News

TOI : PUNE: The Khadak police on Friday arrested a fruit supplier from Navi Mumbai for allegedly circulating fake currency notes in the city.

The accused was nabbed thanks to an alert chicken shop employee from Ganj Peth. The accused was identified by the police as Rashid Shaikh (28) of Navi Mumbai.

According to the police, Rashid supplies fruits from Vashi market in Navi Mumbai to small vendors in Pune.
On Wednesday, he allegedly paid with a Rs 1000 note for a purchase of chicken at Momin chicken centre in Ganj Peth. An employee of the chicken shop, Rinku Shaikh, later discovered that the currency note was fake.

On Friday, Rashid approached a footwear vendor, Vijay Borade (43) of Ghorpade Peth, at the fish market in Ganj Peth, and asked for change for Rs 1000. Just when Rashid was handing over a Rs 1000 note to Borade, Rinku spotted him. He alerted Borade that the note could be fake and narrated his own experience. The duo then nabbed Rashid and handed him over to the Khadak police. Borade filed a complaint in the matter.

Police sub-inspector S B Galande said that after verification by a bank, it has been established that the notes are counterfeit.

Rashid had obtained the fake currency notes from a person in Navi Mumbai, the police said. A team from the Khadak police station has been sent to Navi Mumbai for further investigations. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: The segregation of migrants in the city is based more on language differences than factors like race and ethnicity. Surprisingly, it is not only the political forces like Shiv Sena or Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, but also the brides of migrants that force non-Puneites to live in ghettos or form enclaves.

Vijaya Khairkar, a researcher with the Department of Geography at the University of Pune, identified and penned some interesting migration patterns in her paper ‘Segregation of Migrant Groups in Pune City’, which was published in the research journal ‘Anthropologist’ last month.

According to her research, migrants from different parts of the country and abroad are concentrated in different parts of the city. Speaking to TOI on Friday, Khairkar explained the reason for this and said, “Most migrant youths marry girls from their villages. These new brides are generally illiterate and prefer to express themselves in their native tongue, so they form enclaves. Linguistic similarity is the biggest reason guiding the concentration of migrant population here.”

Endorsing Khairkar’s view, Vishant Yadav, a migrant, said, “It is true that our women are uncomfortable with the local language and culture. They prefer to live in a neighbourhood which is full of migrants who speak the same language.” He added that when he came to Pune two years ago, he could not find accommodation in a Bihari neighbourhood and his wife refused to accompany him here. “She agreed only after I could find a room in a Bihari-dominated locality,” he said.

Migrants from Gujarat and Rajasthan are concentrated in Guruwar Peth and Raviwar Peth, while the south Indian population is concentrated in Rasta Peth, Bhavani Peth and Nana Peth.

The Kannada population can be found in Jai Bhavaninagar, Telugu population in Bhavani Peth, Hindi-speaking Uttar Pradesh migrants in Bhayyawadi and Malayalis in Aundh-Khadki. Sindhis are concentrated more in Sindh Society, the Pune…More

TOI : PUNE: The southwest monsoon hit Kerala on Saturday and is expected to reach Maharashtra within a week.
According to A B Mujumdar, deputy director-general meteorology (DDGM) of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), if the progress is normal, the rains should arrive in Pune by June 7.

The IMD had announced the arrival of the monsoon over the Andaman Sea on May 10, five days in advance of its normal onset date of May 15. Since that date, the monsoon made constant progress but stalled after May 12. After waiting another 15 days the monsoon then moved to the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal on Tuesday and so arrived in Kerala on time.

Meanwhile, showers are expected in parts of Maharashtra. There is a trough in Marathwada due to which rainfall is likely. Showers are expected in this region as well as parts of Central Maharashtra, South Konkan and Vidarbha. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: In Pune district, agricultural loans of around Rs 498 crore from 1,66,000 loan accounts of farmers would be considered for the loan waiver scheme announced by the Union government in the Union budget 2008-’09 in February.

However, the scheme will be applicable only to certain farmers and loans taken from certain types of banks and credit societies in the district.

Farm loans disbursed by credit co-operative societies, co-operative banks, primary agriculture credit societies and banks regulated by the RBI and NABARD will be considered for the loan waiver scheme. Loans issued by other types of credit societies and by various other societies (such as goat, water supply and dairy societies) would not be considered for the scheme.

