ALERT RESIDENT DRIVES CONMEN TO KAMOTHE POLICE STATION

NAVIMUMBAI: A31-year-old barber from Panvel helped the police catch two conmen, who approached him to sell a 500gm gold chain of ₹2 lakh and silver coins. The items, which were made of iron, were seized.

The complainant Amit Pandit, who runs a hair-dressing saloninPanvel,wasaccompanying his civil engineer brother, whowassurveyingtheroadnear Panvel railway station on December 22. Around 1.30pm, a man who introduced himself as Mohan Mali, showed Pandit three ‘silver coins’ and told him he has 200 such coins and a 500gmgoldchainwhichhewants to sell.

“Mali claimed he found the gold chain on the road and exchanged his contact number with Pandit. On December 27, Mali called Pandit at Khandeshwar railway station and told him he would sell the coins and chain for ₹2 lakh. Mali also gave him a stone from the chain and told him to verify that it is real,” said an officer from Panvel city police station.

Next day, Mali called Pandit and enquired if he wanted to buy the items. When Pandit quoted a price of ₹1 lakh, he agreed.

Pandit suspected the men of being professional conmen. He went to Khandeshwar railway station with his friend Anurag Wagchoure and met Mali on Sunday. Mali was accompanied by another person, Bhagwan Dhamdhale.

When Mali asked Pandit for the money, he told him he had kept it in his car. When Mali and his accomplice got into the car, the duo drove them to Kamothe police station.

Since the crime took place in the jurisdiction of Panvel police, the case was transferred there and the duo was handed over to them. The accused duo was arrested for cheating.

THANE: Thane Municipal Corporation might not be able to give approval to new commercial or residential project as it has failed to meet the Bombay high court’s deadline to scientifically process waste generated in the city.

As per the HC order of March 2018, if the corporation fails to close its dumping ground and start scientific waste treatment by December 31, 2019, it should stop approving new commercial or residential projects in the city.

TMC said it will file an affidavit in court in the next two days, seeking more time.

Manish Joshi, deputy municipal commissioner of TMC, said, “We have made substantial progress in closing the dumping ground. It is not possible to completely close it until we have a scientific processing plant operational. We have acquired the land in Daighar and also ended the opposition of the locals. We have proposed a ₹70-crore Integrated Development of Daighar village to get their consent.”

In 2015, Thane resident Vikrant Chandrahas Tawade filed a case against the unscientific dumping of waste in the city.

THANE: On Wednesday, when the Kasarwadavli police got a distress call from a 22-year-old woman, a team of women personnel reached her location within minutes.

Assistant police Inspector Rupali Ratne said, “We received a call on the police helpline around 2am about a woman not getting a cab to go to Borivli.”

“We reached the location given by her. We booked a cab and waited till it came. We made sure she had enough cash to pay. We called her parents to inform them she had left from Thane. We kept checking on her to ensure she reached safely,” she added.

Tawadehasdraftedalettertothe civic commissioner, demanding implementation of the court’s orderandstopgivingpermission tonewresidentialorcommercial buildings, malls, hotels and res

Thane police had formed a special team named Damini squad for the sole purpose for women’s safety.

Almost five teams of only taurants.

TMC dumps most of its solid waste at Diva. In 2018, the court had asked TMC to close the dumpinggroundbyDecember31 and set up a scientific waste women police patrolled areas.

Deputy commissioner of police, special branch, Balasaheb Patil said, “This is the first

personnel treatment plant.

Tawade said, “TMC, in its affidavit of March 2018, had assured the court that the dumping ground in Diva will be closed by October 31, 2019. The court gave time that Thane police formed Damini squad to curb crimes against women on the streets. They have to follow the same patrolling rules but were entrusted to helping girls and women in distress on streets and other public places on New Year’s Eve.”

Assistant police inspector Vaishali Raskar said that they had organised meetings in housing societies with women, girls and senior citizens and asked them to report to us about eveteasing, accidents or any help on New Year’s Eve.

Patil said, “We have plans to continue with Damini squad. As per requirement, the DCP of every zone will take a call about their patrolling need and timings.” two more months and asked TMC to shut the Diva dumping ground and start a scientific waste treatment plant. The court, in its order, said that if it fails to follow the directives,

TMC should stop giving permission to new constructions from January 1, 2020, unless some substantial compliance is made by the corporation.”

Tawade said that since TMC has failed to comply, it needs to follow the court’s order. “The town planning department cannot give permission for new constructions, else it will be contempt of court.”

TMC claimed that an affidavit will be filed in the next two days, explainingitsstanceandseeking more time. “We have placed an order for processing machine and have appointed IIT Roorkee to guide us implement solid Waste norms of 2016. Apart from Daighar plant, we are also setting up a decentralised waste treatment plant at Hiranandani Estate, Vrundavan Society, Kolshet and Jail Lake,” said Joshi.

The development package for Daighar includes road, hospital, school andstadium amongother basic amenities.

He added that TMC is taking steps to treat waste in centralised and decentralised manner to ease the load off the dumping ground. “There is wastedumped on the ground for the past many years. We have started undertaking a scientific process to clear this. We will file an affidavit in the HC, stating all the efforts we are taking towards waste treatment in the next two days and seek extension,” Joshi said.

THE ACCUSED WANTED TO SELL FAKE SILVER COINS AND JEWELLERY FOR ₹2 LAKH