Mumbai: Around 150 colleges across seven districts and departments affiliated with Mumbai University have launched an extensive biodiversity survey. The mapping initiative started within their own campuses and will later extend to their neighbourhoods. The data collected will be used to create a community-driven biodiversity register for Mumbai and other districts and can provide various municipal authorities with real-time information.Besides simply counting the numbers of trees, the students will document detailed information on local flora, including their classification as herbs, shrubs, plants or trees, whether the species are rare or common, their height, habitat and also their overall health. More than 800 students are already trained under the programme, supported by the British Council under its Climate Skills programme, and the HSBC.

The programme is being carried out under the guidance of Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni and led by professor Aparna Phadke and co-facilitated by Indu George and Suhas Jejurikar with 21 master facilitators for the smooth implementation of the project. Under the programme, along with the 800 students, over 200 faculty members and representatives from 16 NGOs across seven districts are already trained by the university.Phadke told TOI that the selected students would be teamed up with local self-governments, NGOs and other stakeholders to initiate climate action in their geographical areas. The social actions can culminate into the creation and update of the public biodiversity register too, she said. “There are several projects being undertaken under this partnership and biodiversity mapping is one of them. A questionnaire seeking details on the flora was shared with all the participating students,” said Phadke. The questionnaire seeks information on the local and scientific names of the flora, its type, its habitat (whether fresh water, mangroves, saline, terrestrial or any other), its occurrence, if it is common or rare or very rare. The researchers have also sought details on whether the flora has any local deity importance, or if it is sacred or heritage, along with the tree’s health (good, bad, moderate or infested with pests and fungi) and whether the tree’s origin is native, exotic or invasive.Phadke said that the tree census is not done comprehensively and therefore, such information can help build databases for the local municipal authorities too. “With colleges spread across the city, this mapping exercise can help us to know the entire city’s profile with adequate information on rare and endangered species too,” she added. The British Council programme aims to address various challenges faced by India concerning climate change vulnerabilities by engaging higher education institutions. Mumbai University is one of the three HEIs which were selected as partners.

MANCHESTER: Ruben Amorim’s sacking by Manchester United has exposed the dismal lack of progress since Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival as co-owner promised a new dawn.Amorim was the latest manager unable to turn the tide at Old Trafford, which has witnessed more than a decade of decline since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.The veteran Scot stood down after winning the club’s 20th English league crown following two decades of domestic dominance gilded by European success.Since then United have not seriously competed to win the Premier League or Champions League despite a succession of big-name managers.Amorim, 40, is the first boss to be hired and axed since Ratcliffe took control of the club’s football operations after acquiring a minority stake in the Red Devils.The British billionaire’s arrival in February 2024 was greeted with glee by supporters desperate to see a new face at the helm after years of underachievement under the Glazer family, who still own a majority stake.Yet hopes that the boyhood United fan could make United competitive again at home and in Europe have so far been dashed.– No ‘knee-jerk reactions’ –Just a few months ago, Ratcliffe, 73, said Amorim had three years to prove himself despite a tough start at United, adding that the club would not be drawn into “knee-jerk reactions”.But United have continued to drift, winning just one of their past five home games in the league.An apparent rift with the club’s director of football Jason Wilcox over tactics and transfer targets appears to have increased the pressure on Amorim, who was dismissed on Monday after 14 months in charge.Wilcox moved into his current position in June last year, taking over the main role held by Dan Ashworth, who lasted just five months at the club in an early embarrassment for the new regime. Ratcliffe has so far done little to suggest he can deliver on his desire to restore a club he admitted “has become mediocre” to former glories.The club’s ambition to win a 21st league title by the time of their 150th anniversary in 2028 looks less realistic with every passing season.United finished the 2024/25 campaign in 15th spot — the club’s lowest top-flight finish since they were relegated in 1974 — and missed out on European football for only the second time in 35 years.Despite a marginal improvement this season, Amorim departed with his side 17 points adrift of leaders Arsenal after 20 games.The club are still within striking distance of the top four but cannot afford to lose further ground.– Transfer flops –Ratcliffe has been publicly scathing of some of United’s transfer dealings prior to his arrival but the jury is still out on incomings on his watch.Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte have largely been peripheral figures since being signed under the managerial regime of Erik ten Hag, Amorim’s predecessor.Amorim was armed with an expensive new front three of Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in the recent summer transfer window but they have scored just 12 Premier League goals between them so far.United’s ability to spend their way out of their troubles is beginning to be squeezed by financial sustainability rules.The club’s desperate need to return to the lucrative Champions League will have been a factor in their decision to axe Amorim, who arrived in November 2024 feted as one of the game’s leading young managerial talents.To compound matters for United fans starved of success, Ratcliffe is asking them to pay more to attend games.At the same time, he has been criticised for swingeing job cuts as he tries to restore order to the club’s finances.Last year United set out plans for a 100,000-seater stadium to replace their historic but creaking Old Trafford ground.Ratcliffe said the club planned to have the “world’s greatest football stadium”, with hopes it could be finished within five years, though there is major uncertainty over the timescale.Plans on and off the pitch are undoubtedly ambitious, but they are a long way from being realised.

