Assessment yet to begin 5 days after HSC exams started

MUMBAI: Five days after the HSC exams commenced, not a single answer sheet has been assessed. Students who are busy preparing and appearing for their exams are worried about the results.

The education department has assured students that the results will not be delayed, but teachers are still awaiting a government resolution (GR) confirming their demands, to start paper assessment.

"We made it very clear that all we want is an assurance from the government in the form of a GR. The minute we see the document, teachers across Maharashtra will start assessment," said Anil Deshmukh, general secretary, Maharashtra State Federation of Junior College Teachers' Organization . He said the teachers were ready to work extra , if need be, to ensure results are not delayed.

Teachers' representatives met education minister Rajendra Darda and the education secretary on Monday to discuss the issue. "We were assured all our demands have been accepted and the GR will be issued at the earliest. We will start work the minute the GR is issued," Deshmukh said.

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Land allotted to Congress MP returned, Maharashtra govt tells high court

MUMBAI: The state government told the Bombay high court that land allotted to Congress MP Rajiv Shukla's firm BAG Films Educational Society had been returned. But the society lawyer said they have returned it as the terms of the allotment were 'onerous' and could not complied with.

The society claimed Rs 2.2 crore from the state as "refund" for expenses towards rehabilitation of encroachers and security of land. A state lawyer, on being queried by a bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Sanklecha, said it was not.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by Save Open Spaces and its chief Ashoke Pandit about alleged illegal allotment of two plots in Andheri, one reserved for a municipal school to the society in 2008 when Shukla was its office-bearer . The society got the land for a proposed IB school, the PIL said.

Pandit said return of the land was a "victory for residents" and it exposed the "nexus of politicians in the allotment".

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Railway cops go on a wild-goose chase in techie murder case

MUMBAI: The railway crime branch sleuths last week thought they had almost solved software engineer Esther Anuhya's mysterious murder case, but their joy was short-lived.

A railway informer last week claimed to have identified the man seen along with Anuhya in the footage obtained from CCTVs at LTT, a source said. The informer told the police that the man was a former railway porter, Ekkya, who had quit the job a few years ago, and provided the cops with his address in Thane. When the sleuths reached Ekkya's residence and showed his mother a picture of the man seen with Anuhya, she identified him and said it was her son. She told the police that Ekkya had gone to Nashik.

"A police team left for Nashik, where they were told Ekkya had gone to Yavatmal. The cops then proceeded to Yavatmal, but Ekkya returned to Nashik. The team then returned to Nashik and nabbed Ekkya," said an officer.

But on questioning him for five hours, the cops realized that he was not the man they were looking for as on January 5, when Anuhya went missing, Ekkya was very much in Thane.

Joint commissioner (crime) Sadanand Date on Monday reviewed the case. Cops have released the man's picture. "People can call up on 022-25783999 or 9870205499 or 100. Name of the informer will not be disclosed and s/he will be rewarded," said an officer.

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

HC to hear plea to transfer probe in builder's killing

MUMBAI: Bombay high court will hear a petition seeking transfer of probe in the killing of Navi Mumbai builder Sunil Lahoria on Tuesday.

A division bench of Justice P V Hardas and Justice A S Gadkari will hear a public interest litigation by activist Ketan Tirodkar for transfer of probe from Crime Branch (Mumbai) to Central Bureau of Investigation. Tirodkar contends that there were 105 conversations between police commissioner A K Sharma and accused Suresh Bijlani and architect Anurag Garg on the day of the murder and a day later.

Pursuant to the court's last direction, the prosecutor at a earlier hearing submitted the call details of these conversation in a sealed envelope. After perusing it the judges asked it to be resealed and given to the court as and when we want it.'' The judges then queried whether investigations were conducted in respect of the police officers being in contact with accused prior to the incident. We have done it. It is being looked into by the joint commissioner of police. The DG is also looking into it,'' the prosecutor replied.

