Doctors who examined nearly 300 children in Mokhada taluka in Palghar district on Saturday, said the children and their mothers were basically victims of starvation that has led to severe health issues among them. "These are cases of starvation. Not only the children, whom we examined, but their mothers have also been found to be starving due to lack of sufficient food," senior paediatrician Dr Hemant Joshi said after the checkup.Of the total 295 children who were examined, 57 were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM), of which four required immediate hospitalisation and specialised treatment.
"They cannot be treated by medicine alone but need proper food for which they need to have a proper source of income," he said.
The nature of their problem was social and it needed to be solved on priority basis, Dr Joshi said, adding that there should be a political will to tackle the issue. These children hailed from over 43 villages in Mokhada taluka in the neighbouring Palghar district.
The camp had been organised by Vithu Mauli Charitable Trust and Sharamajivi Sanghatana.
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Two days after school children in Uran reported sighting armed Pathani-suit clad men, the Panvel police detained three on grounds of suspicion. However, it turned out to be a false alarm.
A platoon of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) was patrolling the Gavan Phata area of Panvel on Saturday afternoon, when they spotted three men standing next to a container, out of which two were wearing camouflage print pants.
The CISF officials immediately detained the men and conducted a thorough search. The men — identified as Sakinder Mohammed Khan, 24, Sohail Taraq, 17, and Attalluha Abdul Khan, 20 — are residents of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We got suspicious as two of them were wearing Army cargos and we found an Army shirt in one of their bags," said Prakash Nilewad, assistant commissioner of police, Uran Division. “We checked their passports; they are residents of Jammu and were on their way to Nhava Sheva to pick up goods, before unloading the container in Surat."
A detailed enquiry later revealed that they were employees of Sanjay Veer Singh, the owner of the container. Singh said, "I have known them for eight years. They work with me eight months of the year, and the remaining they spend working on their farms.” He added, "Sakinder’s father works with the Poonch police and his uncle is a police driver. Attaullah’s uncle also works in the police department in J&K." The men were loitering outside the container while waiting for a mechanic to fix it, after its wiring got burnt, informed Singh.
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Patriotism makes strange bedfellows. A day after the MNS set a 48-hour ultimatum for Pakistani artistes working in India to leave the country, Subhash Chandra, chairman of Essel Group and Zee Media, tweeted yesterday that Zee's Zindagi channel will stop airing popular Pakistani soaps.*Fatima Bhutto, Adil Ray (Citizen Khan) and Imran Khan*
Unhappy with Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif's speech at the United Nations General Assembly — glorifying slain Hizbul commander Burhan Wani — he tweeted, "Unfortunate stance of Mia Sharif at UN. Zee is considering stopping Zindagi programs from Pak, as well artists from there should leave". By evening, he sent out another tweet: "Will not shut down Zindgi channel but revamp programming without Serials from Pakistan, we will have Indian subjects on Muslim community". He said the company’s policies will be altered in view of the unease between the neighbours.
*Runaway hit*
Zindagi, launched in 2014, is a Hindi-Urdu entertainment channel that airs syndicated content from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey. With its launch, hailed as a cross-border peace initiative, Chandra had managed to pull off a coup. A large section of India viewed Pakistani artistes with mistrust even back then. The subsequent success of the channel came as a surprise.
*'Risky call'*
A Zee insider said the company had shelled out nearly Rs 100 crore on Zindagi's launch. The primary cost involved procuring the content. Over the years, the investment has gone up by some 15%. “There is big money riding on the channel. It (ban on Pakistani shows) could be an illogical decision since the viewership cuts across all age groups, and rakes in big moolah... A majority of Zindagi’s shows have been from Pakistan since the inception. The project is close to the hearts of many in the company. If at all it happens, it could lead to creative infighting," said the source.
Zee's spokesperson refused to comment, as did CEO Punit Goenka and creative head Shailja Kejriwal.
The plan to pull the plug on Pakistani shows is sharply at odds with the channel’s vision. Tracing Zindagi’s journey earlier this week, Kejriwal told mid-day that the channel fostered the idea of peace through cultural exchange.*The face that set off a thousand sighs*
Zindagi was launched with three shows from across the border — Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Aunn Zara and Kaash Main Teri Beti Na Hoti. Two of its most popular shows — Zindagi Gulzar Hai (pictured) and Humsafar — featured Fawad Khan.
