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indianexpress: With memories of irate consumers storming their office fresh in their minds, a worried Janaki Shinde and her colleagues at Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) have taken refuge in India’s most ancient technique of meditation, Vipasana, for relief from the pressures created by the worsening power scenario in the state.

“People are frustrated with load-shedding and are venting their anger on employees. There is tremendous pressure on all of us and Vipasana is a way to calm our nerves,” Shinde said.

Sanjay Bhatia, former Managing Director MSEDCL and Additional Director General, YASHADA, confirmed the newfound love of the power utility staff for meditation: “More and more people from MSEDCL are opting for Vipasana. My personal experience is that it brings about a change in one’s attitude and helps one stay calm in the hour of crisis”.

YASHADA has been running vipasana classes for government officials every two months. “Out of some 600 government officers taking the course, a sizeable number are from the MSEDCL,” said Bhatia.

Employees like Shinde said they were taking leave to get time off from work and join Vipasana. In 1997, Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) had issued an order sanctioning commuted leave for 14 days to senior executive engineers above the age of 45 years. In August 2003, it was extended to all employees.

“Those who do not get a chance to undergo vipasana at YASHADA are opting for other courses. But MSEDCL is encouraging its employees to undergo vipasana courses,” said H C Salunkhe, an MSEDCL official who claimed that a stint of vipasana had helped him handle crisis situations in a calm manner.

Officers and employees who have undergone vipasana are now helping their colleagues learn the meditation. “During lunch-break we take out time to meditate and each day, our group is multiplying,” said Shinde.

indianexpress: PRAVINSINH Pardeshi, the new municipal commissioner who took charge on Monday, began his first day at work with a three-point agenda for the city—public-private initiative for better infrastructure, making Pune an environment-friendly city and drafting long term plans for the city’s roads, traffic and transport.

Taking charge from Nitin Kareer, who will now be the divisional commissioner, Pardeshi, on Monday, said he will work for better co-ordination between the civic administration, corporators and citizens. The PMC cannot rely on the civic budget alone for building infrastructure given the city’s growth rate and development, he said.

Pardeshi, who returned recently after a six-year stint in Geneva as part of the United Nations Development Programme, said in European countries infrastructure was a collective responsibility. “Pune’s infrastructure is inadequate. Public-private partnership needs to be explored for good roads, drainage and water supply. If a builder is constructing a big scheme, it is his responsibility to ensure all the basic facilities are provided,” he said.

He sought better enforcement of the PMC’s policy for IT companies where they can participate in building the city’s approach roads.

Pardeshi has promised to bring his experience of working on environmental issues in Geneva to Pune. “I am keen on introducing re-cycling of water, drainage and garbage in the city and making Pune greener,” he said.

He has lined up workshops for civic officials and elected representatives so that there is better coordination between them.

“A joint planning workshop in four city zones for better communication between the officials and corporators will provide training and discuss problems faced by corporators about implementing the civic budget,” he said

indianexpress: As part of its sustained drive to enforce the child labour ban that came into effect in October last, the labour department on Monday raided a restaurant in Shivajinagar and rescued two minors employed there as labourers.

Acting on a tip-off, six members of the labour office, along with three members from the child rights organisation Action for the Rights of the Child (ARC) and two constables of the Deccan Gymkhana police raided Hotel Sudama, situated off Jangli Maharaj road, and rescued two boys — Sunil Mondal and Goru Bishash — both hailing from West Bengal. A first information report has now been lodged against the owners of the restaurant.

“Since both boys were found to be aged above 15, the case does not come under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. The case has been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act. In the FIR it has been mentioned that the boys were found to be in the age group of 15-18,” said Kripa Mathew of ARC.

While the police have taken over responsibility for the case, the boys will be shifted to the Boys’ Observation Home at Shivajinagar, where they will undergo a medical examination to establish their age. “If it is established either through the medical examination or through other evidence like a school leaving certificate that the child is under 18, then due proceedings will be undertaken against the employer as per the Juvenile Justice Act,” said labour officer Vasant Sonawane, who was present during the raid.

ARC members said that Bishash, who had never been to school, was employed as a cleaner at the hotel earning Rs 500 a month, and worked from 8 am to 6 pm every day. Mondal has studied till standard VI and worked in the hotel pantry from 11 am to 3 pm, earning a like amount. “Efforts will now be made to contact their parents, who will have to provide a surety that they will not send them back to work. If the parents fail to do so, the children will be kept at the Observation Home,” ARC convener Manish Shroff said.