The event at VESIM served as an interactive platform for youth-driven climate action, blending creativity, collaboration, and practical learning. A key highlight of the initiative was a dedicated tree plantation drive, where students, faculty, and staff came together to plant saplings across the campus, reinforcing the message of building a greener, cleaner environment through hands-on action. Complementing this, activities such as the Green Ideas Competition, Eco Talks by Peers, The Reel Challenge: My Green Hack, ‘Ideas to Action’ exhibition booths, a Clean Air Pledge Zone, and short film screenings were conducted in brief, engaging formats to inspire everyday sustainable practices among students. These collective efforts embodied the sub-themes ‘My Eco Campus, My Responsibility’ and ‘Power of Change: From Classroom to Clean Air,’ encouraging participants to move beyond discussions and actively contribute to cleaner air and a more sustainable campus.

“We were happy to host this critical phase of the NCAP youth programme,” said Vijay T. Raisinghani, Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Management Studies & Research (VESIM), “such initiatives strengthen youth participation in building a cleaner, healthier Mumbai.”

On this, Pradip Kumar Mitra, Dean, Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Management Studies & Research (VESIM), added, “Through the National Clean Air Programme, we are proud to engage our students in a mission that goes beyond classrooms and into the heart of community impact. Clean air demands collective action, and this initiative encourages young citizens to become ambassadors of sustainability. At VESIM, we remain committed to nurturing environmentally responsible leaders for a healthier tomorrow.”

Dr. Ajit Salvi, Director, RCUES of AIILSG, Mumbai, in his keynote address, said, “Air pollution has become a pressing concern for Mumbai, and today’s youth engagement under the National Clean Air Programme is a crucial step toward long-term solutions. Clean air is not a gift we wait for—it is a responsibility we must actively claim. Your ideas, your actions, and your participation can shape a cleaner, healthier future for our city. Through continuous involvement of students, institutions, and the BMC, we can build lasting momentum toward a greener tomorrow.”

Revati Shidhaye, Executive Engineer, BMC, addressed the audience saying, “Air pollution is one of Mumbai’s most urgent challenges, and engaging our youth is essential to addressing it meaningfully. As a young nation, your awareness and participation can drive the behavioural change needed for a healthier future. Initiatives like the National Clean Air Programme give students a powerful opportunity to contribute to cleaner air and a better tomorrow. We are grateful for your support and look forward to working together to serve the city more effectively.”

Mr. Avinash Kate, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Environment & Climate Change), BMC, felicitated the winners and commended the students for their innovative ideas and commitment to environmental action. He highlighted the growing role of youth in advancing Mumbai’s clean air efforts under NCAP, guided by the leadership of Dr. Ashwini Joshi, Additional Municipal Commissioner, BMC, whose vision continues to steer the city’s climate-resilience initiatives. Following his address, Mrs. Varsha Athalye, Executive Engineer, BMC, briefly spoke about air pollution as a critical concern for Mumbai and highlighted key NCAP measures such as dust mitigation, mechanised road cleaning, and strengthened waste-management practices. She noted that the November edition of “Green Living, Better Tomorrow” focuses on simple daily sustainable actions that collectively create meaningful environmental impact and emphasized that youth are the real drivers of change. Mr. Rane, Deputy Chief Engineer, BMC, and Ms. Sonal Bhavsar, Deputy Municipal Architect, BMC, were also present at the event along with officials from the Environment & Climate Change Department.

The initiative strengthened the shared responsibility of citizens, institutions, and civic bodies toward clean air. It generated a wealth of innovative, practical ideas from youth participants, enhanced peer-to-peer environmental awareness, and inspired daily clean-air pledges through the ‘Wall of Commitment.’ The activities empowered students as communicators, innovators, and advocates for sustainable living, aligning with NCAP’s goal of fostering behavioral change and local innovation in air-quality management.

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Three new coronavirus cases were reported from Madina Nagar, Janata Cooperative Housing Society and Gulmohar chawl of Dharavi. A 60-year-old man, who died at the city’s Sion Hospital, tested positive for the highly infectious illness after his death. The city’s civic body – Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation – is conducting a contact tracing after his death.

The rapid spread of COVID-19 in Dharavi has raised concern among officials.

On Sunday, fire department officials used an advanced mist blowing machine – Protector 600 – to disinfect the locality, news agency ANI reported, adding that the area has also been barricaded to restrict the movement of people and ensure social distancing.

The authorities say isolation and quarantine are working in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in crowded areas.

Last week, at least nine containment zones were identified in the area. Containment zones are spots — a building or a slum pocket – which has to be sealed and sanitized. People are not allowed out of doors and are provided essentials at their doorstep. Police officials guard the area to prevent people from going out.

The lockdown in the state, which has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, to control the spread of the virus has been extended till the end of this month, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said last week after a video conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was one of the 13 chief ministers who attended the video meet.

Of India’s 9,152 cases, Maharashtra has reported 1,985 cases, including 149 deaths. Of these more than 1,000 cases have been reported from Mumbai, a COVID-19 hotspot.

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The department said incriminating evidence collected during the raids show “large-scale tax evasion and money laundering”. Sources said the I-T sleuths also carried out surveys at the premises of a few BMC officials.

“Raids were carried out on entry providers and beneficiaries who have been engaged in execution of civil contracts mainly in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC),” the Income Tax Department said in a statement. “There were reports that certain contractors had taken entries in the form of loans, etc., from entry providers and inflated expenses in the books of accounts to suppress income.”

In its statement, the CBDT said reports had shown certain contractors had taken entries in the form of loans among others from entry providers and also inflated expenses in the books of accounts to suppress income. “Incriminating evidences showing large scale tax evasion and money laundering have been found,” the tax body said, adding it has so far detected irregularities to the tune of Rs 735 crore and the extent of accommodation entries is being quantified.

The operation “also led to the detection of the use of bogus companies (floated by entry providers) for giving entries to businesses in the form of loans or bills for expenses, among others”, it added.

“In the case of the entry providers, systematic modus operandi of bank fraud and forgery has been detected whereby the promoters have made investments in immovable properties and shares of group companies by siphoning off the bank loans,” said the CBDT.

In the case of the contractor groups, several instances about inflation of expenses by bogus purchases/sub-contracts and taking of loans from entry providers have been identified, the statement claimed.

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