Maharashtra bus plunge: Governor cancels I-Day reception

Mumbai   :  Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao has cancelled the traditional Independence Day reception to be held in Raj Bhavan in Pune on the evening of August 15, an official said here on Saturday.

The decision was taken in the wake of the July 28 tragedy in Raigad district when 30 staffers of the Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Agriculture University perished, when their bus plunged into a 600-feet deep ravine near Mahad.

The varsity staffers were en route to an annual weekend picnic at the Mahabaleshwar hill station, and only one staffer survived the accident, emerging virtually unhurt.

The Governor is also the ex-officio Chancellor of all the universities in the state.

The 'At Home' official Independence Day Reception is hosted by the Governor every year. It was planned on the evening of August 15 at the Pune Raj Bhavan but now stands cancelled.

However, Rao will attend the flag hoisting ceremony at the Council Hall in Pune that morning as per schedule, said the official.