Out of a job and in debt, former Navy man clubs wife, kid to death

A former Navy and Merchant Navy employee, of late unemployed and struggling to repay debts, clubbed his wife and four-year-old daughter to death with an iron spice-grinder at their Thane home on Tuesday, the police said.

They said Rakesh Kumar tried to pass off their injuries as an accident. After the attack, he called in neighbours, woke his elder daughter to say her mother and sister had been injured, and then took the two to separate hospitals. The mother was declared dead on arrival; the child died after admission.

Kumar initially claimed a cupboard had fallen on them but the post-mortem showed suspicious wounds, the police questioned Kumar and he allegedly confessed. Kumar had worked in the Indian Navy as a petty officer and later took up a contractual job in the Merchant Navy. For six months, however, he had had no assignments, the police said.

89 Navi Mumbai seats, 133 withdrawals, 470 left in fray

Sagar Naik, nephew of NCP strongman Ganesh Naik, will contest unopposed from Kopar Khairne in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls in April 11, all other candidates having withdrawn on Monday, the last date.By the deadline, 133 candidates had withdrawn, leaving 470 candidates for 89 wards. Of those who withdrew, all were Independents barring two of the Congress, one of the Shiv Sena and three of the MNS.

“The number of candidates withdrawing nominations has never been this high,” said deputy municipal commissioner (election) D.S. Chabukswar.He added 3,900 persons will be involved in the poll process. Civic officials from cities like Kalyan-Dombivali, Thane, Mira-Bhayander and Ulhasnagar will be roped in.

The NCP, strong in Navi Mumbai and contesting without an alliance with the Congress, has candidates in 88 seats, with the 89th disqualified. The Congress is contesting 83 seats and the MNS 59, while the Shiv Sena and the BJP, in their first ever alliance for the Navi Mumbai civic elections, are contesting 74 and 14 respectively.

Rs 480 cr unpaid amid dispute over sea link cost

The agency in charge of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link owes the contractor an estimated Rs 480 crore, the amount being disputed with issues over cost escalation pending.

The Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) completed the sea link on March 24, nearly 10 years after starting construction, and handed it over the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

Jaydutt Kshirsagar, Minister in charge of MSRDC, said cost-escalation issues are yet to be resolved after changes in the original design. “They (HCC) have written to us about a number of issues including cost escalation. Once these issues will be resolved, the payment will be made.”

Child diksha: HC allows Jain groups to intervene

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Tuesday allowed intervention applications by a group of Jain sects in the child diksha case involving an eight-year-old girl who was made to take up stringent religious vows as part of an age-old practice in Jainism. The court had earlier observed that the practice is akin to that of sati.

The child welfare committee (CWC), which had interviewed the girl on the court’s orders, had reported that the girl was giving tutored replies, and that she needed care. The parents of the girl, now known as Sadhvi Preetvashashriji, and Shri Jeevatlal chandrabhan Kothari Jain Sangh, Malad, the trust which is training the girl, challenged this report in the high court.

The affidavit, which was filed last year after consulting senior priests, said the committee had exceeded its authority and jurisdiction by giving inferences and observations about the lifestyle of the sadhvi and ‘without understanding Jain religious tenets’.

“Sadhus and sadhvis of Jain religion are highly respected. People professing the religion bow to them,” the affidavit states. Now, six Jain trust have filed intervention applications to support the tradition. A division bench of justice FI Rebello and Amjad Sayed will hear petitions next week.

Four councillors move HC against octroi law change

Mumbai: Municipal councillors of four separate municipal bodies from the state have moved the Bombay high court seeking declaration of an amendment made to the municipal act as unconstitutional. The state in December 2009 had published the amendment, to the Bombay Provisional Municipal Corporation and Mumbai Village Panchayat, which ensures that the state can levy a new tax — local body tax — in the place of octroi.
The four councillors — from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane, Kolhapur and Solapur municipal corporations — filed a petition in the high court contending that the state had caused amendment to the existing laws “only to favour the demand of the traders to do away with octroi.” Octroi duty is a major source of income for municipalities and is important for financial sustenance, the councilors said.

Maharashtra govt housing body grabbed our land: Air Force

The Indian Air Force has alleged that Mhada, the state housing board, has grabbed 49,000 sq m defence land here.The Air Force says Mhada manipulated property records to take over nearly 49,000 sq m of defence land at the Rifle Range in Golibar area of suburban Santacruz.Six buildings have also come up on the land under the slum rehabilitation scheme, it said.The land (survey No 13/CTS 387) is located close to an IAF installation.

The Cotton Green-based 411 Air Force station has claimed that the land was part of 2.49 lakh sq m of military land, which had been in its possession since May 8, 1964.An official at the 411 Air Force station, alleged Mhada allowed a private developer to illegally set up multi-storied apartments on the land without procuring a no-objection certificate from the Air Force.When contacted a Mhada official declined to comment on the IAF's allegations.

HC reserves judgment on PIL against state FSI stand

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday reserved its judgment in a public interest litigation challenging the Maharashtra governments policy allowing 33% increase in building rights in the form of Floor Space Index (FSI).

