After months of uncertainty, the Mumbai Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Grain Market has finally received approval to resume repair work in the W wing.

The construction, which began as an office renovation project, involved demolishing 25,000 square feet and consolidating 80 plots. However, in November 2024, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) Encroachment Department declared it unauthorized and issued a halt notice. The project was being carried out without necessary approvals from the APMC construction sub-committee and board of directors, raising concerns about the building’s structural stability.

The unauthorized demolition, executed with heavy breakers, impacted 70-80 trader offices in the W wing. Investigations revealed that these offices were handed over to a private organization for renovations without proper authorization. Due to safety concerns, the work was stopped.

Following a detailed inspection and assessment, Suresh Mohade, Executive Engineer of the Market Committee, confirmed that the building falls under the C2 category, meaning it is structurally repairable. Based on this assessment, permission for repairs has now been granted.

The decision has also been verified by the Junior Engineer of the Encroachment Department from Turbhe Municipal Corporation. The upcoming repair work is expected to restore the building’s integrity and ensure its continued use for traders in the APMC Grain Market.

In a major step towards environmental conservation, Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik has pledged to push forward plans to designate DPS Flamingo Lake in Nerul as a conservation reserve. This decision follows a government committee’s recommendations aimed at protecting the 30-acre wetland, a crucial habitat for migratory flamingos.

The move comes after multiple flamingo deaths in the area, prompting urgent action to safeguard the fragile ecosystem. In a recent meeting with B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, Naik reviewed a Right to Information (RTI) report detailing essential conservation measures. He promptly forwarded the report to Milind Mhaiskar, additional chief secretary of the forest department, for further action.

One of the committee’s key recommendations is for CIDCO (City and Industrial Development Corporation) to resolve critical choke points obstructing intertidal water flow to the lake. However, despite repeated reminders from the State Mangrove Cell, CIDCO has yet to act, leaving the waterbody clogged with muck and moss, deterring flamingo visits, says Sandeep Sareen of the Navi Mumbai Environment Preservation Society (NMEPS).

NatConnect Foundation also emphasized commitments made by Navi Mumbai International Airport Limited (NMIAL) to protect biodiversity near the airport project. Reports to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MOEFCC) confirm that CIDCO and NMIAL were advised by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to implement wetland preservation measures.

Environmentalists now await swift action to restore and conserve this vital bird habitat.

44-Year-Old Man Dies, 7 Injured After Swarm Of Bees Attacks Tourists In Karnala Bird Sanctuary.

The Incident

In a rare and tragic incident, a 44-year-old man lost his life while seven others were injured after a swarm of bees attacked a group of tourists at Karnala Bird Sanctuary on Saturday morning.

The deceased, Sandeep Purohit, a resident of Koparkhairane, had visited the sanctuary with his wife, son, and family friends for a trek to Karnala Fort. Around 11 AM, forest officials received a distress call and rushed to the location with a rescue team. Upon arrival, they found the tourists attempting to escape the bee stings, while Purohit lay unconscious after tripping and injuring his head.

The injured were taken to Panvel Sub-District Hospital, where Purohit was declared dead on arrival. Senior police inspector Gajanan Ghadge stated that an accidental death report has been filed, and investigations are underway to determine what triggered the bee attack.

Hospital superintendent Dr. Ashok Gite mentioned that while Purohit had minor forehead injuries, the cause of death will be confirmed after a histopathology examination. He noted that multiple bee stings can sometimes cause fatal allergic reactions, leading to cardiac arrest.

Among the injured were students from VJTI Engineering College, identified as Rudrapratap Sahu (20), Chirag Patil (19), Anish Salvi (19), Rishikesh Navghare (20), Vansh Wagh (19), and Vansh Pajay (19), along with Ilmurugan Sankaran (55) from Khanda Colony.

Authorities are now investigating the incident while urging visitors to exercise caution in the sanctuary.