come back with clarification or changes to get the same approved and/or adopted the next time around, post information sharing. Whilst the perpetrators of negativity and defiance have once again succeeded in a backdoor entry by pressure, whether political, media misuse, muscle or lung power to come to power without democratic elections.
Raj Pugalia

Not the true picture
I was shocked to see the false news in your newspaper. The points as given below will help understand the true picture. NRI Complex is one of the best-managed complexes at undoubtedly the lowest per square feet M&R charges - just Rs 2.5 per square foot against Rs 5-10 per square foot being charged by other complexes. For residents here, this is most clean, hygienic and secure place to live in, with the best standard of living.

Despite low M&R charges, the facilities as compared to other complexes are much better and there has been unprecedented development in the last two years to further improve the standard of living of residents and to meet regulatory compliances as per details below. These works had been pending in the complex for the last 5 to 7 years.

1. Club was almost non-functional two years back, but is now brimming with activity with pool renovation, new gym, yoga/meeting Room, community hall, restaurant, renovated squash and tennis courts, etc.
2. Fire Fighting System: We never had a fire system for emergencies as the original system was dysfunctional for 10+ years. The complete system was commissioned in the last 2 years and now we have the NMMC Fire Office certificate.
3. Lift Upgrades: Lifts at the complex were 20 years old and needed emergency upgrades. This was done last year and the proof is power savings of 22% in FY 18
4. Improvement in housekeeping, security and gardening The majority view is that this is the best complex.
Harish Motwani

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Part of the Navi Mumbai Metro's elevated corridor from Nilje to Kalamboli will look like a replica of Kolkata's iconic Howrah Bridge after the structure gets completely fixed in the next couple of days. With this, the project will also inch closer to completion, as trains for it are scheduled to arrive next month. Central Railway sources said trains would be stopped between 9.50am and 12.50pm today for fixing the cage-like structure.

Deepak Hartalkar, superintending engineer, Navi Mumbai Metro, said, "Work on the elevated corridor is almost complete, 68 per cent of the stations are ready and 50 per cent work on the signal system is complete. Once we finish work on the elevated corridor and tracks, trial runs will start. Then we will approach the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety for clearances." Sources said the Metro would be opened up around March 2020.

The Navi Mumbai Metro project has been divided into four phases. The first one, which approximately costs R3063.63 crore, starts from Belapur railway station and continues till Pendhar. The second phase stretches from Khandeshwar to Taloja MIDC. The third phase will connect Pendhar and Taloja MIDC and the fourth one will provide connectivity between Khandeshwar and Navi Mumbai Airport near Panvel.

Also Read: Navi Mumbai: NMMT Bus Rams Into Empty Train At Sanpada, 3 Hurt

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The already reducing cover of mangroves in Navi Mumbai is set to be chopped further, with a proposal being submitted by CIDCO to the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, seeking to take mangrove area equivalent to approximately 16 football fields for setting up extra high voltage transmission (EHVT) Lines. Presently, the EHVT Lines are passing through the proposed area for the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) as well as the approach funnel of the airport. They will have to be shifted to facilitate the construction of NMIA, and make the airport operationally safe.

CIDCO has already submitted the proposal regarding the shifting of EHVT lines to the central government. The linear portion of 9.0361 hectare of forest land has been proposed for the diversion. Some 24.01 hectare of non-forest land is required for the R823.45 crore project. The portion of the land required for the project also includes areas around 10 villages in Raigad district and the forest patch that will be diverted will be from Sonkhar, Ulwa, Targhar, Vaghivli, Panvel, Kamothe, Kharghar.

CIDCO says
Speaking to mid-day, CIDCO PRO Priya Ratambe, said, "We are going to do compensatory mangroves plantation against the forest area that will be diverted for the project. Since I don't have the complete technical details, I cannot explain when the compensatory transplantation work will start and when it will be completed. But, we will have to cut mangroves as it is required for the airport project and is unavoidable."

Against transplantation
Reacting to the proposal, activist Nandakumar Pawar, who has been constantly raising his voice against destruction of mangroves in Navi Mumbai said, "In the name of development, the authorities are ignoring the importance of the ecologically rich mangroves that are home to a rich biodiversity. It is really sad on the part of authorities to say that they will be doing transplantation and compensatory transplantation at other place because everyone is well aware of the fact that the survival rate of transplanted trees is extremely less."

