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TOI : PUNE: Setting an example, general practitioners in the city have come forward to make the city free of bio-medical waste.

The initiative is a first of its kind as the disposal and subsequent incineration of such waste has so far been observed only by bedded hospitals. This is the first time that general practitioners have upheld the need for scientific treatment of bio-medical waste (BMW) and evinced real concern for human health and environment.

TOI has been consistently reporting various developments related to treatment and disposal of BMW in the city, which helped bring about a consensus among doctors towards management of BMW.

The reports not only succeeded in pricking the conscience of doctors, but also kept the officials of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) on their toes by posing telling questions on their accountability time and again.

“Of the 5,000 general practitioners in the city, 2,000 have vowed to provide disposal and incineration facility for BMW generated at their dispensaries,” said Avinash Bhondwe, president of the city chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Just a handful of GPs had subscribed to Sun Enviro Management Pvt Ltd, an agency that has been working as a central bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility centre of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) since 2000.

With the generous support and participation from regional and peripheral associations of the doctors, Pune branch of IMA, the largest registered organisation of practising doctors in India, has succeeded in mobilising the majority of GPs in the city to support the cause, said Bhondwe.

Hence, the IMA initiated a meeting with health officials of PMC and the managing director of its service providing agency – Sun Enviro Management Pvt Ltd on July 30. The meeting succeeded in churning out solutions that were agreeable to both doctors and the service providing…More

TOI : PUNE: The Information Technology (IT) and Bio-Technology (BT) sectors have driven Pune’s booming economy to a high per capita income of Rs 46,000 per annum, which is 50 per cent higher than the country’s.

The claim has been made in the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Environment Status Report (ESR) for 2007-08, which was tabled before the General Body on Thursday.

In the socio-economics section of the ESR, it has been stated that “Pune’s PCI is Rs 46,000 which is about 50 per cent higher than the country’s PCI; also is much higher than Hyderabad and comparable to Bangalore — the other IT hubs of the country.”

According to the ESR, the IT and BT sectors have grown from Rs 250 crores to over Rs 6,500 crores in the last eight years.
“Pune region has seen investments of over Rs 4,000 crores pour in during 2005-06 and 2007-08 which was a 66 per cent growth. In the next five years, 114 companies will create 38,000 new jobs,” the ESR states.

Other reasons for the rising economic growth of Pune are the large number of manufacturing units and the growing education sector. “Pune district alone is home to nearly 9,500 industrial units with manufacturing operations. These units together create a turnover of nearly Rs 52,000 crores,” it said.

“Similarly, the city attracts about 1 lakh foreign students from 62 countries which indirectly boost other sectors like hotels, garments, entertainment and transport,” the ESR states.

Another outstanding fact is that out of the 11 universities identified by the Government of India as education exporters three are in Pune. The city boasts of six universities which have nearly 600 functional colleges with a Post-graduate department under them. Print EMail DiscussNew B…More

TOI : PUNE: Demanding a relaxation in the stringent norms for obtaining a licence from police, members of the Pune Central Cyber Cafe Association (PCCCA) said as many as 400 cyber cafes in the city have been closed since the last four days due to police action.

While talking to mediapersons, PCCCA president Rahul Pokle said the cafe owners have been asked to submit property tax payment receipts, no-objection certificate (NOC) from health department of the PMC and a PMC-approved premises map.
He added that initially the health department had refused to issue NOCs.

“However, since last Tuesday the department started issuing forms to cafe owners to obtain NOCs. Getting this certificate is a long process and take at least three months,” he said.

Explaining the problem with obtaining premises maps, Pokle said, “Out of the 1,200 cafes 300 are in old wadas, which were built before the PMC was formed. It is not possible for them to provide a map, approved by the PMC.”

However, without any prior notice the police have started taking action against the owners. They had to pay a fine of Rs 1,500 in the court.

As many as 400 cafes, who are members of the PCCCA, have shut shop since action was taken, said Pokle.
A meeting with the commissioner of police Satyapal Singh has been scheduled for Wednesday on this issue, he said, adding, “We would request him to relax the imposed norms and give police licence to cafe owners.” Print EMail DiscussNew B…More

TOI : PUNE: In the backdrop of the recent diesel shortage in the district, oil companies on Monday promised an increase in diesel supplies to the district by 20 per cent this month over August, 2007.

According to the expected supply figures released by the three government-owned oil companies, IOC, HPCL and BPCL, they will supply 16 lakh litres of diesel to the rural parts and 7.10 lakh litres to the urban areas of the district daily in August. The oil companies held a joint meeting on Monday to discuss issues relating to the supply of diesel in the district.

Fuel dealers and oil companies have been instructed not to sell fuel in cans, barrels and tanks to industries, malls, IT companies, theatres and other commercial establishments.

The city faced a severe shortage of diesel in the last 10 days due to a nearly 30% rise in demand from companies and industries.

Baba Shinde, president of the petrol dealers’ association, Pune, said, “The oil companies have announced an increase in the quota of supply of diesel by 15% to 20%. All fuel dealers in the district have been asked not sell fuel in cans and barrels. All petrol pumps in the city will remain open from 7 am to 10 pm and owners, if needed, can keep the pumps closed either on Sunday or Thursday.”

Shinde said dealers have also been asked to keep a daily account of diesel supplies. As of today, pumps in the district are receiving normal supply of fuel, he stated.

Oil company officials said the IOC will supply 6.60 lakh litres of diesel daily, while HPCL and BPCL will supply 8.50 lakh litres and 8 lakh litres respectively. IOC has 104, HPCL 125 and BPCL 87 petrol pumps in the district. Print EMail DiscussNew B…More

TOI : PUNE: A woman lost balance and fell to death while clicking pictures of the cloud-laden hills at Sinhagad on Sunday evening.

The incident occurred behind Hotel Kondaneshwar near Tilak Bungalow on the Sinhagad fort premises.

Pratibha Patil (24), a resident of Miraj, was an engineer working with a company in Kharadi. She was to get married to Ashok Khot, who works at a company in Hinjewadi, on August 24.

Sub-inspector Vasant Babar said the couple had gone searching for a rented flat in Pune on Sunday morning, after which they did some shopping and later went to Sinhagad. Patil was trying to take a photograph of the hills when she lost balance and fell down the 200-feet deep valley.

Her body was recovered by the police on Monday afternoon following a 12-hour search by the Giripremi Aroh mountaineering club.
After postmortem, the body was handed over to her relatives. Print EMail DiscussNew B…More