Mumbai: In a bold move to scrub the city’s image and climb the ranks of the national cleanliness mission, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officially launched the ‘Mumbai Clean League’ on Tuesday. This innovative initiative transforms mundane civic duties into a high-stakes, city-wide competition, aiming to turn every area into a champion of hygiene.

The campaign received a major boost with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar stepping in as the official brand ambassador. Known for his advocacy of sanitation, Kumar is now the face of Mumbai’s local swachhata revolution.

During the launch event, he stressed that the city’s beauty depends on the collective effort of its residents, noting that just 30 minutes for cleanliness can make a massive difference. He urged every Mumbaikar to spend half an hour a week tending to their immediate surroundings to build a healthier future.

The ‘Mumbai Clean League’ is designed to be inclusive, inviting participation from all corners of the city. The league features dedicated categories for housing societies, slums, markets and gardens to ensure a level playing field. While housing societies are challenged to implement waste segregation and composting, slum communities are being encouraged to lead drives to keep common passages and shared facilities pristine.

To ensure transparency and real-time monitoring, the BMC has integrated a digital tracking system. Participants are provided with unique QR codes placed at strategic locations within their premises. By scanning these codes, residents can submit photos of their efforts, track their ‘League Points’ and report waste collection updates directly to a centralised dashboard. Top-performing societies and wards are likely slated to receive civic grants and special recognition from the BMC.

BMC believes that the competitive element will foster a sense of ownership among citizens. By gamifying hygiene, the corporation hopes to move away from heavy fines toward a culture of voluntary participation. As the league kicks off, all eyes are on Mumbai’s wards to see which locality will emerge as the ‘Cleanest in the City.’

Mumbai: A 42-year-old man, who was captured on CCTV, while pushing his wife before a running local train owing to marital discord, has been arrested in Surat. The accused, Rajukumar Gupta, an electrician, went absconding with his younger son after pushing Pushpa, 36, to her death on the morning of March 14. Hours before the incident, the victim had even lodged a police complaint.

According to victim’s brother Kamlesh Kumar Gupta, 30, who is a soldier, the couple had frequent quarrels and hence he had come to take his sister and his elder nephew, 15, back to their UP native. In his complaint to the Kurla GRP, Kamlesh, who lives in UP, said that on March 14, when they were set to go to UP, Rajukumar and Pushpa again had an argument, prompting the latter to approach the police. Kamlesh said that subsequently, he, Pushpa and her 15-year-old son reached the Mulund station.

However, he realised that he had forgotten his Army ID card at Rajukumar’s house. Hence, he along with his nephew went back, however, an enraged Rajukumar locked the duo inside the house. The accused then arrived at the Mulund station, where he saw his wife standing on platform 1. He pushed her in front of a running local train and fled, said the FIR.

Commuters alerted the station master, following which the railway authorities rushed Pushpa to a government hospital, where she was declared dead. Kamlesh said that he somehow managed to alert neighbours, who helped open the door.

Police said the CCTV footage from the station has captured the incident. Based on the complaint, the Kurla GRP has registered an FIR against Rajukumar under section 103 (punishment for murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Mumbai: Amid the ongoing LPG shortage in Mumbai and surrounding regions, Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday informed the legislative council that the state has authorised police protection for the transportation and distribution of liquefied petroleum gas to curb rising black marketing.

Bhujbal said the move comes in response to increasing instances of illegal sale of LPG cylinders, allegedly driven by supply disruptions linked to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia. So far, the state’s enforcement wing has conducted over 2,100 inspections, resulting in the registration of 23 cases and the arrest of 18 individuals involved in black marketing.

To strengthen monitoring, district collectors and regional authorities have been directed to form vigilance squads to crack down on illegal trade. The minister expressed confidence that police deployment would prevent interference in the supply chain and ensure smoother distribution of cooking gas across the state.

Despite the shortage, Bhujbal maintained that oil companies have adequate stock and that production at refineries has been increased from 9,000 metric tonnes to 11,000 metric tonnes. He also urged citizens not to panic, reiterating that the central government controls LPG supply and pricing.

Kerosene Looked As Alternative Fuel Amid LPG Shortage

As part of contingency measures, the state government is also considering supplying kerosene as an alternative fuel. The proposal was communicated to the Bombay High Court, specifically its Nagpur Bench, earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the LPG crisis has severely impacted the hospitality sector. Representatives of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR) met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Vidhan Bhavan, seeking immediate intervention.

According to AHAR president Vijay K Shetty, many restaurants have either downsized operations or shut down entirely due to disruptions in both LPG and piped natural gas supply. Smaller establishments, in particular, are struggling to sustain operations amid rising costs and supply uncertainty.

The government has assured stakeholders that it will take up the issue with oil marketing companies and the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. In the meantime, priority in LPG supply has been given to essential services such as hospitals, educational institutions, crematoriums, old-age homes and orphanages.

The shortage, now stretching into its ninth day, continues to disrupt daily life and business activity across Mumbai and nearby districts, even as authorities attempt to stabilise supply and prevent further escalation of the crisis.