After the show was aired on the channel, his popularity skyrocketed in India, making him a recognisable face and landing him roles in Bollywood films like Khoobsurat and Kapoor & Sons.
*Tweet talk*
*@ashokepandit:* Thank U fr taking a bold stand agnst our enemies by nt airing #Pakistani shows on Ur @Zindagi #Salutes
*@the_sunilvarma:* Stop killing Kashmiri Muslims first @subhashchandra and Sharif will shut up by himself.
*@alka_saxena1:* Sir Art and Culture r peaceful. We should rather strip #Pak of ‘Most Favored Nation’ (MNF) status that v have given to it.
*@BibiPakhii:* Pak will be least bothered if few artists dont get work in India. himmat hai toh stop import export
*@deep_ika:* Do you think asking their artists to leave and stopping Pak programs would help our cause?
*@aksheevthakur:* @subhashchandra had respected u when u came up with Pak soaps.Don’t support ur decision. I don't think that actors can pressurise govt
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Three gold necklaces worth more than Rs 2 lakh were stolen from the Ambe Maata temple at Charkop on September 17. The CCTV footage shows the accused leaving the temple premises after having food at the 'bhandara' organised by the temple authorities for the poor on puranmashi (full moon day), only to return hours later to steal the necklace.
"When I entered the temple the next morning, I found the necklaces missing. I assumed somebody had taken them off to clean them. It was only when we saw the CCTV footage that we learnt of the theft," said the temple priest, Ashwin Shah, who is also the trustee of the temple.
According to Shah, the accused entered the temple by jumping the main gate. "He first prayed to the deity, and then switched off the light at around 3.15 am. By 5.45 am, he’d fled with the gold," he said.
The temple was constructed ten years ago by Hiral Shah, who donated her land for this purpose. She now lives on the first floor of the bungalow that houses the temple on the ground floor. "Our pet dog, Sunny, tried to stop the thief, but he quite cleverly locked the dog inside a room. After stealing the ornament, he fled from the back door," said Trupti, Shah’s daughter, adding that at the time of incident three staffers were sleeping inside the temple.
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Following Friday night's heavy downpour, a retaining wall collapsed on four shanties in Mulund, killing a teenager and injuring 15 others.
According to locals, the incident took place at around 12.30 am inside a slum pocket at Shankar Tekadi in New Rahul Nagar. Since the slum was situated on a hillock, a retaining wall had been constructed to protect the houses in the event of a landslide. However, due to the heavy rains late on Friday night, water gushed down the hill, causing the wall to collapse, a BMC official said.*Victim Prashant Jadhav*
The Jadhav family was the worst affected, as they lost their 16-year-old son Prashant.
Babu Magan Naik, whose house was also damaged in the mishap, said, “The wall collapsed on the back wall of the shanty the Jadhavs lived in, causing a cupboard to fall on Prashant. By the time we managed to get him out, he was already dead.”*The heavy downpour on Friday led to waterlogging at several spots across the city. While regular suspects, Hindmata, Byculla and Milan Subway, saw severe flooding as usual, South Mumbai’s Breach Candy and Marine Drive areas were also affected. Pics/Atul Kamble*
The fire brigade arrived at the spot immediately after the incident, and rushed the injured to the hospital. Prashant’s eldest brother Siddharth (17) suffered serious injuries to his head and chest, while his other two brothers Ajay and Vijay, sister Aarti, mother Kusum and father Santosh sustained minor injuries and were discharged after treatment. "Prashant had completed his SSC, and was doing odd jobs to support his family," a relative of the family said. Naik’s home was also partially buried in the debris. "We don’t have any other place to live," he said.
*'BMC is unhelpful'*
Even as the slumdwellers were coming to terms with the disaster that hit them, BMC authorities pasted a notice at the site on Saturday, asking the residents to vacate the slum immediately.
This has angered the residents, who’ve alleged that the BMC was being uncooperative. Anjana Chandanshive, a resident, said, "People living in the damaged houses should get a temporary place to stay. Instead of helping us, officials are asking us to leave."
Speaking to mid-day, Prashant Sapkale, assistant municipal commissioner of T ward (Mulund), said, "The hilllock where the mishap took place belongs to the forest department. We have asked the forest department to rehabilitate slumdwellers living on this part of hill."
