From rise in sale of Kaala saboon drug to drop in home delivery orders at Mumbai hotels: Top 5 stories

Here are our top five stories from Mumbai

While Kaala Saboon, the new variant of charas, is in demand in Mumbai, the 18% GST at AC hotels has ensured a dip in home delivery orders at Mumbai hotels, claim owners. At least 11 people died in Ganeshotsav celebrations across the state. The immersion processions in the city got noisier than last year.

At 123.7dB, the celebrations were the noisiest in 2015. The noise level was 116.4dB in 2016 and 114dB in 2014.(HT)

Meanwhile, Maharashtra governor ordered a Lokayukta to look into the allegations against BJP’s Prakash Mehta.

The top five stories from Mumbai:

1. Kala Saboon eats into rabdi’s business in Mumbai. Neither soap, nor sweet, these 2 are drugs

Kala Saboon, a black soap like charas made in Jammu and Kashmir, is in demand in the city, leaving behind another semi-liquid variant of charas – rabdi – from Himachal Pradesh, said sources from the anti-narcotics cell (ANC).

2. 11 killed during Ganpati immersions across Maharashtra

The Ganesh idol immersion processions in Maharashtra on Tuesday were marred by the death of at least eleven people in parts of the state, even as devotees in the state thronged in large numbers to bid adieu to the popular elephant-headed God.

3. Mumbai hotels claim dip in home delivery orders because of GST

The introduction of goods and services tax (GST) has led to an 80% drop in home delivery orders, claim hotel owners in Mumbai, who have passed on the increase in tax to the consumers despite a state government advisory not to do so.

The procession at Girgaum chowpatty. (HT)

4. Ganeshotsav 2017 ends with a big bang in Mumbai

The noise level during celebrations on the last day of Ganeshotsav on Tuesday was the second highest in four years, with Santacruz recording 119.8 decibels (dB) -- as loud as a thunderclap.

5. Maharashtra governor orders Lokayukta to look into allegations against BJP’s Prakash Mehta

Maharashtra governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday ordered an investigation by state Lokayukta into the allegations against state housing minister Prakash Mehta. In the order, the governor has asked the Lokayukta to look into the permissions granted by Mehta for the slum rehabilitation scheme at MP mill compound, Tardeo.