He added, "I'm a fisherman and since I was a child, I've made several attempts to grow mangroves but there has been no success. The nine hectares of mangroves that will have to be diverted is an important area and this patch will never get its environment back. We're against this decision."

Massive destruction
The teams appointed by the Maharashtra State Mangrove Monitoring Committee have recorded massive destruction of wetlands and mangroves in at least four places in Uran, and the killing of 4,500 aquatic plants along NH 348. Swiftly acting on a series of complaints filed by environment groups – The Nature Connect and Shree Ekvira Aai Pratishtan (SEAP) – the mangrove committee has directed the revenue and forest departments to investigate and report the destruction.

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With the arrest of two persons, the Mumbai police have recovered 29 two-wheelers stolen from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in the last three years, a senior official said Friday.

One Harshad Kohli had lodged a complaint with Yellow Gate police station that his scooter was stolen from Bhaucha Dhakka ferry wharf in Mazgaon area here some days ago.

Acting on a tip-off, police laid a trap and arrested Meraj Sheikh (19) Sunday from the Yellow Gate area. His interrogation led to the arrest of his accomplice Mushtaq Mansuri (19) from Belapur in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

The duo revealed that they had stolen several two-wheelers from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in the last three years, the official said. Police recovered 29 stolen two-wheelers from their possession and further probe was on, the official said.

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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.

To aid the construction of the Navi Mumbai airport, the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) had successfully shifted eight villages from the area that will be affected by the project, but forgot to make arrangements for the pets and animals in the village. The NGO, Hands That Heal, has now come forward to give shelter and food to these animals, who had been abandoned by the authorities. They are now relocating all the animals to their shelter in Panvel.

The villages that have been shifted include Chinchpada, Kolhi, Kopar, Ulwe, Varche Ulwe, Pargaon-Dungi, Targhar, Kombadbhuje and Waghivli Vada. From these areas, villagers are to be resettled in Wadghar, Wahal and Kunde Wahal areas. Aishwarya Chaudhary, founder of the NGO, said, "I didn't know about this situation but recently, I came across a post on Facebook mentioning the plight of the animals and birds in this area. My team of 12 has been working for the past four days. Many animals were found dehydrated, starving and homeless."

"We have collected 20 dogs, 13 cats, and three cows. As many trees have been cut down as well; birds have also been displaced. Our shelter is too small to house everyone, and I urge CIDCO and other NGOs to come forward to help this cause," added Chauhan. CIDCO PRO, Priya Ratambe said, "Our health department is finding a solution for the situation and will find an alternative soon."

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This weekend, the action shifts to Navi Mumbai as it readies to host its first-ever flea market. The idea germinated when Jaspreet, a resident of the satellite city who organises corporate events, got tired of travelling to Mumbai each time he wanted to attend an event, much like everyone else in his neighbourhood.

"We have only celebrity performances here, and there's not much of music or stand-up comedy. Yes, local colleges here host events, but that's about it. We wanted to give locals an event of their own," he says. "We're mixing modern, quirky elements with desi decor. We will have stalls from Delhi, Punjab and Jaipur selling jhumkas, handicrafts, home decor, customised sneakers and wacky stationery," he informs.

Malvani mutton sukke

The food will include typical Maharashtrian dishes including Malvani and Nagpuri fare, apart from Kolkata rolls, kebabs and chhole kulche. Those who swear by fries can get their fill at a dedicated stall, and you can cool off with fruit popsicles that can be customised. Visitors also get to sip on a range of cocktails.

Divine

All this while you groove to a star-studded line-up, led by DIVINE, the rapper who is all the rage thanks to
Gully Boy. Ritviz, Delhi bassist and DJ MojoJojo, Sonic Sage, Rang the Band and Not The Acoustic Average. Stand-up comedians Angad Singh Ranyal, Sahil Shah, Rahul Dua and Azeem Banatwalla will also be performing at the three-day event.

