Latest news with #MVA
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Mini school vans in Thane violate safety norms endangering students
Thane: Nearly two out of every ten mini school vans transporting thousands of students to and from schools and homes in Thane city were found to be blatantly violating crucial safety regulations. The shocking data surfaced after a surprise inspection drive carried out earlier this week, led by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in coordination with the Thane traffic police. Rohit Katkar, Deputy RTO at Thane, said around 47 out of the 250 mini school vans checked were found operating illegally and without safety standards, potentially endangering the lives of the schoolchildren travelling in them. The surprise checks were carried out near various schools during peak hours. The vehicles were operating in violation of basic norms, such as using private vehicles for transport purposes without mandatory permits, overloading, lack of proper seating and safety kits, absence of safety bars on windows, and operating vehicles without the mandatory yellow colour designated for school buses, among other issues. "We have registered cases under the relevant sections of the MVA and issued memos to the owners. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The drive will continue, and strict action will be taken against operators who endanger student lives by flouting norms," said a transport official. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The crackdown comes close on the heels of the Ambernath incident, where two students crammed inside a mini-van suffered injuries after falling off the vehicle. The issue was also discussed at a joint meeting between the school bus operator association and Thane traffic police recently, leading to the joint action over the last few days, officials explained. Meanwhile, startled parents, many of whom assumed the school vans they had hired were regulated and safe, are now demanding accountability. "We pay fees and trust these operators with our kids. This is sheer negligence," said a parent whose child uses van services.
Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Sangli suicide: No dues owed as he was a sub-contractor, says govt
MUMBAI A day after a Sangli-based contractor died by suicide allegedly over pending dues of ₹ 1.40 crore for work related to the state's Jal Jeevan Mission, the government claimed he was a sub-contractor, and not appointed by the government. (Representative photo) (HT) A day after a Sangli-based contractor died by suicide allegedly over pending dues of ₹1.40 crore for work related to the state's Jal Jeevan Mission, the government claimed he was a sub-contractor, and not appointed by the government. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and contractors' body have however termed the death as 'murder, a consequence of mismanagement of the state's finances'. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, said, 'The incident is unfortunate, but he was a sub-contractor and the government had no role in paying his fees. There is a process for releasing contractors' bills. We will, however, probe the death.' While minister of water supply and sanitation, Gulabrao Patil, who belongs to the Shiv Sena, concurred with Pawar, officials from the department told HT anonymously that payment of dues amounting to ₹3200 crore for Jal Jeevan Mission was sent to the finance department in June, which responded only a few days ago citing paucity of funds for their inability to release the money. Opposition, assn criticize govt Maharashtra State Contractors' Association expressed displeasure over statements by Pawar and Patil, and shared details with HT about the deceased having completed four schemes for the project in Walwa and two in Shirala tehsils, and was indeed debt ridden. 'It is insensitive to see ministers washing their hands off the incident just because he was a sub-contractor. For the last one year, all contractors and associations have been raising their voice against pending dues. Yet, the government has not held any meeting over the issue related to the state's finances,' said Milind Bhosale, president of the association. Slamming the government, MVA leaders pointed to funds being diverted for populist schemes such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called it 'murder' and sought the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'Mr Prime Minister, look at this innocent face. He took his life yesterday. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, he completed works worth ₹1.40 crore, taking a loan of ₹80 lakh. But the government hasn't paid his dues, forcing him to take this extreme step,' Raut posted on X. Taking a dig at Ladki Bahin spends, NCP (SP) chief spokesperson Jitendra Awhad said, 'The scheme is not viable for the government. Thousands of crores were allocated for it, which have affected other government expenditures. I request the chief minister to look into the matter personally.' 'After farmers, now contractors are dying by suicide,' said Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar. 'This government pays thousands of crores to big contractors but has no sympathy for small players working in each district for government schemes.'