A division bench of Justice F I Rebello and Justice Amjad Sayed will deliver the judgment in due course. The state in 2008 had introduced changes to the Development Control regulations and allowed additional construction rights by hiking the FSI in Mumbai suburbs from 1 to 1.33. To avail of the benefit, a premium had to be paid.

According to the petitioners the government’s decision would “change the face of Mumbai’’. The PIL claimed that the additional FSI would put a strain on the environment, of the burden on the city’s infrastructure, traffic and civic amenities. The petition also contended that proper rules were not followed while approving the “largesse’’.

The state has however denied that the extra FSI would put pressure on the infrastructure. The government also alleged that a TDR cartel was behind the opposition to the FSI policy.

Calling customer care? It may not be toll free

Mumbai: Dev Burman (name changed), a Vodafone customer for six years, is furious with the service. The company is charging 50 paisa per three minutes of a call to customer care. “Have you ever thought of paying for talking to a customer care executive?” Burman said, giving vent to his anger.

The story is the same with other mobile service providers. Ketan Ramachandran, a Bharti Airtel subscriber, said: “Customer care is a service a telecom operator should offer free. Airtel’s interactive voice response system is very tardy and you have to talk to a customer care executive to get an issue sorted out. But now we have to pay for that!” The government’s directive to telecom companies while giving out licences explicitly stated customer service calls should be toll free.

The directive hasn’t changed — the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has not yet approved the companies’ request to charge subscribers for customer-care calls.

But the freebies are insidiously, gradually disappearing as hyper-competition is driving down mobile operators’ profits.

Over the last two years, the race to grab subscribers has become so intense that telcos started charging as low as 1 paise per pulse per call.

System error: Don't worry, says I-T chief

MUMBAI: Chief commissioner of income tax R K Singh on Tuesday acknowledged that a “mechanical error’’ in its central office in New Delhi was behind the wrong recovery notices that were issued to salaried employees in Mumbai last week. He reiterated that the department was working to identify the “point’’ where the fault had occurred and that the taxpayer would not be unduly penalised.

TOI in its Tuesday’s edition had reported about several people receiving erroneous I-T notices. “There is some problem in the system, something like a bug that infects a computer. We are working to rectify the mistake. I assure the people who have received the notices will not be inconvenienced,’’ Singh said. “This is not a human mistake. It is a computer glitch that occurred sometime last week in our central system in New Delhi.’’ 

Nooriya drank and drove but didn’t kill intentionally: HC

The Bombay High Court said today that Nooriya Haveliwala’s car crash can at the most be an offence under Section 304 (II) of IPC, which would mean the accident was not intentional.The court was hearing a bail application by Haveliwala, charged with drunken driving and killing two persons. The police had charged her under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder with intention) under which the quantum of imprisonment can be between 10 years and life. Under 304 (II), the maximum imprisonment is 10 years.

The court observed this is a case where the vehicle was driven under the influence of alcohol and with knowledge of this, but not with an intention to kill anyone. “It is a very sad and tragic case,” Justice RS Mohite said. Haveliwala may not be allowed to drive, the court said.

“If you can show this is a case for life imprisonment then we will look into it seriously,” the court told the state, directing it to file a reply before the next hearing on Thursday.

Gold futures fraud: three arrested

The Mumbai police have arrested three persons including a jeweller for trading illegally in gold futures without a valid licence. The matter is being investigated by L T Marg police who have arrested Vikas Mohanlal Mehta (51), a south Mumbai-based jeweller, and his employees Mukesh Mehta (37) and Kantilal Malecha (27). The police suspect that they could be part of a network of illegal traders.

Under trading norms, futures trading in any tradable commodity can only be done by individuals with a valid licence and who are registered with a commodity exchange.

“We have now informed the Forward Markets Commission about the crime and they will be assisting us in the investigation. The trio acted as a parallel trading platform and took investment calls on future gold trading prices,” said sub-inspector Nitin Shinde of L T Marg police station.

Parents pledge won’t marry off bright teenager, HC may see which law governs Muslim minors

It is unfortunate that an intelligent girl who desires to pursue medicine is forced to get married at a minor age, the Bombay High Court observed today.The court was hearing a petition for the custody of a teenager, filed by her mother Zakia Begum of Aurangabad. The court granted the custody after the parents undertook that they would not marry off the girl till she turns 18.

Zakia’s daughter, 14, was to marry last December, but her uncle filed a complaint with the police against a violation of the Child Marriage Restriction Act (now replaced by Prohibition of Child Marriage Act or PCMA).

A division Bench of Justice D B Bhosale and Justice A R Joshi today interviewed the girl in their chamber where she said she did not wish to get married since she wanted to pursue her education and desired to study medicine.“We found her to be very intelligent and it is very unfortunate that the parents wanted to marry her off,” Justice Bhosale said.

Cops go to colleges with advice against drunken driving

The traffic police are counselling students against drunken driving, with most of those convicted in such incidents being motorists in their twenties. The police have started seminars and talks in colleges around the city.

