Developer bonanza

New Delhi, Sept. 5: Developers can now pull down all of Mumbai’s 17,000-odd pre-1940 buildings and build highrises provided the landlord and 70 per cent of tenants agree to this in return for free housing.

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a change in Mumbai’s municipal laws allowing such reconstruction, rejecting some landlords’ objections about how builders were muscling out occupants of old buildings.

Train suicide

Vellore (PTI): A 28-year-old man from Bengal’s Nadia district committed suicide on the Howrah-Trivandrum Express, police said. He was found hanging in the train’s toilet by his friends. The man, who was working as a construction worker in Kerala, was coming home.

Shrine boards

New Delhi (PTI): Committees or boards managing places of worship, including dargahs and shrines, should disclose details of their employees and remuneration paid to them, the central information commission has said. The panel termed these bodies public authorities.

Knot mix-up

Theni (PTI): A power cut at a mass-wedding venue, where about 40 grooms had to tie the mangalsutra simultaneously, led to a mix-up with two tying the thread around the wrong brides. Pujas were performed and the thread was tied to the right women.

Tiger racket

New Delhi (PTI): The wildlife crime control bureau has busted an international racket of trade in tiger parts leading to the arrest of three alleged poachers. The racket was busted after a five-month operation in four northern states.

Jumbo probe

New Delhi (PTI): The environment ministry has sought a report from Uttarakhand on increasing cases of elephant deaths at the Corbett tiger reserve. Wildlife activists claim around 11 elephants have died in the park over the past six or seven months. The death could be because of natural reasons, officials said.