We need to scale up testing efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, and looking for signs of virus RNA in our sewage could provide a shortcut
A well-preserved fossilised tail from Spinosaurus suggests this massive dinosaur may have been able to propel itself and hunt for prey in the water
A fresh look at the world’s oldest religious texts suggests ancient Egyptians saw the sky as a water-filled iron container from which chunks fell to Earth as meteorites
A group of citizens under Environment Life, which works towards cleaning up waterfalls and the space around them, in Mumbai and surrounding areas has cleaned up the waterfalls at Kharghar Driving Range.
The clean-up drive, dedicated to martyred Major Kaustubh Rane, and as a mark of respect for all security forces, was titled 'Waterfall Cleanup Drive VII: Kachare se Azadi' and organised on August 15 from 9 am to 12 pm. To support this cause, the group was joined by retired Air Force sergeant Subhashish Sarkar.
During the drive, the group of 45, aged between six and 70, managed to clear about 230 kg waste from the hill and waterfall area. Till now, Environment Life has carried out such drives at 12 locations, clearing seven tons of garbage left behind by tourists and visitors. Out of the total amount of garbage dumped by picnickers at waterfalls in that area, 150 kg is plastic — plates, spoons, water bottles, wafer packets, carry bags, etc.
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In a tragic incident, a 14-year-old student from Navjivan school Nalasopara East allegedly died falling from water sliding ride tower in Suraj Water Park on Friday afternoon. According to the police of the deceased has been identified as Deepak Gupta, a resident was residing with his parents at Pragati Nagar area, Nalasopara East. He was studying in Class X at Navjivan school situated in Oswal Nagri area and had gone for schools picnic.
The incident happened when Gupta climbed on the water slide tower and suddenly fell down on the tower platform. He was unconscious. Gupta was taken to the hospital where the doctor declared him dead. No one from Suraj Water Park said anything but the incident was confirmed by night duty security guard who mid-day that the incident took place between 1 pm to 2 pm. He said that the boy used to suffer from epilepsy and he fainted while climbing on the sliding ride tower.
The boy's parents alleged that he did not want to go to the picnic but the school authority had made it mandatory for students to attend and also alleged that the school authorities had threatened to not issue examination hall tickets for students appearing for SSC students.
A social worker Prashant Bhosle says the school management is responsible for the death of the child. If the student did not want to go to the picnic, how could the school management force? The school authority is totally responsible for the death of Gupta and they should be punished.
Hundreds of peoples including the parents gathered outside the school but no official from the from came out. And accidental death case has been registered at Kasarvadavali police station and further investigation is on.
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A vacation brought nightmare news to a 26-year-old Shillong man's family. The man drowned in the Bhatsa River near Shahapur. He was in the city to spend his summer vacation with his cousins at his aunt's place. He had accompanied his cousins who went to the river to beat the heat. Though he was a good swimmer, he was sucked in by the current and drowned. In fact, the drowned man helped his cousins escape, but could not do so himself.
This report comes just days after the a 24-year-old techie allegedly drowned in a swimming pool in Pune. The deceased hailed from Andhra Pradesh and was a resident of Pune's Hinjewadi. He was taking swimming classes since the past one month.
Reports say the lifeguard realised that the techie had not resurfaced for a while when he jumped in and found the man unconscious. Though he was rushed to hospital, he was declared dead. His post mortem report also mentioned death due to drowning.
Both reports show us that swimmers tend to underestimate the power of water. They tend to overestimate their prowess in the water and end up paying a heavy price for that.
In the former instance, where a Shillong-based man died, people need to desist from jumping into rivers, lakes, ponds to cool off. The waters can be deceptively calm. If you are on a picnic, be content with simply submerging your feet in the water, instead of jumping into it. These lessons must be learnt well. The monsoon will bring with it revellers, who cavort in gushing waterfalls and water bodies at green getaways. Some of these picnics end in tragedies. Take extra caution when you swim, and do not enter a deep pool if you are a beginner or still learning. It must be action caution when it comes to water.
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Thje city is facing many challenges amid the Coronavirus lockdown, but the one thing in its favour is the water stock. The lakes that provide water to the city have enough water to fulfil the city's needs through the summer.
