Mumbai, April 8: A youth from Maharashtra’s Jalna district has been arrested for allegedly creating and circulating an objectionable video on social media that defamed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and spread misleading information regarding a plane crash involving former Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

The Cyber Cell of the Western Regional Division Police identified the accused as Uddhav Bhagwan Kapse. Following his arrest, he was brought to Mumbai for further legal proceedings. A local court in Bandra remanded him to police custody until April 10.

According to the Mumbai Police, the objectionable video uploaded by Kapse had garnered nearly 1.5 lakh views on social media before it was eventually deleted. Investigations revealed that the video contained misleading and defamatory content targeting the Chief Minister, while also misrepresenting facts related to the alleged plane crash.

Taking serious cognisance of the viral content, senior officials directed the Cyber Cell to register a case. The police subsequently ensured the video was removed and filed an FIR against an unidentified individual for circulating fake and objectionable material and defaming public figures.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the origin of the video to the Jalna district. Acting on this information, a police team detained Kapse from Buttegaon village.

Police officials stated that Kapse is a resident of Buttegaon and has studied up to Class 10. He lives with his parents. During questioning, he reportedly confessed to creating and sharing the video using AI tools after compiling available footage.

Following his arrest, Kapse was produced before a Bandra court on Tuesday afternoon, which remanded him to three days of police custody. Further investigation is underway to ascertain whether he acted alone or was influenced or supported by others.

Meanwhile, on March 26, CM Devendra Fadnavis had said the zero FIR registered in Bengaluru in connection with the plane crash that killed then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on January 28 was an alleged attempt by the neighbouring Congress-led Karnataka government to ‘defame’ the state.

Mumbai: In a major boost to north Mumbai’s landscape, Union Cabinet Minister Piyush Goyal’s push has resulted in the `246 crore Dahisar River Rejuvenation Project reaching its final stretch. This follows reviews by Goyal since his election as Lok Sabha MP in May 2024.

The project focuses on intercepting sewage, enhancing water quality, and ensuring a cleaner, healthier river stretch. As part of the project, two state-of-the-art, fully automated Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) based on advanced Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) technology have been constructed along the Dahisar River.

One of the STPs is a 5.0 MLD STP at Indira Nagar and another one a 1.5 MLD STP at Sukurwadi. Both STPs have achieved 100% completion of civil and mechanical works, with commissioning and handover processes currently underway.

The treated water from these facilities will be reused for non-potable purposes such as gardening, road cleaning and other municipal applications, contributing to sustainable water management.

The Dahisar River, stretching 12 km from Tulsi Lake to Manori Creek, deteriorated over years due to untreated waste. Following the July 26, 2005 Mumbai floods, the Chitale Committee recommended rejuvenation. Under the BMC’s Brihanmumbai StormWater Disposal initiative, the project was undertaken. While the project faced historical delays, the interventions by Goyal during the last 1.5 years have ensured that the work moved on much faster.

The rejuvenation project also includes: Improvement of a 4.75 km stretch of the Dahisar River; Sewerage Network: Construction of 4.4 km of sewer lines and installation of interceptors for diversion of dry weather flow; Urban Integration: Development of service roads and construction of roadside drains to support better civic infrastructure

Goyal said: “Our priority is to prevent flooding and decisively reduce the hardships faced by the people of Uttar

The progress is driven by a Multi-Department Review Mechanism established for north Mumbai, bringing together officials to resolve issues. Regular follow-ups through his Lok Kalyan Karyalaya ensure swift implementation on the ground.

Mumbai: Following strong citizen resistance, the BMC has significantly scaled down tree cutting for the Malabar Hill Reservoir project. The original plan would have impacted 389 trees, including 200 slated for transplantation. Under a revised design featuring a 52 Million litres per day (MLD) alternate tank, the number of affected trees has been reduced to under 100.

An alternative water tank will be built on a plot behind the iconic Hanging Gardens, above the existing reservoir. The project is vital to ensure continuous supply during repairs to the reservoir, as any failure of the current structure could affect South Mumbai’s distribution system, claims, civic officials. Under the revised plan, the alternative tank falls within the “funnel of vision,” making approval from the state government’s Urban Development Department mandatory. This requirement is likely to subject the project to an additional level of scrutiny before it can progress further.

“Spread across 4,000 sq m, the alternative tank project will allocate 2,200 sq m exclusively for reservoir construction, while the remaining area will be used for supporting infrastructure such as valves, micro-tunnelling systems, and pumps,” he added. The BMC is planning to engage experts in cases where trees are affected, with efforts focused on transplanting those that may obstruct the project. The trees likely to be impacted include Ashoka, Fanas, Bel, Mango, and Jambhul species. The civic body has revised the construction plan for the alternative tank to preserve large-girth trees.

The century-old reservoir beneath Hanging Gardens supplies 147 MLD of water to South Mumbai. Following a 2022 audit that flagged structural concerns, the BMC approved a reconstruction plan worth nearly Rs 698 crore, which included building a 90 MLD replacement tank. Work commenced in 2023, but the project soon drew public attention after notices were placed on trees in Hanging Gardens slated for removal, triggering strong opposition from Malabar Hill residents.

Amid the protests, the BMC shelved its plan in 2023 to demolish and reconstruct the reservoir. Instead, it shifted to a phased repair strategy that necessitates the construction of an alternative tank. However, residents have questioned the need for such a facility, arguing that repairs could be carried out in phases by isolating sections of the reservoir, with the remaining capacity deemed sufficient to maintain supply. They have also indicated plans to approach the court over the issue.