Mumbai: The Sahar police arrested Prathamesh Maniyar, 39, a resident of Jamnagar, at Mumbai International Airport on Sunday, after immigration officials busted a racket he allegedly ran involving providing of fake educational certificates to school dropouts seeking jobs or planning to migrate overseas.Police said Maniyar, described as the mastermind of the racket, arrived from Bangkok on Sunday at 2.30am, reportedly after dropping a few people whom he provided the certificates. He was detained after he failed to explain his own profession during questioning at the airport. In a complaint, immigration counter officer Rohithash Kumar, 40, said: “I got suspicious when Maniyar failed to give a satisfactory answer about his work profile. He was later produced before the passenger profiling officer where he claimed he was into the business of helping people get admission into schools and colleges in Gujarat. Maniyar said he also helps people seeking jobs in Canada and UK get fake certificates.“A Sahar police officer said the cache details in Maniyar’s mobile phone showed a list of forged documents and certificates that he allegedly planned to hand over to at least 13 people, with certificates shown as issued by universities in Bhopal, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. Police said Maniyar had been active in the illegal business since 2015 and charged Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh for each fake certificate. Officers said he pretended to facilitate admissions for students in Jamnagar, but interrogation revealed he allegedly provided fake degrees and marksheets to youths who wanted to go abroad. “He had set up a large network with agents in various cities and states across the country. Fake documents were being supplied through several agents in Jaipur, Bhopal, Ambala and Delhi. Investigation has also revealed that various bank accounts in Jamnagar and Baroda were being used for financial transactions,” said the officer. Police said that in Maniyar’s seized mobile phone, they found a large digital cache of fake documents, including Gujarat Board mark sheets, fake provisional certificates and degrees, fake marksheets prepared in the name of students, and screenshots of conversations with agents. “The team also seized screenshot of all the passengers who have travelled abroad recently and with whom he had a WhatsApp chat about the details and documents he shared with them,” said the officer. Police said they were gathering details of the total number of people from different states who were provided with fake educational certificates by Maniyar and his team, and the total money earned since 2015. A case was registered against him for preparing fake documents, cheating and misleading various institutions.

Mumbai: Days after the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Janata Dal complained to the State Election Commission (SEC) that their candidates were not allowed to file nominations for the BMC polls in Colaba by returning officer (RO) Krishna Jadhav, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani submitted a report pointing out that although Jadhav’s actions were legally sound, he should have been more careful and more prudent on the administrative front. The SEC still has to respond to the report.The two parties complained that the RO acted at the behest of assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, who is from the BJP. Three of his relatives are contesting the BMC election, and he was present at the RO’s office when nominations were being filed. The complaints relate to Ward Nos. 225, 226 and 227. Gagrani’s report only pertains to the RO’s actions.