As of Monday, the lakes have 29 per cent of the water stock, which will last for almost another 80 days, that is, until July.
This means, there will be no water cut this summer. Last year, when the city was facing a water cut, the total water stock was 19 per cent on the same date.
The BMC had imposed a 10 per cent water cut from November 2018 till July 2019. During the last monsoon, the lakes received rain till early December and as such, the water stock is still
The seven lakes — Bhatsa, Tansa, Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna, Modak Sagar, Tulsi and Vihar — supply water to the city.
Their total water storage capacity is 14.47 lakhs MLD (million litres per day). As of Monday, there is 4.31 lakh MLD water in the lakes.
Last year, on the same date, the water stock was 2.88 lakh MLD.
The BMC supplies 3,800 MLD water to the city every day. Around 700 MLD water is being used by industries while the floating population — people coming from other cities — use around 50 MLD water.
"After the lockdown, the industrial water supply is obviously reduced but the city gets normal water supply. It means there is more water for residential areas," said Ashok Rathore, chief of the Hydraulic Engineering Department.
Due to the manpower crunch, the meter reading has not been taken and the exact use by industries and residences has not been measured.
As per the IMD forecast, the monsoon will be normal this year.
29
Percentage of water stock currently available
Upper Vaitarna: 2,802
Modak Sagar: 61,632
Tansa: 38,539
Middle Vaitarna: 89,953
Bhatsa: 224,881
Vihar: 10,133
Tulsi: 3,478
Total: 4,31,418
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In another incident that underlines the abject plight of migrant labourers, the Mulund police found 19 of them attempting to walk home to UP on foot in a bid to escape hunger and unemployment. The group was spotted sitting on a water pipeline during drone surveillance on Wednesday evening. What surprised the police was that usually, people run away as soon as they notice drones. However, these labourers, trying to escape hunger in the city, did not flinch and stared back at the drone. The group appeared to be headed in the direction of Thane.
The police across the state are using drones to keep an eye on their jurisdiction amid the COVID-19 lockdown. The police spotted this group around 7pm on Wednesday during routine surveillance and went for a closer look.
Vijay Prajapati, a migrant
The police noticed a few people sitting on a pipeline that supplies water. The drone was lowered to get a better look at the people and police counted 19 people sitting, observing the drone.
"People run away after they realise a drone is tracking them. But these people did not. We thought they are resting. All of them had bags hoisted on their backs or lying by their side," said an officer from Mulund police station. "We informed a patrolling van and some local politicians who rushed to the Veena Nagar," the officer added. The 19 people were taken to Mulund police station where cops and MLA Mihir Kotecha spoke to them.
Brahmadatta Tiwari
"Of the 19, 16 reside in Sonapur, Bhandup West and six are from Goregaon East. All are daily wage labourers," said Kotecha.
"They all belong to a village near Balrampur near Lukhnow, Uttar Pradesh. They planned to go to their hometown walking. All of them have been taken to Bhandup Shelter Home, where they will be given food."
A screenshot of the video of the labourers taken during drone surveillance by Mulund police. Pics/Suresh Karkera
Sonapur resident Vijay Kumar Prajapati, 38, said, "We all live in one single room. We don't have a single rupee in our pocket now. We have no option but to walk back to our home where our family is. We haven't had proper food for the past three days. So, instead of starving, we chose this path."
Brahmadatta Tiwari, 40, a Goregaon East resident, said, "We all belong to the same village. We discussed among each other about what to do as money and provisions are ending. With no other option left, we decided to walk back home."
Mulund police informed the labourers that the government has allowed for states to take back their migrants and if they want, they will be taken home.
7g
Time on Wednesday evening that the drone spotted the migrants on the pipeline
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After an engineer in the G north ward tested positive for COVID-19, water supply to residents of Dadar-Mahim is likely to be disrupted for a while. The entire team in charge of repairing the water pipeline has been quarantined.
The engineers and workers of G north ward offices were on essential duty of ensuring water supply, but one of them tested positive for COVID-19 late Tuesday night.
"He was on duty of repairing the water pipeline in Dharavi. In all likelihood, that is how he contracted the virus," one of the employees said.
