New Delhi Apr 21 PTI Alleging the BJP councillors have allowed illegal constructions in Delhi the AAP on Thursday hoped the Supreme Court will take cognizance of the matter and hand down the strictest punishment to themIn a statement Aam Aadmi Party AAP leader Atishi alleged the BJP councillors took bribes to allow illegal constructions in the cityThe BJP has been ruling the MCD three civic bodies in Delhi for the last 15 years and all the illegal settlements and constructions have come up under their leadership she claimedWe sincerely hope the Supreme Court while hearing the matter will take cognisance of this corruption the Kalkaji MLA said and hoped the apex court will give the strictest punishment to those who have allowed such illegal construction to happenEarlier in the day the Supreme Court extended the stay on the anti-encroachment drive by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in Jahangirpuri till further orders and pulled up the civic body for continuing with the demolition despite the courts direction to the contraryThe apex court said it will take a serious view of the matterA bench of Justice L Nageswara Rao and Justice B R Gavai issued notices to the Centre and others on the plea filed by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind that claimed buildings of Muslims accused in Saturdays violence were razedBulldozers tore down several concrete and temporary structures close to a mosque in Jahangirpuri on Wednesday as part of an anti-encroachment drive by the BJP-ruled North Delhi civic body just four days after the neighbourhood was rocked by communal violenceThe authorities stopped the demolition of illegal structures only after they received a written order from the Supreme Court that had earlier in the day put a stay on the North Delhi Municipal Corporations anti-encroachment drive taking note of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind pleaThe AAP slammed the BJP over the civic bodys anti-encroachment drive saying razing the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the BJP headquarters with bulldozers will free the country from communal violence and riots foreverAlleging the BJP leaders and officials had got Rohingyas and Bangladeshis illegally settled in the city over the last 15 years it demanded the houses of these leaders and officials be demolished using bulldozers PTI PK NSD NSD

New Delhi Dec 29 PTI The standing committee of the BJP-led East Delhi Municipal Corporation on Wednesday rejected a proposal in the EDMC budget to increase property tax levied on residential and commercial properties officials saidThe move by the civic bodys panel the highest decision-making body of the corporation comes ahead of the civic polls due early next yearSeeking to augment its revenue the EDMC Commissioner Vikas Anand while presenting therevisedbudgetestimates for 2021-22 andbudgetestimates for 2022-23on November 26 had proposed to increase property tax levied on residential and commercial properties and drop taxation on use of cycle rickshaws milch animals and those which pull vehiclesAlso a professional tax education cess and betterment tax has been proposed in thebudgetThe EDMC panel held a meeting on Wednesday and said a series of discussion were held sincecthe budget was presented and the standing committee rejects all kinds of increase in tax proposed in the budget according to a statement issued by the EDMC quoting the panels headResidential commercial and non-residential plots are currently divided into multiple categories in the city there are no residential properties in A-B category in east Delhi officials had earlier said The EDMC budget had proposed increase in property tax for residential category as followsC-E category will be 13 per cent F-H category will be 10 per cent Presently 11 per cent tax is charged in C-E category seven per cent in F-H category a senior official saidSimilar for commercial category inA-E category it was proposed to be 15 per cent and 12 per cent in F-H category the official said The current rates are15 per cent tax in A-B category 12 per cent in C-E category and ten per cent in F-H category a senior official had saidTax levied on submission of building plan had also been increased as proposed in thebudget It has been increased to Rs 50 per sqm for area up to 50 sqm and Rs 100 per sqm for area more than 50 sqm Earlier it was Rs 5 per sqm and Rs 10 sqm respectively the official had saidAs per the EDMCbudget the revisedbudgetestimates for year 2021-22 stood at Rs 447943 cr while thebudgetestimate for the year 2022-23 stood at Rs 473577 cr PTI KND ZMN

