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TOI : About two years ago, when the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) announced its plans to strengthen the city’s infrastructure in view of the Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG), citizens were excited about the brand new look the city would wear.

However, with less than 60 days remaining for the inauguration of the Games, the civic body is struggling hard to meet the deadline which has been postponed twice. The Games are scheduled to be held at the Balewadi sports complex from October 11 to 18.

In September last year, MP and chairman of CYG’s organising committee Suresh Kalmadi and municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi had announced that detailed project reports and plans for strengthening the road projects were completed and work would begin soon thereafter.

While it was announced that the work would be completed by June 30, the deadline was later extended to August 15 when the pace of work slowed down for one reason or the other. Pardeshi then announced that the projects will be completed by the end of September.

The plan involved widening, concretisation and beautification of 13 main roads, resurfacing of 10 link roads and developing parking lots and pedestrian facilities.

Although priority was given to the roads leading to Balewadi complex, including airport to Ramwadi octroi post, Sancheti hospital to university chowk, Hotel Greenpark to Balewadi stadium and airport junction to Vishrantwadi chowk, only less than 50 per cent work has been completed on these roads.

According to details of status of road works furnished by the PMC to TOI on Wednesday, on some roads like the Sancheti hospital to Harris bridge just 20 per cent work is complete till date although the work order was given on January 24, 2008. Kalyaninagar junction to Alandi road has been completed just about 30 per cent. Work on Shivaji road, Nehru road and Bajiroa road are…More

TOI : PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) will soon have an e-waste management system in place with the standing committee on Tuesday approving a proposal to allocate five acres of land to set up an e-waste disposal plant at Yevlewadi.

The e-waste management and disposal project will be run on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.
The PMC will also take up awareness campaigns to inform the public about the health hazards of e-waste and the need for its proper disposal.

The proposal states that the quantity of e-waste being generated is rapidly rising in the city due to the presence of the large number of information technology companies and also the increased usage of electronic goods at individual levels.

According to an e-waste, electric and electronic equipment assessment study undertaken by the air quality management cell of the PMC, more than 2,584 metric tonnes of e-waste is generated per year in Pune. This is increasing every year.

The study states that discarded electronics equipment contain hazardous materials and if not disposed properly, they pose a serious threat to human health and the environment. To address the issue of e-waste management, Sarathi, a city-based NGO, had recently organised a seminar on e-waste management involving IT companies and the PMC.

E-wastes include discarded IT and telecom equipment like personal computers, monitors and laptops; large household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines; consumer and lighting equipment; electrical and electronic tools, toys, leisure and sports equipment and medical devices.
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TOI : PUNE: Three Mumbai-Pune inter-city trains — Sinhagad, Deccan Queen and Pragati — reached Pune station an hour-and-a-half late on Thursday after the Sinhagad express ran over cattle between Lonavala and Malavali stations. As a result, all local trains and long-route trains heading towards the city were delayed by almost two hours. No human casualties were reported in the accident.

The mishap took place at around 6 pm between Lonavala and Malavali stations on the down track, when the cattle strayed onto the track and were crushed under the locomotive’s wheels, which was travelling from Mumbai to Pune. The train stopped on the spot and was rendered non-operational for the next hour-and-a-half.

“The track was cleared in an hour and no human casualties were registered in the accident. All trains were running behind scheduled for one-and-half hours and were halted following the incident. None of the local trains were cancelled,” said Y. K. Singh, public relation officer, Pune railway division. The Sinhagad Express reached Pune station around 8.30 pm while Deccan Queen and Pragati Express reached the Station after 9.30 pm.
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TOI : PUNE: If you go by the statistics in the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) crime annual report 2007, instances of crime against women in the last year were on the rise.

The report notes that 44 per cent of female complainants reported harassment from their husband and/or in-laws, but incidences of rape and trafficking have gone down considerably in comparison with last year.

CID officials attribute this variance to an increased awareness amongst women and a reduction in fear of social stigma. There is 3.51 per cent increase in the number of cases filed under the section of ‘crime against women’. This is an increase of 563 cases as compared to 2006.

According to the report, 20 per cent reported molestation, 9 per cent registered complaints of rape, 8 per cent filed cases of abetment to commit suicide, 6 per cent were about kidnapping and abduction while 3 per cent were cases of dowry deaths. Around 2 per cent of women have complained of human trafficking; and there was a one per cent incidence of women murdered for dowry and attempt to commit murder for dowry.

In Pune, around 203 complaints were filed under section of cruelty by husband and relatives, there were 101 cases of molestation, 59 cases of rape, 25 of kidnapping and abduction, 17 of abetment of suicide, 16 of eve-teasing, 9 murdered for dowry, 1 for attempt to murder for dowry and 17 dowry deaths in 2007.

Dilip Bhujbal, State CID superintendent of police (law and research), said today’s women have become more aware regarding their rights. “With economic independence and awareness, today’s women come forward to file complaints in cases of harassment. Also with education, issues of social stigma weigh less as against going to the police,” Bhujbal said. He also added that women have become more capable of dealing with eve-teasing in the…More

TOI : PUNE: In an initiative aimed at catching them young, the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE), India, plans to involve school children in the process of skill development for automobile design and manufacturing. The engineers’ body also plans to hold a competition for engineering students to design an SAE Formula car.

SAE India’s secretary K.C. Vora told media persons on Saturday that the society has initiated the project, ‘A World in Motion” for schools, in which children in the sixth standard and above will be encouraged to design and make toy cars under the supervision of their teachers. “The children will make real cars that will run. They will be supplied with specially devised manufacturing kits which they will use to make the cars,” Vora said.

“The concept was tried out last year with schools from Delhi, Chennai and Nashik participating,” Vora said, adding that this year will see participation from schools from Pune, Indore and other cities. There will be initial regional rounds and the final round will be held in Chennai in November this year, he informed.

Vora said the schools will form teams of three students each and eventually one team from each school will be selected. “We will first teach the science and craft teachers in schools how to use the kits and the basics of automobile design. These teachers in turn will guide the students through different projects,” Vora explained.

Vora said that SAE is also working with the country’s engineering colleges to develop an SAE Formula car on a competitive basis. Unlike the cars that are made for the SAE Baja competition - which run at a speed of 50 km per hour, this car will be rated for a speed of 300 km per hour, he said. The society has involved India’s Formula 2 car driver Armaan Ebrahim to guide the design process for the…More