Latest news with #SWD
Hans India
a day ago
- General
- Hans India
GHMC chief orders swift action on Durgam Cheruvu drainage issue
Hyderabad: GHMC Commissioner R V Karnan has instructed officials to promptly address the drainage issue at Durgam Cheruvu. On Thursday, the Commissioner inspected the situation alongside the Zonal Commissioner and other relevant officials. During the inspection, the GHMC Commissioner directed the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to regularly desilt the sewer lines and take full ownership of their maintenance. This, he stressed, is crucial to prevent sewage overflows onto walking tracks and to eliminate the entry of sewage into the lake, thereby ensuring a clean and hassle free environment for visitors. He further directed the Executive Engineer of the Lakes division to expedite the diversion of the sewage pipeline. The Raheja CSR team was advised to enhance park amenities to improve the overall aesthetics of the lake area. During the visit, the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) was also reviewed, with a recommendation to conduct NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) water testing in addition to existing third party checks. The inspection also included a review of the Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) stormwater drain (SWD) works. Officials were instructed to complete this work by September. The Zonal Commissioner was requested to review the progress weekly and ensure that any issues are addressed promptly.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
ED questions actor Dino Morea: What is the alleged multi-crore Mithi river scam?
Bollywood actor Dino Morea appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday (June 12) as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged Mithi river desilting scam. The agency also raided his Bandra residence last week. Probe agencies claim to have uncovered financial irregularities worth crores in the desilting of the Mithi river, indicating large-scale corruption in the functioning of Asia's biggest and most cash-rich municipal corporation, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). What are the allegations, and why was Morea questioned? Here is what to know. What work was the BMC engaging in? The Mithi river is one of the four rivers flowing through Mumbai, originating from Vihar Lake and Powai Lake and meeting the Arabian Sea (in Mahim). Nearly 18.64 km long, the seasonal river has both residential slum pockets and industrial areas along its banks. It acts as a natural stormwater drainage channel for Mumbai during the monsoons. However, over the years, the dumping of garbage, sewage, and industrial waste has hampered its flow. After the 2005 Mumbai floods, civic authorities began efforts to clean the riverbed. The BMC was tasked with cleaning an 11.84 km-long stretch, and the remaining area fell under the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). In August 2024, the government announced in the State Legislative Council that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Mumbai police's Economic Offence Wing (EOW) would probe the desilting works, after BJP MLCs raised questions about it. The SIT started scrutinising the spending of around Rs 1,100 crore between 2005 and 2021. Dozens of contractors, middlemen and BMC officials were questioned, and the SIT on Tuesday registered the first FIR against 13 people accused of causing wrongful loss of over Rs 65.54 crore to the civic body. The probe team also carried out raids at seven locations. The SIT registered an FIR against the BMC Storm Water Drains (SWD) department's assistant engineer, Prashant Ramugade, two deputy chief engineers, people associated with Matprop Company and Virgo Specialities Pvt Ltd (both providing technical services), Vodar India LLP and a contractor. The directors of five contractor companies have also been booked. All are accused of financial irregularities related to desilting, transporting and dumping sludge between 2021 and 2023. How was the alleged fraud committed? The FIR states that the accused contractors, middlemen and BMC officials conspired to include favourable terms and conditions in the contracts. The accused companies submitted fake Memoranda of Understanding of dumping sites to the SWD division. The officials allegedly accepted the documents for the land where silt was supposed to be dumped without due verification. The SIT claims that the accused BMC officers aided the contractors, with the SWD department paying Rs 45.50 crore to the contractors between 2013 and 2021, falsely claiming that the sludge was removed. 'Some contracts don't have proper signatures, some have bogus signatures, in some cases, signatures of owners of (sludge dumping) lands are missing, and in some cases, landowners don't know that their identities are being misused for bogus contracts. In one instance, they used the name of a landowner who died 20 years ago,' said SIT member EOW DCP Sangramsinh Nishandar. The SIT has also found that the accused BMC officers pushed to rent machines from a Kerala-based supplier in exchange for wrongful gains, and that the accused BMC officers told contractors to use machinery from certain middlemen. What irregularities did ED find? The ED's investigation is based on the predicate offence (the illegal act through which an unaccounted sum of money is generated) case filed by the EOW. Prima facie, the accused contractors, middlemen, desilting machine companies, and others colluded to form a cartel with the intent to manipulate BMC tenders. The said action effectively conferred a monopoly and caused payments at inflated rates for desilting works, resulting in undue gains and causing financial loss to the public exchequer. These gains were concealed through certain shell companies/firms. The amount of silt removal has been repeatedly increased annually, without any scientific investigation, ultimately benefiting the contractors, the EOW stated. It has also impacted the quality of work. Currently, only around 60% of the desilting has been done, with the number as low as 35-40% in some previous years. Two accused middlemen, Ketan Kadam, 50, of Vodar India LLP, and Jay Joshi, 49, of Virgo Specialities Pvt Ltd, were arrested last month. Police have also received notes of entries of money received from the contractors, indicating commissions. Morea is reportedly a close associate of Kadam. According to the probe agencies, Kadam allegedly acted as a middleman for Vodar India Ltd. and has been associated with the company for 25 years. EOW official sources said there are five to seven monetary transactions worth Rs 14 to 18 lakh between Morea and Kadam. Kadam's wife and Morea's brother are also directors in the same company. The SIT probe revolves around these transactions. Last month, the EOW also questioned Morea and his brother. Probe agencies are trying to ascertain if Morea was acting on any politician's instructions, but he has not been named as an accused in the case. He is also a close friend of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray, whose party controlled the BMC for over two decades. His questioning also assumes significance as the alleged scam could become a big talking point during the upcoming civic polls, likely to be held in the next four months.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shortage of funds leaves Vij's 460 cr SWD project in limbo