Convictions have increased over the years, from 2,623 simple imprisonment sentences in 2007 to 8,448 in 2008 and 10,097 in 2009.

“We have seen that youths in the age group 21-25 form the second largest group, after those in the bracket 31-35. We decided to start holding seminars in postgraduate colleges so that our officers could directly interact with students about the dangers of drunken driving,” an officer said.

DCP (Traffic) Nandkumar Chaugule said, “We have prepared PowerPoint slides explaining the laws relating to drunk driving, the permissible limits of alcohol consumption while driving, and the punishment and fines... We also have slides about punishments for drunken driving in other countries for a comparative analysis... We have included photographs of vehicles in drunken driving accidents so that students realise the consequences and take the issue more seriously.”

1,811 Aarey milk stalls leased for Rs7 each a day

Mumbai: The opposition rocked the state assembly on Monday, alleging that the government had leased out 1,811 Aarey Milk Colony stalls to a private player for a paltry Rs7 a stall per day. The agitation intensified as the dairy development minister faltered in replying to the opposition’s queries. Finally, chief minister Ashok Chavan had to intervene and assure the house that the lease orders would be revoked if anything was found amiss.The opposition alleged that the 1,811 stalls that were to be run by sons of the soil had been leased out to a private player. The dairy development department was accused of having a “mala fide” intention in reviving the deal that had been stayed by former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh two years ago.

Dairy development minister Nitin Raut first denied that his department had handed over the stalls to a private player, but later admitted to it. Members from the opposition benches jeered the minister, calling him a “liar”.

Opposition leader in the assembly Eknath Khadse said, “Vilasrao Deshmukh stayed the order on May 28, 2008, after he found irregularities in it. However, Chavan’s government revoked the stay in July 2009. The contract was awarded to a company which is a subsidiary of a big name in the country. The contract has been given at such a cheap rate that it would lead to a huge loss for the government.”

Raut told the house that the deal, struck for five years, will fetch Rs2.13 crore. “The contract has been given to Sheetal Arch for five years to sale milk and milk-based products.”

Historic hall at Taj is ready for a ball again

MUMBAI: The historic Ballroom of the Taj Mahal Palace and Hotel will reopen for guests on Tuesday. India's first air-conditioned restaurant-cum-ballroom, it was part of the heritage wing of the hotel and had to be completely restored after the terrorist attack of 26/11.

"Around 70-80 people have worked diligently to restore the Ballroom to its original form with elements of contemporary luxury," said general manager Karambir Kang. "We have updated it with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and advanced technology to bring the banquet hall on par with the finest hotels in the world."

Understandably, the hotel does not wish to dwell on the nature of damage caused during the terror attack. "Expert design consultants from around the world were hired for the restoration, and so were acoustic experts, structural restorers as well as a full-sourcing team," said Kang.

"The carpets have been procured from Hong Kong, the lighting is from London, and the artworks that have always been an integral part of our decor, draw on Indian talent. Victorian and period art was specifically commissioned so as to blend with the new look of the Ballroom."

Liquor to ooze from chikoo, jambhul

Mumbai: After kicking off a controversy over giving permission to produce liquor from food grains, the state government has now announced that it plans to permit production of liquor from fruits such as cashewnut, jambhul (blueberry) and chikoo (sapodilla).

“We have received a proposal seeking permission to make liquor from cashewnut, jambhul and chikoo. The government is thinking over it,” excise minister Ganesh Naik announced in the legislative council on Monday.

Naik was replying to a question by NCP’s Arun Gujrathi on the permission to produce liquor from foodgrains. The minister said no new permits had been given to make liquor from food grains since August 20, 2009.

The government policy to make liquor from food grains attracted criticism from the opposition and social activists like Anna Hazare and Dr Abhay Bang. The opposition argued that as there was shortage of food grains in the state it was not logical to produce liquor from them. Dr Bang appealed to the government not to convert Maharashtra into “Madya Rashtra” (liquor state).

Cops suspect inside hand in Rs 1.3-crore diamond theft

MUMBAI: Investigators probing the theft of Rs 1.3-crore diamonds from a jewellery company manager at Dindoshi on Sunday, suspect insider involvement in the crime. Five men posed as income-tax officials and accosted Deepak Lalwani. They asked him to accompany them in their Maruti Zen for questioning. Later, they snatched the diamond packets that he was carrying and offloaded him at Kandivli East at gunpoint.

"There's a strong possibility that an insider had tipped off the robbers," a senior police official said. "Lalwani always travels with a gunman in his car. But since it was a Sunday, the gunman had taken a day off."

Lalwani is in charge of collecting raw diamonds from angadias (jewellery courier boys) and ferrying them to the company's office at Borivli for polishing. "The robbers were aware of the exact time when Lalwani would leave from Dindoshi with the diamonds. They even knew who was Lalwani's immediate superior at work," the official said. 

Snag disrupts CR services

MUMBAI: Services on the Main Line of the Central Railway were disrupted around noon on Monday. Several of the trains headed for CST either had to be diverted to another line or delayed after the dropper wire snapped between Thane and Mulund on the Up fast track. Though many of the locals were bunched up, no cancellation was recorded.The dropper wire connects the caternary and the contact wire, which touches the pantograph wire that powers the train. The catnerary supports it with the help of the dropper wire.

