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TOI : PUNE: The ‘Puneri Pagdi’ (a headgear that is considered a symbol of one’s intellect) will officially become an intellectual property (IP) of Pune soon. A group of city-based students is registering the Puneri Pagdi as a ‘geographical indication’ (GI) of Pune. The aim is to avoid duplication of the pagadi or patenting of it on international level.

Eight students from different parts of the country, including Chattisgarh and Punjab, are working on the project. The students, most of who are from the law stream and are working on IP, are Sudha Gupta, Sandip Naykuji, Madhur Sharma, Rahul Dhote, Neha Vakharia, Ruchi Hansaraj, Vaishali Maindad and Mrunalini Waghmode. The group is called Great Mission Group Constancy which is devoted to promotion of intellectual property.

“We have witnessed how organisations on international level have tried to take patent of things like basmati rice or turmeric that originated in India. Our aim is to secure identity of the Puneri pagdi as an intellectual property of Pune city,” Ganesh Hingmire, a researcher of patent and IP who is associated with the group, told TOI.

He said, we have fought long legal battles for revoking patents of turmeric and basmati rice secured by foreign countries. “This should not happen with the Puneri pagdi.”
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TOI : PUNE: It is more than a year for general polls, but city MLAs are in a hurry to announce their candidature. All six sitting MLAs from Pune are desperate for another five-year term to ’serve’ Puneites.

MP Suresh Kalmadi’s recent statement hinting that Parvati MLA Ramesh Bagwe would be the Congress candidate in the reserved Pune Cantonment constituency has opened the Pandora’s box for the party with other party MLAs throwing their hats in the ring before anyone else could stake claims on their constituency.

There are six assembly constituencies in Pune. But after the recent delimitation exercise, eight constituencies have been carved out — Wadgaonsheri, Kothrud, Shivajinagar, Parvati, Kasba, Hadapsar, Pune Cantonment (reserved for SC candidate) and Khadakwasla.

Sitting Congress MLAs Balasaheb Shivarkar, Chandrakant Chajjed and Ramesh Bagwe have came out openly saying that they deserve another term, while Shiv Sena rebel MLA Vinayak Nimhan is demanding a Congress nomination. NCP MLA Kamal Dhole-Patil is demanding another term saying that she is the only women MLA from the city. BJP MLA Girish Bapat hopes that with the chances of BJP-Sena coming to power much brighter, he has a fair chance to get inducted into the state cabinet.

“I have just served one term as MLA and have done a good job for my constituency. So there is no question of people getting tired of the same old face, I am still fresh,” says Ramesh Bagwe whose Parvati constituency was de-reserved.

“Pune Cantonment is the only reserved constituency and the party will give me a chance from here,” he says. However, MLA Balasaheb Shivarkar is livid. “Though I couldn’t contest from Pune Cantonment reserved constituency, I am the sitting MLA and I should have a say in deciding the candidate.

Also I am willing to contest from other constituency,” he says and doesn’t forget to say that…More

TOI : PUNE: The policemen discharged in the visa scam can be chargesheeted again provided the state government gives a sanction in this regard to the state criminal investigation department (CID), Pune.

All eyes are now on the government as the CID’s previous attempts to get a sanction in this regard proved futile.

The district and sessions court, which had discharged deputy inspector-general of police Madhav Sanap and seven other cops in the scam recently due to lack of sanction, has given liberty to the CID to take action against the policemen if they get permission from the government.

However, criminal lawyer Sureshchandra Bhosale, who had represented the policemen, told TOI on Thursday that the court order does not have any legal implication.

Additional sessions judge Sangitrao Patil had discharged Sanap and others on May 26 on the grounds that prosecution against them was not tenable for want of sanction under section 197 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc) and 161 (1) of the Bombay Police Act.

The others discharged are inspectors Shirish Prabhakar Sasane, Vitthal Harihar and Sushil Shankarrao Kadam, assistant police inspector Prakash Digambar Sawant and Rajendra Hanumant Patil, sub-inspector Raj Mohammed Raje and Constable Hanumant Gopinath Pasalkar.

The order has made a specific observation that “the prosecution (CID) would be at liberty to proceed against the applicants (policemen) after the removal of the said legal bar, if desired”. This means that the policemen can be chargesheeted again if the government gives sanction to the CID.