1 2 Vijayawada: One year after the storm water drainage (SWD) project works resumed in Vijayawada, the civic body has so far completed the construction of storm water drain canals along a mere 3.42-kilometre stretch at a cost of 4.35 crore, out of the total 48.47 kilometres planned in the city. After the change of guard in the state, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) took up the construction of the storm water drain canals (minor canals) under the SWD project in June 2024. The SWD project, worth nearly 460 crore in central funds, was launched in Vijayawada in 2016 to create robust storm water drain canals during the previous govt. However, due to lack of payment to the contracting agency, the project has almost been stalled. The civic body has now readied proposals to construct minor drain canals spanning around 48.47 kilometres. In 2016, the SWD project works were awarded to L&T firm during the previous TDP-led NDA govt; however, L&T abandoned the project reportedly due to delays in the release of bills during the previous govt. However, the municipal administration and urban development (MAUD) department, under minister P Narayana, laid special emphasis on completing the stalled storm water drain works. Against this backdrop, the civic body readied plans to take up the construction works on a total stretch of 47.27 kilometres, filling leftover gaps primarily focusing on major junctions besides constructing minor drains across 64 wards in three circles in the city. It is learnt that the dearth of funds is the main reason behind the slow execution of works. According to the civic body authorities, the municipal corporation requires about 173.05 crore to complete the storm water drain canals remaining on the 47.27-kilometre stretch, which were grounded last year. CPM state secretariat member Ch Babu Rao squarely blamed the state govt and municipal corporation for failing to effectively utilise the central funds sanctioned for the SWD project in 2016 for the city. "While the SWD works were executed in an unplanned manner, leaving gaps along the constructed stretches without proper outlets for the outfall drains, even at places where storm water drain canal construction was completed, it has been creating a chaotic situation during rains in the city," he observed. A senior VMC official told TOI that the civic body would hire a private contracting agency to identify and assess the total pending works pertaining to the SWD project 2016 and funds required to complete those works. "After the agency subimits a report to the civic body regarding the total extent of storm water drain canals remaining under the SWD project and the total outlay required to complete; the civic body would submit a report to the state government to seek the requisite funds," the VMC added. As per the preliminary estimiates of the civic body, a whopping 500 crore would be required to complete the remaining construction of the storm water drain canals in the city.
Daily Express
09-06-2025
- General
- Daily Express
World's first gibbon born in captivity in Kota Belud
Published on: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 10, 2025 By: Wu Vui Tek Text Size: Manis and Nabalu share a peaceful sunlit moment. Kota Kinabalu: The Gibbon Conservation Society welcomed the birth of a male Hylobates funereus gibbon—a historic first for the endangered species in captivity. The newborn, named Nabalu, arrived at 5.20am on May 8 to parents Manis and Candyman at the Borneo Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Borneo GReP) site in Kampung Kiau Bersatu, Kota Belud. Advertisement The birth marks a significant milestone in wildlife rehabilitation efforts in Malaysia. North Bornean gibbons, also locally known as Kalawot, are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are endemic to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. 'This birth is especially important as it is the first from a rescued pair of Hylobates funereus—a gibbon species that has, until now, received very little conservation attention,' said Co-Vice Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group (Section on Small Apes), Dr Susan Cheyne. The name 'Nabalu,' which carries deep symbolic meaning, was chosen by State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew, who has also symbolically adopted the infant. 'Nabalu not only reflects the sacredness and strength of Mount Kinabalu, but also embodies resilience, rootedness and hope for the future of Borneo's biodiversity and wildlife. It underscores the urgency of protecting what remains of their native habitat,' she said. 'I picked the name 'Nabalu' (Spirit of the Mountain) for this baby gibbon by drawing from names provided by KK-born Mariani 'Bam' Ramli, the World Female Ranger Week Ambassador (2024–2025). 'We take pride in the recognition that the two gibbon rehabilitation project sites in Sabah and Pahang are Malaysia's only IUCN-accredited gibbon rehabilitation centres,' added Liew. The birth of Nabalu also coincides with the first anniversary of Borneo GReP, which was inaugurated on Jan 21, 2023, by Kadamaian Assemblyman Datuk Ewon Benedict, alongside officials from the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) and key local and global conservation allies. Since its opening, Borneo GReP has grown from housing five gibbons to 12, most of whom were formally surrendered by the SWD, with additional individuals voluntarily handed over by members of the public. 'I started the Malaya Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (Malaya GReP) in 2013. As a Sabahan, I felt deeply called to act,' said the society's founder and President, Mariani 'Bam' Ramli. Manis and Candyman were rescued from prolonged captivity, victims of poaching and the illegal pet trade that continues to devastate wild gibbon populations. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
A lurking danger on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai
There is a trouble spot on Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, by the side of the compound wall enclosing the Stella Maris campus. A tree stump resting more on the carriageway than the pavement can be missed at night, its brown colour getting 'absorbed' in the dark. A motorist can run into the stump. The tree stump has to be either painted in fluorescent colours or extracted from the landscape. The stump belongs to a rain tree that was considerably weakened due to digging of earth for Greater Chennai Corporation's Integrated Stormwater Drain project. The tree was set in place with some packing that accompanied closing of the trenches following completion of the SWD work. The tree did not have much leg space and was also leaning on the compound wall. The removal of the tree is justified, but leaving behind a part of it is not.