The judges also asked about the builder's son Sandeep's complaint against Sharma. When are you going to take a decision on it? 'asked Justice Hardas. Pai sought some time. We want to know in a confidential report on the basis of this (complaint) what inquiry you have made and the outcome of it,'' said Justice Hardas.

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Offices of polictal parties legal: Government tells HC

MUMBAI: State government on Monday told Bombay high court that offices of political parties like BJP and Janata Dal could not be demolished as they have existed at Nehru Garden near Mantralaya even before the Development Control Rules came into force in 1991.

A division bench of Justice Anoop Mohta and Justice Amjad Sayed heard a public interest litigation by three south Mumbai residents associations challenging encroachments in Nehru Garden by offices of political parties and State bodies. On August 20, 2013 HC restrained BJP from carrying out further renovation of its office and directed a status quo in all respects in the garden.

The government's affidavit, submitted by its advocate Niranjan Pandit, said structures like Employment Exchange, offices of BJP and Janata Dal , Zunkha Bhakar Kendra and Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal which the petitioner complains of as encroachment'' have existed for over 35 years and were constructed even before the land was earmarked as recreation ground (RG) in the Development Plan of 1991. It said the land belongs to the government which let it out to various parties and added that even though it was designated as RG, BMC never developed the garden. The structures have, therefore, remained even after the sanctioned plan of 1991 and till today and could not have been demolished by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai,'' it stated.

The affidavit said in case of unauthorised constructions, alterations and additions by the respondents (structures) , it is the responsibility of BMC to demolish them. The matter is adjourned by four weeks for the petitioners to file their rejoinder.

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Station diary submitted to Bombay HC in builder's killing

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday was given the station diary in connection with the probe into the killing of Navi Mumbai builder Sunil Lahoria.

A division bench of Justice P V Hardas and Justice A S Gadkari heard a public interest litigation by activist Ketan Tirodkar for transfer of probe from Crime Branch (Mumbai) to Central Bureau of Investigation.

Tirodkar contends that there were 105 conversations between police commissioner A K Sharma, accused Suresh Bijlani and architect Anurag Garg on the day of the murder and a day later.

Prosecutor Aruna Pai submitted the station diary to the court in a sealed cover. The judges said they would go through it and adjourned the hearing by four weeks.

Earlier the court been given call details of conversation between the accused and Sharma in a sealed envelope. The judges had also enquired about what decision has been taken by the government on Lahoria's son Sandeep's complaint against Sharma and has sought a confidential report on it.

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan inaugurates monorail in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavanon Saturday inaugurated the monorail in Mumbai.

The country's first Monorail service is commencing operations after a delay of over two years. This new addition to the city's public transport system will be made available for public use on Sunday.

The Rs 3,000-crore monorail project is being implemented in two phases. The first phase comprises the 8.9 km long Wadala-Chembur section, while in the second phase the services will be extended to Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk in South Mumbai.

The Authority has fixed fares between Rs 5-11 for the first phase of operations, he said adding that MMRDA will operate six trains in the first phase, and another 10 will be added in the second.

To begin with, the services will operate with four coaches having a combined carrying capacity of 2,300 passengers at every 15 minutes, Madan said.

"We aim to provide a service at every four minutes going forward," he said.

The monorail project has been executed by a consortium of engineering major Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T) and Malaysian firm Scomi Engineering and owned and operated by MMRDA.

The monorail is expected to reduce the travel time between Wadala and Chembur by almost half, from 40 minutes at present to nearly 21 minutes.

MMRDA has already spent Rs 1,900 crore of the Rs 3,000 crore allocated for the project, Madan said adding, "the civil work on the second phase of the project has been completed."

(With inputs from PTI)

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Employee steals Rs 2.75cr gold from jewellery store in Mumbai

MUMBAI: A 22-year-old man, Pramod Bhati, employed with a jewellery store in Kurla (W), stole 10.5kg gold worth Rs 2.75 crore from the shop and fled.

The incident took place on Thursday when Bhati stole the gold after changing the direction of the closed circuit television (CCTV) camera installed at RR Sanghvi Jewellers' safe room, said the Kurla police. Hunt is on for Bhati.

