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TOI : PUNE: The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) on Saturday said that it will decide its future course of action on the Pune model of zero load-shedding after studying the order issued by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Merc), asking the power utility to stop supporting the Pune model by drawing additional power from the state grid.

However, it seems highly unlikely that the MSEDCL would be able to meet the 15-day deadline set by Merc, to implement an alternative by securing the required power from a franchisee suggested by it to keep the Pune model running.

When contacted, Ajay Bhushan Pandey, managing director, MSEDCL, said he would study the Merc order before taking any action in the matter.

It may be noted that the Pune model, which came into existence in June 2006, envisaged about 30 industries using their captive power plants to generate and consume nearly 80 MW power in a bid to prevent load-shedding in the city. However, Pune’s demand for power grew in the last 21 months and the shortfall reached 180 MW as against 80 MW.

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TOI : PUNE: The state government has asked the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to take the responsibility of improving the traffic and transport situation in the city instead of looking at the state government for help.

Following the death of Atharva Dongre, who was crushed to death by a Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) bus near Shaniwarwada on Tuesday, state assembly speaker Babasaheb Kupekar had asked the state government to make a statement on Pune’s deteriorating traffic scene.

Pune MLAs had raised the matter in the assembly and demanded immediate intervention. State government officials immediately communicated with the PMC. They asked the civic body to solve the problem at the ‘local level’, as meetings in Mumbai on this matter would not solve the problem.
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TOI : PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has succeeded in maintaining first place in the state government’s Urban Development’s (UD) progress card that keeps track of the physical progress of JNNURM projects.

Talking to TOI on Saturday, T.C. Benjamin, Urban Development (UD) principal secretary said, “In the progress card of February 2008, the PMC has topped the chart with 90 per cent target achievement with A grade followed by the Bombay Municipal Corporation (83 per cent with A grade) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (81 per cent with A grade)”.

Benjamin said that the PMC should not be complacent about its first place. “The Commonwealth Youth Games are nearing and the PMC should give momentum to infrastructure work. The central sanction committee of JNNURM has recently sanctioned an approach bridge at Sangam bridge, three pedestrians subways on Nagar road and an underpass at Baner road,” he said.

The PMC was ranked first for the month of July last year in the premier edition of the progress card. After that it continuously slipped from that position and reached ‘failure’ status. However in January this year, it managed to regain first place and has held on for this month too. The progress card has been worked out in such a way that each project implemented under JNNURM has milestones fixed. As per the achievement or failure of the municipal corporations to reach these milestones, marks are allocated.

In the February progress card, Nashik and Nanded stand last in the list achieving 64 per cent and 17 per cent targets respectively.
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TOI : PUNE: Referring to the recent theft of Sant Tukaram Maharaj’s silver mask, deputy chief minister R R Patil announced that the state government will soon implement a safety and security plan for the temples in the state. The plan, which will set a standard format for security arrangements at temple premises, will also include installation of advanced security systems at temple premises.

Patil promised that rural police department will soon arrest those behind the mask’s theft. He also announced Rs 1 lakh award to the rural police for retrieving it.

Patil, who was on a visit to Dehu, said a special meeting between the police department and temples’ trustees will be called in the near future to formulate the safety and security plan. To curb incidents of theft, web cameras, CCTVs, metal detectors will be installed at temple premises, he said.

He said that Rs 664 crore development plans for Dehu, Alandi and Pandharpur is ready and the government plans to launch it this year, itself. Out of the total plan, nearly 200 crore have been allocated for Dehu and Bhandara. Special funds will be made available for the translation of ‘Tukaram Gatha’ — a compilation of devotional poems of Sant Tukaram — in various languages, he added.
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