Judge Patil has observed that the CID investigating officer had sent proposals for obtaining sanction against the policemen on December 25, 2005 and August 30, 2006 respectively, but the government is not inclined to grant sanction even after a long delay. The government has granted sanction only to prosecute the three accused who are not policemen, the…More

TOI : PUNE: In order to augment revenue, the Pune zilla parishad has decided to follow in the footsteps of the Pune Municipal Corporation by imposing tax on commercial as well as residential buildings in rural areas.

A proposal to this effect which was presented before the standing committee last week has received acceptance, Ranjit Shivtare, chairman, construction and health department, said on Thursday.

Shivtare said, “So far, no such tax was being imposed, but now onwards, a certain amount of tax will be charged on per square foot basis.” The revenue thus generated will be useful in town planning in these areas, he added.

The Pune zilla parishad will be the second in the state, after the Thane zilla parishad, to impose such a tax.

The fringe areas have been witnessing rapid industrialisation lately. Several companies involved in information technology as well as automobile and electronic segments are setting up industries. Due to the increasing industrialisation, the government has allowed sale of land which is not cultivable.

However, the grampanchayats within which these stretches of land fall have not been benefiting as far as village and other civic development is concerned. Taking this into consideration, it has been decided to impose tax on all types of new constructions.

Shivtare said, “Besides receiving a steady income for development of these villages, there will also be a sort of control on the constructions.” The additional income will be used for development of the villages and to strengthen the existing infrastructure like roads and water works.

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TOI : PUNE: With Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) planning to propose changes in clauses of the land lease policy, civic activists have raised objections against such a move.

The issue has come to the fore since the PMC has invited tenders for redevelopment of municipal colonies but no developer has responded since the lease period is 30 years, which is as per state government policy.

On Tuesday, civic officials told TOI that PMC would be writing to the state government to allow them to increase the lease period to 90 years since they are getting no response.

However, civic activist Vijay Kumbhar said that the proposing changes in the clause will defeat the very idea of the policy.

“Moreover, the changes cannot be made just like that because it is a policy decision. A procedure has to be followed. Suggestions and objections have to be invited from citizens for making the changes,” Kumbhar said.

He pointed out that rather than making changes in the policy, the PMC should give other benefits or concessions to developers so that they come forward to undertake the project.
Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: The ‘Puneri Pagdi’ (a headgear that is considered a symbol of one’s intellect) will officially become an intellectual property (IP) of Pune soon. A group of city-based students is registering the Puneri Pagdi as a ‘geographical indication’ (GI) of Pune. The aim is to avoid duplication of the pagadi or patenting of it on international level.

Eight students from different parts of the country, including Chattisgarh and Punjab, are working on the project. The students, most of who are from the law stream and are working on IP, are Sudha Gupta, Sandip Naykuji, Madhur Sharma, Rahul Dhote, Neha Vakharia, Ruchi Hansaraj, Vaishali Maindad and Mrunalini Waghmode. The group is called Great Mission Group Constancy which is devoted to promotion of intellectual property.

“We have witnessed how organisations on international level have tried to take patent of things like basmati rice or turmeric that originated in India. Our aim is to secure identity of the Puneri pagdi as an intellectual property of Pune city,” Ganesh Hingmire, a researcher of patent and IP who is associated with the group, told TOI.

He said, we have fought long legal battles for revoking patents of turmeric and basmati rice secured by foreign countries. “This should not happen with the Puneri pagdi.”
Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More

TOI : PUNE: It is more than a year for general polls, but city MLAs are in a hurry to announce their candidature. All six sitting MLAs from Pune are desperate for another five-year term to ’serve’ Puneites.

MP Suresh Kalmadi’s recent statement hinting that Parvati MLA Ramesh Bagwe would be the Congress candidate in the reserved Pune Cantonment constituency has opened the Pandora’s box for the party with other party MLAs throwing their hats in the ring before anyone else could stake claims on their constituency.

There are six assembly constituencies in Pune. But after the recent delimitation exercise, eight constituencies have been carved out — Wadgaonsheri, Kothrud, Shivajinagar, Parvati, Kasba, Hadapsar, Pune Cantonment (reserved for SC candidate) and Khadakwasla.

Sitting Congress MLAs Balasaheb Shivarkar, Chandrakant Chajjed and Ramesh Bagwe have came out openly saying that they deserve another term, while Shiv Sena rebel MLA Vinayak Nimhan is demanding a Congress nomination. NCP MLA Kamal Dhole-Patil is demanding another term saying that she is the only women MLA from the city. BJP MLA Girish Bapat hopes that with the chances of BJP-Sena coming to power much brighter, he has a fair chance to get inducted into the state cabinet.

