Animal activists condemn the chicken abuse during Shiv Sena victory celebration

MUMBAI: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA India) has strongly condemned the cruel abuse of chickens during the victory celebrations for the Bandra (east) bypolls.

"Animals claim no political sides and yet, even when humans celebrate a political win, they still make animals losers. Chickens pose no threat, they are the most gentle beings on the planet, and for them there are no voting rights, just our mercy," stated the CEO of PETA India, Poorva Joshipura, who said she was aghast to see live visuals on TV about the birds being roughly handled and flung in the air by the Shiv Sainiks.

PETA has been inundated with calls and emails from people who were shocked and horrified that chickens—who already suffer so much abuse—are now being abused in this way too.

Apparently, the chickens were used by the political activists as a taunt for the losing candidate, Narayan Rane, who has been nicknamed by his rivals as `kombi chor' (chicken stealer) out of spite.

In 2012, following PETA pressure, the Election Commission of India asked all political parties to refrain from using any animals for election campaigns. In an advisory, it also notified all Indian political parties that any violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, will not be tolerated.

Chickens used for meat and eggs are the most abused animals on the planet. Chickens used for eggs are typically crammed into cages hardly bigger than the size of their own bodies, while those used for meat are crammed into sheds with often thousands of other birds struggling for space, informed an animal activist. Instead of giving them more room to move, farmers usually cut off the beaks of birds used for eggs since they peck each other in such close confinement. They are then thrown into trucks, tied upside down on motorbikes, or stuffed into suffocating sacks to be transported to slaughter where they are typically hacked at with dull knives while still conscious.

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Maharashtra bypoll: Shiv Sena Trupti Sawant defeats Narayan Rane

MUMBAI: Congress leader Narayan Rane once again received a major political setback after a widow of former Sena legislator late Prakash Sawant defeated him in a bypoll with a comfortable margin of around 19000 votes.

Sawant led Sena's home turf Bandra E where Matoshree is located. This is Rane's second consecutive defeat after he lost election to Vaibhav Naik on his homeground in Kankavli.

While Rane received 33703 votes, Shiv Sena's Trupti Sawant has got 52711 votes pushing MIM candidate (15050) to third position. Sawant's victory has given Sena a much needed boost ahead of civic polls in Navi Mumbai, Aurangabad and later in Mumbai n Thane.

In Tasgaon R R Patil's widow has won with a thumping margin of over 1 lakh vote. She defeated a BJP rebel.

According to sources Rane's political rehabilitation now looks bleak and he will be at his party's mercy but, for the Congress, there's a silver lining even in the Mumbai loss; the party seems to be back in favour among at least the minorities with more votes this time than in the last year's elections. Also, Cong will not have to deal with a resurgent and, therefore, rebellious Rane and the big guns in the party will breathe easy for now.

Read this in Hindi: उपचुनाव में भी हारे नारायण राणे, समर्थकों की भिड़ंत

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Shiv Sena's Trupti Sawant trounces former CM

MUMBAI: In a major political coup, Shiv Sena's Trupti Sawant trounced former CM and Congress heavyweight Narayan Rane in the Bandra (east) assembly by-election with over 20,000 margin of votes.

A rank novice, Sawant was in the poll fray following the death of her husband, Sena MLA Prakash Bala Sawant early this year. Siraj Khan Rahbar Khan of the MIM came a poor third.

However, analysts say Khan's presence led to polarisation of votes along communal lines, which helped the Sena bag the seat in what was being described as an uneven fight.

Jubilant Shiv Sainiks held noisy celebrations outside Rane's Bandra residence, triggering tension in the area. Timely police intervention averted a crisis.

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Maharashtra okays ACB clean chit to Gavit, HC told

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government informed Bombay High Court on Wednesday that it has sanctioned Anti-Corruption Bureau's clean chit to former cabinet minister Vijaykumar Gavit, his wife Kumudini and his brother Sharad.

A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice V L Achliya were submitted a report from the ACB in sealed cover containing the decision. The bench questioned on what basis the director-general has arrived at his decision and asked it to be shown to the court at 3 pm. When Gavit's advocate Mahesh Jethmalani asked what the final report says. Justice Patil replied,"The final report is in your (Gavit) favour. DG is not in favour of the open inquiry continuing. State government has concurred and sanctioned its closure."

The court heard public interest litigation by Nashik activists for prosecution of Gavit, Kumudini and Sharad,. PIL alleged that ``illegal assets '' were acquired by Gavit when he was minister of the Tribal Development Department, a portfolio he held for a long time. Last month the investigating officer submitted the report of the open inquiry and the DG's report was awaited.