Rahul Dua

Poetry enthusiasts who enjoy poet Kabir Das's dohas should attend Neeraj Arya's Kabir Cafe performance. Their originals comprise of progressive rock renditions of Kabir's poetry. They will be performing songs from their latest album as well as old favourites. "It'll be like going back to the days when you read the dohas, or heard it on a cassette or when your grandmother sang it to you," says Raman Iyer, from the outfit. Performing for the third time in Navi Mumbai, the band says a lot their fans from the area have been asking them to perform there for a while now. "Given the traffic, it's natural to wish for something to happen next door. Navi Mumbai now has a lot more pop-up events and venues are also opening up," he says.

ON March 1 to 3, 2 pm onwards
AT DY Patil Football Grounds, Nerul, Navi Mumbai
LOG ON TO insider.in
COST Rs 250 onwards

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On the basis of the specific input, the NCB Mumbai unit seized 2.9 kg white crystalline powder suspected to be ephedrine, from a courier hub in Navi Mumbai on March 2, 2019. The two parcels which contained ephedrine concealed in them were booked by a lady who was arrested on last Saturday in connection with a seizure of 280 gm of amphetamine.

The said consignments were destined for New Zealand and Zambia. Further investigations are under process to identify the source of the seized drugs.

Ephedrine is a controlled substance in India which has legitimate industrial usage, however, it can also be used in the illicit drug market for the manufacturing an illicit drug.

Dealing in drugs may attract punishment of rigorous imprisonment up to 20 years and a financial penalty of up to Rs. 2 lakhs and even can even lead, to being awarded a death penalty.

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After a huge delay, the Navi Mumbai Metro trains are finally here. Two trains of three cars each have landed at the Mumbai port from China, and will soon make their way to Navi Mumbai. mid-day gets you a first look at the sleek trains with swank exteriors.

The Navi Mumbai Metro has been delayed much beyond schedule. The first phase (now under implementation) begins from Belapur railway station and ends at Pendhar station near Taloja. The total length of this route is 11.10 km and it will have eleven stations and a depot-cum-workshop which is being developed at Taloja.

"The trains will undergo trials soon. The target is to commission them by 2020," Deepak Hartalkar, Superintending Engineer, Navi Mumbai Metro, told mid-day. He said work on the elevated spans has been 100 pc complete, work on stations and signalling etc is in progress. "Once various kinds of trials and tests are done, the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety will be approached for clearances which will take a few months," he added.

The Metro will open for public only after the safety commissioner gives his approval and this might take time till 2020. Work on the first phase approximately costs Rs 3,063.63 crore.

FINALLY! Here they are. Navi Mumbai Metro trains arrive. Two three-car trains land at Mumbai port. My story in @mid_day today and a few more pics. Click here to read: https://t.co/f0VswpLZJz pic.twitter.com/aZAWQdv2KE

— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) March 11, 2019

The second phase has been planned between Khandeshwar and Taloja MIDC. The third phase will connect Pendhar and Taloja MIDC and the fourth phase will connect Khandeshwar and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) near Panvel.

Also read: Navi Mumbai Metro brings Howrah Bridge to Mumbai

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Hey, Navi Mumbaikars and especially foodies we call for #NOCOOKINGWEEKEND on March 16-17, 2019. The Bhukkad Flea along with Amigo Entertainment presents a fund-raising event for an NGO Earthangels Welfare Foundation – Navi Mumbai Food Truck Festival 2nd Edition at Tandel Grounds, Sector 26, Seawoods, Navi Mumbai.

It's the biggest and most awaited event in the city wherein we bring to your city’s best food cuisine, flea stalls and much more fun activities. Food trucks, food stalls, shopping stalls, and a dedicated kids zone will be up for everyone to enjoy and have fun at the festival. Activities like pani puri eating competition, grape stomping, dance competition, and many performances will make your weekend worth remembering for a lifetime.

Mascot Meet and Greet, 100+ food dishes and exclusive products for women will keep ur stomach full, enjoyable, and happy at the end of the day. We promise to make you groove, dance and sing along as we will be having best of Navi Mumbaikars performing for all our wonderful audience.

Save the date and be here with your friends and family as it'll be the best food experience of the city as this is the 2nd edition and we know you don't want to miss it!

Event Name: Navi Mumbai Food Truck Festival 2nd Edition
Date: March 16-17, 2019
Time: 11am to 10pm
Venue: Tandel Ground, Seawoods, Navi Mumbai
Visitors: Rs 20

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The efforts of a persistent police officer and the victim's brother saved the life of a 36-year-old taxi driver, Madan Paswan, who had suffered a paralysis attack and was lying helpless in his taxi on the highway in Navi Mumbai.

