1. Sena, NCP & Cong Begin Talks for Power-Sharing
A day after three parties — Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress — indicated they are willing to form the government in Maharashtra together, they began deliberations on a common minimum programme (CMP) on Wednesday. The CMP will state the agenda of the proposed government and the power-sharing structure.
The development came after the state was plunged into a political crisis on Tuesday, with President’s rule being imposed following a recommendation from Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. PMC Bank Case: One More Auditor Held
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police on Tuesday arrested a third auditor in the ₹4,355-crore Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank fraud case. This is the eighth arrest in the case. Investigators suspect that the auditors have received ₹40-60 lakh from the accused to overlook fraudulent banking practices linked to the bank’s biggest client, Housing Development Infrastructure Limited (HDIL).
The latest arrest was of Anita Shankar Kirdat, 48, a chartered accountant (CA) from Bhandup, who runs a firm, Anita Kirdat & Company. She has served as the concurrent auditor of PMC Bank from 2005 to 2019. Kirdat was appointed at the behest of the main accused, former MD of the bank Joy Thomas, ex-chairman Waryam Singh and HDIL’s directors Rakesh Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan. She was associated with HDIL.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3.Mumbai Sees Its First Leptospirosis Death in October Since 2015
The city recently saw its first leptospirosis death in October since 2015 . Experts claim it could be a result of unseasonal rain in the month, which led to flooding in various parts of the city.
Leptospirosis is an infectious disease, which generally spreads to humans through contaminated water or by animal urine containing the bacteria of the genus Leptospira. The bacteria can enter the human body through unhealed wounds.
“This year, the city recorded a high amount of unseasonal rainfall, leading to a rise in the number of leptospirosis cases. Cyclone Kyarr also led to unprecedented rainfall, pushing the number of leptospirosis cases to 29 [in October],” said a senior health officer from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The number of leptospirosis cases this year (till October) was 233, with 11 deaths, compared to 218 in 2018, with 12 deaths, according to data from the public health department.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Thane: 788 Abduction Cases of Children Registered Till Oct
Police have registered 788 cases of abduction of children up to October this year. Of them, 570 children were found whereas 233 are still missing, police said.
The police is organising a ‘Children’s safety week’ from 14 to 20 November. “This will include several awareness programmes at schools, colleges and ashramshalas. We are holding meetings with parents, teachers and other stakeholders too,” a senior officer said.
According to police, the number of abduction cases have gone down from 970 in 2018 to 788 this year. “There are numerous reasons why children go missing. In some cases, parents or guardians don’t approach the police, fearing ridicule and defamation,” a senior officer said.
Police said out of the 970 cases in 2018, 89 girls and 38 boys were still missing. This year, 61 boys and 172 girls were still missing, they added.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Corporators Slam BMC for Negligence, Demand Compensation for Child’s Family
BMC Standing Committee chairman Yashvant Jadhav on Wednesday directed the civic administration to give compensation to the family of a three-month-old child who suffered burn injuries in the paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) of KEM hospital on 7 November. The directive was issued after corporators, across party lines, slammed the civic administration for negligence.
Claiming that it was a serious matter, Additional Municipal Commissioner Praveen Darade said, “The administration has already ordered an inquiry into this matter. A detail report will be submitted before the Standing Committee.”
Earlier, BJP corporator Rajsree Shirvadkar raised the issue in Standing Committee meeting Wednesday saying, “The negligence of civic body has led to the amputation of a hand of a child. Why is the corporation not providing compensation to the child? They (the family) are very poor and had come (to Mumbai) for treatment. Whatever happened it was just because of the negligence of the hospital staff.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
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