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indianexpress: Police commissioner Jayant Umranikar has asked the IT industry to explain what the term ‘preventive action against cyber crime’ means. Umranikar was addressing a gathering of police officials and IT professionals during the official installation ceremony of Pune Cyber committee (PCC), a joint venture of Pune police and IT and ITes Association in the conference hall at the Commissionerate on Tuesday.

Umranikar, chairman of the committee, said this idea of preventing cyber crimes was still a hazy concept despite the establishment of all the necessary infrastructure. “We would like the industry to spell out what it means by ‘preventive action’ and ‘quick response’ with regard to cyber crimes. Also, what does the industry want from the police,” he said, adding that the IT industry was always shying away from the police. He also said there was a need to formulate an action plan to be implemented in the right spirit.

Lamenting the lack of cooperation from IT companies during investigations, Umranikar said they have shown unwillingness to share data for interrogations and investigations with the police.

“It has been our experience that IT companies have dilly-dallied on divulging information with the police in a bid to save their own reputations,” he said, stressing the need for confidence-building measures between the two establishments. He however sounded a note of caution, saying they should not step on each other’s toes.

indianexpress: FOUR city cops have bagged the President’s medal for meritorious service. Additional commissioner of police (administration) Shobha Ohatkar, assistant commissioner of police (CID) B R Patil, police sub inspector Pratap Muralidhar Pawar of Hinjewadi police station and ASI Popat Vitthalrao Kalamkar of Yerawada police station are the recipients.

Ohatkar, who had served in Bihar, is known for her crackdown on organised crime and arrests of a dozen high-profile politicians.

indianexpress:  CALL it the awakening. It’s a promise made by Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to its 1,200 strong women workforce, one where they will have freedom from harassment. The PCMC set up a committee recently to address sexual harassment complaints following directives from the State government. The PCMC has a total of 8,600 employees working at its headquarters, divisional offices and hospitals.

The 11-member panel, which is yet to meet, will get together every three months to hear complaints from women employees. Dr Vidya Kharat, who works with the PCMC-run Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, has been appointed as the chairperson.

Assistant municipal commissioner Sudhir Joshi, who also heads the PCMC’s Women and Child Department, said such a committee has already been set up at Mantralaya. He said the State government’s decision followed the Supreme Court directives in Vishaka and others versus State of Rajasthan case of sexual harassment at the workplace in 1997. The SC for the first time recognised sexual harassment at workplace as a serious offence. In its ruling, the Supreme Court laid down guidelines for ensuring that such cases do not occur and also suggested measures to deal with the complaints.

“At every meeting, we will hear versions of both sides and take the proof on record. The verdict will be given in the next meeting,” he said. Joshi said if charges of sexual harassment are proved, an officer or a colleague faces punishment like suspension, sacking or stopping increment depending on severity of the crime.

indianexpress: AFTER bringing hope to thousands of Indians for over 13 years, the moving story of a Dalit father who struggled against the shackles of caste to pave a new path for himself and his family is now making waves in other parts the world.

The Korean edition of Amcha Baap Aan Amhi — a memoir penned by Narendra Jadhav, vice chancellor, University of Pune — has just sold out a record 35,000 copies in just six weeks since its release in South Korea, and is now into its seventh edition.
 
The book, published in 1993, was a hit among Indian readers with 10 editions published in a single year. The book was also ranked ahead of classic books like Shyamchi Aai and Mahatma Gandhi’s The Story of My Experiments With Truth, and has been translated into several languages including German, Spanish, French, and most recently in Korean. The Korean edition was published two months ago during Jadhav’s visit there.

Apart from this, Jadhav will also feature in a film being shot by MSW, a television channel in South Korea. “The crew of the channel has been spending time on the campus to film my daily schedule, from administrative work at the university, to lectures I deliver outside campus,” said Jadhav.

The film will be released on August 24 in S Korea. “Incidentally, this happens to be the same day I finish a year as the vice chancellor,” said Jadhav.

indianexpress: “THERE is a need to narrow down the ever widening rural-urban divide in India which is the biggest challenge,” said Member of Parliament Supriya Sule during a lecture to delegates as part of the International Conference on Youth and Democracy in South Asia organised by Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA) between August 11 and 15.

Sule also said that half of the MPs were below the age of 45 and most of them saw politics as a place to voice their concern and pursue their vision.
 
John Samuel of Action Aid International in his address said that the youth could make a difference from wherever they are and called for the removal of social disparity. Ujjwal Kumar Chaudhary, director, Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication (SIMC) said the role of media is crucial when democratic systems are in a crisis.