“I have just served one term as MLA and have done a good job for my constituency. So there is no question of people getting tired of the same old face, I am still fresh,” says Ramesh Bagwe whose Parvati constituency was de-reserved.

“Pune Cantonment is the only reserved constituency and the party will give me a chance from here,” he says. However, MLA Balasaheb Shivarkar is livid. “Though I couldn’t contest from Pune Cantonment reserved constituency, I am the sitting MLA and I should have a say in deciding the candidate.

Also I am willing to contest from other constituency,” he says and doesn’t forget to say that…More

TOI : PUNE: The policemen discharged in the visa scam can be chargesheeted again provided the state government gives a sanction in this regard to the state criminal investigation department (CID), Pune.

All eyes are now on the government as the CID’s previous attempts to get a sanction in this regard proved futile.

The district and sessions court, which had discharged deputy inspector-general of police Madhav Sanap and seven other cops in the scam recently due to lack of sanction, has given liberty to the CID to take action against the policemen if they get permission from the government.

However, criminal lawyer Sureshchandra Bhosale, who had represented the policemen, told TOI on Thursday that the court order does not have any legal implication.

Additional sessions judge Sangitrao Patil had discharged Sanap and others on May 26 on the grounds that prosecution against them was not tenable for want of sanction under section 197 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc) and 161 (1) of the Bombay Police Act.

The others discharged are inspectors Shirish Prabhakar Sasane, Vitthal Harihar and Sushil Shankarrao Kadam, assistant police inspector Prakash Digambar Sawant and Rajendra Hanumant Patil, sub-inspector Raj Mohammed Raje and Constable Hanumant Gopinath Pasalkar.

The order has made a specific observation that “the prosecution (CID) would be at liberty to proceed against the applicants (policemen) after the removal of the said legal bar, if desired”. This means that the policemen can be chargesheeted again if the government gives sanction to the CID.

Judge Patil has observed that the CID investigating officer had sent proposals for obtaining sanction against the policemen on December 25, 2005 and August 30, 2006 respectively, but the government is not inclined to grant sanction even after a long delay. The government has granted sanction only to prosecute the three accused who are not policemen, the…More

TOI : PUNE: In order to augment revenue, the Pune zilla parishad has decided to follow in the footsteps of the Pune Municipal Corporation by imposing tax on commercial as well as residential buildings in rural areas.

A proposal to this effect which was presented before the standing committee last week has received acceptance, Ranjit Shivtare, chairman, construction and health department, said on Thursday.

Shivtare said, “So far, no such tax was being imposed, but now onwards, a certain amount of tax will be charged on per square foot basis.” The revenue thus generated will be useful in town planning in these areas, he added.

The Pune zilla parishad will be the second in the state, after the Thane zilla parishad, to impose such a tax.

The fringe areas have been witnessing rapid industrialisation lately. Several companies involved in information technology as well as automobile and electronic segments are setting up industries. Due to the increasing industrialisation, the government has allowed sale of land which is not cultivable.

However, the grampanchayats within which these stretches of land fall have not been benefiting as far as village and other civic development is concerned. Taking this into consideration, it has been decided to impose tax on all types of new constructions.

Shivtare said, “Besides receiving a steady income for development of these villages, there will also be a sort of control on the constructions.” The additional income will be used for development of the villages and to strengthen the existing infrastructure like roads and water works.

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

TOI : PUNE: With Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) planning to propose changes in clauses of the land lease policy, civic activists have raised objections against such a move.

The issue has come to the fore since the PMC has invited tenders for redevelopment of municipal colonies but no developer has responded since the lease period is 30 years, which is as per state government policy.

On Tuesday, civic officials told TOI that PMC would be writing to the state government to allow them to increase the lease period to 90 years since they are getting no response.

However, civic activist Vijay Kumbhar said that the proposing changes in the clause will defeat the very idea of the policy.

“Moreover, the changes cannot be made just like that because it is a policy decision. A procedure has to be followed. Suggestions and objections have to be invited from citizens for making the changes,” Kumbhar said.

He pointed out that rather than making changes in the policy, the PMC should give other benefits or concessions to developers so that they come forward to undertake the project.
Print Save EMail Write to Editor Get personalised news s…More