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Will boost ‘Ease of Living’: PM Modi praises Maha govt’s efforts in Maoist-affected areas

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New Delhi, Jan 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday commended the Maharashtra government for its initiatives in driving development in Maoist-affected areas of the state.

Taking to social media platform X, the Prime Minister wrote, “I laud the Maharashtra Government’s efforts to ensure all-round development in remote and Maoist-affected areas. This will certainly boost the ‘Ease of Living’ and pave the way for even more progress. A special congratulations to my sisters and brothers of Gadchiroli and the surrounding areas!”

The statement comes after 11 Maoists, including a senior leader, surrendered on Wednesday in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who spent New Year’s Day in Gadchiroli district.

Among the surrendered Maoists were eight women and three men, including two couples. They carried rewards amounting to over Rs 1 crore in Maharashtra, with additional bounties from the Chhattisgarh government.

The group included Tarakka, the head of the Dandakaranya Zonal Committee and the wife of Bhupati, a prominent Maoist leader. Tarakka had been part of the Naxalite movement for 34 years.

The surrendered individuals also included three division committee members, one deputy commander, and two area committee members. They were provided financial assistance totalling Rs 86 lakh to support their rehabilitation.

In the last year, 24 Maoists have been killed and 18 arrested in Maharashtra. Over the past six months, 27 hardcore Maoists have joined the mainstream. CM Fadnavis highlighted that the northern part of Gadchiroli has been freed from Maoism, and efforts are ongoing to eliminate it from the southern region as well.

“In the last four years, not a single youth has joined the Maoist movement. As many as 11 villages have banned Naxalites, and the C-60 soldiers have earned the trust of the people,” said Fadnavis, stressing that residents now believe in achieving justice through the Indian Constitution rather than Maoist ideology.

CM Fadnavis announced that Gadchiroli is on the path to becoming a “Steel City” with support from Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He assured that surrendered Maoists would be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

The Chief Minister inaugurated various development projects during his visit, including a bus service from Aheri to Gardewada, a green mining project, and several initiatives by Lloyds Metals. These projects involve significant investments — Rs 400 crore worth DII Plant at Konsari will provide 700 jobs; Rs 3,000 crore worth Pellet Plant and Slurry Pipeline will provide 1,000 jobs; Rs 2,700 crore Iron Ore Grinding Plant at Hedri, Etapalli will provide 1,500 jobs; and Rs 20 crore Vanya Garment Unit which will provide 600 jobs.

Fadnavis also launched the Lloyds Kali Ammal Hospital and Lloyds Raj Vidyaniketan CBSE School, which will educate 1,200 students. He inaugurated residences for police, a gymkhana, and a kindergarten.

Fadnavis interacted with villagers and security personnel in Pengunda, an extremely remote area, reaffirming the government’s commitment to bringing development to the region.

Maharashtra

Milind’s gangsters are a symbol of the city’s destruction, action is being taken under MPDA

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Mumbai: Milind Police have taken action against Tek Shankar Dhotre, who created terror here by intimidating shopkeepers, passers-by and rickshaw drivers and collected money by threatening them. The action has been taken on the instructions of Additional Commissioner Mahesh Patil. The accused is a terror in the area. A total of 6 cases of violence against him have been registered against him for collecting money. He intimidates traders and shopkeepers and collects money from him every month. No one used to speak out against him. In such a situation, the police took the complainant into confidence and took action against him. He is a terror in Milind. After taking action under the MPDA, the accused was taken into custody and deported from Mumbai to other cities. The Mumbai Police has now started action against such goons to restore the trust of the public towards the police so that the public’s trust in the police is established and the fear of the police remains in the hearts of the goons.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Weather Update: City Continues To See Smog-Filled Morning Amid Rising Pollution; Overall AQI Remains In Unhealthy Range At 281

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WETHER

Mumbai: Mumbai began its Friday with a deceptively pleasant chill, as minimum temperatures dipped just below 22°C, offering residents a brief sense of relief. However, this early coolness quickly gave way to discomfort as people stepped outside to find the city blanketed in a dense, lingering smog. Commuters heading out during peak morning hours encountered reduced visibility along with eye irritation, throat discomfort and difficulty breathing, clear signs of an atmosphere overloaded with pollutants.