Besides, farmers with landholding of up to five acres at the time of the disbursement of the loan will be considered for the scheme.

This was announced after a meeting of the Pune District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd (PDCC) in the city recently. The meeting was held to discuss the revised guidelines and provisions announced under the ‘Agriculture Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme 2008′ formulated by the Union government recently.

PDCC president Prakash Mhaske said the aim of the meeting was to ultimately make farmers aware of the guidelines for the loan waiver scheme.

“The scheme will also prove beneficial for the loan accounts that would be considered under the one time settlement (OTS) scheme of Union government. Some 45,000 loan accounts, involving loans of over Rs 90 crore, will be settled under the scheme,” said Mhaske and PDCC general manager Arun Kale.

Mhaske said loans disbursed between April 1998 and December 2007 alone is eligible for the scheme. “Moreover, only overdue loans would be waived off while farmers have to pay the current loan installments. Besides, loans disbursed by credit co-operative societies, co-operative banks, primary…More

TOI : PUNE: A total of 286 cadets of the 114th course of National Defence Academy (NDA) took part in the Passing Out Parade (POP) at Khetrapal parade ground in NDA campus on Saturday morning.

These students made it to the occasion following completion of three years of gruelling training session. A breathtaking fly-past by Super Dimona (a training aircraft of NDA) was the another attraction of the parade.

Defence minister A K Antony, who reviewed the parade, was received by NDA Commandant Air Marshal T S Randhawa on his arrival.

Academy Cadet Adjutant (ACA) Yumnam Romen Singh from Manipur was awarded the President’s gold medal, cadet Y N Hirekar won silver and Battalion Cadet Captain K Laur claimed bronze. ‘Lima’ squadron won the coveted title of ‘Overall Champion Squadron’ and received the ‘Chief of Staff’ banner.

ACA Singh commanded the parade, which comprised 780 cadets, grouped in 12 contingents and immaculately dressed in white patrol (uniform). Sergeant Cadet Captain H Mishra led the President’s colours. Lt Col N K Nijhawan, Adjutant NDA, riding on the grey charger ‘Warrior’ conducted the parade.

Parents of passing-out cadets, large number of retired and serving defence and civilian dignitaries witnessed the parade. A fly past by three Jaguars and three Sukhois in Vic formation provided a fitting and thrilling finale. Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: On the backdrop of miscreants damaging vehicles and trying to set lifts on fire in the Ved Vihar society, residents have formed a vigilance squad to undertake night patrolling there.

For the past 15 days, residents of the Ved Vihar society near Chandani chowk were experiencing strange and horrifying attacks on their vehicles and other properties like gymnasium and lifts.

On Thursday the miscreants smashed the windscreens of 11 cars which were parked in the parking lot, creating panic among the residents of around 500 flats. They also set ablaze two lifts in building no. 6 when the residents were holding a meeting. They had placed dry grass and tyres in the elevators and set it on fire.

A police team led by senior inspector Shyam Mohite checked the premises and provided police bandobast at the society.

“We have been spending sleepless nights since the first attack around the fortnight ago,” said Sameer Wagle, a resident. On May 22, the security guards of the society beaten up. Two days later unidentified people set ablaze the elevator in building no. 6.

Harrowed by the continuing attacks, the “residents finally decided to fight the situation instead of living in fear and formed a vigilance squad of residents,” Wagle added. The squad will work in association with the police and will keep watch on the society during night time, Wagle said.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of police (zone I) C.H. Wakade visited the society on Friday morning. He assured the residents police protection for the time-being.
Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: Bringing down curtains on the on-going controversy over his dream project of uninterrupted water supply in the city, municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi has said that the administration has “no plans to re-introduce metered water billing system for domestic consumers”.

The civic chief, however, expressed deep pain over allegations by a section of the media and elected members that there were gross irregularities in the process of appointing consultants for the project.

“Some even went on to say that the project consultancy contract was nothing short of a scam. This is ridiculous. I am ready to answer all questions pertaining to the scheme,” Pardeshi told TOI .

Pardeshi told TOI that the metered water supply was just a small part of the project, which includes uninterrupted water supply, leakage detection and water auditing. “The installation of meters will take place only after three years. Initially, they will be installed for commercial properties and then for residential properties,” Pardeshi said, adding that the citizens will not be required to pay for the meters as the project will be funded under the Jawaharlal Nehru national Urban Renewal Mission.

