 "Govt, celebrities begin their cleaning up act in Mumbai")
People are cynical about celebrities and causes that they fight for, but this one’s different. No sponsor, nothing to gain. “Celebrities endorsing social causes is not new. But what Akshay Kumar did yesterday, definitely is. The star not only stopped a man from littering the city of Mumbai, but also posted a picture of the act on a social networking site urging others to keep the city of dreams free of garbage,”
reports Mumbai Mirror
. The government, too, got into the cleaning up act. “Two senior Maharashtra government officials and an RTO agent were today arrested for allegedly taking bribe for doing favours to the victims in the city and neighbouring Thane district in separate cases, police said,” reports
IBNlive
. [caption id=“attachment_123040” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Celebrities endorsing social causes is not new. But what Akshay Kumar did yesterday, definitely is. Reuters”]
[/caption] Residential property rates will stay out of reach, it seems. “I have been waiting to purchase a flat for the last two years but prices keep rising every year,” said Renu Shah, a finance executive who moved to Mumbai from Kolkata in 2009. “Last year, a 400-sq-ft flat, with one bedroom hall kitchen, in Mira Road cost Rs 30 lakh. Now, the developer is asking for Rs 35 lakh. Where am I going to get this kind of money?”,
reports
The Times of India. In an accident, a citizen was crushed to death, thanks, to rash driving. “A52-year-old pedestrian was crushed between a towing van and a stationary tempo, triggering a two hour rasta roko in Vallabh Lane in Ghatkopar (East) on Thursday. The Pant Nagar police arrested Imran Khan (19), the towing van driver, and Arun Kadam, the traffic police constable accompanying him. Khan does not have a valid driving licence,” reports The Times of India. There’s some comfort for south Mumbai commuters. “Anticipating competition from the Best’s Fort Ferry services, the taxi union led by Anthony Quadros is now planning to introduce air-conditioned (AC) taxis on a shared basis at several destinations in South Mumbai,”
says the DNA
. Justice for Keenan and Reuben was one step closer. “The accused in the killing of two Mumbai young bravehearts, Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandes, who died fighting some people who misbehaved with their friends, were produced in the court on Thursday. The police custody of four accused were extended on Thursday for a day,”
reports IBNlive
. DNA reports though, that the accused showed no remorse. “The four men, who allegedly killed two Amboli residents when they objected the eve-teasing of their female friends, have admitted to the crime but showed no remorse when they were brought to court on Thursday,” the paper said. The battle over the ‘northeners’ continued, as Raj Thackeray’s pitch got louder. “Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray warned on Thursday that “provocative” statements by Congress MP
Sanjay Nirupam
, Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh and Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi would trigger off linguistic riots in the city,”
says The Times of India
.
Anant Rangaswami was, until recently, the editor of Campaign India magazine, of which Anant was also the founding editor. Campaign India is now arguably India's most respected publication in the advertising and media space. Anant has over 20 years experience in media and advertising. He began in Madras, for STAR TV, moving on as Regional Manager, South for Sony’s SET and finally as Chief Manager at BCCL’s Times Television and Times FM. He then moved to advertising, rising to the post of Associate Vice President at TBWA India. Anant then made the leap into journalism, taking over as editor of what is now Campaign India's competitive publication, Impact. Anant teaches regularly and is a prolific blogger and author of Watching from the sidelines.