1. Smoke Engulfs BEST’s Electric Bus; None Hurt
An electric bus hired by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport undertaking was engulfed in smoke as it was exiting Mulund bus depot on Monday morning. “No passengers were hurt in the incident,” said a BEST spokesperson.
According to BEST, a wheel hub of the bus got extremely hot and emitted steam as it came in contact with the humidity in the air. The rear brake booster had an internal air leakage owing to which the brakes tend to engage while running. “The bus was attended for brake booster replacement and was sent back in operation at 4pm,” said a BEST spokesperson.
(Source: The Hindustan Times)
2. Trees to be Cut For Aarey Metro Shed Increased 10 Fold: Petitioner
Petitioners opposing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation-appointed (BMC) tree authority’s decision to allow the cutting and transplantation of around 2,700 trees for the Metro car-shed at Aarey Colony told the Bombay high court (HC) that the proposed number of trees to be cut increased ten-fold since 2014.
According to the petitioner, activist Zoru Bhathena, in 2014, the Mumbai Metropolitan Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) had proposed to cut only 252 trees and transplant 2,238. However, the number almost reversed in the current proposal —2,646 trees to be cut and 421, transplanted.
Senior advocate Janak Dwarkadas for Bhathena informed a bench of chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog and justice Bharati Dangre, that it was impossible for so many trees to grow over the same 33-acre land where the Metro car shed was proposed.
(Source: The Hindustan Times)
3. Mangrove Cell Begins Survey of 15 Locations to Restore Forests
The Mangrove Cell of the Maharashtra Forest Department has begun surveying 15 locations in the city to restore mangrove forests.
The Maharashtra Mangrove Committee, formed in accordance with a Bombay High Court order which held its fifth meeting in July, had identified 15 reclaimed locations that needed to be restored by November.
However, the Mangrove Cell, which is supposed to decide the manner of restoration, has only surveyed four sites until September.
An officer from the Mangrove Cell said, “Restoration of already reclaimed mangrove areas is a tough task. We have to check the amount of debris at the site and how the mangroves should be planted.
If the debris content is high, we will construct channels for mangrove plantation. The survey is undertaken for the same purpose.” If the debris can be removed, the area will be cleared and mangroves will be planted directly, sources said.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Monsoon Officially Ends on Record High
The southwest monsoon season officially ended on Monday, with Maharashtra recording 32% excess rainfall, the fourth-most excessive seasonal rain since the India Meteorological Department (IMD) started keeping records in 1901.
Historically, the state had recorded the highest excessive rainfall at 37.6% above its average levels in 1988.
Despite a 15-day delay in the monsoon onset, Mumbai witnessed one of its wettest monsoons in history.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
5. 2 SpiceJet Pilots Violate Protocol, Suspended
Aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended two SpiceJet pilots operating a Hyderabad-Jaipur flight on 14 June for not turning on the switch that maintains cabin pressure inside an aircraft, thus risking the safety of people on board.
The pilots have been suspended for four months.
The Boeing 737-800 had to return to its base owing to pressurisation failure. Probe revealed that the pilots had forgotten to switch on the ‘bleed’ option during the cockpit preparation and departure briefing and even after checking the ‘after take-off’ checklist.
(Source: Hindustan Times)