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indianexpress: Dengue cases, which have been spiralling in Pimpri-Chinchwad, have now reached the figure of 290 in the last 10 months and 26 days. Malaria cases far outstrip dengue as they now stand at 568. So far, four deaths due to dengue and three by malaria have been reported from parts of the town.

On Tuesday, The Indian Express had reported that 261 persons had suffered from dengue in last 10 months and 22 days. By Friday, 29 more cases were added, taking the collective figure to 290. However, health officials said out of the 29 cases, only 10 were undergoing treatment in different hospitals. “The rest of the cases are from the month of September. Private hospitals which had not reported the cases then are now coming forward with their data. This is happening because of our warning to them to keep us updated about the dengue and malaria patients undergoing treatment at their hospitals,” health officials said. On the malaria front too, the cases have been shooting up by the day as 20 new ones have been added in the last four days. These are again official figures. Unofficially, malaria cases are said have gone much beyond the 1,000-mark while dengue cases also have crossed the 500-mark.

PCMC health officials concede that there are 264 private hospitals in town and not even 10 per cent of them are keeping them updated. “Nirmaya Hospital, Chinchwad, is probably the only one which gets a large number of dengue cases. So far, the hospital has reported nearly 150 dengue cases,” officials said.

Health officials blame the rising dengue cases to general public apathy. “We have put up banners, posters and distributed pamphlets through out the town and are advertising through cable television about the precautions to be taken to keep dengue at bay. There is a simple procedure that needs to be followed. Residents should not store fresh water for more than four days. They should ensure that flowerpots and drums are cleaned every four days. But people don’t pay heed,” PCMC health director Rajshekhar Iyer told The Indian Express on Friday. Civic activists however blame the PCMC health department and the civic administration about the surging malaria cases. “Overflowing garbage containers located right in residential areas, open nullahs and cesspools have become a common sight in town,” says health activist Sachin Godambe.

indianexpress:  Dismissing the bail application of builder Pradeep Runwal of Amrut Runwal Multi-Housing Private Limited which allegedly executed forged power of attorney in the names of 278 farmers in Manjri to avail loan worth Rs 300 crore from a multi-national bank, Judicial Magistrate First Class A S Chaudhari on Saturday remanded Runwal, Ankush Parakh and Jaideep Limaye to four days of police custody till October 31. The police suspect the scam to be much larger as it is estimated to be to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore and land involving is 108 acres.

The other four accused - Congress corporators Anil Maruti Jadhav alias Anya Don and Shankar Pawar — as also Shivaji Gadade Patil, husband of Maharashtra Navniram Sena (MNS) corporator Chhaya Gadade and ex-corporator Satish Yellappa Dhotre were remanded to police custody only for two days, till October 29.

Jadhav, Pawar and Dhotre had surrendered before the anti-extortion cell on Saturday morning.

The police sought custody on grounds that Runwal and two of his associates had forged signatures while procuring the power of attorney. Runwal had allegedly carried out these transactions in Shevalwadi, Lohegaon and Mulshi but this needed to be investigated, the police said. Meanwhile, an AEC team that started searching the offices of Runwal offices was still at the job late in the evening.

AEC chief, police inspector Bhanupratap Barge said Runwal, Ankush Parakh and Jaideep Limaye were arrested after preliminary investigations revealed their involvement in forging the power of attorney.

The AEC had booked Congress corporators Jadhav and Pawar, besides Gadade and two others for attempting to extort Rs 2.5 crore from the Runwal group by threatening to expose their illegal transactions. Gadade was arrested on Friday night. Runwal Multi-Housing Private Limited vice president, Sanjay Raisoni, had registered a complaint with the Deccan Gymkhana Police a couple of days ago against the corporators Gadade, Dhotre and Chaugule who is now absconding.

indianexpress: While the PMC is considering rewarding Pune Tree Authority (PTA) committee members by raising their monthly honorarium to Rs 5,000 for their efforts to protect greenery in the city, the five-month-old committee is on the verge of axing another 600 trees for development purposes. Since its formation, the PTA has permitted the cutting of more than 2,000 trees and is all set to permit cutting of 599 more next week.