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'Workers spend an average of 5% of income on commuting': Study

MUMBAI: The cost of travelling to work has almost doubled over the past five years. New research findings by global workplace provider Regus shows that workers worldwide now spend an average of 5% of their net take-home income on their annual commute.

The research also sheds light on the fact that more than half of the global workers have a home office, but having a fully equipped professional space at home is much rarer and businesses hardly ever foot the bill. The study surveyed more than 44,000 senior business people across more than 100 countries.

Global workers spent an average of 3% of their annual take home pay on their commute into work back in 2010, but the situation has now significantly worsened. Costs have risen even higher than the 5% average for workers in some parts of the world: in South Africa, Brazil, France, India and Mexico, for example, country averages have reached 6%. Businesses that want to retain and attract top talent cannot fail to address the issue of the costly commute.

A fifth of the respondents also report that it would take a whole month's salary for them to fit out a professional working space within their home and only one third (34%) report that their firm has contributed to creating their home office, making a neat little saving for firms that encourage home working.

The research highlights that: · In 2010 the average commuter spent 3% of take home salary on travel, this has now risen to 5% in 2015;

· In Mexico, South Africa and India commuters spend an average of 6% of annual income on travel;

· 79% of respondents confirm that most companies that encourage their employees to work from home do not cover all the costs of creating and maintaining that workspace;

· Almost half (49%) of workers globally think that most companies that encourage their employees to work from home are simply trying to transfer the cost of having workspace onto the employee.

Harsh Lambah, country manager for Regus in India, said, "With living costs rising, every penny counts for the world's workers, yet travel expenses are accounting for a larger and larger slice of their yearly outgoings. Flexible working can provide a solution for maxed out employees. The financial benefits of remote working for both staff and employer are clear, yet many businesses are currently missing out on a valuable opportunity by failing to fully commit. Businesses that want to retain top talent need to urgently address reducing the cost of commuting by offering them the choice to work closer to home at least some of the time."

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Half of construction project owners experienced underperforming projects last year: KPMG

MUMBAI: Over half of construction project owners experienced one or more underperforming projects last year, despite confidence in project planning and controls, said KPMG International's 2015 Global Construction Project Owner's Survey: Climbing the Curve, released on Wednesday. Project owners said only 31% of their projects came within 10% of budget, and just 25% within 10% of original deadlines, in the past three years.

"As engineering and construction projects get bigger, the complexity grows exponentially," says Geno Armstrong, Global Chair, Engineering & Construction and a principal with KPMG in the US. "The improvements by owners in planning and risk management have been significant, yet there is further work to be done to reduce the number of project failures, and bring more projects in on-time and on-budget."

KPMG's survey shows that owners of major capital projects are implementing more mature planning and approval processes, with 84% reporting that their company screens projects using both financial and risk analysis, and 74% of firms requiring formal project delivery and contract strategy analysis, prior to authorization.

About 44% acknowledged a struggle to attract qualified craft labour and 45% percent cited a lack of planners and project managers. Consequently, the majority - 69% - say their firms hire external resources equivalent to more than 5% of their total project workforce.

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HC puts on hold govt move to regularize Mumbai’s illegal buildings

MUMBAI: In a setback to the Maharashtra government, the Bombay high court on Monday restrained the state and BMC from taking a final decision on regularizing over 56,000 illegal structures in the city. Hearing a public interest litigation filed by city resident Rajendra Thacker, a division bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Ashok Bhangale directed the state and BMC to reply within six weeks and not to take any decision on the issue during that period.

Advocate Sumedha Rao, counsel for Thacker, pointed out to the court that there was no mention in reports about whether the proposal to regularize the illegal buildings conformed to the guidelines laid down by the high court in 2004. "Nobody knows which are these 56,000 buildings that the authorities plan to regularize or what sort of violations are being condoned. Despite an RTI application, the authorities have not furnished a list of these buildings," said Rao. The petition has urged the court to ensure that the 2004 guidelines are followed and no regularization is permitted till the state gives time to citizens to submit their objections and suggestions.

As per BMC records, there are over 56,000 illegal structures in Mumbai housing around 15 lakh people. Last month, TOI had reported about BMC commissioner Sitaram Kunte submitting a report to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with a proposal to regularize most of the illegal structures and demolish the others partially or completely. The report said that constructions where the balcony area or extended part of the legal constructions have been occupied could be compounded by charging additional fees, and norms could be relaxed for those falling in reserved or no-development zones. The state had reportedly given its in-principle approval for the scheme though it was scrutinizing it for legal implications, especially if it was in accordance with the Mumbai Regional Town Planning Act.

