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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

Aaditya bats for ‘truth’

Mumbai: Two days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a FIR in the Disha Salian case, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and ex-Minister Aaditya Thackeray broke his silence – to proclaim that he would “fight for truth and against injustice”, here on Wednesday. “For the sake of truth, against injustice, our fight will continue,” vowed Aditya, daring his opponents that all attempts to silence him through ‘politically motivated character assassination’ will not succeed. Thackeray Jr’s...

Aaditya bats for ‘truth’

Mumbai: Two days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a FIR in the Disha Salian case, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA and ex-Minister Aaditya Thackeray broke his silence – to proclaim that he would “fight for truth and against injustice”, here on Wednesday. “For the sake of truth, against injustice, our fight will continue,” vowed Aditya, daring his opponents that all attempts to silence him through ‘politically motivated character assassination’ will not succeed. Thackeray Jr’s assertion came after the CBI recorded the statement of Disha Salian’s father Satish Salian as per the September 2 directives of the Bombay High Court handing over the case probe to the central agency. Taking to X today, Aaditya said: “To stop the dust of rumors once again, I'm stating only and only the facts! Let’s cut through the noise and talk facts, once again. I have never met Disha Salian, nor did I have any acquaintance with her, or have known her." Nevertheless, Aaditya said that for the past six years, due to political motives arising out of personal enmity and with the intent of character assassination, “some people have been deliberately trying to link my name to this unfortunate incident repeatedly, despite there being no evidence or connection whatsoever”. With an apparent tinge of regret, the SS (UBT) MLA said that the false discussions on television channels and media trials carried out through empty bluster cannot alter the truth. “Loud TV debates and media trials do not change the facts. Let the official re-investigation proceed without malicious distractions and relentless smear campaigns run by vested interests without a single shred of evidence and truth is highly unfortunate,” Aaditya said. The controversy dates back to June 2020, when Disha Salian, 28, a celebrity manager who had worked with the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died after falling from a high-rise building in Malad. The Mumbai Police initially investigated the death as an accidental-death matter and subsequently concluded there was no foul play. Later however, her father Satish Salian challenged the handling of the case and sought a fresh investigation. Allowing his plea, the high court ordered the CBI to register an FIR and conduct a substantive investigation with an open mind into the circumstances surrounding her death. Crucially, the court also stated that it was not making findings against any individual and directed that no person be treated as an accused unless material emerged during investigations.

Spotlight on Flamingo Blue Carbon Plan

Writer: Bhalchandra Chorghade
Bhalchandra Chorghade
Jun 27
3 min read

Mumbai: As Mumbai grapples with rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, coastal flooding and rapid urbanisation, the proposed Flamingo Blue Carbon Urban Complex is set to become one of the centrepieces of Mumbai Climate Week (MCW) 2027, positioning the Mumbai Metropolitan Region as a global example of how biodiversity conservation can be integrated with climate action.


Scheduled to be held in February 2027, the event will bring together environmental organisations, policymakers, scientists and community groups to chart practical solutions for the region’s growing climate challenges.


“This edition of Mumbai Climate Week will bring together a wider spectrum of organisations, experts and communities committed to safeguarding the region’s ecology,” said Shishir Joshi, Founder and Chief Executive of Project Mumbai, the convenor of MCW.


Among the key initiatives expected to dominate discussions is the proposal for a Flamingo Blue Carbon Urban Complex, conceptualised by NatConnect Foundation Director B N Kumar. The proposal has been submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office and has since been forwarded to the Maharashtra State Wetland Authority for examination and an action-taken report.


The proposal argues that wetlands should no longer be viewed as wastelands awaiting development but as repositories of natural capital capable of generating significant ecological and economic benefits. It seeks to bring together wetlands, mangroves, mudflats and flamingo habitats across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region under a unified conservation framework that recognises their immense blue carbon potential.


Besides storing large quantities of carbon, these coastal ecosystems play a crucial role in mitigating floods, protecting shorelines, supporting biodiversity and enhancing climate resilience in one of India’s fastest-growing urban regions.


Climate Finance

The initiative also aims to unlock opportunities through climate finance, ecosystem services, sustainable tourism and other nature-based economic activities while safeguarding critical habitats for migratory flamingos and other wildlife.


Supporting the initiative, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has committed to partnering with Mumbai Climate Week. Kishor Rithe, Director of BNHS, said the organisation plans to conduct workshops during the event to help develop a climate action implementation framework.


Partner organisation NatConnect Foundation said deliberations during the climate week could also provide fresh momentum for the long-pending notification of wetlands across Maharashtra.


Although Maharashtra has completed the mandatory ground-truthing of more than 23,000 wetlands identified through ISRO mapping, their formal notification under the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, is still awaiting completion.


Environmental groups participating in the preparatory workshop stressed that conserving Mumbai’s fragile coastal ecosystems must become central to climate planning.


Nandakumar Pawar, Director of Sagar Shakti, said balancing development with environmental protection is essential, adding that conserving coastal ecosystems is critical for biodiversity, livelihoods and long-term climate resilience.


Roshni N of YUVA advocated practical urban climate solutions, including widespread rainwater harvesting and the use of treated wastewater for non-potable purposes such as construction, gardening and vehicle washing.


Calling for greater coordination among institutions, Dr Rakesh Kumar, environmental engineer and former Director of CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), welcomed the commitment shown by participating organisations to advance collaborative climate initiatives through Mumbai Climate Week.


Climate Solutions

With an equal focus on the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and the Global South, Mumbai Climate Week aims to elevate ecological concerns, accelerate climate solutions and strengthen India’s role in global climate leadership.


As preparations gather pace, Project Mumbai has been engaging policymakers, think tanks and community leaders to explore how locally developed climate solutions can be showcased internationally and translated into long-term action. Around 25 representatives from environmental and sustainability organisations across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Pune and Bengaluru recently participated in a half-day workshop to shape citizen-led climate initiatives, signalling a growing consensus that Mumbai’s future resilience will depend on protecting its natural ecosystems as much as investing in urban infrastructure.

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