Maharashtra
Mumbai: Fine arts students from JJ college withdraw art from exhibition
The flair of fine art shall remain shrouded this academic year, or so has been decided by the protesting students at JJ School of Arts. Fine arts students, on Friday, shunned their classrooms and carried their classwork to campus grounds, protesting the lack of infrastructure and permanent professors within the college.
Unsatisfied with the response they got from higher ups, the students, on Tuesday, decided to withdraw their artwork from ‘Rajya Kala Pradarshan’ or the state art exhibition which is to be held in January 2023, in Pune.
The irony being, a Fine Arts student awaits this day like no other, explained Santosh Parkar, General Secretary for the student body at JJ. “Our entire academic year revolves around this day. Whatever we learn and practice is reflected in what we present here. The winning students catch the eye of the entire state,” said Santosh who was to present a commercial complex miniature at this exhibition.
Despite their strong position against participation, students continue to work on the exhibition projects till they’re completed. After arriving on campus by 8 am every morning, Fine Art pupils begin their day’s work. “I have been spending nearly 13 hours on my temple-form sculpture over the past month. I feel guilty for not submitting it,” said Shekhar Salunke, a fourth year BFA student.
With the absence of facilities, these projects have become quite the ordeal. Rushikesh Ingole, another sculpting student, has been carving a rock to portray his childhood memory. “I have not been able to work on the metallic aspect of my model as the college has no functional foundry,” said Rushikesh. To work with metal, students like him have been shelling money from their own pockets to visit commercial foundries.
Those who work with other materials face similar problems as JJ school still lacks necessities like looms, furnaces, and art softwares. And at certain places, even lights and fans.
A student, In most cases, spends six years of her life studying at the JJ arts college. She starts off with a 4 year Bachelor’s in Fine Arts(BFA) before moving on to a two year Master’s called MFA.
These students have been fearing shifts within the pedagogy during these long years, as most of the college staff teaches only on a contractual basis. Several teaching contracts are to expire on December 12, reported students.
“Art cannot be taught like any other technical subject. There is an exchange of ideas and philosophies between students and their professor. If art is taught from contract to contract, then you cannot prevent an enormous gap in the curriculum,” said Amol Hirawadekar, a protesting alum.
The winning students at Rajya Kala Pradarshan are honored by the state and receive a cash prize. “Students from the JJ School of Arts bring home the majority of the prizes each year,” said Prof. Vishwanath Sable, Dean at JJ School of Fine Arts.
“Even though the students are refusing to put up their projects now, we are certain that all protest issues will be resolved by January and JJ students will certainly participate,” he added.
Maharashtra
Correction made by the Municipal Corporation in the application form for fire safety approval, important decision of the Additional Municipal Commissioner

Necessary amendments have been made regarding Mumbai Fire Safety. Necessary amendments have been made in the relevant forms to clarify that “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is a recommendation given at the stage of approval of building plan under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Amendment 2026) and is not a “Fire Safety Certificate”. Accordingly, revised application forms have been prepared for new/altered construction, construction of additions/conversions, repair matters, final approval of fire safety as well as temporary constructions, this was informed by Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwani Joshi.
Under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Amendment 2026), “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is a recommendation given at the time of approval of the design of a building and before the actual construction commences, regarding compliance with fire prevention and life safety measures required under the Act. However, it has been found that “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is in fact only a recommendation in nature, but is being treated as a “Fire Safety Certificate”. Therefore, necessary amendments have been made in the relevant form to clearly state the nature, purpose and its statutory limits and scope of the Temporary Fire Safety Approval. As per the said amendment, the above Fire Safety Approval shall be granted in accordance with the points and terms and conditions mentioned therein. Revised forms have been prepared in this regard. Changes have been made in the provisions of Provisional Fire Safety Approval for New/Altered Construction (N.C.O.), Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Additional/Alternate Construction (A.A.O.), Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Repairs in Additional/Alternate Construction, Fire Safety Approval for Fire AMP. Repairs in New/Modified Construction (N.C.A.), Final Fire Safety Approval and Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Temporary Constructions (T.C.) etc. Architects, Licensed Surveyors, Developers may take note of this, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini has appealed. Besides, Joshi has directed that the revised application forms be made available on the Municipal Corporation’s website https://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous immediately.
Maharashtra
‘Bangladeshis & Rohingyas Ahould Pack Their Bags’: BJP Minister Nitesh Rane Warns Action Against All Illegal Encroachments In Mumbai