Kolkata Dec 28 PTI Senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim took oath as the Mayor of Kolkata on Tuesday promising to provide better civic services and ensure the citys overall developmentHakim the councillor of ward 82 was administered the oath by pro-tem chairman Ram Pyare Ram at a function at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation KMC headquarters on SN Banerjee RoadMy goal is to ensure that Kolkata becomes the best city I will work as the pradhan sevak of the city We promise to provide better civic services and ensure the overall development of the city he said after taking charge for the second termHakim also the Transport and Housing minister in the Mamata Banerjee government was first appointed the mayor of Kolkata in December 2018 after Sovan Chatterjees abrupt exitHe was appointed the civic bodys administrator after the earlier boards term expired in May 2020 but elections could not be held due to the pandemicAlong with Hakim Atin Ghosh took oath as the deputy mayor while Mala Roy took oath as the chairpersonThe members of the mayor-in-council were also sworn-inThe TMC won the KMC elections by clinching 134 of the total 144 wards The BJP managed to win just three wardsThe Congress and the CPIM-led Left Front bagged two wards each and three Independent candidates also wonThe TMC has been in power in the civic body since 2010In the 145-year history of the KMC nationalists such as Chittaranjan Das Subhas Chandra Bose and Bidhan Chandra Roy also a former chief minister graced the Mayors chair in pre-Independent IndiaHakim is the first Muslim Mayor of Kolkata since Independence PTI PNT SOM SOM

Mumbai Dec 28 PTI The proceedings of the Maharashtra Legislative Council were adjourned for 10 minutes following an uproar in the House over allegations of malpractice levelled by a Shiv Sena MLC against the BJP-ruled Akola Municipal Corporation AMC Sena MLC Gopikishan Bajoria demanded the dissolution of the AMC claiming that several malpractices had taken place in the civic bodyThe Akola Municipal Corporation should be dissolved Some executives in the corporation have been involved in wrong practices They should be suspended from their duties Bajoria saidLeader of Opposition and BJP leader Pravin Darekar and other members objected to Bajorias allegationDespite several appeals made by Deputy Chairman Neelam Gorhe the Opposition refused to budge and take their seats following which the House was adjourned for 10 minutes Responding to Bajorias demand for strict action against the civic bodys former commissioner Minister of State for Urban Development Prajakt Tanpure stated that there was already a court case underway over the allegations against the AMC and some officials We will look into the details There will be strict action against those who are found guilty in inquiry the minister said Bajoria had alleged that corruption to the tune of Rs 200 crore had taken place in the AMC in the last five years Responding to the claim Darekar said The hearing of the corruption charges in the cases related to the AMC is underway in the court Despite this the issue is being raised in the council and it is against the procedure Such practices should not be entertained PTI ND ARU ARU

New Delhi Dec 27 PTI Six minors including an eight-month-old boy have succumbed to dengue in the past two months taking the total number of fatalities due to the vector-borne disease reported in Delhi this year to 23 according to a report released on Monday by a civic bodyThe number of dengue cases have risen to over 9500 in the city though about 130 fresh cases have been logged in the last one week the rise being far less than what was being reported till a few weeks agoTill December 18 the official dengue death tally maintained by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation SDMC had stood at 17According to the civic bodys report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday a total of 9545 dengue cases and 23 deaths have been recorded this season till December 25These six fatalities being reported now took place between late October and late November a senior SDMC official saidOne of the victims an infant boy was aged just eight months A resident of Kirari he died at CNBC Hospital on November 3 the official saidOther minors who succumbed to dengue in this period included a 15-year-old boy from Mehrauli who expired at Rainbow Children Hospital on October 28 while an 8-year-old girl from Dakshinpuri died at AIIMS Hospital on November 5 according to the details shared by SDMC officialsThree other minors all boys aged 7 10 and 13 years succumbed to dengue on October 29 October 21 and November 21 respectively the official saidA total of 1269 cases of dengue have been recorded here this month till December 25In the previous years the total dengue cases reported were 4431 2016 4726 2017 2798 2018 2036 2019 and 1072 2020 according to the reportIn 2015 the city had witnessed a massive outbreak of dengue with the number of cases crossing 10600 in October itself making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996The number of dengue fatalities this year is the highest in the national capital since 2016 when the officially reported death count was 10The national capital recorded two deaths due to dengue in 2019 four in 2018 and 10 each in 2017 and 2016The number of deaths due to dengue in years preceding to 2020 had stood at -- 2 in 2019 4 2018 10 2017 and 10 2016 according to the official tally maintained by SDMC On November 17 the city had recorded a total of 5277denguecases making it the highest number of cases of the vector-borne disease recorded in the national capital in a year since 2015A total of 1072casesand one death were logged in the entire year in 2020 according to the report by SDMC the nodal agency for tabulating data on vector-borne diseases in the cityThe 6739 cases reported in November is by far the highest number of cases recorded in a month this year It is also the highest count for November in at least six yearsThe month-wise distribution ofdenguecasesin 2021 stands as -- January 0 February 2 March 5 April 10 and May 12 June 7 July 16 August 72 September 217 and October 1196according to the reportDenguemosquito larvae breed in clear standing water while those of malaria thrive even in dirty waterCasesof vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November but the period may stretch till mid-December PTI KND SRY

