Vol. 35 No. 43 | SUNDAY | JULY 21, 2024 | 33 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only | Reg. No. MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 46955/1988 M.p.c.s. office Mumbai-400001 THE SUNDAY FREE PRESS www.freepressjournal.in EDITIONS: MUMBAI POLL PLEDGE | Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray promises to scrap the Dharavi redevelopment tender awarded to Gautam Adani-led firm, if voted to power ‘Won’t let Mumbai turn into Adani city’ Coming down heavily on the Dharavi redevelopment project, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray announced on Saturday that the tender awarded to Gautam Adani-led firm will be scrapped once his party is voted to power. Addressing media persons on Saturday, Thackeray said the Mahayuti government was implementing Laadka Mitra and Laadka Udyogpati Yojana on the lines of Mukhya Mantri Laadki Bahin Yojana. “We will not allow relocation of the residents of Dharavi and all of them should get 500 sq ft houses there”, he said. Why can’t the government scrap Dharavi redevelopment now?, he asked, pointing out several loopholes in the concessions given to Adanis. He said, there is no mention of the additional concessions given for the redevelopment of Dharavi, the largest slum pocket in Asia. Referring to a survey undertaken currently, Thackeray said each dwelling in Dharavi was being given a number. They might have a plan to trap the residents into the criteria of eligibility and ineligibility and later drive them away. A plan is afoot to scout for new locations for the rehabilitation of the Dharavi residents elsewhere and the process of land procurement was on, Thackeray said. A process to procure 20 land pockets is underway, Thackeray alleged saying the plots reserved for infrastructure and other development schemes were being diverted. Thackeray claimed the government is trying to offer benefits to its friends. The Modi-Shah duo have already Woman killed, 3 hurt in balcony collapse A portion of the G+4 storey Rubinisa Manzil building in Grant Road came crashing down at 10.55 am. Around 35-40 people were in the building at the time of the collapse. Rucha Kanolkar MUMBAI Balcony collapses at a four storey building on Saturday amid heavy rain in the Grant Road area claimed the life of one woman and caused injuries to three other persons. Thirteen people were rescued from the rubble. The incident occurred at Rubinissa Manzil, located near Grant Road Railway Station on Sleater Road, Grant Road (W), around 11.00 am. The structure had been declared dangerous by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). A notice had also been issued to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which owns the building. A large portion of the TULSI LAKE OVERFLOWS Shefali Parab-Pandit MUMBAI Tulsi Lake, situated in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, began overflowing at 8:30 am on Saturday, the first among seven lakes that supply water to Mumbai. This lake contributes 18 million litres (ML) of water to the city's daily supply. The recent heavy rains have increased the total water stock across all seven lakes to 40.96 or 5.92 lakh ML of their combined capacity. Tulsi and Vihar lakes, both within the city, have particularly benefited from the recent downpours. According to civic data, Tulsi Lake received 151 mm of rainfall, while Vihar Lake recorded 96 mm on Saturday. Tulsi is the smallest among Mumbai's lakes, with a maximum storage capacity of 8,046 million litres. 4Contd on | Nation The BMC had declared the structure ‘dangerous’. A portion of the second and third floors’ balconies, along with the ground of the fourth floor, collapsed. second and third floors' balconies, along with the ground of the fourth floor, partially collapsed, leaving some sections hanging precariously. The building's structure, already weak, was further compromised by incessant rain, leading to the crash. taken Mumbai Gift City to Gujarat, he said, adding that the Mahayuti planned to convert Mumbai into Adani city, for which they can change the name of Mumbai as well. The Dharavi redevelopment project is getting maximum FSI (floor space index). The total area earmarked currently for the project is 590 acres of which 300 acres has been occupied by the residents and the rest is with Mahim Nature Park, Tata Power Station, etc.,. How much FSI the redevelopment firm is getting remains unclear, he alleged. Thackeray declared that his party would not allow relocation of the Dharavi residents elsewhere. 4Contd on | Nation UPSC chairman Manoj Soni resigns Pic: Vijay Gohil Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI The rescue operation, led by the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), was challenging due to the precarious nature of the collapse. "The balcony portion and slab portion of the second and third floors had partially collapsed, and some portion was hanging precariously," said an MFB official. Four Fire Engines (FE), one Quick Response Vehicle (QRV), one Rescue Vehicle (RV), and one Turntable Ladder (TTL) were sent to the site. Thirteen, including six males, six females, and one child, were rescued by the MFB from the rubble. Of the injured, four were rushed to Bhatia Hospital, where one female was declared brought dead. 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | Mumbai FPJ News Service NEW DELHI Five years before the expiry of his tenure in May 2029, UPSC chairman Manoj Soni has resigned citing personal reasons, official sources said on Saturday. "The UPSC chairman had tendered his resignation citing personal reasons over a fortnight ago. It is yet to be accepted," a source said. The eminent educationist took oath as the UPSC chairman on May 16, 2023, and his term was to end on May 15, 2029. Sources said Soni had not been keen on becoming the chairman and had requested to be relieved but his request had not been accepted then. They said he desired to devote more time to "socio-religious activities" and added that the resignation was not connected to controversies and allegations surrounding probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar. The UPSC lodged a case against Khedkar for faking her identity to get more attempts in the civil services exams, and took steps to debar her from future selections. Social media has been abuzz with claims of other serving civil services officers using fake certificates to claim benefits available for those belonging to Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) and Economically Weaker Sections. 4Contd on | Nation NEET-UG 2024 One perfect score in retest, 12 score over 700 FPJ News Service NEW DELHI Over 240 NEET-UG candidates who appeared for the medical entrance test at a centre in Gujarat's Rajkot have scored more than 600 marks, with 11 of them getting 700 and above, and one a perfect 720. The figures are according to an analysis of the centre-wise results published on Saturday by the National Testing Agency, which is under the scanner for alleged irregularities in the conduct of the exam, including paper leak. Among the candidates who appeared for the NEET-UG at the Rajkot-based School of Engineering, RK University, test centre, 12 scored 700 and above -- one got 720, two got 710, four got 705, one got 704, one got 701 and three scored 700. More than 240 aspirants who took the exam at the centre scored more than 600 marks. Of them, the score of 148 candidates was above 650 but below 700. Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Haryana are among the states from where the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested people, including students, parents and members of 'paper solver' gangs, in connection with the alleged leak of the question paper of the May 5 NEET-UG exam. In Rajasthan's Sikar, more than 150 candidates from a centre have scored above 600 marks but below 700. The marks of 83 from another centre in Sikar was also above 600 but below 700. Forty-five candidates of the Model School centre in Haryana' Rohtak scored more than 600 marks, while among those who took the NEET-UG in Lucknow's SDSN Mahavidyalaya centre, more than 45 scored above 600. The scores of these students at these centres was below the 700mark. 4Contd on | Nation INDORE PUNE BHOPAL JOURNAL NASHIK KONKAN E-paper