"The incident occurred at 11.45 am and it was a motorman who first noticed the snapped wire. His train was allowed to pass but subsequent locals were diverted to the Up slow line between Thane and Mulund. Our staff rushed to the site and the snag was fixed at 12.18 pm," said CR chief PRO S C Mudgerikar.


The snag, though lasted for only half an hour, caused much distress to commuters. A media executive from Kalyan told TOI, "I took the 11.26 train from Kalyan and reached Thane at 11.45 am. Then, between Thane and Mulund, my train was stranded for 30 minutes. No announcement was made. Many jumped off and walked along the tracks till Mulund from where they took slow locals," he said.

Radar to predict weather in place by monsoon, hopes IMD

An Indian-made Doppler radar designed for real time weather prediction, a need felt during the 2005 deluge, is headed for the city, with weather officials optimistic it will be in place before this year’s monsoon.

One of the two Doppler radars procured by the Centre from Bharat Electronics Ltd would reach Mumbai in April, and plans are to start installation immediately atop the 16-storey Archana Building in Navy Nagar, India Meteorology Department (IMD) officials said. BEL, along with Indian Space Research Organisation, produces the S-band cyclone radar.

“The radar that was earlier planned for Kochi has now been diverted to Mumbai. As soon as it arrives, we will begin its installation at the site. We are trying our best to ensure the radar is installed before this monsoon,” said R V Sharma, IMD deputy director general.

The need for a state-of-the art weather forecasting system was felt after the deluge in July 2005, when predictions were off the mark. The authorities opted for a Doppler radar and the Centre identified 17 installation locations, including Mumbai, on the east and west coasts.

District-level watchdogs to protect coastal zone from illegal sand mining

Special bodies at district level will monitor illegal sand mining and other violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) took the decision to set up such bodies at a meeting Thursday. The committees, under the district collectors and comprising experts and non-government organisations, will crack down on sand mining in places such as Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Raigad.

“Right now, the MCZMA can at the most summon the district collector and direct him to take action. However, this may not necessarily figure in the priority list for the collector,” said TC Benjamin, MCZMA member and state urban development secretary.

The committee will suggest punitive active against offenders and also curb illegal constructions in CRZ areas, as in the case of Alibaug. Last week, the collector served notices to 14 unauthorised beach bungalows in Alibaug, including one belonging to industrailist Yash Birla, and started demolition proceedings. The action followed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court.

Water cut never reached 30%, but more pipe bursts in store

Mumbai: Were you surprised at receiving adequate water at home despite the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) imposing a steep water cut last week? The reason that happened was because the water cut was not steep at all. The civic body had doubled the water cut from 15% to 30% on March 24 to save Mumbaikars from a water crisis, following a series of pipeline bursts in the city. However, the cut never really turned out to be 30%.
Despite having lost several million litres of water to the pipeline bursts, the BMC hydraulic department managed to supply almost the same amount of water — 2,900 million litres daily (mld)— as it had been doing since last monsoon. “The city was only subjected to a 2% hike in water cut,” a senior hydraulic department official said.

Mumbai won't witness tides above 5m this monsoon

MUMBAI: Mumbaikars, who witnessed the highest tide of the century last monsoon, have a reason to rejoice as all the high tides this season will be below 5 metres, however any tide above 4.5m is a matter of concern. Last monsoon thousands of people flocked across the coastline to catch a glimpse of the highest tide that measured 5.05 metre. As there will be no such sights this time round people living across the coastline areas face no threat of high tides of above five metres this monsoon, a civic official said.

"This year, luckily we do not have tide of 5m and above like last year. But still any tide over 4.5m is considered as high tide and if it is coupled with heavy rains then it will definitely be a matter of concern," Disaster Management Cell, Joint Municipal Commissioner, S S Shinde told PTI.

According to the data available with civic officials, there will not be any high tide measuring five metres this year, the highest being 4.95 metres on August 12 at 1344 hours. 

Drug addict killed by elephant at Byculla zoo

MUMBAI: Serious security concerns were sparked on Sunday after an unidentified drug addict easily broke into the enclosures where elephants are kept at the Byculla zoo and got killed by an angry 56-year-old female elephant.
Police said the man was making away with the large metal bolt used to lock the elephant Laxmi’s enclosure. He accessed the enclosures from a public lawn inside the zoo’s premises, climbing a wall between the lawn and the enclosures. No money needs to be paid to use the lawn, where members of the public often sit and children play cricket.
The intruder, who was around 30 years of age, regularly consumed drugs along with a few other people in the lawn behind the elephant enclosures, said assistant commissioner Jayant Sarmokadam of the Byculla police. After he removed the bolt, the elephant wrapped its trunk around him, picked him up and bashed him against a wall, said witnesses. 

Hawking policy: BMC gets residents' views

Mumbai: Citizens did their bit on Sunday to help the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) give the final touches to its hawking policy.Citispace, an NGO which has taken initiatives to have dedicated hawking zones set up in the city, convened a citizen’s meeting at Chheda Nagar. Residents of Chembur, Ghatkopar and Mulund participated in it.

