MUMBAI: Is it possible to make cornea retrieval in all medico-legal cases without legal hassles, the Bombay HC asked the Centre on Monday while hearing a PIL on the underutilization of corneas. A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Ranjit More was hearing the PIL by Sampat Shetty which pointed out that underutilization of corneas has resulted in wastage, and that in the absence of monitoring agency , there was scope for tampering with the waiting lists.

Flanked by the Deonar dumping ground on one side and refineries and chemical factories on the other, M-West is one of the most polluted wards in the city. Residents of Chembur and Mahul complain that the dense pollution in their areas has made life a constant ordeal. Locals blame the respiratory ailments that are rampant in MWest on the proximity to the dumping ground, a recently setup bio-medical waste incinerator and industrial units.

MUMBAI: For a dynamic city like Mumbai, it is difficult to stop new constructions or renovations of old buildings. But it is these constructions combined with the chilly weather that are making Mumbaikars unhealthy. Certain pollution levels are more than 100% higher than the normal limits that a person should breathe on days when the temperature dips unusually low.

MUMBAI: For the first time ever, the state-run buses will be sporting fluorescent font indicators mentioning the destination and the bus numbers. This will enable passengers to see the route number and destination clearly in the dark. The installation of the new indicators is being outsourced through a private agency, which is already in the process of introducing them in 5,200 MSRTC buses this week. By April, the corporation plans to introduce the brand new fluorescent indicators in all its 17,000 buses across Maharashtra.

MUMBAI: Ever heard of a medical iron tablet actually containing free iron particles, that too in a huge quantity? State food and drug administration (FDA) commissioner Mahesh Zagde initially did not believe it. However, when a Thane-based consumer presented him with the evidence, he was left both stunned and horrified. "The consumer walked into my office, and in the presence of officials showed how the iron tablet was attracted to a magnet,'' Zagde told TOI.

MUMBAI: A Thane-based consumer has alerted the food and drug administration about iron pieces being found in a medically-prescribed iron tablet. The content of elemental iron in the tablet, prescribed for anaemia or lack of red blood cells, was way above permissible limits. FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagde has directed the Himachal Pradesh-based Galpha Laboratories to withdraw the entire stock of the product from Maharashtra. Simultaneously, the FDA has told 76,000-odd medical stores, public health and medical education departments not to prescribe the product.

MUMBAI: Several NGOs like Mangrove Society of India (Maharashtra Chapter) along with Vanashakti, Maharashtra Nature Park and various local bodies will organize nature walks and cleanup of inorganic waste from mangroves on Sunday, in order to celebrate World Wetlands Day, which falls on February 2. The purpose of the walks is to expose the participants to the beauty of some of the wetland areas in the city and the dangers being faced by them.

MUMBAI: The growing concern on carbon emissions and global warming has trickled down to the civil aviation sector in India too. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to create a national carbon inventory for the civil aviation sector and collect data on carbon emissions from various airports and airlines.

In a recent circular, the DGCA has also asked airlines and airports to measure and monitor emissions from various aviation sources like aircraft engines, support power units and vehicles. The data will be submitted annually to the DGCA.

MUMBAI: When extra-extremely drug-resistant (XXDR) tuberculosis made its presence felt in Mumbai last week, bureaucrats and public health experts jotted down an ingredient that was dangerously low in availability: surgeons. The BMC is planning to get surgeons to restart the surgery programme at its TB specialty hospital in Sewri, said BMC additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar. But given the city's history, this may not be the easiest of tasks.

With the Rs 8,000-crore coastal road proposal now firming up to replace the earlier Rs 20,000-crore sea link-tunnel-road plan between Malad and Nariman Point, Mumbaikars could look forward to cheaper toll and for a lesser period. A senior transport expert said the coastal road toll would be just a third of that estimated for the sea link. "As per our estimates, the one-way toll on the sea-link plan between Malad and Nariman Point could have been Rs 450 for each car. Now, as per the new coastal road plan, it would be Rs 150 to Rs 175," said a senior state government official.