Increase Compensation To Kin Of Victims In ESIC Hospital Fire To Rs 25 Lakh: CITU
Families of the deceased in the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital fire should be given compensation of Rs 25 lakh from the existing Rs 10 lakh, demanded the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) on Wednesday. The union also demanded a police inquiry against labour department officials.
Following the incident on December 17, the labour ministry announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to kin of deceased, Rs 2 lakh for serious injury and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries. The collector’s office also announced Rs 4 lakh to deceased’s families. The fire led to 11 deaths and 175 were injured.
Source: The Indian Express
Maharashtra Loss: 2,277 Football Fields Of Forest Given For Development Works
Maharashtra lost more than 11.3 sq km of forest land to various development projects between January and December this year. The area is one-tenth the size of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivli (103 sq km) or 2,277 football fields, which has an area of 0.53 hectare a field.
A document accessed by HT gives details of 44 orders passed for diversion of forest land this year. These include construction of infrastructure, irrigation projects, roads, national highways, transmission lines, water pipelines and mining projects, among others.
Source: Hindustan Times
Kamala Mills, one year on: As City Skyline Changes, Firemen Face New Problems With Outdated Equipment
Highrises and the unique challenges they pose to fire-fighters, including hampering wireless communications and inevitable delays in responding to fire calls owing to traffic congestion, are among the biggest fears of Mumbai’s fire brigade, the country’s oldest organised fire-fighting system.
The death of fireman Nitin Ivalekar at the Lotus Business Park in Andheri in 2014 is an example many cite – Ivalekar lost contact with his team when he was inside the building during fire-fighting operations. He was isolated and later found dead.
Source: The Indian Express
Mumbai: Tigress Avni (T1'S) Female Cub Well, Hunt On For Male Cub
Wildlife lovers, fret not. All's well with the female cub of tigress T1 or Avni. The cub had been elusive for almost a day after capture. But on Monday night, she was caught on camera consuming the meat provided to her. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF), Wildlife, Sunil Limaye said, "The female cub, named PK T1-C1, which was released in the Titralmangi enclosure at the Pench Tiger Reserve on the night of December 22 after her capture, is doing well. She was caught on CCTV consuming the meat provided on Monday night."
Source: Midday
Installing CCTVs Costly, Will Hamper Probes: State Police
The Maharashtra Police have informed the State government that it would not be cost-effective to install more closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) inside police stations in the State.
In a recent meeting with the Home Department and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, senior police officials said placing interrogation rooms under further surveillance would hamper investigation. The officials said it would be difficult to install CCTVs despite clear directives from the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court. “We are still deliberating on the issue and may be able to take a decision at the earliest. The police have reservations regarding cost and hurdles to the interrogation process. We are looking into it keeping in mind the court’s directive and deadline,” said a senior official of the Home Department.
Source: The Hindu
Mumbai's 'Mega Local' Train To Have Almost 6,000 Passenger Capacity
Come Friday, Mumbai's 'mega local,' which has the largest passenger carrying capacity so far, will be flagged off from the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai. The new, high-end air conditioned local train has been built on the lines of the swanky Indian-made engineless T-18 train.
A senior official said that besides several new features, this will be the first local train to have the largest passenger capacity among the existing set of locals, given the fact that all of its motor equipment has been put near the wheels, clearing the area for passenger space. It will reach Mumbai a week after being flagged off and possibly start services within four to six months.
Source: Midday
Bombay HC Rejects Plea To Not Allow Doctors Chosen By Saibaba To Examine Him
The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Monday rejected the prosecution plea to not allow two of the three doctors of Professor G N Saibaba’s choice to examine him on Wednesday at the central prison in Pune, where he is lodged for alleged links with Maoists.
The wheel-chair bound activist had moved the HC bench initially with a plea that he should be allowed to go to Hyderabad for two months to undergo a health check-up from the doctors of his choice. The court had rejected his plea but directed that arrangements be made to get the doctors of his choice to Nagpur to examine him at the Government Super-Specialty Hospital.
Source: The Indian Express
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