Connect with us
Thursday,14-November-2024
Breaking News

Maharashtra

BMC’s alleged road scam in Mumbai: Aaditya Thackeray poses 10 questions to civic chief

Published

on

Mumbai: Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray has targeted the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led government on the proposed concretisation of 400km of roads in Mumbai and reiterated a major scam in it.

Mr Thackeray in a letter to the BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has posed 10 questions on the alleged road scam. “The BMC had earlier issued a clarification that went all over but did not address the ‘scale, scam and setting’ for road contracts in the mega tender. The tender must be scrapped,” he demanded.

“Who has proposed these 400km of concrete road works and who has sanctioned Rs6080 crore for these road works? Is it the Municipal Commissioner/Administrator or the Chief Minister/Urban Development Minister? It is fair in a democracy for an opaque administration to issue tenders worth Rs6080 crore for non-emergency works in absence of elected representatives, when there is no civic emergency now or lockdown? Multiple roadworks are ongoing in the city and we are in the second half of fair season for road works. These tenders were due for around September last year,” said Mr Thackeray.

Where would Rs6000 crore be drawn from or diverted from? Would this affect any other schemes? Does the budget not require the sanction of the Standing Committee and the General Body of the BMC? he asked. What is the timeline of all the works proposed in the mega tender? Have permissions and NOCs from all relevant agencies been sought?
Why has BMC not negotiated the average 8% hike sought by the bid winners, over and above the revised Schedule of Rate (SOR)? The SOR was made on demand from contractors, as mentioned in BMC’s clarification.

Mr Thackeray said it is mentioned in the BMC clarification that the SOR was revised as no big contractor came for the August 2022 bids. “Does the market define the SOR or the demands from contractors? Will the BMC keep changing its SOR for contractors of its preference?” he asked.

Since the stress has been on the ‘national experience’ for contractors, where all have these contractors worked in cities similar to Mumbai?

Since working on greenfield highways is different from working in cities like Mumbai, how many kms of city roads have they made and at what rates in other cities?

“The clarification also states that institutes like VJTI and IIT will be ensuring quality tests. Sadly reports from both these reputed institutions were disregarded for one Gokhale Bridge. How will BMC regard its reports for 400 km? asked Mr Thackeray.

Most importantly, how does BMC explain the apparent cartelization of 5 packets for 5 contractors? he asked.

Crime

Wildlife Smuggling Racket Busted: Rare Snakes, Reptiles, Caged Orangutan Rescued From Dombivli House

Published

on

Thane: In a significant operation exposing a wildlife smuggling racket, the Forest Officials rescued rare species of animals from a highrise in Dombivli. The officials raided an apartment in Palava City, Dombivli and found exotic animals including lizard, turtles, rare species snakes and other reptiles stored in the flat. Horrifying enough, the team found a monkey caged in the washroom of the apartment.

It was later confirmed that the rescued animals included Ignuana (lizard), an Orangutan and python. The operation was conducted by the Forest Range Officers from Thane and Kalyan along with a team from Manpada Police Station after a tip.

The officials did not find any accused present in the apartment at the time of the raid. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 has been registered and a search for the accused is underway. Meanwhile, the seized species are handed over to a local NGO on a temporary basis for observation.

The video of the forest officials raid surfaced on the internet shows a boy opening the door of the well-kept apartment. After entering the flat, the officials gradually come across wildlife species stores in small cage, plastic boxes piled up in the passage and shocking enough an Orangutan in washroom at the end of the apartment.

As per the statement issued by the police, the teams raided the 8th floor apartment in B wing of Savarna Building in Palava City, Dombivli. In the action, the exotic animals seized as prima facie identified as python, ignuana (lizard), turtle, snake etc. The seized wildlife species, on temporary basis, are handed over to Birsa Munda- a local NGO. The pachanama, documentation and search for the accused is underway, it added.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Elections 2024: Milind Deora Challenges Aaditya Thackeray For Open Debate On ‘Future Of Worli & Mumbai’

Published

on

Shiv Sena MP and party’s candidate from Mumbai’s Worli constituency for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Milind Deora, on Wednesday challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and his opponent in the seat, Aaditya Thackeray, to an open debate on the future of Worli, Mumbai, and Maharashtra. In an X post, Deora referred to Aaditya’s old post in which he had said, “Someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum.”

Responding to an old post by Aaditya on X, which was posted in May this year during the Lok Sabha elections, Deora invited the former Maharashtra minister to a debate, saying, ‘Let’s also talk about BMC’s 30-year misgovernance, Mumbai Metro delays, Mahalaxmi Racecourse, and the Sachin Vaze scandal’s impact on Maharashtra’s economy.’

‘Worlikars should decide whether “speed breaker politics” or “progress without speed limits” is the best way forward for our city and state,’ he added.

Notably, in May this year, Aaditya Thackeray had challenged the Shiv Sena candidate Yamini Jadhav, who was pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Aaditya had said that two events where citizens could have watched South Mumbai candidates debate face-to-face and be asked questions by the citizens were canceled at the last minute. He alleged that the police canceled the events citing ‘fear of political workers clashing.’

In the post, he further said that Shiv Sena (UBT) South Mumbai candidate Arvind Sawant was ready for the debate and open questions, but the event was canceled.

‘Someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum, the Parliament being the highest,’ Aaditya had said.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Elections 2024: ‘Modi Govt Will Amend Waqf Act, Danke Ki Chot Par,’ Says Union Home Minister Amit Shah At Ghatkopar Rally

Published

on

Mumbai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday boldly asserted that the Narendra Modi government will amend the Waqf Board law “come what may (danke ki chot par)” and after that no one would be able to declare private land as Waqf property.

Shah said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is against the changes, but the bill to amend the law regarding the Waqf board will soon be passed in the Parliament.

Home Minister On Waqf

Speaking at the rally in Ghatkopar on Tuesday, the Union Minister said that in Congress-ruled Karnataka, entire villages had been declared as Waqf property.

“The Waqf Board of Karnataka has transferred lands of farmers, villages and old temples to Waqf property, and no one can stop them. It won’t be possible here, because Modi ji has proposed the changes in the law of the Waqf Board. The Aghadi is against the changes, but the bill to amend the law regarding the Waqf board will soon be passed in the Parliament,” Shah said.

“Narendra Modi sarkar waqf kanoon danke ki chot par badal ne wali hai (Come what may Narendra Modi government is going to amend the Waqf act) and then no one’s land or house would be declared as Waqf property. This is a free India, and no one has the permission to do this,” he added.

What Is The Waqf Act Of 1995?

The Waqf Act 1995, was originally established to regulate Waqf properties, but it has long faced criticism over issues of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha this August, seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.

Amit Shah in his rally further talked about a petition submitted by a large group of ulemas to the Congress State President in Maharashtra, demanding 10 per cent reservation for Muslims. He said the Indian Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion.

“Just now, a large group of ulemas met the Congress State President in Maharashtra and submitted a petition demanding 10 per cent reservation for Muslims. In this country, 50 per cent of reservations have already been allocated, and if you (Congress) want to provide reservation to Muslims, then someone’s reservation will have to be reduced. Our Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion…let Rahul Baba and his company do what they can, but we will protect the reservation rights of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis,” Shah said in his speech.

“A few days ago, I presented the BJP’s manifesto before the people of the state, and on the same day, Kharge ji presented the Maha Aghadi’s manifesto to the public. Furthermore, Kharge ji told the Maharashtra Congress to make promises that can be fulfilled, not promises that can’t be kept,” Shah added.

Campaigning has intensified for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) making efforts to woo the electorate.

The polls are scheduled for November 20 and counting will be held on November 23.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending