A case has been registered against a brick kiln owner for allegedly beating up a couple working for him in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI. Based on a complaint lodged by the couple, the police have registered a case under sections 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 127(2) (Wrongful confinement) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, an official said, reported PTI. The couple, in their 40s, worked with the alleged accused, Dinesh Maghe, a resident of Bhiwandi, since June 2024, reported PTI. The official said that on Friday, the victims sought the accused's permission to visit their daughter, but he refused. However, they later managed to escape and were travelling to their village when he intercepted them and dragged them back to the kiln, where he allegedly beat them up. No arrests have been made in the case, and a probe is underway, he said. Man's decomposed body found inside closed factory in Thane district Police in Maharashtra's Thane district have launched a probe after the body of a man, aged 40-50, was found inside a closed factory, an official said on Saturday, reported PTI. The discovery was made on Friday when a person brought a customer who wanted to start a school from the factory premises in the Bhiwandi area, he said. When the person and the visitor stepped inside, they found the decomposed body of a man on the floor, the official said, reported PTI. After being alerted, police arrived at the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. A probe is underway, said the official from the Nizampura police station. Godown owner booked for illegal storage of hazardous chemicals in Thane district A case has been registered against a godown owner for allegedly storing hazardous chemicals worth Rs 1.35 crore on the premises without necessary permits in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Saturday, reported PTI. The Thane police's crime branch has sealed 14 godowns at Dapoda in Bhiwandi following a raid on Friday afternoon, an official said. He said the police team found chemicals of various brands, worth Rs 1.35 crore, stored improperly in all 14 godowns, violating safety norms and legal requirements, reported PTI. Assistant police inspector Sriraj Mali said the godown owner did not have the necessary permit to store the hazardous materials, and the premises have been sealed to prevent further misuse, reported PTI. He said a case has been registered against the godown owner under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Environmental Protection Act, the Manufacture, Storage, and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, and the Petrochemical Act. (With inputs from PTI)
19 January,2025 12:29 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentAn official on Sunday said that a 66-year-old woman sustained injuries when a chunk of plaster from the ceiling of her house fell on her in a chawl in Maharashtra's Thane district, reported news agency PTI. The incident occurred in a 20-year-old Thane chawl in the Vitawa area of Kalwa (east) late on Saturday night, the official said, reported PTI. The disaster management cell was alerted by the civic hospital, where the woman was undergoing treatment, said Yasin Tadvi, the chief of the civic disaster management cell, reported PTI. He said the affected room in the Thane chawl has been vacated and sealed, as the remaining portion of the ceiling is in a precarious state. Man's decomposed body found inside closed factory in Thane district Police in Maharashtra's Thane district have launched a probe after the body of a man, aged 40-50, was found inside a closed factory, an official said on Saturday. The discovery was made on Friday when a person brought a customer who wanted to start a school from the factory premises in the Bhiwandi area, he said. When the person and the visitor stepped inside, they found the decomposed body of a man on the floor, the official said. After being alerted, police arrived at the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. A probe is underway, said the official from the Nizampura police station. Roof of film set collapses during song shoot; no major injuries to cast-crew The roof of a film set collapsed in Mumbai's Goregaon area possibly due to vibrations from the sound of a song being shot at the time, a cine employees' federation functionary said on Saturday. The incident took place on Wednesday night while a song was being shot on the sets of the film "Mere Husband Ki Biwi" starring Arjun Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar and directed by Mudassar Aziz, informed Ashok Dubey of Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE). "The roof of the set at Imperial Palace in Royal Palms collapsed when Arjun Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, Jackie Bhagnani and director Aziz were present. No one suffered any major injury. Kapoor, Bhagnani and Aziz sustained minor bruises," he said. "The roof may have collapsed due to the loud sound from the song shoot," Dubey added. (With inputs from PTI)
19 January,2025 12:18 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has left for Davos in Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF), a communication issued by the CM's office stated on Sunday. Fadnavis left for Davos at midnight for the five-day event that begins on Monday. As per the statement, the chief minister is expected to sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for data centres, automobiles, semiconductors, electric vehicles, electronics, steel, food processing, textiles, pharma, infrastructure and other sectors during his visit. Efforts will be towards achieving the objective of making Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy, and employment generation will also be the focus, it stated. Fadnavis has taken part in the World Economic Forum thrice during his first term as the chief minister. Meanwhile, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said there was a lot of interest globally in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic policies, which would be the focus of discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Vaishnaw, who is leading the Indian delegation at the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting beginning Monday, said there was a lot of interest in India's growth story among the international community, particularly about the digital transformation and the new digital architecture. "In the World Economic Forum in Davos, there is lot of interest in understanding our thought process, the prime minister's economic policy, about the digital transformation, about the way India has created new digital architecture under the Digital India programme and also the way technology has been democratised. There is a lot of interest on this," he said. There will be detailed discussions about inclusive growth, the investment in social, physical, digital infrastructure and on democratising technology, he added. "The prime minister has put huge focus on inclusive development and a growth that brings a big transformative change in the lives of the people at the bottom of the pyramid, people who have been left out of development over many decades in the past," said Vaishnaw, the minister for information and broadcasting, railways, and electronics and information technology. "Whether it is bank accounts, providing toilets, gas connections, tap water connections, getting the basic infrastructure in villages done, infrastructure in urban areas done, this is something which the world wants to understand," he added. Besides Vaishnaw, Union ministers CR Patil, K Ram Mohan Naidu, Chirag Paswan, and Jayant Chaudhary are expected to attend the WEF from January 20 to 24. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, and their Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu will also attend the WEF meeting. (With inputs from Agencies)
19 January,2025 12:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRambo Circus and its staff have set an inspirational testimony for the common person—never give up. The circus, which was once on the verge of shutting down forever during the COVID lockdown, has not only survived the pandemic, but the teamwork and out-of-the-box thinking made it sail through the tough time. The organisers introduced the never before concepts in circus… circus online, circus in an auditorium and circus on demand, which made them come out stronger financially. The outcome of this is the Rambo Circus owner now being invited to lead the technical jury for the 47th Monte Carlo Circus Festival, to be held from January 17 to January 22, which will have circuses/performers participating from around the world. Biju Pushkaran Nair has been working with Rambo Circus for more than 25 years Interestingly, amongst six international technical juries for the festival, India tops the jury list followed by representatives from Sweden, China, Switzerland, Great Britain and Australia; and the event will be chaired by Princess Stephanie of Monaco. mid-day had carried a series of stories on Rambo Circus amidst the pandemic highlighting how 90 performers and 20 animals living in the open needed help and also the circus owner and performers’ battle with the virus. Never expected Rambo Circus Director Sujit Dilip Panachamuttil, 49, confirmed the development hours before he and two of his circus performers—clown Biju Pushkaran Nair, 51 and multi-talented artiste Pappu Beniwal—took their flight from Mumbai to Monte Carlo, Monaco, on January 15. “I never expected such an honour from the organising committee of the 47th Monte Carlo Circus Festival who named me as one of their jurors for the upcoming Festival International Du Cirque de Monte Carlo—an event which attracts circuses from across the world. I am happy to make my country proud on an international platform. I wish my parents were alive today (they expired over two years ago).” A Rambo Circus show organised inside an auditorium According to Sujit, the federation (Monte Carlo) gives a platform to promote circuses and celebrate the creative talent of circus performers by organising a 6-day-long international circus festival in Monaco, which has attracted top performers from across the world for over four decades. Sujit added, “In January 2024, I was one of the guest speakers during the General Assembly of the Federation in Monte Carlo, and I poured my heart out, narrating the difficulties that Rambo Circus faced during the first two waves of COVID, the subsequent lockdown, and how collective team effort and out of box thinking helped us remain afloat even during the crises period. We started circus online, took circus to the auditorium and had circus on demand, something which was unheard in the circus industry world over.” ‘Mumbaikars, Maharashtra kept us going during COVID’ “Mumbaikars and Good Samaritans from across Maharashtra helped us during the COVID crises, from donating food grains to sanitary pads (for our female artistes) during the lockdown after they read our plight in mid-day and other papers. We had 90 (performers) and 20 puppies, who were our extended family and we had to feed them. With no show, no money, things were not easy,” recalled Sujit. Sujit Dilip Panachamuttil, director, Rambo Circus “We started growing vegetables and poultry on the 5 acres of land that was donated to us at a place called Mundwa on the outskirts of Pune by a Good Samaritan. We shifted our base to Pune during the second wave of COVID. From there we started an online circus, which was well appreciated and liked by the public as they had no other means to visit crowded places,” said Sujit. Call from ministry According to Sujit, sometime after COVID restrictions were lifted, he received a call from the office of Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, minorities minister, Government of India, and I was invited to Delhi to meet him. “I initially presumed it to be a fake phone call, thinking that someone tried to prank me,” recalled Sujit. “But on the advice of my close aides and family, I visited Delhi and was allowed to meet the minister who informed me about the government plan to organise ‘Hunnar Haat’ a Government of India initiative to promote artisans and craftsmen from all walks of life, giving them direct and indirect employment opportunities by holding exhibitions across the country. The minister wanted me to have my circus team perform at the exhibitions to attract more crowds,” Sujit said. “The minister, even mooted the idea, of joining hands with other circus performers, whose circus shut down forever, amidst the COVID outbreak. As the Rambo Circus team was already performing regular shows, I could rope in many artistes from other circuses and had them perform at the government event,” Sujit added. From tent to auditorium Sujit said once minorities minister Naqui moved out of the post, the ‘Hunnar Haat’ contract also came to an end. “The biggest question was how to take care of the additional performers. Accommodating them in regular tent shows was not possible as we already had our team which has been with us for decades. It was to accommodate the additional staff that I decided to take the circus to the auditorium/theatre for over two years, and it is getting a good response,” said Sujit. When asked if the traditional tent circus was better than the auditorium, Sujit said, “Tent circus is our traditional form of circus which has its own pros and cons. But for the middle-class and higher-middle class, they find the auditorium is better… from the décor, comfort and security aspects to ambience and air-conditioning. The tickets for a tent show may be priced between R200 to R800, but for auditoriums, it may vary from R350 to Rs 2500.” Further, Sujit said the tent gives the freedom to perform many aerial and high-risk activities, but in the auditorium, they are restricted to floor performances. “Moreover, tents are booked for a month to 45 days, but it is very expensive to rent out an auditorium/theatre and we cannot afford it for more than a week,” Sujit said. Happy and excited “The circus is our life and we are excited that our sir (Sujit) took Rambo Circus to the international level—something our founder T P Dilip (father of Sujit) always dreamt about. And we are fortunate that he is taking us along so that we can learn tricks from international troops to incorporate in our shows too,” Biju and Pappu said while speaking with mid-day. Biju hails from Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala and is associated with Rambo Circus for over 25 years. “I was 11 years old and had never been to school when I joined the circus. Since then, the only art I learnt was to make children and people laugh. The biggest achievement is when our work is appreciated by international performers and circus owners, and I am looking forward to the same at the upcoming international festival,” said Biju. The history of Rambo Circus Rambo Circus was born on January 26, 1991, in Saras Baug, Pune, by the merging of three well-known circuses—Arena Circus, Victoria Circus and Great Oriental Circus, which today would be over 100 years old. Rambo founder, the late T P Dilip, father of Sujit, worked with Arena Circus since he was 18 years old till it shut down in 1980, when circuses started incurring losses. Rambo Circus has performed many international shows, especially in the Gulf region. It once employed 300 staff and had wild animals including a tiger, 24 lions, four elephants and two chimpanzees. “After restrictions were imposed on wild animals at circuses in 1995-1996, the tigers and lions were sent to Tirupati Zoo, where they eventually passed away. The elephants—Champa, Nitya, Sarso, and Annar—are cared for at Jamnagar, by Reliance Industries. One chimpanzee died earlier while the other named Suzi died at Hyderabad Zoo three years ago,” Sujit said. Latest from Monte-Carlo: Rambo Circus owner and Director who was the chief jury from India to select the best circus performer at international circus festival
19 January,2025 11:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Vinod Kumar MenonWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Saif Ali Khan attack case: Police suspect accused to be Bangladeshi national After an extensive manhunt by the Mumbai Police and Crime Branch, the accused in the Saif Ali Khan attack case has been identified as Mohammed Sharif Ul Islam Shehzad (30), alias Das. He was arrested in Thane, where he had been hiding. The accused is suspected to be a Bangladeshi national and lacks valid Indian documents. The Bandra police have stated that they will include sections under the Passport Act and Foreigners Act in the case for further investigation. Read more. Mumbai weather updates: Warm pause in cold spell ahead Meteorologists have issued warnings about a significant rise in temperatures in the city over the weekend, with maximum temperatures expected to cross 35°C in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Weather