1. As Heavy Rain Batters Mumbai Again, Local Train, Road Traffic Hit; 24 Flights Grounded
For the fourth time this monsoon, Mumbai was brought to a near-standstill by heavy rain on Wednesday with the city’s suburbs receiving an average of 206.6 mm of rain in just six hours, starting at 8:30 am.
Forewarned by the Met department of very heavy rainfall, Mumbaikars still found themselves stranded, with the heaviest showers beginning after many had reached places of work, leaving roads, suburban rail tracks and entire neighbourhoods inundated.
Even as flight operations continued at the Chhatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, 24 Indigo flights were grounded after the airline’s staff failed to reach the airport on time owing to heavy rain and traffic disruption.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. ONGC Starts Probe, Repair Work After Fire in Plant
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) still has not been able to ascertain the reason for the explosion at its Uran plant on Tuesday morning, which claimed four lives.
The company’s resident production supervisor and three Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans died in the massive fire.
Senior officials visited and inspected the plant on Wednesday. Sonali Dutta, public relations officer of ONGC, said, “Our process is on to ascertain the reason behind the unfortunate accident that took place on Tuesday. Our senior officers inspected the plant, but the details are not enough to share with the media. We are going step by step.”
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. Permission for Felling 2,646 Trees Yet to Be Given, BMC Tells High Court
The BMC told the Bombay High Court that they have just taken a decision to fell 2,646 trees for the construction of Metro car shed at Aarey, but permission for the same was yet to be given.
A petition filed by Zoru Bhathena, challenging the decision of Tree Authority to approve felling of trees, said that the resolution dated 29 August, passed by the authority for the removal of trees was a “brazen breach” of the high court’s order passed in July this year.
The HC order said the opinion of expert members on the team must be valued and should become an essential facet of decision-making. This decision must contain the reason why the objection was being overruled, it added.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4.Now, Lalbaugcha Raja Gets 1kg Gold and Silver Bars
The Lalbaugcharaja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal on Tuesday received a 1kg gold bar, 1kg silver bar and 1kg silver neckpiece, among other things.
This is the second day in a row that one of the most popular mandals in the city has got a gift of gold weighing at least a kilogram. The collections for two days this year are at an all-time high and are expected last year’s overall collection of ₹12 crore in cash and kind.
The value of the gold bar is at least ₹40,33,000 and two silver offerings is ₹1,05,142.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. Shiv Sena, NCP Spar on Twitter
With the Maharashtra Assembly polls around the corner, the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took on each other on Twitter. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde and Sena functionaries sparred after the former questioned Sena leader and youth wing chief Aaditya Thackeray’s priority.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Munde took on Thackeray for asking a participant in party’s interactive programme ‘Aaditya Sanwad’ which party he belonged to. The Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council uploaded a video clip of the event where a participant asked Thackeray what has his party done to curb farmers’ suicide and said it was the “failure” of the state government. The video clip shows Thackeray asking the participant which party is he affiliated with.
(Source: Hindustan Times)