They discussed issues, such as setting up hawking zones, segregating hawkers into stationary and itinerant categories, and the rules that should be governing both of them. The suggestions made and the objections raised by the citizens will have to be sent to the BMC by April 5, following which the civic body will finalise the hawking by-laws.

The residents were wary of the ‘temporary hawkers’ category proposed by the BMC in its draft policy. “This is a serious thing. We fear that it might turn the hawking policy into another SRA scheme. Temporary accommodations given are never time-bound, and end up becoming permanent,” Nayana Kathpaliya, co-convenor, Citispace, said.

Diamond firm staff robbed by 'I-T men'

MUMBAI: The police are investigating a case of robbery in which an employee of a diamond company alleged that three people came in a car with a red beacon on top and robbed diamonds worth Rs 1 crore from him after introducing themselves an income-tax officers at Malad (E) on Sunday.
The complainant, Deepak Lalwani, told cops that the robbers had intercepted his Innova at Datt Mandir Road around 10.45 am while he and another employee of the company and his driver were on their way to their Borivli office with the diamonds. Dindoshi police registered an offence late in the night and recovered an abandoned car used in the crime.
Surprisingly, the Dindoshi police were investigating the matter till late in the night, when they registered the offence, despite the crime occurring in the morning. Senior police officers either refused to comment or were unavailable.

The Dindoshi police did not even inform the control room about the incident till late at night and kept the crime branch in the dark about the case, said a source.

'Zoo enclosure is saddest place on earth for elephant'

MUMBAI: Animal experts have stated that continuously teasing zoo animals, especially large animals like elephants, and trespassing into their territories are the main provocations that cause the animals to react, sometimes fatally.

The secretary of the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA), Lt Colonel (Retd) J C Khanna, told TOI, “There is not adequate discipline among the visitors at the Mumbai zoo. They generally tease the animals. But what is more shocking about Sunday’s incident is that a stranger somehow managed to stray into the elephants’ enclosure. The elephants can see this as a major threat.’’

Khanna added that if one is not familiar with large, emotional animals like elephants, one must never violate their space, leave alone trespass into their enclosures. It could be met with a sharp, deadly reaction from the large animals, he said. 

Metrology Department raids Vashi petroleum tanker calibration unit

Mumbai: Acting on a tip off, the Legal Metrology Department recently raided a petroleum tanker calibration centre in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, and asked the firm to close down its operations, a senior official said."We raided a petroleum tanker calibration centre Kiran Calibration Centre at Vashi and found serious anomalies in its calibration process. We have asked them to close down operations till further notice," Konkan Legal Metrology deputy controller, AM Naik told PTI.

The Federation of Association of All Maharashtra Petrol Dealers Association (FAMPEDA), an umbrella organization of petrol dealers in Maharashtra, had filed a complaint with the Legal Metrology Department about the short calibration, he said.

The Federation complained that petrol and diesel delivered from Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) Vashi Terminal through tanker lorries chartered by the company were short in quantity, thereby entailing huge losses to retailers, he said.

Another pipeline bursts in Santacruz

Even as the city faces an additional 15 per cent water cut owing to two pipeline bursts on Thursday, another major pipeline burst in Santacruz on Friday. The 54-inch underground pipeline was punctured near LIC colony in Santacruz (west) during repair works on a stormwater drain.

The BMC said it would fine the contractor carrying out the repairs. Municipal commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya said, “Friday’s pipeline burst occurred due to human negligence. The city cannot afford this at a time when water crisis is acute. We will make sure such incidents do not happen again. For replacing old pipelines, we have already sanctioned Rs 380 crore in the 2010-11 budget.”

Meanwhile, hydraulic engineering department officials said not much water was lost as the pipeline was repaired immediately.

“Fortunately the puncture did not occur during the supply hours,” said an official. However water supply to parts of Bandra, Khar and Santacruz will be affected today, said the official.

Bank ordered to pay man Rs 25K for lost flat papers

MUMBAI: The callousness of a nationalised bank in preserving the sale deed of a flat has cost the bank Rs 25,000. In a landmark order, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) directed Bank of Baroda to pay the amount to a Navi Mumbai resident for misplacing the original sale deed of his apartment.

Janardhan B Kotian had given the sale deed of his Vashi apartment to Bank of Baroda while procuring the housing loan. "Being an employee of Bank of Baroda, I had applied for a housing loan from my bank itself to buy a Cidco plot. The bank agreed to give housing loan of Rs 2.35 lakh and I raised a loan of Rs 85,000 from HDFC Bank," Kotian said. 

Juhu residents oppose private club on public plot

Mumbai: Residents of Juhu are up in arms against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allowing the construction of a club and bar on the Ronson Recreation Ground.

On Friday, hundreds of Juhu residents gathered at the garden near Vidyanidhi High School to protest against the alleged parcelling off of public land.

Residents have found, through Right to Information (RTI), that Ronson Foundation has violated contractual conditions and hacked down 1,000 trees. Also, 67% of the plot isn’t left open to the public.