Meanwhile, the BMC shifted six families, who live on the Amar Nagar hillock, which is situated some distance away from the site of the mishap. Families have been provided shelter in a nearby cyclone centre, a BMC official added.*113.51 mm*
Amount of rainfall received in the Island city
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Residents of Powai's celebrated luxury quarters, Hiranandani Gardens now have to deal with a growing menace. The 100-acre plot, which was developed for residential purposes rather than as a hub for corporate parks and eateries, has become a commuter’s nightmare in the last 7-8 months. As a response, residents launched an online petition on September 14 to protest against the apathy of corporate shuttle buses, ruthless drivers and lack of traffic personnel, which has garnered support of more than 500 people till date.
A copy of the petition has been sent to Ajoy Mehta, municipal commissioner and Milind Bharambe, the joint commissioner of police, Mumbai traffic department.
Manisha Chopra, a resident in her late sixties who has signed the petition, said that she moved from Cuffe Parade to Hiranandani in search of calm and peace. "Now, the situation is such that I fear for my aging husband every time he steps out, as even crossing the road has become unsafe. As senior citizens, we are facing a really hard time. Accidents have become frequent. The one-way roads have traffic coming from all sides; there is double, sometimes even triple, parking — no one seems to be following the rules," she said.
With more than 100 buildings in the complex, the neighbourhood hospital meant for residents has become difficult to access, say complainants. Take the case of Sreekrishna Bhave, the resident who initiated the online petition, who recalled that when his daughter faced a recent ligament tear, it took them more than 45 minutes to reach the hospital which was just under a kilometre away.
*Corporates blamed*
While there is a growing concern about restaurants that park their delivery vehicles on the road, one of the main reasons, petitioners point out, is that several commercial buildings have come up inside the complex. They claim that corporate shuttle buses and vans park on the roads to pick up and drop employees, creating havoc. "Most of these companies are KPOs and BPOs, which work on holidays and weekends. This means that we cannot even live peacefully during those days," Bhave added.
Tarun Grover, who owns an executive search firm, often walks home after entering the complex and asks his driver to come on his own, stating there is no choice. "As there is work going on at the service road, the entire traffic from the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) has been redirected to the complex, which could be a major cause of the problem," Tarun said.
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MY FASCINATION for the secrets of the ocean is unlimited. It is intriguing how life evolved under this watery expanse, which covers over a third of our planet. But, it’s equally shocking and sad that not even a fraction of the conservation research fraternity focuses on demystifying the stories of these submarine creatures. Maybe, the reasons why life evolved underwater are clearer now. But, even today, we know very little about their courtship rituals, survival strategies, modes of communication, hunting techniques, camouflage and reproductive adaptations.
This dark and silent zone is not for the weak-hearted as one needs to brave strong currents, darkness and high water pressure, besides a plethora of dangerous animals. So, it may seem suicidal that with a mortal fear of deep waters, I keep returning to explore the secrets of this amazing underworld.
You may think it to be a play of words when I refer to these submarine creatures as the underworld of all life forms. But, if you study these wild creatures, you will realise that they possess far more lethal venoms and toxins than any terrestrial creature. We should be glad that we don’t come in contact with these morbid hunters.
Unfortunately, coastal dwellers, such as we Mumbaikars cannot keep ourselves away from the beaches. In fact, we dive deep into the playground of these underworld dons. Just last week, the BMC issued a public warning about the mass-bloom of jellyfish and blue buttons on our beaches. Jellyfish are a major non-polyp (colony) form of creatures belonging to Phylum Cnidaria, found in every ocean. They are probably the world’s oldest multi-organ, free-swimming marine animals roaming the seas since 500 to 700 million years. Their body consists of a gelatinous umbrella-shaped bell, which pulsates for locomotion with a ring of trailing stinging tentacles of various lengths, used to capture prey.
Most jellyfish do not have specialised digestive, central nervous, respiratory or circulatory systems. However, they possess specialised stinging cells called nematocysts on tentacles and swimmers stuck in a jellyfish swarm could die due to multiple stings. Most jellyfish have ocelli, primitive light-sensitive organs that can help to determine up from down, responding to the sunlight shining on the water’s surface.
However, box jellyfish have 24 eyes, two of which are capable of seeing colour, and four parallel information processing areas or rhopalia that act in competition. This makes the box jellyfish one of the few creatures to have a complete 360-degree view of its environment. They look upward to navigate from roots in mangrove swamps to the open lagoon and back, watching for the mangrove canopy, where they feed.