Thacker in his petition urged the court to order the state to reveal the details and whether it was in conformity with the 2004 HC guidelines. The 2004 guidelines were framed in an order that had come on an earlier PIL filed by Thacker, which had challenged a 2003 BMC decision to regularize 154 buildings in the city. The HC had in its guidelines said that structures that have violated FSI rules will not be permitted to be regularized unless it is allowed under the Development Control regulations. The civic authorities have to ensure that health, safety, fire and structural safety of the buildings and neighbourhood is not affected and had provided for compensation of affected residents as part of the premium.

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‘Accused was in cop’s home at time of crime’

MUMBAI: The first defence witness in 2010 Kurla minor rape and murder case told a sessions court Monday that the accused Javed Sheikh, a cable man, was attending to a repair call at the home of a police constable in Nehru Nagar at the same time the prosecution claimed he had carried out the gruesome act.

The witness, a cable distributor, is a former employer of Sheikh and said on June 6, 2010, Sheikh had spent the entire day on field, collecting the cable and internet fees and also attending to calls. The witness also said he had diary entries and receipts collected by Javed on that day.

The victim was found raped and murdered in 2010. Sheikh was arrested and trial began in September 2010.

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Happy new year, solar calendar way

Several communities that observe new year by the solar calendar are preparing to celebrate April 14-15 amid feasting and festivity. The advent of Vaishakh or Vishubh Sankranti marks the turn of the calendar for natives of Punjab, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Assam and Kerala. Some celebrations:

Baisakhi | April 14

The foremost festival of the Punjabi calendar is being celebrated on April 13-14. Celebrations by the Maharashtra Sikh Association and Punjabi Heritage Cultural Board were held in Bandra and Andheri on April 11 owing to the weekend holiday. But the Sikhs of Lokhandwala gathered on Monday.Bhangra and gidda performances were followed by a feast that demonstrated the community's love for food.

Puthandu | Tamil Nadu (April 14)

Tamilian households across the city, particularly in South Indian enclaves like Sion Matunga, are preparing to welcome new year at Puthandu on Tuesday. After they adorn the threshold of the house with traditional rice flour rangoli, women prepare a range of bitter, sour and sweet dishes, including neem rasam, salad pachadi and appam. Families visit the temple wearing new clothes and return home to light the holy lamp. Mohana Iyer of the Vashi Fine Arts Society plans to visit the Ayyappa temple with her husband who is from Palghat. The family will celebrate Puthandu and Vishu simultaneously.The Tamil Nadu government had "shifted" new year to Pongal some years back but not all accepted the revision.

Bishubha Sankranti | Orissa (April 14)

The community will celebrate it on Saturday as it falls on April 14, a working day. A grand function has been organised at Orissa Bhavan in Navi Mumbai. Dr Kananika Tripathi, head of the Bombay Odia Women's Association (BOWA) since 23 years, says, "Our Bishubha Milan programme draws hundreds of people for its ethnic flavour. We serve classic bel fruit sherbet and the delectable manda peetha sweet, which resembles modak. This year, we are staging a comedy that has been sourced from the cultural department of Orissa." Students of the community-run Utkarsha dance academy will perform the Odissi Dashavtar dance led by Guru Shakti Nayak.

Rongali Bihu | Assam (April 14-15-16)

The month of Vaishakh is called Bohag in Assam, so the three-day festival of Rongali Bihu is also termed Bohag Bihu. The Assam Association will host a Rongali Bihu celebration with 'Bihu gaan' and 'hosuri' dance at the Cidco Hall in Navi Mumbai on April 18.Around 650 people are expected to attend. S P Borthakur, former vice president of the association, says, "The first day or Goru Bihu is dedicated to worshipping and adorning cows and livestock, the second for Manuh or human beings, the third for Gosain or God. This is when we start using handheld fans to signal the change in season, and share vegetables with neighbours as a gesture of goodwill. We visit religious places and seeking blessings from family elders." He says turmeric water is prepared for bathing so the skin can be purified. Housewives cook ethnic sweets, including various peetha made from black sesame, rice or coconut.

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Has night-life policy figured women safety? : Maharashtra to tell HC

MUMBAI : The Maharashtra government is expected to tell the Bombay High Court on Wednesday whether its policy decision to allow bars, pubs and restaurants to remain open all night in Mumbai has considered the impact of safety of women.

On March 13, the HC had restrained the government from implementing its proposed decision unless it satisfies the court that it has conducted an impact study on the safety of women.

The court is hearing two public interest litigation including one taken up spontaneously after a woman was molested on a train between Nerul and Juinagar stations in the wee hours of June 19, 2011.

The government was granted time of three weeks to file reply including informing if it will entrust the Dharmadhikari committee, which was set up to suggest women-friendly recommendations, to look into the entire issue.

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