BMC had bought the plot from to Maharashtra Housing Development Authority (Mhada) in 1986. In 1990, the plot was handed over to Ronson Foundation under a caretaker policy.
“As per RTI replies, the BMC had acquired the plot to convert it into an urban forest. So, how were permissions given for a club and a bar?” asked Sanjay Hegde, chairman, Gulmohar Area Societies Welfare Association (GASWA).

“What’s more, the lease agreement of Ronson Foundation talks only about having a sports complex and a swimming pool. Further, 2000 sq m of the plot is marked as a BSES substation,” said Ashoke Pandit, secretary, GASWA.

BMC pipeline project cost spiralled by Rs 300 crore

MUMBAI: A BMC water pipeline project was awarded last year for about Rs 300 crore more than what was initially estimated by its own consultant.

The consultant, Mott MacDonald, had pegged the project cost at Rs 825 crore in 2008. But the 41.35-km pipeline project in Thane district was finally approved in August 2009 by the civic standing committee and awarded to three firms for Rs 1,133 crore.

TOI has learnt that the BMC had received a bid from an engineering giant for Rs 909 crore. "However, the bid was disqualified on the ground that this company had an MoU with a pipe-fabricating agency, which did not meet the BMC's tender requirement," an official said.

The tender condition stipulated that the pipe fabricator must have manufactured 20,000 metric tonnes of pipes of 2,700-mm diameter and above in any one year over the last five years. "The Rs 909-crore bid was not opened because the fabricator had produced 23,000 metric tonnes of pipe of 2,350-mm diameter in a year," the official said. 

Only affidavits won't suffice as residence proof

Mumbai: Clamping down on bogus documents, the state transport department has decided that it will not accept only affidavits as a proof of residence while issuing a driving licence (learners' and permanent) or for the registration of vehicles.

Trying to dispel the confusion over the order, which came to effect earlier this month (March 6), transport commissioner Dilip Jadhav said in addition to the affidavits, an applicant will have to submit any of other proofs of residence, such as a PAN card, a domicile certificate, post-paid mobile bills or telephone bills. 

Mumbai corporators oppose private helipads, proposal rejected

Mumbai: The Ambanis will have to wait a little longer before they can park their choppers atop their building. The improvements committee of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) rejected the proposal for change in regulations to permit helipads on buildings.

The state urban development department had proposed to modify rules to facilitate setting up of helipads on the rooftop, the side and the rear of a building.

When the proposal was tabled before the committee on Friday, corporators questioned the need for such a change in law. Congress corporator Vinod Shekhar and MNS corporator Mangesh Sangle said the law was being modified to accommodate the needs of a few individuals.

Sena corporator Manmohan Chonkar said, “Helipads should be set up for the police and the BMC, among other public services.”
Following the objections, improvements committee chairman Yashodhar Phanase rejected the proposal.

If the government wants to press ahead the agenda, it will have to table a fresh proposal.

The proposal has been challenged in court by NGO Awaaz Foundation. The Navy has also opposed the proposal. Similarly, Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh had opposed the construction on health and security grounds.

BMC blames builder for jaundice deaths

MUMBAI: A probe by the BMC into the death of two pregnant women who were suffering from jaundice at Panchsheel housing society in Worli has blamed the developer. The builder had obtained an illegal water connection from the BMC and did not get the network cleaned regularly.

"This led to contamination of water, which was used for potable purposes by the residents," said additional municipal commissioner Manisha haiskar.

Indian Air Force accuses Mhada of Santa Cruz land grab

Mumbai: Mhada, the state’s housing board, has been accused of grabbing defence land. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has alleged that Mhada has manipulated property records to take over nearly 49,000 sq m of defence land at the Rifle Range in Golibar, Santa Cruz. Six buildings have come up on this land as part of a slum rehab scheme, and the IAF has sought their demolition.

The land (survey No 13/CTS 387) is located close to an IAF installation. The Cotton Green-based 411 Air Force station has claimed that the land was part of 2.49 lakh sq m of military land, which had been in its possession since May 8, 1964. However, the IAF seems to have woken up late, since many slums had encroached on its claimed land.

PK Sharma, group captain, 411 Air force station, has further accused Mhada of allowing a private developer to illegally set up multi-storied apartments on the land without procuring a no-objection certificate from the IAF.

On the face of it, the Bachchan issue is closed for Congress

Mumbai: The ruling Congress-NCP state government has swung into damage control mode over the controversy involving Amitabh Bachchan’s presence at the inauguration of the north-bound carriageway of the Bandra Worli sea link earlier this week. Deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, on Friday, downplayed the incident in the legislative council and said that there were no differences in the government over the issue.“The PWD minister (public undertakings) had invited Bachchan for the programme. The sea link, however, was inaugurated by the chief minister,” Bhujbal said.

The deputy CM was replying to a point of propriety raised by Shiv Sena’s Neelam Gorhe. She was ably supported by Kiran Pawaskar, also a Shiv Sainik, who said: “After the 26/11 terror attack, the then chief minister lost his post for taking along Bollywood director Ram Gopal Verma to survey the damage at Taj Hotel. We are worried that Chavan could meet with the same fate due to Bachchan.”

