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The Print
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Shiv Sena MP Mhaske alleges corruption under MVA rule, slams Sanjay Raut
'When I was mayor, the Thane Municipal Corporation procured body bags at Rs 350 each. But the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) under Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership bought the same bags for Rs 7,000 a piece. Why the drastic difference?' he questioned. Talking to reporters at Anand Ashram here, Mhaske, a former Thane mayor, highlighted alleged discrepancies in procurements during the pandemic when the Uddhav Thackeray government (November 2019-June 2022) was in office in Maharashtra. Thane, May 27 (PTI) Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske on Tuesday launched a broadside against the rival Shiv Sena (UBT), accusing its leaders of corruption during the COVID-19 pandemic and lacking the moral standing to criticize Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Lok Sabha MP from Thane also spoke about 'khichdi scam' and 'Patra scam' during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) rule and alleged involvement of Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders in them. Those with such tainted backgrounds have no right to speak against Shinde, who heads the ruling Shiv Sena, he insisted. Mhaske claimed that during the MVA government's tenure, Eknath Shinde, then-Urban Development Minister, was deliberately sidelined from Mumbai's planning. He accused Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut of disrespecting late Anand Dighe, a stalwart of the undivided Shiv Sena in Thane who was a mentor of the Deputy Chief Minister. Mhaske emphasized on the Shiv Sena's national recognition under Eknath Shinde's leadership, citing party MP from Kalyan Shrikant Shinde's role in leading a cross-party delegation abroad as part of the Centre's Operation Sindoor's global outreach. In stark contrast, Raut and his associates 'remain outside the gates of power, with no relevance or role', he added. PTI COR RSY This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Print
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Print
Only 1 of Mumbai's 24 wards gets round-the-clock water supply—Praja Foundation report
This was made known in non-profit Praja Foundation's 'Report on the Status of Civic Issues in Mumbai' unveiled at its annual meeting Tuesday at Mumbai Press Club. The meeting focused on water, sewerage, solid waste management, toilets and air quality in the city. While non-slum areas received 135 litres per capita per day (lpcd) of water, slum areas received only 45 lpcd through metered connections. Further, most slum populations rely on water tankers and other sources for water instead of metered water. This cost them more than Rs 700 per month compared to Rs 25 per month for non-slum households in 2024. Mumbai: Only one of 24 wards in Mumbai receives round-the-clock water supply, while average supply is just 5.37 hours per day despite a project launched in 2014 for uninterrupted water supply. Mumbai faced a 15 percent water shortage in 2024—the supply was 3,975 MLD, as against the total demand of 4,664 MLD. 'Mumbai's water supply struggles with significant disparities between the available water resources and how they are distributed throughout the city. Despite the guidelines prescribed by the ministry of housing and urban affairs of 135 lpcd of water, slum households depend on additional water sources for 90 lpcd,' Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, said. The report highlighted that water supply in Mumbai stands at 3,975 MLD, compared to its demand of 4,664 MLD, resulting in supply shortage of 689 MLD. The Praja Foundation report also underlined a spike in pollution levels in Mumbai's Mithi river. Biological oxygen demand (BOD) levels in the river stood at 210 mg/l in 2023, compared to 80 mg/l in 2022. BOD is a measure that states levels of water pollution. The higher the BOD level, more the pollution in the water. Between 2020 and 2024, complaints linked to waterborne diseases in the city rose by 52 percent. The report further found that the city's more affluent wards generated the highest per capita waste in 2024 compared to suburban wards. According to a response received under Right to Information (RTI) by Praja Foundation, waste collected from all wards stood at 24,37,420 metric tonnes last year. Speaking at the event, Shreyas Chorgi, Manager, Research and Analysis, Praja Foundation, said waste management complaints in the city have surged by 380 percent since 2015, while Mhaske pointed out that the Bombay High Court had directed civic officials to look for a dumping ground other than Kanjurmarg, where most of the waste is dumped. The report noted that the Mumbai civic body can save Rs 1,485 crore annually with a decentralised solid waste management system, focusing on localising waste processing through community-based waste management facilities. Such a system handles segregation, composting, and recycling of waste at the source. Mhaske also said data from the Environment Status Report (ESR) released annually by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was at odds with the civic data they had got via RTI. 'ESR is an important tool that needs to be used for the betterment of civic issues in the city, and in the absence of elected representatives, administrators need to be more vigilant about these concerns,' he said. Also Read: Rs 17,000 cr revamp for Mumbai's British-era BDD chawls: Residents hopeful, planners have doubts Status of public toilets The status of public toilets in the city also painted a dire picture. For every four public toilet seats in 2024, only one was for women, according to RTI data accessed by Praja. Of the 6,800 public toilets in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area, only 2,973 are functional, while 3,827 lack electricity and water. As many as 69 percent of community toilet blocks lack water connections, and 60 percent lack electricity connections. In 2023, against the Swachh Bharat Mission norm of one community toilet seat for every 35 male users and 25 female users, one seat was available for 86 men and one for 81 women. According to Chorgi, 1.15 lakh complaints were received on Mumbai's Centralised Complaint Registration System (CCRS) last year relating to water, waste, sewage, pollution and toilets. This was an increase of 70 percent from 2015. The CCRS helps in tracking and complaint resolution by the BMC. 'To strengthen service delivery, BMC must improve CCRS by ensuring timely complaint redressal, and introduce a citizen feedback system for greater accountability for democratic empowerment as per the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act,' Mhaske said. Pooja Bhatia is an intern with ThePrint. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Mumbai homes are making a giant mess. Over 2,000 buildings being torn down, built back up
Time of India