The two parties alleged that the nomination forms of their candidates were not accepted even though they received tokens and were present in the RO’s office before the 5 pm deadline on Dec 30, the last day to file nominations.Jadhav’s contention was that the rules require the candidates to be inside his cabin, not just on the office premises, by the 5 pm deadline. He stated that he made several announcements about this while the process of filing nominations was underway.In his report, Gagrani pointed out that the candidates were given tokens and were present on the office premises, even though they were not in the cabin of the RO. Hence, Jadhav should have been “administratively careful”, his report said. This suggests that Gagrani did not agree with Jadhav’s actions, even though they were legally sound.Although the provision of tokens is not mentioned in the election rules, it has become an established administrative practice to provide tokens to voters queuing up at polling booths on voting day close to the deadline. Those given the tokens are allowed to vote.The Janata Dal later withdrew its complaint to the SEC. However, various Opposition parties accused Narwekar of violating the model code of conduct and interfering with the nomination process. Narwekar, a BJP MLA from Colaba, dismissed the charges as baseless and politically motivated.

The educated and qualified have decided to stop being arm-chair critics of politics and step into the election arena for the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls. Professionals with backgrounds in technology, engineering, business and sustainability have emerged as fresh candidates — largely with party backing or as first-time contenders — across wards.Sahil Uttekar (25) is one of the youngest contenders, a mechanical engineering graduate from the Army Institute of Technology. He is vying to win in Ward No 3 and is founder of an electric cycling start-up focused on sustainable mobility. The same ward also had MBA graduate and businesswoman Neha Shinde, who later withdrew her candidature.

Pune Headlines Today — Key Stories You Shouldn’t Miss.

In Wadgaon Sheri, Surendra Pathare, a gold-medallist from College of Engineering, Pune, and his wife, Aishwarya, have emerged as prominent contenders. Both hold BTech degrees. In aWagholi’s Ward No 4, investment banker Anil Kumar Mishra is contesting.Campaigns of all these aspirants reflect a professional outlook shaped by work in infrastructure, data systems, finance and urban services. They focus on measurable outcomes, smart governance and efficient service delivery — a mindset shaped outside the traditional political realm.Uttekar is standing as an Independent. His entry into politics stems from frustration, rather than ambition. “Poor infrastructure and lack of cleanliness cannot be ignored any longer. After living in the Cantonment area and travelling abroad, I realised how far behind we are. Footpaths are encroached, while cycling infrastructure and streets feel unsafe. I wanted to solve these problems myself as PMC ignores complaints,” he said.Meanwhile, the Pathare couple has emerged as prominent figures, fortify the trend of professionals stepping into politics. Aishwarya, Wadgaon Sheri MLA Bapu Pathare’s daughter-in-law, said, “My entry is largely by chance, since I am married into a family with a long political legacy. I managed the back-end of my father-in-law’s campaign. Today, responsibility is gradually passing to the younger generation.“Aishwarya is the founder of a multinational software company and has previously worked with Facebook and Nissan Motors Corporation’s global headquarters in Japan. She set up her own company in 2020. “What distinguishes my approach is my entrepreneurial mindset of building from the ground up, solution-oriented approach and a strong sense of professionalism, respecting timelines, accountability and commitments.“In Wanowrie-Salunkhe Vihar Ward No 18, tech professional Uttung Kale quit his job in a leading software company in Hinjewadi to enter the fray as an Independent. He has been campaigning for the last three months. “I quit my job because complaining from the sidelines was not enough. Roads, drainage, water supply and public safety need focused attention. Residents deserve accountability at the ward level,” he said.Mishra, who moved to Pune from Uttar Pradesh in 2013, is also contesting as an Independent after he quit his corporate job in Nov last year. His campaign focuses on a single persistent issue. “The eastern part of the city has struggled for basic drinking water. Nothing has changed since 1997. Kharadi and Wagholi residents have suffered for years,” he said. “I have been voicing my opinions on the problem for a decade and received strong support from people. I decided to contest with citizen backing to change the situation by 2027.”In the Shivaji Nagar-Model Colony belt, Ward No 12, BJP candidate Nivedita Ekbote is principal of the Modern College of Arts, Science and Commerce. She highlights management-driven governance. “I am contesting to bring development and apply my professional background to improve the ward. I see my management education as an asset, to help bring change through structured planning, technology, and efficient delivery of civic services.”