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TOI : PUNE: Garbage collection in the city has been hampered due to shortage of drivers in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) vehicle depot.

The depot faces a shortage of 64 drivers and hence the garbage collection vehicles are not being deployed in many parts of the city. The vehicle depot runs 70 dumpers, 40 carriers, 40 trucks and 12 compactors.

“The depot provides vehicles to various PMC departments. However, since last few months we are facing a shortage of drivers,” said Kishor Pol, deputy city engineer.

He added that the proposal to recruit drivers will come before the General Body (GB) next month and the problem will be solved. Pol added that garbage collection was also hit by the frequent holidays last week. “But we will be putting all vehicles on duty soon,” he said. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: A 55-year-old man died as a result of injuries he sustained after he fell off a PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited) bus on Friday. He died the next day in hospital. The Sahakarnagar police have arrested the driver of the bus.

According to the police, Ravindra Sitaram Thorat of Vanrai Colony in Dhankawadi boarded the PMPML bus at the Rawat Brothers bus stop. The driver, Radhakisan Santaram Tupsamudre, took a turn at the Swami Vivekananda statue without slowing down.

Thorat, who was waiting to get off at the next stop, was thrown from the bus. He was rushed to Bharati hospital on February 15 and succumbed to his injuries the next day. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: The Poona Merchants Chamber has raised a strong objection to the latest amendment to the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, which makes adulteration a cognisable and non-bailable offence.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, chamber leader Mohan Oswal said the amendment leaves a lot of scope for the police to harass traders on flimsy grounds. The chamber has sought withdrawal of the amended provisions.

“By giving powers to police to arrest and take cognisance under the PFA Act, the traders could be harassed,” said Oswal, who also heads the Maharashtra Merchants Federation.

“Food adulteration is now a non-bailable and a cognisable offence in the state after an amendment to the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act. The amendment, which gives police powers to arrest anyone on suspicion, is primarily aimed at curbing milk adulteration,” Oswal pointed out.

“A police official can arrest any person without a warrant for even a minor offence under this Act. This amendment is, therefore, strongly objectionable as this will give a free hand to food inspectors and police to charge any trader without investigation,” said Ajit Setiya, secretary, Poona Merchants Chamber.

The chamber’s other demands are withdrawal of some non-practical provisions of the food packaging rules, scrap value added tax on food articles and octroi. The chamber met state finance minister Jayantrao Patil on February 12 in this regard.

Chamber chairman Rajendra Banthia, vice-chairman Deepak Bora, secretery Ajit Setiya and Pravin Chorbele were present on the occasion. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: In a major crackdown, the Pune rural police on Sunday conducted surprise checks in the areas around the Khadakwasla dam and detained 45 couples, mostly youngsters, for alleged ‘indecency’ and creating a public nuisance. Twenty hotels were also searched in the operation.

A 50-strong contingent of policemen, led by deputy superintendent of police Ravindrasinh Pardesh, fanned out to different locations between Khadakwasla and Donje village for conducting the checks around Sunday evening.

The action came in the wake of growing complaints from citizens residing in the areas around Khadakwasla about indecent behaviour by young couples especially at public places. The Khadakwasla dam is a prominent spot for people going on a weekend outing.

Last year, Donje village was in the news when more than 280 youngsters as well as working professionals, including girls, participated in a rave party. The area has since been put under an enhanced vigil by the police. Additional superintendent of police Pravin Patil had ordered an additional force to assist the police party in conducting the checks.

In all, 91 cases of indecency under the Bombay Police Act were registered against each detained person. All of them were later set free after being given a warning, Pardeshi told TOI.

The owners and managers of at least four hotels were booked under the Bombay Police Act for irregularities. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : Pune: At a time when the north Indians are at the receiving end after the vitriolic attack by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, some organisations here, working for porters, construction workers and casual labourers, have embarked on a mission to apply balm on migrants’ wounds.

At a meeting at the S M Joshi Socialist Foundation on Sunday, these organisations set up a National Integration Committee (NIC), and charted out an action plan as a confidence-building measure among the migrants in the city.

The MNS-instigated violence resulted in exodus of a large number of migrants, who form a big part of the labour supply to the construction industry, casual labour and utility works in the city. The violence has left an indelible scar on the community, prompting the local organisations to take some mitigating action.

The NIC passed a resolution condemning the MNS agitation and appealed to the migrants against leaving the city.

As per the action plan, prominent leaders including Vanarai founder-chief Mohan Dharia, Hamal Panchayat leader Baba Adhav, Nitin Pawar (Bandhkaam Mazdoor Sabha) and Kishore Pawar (Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti) will lead the initiative by addressing awareness rallies and involving north Indians in local festivals.

The plan also envisages involvement of North Indians in the forthcoming birth anniversary celebrations of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “Migrants would participate in the celebrations being organised by the Hamal Panchayat at the Timber Market area on February 19,” said Baba Adhav. “The idea is to send a strong signal to those who believe that north Indians cannot blend with Maharashtrian culture.”

A day-long fast in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Pune railway station has been organised on February 21 to create awareness and prevent migrants from leaving the city.

Moreover, NIC members will visit the localities dominated by north Indians and…More