enthusiasts and experts are urging residents to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activities during peak heat hours. Read more. Unauthorised autorickshaws cause menace in Vasai The Vasai traffic division has been conducting a special drive to crackdown on illegal auto-rickshaws, whose menace has become a growing concern in the area. The police said that the drivers of these illegal auto-rickshaws prefer to operate their vehicles in the night to avoid detection of their offences. Read more. Bumrah’s recovery uncertain; India name squads for England series, Champions Trophy 2025 Though pacer Jasprit Bumrah is yet to recover fully from the back spasm he suffered during the recent Sydney Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee picked him in the 15-member squad for the February 6-12 ODI series against England and Champions Trophy (February 19-March 9). Read more. Amitabh Bachchan completes 25 years on KBC; recalls iconic moment of Zanjeer It has been 25 years; Amitabh Bachchan has been sitting across the hot seat, quizzing contestants while subtly giving them hints and keeping Kaun Banega Crorepati entertaining with anecdotes. Next week, the reality quiz show kicks off the celebration, Gyan Ka Rajat Mahotsav, on January 20. Contestant Vinay Gupta from Kathu takes the hot seat as a representative of his village, becoming the first-ever contestant from his hometown to feature on KBC. The cherry on the cake comes when he gets Bachchan to spout one of his iconic dialogues from Zanjeer (1973). Read more.
19 January,2025 10:43 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentOn Sunday, the minimum temperature in Mumbai reached 17.1 degrees Celsius. According to the latest Mumbai weather updates from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai is expected to experience a clear sky on Sunday, January 19. Temperatures will range from a cool 19 degrees Celsius in the morning to a warm 34 degrees Celsius during the day. The relative humidity is 39 percent. The sun rose at 07:15 AM and will set at 06:24 PM. According to the Mumbai weather updates of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai's Santacruz observatory in suburban Mumbai recorded a maximum temperature of 35.1 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 17.1 degrees Celsius. The weather department's data showed that the city observatory in Colaba recorded a maximum temperature of 33.6 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 21.6 degrees Celsius. The IMD’s latest Mumbai weather update forecasts a "clear sky" for the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours. Mumbai weather updates: City's AQI in 'moderate' category On January 19, the Central Pollution Control Board’s SAMEER app reported in its latest Mumbai weather updates that the city’s air quality remained in the 'moderate' category, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 137 at 10:05 AM. As per the SAMEER app dashboard, many areas across Mumbai showed 'moderate' AQI. Bandra Kurla Complex recorded 'moderate' air quality with an AQI of 185. Colaba, Ghatkopar and Malad recorded 'moderate' air quality with an AQI of 117, 104 and 153, respectively. Meanwhile, Borivali recorded 'good' air quality, with an AQI of 78. Deonar recorded 'poor' air quality, with an AQI of 222. According to data from the SAMEER app, Navi Mumbai recorded air quality in the 'moderate' category with an AQI of 131, while Thane registered a 'moderate' AQI of 106. The air quality index from 0 to 100 is considered 'good', 100 to 200 'moderate', 200 to 300 'poor', 300 to 400 'very poor' and from 400 to 500 or above 'severe'. Meanwhile, as air pollution levels continue to rise in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revised guidelines issued last year for construction sites. The civic body will also form squads at the ward level to visit construction sites and act if guidelines are flouted. Sensor-based air pollution monitoring systems will be installed at all construction project work sites and immediate action to be taken if pollution levels are detected above the limit.
19 January,2025 10:16 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMeteorologists have issued warnings about a significant rise in temperatures in the city over the weekend, with maximum temperatures expected to cross 35°C in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Weather enthusiasts and experts are urging residents to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activities during peak heat hours. On Friday, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 33.4°C, which is 3.3°C above normal, while the Santacruz observatory reported 35.5°C, which is 4.6°C above normal. High relative humidity—72 per cent in Colaba and 80 per cent in Santa Cruz—added to the discomfort. Sunil Kamble, Director of IMD Mumbai, told mid-day that a western disturbance approaching North India was influencing the weather system here, leading to the rise in temperatures. “The impact is expected to diminish in the next two to three days, after which we will gradually see a drop in temperatures again,” he said. According to the IMD’s seven-day forecast ending on January 24, suburban areas are likely to see maximum temperatures ranging between 34°C and 35°C over the weekend, with a slight dip to 32°C expected later in the week. In the city region, monitored by the Colaba observatory, maximum temperatures are predicted to hover between 33°C and 34°C during the same period, eventually dropping to 31°C. Minimum night-time temperatures, currently between 18°C and 20°C, are anticipated to rise to 21°C–22°C from January 21.
