Maharashtra News Live Updates: CM Eknath Shinde warns BMC officials of action if Mumbai faces waterlogging issues

Mumbai's civic body on Thursday banned domestic Ganpati idols made of Plaster of Paris and said such idols with a height of up to four feet must be made of 'shadu' (fine, dry clay) soil and eco-friendly materials. The decision, which was taken during a meeting chaired by municipal commissioner IS Chahal, was aimed at promoting environmentally friendly Ganeshotsav celebrations this year, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said in a release. (PTI)

Mumbai on Thursday reported 21 new coronavirus positive cases, which took its overall tally to 11,63,598, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. The death toll remained unchanged at 19,771 as nobody succumbed to the infection in the last 24 hours, it said in a bulletin. On Wednesday, the city had witnessed 24 cases and one fatality. (PTI)

Police have arrested five persons in connection with the theft of high-end mobile phones in Mumbra and the adjoining areas of Thane district, and recovered from them 91 such gadgets and cough syrup collectively worth Rs 9.15 lakh, an official said on Thursday. (PTI)

Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Thursday claimed that local people foiled the BJP's plan to instigate a riot in the temple town of Trimbakeshwar in Nashik district. Tension prevailed at Trimbakeshwar, where one of the 12 Jyotirlingas is located, earlier this week when a group of people belonging to another religion were accused of trying to force entry into the temple premises to offer incense. (PTI)

Civic officials will face action if Mumbai witnesses waterlogging issues during the upcoming monsoon, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Thursday. He was speaking after inspecting various pre-monsoon works being carried out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Shinde asked the BMC administration to ensure a foolproof system is in place at spots that face waterlogging so that people get relief. He said civic authorities have already set up holding ponds and floodgates to release rain water into the sea. (PTI)

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday assured Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda that their party would win more seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming elections than it bagged in previous polls. Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held in the country in April-May 2024, while the assembly polls in Maharashtra are likely to be conducted in October-November next year. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena (undivided) combine had won 41 out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra (BJP 23 and Shiv Sena 18). In the Maharashtra Assembly polls held later that year, the BJP won 105 seats, while the Shiv Sena bagged 56 seats. The two parties, however, parted ways after the election results over the issue of chief minister's post. There are 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra.

The reservoir of the Jayakwadi dam located in central Maharashtra's Aurangabad district is losing more water due to evaporation than on account of use for drinking and industrial purposes, an official said on Thursday. It supplies 0.29 Million Cubic Meters (MCM) of water for drinking and industrial purposes to the surrounding region every day. But in summer, as much as 1.60 MCM of water is lost to evaporation per day, said dam engineer Vijay Kakade. "This is a normal phenomenon in summer. But the loss due to evaporation is more than the water we provide for industrial and domestic uses every year," he told PTI.

Police in Thane in Maharashtra have arrested five persons who allegedly tried to sell a 20-day-old boy, an official said on Thursday. Those arrested include the mother of the infant and a 61-year-old doctor, Thane Crime Branch Unit I senior inspector Dileep Patil told PTI.

Two persons from Punjab were held for their alleged involvement in the killing of a transport company owner in Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, taking the number of arrests in the case to three, a police official said on Thursday. (PTI)

Union minister Nitin Gadkari will lay the foundation stone of a Rs 51.03 crore skywalk facility for devotees of the renowned Renuka Devi Temple in Mahur in Maharashtra's Nanded district on Saturday, an official said. The temple, some 280 kilometres from Aurangabad, is located on the top of a hill and devotees currently have to climb several steps, he said. "The skywalk will be 70 metres long, 15 metres wide and will have a lift capable of carrying 80 persons at a time. A total of 32 shops too will be constructed as part of this work. The project will cost Rs 51.03 crore and will be completed in 18 months," the official said. (PTI)

The Tulja Bhavani temple administration in Maharashtra's Osmanabad district has prohibited the entry of people wearing half pants or "indecent" clothes, a management official said on Thursday. The decision has been taken to maintain the sanctity of the religious place, he said. A large number of devotees every year visit the famous temple of Goddess Tulja Bhavani located at Tuljapur in Osmanabad. The temple administration has put up boards in Marathi with a message that (devotees with) "uncivilised dress, indecent clothes and those displaying body parts, half pants and bermudas (shorts) will not be allowed" in the temple. (PTI)

In a significant legal victory for India, a US court has approved the extradition of Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana to India where he is sought for his involvement in the horrific 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The ruling comes just over a month before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to the US on his first state visit at the invitation of President Joe Biden. He will be hosted by President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for a state dinner at the White House on June 22. (PTI)

Jubilant supporters

BJP meet under way

BJP executive committee meeting under way in Pune.

Police have arrested 11 Bangladeshi nationals, including four women, from Thane and Raigad districts in Maharashtra after they were found staying illegally in the country, an official said on Thursday. The arrests were made on Wednesday evening and in the early hours of Thursday, he said. These Bangladeshi nationals were held from Kamothe locality near Panvel in Raigad district and from Narpoli in Bhiwandi taluka of Thane district, spokesperson of Thane city police told PTI.

Mock registration for FYJC admission from May 20

Conductor of first state transport bus in Maha dies at 99

The SC had in its verdict in the Shiv Sena case said that the assembly Speaker must decide on the disqualification petitions within a reasonable period. Speaker will determine which faction is the political party, it said.

Narwekar had said, “I welcome the decision of the SC, which has given powers to the Speaker of the assemblywhile giving its verdict in the case of disqualification of 16 MLAs. As far as decision-making is concerned, I will take the decision as soon as possible. I will not take it under anyone’s pressure. I have not received any application from the Uddhav Thackeray faction so far. There will be no discrimination while taking a decision. I do not pay attention to statements given outside the legislature. I cannot tell the reasonable time by when the hearing will be completed, the time also varies according to the situation of each case. Around 5 petitions have come to me. We will make 54 MLAs a party and get them heard. ”

Narwekar had on Tuesday said that there were five petitions for disqualification of 54 MLAs of both Shiv Sena factions before him. Indicating that disqualification proceedings may take time, Narwekar had said he would have to give a hearing for each petition. He said that though the Supreme Court in its order had said the appointment of Shinde group MLA Bharat Gogawale as party whip was illegal, if he made an enquiry and found that his appointment was made by the political party at the time, he could reinstate Gogawale. Narwekar had added that reasonable time, as mentioned by the SC in its order for him to take a decision on disqualification, was different in different cases.

Raut on Wednesday said the government itself was unconstitutional. “I’m not saying this, this is what the Supreme Court (SC) said. All the steps they took to establish this government were illegal. The SC has said all this was unconstitutional. So we are also saying this… if the entire process is illegal and unconstitutional, then the CM, deputy CM and Speaker will also be unconstitutional. I only expressed my view. Is there no democracy in the country,” he said.

Functionaries from CM Shinde’s Sena also said on Wednesday that 50 of their MLAs would move a breach of privilege motion against Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut for insulting Narwekar and the Speaker’s office. Taking a dig at Narwekar, Raut had said on Tuesday that if Narwekar wants to stand with Duryodhan, he must pack his law degree in a bag. Raut had also said that delaying the decision on MLAs’ disqualification amounted to treason and would be unconstitutional.

Notices to 54 Sena MLAs soon; 7 days to file reply