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Sangli suicide: No govt dues, as he was a sub-contractor, says Ajit
MUMBAI: A day after a Sangli-based contractor died by suicide allegedly over pending dues of ₹1.40 crore for work related to the state's Jal Jeevan Mission, the government claimed he was a sub-contractor, and not appointed by the government. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and contractors' body have however termed the death as 'murder, a consequence of mismanagement of the state's finances'. Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others arrive at the Vidhan Bhavan for the Monsoon session of the state Assembly, in Mumbai, Friday, July 18, 2025. (PTI Photo) (PTI07_18_2025_000243B) (PTI) Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, said, 'The incident is unfortunate, but he was a sub-contractor and the government had no role in paying his fees. There is a process for releasing contractors' bills. We will, however, probe the death.' While minister of water supply and sanitation, Gulabrao Patil, who belongs to the Shiv Sena, concurred with Pawar, officials from the department told HT anonymously that payment of dues amounting to ₹3200 crore for Jal Jeevan Mission was sent to the finance department in June, which responded only a few days ago citing paucity of funds for their inability to release the money. Opposition, assn criticize govt Maharashtra State Contractors' Association expressed displeasure over statements by Pawar and Patil, and shared details with HT about the deceased having completed four schemes for the project in Walwa and two in Shirala tehsils, and was indeed debt ridden. 'It is insensitive to see ministers washing their hands off the incident just because he was a sub-contractor. For the last one year, all contractors and associations have been raising their voice against pending dues. Yet, the government has not held any meeting over the issue related to the state's finances,' said Milind Bhosale, president of the association. Slamming the government, MVA leaders pointed to funds being diverted for populist schemes such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called it 'murder' and sought the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'Mr Prime Minister, look at this innocent face. He took his life yesterday. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, he completed works worth ₹1.40 crore, taking a loan of ₹80 lakh. But the government hasn't paid his dues, forcing him to take this extreme step,' Raut posted on X. Taking a dig at Ladki Bahin spends, NCP (SP) chief spokesperson Jitendra Awhad said, 'The scheme is not viable for the government. Thousands of crores were allocated for it, which have affected other government expenditures. I request the chief minister to look into the matter personally.' 'After farmers, now contractors are dying by suicide,' said Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar. 'This government pays thousands of crores to big contractors but has no sympathy for small players working in each district for government schemes.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Maharashtra BJP neta's aide Prafulla Lodha named in ‘honeytrap op', booked in third rape case; threatened survivor with job loss
Prafulla Lodha, an aide of a BJP leader, faces sexual assault charges. Pune police booked him for allegedly assaulting a woman after promising her husband a job. He threatened to take away her job when she refused to have sex with him. Lodha is already in Mumbai police custody for similar cases. PUNE: A purported aide of a senior BJP leader, Prafulla Lodha (62), who has been accused by the opposition of being involved in an alleged honey-trapping operation used to topple the MVA govt in the state, has been booked by Pune's Bavdhan police on charges of sexually assaulting a 36-year-old woman under the pretext of helping her husband secure a job and later threatening to take away her job when she refused to have sex with him. Lodha is in Mumbai police's custody in connection with similar cases registered at MIDC and Sakinaka police stations. Pimpri Chinchwad police said that the alleged sexual assault occurred on May 27 in a hotel room in Pune. "The woman approached us with her complaint on July 17 and we immediately registered a case. We are in the process of securing Lodha's custody from our Mumbai counterparts," said senior inspector Anil Vibhute of Bavdhan police. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Police have invoked sections 64 (1) (rape) and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita in the case. The survivor is the sole breadwinner of her family and the accused threatened to take away her job using his influence. Vibhute said the woman was scared after the accused threatened her. The officer said she reached the police station more than a month after the incident, when she gained the courage to lodge a complaint. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 15 Most Beautiful Women in the World Undo Sakinaka police had booked Lodha, from Jalgaon district, earlier this month for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl and her friend, also under the pretext of getting them jobs. He was also accused of holding them captive and torturing them at his house in Chakala. In another case registered against him at the MIDC police station in the same month, he allegedly raped a woman in Andheri using the same ruse. He was arrested by Mumbai police from Chakala on July 5. On Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut had alleged that Lodha had played a key role in an alleged honeytrap operation involving several MPs and MLAs of the state. Raut had said they were blackmailed using compromising videos and these were also used to topple the MVA govt. Last week, Congress leaders had claimed that 72 politicians, bureaucrats and former officials had allegedly fallen prey to the honeytrap in the state. CM Devendra Fadnavis had dismissed Congress's allegations. "There is no honey and no trap," he had said in the assembly. (The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Amid Maharashtra poll ‘fraud' row, decks cleared for EVM verification, mock polls in Pune seats