19 January,2025 07:37 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghThe Vasai traffic division has been conducting a special drive to crackdown on illegal auto-rickshaws, whose menace has become a growing concern in the area. The police said that the drivers of these illegal auto-rickshaws prefer to operate their vehicles in the night to avoid detection of their offences. Police officials said that they had been receiving multiple complaints against the auto-rickshaw drivers from violation of traffic rules, duplicate number plates on their vehicles to house break-ins and theft. Drunk driving by auto-rickshaw drivers has raised serious concerns about women’s safety, particularly since many of these drivers operate primarily at night to ferry passengers. “This late-night service has made it easier for offenders to evade detection, allowing them to engage in risky behaviour, including driving under the influence. The situation is exacerbated by reports of some drivers being involved in criminal activities, further compromising the safety of women on the roads,” Prashant Langi, the in-charge of Vasai traffic division told mid-day. The special drive is being conducted at night in areas including Vasai, parts of Nalasopara and Naigaon. Till now, the traffic police has confiscated 50 unauthorised auto rickshaws from these areas. “The autorickshaw menace has become a growing concern in the area, with violations of traffic rules, involvement in criminal activities, and cases of housebreaking being linked to illegal operators,” added Langi.
19 January,2025 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Diwakar SharmaPecks and Pincers A fisherman catches crabs at low tide off the seashore at Dadar. Why Amitav Ghosh uses AI Amitav Ghosh. Pic/Shadab Khan The city’s literature fans had a treat this week, as Padma Shri and Jnanpith Awardee novelist Amitav Ghosh was in town for the launch of his latest work, Wild Fictions (HarperCollins, Rs 799), which is a collection of his essays on a variety of subjects. In conversation with journalist and author Raghu Karnad, Ghosh regaled the eager audience at the Royal Opera House with tales of his travels through Egypt and Indonesia, as well as discussions about xenophilia (appreciation for foreign cultures), global politics, climate and even the humble baniyan! The big shocker of the evening, though, was the award-winning author admitting that he uses AI to answer emails. “And here I thought we were having such a great email exchange last week,” Karnad responded. “I use AI all the time now. I find it incredibly helpful; it answers letters so well,” xplained Ghosh, “But it still can’t get my name right.” The best kind of news! (From left) Namrata Tata, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, House of Cheer; Raj Nayak, Founder and Managing Director, House of Cheer Networks; and mid-day Managing Director Vikas Joshi with the Happiest Places To Work award. PIC/SATEJ SHINDE We’ve known it for a while, of course, but now it’s official! Your friendly neighbourhood paper, mid-day, has been certified as one of the “Happiest Places to Work”. The recognition comes after an anonymous Employee Happiness Survey was conducted across the organisation by House of Cheer, a platform that measures organisational happiness, to track employee satisfaction across myriad aspects, including workplace camaraderie, career growth and appreciation from superiors and peers. “This certification reflects not just our commitment to our team’s happiness, but also the quality and impact we are able to create together when we work with a positive attitude,” says mid-day Managing Director Vikas Joshi. “It’s about fostering a workplace where every individual feels valued, celebrated, and deeply connected to a shared purpose,” says Shree Agarwal, HR Head. Men and the memories KN Prabhu. Pic/Mid-day archives The journalists who covered the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy are back. To say that their 50-day Test tour was one hell of a rollercoaster ride would be a fair assumption. A tour of Australia affords one plenty of opportunities to meet former greats, but this diarist is told that not many of those stalwarts make to the grounds. It was not so when KN Prabhu, the doyen of Indian cricket writers toured with the Indian team in the 1960s and 1970s. Our in-house cricket nut stumbled upon an article that Prabhu wrote for Sportsweek’s World of Cricket on the “rewards of touring abroad.” Prabhu revealed how he met Sir Don Bradman and Harold Larwood, the two players who were the centre of attraction in the 1932-33 Bodyline series. The famous writer also grabbed the chance to visit Larwood at his Sydney home with Larwood’s fellow England pace terror Frank Tyson for company. Larwood was a generous man. Before he bid goodbye to his guests, Larwood pulled out a signed photograph of himself and gifted it to Prabhu. Tours… they can be so rewarding! Inspiring places, inspired people Sucheta Chakraborty and Karan Shetty Writer and film journalist Sucheta Chakraborty and ad-film director Karan Shetty are out with a new free-to-watch