Around 120 delegates — comprising mostly youngsters from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India — are participating in the four-day conference and presenting papers on topics like ‘role of the youth in sustaining democracy’, ‘role of youth in shaping democracy’, ‘youth democracy and globalisation’, ‘democracy: farce or fact?’ Presentations are being chaired by professionals and academicians like Milind Bokil of Oxfam Australia, advocate Aseem Sarode, Dr S E Bhelkay and Laxmi Kumar.

indianexpress: AT the stroke of midnight on the eve of August 15 — as the nation geared up for celebrations of the 60th year of Independence — 4,000 city students from 40 schools would have taken to the streets carrying traditional torches and singing patriotic songs, while marching towards the New English School, Ramanbag, for the special Azaadi ke Saath Saal celebrations, held simultaneously across the Pune district from 11.30 pm to 12.30 am.

“As part of the programme, 100 children from each of the 40 schools would have marched on to the streets carrying mashaals, along with their school bands. They would gather at six nominated centres across the city, and move forward to the New English School, where the main programme is being held,” said New English School, Ramanbag principal S B Mundhe.

While guardian minister Ajit Pawar was to preside over the function, district collector Prabhakar Deshmukh, mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale, MLAs and corporators were to be present. Apart from a felicitation of freedom fighters, the programme would have included a rifle salute by students of SSPMS, a march past by Ahilyadevi Girls High School students, fireworks and patriotic songs.

Other highlights would have included a skit staged by students enacting the handing over of power from Lord Mountbatten to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and collective lighting of lamps.

techtree: Panasonic Asia Pacific has launched five 2.4 GHz Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) digital cordless phones, including the KX-TG3510BX, KX-TG3521BX, KX-TG3522BX, KX-TG3531BX, and KX-TG3532BX.

Designed in Japan, the cordless phones feature a backlit LCD, light-up indicator with ringer alert, digital speakerphone, navigator key, and voice enhancement technology.

Users can avail the intercom facility between handsets (except the basic KX-TG3510BX model). With the KX-TG3521BX and KX-TG3522BX, they can conduct three-way conference calls. The KX-TG3531BX and KX-TG3532BX even enable four-way conference calls, the company claims.

The cordless phones feature speed-dial and a built-in clock with alarm, and are fitted with 50-station caller ID memory and 50-name and number phone book. The Ni-MH battery offers a 5-hour talk time, 11-day standby time, and 7-hour recharge time.

According to Anil Rijhwani, country head of Panasonic Asia Pacific, the products not only look good but are feature-rich as well.

The new phones come in metallic black and silver colors, and are priced upwards of Rs 1,900, available through Panasonic’s authorized dealer and distribution network

techtree: Intex has launched it’s Euphonic range of audio systems for cars.

The new range includes speakers and subwoofers designated as EUP 401, 501, 601, 602, 901, 1001, and 1201 in sizes of 4 inches, 5-1/4 inches, 6-1/2 inches, 6 x 9 inches, 10 inches, and 12 inches respectively.

With Polypropylene and glass fibre casings, the speakers promise high quality, distortion-free audio across a full range from deep bass to high treble.

The EUP 602 is a premium speaker targeting first time buyers, for whom a good music system tops the list of car-accessories. Measuring 6-1/2-inch (17cm), it sports a round shape with a three-way configuration. It delivers peak power of 210 W, and is priced at Rs 3,250 per set.

The EUP 901 is an oval-shaped four-way speaker measuring 6 x 9 inches, made of cone of Titanium plated Mica added IMPP Butyl rubber surround. The peak output of the speaker is 350 W, and it comes for Rs 3,750 per set.

To supplement the launch, Intex has even set-up a new business vertical named ‘in-car accessories’.

A company official said, “Considering current trends, the quality of car speakers is pivotal. Our new venture personifies the excellent reputation Intex enjoys in multimedia speakers/subwoofers.”

techtree: Google has announced offering additional storage space but it will come for a price!

It will cost consumers $20 per year for around 2.8GB additional space, and nearly $500 for 250GB space annually, the company said.

While users of Gmail and Picasa already get 1GB to 2GB of free storage, the additional storage space that Google is offering can be used across Google applications, including Picasa, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Spreadsheets, etc.

The extra capacity that users subscribe will effectively act as a common pool of additional on-line storage for a host of Google services.

Ryan Aquino, a software engineer with Google, wrote on the company’s official blog that the move is aimed at quenching users’ thirst for online storage.

He wrote that in case of online storage, whether it’s a picture, a video, or an email, users would be able to store it without having to worry about whether they’ve got enough space in each particular product.

bbc: Flexible paper batteries could meet the energy demands of the next generation of gadgets, says a team of researchers.
They have produced a sample slightly larger than a postage stamp that can release about 2.3 volts, enough to illuminate a small light.

But the ambition is to produce reams of paper that could one day power a car.

Professor Robert Linhardt, of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, said the paper battery was a glimpse into the future of power storage.

The team behind the versatile paper, which stores energy like a conventional battery, says it can also double as a capacitor capable of releasing sudden energy bursts for high-power applications.

While a conventional battery contains a number of separate components, the paper battery integrates all of the battery components in a single structure, making it more energy efficient.