Months after several losing Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates alleged irregularities in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Pune district election officer has ordered inspection and verification of electronic voting machines (EVMs) of 27 polling stations in the Hadapsar constituency on an application of NCP(SP) candidate Prashant Jagtap from July 25 to August 2. Jagtap was defeated by sitting NCP legislator Chetan Tupe by 7,122 votes. Jagtap has deposited a fee of Rs 12.74 lakh to the district election officer or collector for the EVMs' verification in 27 of the constituency's booths, where he believes he should have gained an upper hand. The checking and verification of the 27 EVMs, which will also involve mock polls, will be done at the Bhosari godown in the district, where the voting machines are stored in a strong room. The entire process will be carried out as per the Election Commission (EC)'s standard operating procedure (SOP). Each EVM comprising a control unit and a VVPAT (voter verified paper audit trail) machine with 1,400 votes would be checked, official sources said. Two EVMs would be verified on July 25, followed by the checking of four voting machines each day for the next six days, with the remaining one machine to be verified on August 2. According to the deputy district election officer and deputy collector, Meenal Kalaskar, 27 EVMs' data will be verified, which were registered during the counting of votes in November 2024, in the presence of the candidate's representatives. 'The data will be erased and a mock poll for each EVM consisting of a control unit and a VVPAT will be conducted to further verify the operation of the machine,' Kalaskar said, adding that a final report will be submitted to the EC for any further action. Jagtap said the checking and verification of EVMs would 'expose' alleged electoral malpractices due to which, he claimed, he lost the polls in Hadapsar to his NCP rival. He said he would seek re-election once it is proved that the EVMs had 'discrepancies' during the polls. While the Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) is an ally of the MVA, the NCP, headed by Ajit Pawar, is a key constituent of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition. Chetan Tupe, however, rejected Jagtap's allegations, saying that 'The defeated candidate will achieve nothing out of this exercise. It is a mere mock poll. It has been proved time and again that EVMs are accurate. The defeated candidate has raised doubts about EVMs, so it is between Jagtap and Election Commission.' He also said, 'I have been elected and declared a legislator constitutionally. I have nothing to worry about. There is no question of any re-election.' The mock drill of each EVM is done before the start of voting and only verified machines are used in actual polling, Tupe said, pointing out that the verification of five EVMs of each Assembly constituency had also been done after the counting of votes, in which votes polled are matched with the VVPAT slips. 'Both times, there were no problems in EVMs. It will be the same now,' he said, adding Jagtap should accept his defeat. The incumbent Mahayuti, which includes the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena besides the NCP (SP), swept the Assembly polls, winning 235 of the total 288 seats as against the MVA's 50, with the latter comprising the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP. However, barely five months earlier, in June 2024, the MVA had won 30 of the total 48 seats in the Lok Sabha polls in the state as against the Mahayuti's 17. So, in the wake of the Assembly poll results, the MVA leaders alleged that manipulated EVMs and rigged polls caused their debacle, with some of their losing candidates challenging it before the state election authorities too. The Pune administration's July 25-August 2 exercise will also involve the district's Khadakwasla Assembly constituency. The losing NCP(SP) candidate in Khadakwasla, Sachin Dodke, has sought the inspection and verification of only two EVMs though. He was defeated by BJP candidate Bhimrao Tapkir by 52,000 votes, who bagged the seat for the fourth consecutive time. Significantly, an NCP(SP) candidate, Uttamrao Jankar, also alleged tampering of EVMs despite winning his election from the Malshiras Assembly seat in Solapur district against the BJP candidate by over 13,000 votes. He extended his support to a mock poll with ballot papers proposed by the people of Markadwadi village in his constituency to 'verify' the Assembly poll results. However, the Markadwadi villagers' proposed ballot paper exercise on December 3 last year was called off after police warned of action citing prohibitory orders issued by the district administration. 'We will take up this issue with the EC and judiciary, we will not stop until we get justice,' Jankar had then said.
