Nashik: Nashik: The district administration has written to the state government seeking its approval to set up a special cell to oversee the preparations for the Kumbh Mela slated to take place in the city in 2026–27.The establishment of this cell is an important step in ensuring the works related to the Kumbh Mela are planned and executed in an organised manner with the consent of the government.This cell will function in accordance with the government norms and will have staff that will work solely for this, said Nashik collector Jalaj Sharma.The aid received for the Kumbh Mela from the central and state governments has to be spent on making provisions for amenities for pilgrims and sadhus who will visit Nashik and Trimbakeshwar during the mela.Though the Kumbh Mela period is spread across a year, there are three important days that draw the most crowds. These are the days of the holy dip (Shahi Snan) when sadhus who are camped in their akhadas march to Ram Kund in Nashik city and Kushawart in Trimbakeshwar for the ritual.The cell will be headed by an officer of the rank of additional collector, who will have a few deputy collectors working under him. They will assist him with the various works related to proposing, planning, execution and budgeting the allocated funds.It may be noted that during the 2015-16 Kumbh Mela, a plan with a budget of Rs1,052 crore was prepared, of which Rs919.5 crore was sanctioned. The actual money spent was to the tune of Rs856 crore. We also published the following articles recentlyRaw material for Nashik MD unit from Thane & Guj: StateThe state prosecution revealed in court that the raw material for drug kingpin Lalit Patils mephedrone (MD) drug unit was sourced from Bhiwandi in Thane district and certain locations in Gujarat. The co-accused Shivaji Shinde supplied 10 different chemicals as raw material to the Nashik unit, while Rohitkumar Chaudhary played a key role in setting up the unit. The custody of Patil, Shinde, and Chaudhary has been extended, and the investigation is ongoing to identify the places where the godowns are located and trace the source of the chemical purchase.Head constable caught accepting bribe of Rs 35,000 in NashikA police head constable in Nashik was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for accepting a bribe of Rs 35,000. The constable had initially demanded Rs 1 lakh from the complainant, who was driving a vehicle that was stopped by the constable. After negotiation, the constable agreed to accept Rs 35,000 as the first instalment of the bribe. The ACB set a trap and apprehended the constable while accepting the money. ACB officials have urged the public to report any instances of bribery to them.Gold, electronics & real estate add glitter to Diwali business in Nashik marketsBusinesses in Nashik, India, are expecting a robust festive season with traders reporting good footfall and increasing orders. There has been a high demand for electronic goods such as refrigerators, washing machines, LED TVs, laptops, and mobile phones. The overall estimated business during the festive period is expected to be around Rs 1,000 crore, a 20% increase compared to last year. Additionally, the gold and jewellery market is also experiencing strong sales, and the real estate sector is looking up with 750 flats valued at Rs 300 crore being sold in the last 20 days.

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