“Also, this is being done for water auditing purpose only so that we can ensure equitable water distribution. There is no need to charge the domestic water users as per the actual water use. The general body can continue the present system based on property tax for domestic water users even if the meters are installed for auditing purposes”.

Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: A woman who lost Rs 20 lakh in an online fraud and later tried to recover the money by duping two real-estate agents was arrested by the crime branch on Friday.

The woman, Flora Ardeshir Akkavan (52), of Dhanori, had received a fraudulent e-mail in early 2007. The mail, which is commonly received by many, read that a former Filipino president wanted to secretly transfer his $120 million to a bank account in the US. The mail, which is believed to have been sent from Nigeria, said that Akkavan would be paid $10 million if she helped in transferring the money.

Inspector Bhanupratap Barge of the anti-extortion cell of the crime branch said that Akkavan fell for the bait. She then received another e-mail asking her to pay $8,000 to open an account in one Crew Bank in the US. She was also given an account number (8601) after the payment was made. The senders of the mail then communicated to her that the $120 million had been transferred to her Crew Bank account. She was asked to pay $12,000 for this transfer.

A few days later, she again got an e-mail that $110 million had been transferred to the former president’s account in the US. While the remaining $10 million would be given to her for her help, the e-mail said that this money could not be transferred out of the Crew Bank account since the bank did not have a branch in India. The e-mail asked Akkavan to open an account in any international bank in India.

Accordingly, Akkavan opened an account with ABN Amro bank. However, a fresh e-mail said that since ABN Amro did not have a tie-up with Crew Bank, Akkavan’s $10 million would be handed over to her personally in India.

The e-mail further asked Akkavan to pay another $12,000 for the…More

TOI : PUNE: Contrary to the expectations, the outcome of the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology’s Joint Entrance Exam (IIT-JEE) for 2008, which was declared on Friday, showed a marginal dip in the overall performance by young IIT aspirants from the city.

According to data collected by TOI , barely 100 out of the 2,000-odd students from the city who appeared in the exam figured for the all India (AI) rankings. Some of these select 100 were part of the extended merit list (EML), which is utilised for filling up seats at the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune, Kolkata and Mohali besides the Indian Institute of Space Technology, Thiruvananthapuram.

The AI ranked students usually get into the IITs besides the Indian School of Mines at Dhanbad and the Institute of Technology at Banaras Hindu University. This year, 360 additional seats have been created on account of the three new IITs that are to go functional in Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

As such, the overall seats have gone up from last year’s 5,500-plus to nearly 5,900. Apart from the new additions, those ranked qualify for the IITs in Powai (Mumbai), Delhi, Rourkee, Kanpur, Chennai, Kharagpur and Guwahati. In all 3.2 lakh students from across the country had appeared for the exam.

Last year, 110 students from the city had qualified for IITs and the showing then was a marked improvement as compared to the results in the preceding years. There were expectations that Pune students would perform better this year.

However, experts involved in IIT coaching pointed say not only the overall result has taken a marginal hit, but the rankings have also gone down. Rising competition is one reasons for this while the famed Kota pattern has once again left its huge impression at the rankings.

At AI rank 117, Prashant Sohani returned…More

TOI : PUNE: On the backdrop of miscreants damaging vehicles and trying to set lifts on fire in the Ved Vihar society, residents have formed a vigilance squad to undertake night patrolling there.

For the past 15 days, residents of the Ved Vihar society near Chandani chowk were experiencing strange and horrifying attacks on their vehicles and other properties like gymnasium and lifts.

On Thursday the miscreants smashed the windscreens of 11 cars which were parked in the parking lot, creating panic among the residents of around 500 flats. They also set ablaze two lifts in building no. 6 when the residents were holding a meeting. They had placed dry grass and tyres in the elevators and set it on fire.

A police team led by senior inspector Shyam Mohite checked the premises and provided police bandobast at the society.

“We have been spending sleepless nights since the first attack around the fortnight ago,” said Sameer Wagle, a resident. On May 22, the security guards of the society beaten up. Two days later unidentified people set ablaze the elevator in building no. 6.

Harrowed by the continuing attacks, the “residents finally decided to fight the situation instead of living in fear and formed a vigilance squad of residents,” Wagle added. The squad will work in association with the police and will keep watch on the society during night time, Wagle said.

Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of police (zone I) C.H. Wakade visited the society on Friday morning. He assured the residents police protection for the time-being.
Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More