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TOI : PUNE: The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) has cut one month’s salary of its Market Yard depot manager, Shrirang Changan, for dereliction of duty and cancelling three services on the busy Market Yard-Pimple Gurav route during peak hours, without any reasons.

According to PMPML officials, the action follows complaints regarding inadequate number of buses on the Market Yard-Pimple Gurav route number 11 during peak hours. “There are 14 schedules (combination of bus, driver and conductor) on the route. Of the 14, 10 are straight (regular) schedules while four are for broken (peak hours) schedules. The four broken schedules are divided into two shifts of four hours each during morning and evening peak hours,” officials said.

Changan allegedly has not been running three schedules - 11/12, 11/13 and 11/14. Of these, 13 and 14 are supposed to run during the evening peak hours. After receiving complaints from passengers, a team of senior officials from the PMPML inspected the Market Yard bus stand on July 21 without any prior intimation.

“There were flaws found in the daily chart. Moreover, the depot manager was found missing from the stand. Recently, we had issued orders to depot managers to remain present at the stand during morning and evening peak hours on Mondays and Thursday,” officials said. July 21 was a Monday and Changan was expected to be at the bus stand, officials said.

The officials further added that the drivers and conductors of the broken duty were found to be working for only five hours instead of eight. “The organisation was giving them salary for eight hours, whereas they were working for only five hours,” officials said.

Changan was not able to provide satisfactory answers to the discrepancies found in the daily chart. The officials then decided to cut his salary as a fine. A PMPML depot manager receives a salary of…More

TOI : PUNE: With water scarcity looming large in the city, the 24×7 water supply project is likely to get a new lease of life. Notwithstanding opposition by the BJP, the ruling NCP is prepared to push the proposal with the help of the Congress.

“The 24×7 water supply is the only answer to the situation likely to develop with the monsoon playing truant,” said an NCP leader. “Keeping politics aside, all parties need to support the proposal. The civic administration is of the same view.” He added that if the BJP and Shiv Sena continue to oppose the proposal, the NCP would go-ahead with the help of the Congress party.

Congress leaders, earlier staunchly opposed to the proposal, have mellowed after the recent affinity between the two parties. MP Suresh Kalmadi and his team had extended an olive branch to the NCP after the ruling party and the BJP drifted apart over allegations and counter-allegations between Gopinath Munde and Ajit Pawar. “We were never opposed to the scheme,” said corporator and city Congress unit chief Abhay Chajjed. “We had objections to the procedure. If the proper procedure is followed, we will support the NCP on the 24×7 water project.”

At the general body meeting on Tuesday, municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi called for a “comprehensive” plan to tackle water scarcity and a technical way to repair leakages in the distribution network.

The scope for the 24×7 water project comprises water audit and leak detection of the entire water supply system, complete metering for water audit study in a phased manner and zone-wise investment plans for rehabilitation for reduction in leakages and implementation of 24×7 water supply.

The civic administration’s proposal to appoint a consultant for the 24×7 water supply is mired in controversy after civic groups and political leaders objected to the tendering process where various companies have come together to…More

TOI : PUNE: Industries in Pune circle, comprising urban and rural areas, will have to go without power for 24 hours every Thursday, instead of the existing 16 hours, from July 24.

The load-shedding schedule, meanwhile, remained the same for Pune city. A statement released by Rameshsinh Gautam, chief engineer, Pune circle of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) said that only industries on express feeders (dedicated supply lines) and continuous process industries have been excluded from the 24-hour cut. The decision was taken, following a meeting between industry representatives and state energy minister Dilip Walse-Patil.

Gautam stated that power supply to industries will be cut from 6 am on Thursday to 6 am on Friday. Those located at Bhor, Pirangut, Jejuri, Lonikand, Khedshivapur, Panshet, Panshet Aadmala, Kamthadi, Wagholi, Lonavla, Chakan, Talegaon, Vadgaon, Markal, Ranjangaon, Kurkumbh, Sanaswadi, Shikrapur, Baramati, Walchandnagar, Pandare and Narayangaon will get no power for 24 hours.

The Ganeshkhind circle has as many as 33 industries on 22/11 KV express feeder with a collective load of 63 MW and three customers on 220 KV and 132 KV extra high voltage feeder with load of 59 MW. These industries will be exempt from the 24-hour power cut. Print EMail DiscussNew B…More

TOI : PUNE: Commissioner of Police Satyapal Singh on Wednesday issued an order making it mandatory for the police staff to wear helmets while riding two-wheelers.

The rule is applicable to everyone in the police department - from peon to deputy commissioner-level officer.

Although the order makes no mention of initiating a similar drive for citizens, Singh, in his previous stint in Nagpur, had made helmets compulsory for two-wheeler riders.

However, he was transferred to Pune before the order could be implemented.
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TOI : PUNE: Ashok Arjun Bhosale (30) of Dandekarpul slums was arrested by the Dattawadi police on Wednesday for severely beating up his mother on Tuesday evening with a stick after she refused to give him Rs 200.

Sub inspector Ramakant Shinde told TOI that the suspect had studied only up to standard IV and had been unemployed for sometime now. His mother, Kusum Bhosale (40), works as a house help.

According to Shinde, the victim had returned home on Tuesday evening, after the day’s work, and was preparing tea. Her son started demanding money and Kusum lost her cool. She reprimanded her son for not doing anything, which made him furious. Suddenly, he picked up a stick and attacked her. The impact of the assault was such that Kusum fell down and became unconscious.

The neighbours alerted the police and admitted her to the Sassoon general hospital. Though the woman had received severe injuries on her head and hands while trying to fend off the assault, her condition is reportedly stable.

Kusum’s husband and another son stay separately at Upper Indiranagar slums. Meanwhile, Ashok was arrested under section 324 of the Indian Penal Code for causing grievous injury. He was produced before the court for obtaining police custody.

Assistant public prosecutor Rajeshree Kadam told the court that Ashok’s custodial interrogation was required for recovering the stick used in the criminal act. Considering the plea, judicial magistrate first class V.U. Misal has remanded Ashok to police custody till July 25.
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