Maharashtra:Schools & Religious places reopens in first week of Oct

As Covid cases started dropping in Maharashtra, the state governemennt has taken two big decisions. Last week Maharashtra Government announced opening of schools and religious places, Governor approved the amended ordinance extending reservation for OBCs in Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis and 27 accused were arrested for sexually assaulting a minor girl.

Schools to reopen on October 4 and religious places on October 7

The decisions were announced on Friday. School Education Minister Varsha Gaekwad said that the decision to reopen schools were taken after the SOPs (standard operating procedures) were cleared by the Chief Minister’s Office, the State’s Paediatric Task Force on Covid-19 and the health department. The minister said that Classes V to XII in rural areas and Classes VIII to XII in urban areas, will recommence from October 4. This decision is not applicable to residential schools. Ms. Gaekwad said that a survey done by her department had shown that more than 80% parents favoured reopening schools.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said on Saturday that a  final decision on reopening of schools in Mumbai will be taken next week by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) as it was a question of the safety of children. She also said, “The state government has allowed reopening of schools, but it has also left it on the local authorities for execution of the decision.”

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the reopening of all religious places in the State from October 7. Thackeray said that even though the decision to open religious places had been taken, but all Covid protocols must be followed.

Governor approves ordinance for OBCs, BJP demands to defer local bodies byelections

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has signed on Thursday the amended ordinance by the State Cabinet as per which 27% reservation will be extended in Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis by maintaining the 50% upper limit of reservation. The move was necessitated after the Supreme Court scrapped political reservation of OBCs in local body polls as it was breaching the 50% limit.

But the BJP demanded on Saturday to defer the byelections on October 5 after the Maharashtra  State Election Commission refused to adhere to the amendment introduced in the Act limiting reservation to 50% in rural local bodies. Party leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the State government should immediately approach the Supreme Court to ensure that the elections are conducted as per the amendment.

Shocking case of sexual assault on minor girl near Mumbai, 27 arrested

The Manpada police in Dombivli has arrested three more people in connection with the gang rape of a 15 year old girl,  taking the total arrests in the case to 27, while two minors also have been detained. The police said that the victim has named 33 men as accused in the case.

According to the complaint filed by victim on Wednesday, she was raped multiple times at different places across Thane district between January 29 and September 22 this year. The victim has alleged that the man she was in relationship with , threatened to leak out their private videos and forced her to have physical relations with some of his friends and acquaintances.  Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Gunjal , Zone III of Thane police said that they arrested three more accused in the case on Friday and the remaining accused will be arrested soon.

On the basis of the girl’s complaint , the Manpada police in Dombivli on Wednesday registered a case against 33 persons under IPC sections 376, 376(n),376(d),376(3) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act.