Mumbai: The State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC) has taken cognizance of a media report on the non-availability of “Fresh Whole Blood” at K.E.M. Hospital, Parel. The council has directed hospital officials to conduct an inquiry and submit a factual statement with proper clarification.

Media had published a report on August 11, 2025, titled ‘No fresh whole blood at KEM hosp, baby’s life at risk’. It highlighted the case of a newborn suffering from Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN), who received one unit of ‘O’ Positive fresh whole blood only after eight days. The unit was eventually sourced from Shatabdi BDBA Hospital, Kandivali, after KEM’s blood bank failed to arrange it.

Doctors warned that any delay in transfusion could worsen jaundice and anemia in the newborn, and in severe cases lead to life-threatening complications such as hydrops fetalis.

Following the report, RTI activist Chetan Kothari lodged a complaint with SBTC, attaching a copy of the article. He criticized the hospital’s “laziness” in arranging blood and pointed out that in such emergencies, two options are available: preparing fresh whole blood by mixing red cells with plasma, or urgently calling one or two donors of the required group, testing them, and providing the blood within four hours. While this may carry minimal infection risk, experts argue it is far safer than withholding transfusion, which could result in death or permanent harm to the baby.

Activists have long alleged that negligence and administrative lethargy often lead to such lapses, even though newborns are a special case. Unlike adult patients who can receive packed cells, newborns require only fresh whole blood. Repeated instances at a premier government hospital, they argue, raise serious questions of accountability.

Based on Kothari’s complaint, SBTC’s assistant director Dr. Purushottam Puri instructed KEM officials to conduct a probe and submit a factual clarification. The move comes amid widespread media attention, with SBTC stressing the need for an accurate and transparent account of the incident.

Meanwhile, after the report was published, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also issued a clarification to this newspaper. It stated that, as per universal practice, donated whole blood is separated into components—red cells, platelets, and plasma—to maximize use.

However, in specific cases such as newborn transfusions, fresh whole blood is required without separation. The BMC further claimed that KEM’s blood bank has been proactively motivating donors to donate for such cases, and that a recent camp collected 900 units of blood.

Despite this, media has come across at least three separate instances in the same period where newborns at KEM urgently required fresh whole blood, raising concerns about gaps between policy and practice.

The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) has registered 13 FIRs against unauthorized hoardings, banners, and posters displayed across the city during a special drive. The action was taken under the instructions of Commissioner Manisha Ovhal, in line with directives of the High Court.

The drive was carried out across all four wards of the UMC region, where several illegal hoardings, banners, and posters had been put up without permission.

A team led by Additional Commissioner Dr. Dheeraj Chavan supervised the removal of the unauthorized material. UMC registered 13 criminal cases across different police stations in Ulhasnagar — two at Central Police Station, three at Vitthalwadi Police Station, six at Ulhasnagar Police Station, and two at Hill Line Police Station.

Ganesh Shimpi, Nodal Officer of UMC, said, “Under the instruction of the Commissioner, we will continue to monitor unauthorized banners, hoardings, and posters, and take action against them if they do not have permission.”

The civic body has appealed to citizens, political parties, and organizations to avoid defacing the city with illegal banners and posters. UMC warned that strict action will be taken against anyone violating the norms.

Mumbai: Morning commuters on the Central Railway line faced unexpected trouble after two buffaloes got trapped under a local train between Vangani and Badlapur on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred around 11:07 am, brought train movement on the up-line towards Mumbai to a complete halt, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The mishap took place when a herd of buffalo crossed the tracks near Vangani. While most managed to pass, two buffaloes came under a Mumbai-bound local train that had departed from Vangani minutes earlier. The train came to a sudden stop and remained stuck for over an hour as railway staff and local residents rushed to the scene to assist.

Both buffaloes were trapped under the train and sustained serious injuries. Rescue operations began immediately, with railway employees and villagers working together to remove the animals. The train crew remained on standby while officials coordinated efforts to restore traffic.

The disruption came during peak office hours, leaving hundreds of daily commuters helpless at stations across the Central line. With no trains running from Karjat to Mumbai, platforms at Badlapur, Ambernath and Kalyan quickly grew overcrowded. Passengers complained of long waits, uncertainty and possible delays in reaching their workplaces.

Officials confirmed to media that efforts were still underway to clear the line and resume services. Until then, local trains heading towards Mumbai remained halted, creating a ripple effect across the Central Railway network. While such incidents are rare, they highlight the vulnerability of suburban train services to unexpected disruptions.