Mumbaikar Want No Tobacco shop near School

MUMBAI: Bandra residents have asked the five newly elected corporators of H West Ward to ensure that shops selling tobacco are not allowed near educational institutions and to revitalise the fire hydrants in the ward to ensure that they are effective in times of emergencies.

At a meeting held at the municipal office on Saturday morning, corporators Asif Zakaria, Karen D'Mello, Tanvir Patel, Sunita Waikar, all of the Congress, AlkaKelkar (BJP) and Geeta Chavan (MNS) were subjected to questions from eager ward residents who wanted their newly elected corporators to perform in a positive manner.

At another meeting in the evening with Congress corporators at the D'Monte Recreation Centre, Bandra MLA, Baba Siddique asked city residents to be vigilant and fight the attempts by the municipal administration to link property tax to stamp duty. This will make the property tax burden very heavy for residents. He exhorted the people to oppose the measure tooth and nail.

According to Bandra civic activist, Shyama Kulkarni residents were alarmed at the rise of tobacco shops near schools and also wanted to ensure that the fire fighting infrastructure was revitalised in the area. Most of the hydrants were not working, she said. Several of the citizens asked for more effective disposal of their solid waste and grease traps to be installed outside resturants who normally empty their refuse into storm water drains.