Amid the ongoin Bandra’s Gareeb Nagar anti encroachment drive in Mumbai, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane on Friday issued a strong warning against illegal constructions on government land, stating that authorities would continue demolishing unauthorised structures, including houses and illegal religious establishments.
Speaking to reporters during the drive, Rane said the state government would take strict action against encroachments and accused illegal settlers of occupying public land.
“If you build illegal houses or mosques on government land, we will uproot them. It is government land and not anybody’s personal property,” the minister said.
During his statement, Rane also referred to alleged illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya settlers living in parts of Mumbai. He claimed the government had made promises during elections to act against such settlements and was now implementing them.
“We had clearly said during the elections that we do not want illegal Bangladeshi or Rohingya settlements here. We are fulfilling that promise,” he said.
The minister urged those staying illegally in the city to leave voluntarily, warning that further action would continue as part of the anti encroachment campaign.
His remarks came in the backdrop of recent demolition actions in parts of Mumbai, including Bandra, where civic authorities have intensified drives against unauthorised structures built on public land.
Rane’s comments are expected to trigger sharp political reactions, especially over the reference to religious structures and migrant communities. Opposition parties in Maharashtra have previously criticised such statements, accusing leaders of using divisive language during civic actions.
However, supporters of the anti encroachment campaign argue that illegal occupation of government land has become a major challenge in Mumbai, contributing to congestion, civic strain and safety concerns.
The Maharashtra government has in recent months stepped up demolition and clearance operations across several parts of Mumbai and nearby regions. Officials maintain that the action is aimed at reclaiming public land and preventing illegal construction activity.
Authorities have not yet released detailed figures regarding the number of structures removed during the latest phase of the drive.
The issue of encroachments remains politically sensitive in Mumbai, where rapid urban growth and housing shortages continue to fuel disputes over land and rehabilitation.
Maharashtra
Mumbai NC Inter-state ganja smuggling network exposed, 702 kg ganja seized from Gondia, Maharashtra and 02 arrested

Mumbai: The Central Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) got a major success when the court convicted Dawood Ibrahim gang and Pathan gang chief Chinko Pathan. NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede had arrested these accused and arrested Chinko Pathan from Dongri with weapons, which is why the accused has been convicted in this case. The Central Anti-Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai convicted five accused in a major synthetic drug smuggling case. The value of the seized drugs is Rs 6.5 crore. In a major success against organised synthetic drug smuggling, the Mumbai Zonal Unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has convicted five accused in a high-profile NDPS Act case involving the smuggling of Mephedrone (MD), Methamphetamine and precursor chemicals, as well as large-scale drug laundering and illegal possession of arms. On May 19, the Special NDPS Court, Thane, Maharashtra sentenced Mohammad Arif Yaqoob Bhujwala (R/O-Chinchbandar, Mumbai) to 15 years imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh. Parvez Khan alias “Chunko Pathan” and Mohammad Salman Khan (both residents of Chinchbandar, Mumbai) and Vikrant Jain (resident of Bhiwandi, Thane) have been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000. Another convict Haris Faizullah Khan (Murshid) has been sentenced to one year imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000.
The case began on January 20, 2021 when NCB Mumbai officers, acting on specific intelligence, conducted a search operation in Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai and arrested a notorious history sheeter and drug smuggler Parvez Nasrullah Khan alias “Chunko Pathan”. During the operation, NCB officers recovered 52.2 grams of Mephedrone (MD) from his possession. The search resulted in the recovery of an unlicensed pistol with five live rounds, cash worth Rs 12,500, proceeds of drug smuggling, and approximately Rs 3.57 lakh. Precious metal ornaments worth Rs. were recovered which were allegedly obtained from illicit drug proceeds.
Investigation revealed that the seized contraband was supplied by another notorious smuggler and financier, Mohammed. Arif Bhujwala, who was running an organised network of synthetic drug smuggling from the Chinchbunder area of Mumbai. Based on the revelations and technical investigations, the NCB teams conducted extensive searches at several premises linked to Arif Bhujwala.
The search at Noor Manzil, Chinchbunder, Mumbai resulted in the most significant seizure ever made by NCB Mumbai in a synthetic drug case so far. The officers recovered 5.375 kg of mephedrone, 990 gm of methamphetamine and 6.126 kg of ephedrine, a controlled precursor chemical widely used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs. In addition, another unlicensed firearm was seized along with cash worth Rs. 2,18,25,600. which is suspected to have been produced through illegal drug trafficking. The premises searched by the NCB were found to be functioning as storage and processing locations for synthetic narcotics. Various packaging materials, weighing machines, sealing equipment and items used for processing and distribution of contraband were also recovered during the operation. Several bank documents, mobile phones, electronic devices and financial records were seized and later analysed as part of the investigation.
Further investigation revealed the role of another accused, Mohammad Salman Khan, who was purchasing narcotics from Parvez Khan @ Chinko Pathan and further distributing it to the local drug network. A search conducted at his premises in Chinchbunder resulted in the recovery of 10.5 grams of Mephedrone along with packaging materials and weighing equipment used in distribution activities.
NCB investigators also uncovered the role of accused Vikrant Jain alias “Vicky Jain”, who was the financial backer of the drug trafficking operations. was aiding and abetting the illicit trafficking. A search was conducted at his premises in Bhiwandi which resulted in the seizure of 52.8 grams of mephedrone, including the banned substance mixed in Rajini Gandha and tobacco products. The financial records and banking instruments recovered during the search proved his role in financing and facilitating the drug trade.
In continuation of the continuous investigation and surveillance, the NCB teams successfully identified and arrested another accused, Haris Faizullah Khan, from whose possession 3 grams of mephedrone were recovered. The investigation revealed his active association with a vast network of synthetic drug trafficking.
The investigation was conducted by adopting a “bottom-up” and “network-centric” approach, systematically analysing all the forward and backward links of the smugglers. Through painstaking intelligence development, technical analysis and financial investigations, the NCB identified the principal operators, suppliers and The operation ultimately led to the dismantling of a well-established synthetic drug trafficking syndicate operating in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Considering the wide spread and financial depth of the network, NCB Mumbai had also initiated a comprehensive financial investigation to identify and link the assets generated from the illegal drug trafficking.
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