New Delhi Dec 27 PTI Six more deaths due todenguehave been reported in the national capital taking the total number of fatalities due to the vector-borne disease reported in Delhi this year to 23 according to a municipal report released on MondayThe number ofdenguecases rose to over 9500 though about 130 fresh cased have been logged in the last one week the rise being far less than what was being reported till a few weeks agoTill December 18 the officialdenguedeath tally maintained by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation had stood at 17According to the civic bodys report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday a total of 9545denguecases and 23 deaths have been recorded this season till December 25A total 1269 cases have been recorded this month till December 25In the previous years the totaldenguecases reported were 4431 2016 4726 2017 2798 2018 2036 2019 and 1072 2020 according to the reportIn 2015 the city had witnessed a massive outbreak ofdenguewith the number of cases crossing 10600 in October itself making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996The number ofdenguefatalities this year is the highest in the national capital since 2016 when the officially reported death count was 10The national capital recorded two deaths due todenguein 2019 four in 2018 and 10 each in 2017 and 2016The number of deaths due todenguein years preceding to 2020 had stood at -- 2 in 2019 4 2018 10 2017 and 10 2016 according to the official tally maintained by the SDMCPTI KND SRY

New Delhi Dec 20 PTI A 54-year-old woman and a nine-year-old girl have succumbed to dengue in the past one-and-a-half months taking the total number of fatalities due to the vector-borne disease reported in Delhi this year to 17 according to a report released on MondayTill December 11 the official dengue death tally maintained by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation the nodal agency for tabulating data on vector-borne diseases in the city was 15The total number of dengue cases have also risen to over 9400 About 150 fresh cases have been logged in the last one week far less than what was being reported till two weeks agoAccording to the civic bodys report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday a total of 9414denguecases and 17 deaths have been recorded this season till December 18The 54-year-old woman who died of dengue at Jaipur Golden Hospital on November 2 was a resident of Hiranki village The nine-year-old girl was from Jaitpur and she died at Holy Family Hospital on November 18 officials saidA total of 1138 cases have been recorded this month till December 18 In the previous years the total dengue cases reported were 4431 in 2016 4726 in 2017 2798 in 2018 2036 in 2019 and 1072 in 2020 according to the reportIn 2015 the city had witnessed a massive outbreak ofdenguewith the number of cases crossing 10600 in October itself making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996The number of dengue fatalities this year is the highest in the national capital since 2016 when the officially reported death count was 10 Delhi had recorded two deaths due to dengue in 2019 four in 2018 and 10 each in 2017 and 2016The number of deaths due to dengue in years preceding 2020 was two in 2019 four in 2018 10 in both and 2016On November 17 the city had a total of 5277denguecases making it the highest number of cases of the vector-borne disease recorded in the national capital in a year since 2015 In September 217 cases were logged the highest count for the month in three yearsThe number of cases reported for the January 1-December 18 period in the previous five years were -- 1062 in 2020 1998 in 2019 2798 in 2018 4711 in 2017 and 4384 in 2016 according to the reportA total of 1072casesand one death were logged in 2020The 6739 cases reported in November is by far the highest number of cases recorded in a month this year It is also the highest count for November in at least six yearsThe month-wise distribution of dengue cases in 2021 stands as -- January zero February two March five April 10 May 12 June seven July 16 and August 72Dengue mosquito larvae breed in clear standing water while those of malaria thrive even in dirty water Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November but the period may stretch till mid-December PTI KND AKM NSD NSD