PTA member Tanaji Lonkar admitted that in all four meetings held during the last five months, the majority of proposals tabled before the PTA pertained to cutting of trees. “After five months, I feel that the authority should be renamed as Pune Tree Cutting Authority. Now some of the new members in PTA have decided to join hands to oppose such proposals,” he said.

“The PMC garden department has tabled a proposal before the PTA to cut 599 trees and transplant 387. The PTA will take a decision at a meeting scheduled on October 30,” PMC Tree Officer Balasaheb Jagzap told The Indian Express.

“The PTA, comprising 15 corporators and 15 green experts, is appointed for conservation of greenery. However since its formation about five months ago, it has permitted axing of more than 2,000 trees and they are on a rampage now,” alleged civic activist Vijay Kumbhar.

PTA on Wednesday published a public notice saying that a proposal for slashing trees in 89 properties has been tabled and objections for the same should be registered with the PMC garden department.

indianexpress: The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) carried out a crackdown on hawkers at Fashion Street, MG Road, Centre Street and the adjoining areas on Saturday evening. A team of PCB’s Anti Nuisance Squad (ANS) accompanied by army jawans removed twenty hawkers found squatting outside Fashion Street premises.
 
A strong contingent of police was also deployed to provide security to the PCB staffers. The drive was ordered by PCB president Brigadier R.J. Sharma. Thirty hawkers were found to be illegally operating within Fashion Street premises and twenty handcarts with goods were seized during the drive. The worth of the seized materials was put at Rs 3 lakh.

Illegal concrete structures outside Fashion Street and adjoining areas were also demolished during the drive.

The PCB has also decided to lodge police cases against illegal hawkers operating inside the Fashion Street premises. “The PCB has informed us about the hawkers blocking the main road leading to Fashion Street. This was creating a lot of congestion in the area and we will lodge cases against them soon,” PI Deepak Humbare.

PCB revenue superintendent V.S. Satpute termed the drive successful

indianexpress:  If you are a senior citizen and have got some work with the Regional Transport Office (RT0) located near Sangam bridge, think before approaching them. That’s the message 76-year-old retired Major General V.K. Madhok received, much to his chagrin.

Madhok wanted new engine number written on the vehicle Registration Certificate Book (RC Book) after he had changed the old engine in his car. For this simple job, which requires not more than a few minutes, he was allegedly made to strain to the limit by the RTO employees.

The aging general, who stays 14 kilometres from the RTO, was made to visit with 10 different documents on as many as 10 different days. Each time, he was asked to get a new document like RTO fee receipt for alteration, workshop certificate, purchase receipt, NOC from the bank in case of loan on vehicle, insurance policy receipt, BTI form, certificate of registration, certificate of taxation, garage certificate specifying why the engine was changed and the pollution under control (PUC) certificate.

Madhok had to change the engine of his Fiat Paetra last month after his mechanic advised him immediate replacement after cracks were detected on the pistons. The RTO came into the picture after Madhok was told by his insurance company that his car’s insurance could be renewed only after the RC book carried the new entry. “I had to run from one table to another for 10 days after I approached the RTO,” says Madhok.

indianexpress: Initiating steps to inculcate discipline among its staff, the Pune Metropolitan Transport Corporation Ltd (PMTCL) on Friday dismissed from service five of its employees on charges of corruption and indiscipline.

“The special squad caught two bus conductors red-handed with more cash than the tickets issued to the commuters,” PMTCL public relations officer D A Pardeshi said in a press statement.

Similarly, three drivers were dismissed for remaining absent for a long period without intimating the PMTCL, Pardeshi said, adding four other employees were issued show cause notices for indiscipline