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Maharashtra

BMC’s Struggle For Clean Mumbai: Waste Segregation Efforts Fall Short, Civic Officials Under Fire

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BMC's Struggle For Clean Mumbai: Waste Segregation Efforts Fall Short, Civic Officials Under Fire

Mumbai: The BMC has set an ambitious goal of achieving zero waste by 2030, but numerous pilot projects aimed at promoting waste segregation have struggled to deliver. The dry and wet waste segregated by residents often gets mixed in the compactor, raising serious concerns about the city’s waste management strategy, claimed former corporators and activists.

About The Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000 Rule

The Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000, mandate all local bodies to scientifically treat waste and provide infrastructure for segregation, collection and transportation. However, the BMC’s efforts to make all the housing societies and commercial establishments larger than 20,000 sq m or those producing more than 100 kg to start segregating and composting waste in their premises failed badly post Covid.

Civic sources indicate that currently, less than 50% of these bulk generators comply with the regulations. Despite several cleanliness drives, the city’s ranking in the national ‘Swachh Survekshan’ declined last year, with the BMC scoring only 65% in source segregation. Activists and ex-corporators attribute this dismal performance to the apathy of civic officials and a lack of strategic planning.

Key changes are necessary, including amending the 2016 Solid Waste Management bylaws to empower the civic body to impose fines on violators.

Statement Of Ravi Raja, Former Opposition Leader In The BMC

Former opposition leader in the BMC, Ravi Raja said, “What’s the use of residents segregating waste if it gets mixed in the compactor? Some compactors have separate chambers, but are hardly used.”

Even if kept apart, their ultimate destination is the landfill. The BMC’s plan to make the city garbage-free has failed miserably as large piles of waste can be seen on the streets, he added.

Statement Of EX-BJP Corporator Vinod Mishra

Ex-BJP corporator Vinod Mishra added, “The capacity of vehicles for dry waste is nowhere near their wet waste counterparts. How can the BMC achieve its zero garbage target if the necessary equipment isn’t provided? People aren’t used to storing their waste, so dry waste ends up being picked up by the wet waste compactor.”

Vinod Gholap from the Fight for Right Foundation slammed the BMC for not providing any guidance or support to the citizens on waste segregation.

“Instead of addressing its own failures, the civic body now seeks to penalise citizens,” said Gholap. A senior civic official said, “While it’s true that segregated garbage sometimes gets mixed in the compactors, we now have four-five dedicated vehicles in each ward for collecting dry waste. We are also raising awareness among housing societies.”

Crime

Palghar Fraud: Nalasopara Gym Trainer, Wife Booked For Duping Mumbai Cosmetics Shop Owner Of Over ₹1.27 Crore In Investment Scam

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Palghar, Maharashtra: The Tulinj Police have registered a case against a gym trainer and his wife from Nalasopara for allegedly duping a Mumbai-based cosmetics shop owner of over ₹1.27 crore under the pretext of a profitable gym business investment.

Victim Details and Investment

According to police, the complainant, Ashokkaraman Van (28), originally from Gujarat and currently residing in Elphinstone, Mumbai, stated that in 2022 he and his friend Valjibhai Ravariya were persuaded by Abhishek Singh, a fitness trainer, and his wife Poonam Shukla to invest in a new gym project at Sitaram Complex, Santosh Bhavan, Nalasopara (East), Palghar district.

The couple allegedly promised high returns and assured them that the investment would be safe. Convinced by the assurances, Van invested ₹1,27,63,000 into the venture. However, despite repeated follow-ups, neither profits nor the principal amount were returned.

FIR Filed for Cheating and Criminal Breach of Trust

Realizing that they had been cheated, the complainant approached police, leading to the registration of an FIR under sections 316(2), 316(5), 31(8)(4), and 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to criminal breach of trust and cheating.

Investigation Underway

Police confirmed that no arrests have been made so far. The case is under investigation by Inspector Anand Pednekar of Tulinj Police Station.

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Crime

Mumbai Crime: 26-Year-Old Woman Allegedly Assaults Female Ticket Checker At Goregaon Station; Case Registered

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Mumbai: The Borivali railway police have registered an FIR against a 26-year-old woman for allegedly assaulting a woman ticket checker on Wednesday after a dispute over showing a ticket. The accused has been identified as Sony Chauhan, 26. The case was registered on August 20, subsequently, the police issued a notice to the accused.

Incident on Local Train

According to the police, the incident occurred on Wednesday at 3:25 pm at the Goregaon ticket checker office at the railway station. The complainant, Geeta Pandoria, 52, works as a ticket checker with the railways and resides in Andheri East. She had boarded a slow local train from Andheri to Borivali from platform number 3 at Andheri station.

Before the train reached Goregaon station, Pandoria asked passenger Sony Chauhan to show her ticket. Chauhan was unable to produce one as she had not purchased it. The ticket checker then got down with her at Goregaon railway station’s platform number 2 and took her to the ticket checker’s office.

There, Chauhan allegedly began arguing with Pandoria, verbally abused her, threatened to harm her, physically assaulted her by beating and twisting her left hand, and obstructed her from performing her official duty. The ticket checker sustains the middle finger of the left hand.

Case Registered Under IPC

Following the complaint, the Borivali railway police registered a case against Chauhan under Sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 352 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused resides in Andheri East.

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Maharashtra

Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Faces Setback As Ex-Palghar Zilla Parishad Chief Prakash Nikam, Along With Other Prominent Leaders, Defects To BJP

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Palghar: Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faced a major setback in Palghar as important leaders switched allegiance to the BJP, such as former Zilla Parishad President Prakash Nikam and multiple office bearers. In a demonstration of power, more than two hundred vehicles, spearheaded by BJP district president Bharat Rajput, departed for Mumbai, signaling a tactical step before local body elections.

Notable individuals like Sarika Nikam, Purnima Dhodi, and Ghanshyam More became members of the BJP at an event with state president Ravindra Chavan. The BJP’s enlistment of individuals from the Shinde and Thackeray factions, as well as the Nationalist Congress Party, has heightened the regional political atmosphere. By incorporating six members from the Gram Panchayat, the BJP is likely to take control of Saravali Gram Panchayat, which is strategically located near the Tarapur Industrial Estate.

The roster of individuals defecting to the BJP features: Prakash Nikam, Sarika Nikam, Yuva Sena coordinator Ricky Ratnakar, Anand Dhodi, Purnima Dhodi, Ghanshyam More, Kamlakar Dalvi, and Virendra Patil, whose daughter previously worked in the municipal sector. Prakash Nikam conveyed his discontent with the Shiv Sena, pointing out disrespect and exclusion from party events, while Anand Dhodi voiced comparable feelings of being overlooked at district meeting.

Both mentioned unresolved issues and continuous insults as reasons for their exit. Under the guidance of Chavan and Rajput, the BJP is gearing up to focus on strengthening its hold in the district in anticipation of forthcoming elections, utilizing the dissatisfaction among Shiv Sena to amplify its presence in Palghar.

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