HC sees Nazi parallel in state’s waitress rules

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday pulled up the state government over the bar on waitresses working at bars and restaurants at night, asking how else women are supposed to exercise their right to livelihood, and over the way waitresses are treated at bars.

The court was shocked to hear that waitresses are required to carry a form (nokarnama) with their name and details all the time. “Where are we living? In Nazi Germany?” asked Justice F I Rebello, part of a division Bench with Justice Amjed Sayed.

The counsel for the government, however, clarified that both men and women in such establishments are required to carry the form.

The court was hearing a petition by Womanist Organisation of India and Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR), challenging the 9 30 pm deadline for waitresses under the Bombay Shops and Establishments Act.

Three new cars to run as taxis, fare remains unchanged

The state has allowed three new cars to be run as taxis and Cool cabs in the city. These include: Maruti-Suzuki’s Eeco (four and six seaters) for city transport and Xylo and Innova cars for the longer routes.

The state transport department has given its nod to the taxi unions’ demand of using Eeco cars as black-and-yellow taxis. These cabs can also be used as Cool cabs. “The inspection of the vehicle was done by transport officials and Additional Director General (state traffic) Arup Patnaik and it was found to be satisfactory,” the transport department order said.

The taxi drivers are facing tough competition from radio cabs and have been forced to do an upgrade. Even the state government has ordered to phase out taxis that are more than 25 years old which has forced taxi drivers to look for options. Also, as per the latest regulation, the new taxis should have electronic meters fitted inside the car

Maharashtra govt may not be able to meet 2012 power target

Mumbai: The government has been claiming a load-shedding free Maharashtra by 2012, but the provision in the budget indicates otherwise.Three of its major power generation plants, with consolidated generation of more than 4,000mw, are expected to be commissioned not before 2014-15, the budget document states.

The government expects 1,200mw power from Uran Gas Project, 1,320mw from a thermal power project in Dhule, and 1,600mw from a thermal power project in Ratangiri by 2014-15.

Though it has claimed that land acquisition is underway for the thermal projects, the ground reality is otherwise.

The acquisition has been facing resistance from the locals, and the department has no clarity on the other administrative aspects of the project.

No new infrastructure projects, funds for Mumbai

Mumbai: The state budget had mention of all ongoing infrastructure projects in Mumbai, but the city did not get any new projects or additional funds. Moreover, even though the Sewri-Nhava Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) found a mention in the budget, the government refrained from clearing the ambiguity about who gets to finally construct the ambitious project.

Finance minister Sunil Tatkare made a reference to the project in his budget the speech without mentioning the project implementing agency, a clear indication that the fate of MTHL’s ownership is still in limbo.

Both, the Congress-controlled Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-controlled Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), have been gunning for the MTHL project. Recently, MMRDA officials had claimed to have bagged the rights to build the link, but MSRDC chairman Jaydatt Kshirsagar said the final decision was yet to be taken.

Mulund relives 26/7 nightmare

Mumbai: Residents of Mulund were reminded of the deluge of July 26, 2005, when the 72-inch Tansa water main burst on Thursday, submerging a large section of Lal Bahadur Shastri Road. Power supply was switched off as water entered several homes. Worse, no senior officials showed up to help.

Deepak N, a ground-floor resident of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation quarters, near the pipeline, saw water flood into his home. “I saw water come in through the window,” he said. Almost 40 flats on the ground floor of buildings 1 to 7 were submerged.

Similar was the situation in neighbouring societies. Rajendra Premji Thakker, who runs a medical store on Dr RP Road, said, “There was water in my shop till evening. Though I shifted the medicines to safer places, the furniture was damaged.”
Kailash Joshi, a resident of Dr RP Road, said, “The situation was no different from 26/7. Worse, no civic official came to rescue us till late evening.”

Not stopping at nakabandi lands SUV driver in trouble

MUMBAI: The driver of an SUV was detained on Thursday afternoon when he refused to stop his vehicle at the nakabandi in Borivli (E). A large number of iron equipment and number-plates were found in the vehicle.
The police team at the nakabandi got suspicious when the driver, later identified as Mohammad Taufiq Khan (30), did not stop for a check. They immediately hopped onto a jeep and caught the driver after chasing the Tavera till Rajendra Nagar.
Seven vehicle number-plates, a pair of tongs, a spanner, a crowbar, two machines to manufacture duplicate keys, three cellphones, a cutter and Rs 4,300 in cash have been seized. The Kasturba Marg police will now probe if the tools were used for committing any offence.

Mumbai's water cut is doubled as Tansa pipeline bursts again

Mumbai: Mumbai’s water problem has worsened again. Already reeling under an acute shortage, citizens will have to brace for deeper cuts in the next 24-36 hours.

The BMC has doubled the quantum of water cuts in this period following ruptures at two points in the Tansa mains on Thursday. 
This is the second time in 11 days that the pipeline has given way. On March 15, it had burst at Walpada in Bhiwandi taluka.