The name jellyfish is actually a misnomer, as they are invertebrates, unlike true fish that are vertebrates. Hence, the terms jellies or sea jellies used commonly by public aquariums is more appropriate. Large, often colourful jellyfish are common in coastal zones worldwide. Porpita porpita or blue buttons are jellies with short cobalt blue tentacles that leave a tingling sensation when they sting. Though they form a major food base for sea turtles, plastic waste, sewage and plaster of paris (PoP) from idols are threatening these ancient marine dons.
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You know your film judging team is being treated like business class when your welcome kit includes a ‘polar fleece’ blanket to keep you warm in air-conditioned theatres while watching movies back-to-back all week. In-house gossip reveals that the Singapore Film Festival supplies its jury members with Tiger Balm during screenings. Ah, the untold perks of loving film! I’m currently on the Nominations Council of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) in Brisbane, Australia, which honours the best films from 70 Asia-Pacific nations, including India. It’s an Oscar-style procedure: the Nominations Council selects a list of nominees in various film categories, from which the International Jury — which includes Shyam Benegal this year — chooses the winners. The Council includes the chairman Kim Hong-Joon, Korean film veteran, and Maxine Williamson, Film Director, APSA and the Brisbane Asia Pacific Film Festival. It’s APSA’s 10th anniversary this year, and my fourth time on the council.
Previous Indian APSA winners include Gangs of Wasseypur (Jury Grand Prize) and The Lunchbox (Jury Grand Prize and Best Screenplay). Earlier Indian APSA Nominees include Om Shanti Om (Best Film), Manoj Bajpayee (Best Actor, Gangs of Wasseypur) and Atul Kulkarni (Best Actor, Natarang), Vidya Balan (Best Actress, The Dirty Picture), Killa (Best Youth Feature), Bidesia in Bambai (Best Documentary) and Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya (Best Animated Feature). They also have an Asia Pacific Screen Lab, where I am Script Advisor this year.
In Mumbai, the warning at the start of a film goes, “Dhumrapan padega mehenga (smoking is injurious),” with that wretched sponge squeezing out carbon. In Brisbane, the warning goes: “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are advised that this film may contain images of dead persons,” as it may cause offence, distress or grief to indigenous people.
At our council film screenings, I am constantly reminded how much we take for granted in India. Igor Gouskov, specialist in ex-USSR cinema and fellow council member, tells me Russian filmmakers complain they are not allowed to make films based on reality, but the state is happy to support spectacular fantasies. This Russian has been living in Paris for years, and his Russo-Franco-English mash-up is my daily elixir. Samples: Angelina Jolie sent private inspector for Brad Pitt. The love reglement in India is very tough, no? I commanded breakfast 15 minutes ago. This film won the Oscar for Best Strange Language. I am not at all convicted by this film. The Road Movie is a film fully ‘registrated’ from the car, and ‘preparated’ from dashboard camera clips. You get the picture.
It’s springtime now in Brisbane. Elegant jacarandas, mauve and yellow tabebuias and rusty shield bearers line avenues with discreet colonial bungalows around the New Farm Cinemas, where our screenings are held. People soak up the spring in this city that hugs the Brisbane River — families dawdle by the riverbank, babies doze in prams, kids skate, people jog and swim. As you sit at an outdoor riverfront restaurant, two creatures will sidle up: the white Australian ibis, an elegant bird with a white body, and black head and long curved beak, and the Australian water dragon, an exotic lizard that looks like it escaped from a video game. Anytime you’re bored, you can take the free ferry that tootles along the Brisbane River all day, gliding under its many bridges, including Story Bridge and Kurilpa Bridge, named after the aboriginal word for ‘place for water rats.’ I feel lucky to have visited a city that’s falling off the bottom of the planet. As the Aussies would say, “Good on ya, mate!”
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So, some part of this piece is going to be about Pink. It’s by far the most definitive Bollywood flick I have seen in a while.
I am a bit of a tough ‘desi’ film-watcher — my sensibility is essentially western, and I don’t really represent the masses. But, it is perhaps for the first time that I have sat in a Mumbai cinema hall, not saying, “Really good for a Hindi film”. Pink is a taut, tight courtroom drama, up with the best of them in the West. Devoid of all melodrama, the tension and emotional upheavals are in your head, not on the screen. It is possible to make a movie where indeed, less is more. This isn’t a vendetta saga, nor is it a vacuous moral tale.