program, the People In Places Show, which throws light on the intersectionality between places and the people it inspires. In the first episode, Chakraborty speaks to Kannada film actor, writer, and director Raj B Shetty. Directed and shot by Kalveer Biradar, the episode takes place in Mangaluru, a city that has inspired Raj Shetty’s work. “We are speaking about his film, Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana, which is a gangster film set in Mangaluru. Usually, we see gangster narratives in fast-paced cities like Mumbai, Delhi, or New York,” says Chakraborty. While the initial idea for the show is drawn from films, Chakraborty says that they plan to speak to artistes of all kinds about how their works have been inspired by the places they are in. “We wanted to get out of the four walls. We wanted them to take place in the world that has inspired the artiste,” she says. For now, Shetty and Chakraborty are working on developing the next episodes. The show is free to watch on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Simply search for @peopleinplacesshow. Mo-mentous back story Mo Farah’s story goes beyond medals Even as the Mumbai marathon is being run today, one of the most fascinating aspects in the 20th edition of the race event is the story of its ambassador — Mo Farah, the most celebrated distance athletes of all time. Yet, his back story may spur all to read up more beyond his accomplishments. Several accounts say about this Somali-British former long-distance runner that he was born Hussein Abdi Kahin in present-day Somaliland. His father died in the Isaaq genocide when he was four, and he then became separated from his mother. At the age of nine he was illegally trafficked to the United Kingdom via Djibouti, when he was given the name Mohammed Farah and was forced to work as a domestic servant. He obtained British citizenship in July 2000 under the name Mohamed Farah. Beyond the medals is a sobering story that should make you think of violence, genocide and the darkness that is human trafficking.
19 January,2025 07:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Team SMDEven as concerns over poor air quality cast a haze over the Mumbai Marathon being held today, the state government and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) have directed the BMC to take precautionary steps such as halting sweeping of roads along the route from Saturday evening onwards, as well as enforcing strict compliance with construction regulations along the route to prevent air pollution. After the NGO, Awaaz Foundation, on Friday reported unsafe levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) along the marathon route, deployed mobile air quality monitoring vans to assess the situation first-hand. On Saturday morning, an MPCB monitoring van stationed at Worli Naka recorded PM2.5 levels of 111.9 µg/m³ at 11 am. This is nearly double the Indian safety limit of 60 µg/m³, and over seven times the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard of 15 µg/m³. A subsequent reading an hour later showed PM2.5 levels at 106 µg/m³, reinforcing concerns raised by Awaaz Foundation, which deemed the air quality “alarming” and “unhealthy”. The heightened scrutiny follows a citizen-led air quality monitoring effort on Friday, led by Awaaz Foundation. Using sensor-based monitors, the NGO recorded PM2.5 levels at eight locations along the marathon route. Disturbingly, all locations exceeded the WHO’s safe level of 15 µg/m³. The lowest recorded level, at Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan Road, ranged from 95 to 105 µg/m³, while Mahim Retibunder emerged as the most polluted site, with PM2.5 levels between 125 and 154 µg/m³ during the early hours of the day. The findings have sparked concerns over the safety of athletes and participants in the upcoming marathon. “Our goal is to highlight the health impact of air pollution on marathon participants, especially those with pre-existing health conditions,” said Sumaira Abdulali, Convenor of Awaaz Foundation. The government and MPCB, on Saturday evening, responded to the buzz over the air quality concerns stating that the handheld monitoring devices used by Awaaz Foundation do not adhere to the standards set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Questioning the data reliability, Principal Secretary Vinita Singal, on behalf of the Environment & Climate Change Department, said: “The Atmos sensor-based monitors employed by Awaaz Foundation provide indicative data but do not conform to CPCB-approved protocols. As such, the results cannot be regarded as representative of regulatory-grade air quality measurements.” The department further stated that weather conditions such as wind speed and humidity, and construction activity and vehicular traffic during the monitoring may not match the conditions on the day of the race. However, neither the government nor MPCB commented on the high PM2.5 readings on the pollution board’s own monitoring vans on Saturday evening. The MPCB, in its own statement, said: “To ensure accurate and actionable insights, regulatory-grade