11 killed in Mumbai building collapse, at least 30 still trapped

Agencies
August 31, 2017

Mumbai, Aug 31: At least 11 persons died and more than 30 others are still feared trapped after more than a century-old building caved in off the Pakmodia Street in Bhendi Bazaar near the Sir JJ Hospital in south Mumbai on Thursday.

The 117-year-old Husaini Building was redeveloped by the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) controlled by the Bohri Muslim community.

The building caved in like a pack of cards around 0830 hrs with a loud thud - after that smoke and dust billowed out of the debris.

So far, 11 persons including three women have been declared dead at the Sir JJ Hospital. Fifteen persons who were rescued and two firemen are also undergoing treatment. Three of those admitted to the hospital are said to be in critical condition.

Teams of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), Mumbai Police and Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority have rushed to the spot.

Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that were stationed in Mumbai in the wake of Tuesday's heavy downpour too have rushed there. "Recue and relief operations is in progress. There is a sweets manufacturning unit, food preparation unit on the ground floor. Smoke is coming out and so assmell of gas from one side. Residents of two to three adjacant buildings have been vacated," said MFB's chief fire officer Prabhat Rahangdale.

Mumbai mayor Prof. Vishwanath Mahadeshwar and municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta are at the spot supervising the rescue and relief operations.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was briefed about the incident and he has directed officials to extend all possible help to the affected people.

"We are extending all help to the people," said local Congress MLA Amin Patel. "The building is more than a century old and the area is congested," said local BJP corporator Atul Shah.

This ground+6 building housed a total of 13 tenants which included 12 residential and 1 commercial. Out of these, the trust had already shifted 7 families in 2013-14.

MHADA notices dated 28 March, 2011 and 20 May,2011 declaring the building dilapidated were issued along with offer of transit accommodation to the remaining tenants and occupants.

"We are extremely saddened and concerned at this unfortunate incident and our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families," a SBUT spokesperson said.

A probe has been ordered into the incident and housing minister Prakash Mehta and industries minister Subhash Desai said that the exact causes would be known only after the probe is complete. We are extending all help to the injured persons, said health minister Dr Deepak Sawant, who was present at the Sir JJ Hospital.

"The building was up for redevelopment. The project was cleared. Why people have not shifted out and why the redevelopment was delayed would also be probed," minister of state for housing Ravindra Waikar said.

According to eye-witnesses, there was a play school, however, since it opened after 1030 hrs, a bigger tragedy was averted.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Lucknow, Mar 5: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said last night that the role of teachers would come under the scanner when "anti-India" slogans are raised at universities and institutions of higher education.

"When anti-India slogans are raised at institutions of higher education, we should be prepared to ask why this type of distortion occurrs among our students?" he said at a programme organised by the Basic Shiksha Parishad in Lucknow.

"We begin our work with pledge for the country's unity and integrity and today slogans are raised for the division of the nation. In such a situation, questions are raised over the role of teachers who are considered equal to god in society," he said.

"Who all are involved in this sin and chaos? Governments can provide resources, but the one who has given them basic education, who has given them secondary education and who has led them to that place, all of them should evaluate their actions today," the chief minister said.

Speaking about the condition of education in the state when his government came to power three years ago, he said there was an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy in the state and the condition of basic education was very bad.

"The worst problem was that of proxy teachers. Our government started the process of prohibiting proxy teachers in the first phase," he said.

Adityanath said that a teacher is not just a government servant, but the fate of the nation. He said teachers should learn from Chanakya.

Had Chanakya confined himself to Nalanda University, he would not have been able to make India a superpower of the world during that period. Teachers will have to prepare themselves according to the challenges and need of society, he added.

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News Network
February 27,2020

New Delhi, Feb 27: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the government over the transfer of Delhi High Court Judge S Muralidhar, saying the Centre's attempts to "muzzle" justice and "break people's faith in an upright judiciary are deplorable".

Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation.

"The midnight transfer of Justice Muralidhar isn't shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly sad & shameful," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted. "Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright judiciary, the government’s attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable," she said.

The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders.

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News Network
June 16,2020

New Delhi, Jun 16: With an increase of 10,667 cases and 380 deaths in the past 24 hours, the COVID-19 count in India has reached 3,43,091 on Tuesday, according to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry.

It is noteworthy that today's spike in cases is lower than the 11,502 registered in the country yesterday and has also stayed below the 11 thousand mark it had been crossing for the past two days in a row.

However, there is an increase in the number of deaths due to the infection from yesterday, with 380 deaths being reported from across the country, the toll due to COVID-19 has now reached 9,900.

The COVID-19 count includes 1,53,178 active cases, while 1,80,013 patients have been cured and discharged or migrated so far.

Maharashtra with 1,10,744 cases continues to be the worst-affected state in the country with 50,567 active cases while 56,049 patients have been cured and discharged in the state so far. The toll due to COVID-19 has crossed the four thousand mark and reached 4,128 in the state.
It is followed by Tamil Nadu with 46,504 and the national capital with 42,829 confirmed cases.

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