As part of the nationwide “Safai Apnao, Bimari Bhagao” campaign, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has sent a 30-member sanitation team and heavy machinery to Pandharpur to assist with cleanliness efforts during the annual Ashadhi Ekadashi pilgrimage.

The dedicated crew comprising 30 sanitation workers and two sanitation inspectors was deployed on July 21 and 22. To support drain cleaning and public sanitation, the civic body also dispatched two specialized suction-cum-jetting machines.

During their deployment, the NMMC team worked to clean major roads, temple premises, public toilets, and municipal drainage systems to ensure hygiene for the lakhs of warkaris (devotees) visiting the holy town.

The operation was conducted under the guidance of Municipal Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde and supervised by Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Dr. Ajay Gade. NMMC officials noted that their sanitation teams have previously assisted during natural disasters and major events in Kolhapur and the Konkan region, extending their expertise to state-level civic support.

Over 4,500 Investors Cheated with False Promises of High Returns and Diamond Gifts. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Navi Mumbai Police has uncovered a massive bogus investment racket where nearly 4,500 people were duped of over Rs47 crore.

Officers have arrested two key suspects Sunil Palve, the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of OSSAM Swadesh LLP, and an agent named Navnath Repole. Four other suspects, including marketing directors and agents, remain at large.

According to investigators, the firm lured victims by promising high monthly returns, referral commissions, and diamond gifts allegedly valued at Rs 1 lakh each. To gain credibility, the company initially made timely payouts and distributed the gifts. However, police later discovered the diamonds were inferior low-grade stones worth only about Rs 20,000. Once substantial funds accumulated, the payouts stopped completely. Following an anonymous tip-off, the APMC Police registered an FIR against the suspects under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, 2019.

“The accused systematically lured investors with unrealistic promises to gain their trust before siphoning off funds,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (EOW) Vishal Hire. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is currently analyzing bank transactions to trace the money trail, and authorities have urged affected investors to step forward with their documentation.

Recent fencing and construction activities in the ecologically sensitive wetlands of Nerul have ignited strong protests from local environmental groups and nature lovers, who fear the work threatens the region’s fragile ecosystem.

Environmentalists from groups like the Save Navi Mumbai Environment Group and NatConnect Foundation have sent urgent appeals to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office and government planning agencies. Activists reported that private construction work and digging in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas are generating heavy dust and disrupting bird-rich wetland pockets, which serve as crucial habitats for migratory species like flamingos.

Local campaigners point out that wetlands act as natural urban sponges, absorbing floodwaters and preventing severe waterlogging in surrounding residential sectors during heavy monsoons. Blocking or altering these natural water channels could heighten urban flooding risks across Navi Mumbai.

Members of the High Court-appointed Wetland Protection Committee have pledged to raise the issue at upcoming state meetings, urging authorities to enforce strict buffer zones around protected coastal lands. Environmentalists continue to demand an immediate halt to unapproved construction activities, stressing that urban expansion must not come at the cost of vital biodiversity.