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Maharashtra Govt To Scrap Acquisition Process For Rs 86,300 Crore Shaktipeeth Highway Project Amidst Protests

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Mumbai: Amid strong protests from farmers, opposition parties, and also ruling party members, the MahaYuti government has taken a crucial decision to scrap the land acquisition process for the ambitious 802 km Shaktipeeth Highway connecting Nagpur-Goa, sources have said.

About The 802 KM Long Shaktipeeth Highway Project

The project entails an investment of a whopping Rs 86,300 crore which will pass through 12 districts and is expected to reduce the travel time to 8 hours from the present 13 hours. It aims to increase connectivity, tourism, especially religious tourism, and the general development of the region.

The expressway will cover Hindu pilgrimage places such as two jyotirlingas — one in Parli Vaijnath and the second in Aundh Naganath (Nageshwar) in Hingoli district. The Mahur Renu Devi temple, Tuljabhavani in Tuljapur, Vitthal Rakhumai temple of Pandharpur, Mahalaxmi temple of Kolhapur, and Goa’s Patradevi temple are other popular temples in both these states that the expressway will cover.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Directs Cancelation Of The Land Acquisition Process

In the wake of the raging protest, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde intervened and directed to cancellation of the land acquisition process. State government sources said, “The government will soon cancel the notification released for the land acquisition for the project. The government had appointed 27 land acquisition officers in 12 districts and it hoped to complete the land acquisition by December this year so that the state-run Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) could begin the bidding process. MSRDC is a nodal agency for the project implementation and it started the land acquisition in June. MSRDC has already forwarded its proposal to the state government for cancelling the land acquisition process.”

Why Did The Govt Put The Project On The Back Burner?

Protests from farmers, especially from Kolhapur, were the trigger for the state government to put the project on the back burner ahead of the Assembly election. Farmers had argued that nearly 27,000 acres of land would be lost due to the highway. This will make thousands of farmers landless. The farmers were joined by members from ruling and opposition parties arguing that the Shaktipeeth Highway would severely hit agriculture and it should be scrapped. They also demanded the realignment of the existing route.

Assurance Given By The Maharashtra CM

The Chief Minister has assured the farmers and the members from ruling and opposition that the government will not go ahead in project implementation in haste but pursue it only after considering their views and sentiments.

The government’s move comes a day after NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday strongly opposed the development of Shaktipeeth Highway saying that he would soon meet the Chief Minister in this regard.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Urdu Academy should be formed, funds and staff should be appointed for the promotion of Urdu language Abu Asim Azmi

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Mumbai: Mumbai Maharashtra Legislative Assembly member Abu Asim Azmi has demanded the immediate formation of Urdu Academy to promote Urdu. He said that academies of other languages ​​including Gujarati and Marathi are active, but the condition of Urdu Academy is pathetic. Earlier there were 25 employees in this academy, but now only the superintendent is left. The remaining 24 have retired. The government needs to pay attention to the plight of Urdu.

The formation of this academy will promote Urdu. Azmi demanded that the Urdu Academy is facing difficulties due to the provision of funds. He said that the government allocates Rs 1 crore on paper, but this fund is not provided. Abu Asim Azmi said that Urdu is the language of our country. Whenever the Chief Minister or any other minister speaks in the House, they resort to Urdu poetry. But when it comes to the establishment of Urdu Academy and the development of Urdu language, the government is doing injustice

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Maharashtra

On the third day of Maharashtra Assembly, the opposition protested against the corruption of Rs 3000 crore.

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Mumbai: On the third day of Maharashtra Assembly in Mumbai, the opposition accused the ruling party of corruption and protested on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan, accusing the government of giving contracts to every company of its choice. The state’s construction and development department has given a contract of Rs 3000 crore to Mahagathbandhan government’s Megha Engineering Company. Many shortcomings have been found in the work of this company, but despite this it is dear to the government. Therefore, slogans were raised on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan that giving contract to this company is condemnable. Opposition members were also holding banner posters of contractor Megha Engineering, in which the picture of the owner of Megha Company was also visible. The opposition has intensified its protest against corruption in the Mahagathbandhan government. Shiv Sena opposition leader Ambadas Danve, Congress members and all parties including Congress protested loudly on the stairs of Vidhan Bhavan and drew the attention of the government towards this.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai School Teacher Arrested Under POSCO Act For Sexually Assaulting Minor Student Multiple Times Over One Year

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Mumbai: A horrifying case has come forward from a well-known Mumbai school where a 40-year-old English teacher from a renowned Mumbai school was arrested under the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old student multiple times over a year.

The attacks began after the teacher developed an attraction to the boy while organising dance groups for the school’s annual function in December 2023. Initial advances made in January 2024 were rebuffed by the student, prompting the teacher to enlist a friend to persuade him, claiming such relationships were common. Following this, the teacher picked the boy up, took him to a secluded location, and assaulted him.

According to a report by media, in the ensuing weeks, the teacher provided the student with anti-anxiety medication and arranged outings to luxury hotels, where they had several sexual encounters, often intoxicating him beforehand. The teacher’s arrest has shocked the school community.

The student’s behavioral changes raised concerns with his family, but they decided against reporting the incidents, hoping it would resolve on its own as he neared graduation. After leaving school earlier this year, the student fell into depression, and the situation escalated when the teacher attempted to contact him through the domestic staff. This prompted the family to file a complaint with the police.

Authorities have charged the teacher with penetrative sexual assault and related offenses under the POCSO Act and other relevant laws. The case underscores serious issues concerning student abuse within educational institutions. The teacher has been remanded in police custody until Wednesday, as investigations continue into this disturbing incident involving a minor.

Similar Incident

In another incident a mathematics teacher in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing 24 girl students in classes VIII to X last week. Complaints to the principal led to the teacher’s suspension and subsequent police custody. The Director of School Education initiated an inquiry due to the seriousness of the situation, tasking the Deputy Director of Elementary Education with gathering information promptly. The teacher now faces charges under Section 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and POCSO provisions, reflecting the education department’s urgency in addressing these allegations.

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