Mumbai: Coming down heavily on the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) for shielding illegal constructions allegedly raised with the blessings of a former municipal corporator, the Bombay High Court has ordered demolition of three multistorey buildings and an unauthorised bar and restaurant built on government land meant for cattle grazing. A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe on September 22 expressed shock at the civic body’s inaction.

“This is another case which would shock the conscience of the Court inasmuch as on the land in question,” the court remarked. It noted that there are “three buildings which are illegally constructed without obtaining any permission whatsoever from Thane Municipal Corporation, which clearly appears [to have] the blessings of the then Municipal Corporator, as alleged in the petition.”

The HC was hearing a plea by one Niraj Kabadi alleging that three buildings — Wings A, B and C — were erected on plots at Mauje Majiwada, Thane, without conversion permission from the state government. Additionally, former corporator Bhushan Bhoir and others had started “Mogambo Bar and Family Restaurant” (later Madhushala Bar) in their wives’ names without approvals. The facilities have been used for parties and events, it alleged. The court noted that despite a coordinate bench granting police protection for demolition in January 2025, TMC failed to act.

“It appears that the Municipal Corporation had adopted an approach to subsist such illegality and was not very keen to implement the law of the land,” the bench observed, questioning why action was delayed despite repeated orders. The judges also referred to earlier proceedings in a plea filed by one Subhadra Takle, where 17 similar unauthorized structures in Thane were razed after court orders — a decision upheld by the Supreme Court. Senior advocate Ram Apte, representing TMC, claimed demolition was obstructed by attempts to gather public crowds.

“It appears that the Municipal Corporation had adopted an approach to subsist such illegality and was not very keen to implement the law of the land,” the bench observed, questioning why action was delayed despite repeated orders. The judges also referred to earlier proceedings in a plea filed by one Subhadra Takle, where 17 similar unauthorized structures in Thane were razed after court orders — a decision upheld by the Supreme Court. Senior advocate Ram Apte, representing TMC, claimed demolition was obstructed by attempts to gather public crowds.

The bench, however, refused to accept the excuse: “If the real intention of the Municipal Corporation was to undertake demolition, then the first step would have been disconnection of electricity and water supply.” Accepting Apte’s undertaking, the court directed TMC to issue notices within a week, disconnect electricity and water in 15 days, and carry out demolition thereafter with police protection if needed.

The concession of notice was granted only due to the festive season, the bench clarified, stressing that the occupants had long known they were in unauthorized premises. Ordering demolition of the “rank illegal and unauthorized” buildings, the court stressed that the civic body must show “real intention” this time.

Patna: Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister while claiming that India’s foreign policy has failed.

“India was looked up to by every nation, and whenever a problem arose anywhere in the world, Nehru used to take the lead. That is how Nehru was respected. Now, nobody respects our Prime Minister. It’s most unfortunate. Our foreign policy failed on every front.

Referring to the “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, the Congress leader said that India’s “reputation has come down”.

“The other day, Saudi Arabia entered into an agreement with Pakistan. So where are we now? Our reputation has come down with the combination of Amit Shah and Modi,” Moily added.

He further stated that the problem of unemployment and corruption was destroying the country.

“Stealing the vote is a corrupt practice. So that is why we are waging a war against unemployment, corruption, and all these things which are destroying the country,” Moily said.

Last week, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement”, pledging that any aggression against either nation would be treated as an attack on both.

The agreement was inked during a state visit by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Riyadh at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Moily’s remarks came after his arrival in Patna the previous night for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, scheduled to be held today.

It is expected that many top leaders from the Opposition party will also participate in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, which is being held ahead of the forthcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Senior Congress leaders have started arriving in Bihar’s Patna to attend the CWC meeting. Rahul Gandhi has also left for Patna to attend the meeting.

The timing and location of the meeting are considered crucial, as the Bihar Assembly elections are expected to take place by the end of 2025.

The CWC meeting will take place at Sadaqat Ashram, Patna, Congress’ headquarters in Bihar.

The meeting is expected to be attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Rajesh Ram, the party’s Bihar in-charge Krishna Allavaru, and Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan, among others.

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has removed nearly 10,000 kg of dead fish and ritual waste from the historic Banganga Tank at Malabar Hill following the conclusion of Pitru Paksha rituals, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The mass fish deaths were first noticed on Sunday, September 21, when devotees began offering flowers, food and other items as part of the fortnight-long ritual. Civic authorities said that the immersion of floral and organic material reduced oxygen levels in the water, leading to large-scale fish mortality.

“We collected over 6,000 kg of waste on Sunday itself, followed by 2,000 kg each on Monday and Tuesday. The material included dead fish, floral offerings, plastic, and other organic waste,” a senior BMC official confirmed. Waste was hauled away in seven dumper trucks. Water samples have been sent for laboratory testing to rule out any chemical contamination.

To address the immediate crisis, BMC has installed aerators and dewatering pumps to infuse oxygen and pump fresh water into the tank. “The steps are precautionary, aimed at stabilising water quality and preventing further deaths,” the official added. Officials from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Fisheries Department and Taraporewala Aquarium also inspected the site on Tuesday.

Banganga Tank, a 12th-century fresh-water stepped reservoir, is a heritage site managed by the GSB Temple Trust and home to more than 220 species of fish. However, mass fish deaths during religious immersions have become a recurring issue.

Following the mass death of fish at the historic Banganga tank in Walkeshwar during Pitru Paksha rituals, activists have urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to adopt preventive measures, including the creation of artificial ponds, to ensure the ecological survival of the water body.

Sneha Visariya, founder trustee of Just Smile Charitable Trust, strongly voiced the need for change. “The puja materials should be banned from entering the water and should be immersed in artificial ponds, from which only the water can be released into the tank. This will also give devotees a sense of ritualistic fulfilment. We are killing living beings in the name of religion, and this should be stopped,” she said.

Visariya also recalled her past efforts after a similar incident in 2022. She had taken samples of dead fish to Parel Veterinary Hospital for post-mortem. The hospital’s report, she claimed, confirmed contaminated water as the cause of death, strengthening the case for immediate intervention.