A 16-year-old boy drowned in the sea near an old jetty, which is a part of Sassoon Dock in Colaba on Sunday afternoon. The joint operation, by the fire brigade and Indian Navy officials, to fish out the body was on till Sunday night.
According to fire brigade officials, the incident took place between 3.30 pm and 3.45 pm when they received a phone call from a local informing them about the incident. The boy, identified as Mahesh Sahiliya, fell from an area where there was no boundary wall.
A few boats from the fire department and a team of 12 personnel, led by Tushar Barahate, were pressed into service, while some fishermen came with their boats to render help in the operation.
After it turned dark, fire officials brought their High Pressure Light Vehicle (HPLV), which provided light for the six scuba divers from the Indian Navy who were trying to locate the body. The body was found at around 8.30 pm and was taken to the St. George Hospital for a post-mortem. A police official from the Colaba police station said, “The deceased had gone there for fishing. The boy accidentally fell into the sea while pulling out a fish. An ADR in the case been registered.”
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BMC to use sms to create awareness
Age correspondent
Mumbai, July 7
To create awareness about conservation of environment during the upcoming Ganpati festival, the BMC has decided to use SMSes to promote the importance of eco-friendly clay idols.
Mayor Sunil Prabhu said, “Mumbaikars should try to save the environment by using idols made of clay, which easily dissolve in water. We will sending SMSes appealing to them to buy clay idols.”
According to the civic officials, idols made of plaster of Paris (PoP) do not dissolve properly in water and also cause water pollution. Also parts of idols floating in water after immersion are an eyesore and hurt the feelings of devotees. People should take the initiative to buy only clay idols, said a civic official.
“We need pollution-free festivals. Keeping in mind the growing pollution in the city, people should refrain themselves to use idols made up of PoP,” said Mr Prabhu.
The BMC has also tied up with non-government organisations to hold exhibitions of eco-friendly Ganeshas across the city.