20-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Water scarcity & sanitation challenges persist in Mumbai slums: Praja report
Mumbai: BMC's promise of 24x7 water supply remains unfulfilled with the city receiving water for an average of 5.37 hours per day, according to a report on the status of civic issues in Mumbai released by NGO Praja Foundation on Tuesday. Sanitation gaps persist as well, pointed out the report. Only one in four public toilet seats in Mumbai are for women. In 2023, one community toilet seat served 86 men and 81 women — far above Swachh Bharat Mission norms. Of the 6,800 community toilet blocks, 69% lacked water supply and 60% had no electricity, stated the report. The report also flagged significant disparities in the water distribution system. While non-slum areas get the recommended 135 litres per capita per day (LPCD), slum residents receive around 45 litres. As a result, many slum households depend on private water tankers, paying approximately Rs 750 a month, compared to Rs 25.76 for metered connections, the collated data showed. Two and a half years after BMC rolled out its Water for All policy, aimed at providing water connections to slums, unauthorised non-slum settlements, gaothans, and koliwadas, civic data shows that 15,375 permissions have been issued so far. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch Bitcoin và Ethereum - Không cần ví! IC Markets BẮT ĐẦU NGAY Undo Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, pointed out that in 2024, Mumbai faced a 15% daily water supply shortfall as the 4,664mld required demand was not fully met by BMC's 3,975mld supply due to pipeline losses. "Mumbai's water supply system struggles with significant disparities between the available water resources and how they are distributed throughout the city," he added. The report recommended implementing 100% metered water connections in slums to allow them to access the required quantity of water as well as constructing sufficient functioning public and community toilets. "We also propose that biodegradable waste should be composted and promote the circular economy model, where waste is treated as a resource and reused, recycled, or repurposed," said Mhaske. Among the other findings of the report were that six out of eight sewerage treatment plants' biological oxygen demand (BOD) failed to meet Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) norms and that Mithi River is heavily polluted, with faecal coliform levels (5,40,000 MPN/100ml) far exceeding the CPCB limit of 2,500 MPN/100ml. Shreyas Chorgi, manager of research and analysis at Praja Foundation, said Mumbaikars recorded over 1.15 lakh civic complaints in 2024. "This is a sharp 70% increase compared to 2015. Through Mumbai's Centralised Complaint Registration System in the last 10 years, there has been a 380% increase in complaints of solid waste management, 334% rise in air pollution complaints, and 59% rise in drainage complaints. In 2024, from the total of 14,522 water-related complaints, 44% were of shortage of water. Time taken to resolve all complaints increased from 32 days in 2023 to 41 days in 2024."
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
First-time Thane MP Naresh Mhaske named Sansad Ratna Award recipient for parliamentary performance
THANE: First-time Shiv Sena MP from Thane, Naresh Mhaske , was named a recipient of the prestigious Sansad Ratna Award , announced in New Delhi. He is among 17 MPs and two parliamentary standing committees selected for the honour, Mhaske informed the media on Sunday. The announcement was made by K. Srinivasan, founder of the Sansad Ratna Awards , and Priyadarshini Rahul, Chairperson of the Awards Committee. Other Maharashtra awardees include Dr Varsha Gaikwad (INC) and Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena–UBT), among others. Mhaske said he was recognised for his active participation in parliamentary debates, questions, and budget discussions. His consistent attendance and strong stance on issues—such as stricter laws for social media and OTT platforms, and 100% insurance coverage on bank deposits—were key factors in his nomination. Starting his political career with the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, Mhaske rose through the ranks as corporator, house leader, and Mayor of Thane before being elected MP in 2024. He serves on the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs , the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2024, and committees on Railways, Urban Development, and Passenger Water Transport. 'This recognition is thanks to the unwavering support of my leader, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde , and MP Dr Shrikant Shinde. I also thank my voters and MahaYuti colleagues,' Mhaske said. The 15th Sansad Ratna Awards ceremony will take place in New Delhi in the last week of July 2025.
Indian Express
13-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
SSC results: Some students overcome more than just exam jitters to emerge successful
On Tuesday, Kanta Mhaske (70) was out collecting waste when someone told her that the Class Xth results were out. With trepidation in her heart, Mhaske wnr to check the results of Sneha, her only granddaughter. 'It was unbelievable, my granddaughter had passed with more than flying colours- scoring 81 per cent. She managed to score 87 per cent in English and 90 per cent in Marathi,' beamed Mhaske. But Sneha, the girl of the moment, was not beside her- she was in her village. 'We have been trying since morning to get in touch with her-but phone connections are not good. Once she returns we will distribute sweets' said the proud grandmother. Sneha had lost both her parents when she was just 8 years old, her grandmother managed to eke out a living, working as a waste worker. 'I am sure she will shine in the future,' said the grandmother who is a member of the Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPK)- the trade union of waste workers in Pune. Children of waste workers like Mhashke fought not just academic pressures when they appeared for their board examinations. Physical work and poverty at home forces most students like Sneha to work along with their parents in collecting waste and wrestling for time in between to study. Bismilla Daval Mulla, daughter of Daval Mulla, had scored 82 per cent. Daval, who collects waste in the Sinhagad Road area of Pune is a member of the Swach Cooperative and is very proud. 'She dreams of becoming a teacher and wants to teach underprivileged children for free,' he said. Among the many successes Komal Gaikwad (26) and Priyanka Kamble (28) stood out for deciding to go back to studies even while working, and successfully passing in their exams. Gaikwad had lost her husband during the COVID pandemic but said she wanted to clear the board examinations to set an example for her children. For Kamble, the teachers at the Ramabai Ranade School were extra helpful as they allowed her to study even if she was late to her classes due to work. Kamble credits her husband as her inspiration for her studies.
