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TOI :
PUNE: A public works department assistant officer found a used cartridge in the kitchen of his New Sangvi residence on Thursday, Sangvi police said.

SI Parashuram Mane said Ganpat Jogi and his wife were out for work and their children were at school during the daytime on August 31. When they returned in the evening, his wife found a hole in their kitchen window. Their neighbours did not report any untoward incident either and the matter was forgotten, Mane said.

However, they found a used cartridge under the kitchen shelf on Thursday. “We have made a note of the incidence in the station diary,” Mane said. He added that there is a military base spread in a 14-acre area next to Jogi’s house. “The base has been conducting firing exercises. It must be a case of misfire.” Print EMail DiscussNew B…More

TOI : PUNE: The number of those seeking voluntary admission to the Yerawada mental hospital has increased considerably in the last three years. This exercise has resulted in more and more people with mental illnesses approaching the hospital and benefiting as well.

Once known as a place where those with specific problems were admitted following sessions court’s directives, the Yerawada mental hospital has come a long way in gaining the confidence of the patients and their relatives alike. The hospital management has been consistently advocating and encouraging voluntary admissions of the mentally-ill and the results since 2004 have been encouraging.

“Earlier, relatives would go to a sessions court to seek admission for their wards. And once the admission was sought, the relatives used to wash their hands off the patient,” said Vilas Bhailume, superintendent, Yerawada Mental Hospital.

Now, relatives of patients opt to come on their own to admit their patient, said Bhailume. There were just 463 voluntary boarders admitted in the hospital in 2000, but since last three years the number has been consistently over 1200, said Bhailume.

“The hospital always had the provision for voluntary admission, but somehow there has been little awareness about it. Moreover, the tendency to get rid of mentally-ill among relatives was largely responsible for this. And this they used to do by obtaining a court’s order,” said Bhailume.

“The procedure for admission as well as discharge for a voluntary patient is hassle-free at the hospital,” said Bhailume. Elaborating on how the hospital has succeeded in getting voluntary admissions, he said regular group therapy sessions for patients and their relatives are conducted by teams comprising psychiatrist, social worker and clinical psychologist. “These group sessions are meant for indoor, outdoor patients and relatives. Various NGOs also participate,” he said.

“When there is recurrence of psychiatric problem, patients and their families invariably choose voluntary mode…More

TOI : A day after the traffic branch police sent letters to colleges to act tough against students who were caught violating traffic norms, the college principals on Thursday expressed willingness to cooperate. In fact, most colleges went a step ahead by saying that they will put the list of erring students on the college notice board.

Notably, the traffic police caught 500 students and 250 IT professionals for violating traffic rules during a month-long drive. The police have written letters to 68 colleges and 40 IT companies asking them to take action against the violators.

Bhagwan Thakur, principal, Nowrosjee Wadia College, confirmed that they have received the letter. “I am glad that only about 14-15 students from all streams including Ness Wadia, Cusrow Wadia colleges, appear in the list. We have been trying to imbibe traffic discipline in our students and the output is good. However, our campus discipline committee will take action against students whose names have appeared in the list. Their names will be put up on the notice board and I will personally speak to them and ask them to explain their behaviour. It’s a good initiative by the police and we will support them,” he added.

Vidya Yeravdekar, the joint director of Symbiosis, said that the organisation would support the police’s initiative in every possible way. While saying that she was not in the city and hence was unaware if the institute has received such a notice, Yeravdekar said, “We have encouraged every possible precaution that would curb speeding and rash driving and promoted use of helmets.”

Vivekanand Phadke, vice-principal, Fergusson college, said that the college has not received any letter from the police yet. “Even if we receive the letter, I am doubtful what action the college can take against students for violating traffic rules, which has happened outside the college premises. Moreover, I am not sure…More

TOI : PUNE: Come September 12, and you can visit at least five major spots in the city and roads connecting these spots, in a share rickshaw. The share-a-rickshaw system is being implemented following the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) giving the green signal for the same on Thursday.

The routes identified for the implementation of the system in its first phase are Pune station to Swargate, Swargate to Shivajinagar, Shivajinagar to Pune station, Karve road corner to Shivaji Statue and Kothrud Depot to Vimalabai Garware School. All the routs will have the share-a-rickshaw system in place from September 12. A separate fare structure has been fixed for these rickshaws. The RTA is also planning to introduce the similar system in other parts of the city soon.

A commuter travelling by a shared rickshaw from Pune station to Swargate will have to pay Rs 14. A similar fare has been fixed for a journey from Swargate to Shivajinagar. A commuter will have shell out Rs 11 to travel from Shivajinagar to Pune station. Commuters travelling from Karvenagar to Shivaji Statue and from Kothrud Depot to Vimalabai Garware School will have to pay Rs 10 and Rs 15 respectively. The fares have been fixed at one-third of the total cost of the journey.

Baba Shinde, RTA member, said, “Each autorickshaw will be shared by three passengers. The system is being revived in the city in a view to make passenger traffic more effective within the city limits. The public bus transport system (PMPML) in the city is not strong enough to cater to the increasing number of passengers. The share-a-rickshaw system will ease the pressure and will also offer prompt services to commuters.”

Shinde added that separate autorickshaw stands have been identified for the system. “The RTA, so far, has fixed over 10 autorickshaw stands at the starting points of the journey routes. Each of…More

TOI : PUNE: A 20-year-old youth was charred to death while six persons sustained severe burn injuries after a major fire broke out at the bio-medical waste disposal plant of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) located in the premises of Kailash crematorium on the Raja Bahadur Mills road on Thursday evening. The plant is being run by contractor.

The deceased was identified as Shabbir Shaikh (20). The six persons who suffered burin injuries are Manohar Sorte (25), Piyush Jagtap (17), Mayur Sanke (18), Ritesh Kavde (18), Ravi Salvi (18) and Popat Rokde (21).

Senior inspector Ranjeet Dhure of the Bund Garden police station said the disposal of outdated body spray containers was being carried out at the plant. “This may have caused the fire,” he felt.

According to fire officer Prashant Ranpise, the fire brigade received a call at 5.20 pm regarding the blaze. Three fire engines along with a tanker were immediately sent to the spot. “When our team reached there, we saw flames and smoke coming out of the godown at the crematorium,” he said.

The fire was controlled within 10 minutes, Ranpise said. “Thousands of body spray containers were found scattered in the godown. A tree near the godown was burned down,” he added.

Inspector Dhure said the civic body has awarded the contract to run the disposal plant to one Sunil Singhania of Boat Club road. “However, Singhania has given a sub-contract for running the plan to Manohar Sorte, one of those injured in the blaze,” he added. Print EMail DiscussNew B…More