Amboli incident is not a one-off; it’s a problem that has been ignored

It’s going to stay hot for a while, says the Met department. “You will have to bear the seething heat in the city for some more time. Winter has been delayed and weathermen predict that the dip in the temperature will be seen by November-end,” reports DNA.Some good news, finally, for the commuters of the city. “The residents of Kurla’s Netaji Nagar, who have been opposing the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) construction for the past several years, have started vacating their premises and handing over properties for demolition. Nodal agency Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is finally looking to put the project on fast track,” says the Indian Express.[caption id="attachment_124809" align="alignleft" width="380" caption=""Two statements expected to be recorded on Sunday will mention there was sexual harassment preceded the murder of Keenan Santos and Reuben Fernandez. ibnlive.com"][/caption]Times must be getting bad economically, as even prostitutes are getting hit. “Business is bad for 27-year-old Rehana, a housewife in Andheri, who services clients at a local madam’s apartment in her spare time... Till six months ago, I used to get at least 20 customers every month and now I barely get five customers in a month,” says Rehana, who makes Rs4,000 for three hours of work in the afternoon,” says DNA.Maybe the sex workers could learn from the friendship clubs that are making money. “Crime branch sleuths have arrested two persons who ran a friendship club and duped several people, including former civic commissioner K Nalinakshan, into parting with large sums of cash,” as The Times of India reports.The accused in the Amboli double murder will be charged with sexual harassment, it seems. “While the FIR and witness statements recorded in the Amboli double murder case reportedly have no mention of eve teasing or sexual harassment, the main complainant said that two statements expected to be recorded on Sunday will mention there was sexual harassment before Keenan Santos, 24, and Reuben Fernandez , 29, were killed,” says The Times of India.Outlook does a good study of what is happening in Mumbai when it comes to safety of women, and it’s clear that the Amboli incident is not a one-off; it’s a problem that has been ignored.

Oct 20: Two men stabbed to death when they protested harassment of the women in their group Oct 12: A 22-year-old woman gangraped in a moving autorickshaw by three men. Sept 22: A 61-year-old woman murders her neighbour who had slighted her earlier. Sept 20: Senior citizen strangled by her teenage grandson and his friend while she was praying. July 2: A 16-year-old girl gangraped by “friends” after a visit to Siddhivinayak temple; rape filmed, circulated via MMS,” reports the magazine. More details here.

Bad news travels, and bad news about south Bombay has reached the Gulf. Says Khaleej Times, “India’s financial and commercial capital is also the priciest city in the country in terms of real estate prices. Select apartments in posh Cuffe Parade, Nariman Point and Malabar Hill areas are sold at rates as high as Rs100,000 (about Dh7,400) and above for a sq ft, whereas in other parts of south and central Mumbai, flats go for between Rs50,000 and Rs75,000 a sq ft. Obviously then, living in these super-expensive apartment complexes must be a dream, with residents enjoying world-class amenities? Far from it; while developers provide state-of-the-art facilities, it is the civic services and utilities provided by state-owned agencies and firms that can make for frustrating living. For instance, this week thousands of residents in south Mumbai localities are experiencing an acute shortage of water, following leakage in a massive, 90-year-old pipeline that brings water to the city from the distant suburbs.”