Soon after the engineer tested positive, the BMC health department quarantined the entire team on April 29, Wednesday, to avoid further transmission. The repair work will restart only after the team gets the all-clear, which will take a while.
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A swimming pool maintenance employee working at the Bombay Presidency Radio Club (BPRC) in Colaba amid the Coronavirus lockdown died of electrocution on Thursday. Ramchandra Bhuneshwar's body was seen floating in the swimming pool by another staffer.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sangramsinh Nishandar said an Accidental Death Report has been filed. "Prima facie, a 42-year-old man in charge of maintaining the swimming pool at Colaba's Radio Club died of electrocution. We have registered a case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code against Radio Club officials and the contractor for breaking lockdown norms," he said.
Senior police inspector of Colaba police Shivaji Phadtare said Bhuneshwar was taking water out of the pool with the help of an electric pump when he got electrocuted.
Sources said that Bhuneshwar, a contractual employee, was asked by his contractor Babu Khomrekar to clean the water of the swimming pool a week ago. "At the time of conducting the panchnama, Khomrekar was called by Colaba police. He told the police that Adi Mistry, a Managing Committee Member working as the Chairman of Swimming Pool and Gym at the Radio Club, told him to get Bhuneshwar to change the pool water," a source working at the Radio Club said.
Bhuneshwar is survived by wife, Vimal, two daughters and a six-year-old son. His relative, Siddhant Gaikwad, said, "Bhuneshwar was asked to continue maintenance work at Radio Club's swimming pool even during the lockdown. He lives in Murud Janjira. When no permanent staff is working at the club, why was he forced to continue his work?"
President of Radio Club, Harish Kumar Garg, said, "I am not aware how Bhuneshwar died and what was he doing at the Radio Club amid a lockdown as I am a 72-year-old man and I have been staying home."
Ramchandra Bhuneshwar
Sources said nearly a dozen Radio Club employees living at the premises spoke to the Colaba police during the panchanama. "Committee members forced these workers to leave the club amid the lockdown because they spoke to the police," source added.
Club members speak
Advocate Ravi Goenka, a member of the club, said, "We all are following the lockdown rules and sitting at home. And the rich and powerful people who are on the committee of tony clubs (i.e Radio Club) call staff to work in spite of the lockdown."
The Radio Club committee refused to answer calls. A club member said angrily, "Calling in staff to work is exploitation and violation of the lockdown."
Several members expressed surprise that the pool was filled with water and not drained as no one swims there amid the lockdown. Another member said, "We do not want this brushed away as an Accidental Death Report. A poor employee has lost his life, let us get to the bottom of this through a thorough investigation."
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Mojo's Bistro in Kamala Mills, Lower Parel
Gone are the days when a pub's interiors only made for a cool Insta frame. Today, design based on business sensibilities is having a bigger say in the blueprint. An idea that seems to have caught the attention of owners of new watering holes is to set up an island bar right in the middle of the venue.
Bring in the business
Owners agree that an island bar is accessible from all sides, and thus, results in better business. "In a space as big our Andheri outlet (6,500 sq ft), an island bar suits us perfectly. We didn't want it to be in a corner from where the bar wasn't visible. An island bar in the centre is more accessible, and the service is faster," says Dibyendu Bindal, partner at Agent Jack's.
Bindal feels that sourcing water supply and drainage facilities might be a challenge, but with advanced technology, these issues
can be overcome. Such a placement also offers more space for guests to hang out with their drinks for longer.
The island bar at Andheri's Agent Jack's
Add to the theme
For others, an island bar works as an extension to the décor. A case in point: Juhu's seaside bar, Estella. "We wanted its look and feel to be like a deck. Since we are situated by the sea, we decided to have an island bar and make it a conversation point. It instantly draws guests, like an island would draw visitors," reasons Hitesh Keswani, director, Silver Beach Entertainment and Hospitality. Keswani echoes Bindal's logic when he says that such a design manages to woo more guests as it ensures easier interaction with the bar team.
Pritina Shrestha, managing director, Mojo's Bistro was clear that their spacious open-air venue in Lower Parel would host a bar in the centre. "Four-sided access is not just a quicker way for people to get their drinks, but also gives a 360-degree view to guests at the bar, and those helming it. Thanks to this, we have bartenders performing. We have added LED lights that play up on big-ticket events like cricket matches. This helps us change the ambience regularly," she says.
