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IndianExpress: The scourge of Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is once again on the rise in the twin industrial township of Pimpri-Chinchwad. The upswing is evident for all to see as the dreaded syndrome claimed 129 lives while 621 persons were diagnosed with HIV in the first 10 months of 2006 calendar.

While in 2005, 55 people died of AIDS-related diseases and 437 were infected, the situation was even more alarming in 2004 when the syndrome claimed the lives of 227 residents — probably the highest toll till date in Pimpri-Chinchwad. However, the number of those infected, at 475, was not as high as that in January-October 2006. The situation was almost as bad in 2003 when 207 succumbed and 436 were diagnosed HIV positive.
Painting a grim picture, the medical department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation said sexually hyperactive persons continue to dally with danger. “No matter how many times you lecture them, no matter how many awareness campaigns you carry, many refuse to pay heed and carry on recklessly,” said PCMC medical director Dr Rajshekhar Iyer. “As there are no red light areas in Pimpri-Chinchwad, these people travel to Pune for paid sex,” he added.

IndianExpress: The city observed World AIDS Day on Friday by taking out rallies and launching a STOP AIDS campaign. Mayor Rajani Tribhuvan flagged off the AIDS awareness rally at Haribhai Desai college in Budhwar Peth.

The event saw around 800 people including NSS students and others participating. The day also saw street plays being held at the College of Nursing at Bharati hospital to observe the occasion.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Talegaon, also observed the World AIDS day by conducting a lecture. Dr Nitin Bora and others spoke on the occasion.

While the National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) kept an open day and had students and others flocking to the institute, Jan-Adalat— the Centre for Para Legal Services and Legal Aid also launched a campaign called ‘Haath-Se-Haath Milao.’

IndianExpress: The chances of Pune’s sky bus project — it has been pending for the last several years — seeing the light of the day appears to have increased with the State Government asking the Pune Municipal Corporation to submit copies of resolutions approved by the General Body in regard with the project.

Municipal Commissioner Nitin Kareer said, ‘‘The decision to ask for the documents was taken at my recent meeting with Principal Secretary for Transport Department and Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) officials.’’ However, it will be some time before the sky bus actually starts plying in Pune.

‘‘The State Government will first appoint a commissioner of safety and the project can be undertaken only if the government issues a certificate of safety to the sky bus,’’ Kareer said

IndianExpress: The death of a 14-year-old girl after she was knocked down by a Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Transport (PCMT) bus in Bopodi on Friday morning, sparked off tension in the locality.

The deceased, identified as Sarika Baburao Chavan, died on the spot. The mishap took place near the Bopodi signal at 7.30 am.

Immediately after the accident took place, a mob gathered and stoned the bus, smashing the windshield and glass panes. The mob demanded that the driver of the bus be arrested for negligent driving. A strong posse of policemen along with a team of striking force reached the spot to control the situation. The agitated people were pacified only after the police promised to arrest the driver who was absconding. Accordingly, the police arrested driver Shivaji Vithoba Londhe late in the afternoon.

IndianExpress: The pilot run of Pune Municipal Corporation’s Rs 62-crore Bus Rapid Transit System, which is funded by the Centre under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), would be flagged off by Union Minister for Urban Development S Jaipal Reddy on Sunday.

However, the inaugural function has raised eyebrows in political circles as work for a dedicated bus lane is still going on the Laxminarayan Theatre-Panchami Hotel stretch of Satara Road. The inauguration is to take place at Pushpa Mangal Karyalaya junction on Satara Road. Reddy is also scheduled to inaugurate the new ward office of PMC at Kasbapeth.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja will inaugurate other JNNURM projects, market complex for hawkers’ rehabilitation at Vadgaonsheri would be organised on Monday. She would also lay foundation stone for rehabilitation of slum dwellers at Kondhwa.
 

IndianExpress: Puneites would now be able to pay all their bills at one single window. The civic administration has forwarded a proposal to the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee to start facility centres at ward offices where all bills would be collected.

Besides taxes and other charges like water and property tax, of telephone bills and electricity would also be accepted at these multi-purpose facility centres. The facility centres would be set up by the PMC on a build-operate-transfer basis and private companies setting up the centres would run them for ten years. And for this facility, citizens will have to pay Rs 5 at these facility centres.