1. Government Move Rekindles Maratha Quota Debate In Maharashtra
The Centre’s move to offer 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education to those belonging to economically deprived sections among upper castes on Monday reignited the debate on the politically sensitive Maratha quota in Maharashtra.
On November 30 last year, the BJP-led government in Maharashtra secured the Maharashtra legislature’s nod for offering 16 per cent reservation to the Marathas in government jobs and education under the newly coined Socially and Educationally Backward Class (SEBC) category.
Source: The Indian Express
2. Mumbai’s Bus Commuters To Be Hassled As BEST Staff Go On Strike From Today
With talks failing between the labour unions and management of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) on Monday, commuters may be inconvenienced because approximately 35,000 BEST employees will go on indefinite strike from today. Owing to a lack of coordination between authorities, no private buses have been arranged and other modes of public transport are likely to feel the pressure.
Leader of BEST workers’ union Shashank Rao said talks had failed and BEST’s general manager Surendrakumar Bagde did not attend the meeting. “A personnel department officer conducted the meeting, so nothing fruitful was expected from it,” Rao said. BEST Kamgar Sena has decided not to join the strike, but they will also not ply their buses. “We are not participating, but we have given our support,” said Suhas Samant, BEST committee member and leader of Best Kamgar Sena. Bagde did not respond to calls or text messages.
Source: Hindustan Times
3. Forest Department Plans Search Operation To Trap Tigress Avni's Cub
Days after he escaped the cordon, the efforts to trace and rescue tigress T1's cub C1 are gaining momentum. "We have already started the search operation for the cub Pandharkawda along with elephants and an expert veterinarian from Madhya Pradesh. We are hopeful of capturing it safely," said a forest department (FD) official. The new search area is more than 70 sq km.
Camera traps have been set up in the area where the cub is believed to be roaming. Patrolling teams and the forest staff are regularly monitoring the traps, checking direct and indirect evidence based on which further strategy can be decided.
Source: Midday
4. Dubai-Bound Air India Express Flight Returns To Mumbai After Alleged Hydraulic Failure
A Dubai-bound Air India Express aircraft was forced to return to Mumbai after an alleged hydraulic failure on Sunday. The flight IX 247 with 177 passengers on board made an emergency landing and returned safely to Mumbai around 3pm.
The passengers took off for Dubai around seven hours later in the same aircraft after engineers attended to the aircraft and resolved the issue.
The flight, which was scheduled to take off at 1.10 pm on Sunday, took off at 1.30 pm after a delay of around 20 minutes.
Source: Hindustan Times
5. Mumbai’s Nair Hospital Nurses Protest After Argument With BJP Corporator
Nair Hospital nurses held a protest outside the dean’s office on Monday, alleging that BJP corporator from Mumbai Central, Sunita Lokhande, threatened a nurse on Saturday. The nurses said that the nurse was administering a relative of the corporator who is undergoing treatment at the hospital.
After meeting the dean on Monday, Lokhande said she would complain to the Municipal Commissioner.
While the dean, Ramesh Bharmal, said the issue was resolved and the nurses ended their protest after an apology from Lokhande Monday, the corporator denied the nurses’ allegation and alleged that hospital staff had been negligent towards her relative.
Source: The Indian Express
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