Made in a post-Nirbhaya era, it’s a story about three brave girls standing up to three brutal men in an even more brutal chauvinistic system, aided by an ageing lawyer. But, crucially, it’s a film about an old man finding himself — his rising from the ashes to finding absolution. There is a moment at the end of the 120 minute-film, where an exhausted Amitabh Bachchan sits in a rickety chair in the cockroach-infested courtroom, looking blankly into space.
As the houselights came up on the popcorn splattered floor, I sat in my seat for a while thinking why we don’t make films about old people?
Is it because we’re scared that the audience will get bored? Or, do we not have the actors to pull off the roles while still pulling in the crowds? I also thought of what would happen when Bachchan finally hangs up his huge boots. Who will be the thespian torchbearer for our emerging cinema?
Of course, don’t get me wrong, we are making superb movies. But often they are cast with non-biggies and involve small budgets. Finally, we Indians want our “big stars” to helm films.
Shoojit Sarkar with Piku and Pink, R Balki with Cheeni Kum and Paa, Sujoy Ghosh with Te3n and Bejoy Nambiar with Wazir. They are not only writing parts for this man, but are also making films that attempt to push the envelope within a rigid Bollywood structure.
With Bachchan, it’s still possible to cast smaller actors who “bat” around him. With anyone lesser, like a Rishi Kapoor, who can’t carry a movie on his own, Shakun Batra required young guns like Alia Bhatt to add the star value (in Kapoor & Sons). But vitally, and here’s my point, it’s the time to make movies with the many themes concerning India — old age being a massive one — dementia, euthanasia, Alzheimer’s, loneliness.
I can’t really tell if Bachchan saab is our greatest actor, but for me, he is the vehicle that a lot of our younger makers invest in to take their ideas forward.
Many generations have built their cinema around his gravitas — the Ramesh Sippys, Prakash Mehras, Manmohan Desais hacked their half-baked stories with him in the 70s. Now, the young guns see Bachchan as a powerful lodestar to push the boundary, test a theme, dip their toes in an ocean of uncertain cinematic terrain.
In conclusion, I’m inspired to make a sequel to Pink called Pak. Bachchan will play an ageing pilot, who bombs the hell out of a neighbouring terrorist state, while he yells, “No means No!”
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The idea of measurement is a key theme in Hindu mythology. Stories from the Puranas introduce us to the complexity of measurement. A king says that he will give a dwarf all the land he can cover in three strides. The dwarf then transforms into a giant, his head reaching beyond the stars, his feet reaching beyond the bottom of the seas, and with two strides covers the whole material world. “Where do I place my foot after taking the third stride, king? Show me a spot that is not mine,” the dwarf-turned-giant demands. The king bows his head and offers his head, seat of his arrogance that failed to see that three measures of man is not quite the three measures of God.
The same idea is found in temple lore. At the entrance of many Tamil temples dedicated to Perumal or Vishnu, there are doorkeepers, Jaya and Vijaya, who warn the devotees with an upraised index finger to pay attention to what they see at the doorway and beyond, in the sanctum sanctorum.
As we observe the image of the two doorkeepers, we notice that their feet are placed on a mace and a snake coils around this mace. In the jaws of this snake is an elephant. Suddenly, we become aware of how tall these doorkeepers are. The icons are diminutive representations. The devotee is thus made to realise he is small, tiny and in the presence of one who is the embodiment of infinity. This is why Vishnu is addressed as Ananta Vasudeva, which means Lord (deva) of the infinite (ananta) world (vasu).
And, yet the idea is turned on its head through a Tamil devotional hymn, which says who is greater than Brahma, creator of the world? Vishnu, we are told, since Brahma resides on the lotus that rises from his navel. And, who is bigger than Vishnu? The serpent Sesha on whose coil Vishnu sleeps. And, who is bigger than Sesha? The ocean of milk on which the serpent floats. And, who is bigger than the ocean of milk? The great world or bhu-mandala with its seven oceans and seven continents. And, who is bigger than bhu-mandala? The great serpent on whose hood resides bhu-mandala. And, who is bigger than that great serpent? The Goddess, who wraps this great serpent around her finger as a ring. And, who is bigger than the Goddess? Her husband, Shiva, on whose lap she sits. And, who is bigger than Shiva? Shiva’s devotee in whose heart Shiva resides.
