Thane Labour court awarded a compensation of Rs. 4.7 lakh to a woman in a 2004 accidental death case.

Commissioner for Workmen’s Compensation, S K Upadhyay in the order delivered recently directed the insurance firm United India Insurance Company to pay 50 per cent of the compensation to the claimant and half to the transportation company Bhairavnath Transports, as it had already deposited the total compensation amount with the labour court, as per court’s orders.

The court also directed the insurance and transport company to jointly the 12 per cent interest per annum amount to the woman.

In the case filed by Sakhubai Abhiman Khatarmal (30), wife of deceased the daily wage labourer Abhiman Khatarmal, with the Labour court in 2006, her husband died in March 2004 when he was had gone to a construction site, driving a truck and as he got from the vehicle at the site, a heavy iron rod fell on his head and he died.

Respondent, insurance company did not appear in any of the proceedings while owner of transport company argued that since, the deceased was not inside the truck at the time of accident, they are not liable to pay compensation.

The court, however, directed the transport company to deposit the compensation amount to the court, on grounds that the driver of the truck of “on duty” and hence, they were liable to give compensation.

Following, the order, Bhairavnath Transport Co. deposited the amount of Rs. 4.7 lakh with the court and later also challenged the ruling in the High Court.

The High court after hearing the petition filed by the transport company, quashed the order of labour court and directed it to decide the application afresh on merits.

Following High court directives, Labour court heard the matter afresh.

Upadhyay, while pronouncing the order, directed the insurance and transport company to make payment of 12 per cent interest per annum, jointly, while asked insurance company to pay 50 per cent of the total amount (of 4.7 lakh) to pay to Bhairavnath Transports.

A 39-year-old man from Kerala was arrested for allegedly carrying 200 counterfeit currency notes having the face value of Rs. 1,00,000, police said.

The accused, identified as Johnson Thomas, was apprehended when he was trying to dispose of the currency notes near Anand Talkies in east Thane, said senior police inspector Devidas Gevare.

Thomas, a painter, had earlier been arrested for the same offence in 2006 in Kerala.

He has been booked under section 489-B (using as genuine, forged or counterfeit currency-notes or bank-notes) of IPC.

The opposition Congress and NCP in Maharashtra said the Devendra Fadnavis government, which would be completing 100 days on February 7, had reneged on pre-poll promises of scrapping road toll and LBT and failed to provide succour to the farmers.

State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said there was increase in farmer suicides, and government appeared to be insensitive to the woes of the farmers who were reeling under drought.

“This is nothing but a government that runs on twitter,” Tatkare said, in an apparent dig at Fadnavis who often makes announcements through the micro-bogging site.

The NCP leader said though 100 days was a short time to judge, there was no evidence of concrete steps being taken to help the farmers, including soya, paddy growers and milk producers. Paddy procurement was yet to start, he said.

Referring to the plan to shift the proposed international finance centre from Mumbai to Gujarat, Tatkare said NCP will not allow anything that would reduce Mumbai’s importance as the financial nerve-centre of the country.

Congress spokesperson Ratnakar Mahajan said that Fadnavis government did nothing to implement its promise to scrap road toll and local body tax (LBT).

“After coming to power, they realised that scrapping LBT is not easy and said it would be done after alternative is found. While on toll, the ministers are saying that toll-free Maharashtra was never an election promise,” Mahajan said.

He also said that supply of foodgrains to above-poverty-line beneficiaries of PDS, who were supposed to get 25 kg of foodgrains under the Food Security Act, had stopped and the Centre had reduced the budgetary provision for implementation of the act by Rs. 10,000 crore.

Four people have died of swine flu in Mumbai since January 19 out of 23 positive cases that have been detected so far, a top Brihanmubai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said.

“We have found cases of people suffering from the H1N1virus in Mumbai, but the situation is in no way alarming. From January 19 till February 05 there have been a total of 23 cases detected, out of which 4 people have lost their lives,” Additional Municipal Commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh told reporters.

He said two persons died while undergoing treatment at BMC-run hospitals and two others in private hospitals.

“Three people (out of total number of positive cases) have been completely cured and allowed to go home,” he said, adding that four patients are currently undergoing treatment in BMC-run hospitals, while the rest in private hospitals.

Deshmukh said 13 positive cases out of total 23 were not residents of Mumbai, and had come to the city to avail treatment.

“People should ensure that if they get cough, cold or fever (and) head pains they should not try self medication. They should immediately contact the nearest hospital and get themselves tested for swine flu,” Deshmukh said.

He said there are medicines available to treat swine flu and there is no need to panic.

“This disease spreads through air and hence if you have cough, use of a handkerchief is very important. Such people should also avoid going in crowded places,” he added.

Deshmukh said people should ensure that those suffering from swine flu should not leave medication midway.

“Unless swine flu is completely treated, it can re-occur. Only once certified by a doctor, can medicines be stopped,” he said.

Mannat, which is the famed home of Bollywood King Shah Rukh Khan is now going to be demolished.

A BJP MP from Mumbai North Central, Poonam Mahajan, had written to BMC to bring down the ramp that is built in front of the bungalow.

Reports said that the residents from the area want to reclaim the land that the ramp has been built on illegally. Mahajan had written the petition based on the complaints of the residents.

With the BMC order the ramp will be taken down now. Thousands of Shah Rukh Khan fans come down from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the star outside Mannat. SRK’s bunglow has courted trouble for a long time now.

Earlier too local residents along with a social body called ‘Watchdog Foundation’, raised their concerns over this illegal construction, and wanted it removed as soon as possible. They had even written to the BMC about the same.

AIB Knockout Roast which featured Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor among other industry artists has been under heavy scrutiny after the show’s video was posted on YouTube.

Censor board has submitted a report to the Maharashtra home ministry. The report has mentioned that the script shown earlier was later changed by organisers.

The Maharashtra Home Ministry is going to recommend action on the matter soon.

The video which went viral at first started facing heavy criticism from many as they deemed the jokes to be ‘crass’ and ‘offensive’. Akhilesh Tiwari, President of Brahman Ekta Seva Sanstha and other religious groups complained against the video saying that it was against the Indian culture. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had threatened to prevent the release of forthcoming films by Johar and others at the show till they apologise for their actions. The film industry united to protest against the allegation.