air quality monitoring will be conducted in compliance with CPCB standards during the marathon. This monitoring will account for real-time conditions and event-specific factors, offering a comprehensive understanding of air quality on the day of the marathon.” The statement added: “In preparation for the marathon, MPCB has taken proactive steps to mitigate air pollution in Mumbai. The Board has instructed the BMC to maintain cleanliness along the marathon route [by sprinkling water], and ensuring that road sweeping ceases from Saturday evening onwards. Construction activities along the route have been directed to comply fully with pollution control measures.” Meanwhile, Abdulali countered: “Awaaz Foundation’s data is part of a Citizens’ Science project aimed at providing indicative air quality information. Citizens’ Science data is globally recognised as an important supplement to official monitoring, helping to identify areas of concern.” 111.9PM2.5 reading (in µg/m³) by MPCB van at Worli Naka on Saturday, 11 am 60Indian safety limit (in µg/m³) for PM2.5
19 January,2025 07:04 AM IST | Mumbai | Dipti SinghDo you know what the stars hold for you in terms of love life, career, business and personal wellness? Well, read on to know your astrological predictions as per your zodiac sign. AriesMarch 21 – April 19Maintain a cordial equation with colleagues, even the troublesome ones! Listen to your gut if you feel you need to make a lifestyle change.Relationship tip: Those in a long distance marriage or relationship may make an important decision. Make well thought out choices, balancing your head and your heart. TaurusApril 20 – May 20Speak your mind, but only when you’re sure about what needs to be said. Those in a traditional work environment must stick to company protocol.Relationship tip: Choose your words carefully if you need to have an important discussion with a loved one. Stay out of family gossip. GeminiMay 21 – June 20Being prepared for meetings, interviews or negotiations would be essential, even if you feel you have options to choose from. Avoid complicating your investment portfolio.Relationship tip: You may need to choose sides if you’re in the middle of an argument. This is a positive time for singles who are looking for a match online. CancerJune 21 – July 22Be ready to change your approach if you’re in a competitive situation. Implement any lifestyle changes you need to make.Relationship tip: Make time for friends you know you can trust no matter how busy you are. Avoid getting entangled with people you know you can’t depend on. LeoJuly 23 – Aug 22 Handle any situation out of your control in the best possible manner. This is a good time to work on letting go of negative habits that hold you back.Relationship tip: Handle any challenging relationships as best possible, being undermined. Make decisions that you know are the best in the circumstances. VirgoAug 23 – Sept 22This is a good time to work on both personal and professional changes you need to make. Self employed businesspersons could sign on a new, lucrative contract.Relationship tip: Focus on your home, and honest communication between family members. This is a positive time for singles looking to get married. LibraSept 23 – Oct 22If you’re in a slow phase, you need to pull yourself up through feelings of apathy and boredom. Avoid buying things you do not need.Relationship tip: Don’t get caught up in ego issues. It is not worth the stress. Your equation with an elder in the family may need a little attention. ScorpioOct 23 – Nov 21Those wanting to take their career to the next level need to know they want. Be careful while driving as you could be accident prone.Relationship tip: Situations at home require your attention—don’t ignore it in the hopes that it will go away. Knowing whom you can trust is very crucial. SagittariusNov 22 – Dec 21Make sure you get the best possible deal if you are in the middle of any kind of negotiations. Focus on stability while making investments.Relationship tip: Those going through a break up should make a clean end to it. Make time for those who really matter, and do not take them for granted. CapricornDec 22 – Jan 19Let go of the past. Don’t let it affect the decisions you make now. This is a positive time for those in a creative profession.Relationship tip: Someone may not be trustworthy, and you need to be careful to give people any information only on a need to know basis. AquariusJan 20 – Feb 18Impulsive decisions won’t work out like you expected. You need to make thought out choices. Take extra care of your health.Relationship tip: Those in a relationship they have kept hidden, need to reconsider if it’s worth it. Singles need to widen their social circles. PiscesFeb 19 – March 21Time management is very important if you have too much to do and not enough time. Focus on steady and secure investments in a long term perspective. Relationship tip: Don’t be influenced by other people during difficult times of a relationship. Choose peace and joy over conflict.
19 January,2025 12:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Aparna BoseADVERTISEMENT