Why is measurement so important? Humans measure and compare. And, this contributes to our sense of identity, and our sense of superiority and inferiority. The world that we see through measurement is called “maya”, which comes from the root “ma” that means to measure. As long as we value ourselves by measuring ourselves against other people, we will be trapped in the world of maya, and that will cause sorrow. So, there is sorrow in schools where report cards measure children against each other, and in offices where employees are measured using the appraisal system. Rich people feel poor when they learn of people who are richer. Thin people feel fat when they see others, who are thinner. In Vedas, God is that infinite denominator of imagination, located in our heart that wipes out all measurement and comparison, and grants us peace.
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For the longest time (as some regular readers of this column know) I have declared I’m not a nature lover. My actions contradict this. The crystalline seas of Lakshadweep, the sunsets over Oaxaca, excitedly eating extremely sour apples off trees outside mountain homes, whose walls seemed to be made of packed petals from button roses, have all filled me with wonder.
Therefore, it must be surmised that I don’t hate nature. I realised it’s just that people who talk about getting away to be nearer nature have messed with my brain, implying that nature and the city cannot exist with each other. Presented as a dichotomy, in a monogamous world, it is suggested that you can love either cities or nature, just as it’s suggested you can only love mountains or beaches, cats or dogs. But that’s not how it really goes milaad.
After all, if urban dwellers hold homes in both cities and villages what’s so strange about city and nature intertwining? Not just as the prissy pots on our window sills (spoken as someone who has murdered many a methi, mint and mirchi plant despite good intentions), but in parks and trees and seasides and the awareness of these things as having a place within the city? What can be more beautiful than to be present in the world with all our sides intact? And why shouldn’t the city be imagined as having nature in it so that we protect our Aareys and make more Mahim Nature parks?
Outside my bedroom window is a big tree which everyone has forgotten to trim, so it has grown till it has completely covered my window and curly fronds have begun creeping into the house in an over-friendly fashion. If I sit on my window sill, It feels like I am living in a tree.
In the ever present rain of this monsoon, the wet green tree is full of layers and layers of birdsong. If I sit still and listen, I can hear an airy trill, a chatty chirp, a throaty whoop, a dry chirrup, prim cheeps, a call like a long whistle, a concentric call, notes following notes, like audio smoke rings, a whole phrase of crystal melody and the wry caw of crows.
I don’t know which belongs to whom though I see different birds — acrobatic parrots in the rain, mynahs hiding before the rain comes, sometimes those sun-birds with curved beaks and yellow breasts bouncing on a frond. In November, there is a bird big as two hands and the green of sugarcane juice, and in December, a kite always takes up a brief residence.
I don’t know the names of most birds either. But that’s how it goes in the city, no? You see people on the local train and you know them by sight and their taste in saris, but not much else and that’s fine too. That’s a city-style intimacy, which could be with nature too.
So, believe it or not — about five minutes after I typed the last paragraph, the cook informed me that a monkey has arrived in my beloved tree and is trying to get in. I ran to close the window. A staring contest between monkey and me followed, through glass, giving me a bad feeling.
Maybe I do hate nature after all.
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Following commuters' refusal to pay the revised fine of Rs 500 for spitting and littering, Indian Railways has reduced the amount to Rs 200. Earlier, the amount was Rs 100, but when that proved ineffective, it was increased to Rs 500. However, the new amount doesn’t appear to be working either.
From September 17, both Central and Western Railway have been conducting a special drive to catch commuters who litter and spit on rail premises. More than 79 lakh Mumbaikars take the suburban local trains daily and in the last one week the Central and Western Railways collected a combined fine amount of Rs 3.9 lakh. But, according to authorities, commuters have been repeatedly refusing to pay Rs 500, making it increasingly difficult for the Railway Board to recover the fine amount.
A Bakare, Executive Director (Environment and House keeping), Railway Board said, "We set the fine amount at Rs 500 but zonal railways have to take a call on how much fine they want to impose considering local conditions.” Saurabh Prasad, Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Mumbai), Western Railway said, “We proposed that the fine amount be made Rs 200 — it is not as low as Rs 100 and not as high as Rs 500 either. So it can prove effective in deterring commuters from littering."
Ticket checkers at local railway stations have been asked to collect fines from commuters who litter the railway premises. According to sources, they specifically look for those who empty waste from their pockets and purses on the railway tracks and platforms. Authorities use CCTV cameras to catch guilty commuters on the spot. On an average, in a day, they manage to pin down 100-120 people. While WR has collected a fine amount of Rs 86,800 from 868 commuters, on the CR network, 1,099 commuters have paid a total fine amount of Rs 3 lakh.
