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TOI : PUNE: The state crime investigation department’s recent report, recommending a ban on online lottery on the grounds that it is illegal, has opened up the issue for discussion on a larger scale.

Estimates suggest that the paper and online lottery markets in India are worth Rs 35,000 crore and Rs 1,000 crore, respectively.

A public interest litigation before the Supreme Court few years ago showed the concern stating that online lottery was affecting the poor, youths and students allegedly ‘addicted’ to it.

“Playing online lottery is just like drug addiction for the young generation who wants to become rich within a day instead of earning money through hard work. Online lottery, which looks as an easy way to earn money, is a risky option. The young generation is not aware of the ill effects of online lottery,” the PIL said.

“This may divert students’ attention from studies. Moreover, it has been observed that playing online lottery to make money leads to financial losses.”

While considering the petition, the Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Union government and three state governments - West Bengal, Sikkim and Tripura. A bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan issued notices to the finance ministry and the social justice and empowerment ministry contending that online lottery was affecting the poor and students…More

TOI : PUNE: This could turn out to be a major examination scandal at the University of Pune (UoP).

An anonymous letter circulating in the media as well as in the UoP and engineering colleges here has brought out word-for-word similarities in the section-I question papers of the first-year engineering applied sciences-I (2003 course) issued during the preliminary exam of a local engineering college and at the final exam for the same subject conducted by the UoP.

The 50-mark question paper for section-I is related to applied physics. Barring questions worth four marks, the 46-mark paper of the November 22, 2007, preliminary exam of the Sinhagad College of Engineering tallies word-for-word with the UoP’s final exam paper (No.3261-102) released on December 15, 2007.

“This gave an unfair advantage to the Sinhagad college students over their counterparts from other engineering colleges,” a senior academician said on Friday. Incidentally, the UoP declared the result of this exam on Friday.

“The more than 90 per cent similarity in the two papers shows mala fide intention,” the academician said and added that instances like these have happened in the past (engineering graphics paper in 2003-04), but has barely evoked a response from the UoP authorities.

“It’s only this time that we have got both the question papers to show the mala fide intent,” she said. “The UoP ought to come clean on the issue, considering that students from other colleges lose out due to unfair advantage to students of any one institution.”

The matter was brought to the notice of the UoP vice-chancellor, controller of examination, dean of engineering faculty and chairman of board of studies for applied science, through the same anonymous letter, dated December 18, 2007, i.e. three days after the UoP final exam. However, no action was taken.

Vice-chancellor Narendra Jadhav could not be…More

TOI : PUNE: They are unaware of the concept of Valentine’s Day, but 2,000-odd farmers in Pune district want hearts to speak with roses on February 14. And they want the saffron brigade to support the V-Day celebrations.

“What better way to express love and friendship than through a rose?” says Dnyaneshwar Bodke, a flower farmer from Hinjewadi. “Cards and gifts are but artificial gifts. If the saffron brigade cares for farmers, it should not oppose Valentine’s Day. The economy of thousands of flower-growing farmers across the state revolve around this day.”

Pune has 60-70 small, medium and large floriculture firms. These account for more than 150 hectares of land under cultivation. In Maharashtra, 10,600 hectares of land is devoted to floriculture, of which 312 hectares have greenhouse farming.

“Thousands of farmers having a few gunthas of land are experimenting with floriculture. And Valentine’s Day is a big opportunity,” says Jayant Ranjane, who owns a small farm…More

TOI : PUNE: CBI sleuths on Friday launched a search operation at the office and properties of National Defence Academy lecturer Nandkishor Kumar, who is allegedly involved in swindling money in the purchase of books while he was book store officer at the academy.

Kumar, head of the department of political science, has been teaching at the NDA, Khadakwasla, for the past several years. He is a lecturer with a Reader scale and falls in the Group ‘A’ officer (civilian gazetted officer) category.

Before heading the political science department, Kumar was a book store officer, where he is alleged to have been involved in irregularities in the purchase of books. He allegedly made unnecessary requisition for books and also put up fictitious bills.

Upset with this, some of his colleagues wrote to the Central Vigilance Committee (CVC) and the CBI. While the CVC launched an inquiry (number 1735/07/9), the CBI wrote to the NDA two months back to ascertain the charges against Kumar.

According to NDA and CBI officials, the search operation was not related to any defence matter, but only to Kumar’s amassing of property and wealth disproportionate to his income…More

TOI : PUNE: They call it “tourism English” in China. Policemen in that country are being equipped with foreign languages, English in particular, to assist visitors from abroad during this year’s Beijing Olympic Games. Something similar is happening out here in Pune, with 1,500 policemen being trained in basic English for the Commonwealth Youth Games to be held at the Balewadi sports complex in October this year.

Speaking to TNN, additional police commissioner Shobha Ohatker said that of the 1,500 policemen to be trained, 500 are of the officer rank. “We have created batches of 30 to 40 policemen. One batch has already finished the one-month course, which is being conducted by Professor Ulhas Bapat,” she added…More