MPCB shuts four non-compliant concrete plants in Mumbai to check air pollution
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has shut down four ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in Mumbai and initiated action against 37 units, recovering penalties of Rs 1.87 crore amid stepped-up measures to curb air pollution.
"Special flying squads will immediately begin inspections to verify whether prescribed conditions are being followed, and strict action, including closure, will be taken against violators," said M Devender Singh, member secretary, MPCB, referring to the action initiated against RMC plants contributing to air pollution.
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The MPCB has constituted four special inspection teams for Mumbai city and two for Navi Mumbai to conduct on-site inspections of RMC plants, following a review meeting chaired by MPCB chairman Siddhesh Kadam, according to a statement issued by Singh on Sunday.
The review focused on strengthening enforcement against units found flouting environmental norms, he said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation recently suspended the ongoing work related to the Bullet Train in the Bandra-Kurla Complex due to non-compliance with anti-air pollution norms.
According to the MPCB, inspections so far have led to the recovery of penalties amounting to Rs 1.87 crore from 37 RMC plants, and four establishments have been ordered to shut operations over violations linked to air pollution.
Kadam, meanwhile, stated that the MPCB, in coordination with the municipal corporation, had launched a focused enforcement drive to maintain air quality in the city.
"Appropriate steps will be taken to protect air quality and stringent action will be initiated wherever required," he said.
Singh said the board has been conducting a daily review of air quality, and flying squads were being deployed to ensure compliance with conditions imposed on establishments.
He added that inspections would be carried out without delay wherever deterioration in air quality was reported.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region has 32 continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations, of which 14 are within Mumbai city. In addition, 22 mobile monitoring vans are available and being deployed to carry out immediate measurements in areas where air quality levels decline, the board said.
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday castigated the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for turning a "blind eye" towards air pollution in the city and for "not doing anything" to mitigate the problem.
A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad also questioned how the BMC had granted sanction to more than 125 construction projects over Rs 1,000 crore in a city like Mumbai, stating that the situation has now gone beyond the civic body's control.
The court had warned the BMC that it would issue orders restraining it from granting any further permissions for construction if the air pollution situation persists in the city.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
