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indianexpress: Vice-Chancellor of Pune University, Narendra Jadhav said studies at the university had shown that average temperatures in Pune have been on the rise. “Earlier, it would be colder in October, not any more.

The consequences of global warming are resulting in an in-equilibrium in the environment, which is bringing about climatic changes — with even snowfall reported in Dubai—- and an increase in natural disasters,” he said.

Jadhav was delivering the 47th S P Agharkar Memorial lecture at the Agharkar Research Institute on “Global Warming” on Sunday.

While he claimed no expertise on global warming nor did he intend to offer newer insights on the same, he said,“By choosing to speak on this subject, I hope I have underscored the importance of the issue. Global warming is a subject that cannot be neglected as the problem of the industrialised and the developed world. We need to collectively try to address the issue,” said Jadhav, an economist.

He added,”Just as economics is too important a subject to be left to economists, global warming is too important a subject to be left with scientists.”

“Spreading awareness is most important,” said Jadhav. Only awareness would ensure that people adopt green practices in their lives like using efficient appliances, renewable energy, recyclable materials etc. One of the most important way to mitigate the effect of greenhouse gases was to plant as many trees as possible, he said

indianexpress: Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday said that popular measures like waiving farmer’s loans to curb suicides do not address the root cause of the problem. “This may not be the solution as the problem remains intact even after waiving loans. Instead, we need to go much deeper to look for permanent solutions so that such situation where people have to die for borrowing does not emerge, at all,” he said during his interaction with media on Sunday.

“State support should be the last resort…state cannot feed people and take care for an indefinite period. Instead, it should unleash energy and help people to stand on their own,” he said. Yunus stressed on the need to redesign the institutions and look whether social pressure was being created where people feel humiliated. “In case of farmers’ suicides, there is need to go case by case and in the affected areas to find out the real causes. Also, we should ponder why suicides are happening in particular areas,” he said.

Citing example of the Grameen Bank, Yunus said, “We never punish borrower for anything but help them to overcome the difficulty. The relationship between banker and borrower is a close one and based on trust. That’s why repayment record of Grameen Bank is up to 99 per cent.”

Yunus said globalisation was here to stay and choice was between the right and the wrong globalisation. “ Yes or no to globalisation is an irrelevant question. Globalisation is not new concept but today its speed and impact have become fast and deep. Our task is to make right kind of globalisation where there will be win-win situation for all,” he said. Adding that multi-nationals can’t just barge into developing countries and take over traditional business, he said, “There has to be some rules so that every one has a say in the process.”

indianexpress: With the oily spot bacterial blight gnawing their yield, farmers across the State have lost at least 60 per cent of their crop. As a result, the prices of pomegranate that have been on the upswing in the past two months have jumped further.

Pomegranates are available in the market at Rs 50-Rs 60 per kg. With the export season peaking from December and lasting till April, if the supply does not match, the prices in the city are expected to shoot up further.

“At least 50-60 per cent of the produce in Pune has been destroyed because of the blight,” said Ravindra Navalakha, a farmer from Theur, about 25 kms from Pune. He said the prices now stand at Rs 60 per kg. “At some places, the price for export crop is up to Rs 100,” said Shivlingappa Sankh from Sangli.

“This week, the price rise has been steep. Varieties like Bhagwa that should sell within the country at Rs 30-35 are selling at Rs 50-60 in Sangola (Solapur) itself. By the time it reaches Delhi, it will cost Rs 70. There is a severe shortage of the fruit. Around 80 per cent of the crops have been ruined here. Earlier, 10-20 tonnes would leave from Sangola, now not even two tonnes leave from here for other cities,” said Baburao Gaikwad from Sangola. He lost the entire crop on his two-acre farm to the blight.

indianexpress: High Voltage will be running for the last time in the horse racing season that starts at the Mahalaxmi Race Course on Sunday.

Descended from a British stallion and mare, he is a well-built bay horse standing 16 hands tall (one hand is equal to four inches). Though aged 14, he would be 98 if he were human — seven years of human life is equal to one year in the life of a thoroughbred.

High Voltage has never fallen ill and still enjoys beating opponents less than half his age. In 12 years, he has run 160 races so far—more than any other horse in the country, won 18 of them and finished among the first four at least 60 times.

“Leading bloodline expert in the country Anil Mukhi is in talks with the Limca Books of Records to include High Voltage’s name among the achievers,” says trainer Narendra Lagad, pointing out that he has never come across a horse as lion-hearted as High Voltage in his career spanning nearly three decades. “I feel there is a machine inside him, which never requires oiling and keeps going on,” says Lagad, 48.

“High Voltage understands what’s expected of him, which makes it easy dealing with him,” says Lagad.

indianexpress: Ever looked at a wild plant and wondered if it has a name? Maybe you can locate it at the exhaustive herbarium of St Xavier’s College, Fort. Here, neatly filed and tucked away in the shelves of a spacious first floor library are over two lakh specimens of dried plants which have been gathered, classified and named since 1876.

Called Blatter Herbarium, Xavier’s internationally recognised plant library established in 1906, is currently celebrating its centennial with a national conference — ‘Plants in relation to man and biosphere’. Dr Ujwala Bapat, director of Blatter Herbarium and HOD of the Botany department at the college, said, “Ours is possibly the largest herbarium in the city and one of the largest in the country. We have a huge collection of plant samples, many of which won’t be found anywhere else in the country.”

Among the collections are wood samples, resins, gums, medical plants and economical plant products. “Basically, we have listed 555 type specimens (the first ever specimen of a variety found and listed) of 6,500 species. We have identified 210 families,” explained Dr Rajendra Shinde, a professor in the botany department. Shinde added that they also have around 2500 rare books on taxonomic literature.

indianexpress: The Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) on Sunday grilled vice president of IDBI Trusteeship Services and two representatives of Deutsche Bank for over five hours in connection with the multi-crore Manjari land scam case.

AEC chief Bhanu Pratap Barge said: “The Vice President of IDBI Trusteeship Services and two representatives of Deutsche Bank were interrogated for over five hours on how the bank agreed to give a loan to tune of hundreds of crores of rupees against forged documents. Earlier, we had issued notice to the bank asking for original documents However, they had not responded to our notices following which we served a fresh notice asking them to remain present before AEC. The officials came along with the documents and inquiry was completed. The officials have sought eight days for completion of other formalities. Some more officials from the Singapore branch of the bank who were present when Runwal had inked the deal will be called for questioning,” Barge said.

The AEC on Wednesday had arrested notary Dilip Ratnakar Amolik (55) on charges of preparing forged powers of attorney (POAs) to allegedly dupe 377 local farmers at the instance of builder Pradeep Runwal.

Seven officials from the Sub Registrar offices at Haveli IV (with jurisdiction over Hadapsar), Haveli 19 (jurisdiction Pashan), and Haveli 12 (jurisdiction Kondhwa), were granted interim bail by Additional Sessions Judge S.V. Kale here.