What initially felt like a refreshing morning soon became yet another stark indicator of Mumbai’s steadily worsening air-quality crisis. A thick haze settled over major roads, residential complexes, commercial hubs and transit routes. With only weak winds sweeping across the region, there was little natural movement to disperse the pollutants that have been steadily accumulating throughout November.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the city is expected to experience clear skies through the day, with temperatures likely climbing to around 33°C in the afternoon. While the mild morning chill is expected to persist over the next few days, experts noted that there is still no sign of when Mumbai’s air quality might improve. The stagnant atmospheric conditions continue to trap particulate matter close to the surface, aggravating the city’s pollution load.

On Friday, Mumbai’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) rose to a worrying 281, placing it firmly in the unhealthy category. This spike represents a major deterioration from earlier in the month, when several neighbourhoods reported moderate or merely poor readings. The decline is now citywide, affecting coastal stretches, industrial belts and densely populated residential areas alike.

Among the worst-affected locations, the Wadala Truck Terminal recorded an alarming AQI of 395, marking it as the most polluted spot of the day. Colaba followed with a reading of 317, while Chakala reported 310, both falling within the severe category.

Prominent business zones were not spared either: Worli and the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) each logged AQI levels of 310, showing how uniformly pollution has spread across Mumbai’s central, western and eastern sectors.

Some suburbs fared marginally better but still failed to reach healthy levels. Kandivali East recorded the day’s lowest AQI at 130, classified as poor. Powai stood at 200, Malad West at 210, Parel Bhoiwada at 220, and Mulund West at 237, placing all within the poor to unhealthy range.

For context, an AQI of 0–50 is considered good, 51–100 moderate, 101–150 poor, 151–200 unhealthy, and anything above 200 classified as severe or hazardous. With much of the city now above that threshold, Mumbai continues to grapple with an air-quality crisis that shows no signs of easing.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: Massive Fire Breaks Out Inside Godown In Kurla’s Kismat Nagar;

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Mumbai: A major fire erupted inside a godown in Kurla West’s Kismat Nagar area on Thursday night, triggering a swift response from the Mumbai Fire Department. Videos circulating on social media showed towering flames accompanied by dense black smoke rising high above the godown, visible from several hundred metres away.

According to officials, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Fire Brigade received an emergency call at 11:08 pm, following which multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Initial assessments categorised the blaze as a Level-II fire, but as flames rapidly spread across adjoining structures, the situation escalated. By 11:44 pm, the Mumbai Fire Brigade declared it a Level-III (major) fire after the inferno engulfed nearly 10 to 12 chawl structures.

Firefighters battled the spreading flames through the night, working to prevent the blaze from reaching densely packed residential units in the vicinity. The godown where the fire originated was located within a chawl cluster, making containment especially challenging. Thick plumes of smoke blanketed surrounding localities as emergency teams attempted to bring the situation under control.

Several agencies were deployed as part of the coordinated response effort, including the BMC Fire Brigade, local police, ward officials, the Electricity Distribution Company and a 108 ambulance unit. Despite the scale of the fire and the proximity to residential structures, authorities reported no injuries so far. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident late Wednesday night, a car fire on the Bandra Worli Sea Link caused major disruption to traffic. The vehicle, identified as a Honda sedan, reportedly rammed into the side barrier at high speed before catching fire. Motorists on the busy sea link were left stranded as a long traffic snarl developed, with many unsure of the cause until videos began circulating online.

Footage showed the vehicle completely charred, with firefighters working quickly to extinguish the flames. Though the fire generated thick smoke and intense heat, no casualties have been confirmed. Fire officials later stated that the blaze was brought under control after brief yet intense firefighting efforts.

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