The theft came to light only at night when the shop owner, Ratanchand Jain (72), asked his son to go and check the whereabouts of Bhati, who had been missing. In the complaint, Jain said, "One of my employees, who sleeps inside the shop along with Bhati, called late on Thursday to inform that the shop was locked. Bhati was nowhere to be found and his mobile was switched off." Suspecting something amiss, Jain asked his son to open the shop with the spare key. "On opening the shop, we Jain's son saw that the safe room was open and ornaments worth over Rs 2.75 crore were missing. Jain then lodged a theft complaint," said a Kurla police officer.

Jain told TOI: "After closing the shop account on Wednesday night, I left and handed over the keys to Bhati, who along with other employees sleeps in the shop. Bhati, a Rajasthan native, had been employed six months ago after his uncle, who has worked with me for past 16 years. gave his reference."

"Bhati knew the shop remains closed on Thursday and took advantage of the trust. Before stealing, he had changed the direction of the CCTV," said an officer. A team has been formed to nab Bhati and will leave for Rajasthan soon.

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Centre nod for Mumbai’s TB control plan

MUMBAI: The Centre on Friday gave the green light to upgrade BMC's tuberculosis-control programme in such a manner that extensively drug-resistant TB cases could be diagnosed within three months.

Additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar said the Mumbai TB-control plan will get five welcome additions. This follows the visit of a central team, including state health secretary K Desiraju, in the city last fortnight.

"We will get five new GeneXperts in 2014 to diagnose multi-drug-resistant TB faster," she said. The Centre has agreed to allow a TB patient who doesn't respond to first-line of treatment to be simultaneously checked for both MDR TB and its worse version called extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR TB).

Earlier, such patients would be put through the MDR TB course for six months before being tested for XDR TB. This meant an XDR TB patient would continue to spread the bacteria for almost a year before getting access to the right treatment. "Now, the diagnosis time would be cut down to three months and the XDR patient will be given individualized treatment," added Mhaiskar.

The other points include upgrading diagnostic facility for XDR TB as well as at BMC's TB Hospital in Sewri. The Centre has also agreed for a pilot project to provide nutritional supplements to patients with drug-resistant TB.

"We are working out the details of the plan and should be ready to roll it out in June," Mhaiskar said.

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Junkies spread terror in south Mumbai lanes

MUMBAI: The roads and lanes of the Fort precinct, Marine Drive and Masjid Bunder have become a haven for drug addicts, who are a tribe that even cops tend to avoid confronting. The presence of junkies on footpaths and bus stops prompts people, especially women, to avoid those areas or pass by hurriedly.

Last month, a drug addict was seen assaulting a constable near the gates of Anjuman Islam school. "These are desperate men who will do anything to get their daily fix. Police often allow them to be lest they slash them with a blade or jab an infected needle," says a photographer who witnessed the incident. Clusters of addicts prowl areas like Ballard Estate, whose workforce empties out in the evening, and accost passersby for money and valuables.

Residents of Marine Drive who park their cars outside often find stereo systems missing. Chain snatching is rampant. Suman Gurwara's car was stolen from the lane near the flyover where additional municipal commissioner Mohan Adtani was robbed of his phone. "I'm afraid to send my child out alone. Drug addicts lurk around and snatch whatever is in your hands," she said.

The expatriate population is seen as a vulnerable target. A large population of foreigners not only lives and works in south Mumbai but loves to tour its heritage buildings and photograph them. Foreign students study at the Mumbai University, browse bookstores or take the train from Churchgate and CST railway stations.

DCP Ravindra Shisve of Zone I said cops have been conducting an ongoing drive against drug addicts. "Going by the dynamic nature of the business district, the crime rate is low. We had 30 cases of chain-snatching in 2013 compared to other zones which had 300-400. We have sanitized large parts of Azad Maidan and Oval Maidan of junkies. Dongri, which used to be the favourite haunt of Nigerian peddlers and conduits, is largely free of them. "I assure citizens we will intensify this drive."

22.23 | 0 komentar | Read More