The incident happened on the morning of March 23, around 10 am, when Paswan's younger brother Ishwar received a call from the former's wife from his hometown in Koderma district of Jharkhand. "Soon after getting the paralysis attack, he [Paswan] called his wife in Koderma, but fumbled during the conversation and then disconnected the phone. His wife got worried and called me," Ishwar said.

Ishwar said he then called Paswan who accepted his call but did not say anything on the phone. Worried, Ishwar called his friends and relatives who started searching for Paswan in the city. Paswan lives in Shastri Nagar, Vile Parle East, so Ishwar rushed to the Vile Parle police station and informed sub-inspector Sachin Chavan about the situation. Chavan, too, called Paswan, but no one spoke at the other end.

Also Read: Mumbai: Off-duty female PSI, DCP save accident victims from bleeding to death

Ishwar (left) gathered his friends and family to search for his brother Madan; the senior officers are considering a reward for PSI Sachin Chavan (right) for saving Madan Paswan's life

"There was definitely something amiss," Chavan said, adding that he immediately sought help from the office of the zonal deputy commissioner of police to track his location via his phone. Meanwhile, Chavan told Ishwar to visit the Sion police station as Paswan takes the taxi on rent from there. As he couldn't get any information here, he went back to Vile Parle police station around 11.30 am and then left to join his friends and family in searching for Paswan. Chavan, who was coordinating with Ishwar on the phone, gave him Paswan's exact location -- Sanpada in Navi Mumbai.

They rushed to the location around 3 pm and found Paswan "lying inside the taxi almost unconscious. We shook his hands and legs but he was unable to speak. We rushed him to JJ Hospital," said Ishwar. "Paswan had got a paralysis attack when he was driving his taxi on the highway. Many motorists passed his taxi but no one bothered to check why it was parked on a busy highway," Chavan said.

Also Read: Mumbai: One rescued, two stuck after falling inside septic tank in Chembur

Paswan had met with an accident in 2004 in Ghaziabad. He had suffered serious head injuries in the accident. The family suspects the paralysis attack was a result of this injury as Paswan had complained of acute headaches recently. Paswan left for Koderma after being discharged from JJ Hospital. He is currently not in a condition to speak, his family members said. Meanwhile, senior police officers are considering to reward Chavan for his prompt action that saved Paswan's life.

Also Read: Labourer's son, cabbie's daughter picked for QPR training

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The Way of the Cross, a re-enactment of the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is a visual reminder of his agony, pain, suffering, and death on the Cross. On the eve of Good Friday, over 300 parishioners of Sacred Heart Church gathered to witness and participate in the Stations of the Cross. Retracing the steps of Christ, more than 300 Catholics and bystanders walked the streets of Vashi singing hymns of praise and prayers.

The Friday's mass commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary in Jerusalem, nearly 2,000 years ago. The next major event will take place on Sunday morning when the 'Passion Week' ends with the Easter Sunday festival which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here's how the parishioners conducted the station of the cross in Mumbai:

Jesus laying in his mother's lap

The enactment of the station of the cross depicts Jesus in pain and agony

Parishioners walk along with the station of the cross as they recite hymns and prayers

On Good Friday, thousands and lakhs of Christians will be out in large numbers and overflow the local churches as they participated in the Good Friday mass.

Today, in Kerala, local churches were overflowing as thousands of Christians participated in the Good Friday mass. Of the around 3.4 crore population of Kerala, Christians number 61.41 lakhs, composed of 29.94 lakhs males and 31.47 lakhs females. The chief priest, who conducts the day's mass, along with a large number of the laity re-enact Jesus' journey with the worshippers moving to each station singing hymns as the story of the betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Christ is narrated by the priest.

The most important ritual in this mass is the drinking of 'choruka' - a decoction made of bitter gourd juice and vinegar - by all the devotees. When the Good Friday mass reaches its last lap, the priest pours out a spoon of 'choruka' into the mouth of each and every person attending the mass.

At the end of the Good Friday mass in Kerala, those attending are served 'kanji' - the steaming hot gruel made of rice along with mango pickle and a serving of pulses. To know the full story read here.

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