Further, authorities plan to segregate dry and wet waste at railway stations, for which separate dustbins will be provided. Plastic bottle crushing machines have been installed at Churchgate station and there are plans to install at least nine more.
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In one quick flash, and a drunk driver's carelessness, a family of 10 lost its sole breadwinner.
In what was a hit-and-run mishap, Pravin Shah (35) was speeding in his Ford EcoSport, when he knocked over Anees Qureshi (30) and Sugriv Yadav (32) as they were crossing the road near the Mankhurd Subway. While Yadav survived, Qureshi succumbed to his injuries a day later.
Meanwhile, the crowd nabbed the accused after his car turned turtle a little away from the accident spot when he rammed into a divider. Shah was arrested and tests showed that he was driving under the influence.*The impact of the crash was such that the car was totaled*
*Fatal crossing*
The incident occurred at 11.30 pm on Wednesday as Shah was speeding through the Mankhurd Subway and came across Qureshi and Yadav, both residents of PMPG colony, as they were crossing the road. In his drunken state, while he was able to avoid dashing into a rickshaw, Shah couldn't avoid running over the duo.
Abbas Qureshi, Anees' father, said, "Anees was working at a mutton store at Vashi and he was the only bread winner of the family. We all — his parents, his wife, two kids, a sister, and brother and his extended family — were dependent on him."*As Shah was speeding, he ran over the duoâÂÂÂÂ- Qureshi and Yadav - while they were crossing the road. Qureshi later succumbed to his injuries. As he was getting away though, Shah rammed into a divider and his car turned turtle. He was then apprehended by the police. Illustration/Uday Mohite*
*Police says*
According to the police, "Anees and Yadav were taken to Rajawadi Hospital, but Anees didn't survive. Meanwhile, Shah, who is a manager at a nationalised bank, was tested and found to be drunk. Now, a case under section 304-II (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 279 (Rash driving or riding on a public way) of IPC along with Motor Vehicle Act is registered and Shah is in judicial custody."
http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/sep/24government-medical-s.jpg
The second merit list was declared by private medical colleges yesterday, for which the admissions would be wrapped up within some days. However, the wait for those students who are eyeing a seat in government medical colleges would be longer as the second merit list would be out on September 26, and thus there is an uncertainty about the admission process.
Candidates trying for both government and private medical colleges feel an extra burden when NEET was imposed on them as they were already preparing for CET for two years. While cracking CET would open the gates of the government medical colleges, NEET was to do the same for private ones.
*No-win for students*
The hasty imposition of NEET and the delayed declaration of merit list by the government medical colleges are proving to be a no-win situation for the candidates. However, the director of Directorate of the Medical Education and Research (DMER) claims that there is nothing to fear as the students will get a chance to take an admission to a government college.
"Those who have applied for the government college, their admission will be considered if the merit list has a better college among their picked ones. It is important for us to complete admissions in private colleges before September 26 because of a court order, failing which these seats will go to the college management. We will not have any control in that case," said Dr Praveen Shingare, Director, DMER.
*Still time till October*
He added that there is time till October 15 to conduct admissions in the government colleges. Hence, the admission to the private colleges should be wrapped up earlier. "If a candidate gets a better option in the government merit list, the earlier admission to a private college can be cancelled. We are hurrying up with the admissions so that the students do not end up being commercially exploited," he added.
*SC gives another date*
Meanwhile, Supreme Court, which is hearing the case of admission liberty given to Deemed universities, challenged by Maharashtra state government; has given another date of Monday. As a result, there students who have taken admission to Deemed university medical colleges are in a lurch.
*Sept 26*
Date for the release of second merit list for government medical colleges
Voices*Ashwin sadhu, Medical aspirant*
'Since we had to appear for NEET in just 70 days, we were obviously not going to get good marks compared to CET, which we were preparing for since two years. So, although the HC mandated 85% seats for Maharashtra students, there was still a restricted opportunity.'
*Ruhi kapoor, Parent*
Despite consistent requests put forth by the parents, they (DMER) are conducting round two for private colleges without releasing the second list for government colleges earlier. Had they done that, many students would have got an upgradation from BDS to MBBS and possibly from a private college to a government college. Reported by Mid-Day 20 hours ago.