Juhu's sea-facing Estella restaurant
Architect take
Island bars in large spaces are a mainstay not just in the city, but internationally too. Suresh Mistry, co-founder of city-based architecture firm SM Studio, which has worked on the Andheri outlet of Agent Jack's, has spotted some of the finest island bars across Hong Kong and Guangzhou. "It is ideal for service as it enables the waiters to attend to every table in lesser time. Island bars also break the monotony of a large space."
The team at architect Sameep Padora's sP+a that designed Lower Parel's Theory and Juhu's Estella, was clear about Keswani's brief. They say, "Since the island bar is the cynosure of the space, the design had to be technically spot on.
Done right, it is the best way to communicate the positioning of the property."
Going by the footfall at the Juhu hotspot, it might just be the new cool island to check into.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa requested his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray to release six TMC water from his state's reservoirs to rivers in Karnataka to meet acute drinking water shortage in North Karnataka. Yediyurappa pointed out that the North Karnataka districts, namely Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburagi, Yadagiri and Raichur are facing acute shortage of drinking water due to onset of summer during early days of March this year.
"I request you to kindly direct the concerned authorities to release 3 TMC of water from Warna/Koyna reservoirs to Krishna river and 3 TMC of water from Ujjaini reservoir to Bhima river on humanitarian grounds for drinking purpose," Yediyurappa said in his letter.
He reminded Thackeray that even in the past the Maharashtra government had released water from its reservoirs to meet the drinking water needs of both human beings and livestock in drought-affected areas of Karnataka.
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During Holi 2019, certain people were forcefully throwing colours and water balloons in a public place in Pune's Pimpri Chinchwad area which prompted the police to detain 84 youth. A case was filed under the relevant section 68 under the Bombay Police Act.
This unruly behaviour which began at 7 am, ended at 2 pm. The entire police station was filled with these accused that the cops had to resort to locking some of them up in another police station.
Detained youth during Holi with Pune police
Senior Inspector Satish Mane of the Wakad police station said, "We set up nine teams along with two mini police vans. Each team consisted of seven policemen and a total of 75 police staff were working around the clock in public places as well as public utility areas such as buses, trains and other modes of transport.
Our prime focus was Rahatni and offices in order to safeguard people from such issues. The detained youth belonged to the age gap of 20-25. Some of the detained would throw water balloons and colour on women while others travelled on bikes hurling balloons at buses and other vehicles. They primarily targetted women."
He had added, "The youth have been detained and will remain in the police station till the evening. The accused were also given lessons in law and how to behave in public places."
Also Read: Mumbai: Holi celebration turns tragic as five drown at beach in Nalasopara
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“We need to just understand the management of water for our "Present and Future”. This is a story of about Rohan (Abraam Pandey) and Pooja (Jashpreet Kaur) who are eager to learn about rain water harvesting in college. They set out to adopt the idea of conserving water. While they do face a lot of obstacles, they overcome it all eventually. The story and dialogues are penned by Shravan Kumar Rathore.
An EU-funded project promoted the exchange, display and transfer of innovative fertigation technologies which combine fertilisation with irrigation. This approach will help farmers to use limited water resources more sustainably while reducing harmful nutrient losses to the environment.
The organizers of last year's St Katharine Docks On-Water Exhibition have announced that they are planning an event this year, on May 4-7, that will be double the size of last year's, renamed as "The London On-Water Yacht and Boat Show."
In waterlogged Patna with 640 patients being tested positive mostly in the last four days, fear of a dengue outbreak is looming large, revealed sources.
Water Fluoridation may reduce dental decay in U.S. children and adolescents, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the iJournal of Dental Research/i.
17th January 2014 – Colombo, Sri Lanka – His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, has officially launched a new, hi-tech information system that promises to enhance water management in the South Asian country. Download the full media release
Tokyo, Japan (March 21, 2014): A research program that pinpointed how perverse subsidies were causing India to export virtual water has won the coveted ‘Water for Life’ UN-Water Best Practices Award. The IWMI-Tata Water Policy Research Program (ITP), a partnership between the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the Sir Ratan Tata […]