Maharashtra
Mumbai: BMC’s Wood And Coal Ban Sparks Heritage Status Demand For Irani Cafés And Century-Old Bakeries

Mumbai: The BMC has mandated that by July 8, all restaurants, dhabas, and bakeries using wood and coal switch to green fuels to combat pollution. However, the political leaders have called for halting actions against Irani cafés and bakeries, urging the city to grant them heritage status. The civic officials emphasised that the shift is being enforced as per Bombay High Court (HC) directives to reduce pollution and protect public health.
The India Bakers’ Association (IBA) recently informed MLA Rahul Narwekar that many of its bakeries, some operating for over a century, bake pav in wood-fired ovens. They raised concerns that the HC’s January 9 order banning wood and charcoal in commercial kitchens to improve air quality would disrupt the supply of pav, essential for vada pav.
In support, former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging that Mumbai’s iconic Irani cafés and bakeries be exempted from the ban and granted heritage status to preserve their culinary legacy.
In his letter Narwekar said, “Irani Cafes, integral to Mumbai’s culinary history since the 19th century, should be granted heritage status to preserve their traditions. The state government should exempt them from the ban on wood and charcoal use.”
He cited examples of historic eateries in New York and centuries-old windmills in the Netherlands, which are preserved through similar exemptions to protect cultural heritage. Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh has called for an urgent hearing for bakers, Irani cafes, and bakeries before the BMC’s air pollution control committee.
Along with bakery owners, he recently met with Additional Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma, highlighting the lack of piped gas infrastructure in many areas. Shaikh emphasised, “Without the necessary infrastructure, how can bakery owners transition to cleaner alternatives within six months? A meeting with MGL and MPCB should be convened to address this before enforcing the regulations.”
Meanwhile, a civic official said, “Bakeries, hotels, restaurants, street food vendors, and tandoor-based businesses in Mumbai often use low-quality wood or broken furniture as fuel, releasing harmful gases that pose serious health risks. These businesses contribute to air pollution, leading to lung disorders, heart diseases, and other ailments. We have not received any directions from state and BMC Administration to stop the action.”
Maharashtra
Pakistani PIO spy Ravinder Verma in judicial custody

Mumbai: The court has ordered the remand of Pakistan Intelligence Operative PIO spy Ravinder Verma from ATS remand to judicial custody. Ravinder Verma of the police station is accused of providing secret information to Pakistan, after which the ATS arrested him. Ravinder Verma’s defense lawyer Rupali Shinde said that her client does not have any secret money more than Rs 2,000 in his account, but the ATS opposed it and said that money was also transferred to him from other accounts, after which the court ordered the accused to be kept in judicial custody for 14 days. The defense lawyer said that the girl with whom Ravinder Verma was in contact is not Preeti Jaiswal, but Jaspreet, and he was in contact with her and was affected by the honey trap and this girl is from Punjab and Delhi. The ATS has interrogated the accused, in which the ATS has been provided with many important details.
Maharashtra
Muslim representative delegation met police commissioner Deven Bharti on Mumbai loudspeaker, stop action till Eid-ul-Adha: Azmi

Mumbai: Muslim representatives met Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and lodged an objection against the removal of loudspeakers from mosques, saying that only mosques are being targeted, which is completely wrong, while the principle of noise pollution is equally applicable to all, but only on the complaint of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya there is a risk of deteriorating the environment by removing loudspeakers from mosques, and a demand was also made to stop police action to maintain law and order.
Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and Assembly member Abu Asim Azmi told the media after meeting the Police Commissioner on the loudspeaker issue that Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti said that no action will be taken against loudspeakers till Eid-ul-Azha, while Azmi drew the attention of the Police Commissioner on this issue that unilateral action is being taken only against mosques. The police take action after the complaint of Kirit Somaiya and then the action starts. He said that the issue of removing loudspeakers from mosques is threatening peace in Mumbai. Azmi said that the way Kirit Somaiya and Nitish Rane are demonstrating provocations has spoiled the atmosphere of Mumbai city.
The police should also take action against them to maintain law and order. Police Commissioner Deven Bharti has assured the delegation that he will take necessary steps on this issue and action will be taken as per the law. Abu Asim Azmi, while expressing concern over mischief on Eid-ul-Azha, told the Police Commissioner that the way some miscreants are constantly trying to create conflict in societies by offering sacrifices. On Nitish Rane’s venom regarding sacrifice in societies, Azmi said that sacrifice is offered in societies and it is done legally, there is no problem in it, but some people are presenting sacrifice as an issue to spoil the environment. He said that even in Hinduism, cats are offered, then no one objects. On Nitish Rane’s demand for virtual sacrifice, he said that Islam will follow Sharia and Muslims offer sacrifices only according to Sharia and the law has allowed us to do so.
Samajwadi Party leader Yousuf Abrahani, Advocate Amin Solkar, Khateeb and Imam of Hari Masjid Maulana Zubair Ahmed Barkati were also present in this representative delegation. Yousuf Abrahani said that legal action is being taken on the loudspeaker issue and the court is also being approached, while all the conditions imposed on the loudspeaker issue are illegal, while the Supreme Court had ordered decibel control and decibels have been fixed, accordingly, loudspeakers are used in mosques, but the police are taking action under pressure from the Kirit Somaiya and the police do not have the authority to remove loudspeakers from mosques, but despite this, this process is continuing, while the Mumbai Police Commissioner has also assured of necessary action on this issue.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Cyber Cell recovered Rs 1.29 crore

Mumbai: The Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police has recovered Rs 1.29 crore from the victims in the Digital Arrest fraud case. The Mumbai Crime Branch had received several complaints on helpline 1930, in which complaints of cyber fraud were received. A 73-year-old doctor from Vile Parle had lodged a complaint on the helpline. The elderly man was called on a video call by a police officer and a judge and cash was withdrawn from his bank account.
In this case, money was transferred five times from the bank account between June 2 and June 4 and Rs 2.89 crore was transferred. After registering a complaint in this case, the police filed a complaint on the NCRP portal and the nodal officer of the bank froze Rs 1.29 crore in the bank account itself for cyber crime. This action was taken under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Crime Lakshmi Gautam, DCP Purushottam Karad.
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