The 72-inch pipeline, which brings water from the Tansa reservoir on the outskirts of the city, was constructed 80 years ago. On Thursday, within five minutes, it burst at Kapurbawdi in Thane, at about noon, and then at Mulund.

Water gushed out from the damaged portions, flooding roads and entering homes in a repeat of sorts of the 26/7 deluge. BMC hydraulic department chief Vinay Deshpande estimated that 3 million litres were lost.

Hawkers' policy: BMC seeks your feedback

MUMBAI: Citispace activists Nayana Kathpalia and Neera Punj will address a series of public meetings from Friday through Sunday, creating awareness about a new hawkers' policy being formed by the civic corporation. The BMC has invited suggestions and objections to the proposal before April 5.
The gatherings have been organised at three venues, one each for the island city and the western as well as eastern suburbs. The first meeting will be held on Friday at Lohana Mahajan Wadi in Bhuleshwar, the second at Dr Ambedkar Road in Khar on Saturday, and the third near Chheda Nagar in Chembur on Sunday. 

Realty gets dearer in Mumbai with 1% VAT

Mumbai: If you’ve booked your new flat, here’s the bad news. You will now have to pay 1% of the sale price mentioned in the agreement as value-added tax (VAT). Maharashtra finance minister Sunil Tatkare has decreed that VAT on under-construction property will be levied at this rate. Thus, if you have booked a flat for Rs50 lakh, you will have to dish out Rs50,000 as VAT. This tax can be paid through the builder or online.
The good news is that the levy, which takes effect from April 1, brings clarity to the calculation of VAT on under-construction property sales. In the earlier dispensation, the effective VAT rate on under-construction property varied depending on the level of setoffs available on taxes already paid on inputs like cement, steel, labour, etc. After the setoff, the effective cost to buyers worked out to about 2-3%. Now, this figure is a clear 1% with no setoffs.

Let hospitals decide on organ swapping, state tells Centre

The state government recently sent a recommendation to the Centre urging it to allow hospitals to take a decision on swapping of vital organs between unrelated donors and not necessarily to pass such cases to the state authorisation committee for clearance. The union health ministry that is now planning to make swapping of vital organs between willing but incompatible donors legal as amendments to the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994.

“As per the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994, close relatives — mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, son and daughter— can donate organs at the hospital level without approaching the authorisation committee. But they have to refer unrelated donors’ cases to the state. In order to speed up the process, permission to swap organs should be granted at the hospital level itself,” said Dr Pravin Shinghare, joint director, Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER).

Soon, 15-coach trains to halt at Bandra railway station

Western Railway’s 15-coach trains will halt at Bandra station from March 27. According to Shyam Sunder Gupta, Western Railway chief spokesperson, the railways has spent around Rs 28 lakh for platform extension to accommodate the 15-coach trains, and shifting the Over Head Equipment (OHE) and signalling equipment. It has also planted trees on platform no. 4 and 5 of the station, he said.

Started in November 2009, 15-coach trains now halt at Dadar, Andheri, Borivali and Virar stations. These stations have platforms that can accommodate 15-coach trains. Since Bandra is a commercial hub, many commuters especially from Vasai and Virar, wanted these trains to halt at Bandra. The move is likely to give some respite to the commuters. Early this year, WR general manger Ravindra Nath Verma had announced that halts would be extended to other stations too on WR.

Syllabus changes, students in spot

MUMBAI: Two weeks to go for their examination and thousands of final-year commerce students have received a shocker in the form of a note from the Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL), which states that candidates will be tested on the basis of the old syllabus even though the university revised the course last year.

Sandhurst Road resident Shreevani Patel conundrum echoes the kind of uncertainty the approximately 15,000 students are facing: "For a year, we studied the new syllabus and now the university is telling us they are going to set papers based on the old course"

Siddhesh Dumde prepared for the exam on the basis of the revised curriculum throughout the year and was shocked that the university had asked him to now appear for the final TYBcom exam on the basis of the old syllabus. "It doesn't even make sense for students to study the old syllabus when the university has revised it. When there is a new updated course, why should we study something that is outdated?" he said. 

Parents wash hands off raped girl

MUMBAI: The 12-year-old Saki Naka rape victim's aunt, Jyotsna Bapat, who took an exemplary stand against her son, has asked the police not to "let him go", but officials say they don't know if "these sentiments will be there forever".

The girl's parents chose not to come to Mumbai with her when she returned to press charges against her rapists, officials said. The parents stayed together in the city till 2005, after which they got divorced and went back to Gujarat. There, they got married again to different partners recently.

"The girl's mother met her when her aunt, Jyotsna Bapat, took her to Bhuj early this month after learning about what was going on. But the mother did not even bother to accompany her back to Mumbai when the Gujarat cops escorted her and her aunt back to file a complaint with us," an officer said.

The girl has apparently not met her father for the last five years. "She was nine months old when she was brought to Mumbai and was brought up by her aunt. It seems the aunt's son got emboldened when the girl's parents got divorced and then never came back," the officer said, adding that the girl hardly talked of her parents to the police. "She is much closer to the aunt," he said.