Mumbai Nov 30 PTI At least 1000 travellers landed in Mumbai in the last fortnight from African countries where the potentially more transmissible Omicron variant of coronavirus has been detected a senior official of the city civic body said Swab samples were collected of at least 100 travellers out of the 466 whose list was received so far Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations BMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani told PTI on Monday The World Health Organisation WHO on Monday warned that the global risk from the Omicron variant is very high based on early evidence saying the mutated coronavirus could lead to surges with severe consequences The UN health agency in a technical paper issued to member states said considerable uncertainties remain about the variant that was first detected days ago in southern Africa Amid these concerns Kakani said the airport authority has informed that around 1000 travellers landed in Mumbai from African countries in the last fortnight but it has handed over a list of only 466 such passengers so far Out of the 466 travellers 100 are from Mumbai We have already collected their swab samples Their reports are expected soon It will be clear if they are positive or negative to coronavirus Kakani said There wont be an issue if their test report is negative but the civic body is going to conduct genome sequencing of positive samples along with the S-gene missing test that is advised by the WHO for faster detection of the infection due to Omicron without genome sequencing he said If the S-gene is missing in that case it is presumed that he traveller may be infected with Omicron the official said adding that the genome sequencing will confirm the infection The infected travellers whether symptomatic or asymptomatic will be shifted to the civic bodys institutional quarantine facility at the civic-run Seven Hills Hospital in suburban Andheri he said Amid the rising concerns over Omicron the BMC has kept all its five hospitals and jumbo facilities ready the official said Measures are being taken for the structural audit fire audit oxygen supply system audit stocking adequate medicines and appointment of manpower Five jumbo centres are already functioning he said We have to upgrade the facilities One or two wards are already activated but as and when required we can activate more wards in the same jumbo facilities he added PTI KK NSK GK GK

Mumbai Nov 29 PTI At least 1000 travellers had landed in Mumbai in the last 15 days from African countries where the Omicron variant of coronavirus was detected a senior official said on Monday He said the Mumbai civic body collected swab samples of at least 100 travellers out of the 466 whose list was received so far Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani told PTI that the airport authority has informed that around 1000 travellers had landed in Mumbai from African countries in the last fortnight but it has handed over a list of only 466 such passengers so far Out of the 466 travellers 100 are from Mumbai We have already collected their swab samples By tomorrow or a day after tomorrow their reports are expected It will be clear if they are positive or negative to coronavirus Kakani said The World Health Organisation WHO had last week classified the Omicron as a variant of concern There wont be an issue if their test report is negative but the civic body is going to conduct genome sequencing of positive samples along with S-gene missing test that is advised by the WHO for faster detection of infection due to Omicron without genome sequencing he said If S-gene is missing in that case it is presumed that he traveller may be infected with Omicron Kakani said adding that the genome sequencing will confirm the infection Kakani said that infected travellers whether symptomatic or asymptomatic will be shifted to the civic bodys institutional quarantine facility at the civic-run Seven Hills Hospital in suburban Andheri According to Kakani amid rising concerns over Omicron the BMC has kept all the five hospitals and jumbo facilities ready Measures are being taken for the structural audit fire audit oxygen supply system audit besides for stocking adequate medicines and appointment of manpower Five jumbo centres are already functioning We have to upgrade the facilities One or two wards are already activated but as and when required we can activate more wards in the same jumbo facilities he added PTI KK NSK NSK

The laxity of the civic bodys revenue wing in collecting income from advertisements since 2017-18 was found by an ACB team during verification of records in the corporations revenue and town planning wings a couple of days backNellore Anti-Corruption Bureau ACB sleuths were baffled when they noticed that the fund-starved Nellore Municipal Corporation NMC has suffered advertisement revenue loss to the tune of Rs 8545352ACB inspectors noticed that the corporation was not maintaining important registers pertaining to attendance leaves staff advances or even a movement register in the town planning sectionAt the revenue wing there was a revenue loss of Rs 6670 lakh because of improper calculation of plinth area while approving building plansACB officials were also taken aback when they found revenue loss of Rs 2859170 from just three assessments that they verified with regard to vacant land tax