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TOI : PUNE: Mahantesh Khairate (27), a software engineer from Kothrud, attempted suicide by drinking poison on the premises of a building on Fergusson college road on Wednesday morning. Khairate cited loneliness as the reason for taking the step in a note purportedly found on him by doctors.

According to inspector Vijaykumar Palsule of the Deccan Gymkhana police station, Khairate visited a friend in Shivanand Apartment on F C road to wish her for Diwali. He was later found unconscious in the building’s parking lot. Khairate’s friend and her sister admitted him to a private hospital.

“Doctors in the hospital found a note in Khairate’s pocket which says he was solely responsible for his actions. The note also states that he was alone and lonely, which led him to attempt suicide,” Palsule said.

Khairate and his friend studied together in the Walchand Institute of Technology in Solapur from 1999 to 2002, the police said. After graduating, the two did not meet for years. Last year, they got in touch online and Khairate visited her home 3-4 times in the last few months.

Assistant police inspector M K Kulkarni told TOI that Khairate could not explain the reason for attempting suicide in his statement to the police. “We have booked him for attempted suicide under Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code,” Kulkarni added.
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TOI : PUNE: While one story deals with the dying art of ‘Nautanki’, the other narration depicts the indomitable spirit of human existence. Two diploma films by ex-students of direction from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) are all set to make a cinematic statement at the forthcoming Indian International Film Festival (IFFI) 2008 to be held in Goa later this month.

Shraddha Pasi’s ‘Dhin Tak Dha’ and Umesh Kulkarni’s (of ‘Valu’ fame) ‘Three of Us’ will be featured in IFFI’s Indian Panorama section.

Inspired by the trials and tribulations of the Thakar family that resides in Sadashiv Peth, Kulkarni’s film celebrates the human spirit of survival. Usha and Dattatray Thakar are an old couple who are worried about the future of their 42-year-old disabled son Yogendra.

“I wanted to show the family as a triumphing one that beat all odds on its way. Their positive outlook towards life has given me strength,” says Kulkarni, who shot the film at the couple’s home in Sadashiv Peth.

‘Three of Us’ premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival this year. It has also earned accolades at a number of international film festivals including the 14th Festival on Wheels, Turkey and The 15th Barcelona Independent Film Festival, Spain among others.

“I just wanted to portray the couple’s dignified outlook towards their son’s problem—the due and open-minded acceptance of Yogendra’s disability,” explains Kulkarni.

Umesh Kulkarni’s new project is a Marathi film for Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited titled ‘Vihir’. Madan Deodhar, Mohan Agashe, Amruta and Jyoti Subhash and Girish Kulkarni will form the star cast.

Shraddha Pasi too strikes a chord with her film ‘Dhin Tak Dha,’ which harmonises tradition with modernity through the theme of ‘nautanki’ (a travelling folk art). The film is about a village troupe that performs from village to village entertaining people and giving a social…More

TOI : PUNE: Considering the serious lapses in the disposal and management of bio-medical waste generated by clinical establishments in the state, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has decided to make a region-wise inventory of all bio-medical waste generating units. The move is significant as a large number of clinics and hospitals in and around the city still have not sought the essential authorisation required for bio-medical waste generation from the board.

“The board has decided to outsource the work of identifying and preparing a detailed list of hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres of each region to an agency or an educational institute. The move is expected to consolidate the surveillance system of the board in respect of bio-medical waste,” P K Mirashe, regional officer of the Pune MPCB told TOI. The work involves identifying bio-medical waste generating units, excluding those already identified by the board as of September 30.

The agency concerned will conduct a physical survey in the city and the district as well as other districts, such as Satara and Solapur which come under Pune region, to make a detailed list of all clinical establishments which have not sought authorisation from the board. “We will then issue notices to them to apply for authorisation, failing which they will have to face legal action,” Mirashe said.

Currently there are approximately 5,000 clinics in the city, of which only 2,000 have sought the authorisation of the board. “Initially, we could contact just a few which were registered with the city chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Pune Municipal Corporation. But a large number have still not been identified. The move will bring every hospital, clinic and diagnostic centre on the list of the board, following which it will be possible to keep a tab on the bio-medical waste generated at these units,” Mirashe added.

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TOI : PUNE: It was the ninth anniversary of the Pune-Sangli-Pune state transport (ST) bus and it wore a dazzling look. On Sunday morning regular commuters of the bus decided to celebrate its birthday in a unique way.

Some 100 commuters as well as a few officials from ST and bus drivers got together to donate foodgrain to HIV-infected orphan children from city-based non-governmental organisation Mamta.

Pramod Bansode, one of the ST officials told TOI, “We try to celebrate in different ways each year. This time, we decided that we needed to make a social contribution and bought foodgrain for these children who have been deprived of even their basic needs.”

Hanumant Tate, general secretary of the Maharashtra ST employees association, was also present at this grand function.

According to Rajesh Kadam, who has been travelling on the bus for about three years, “Since we are regular commuters we decided to chip in. The bus has travelled for nine years and we have formed a group since we meet pretty often.”

The programme took place at platform no 5 at the Swargate ST stand, the place from where the bus leaves for Sangli. Uma Burshe, another regular commuter said, “This bus is just nine years old. I am in no doubt that one day it will reach a milestone, say in about 25 years or so. This is a fantastic bus service and what better way to celebrate the anniversary than by making these orphan children a part of our enjoyment.”
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TOI : PUNE: The Pune police can now boast of having the only dog in the state trained in narcotics detection.

The dog, named Jai, has completed nine months’ training at the state dog training centre here. Jai was inducted as a new member of the dog unit of the city police recently.

The dog unit has two other dogs — Shiva and Teja. Known as IPC dogs, these animals are trained to pick up the trail of criminals involved in house break-ins and thefts.

CID’s additional superintendent of police Rajaram Chavan, in-charge of the dog training centre at Shivajinagar, told TOI on Thursday that Jai, trained in detecting various types of narcotics, was handed over to sub-inspector N S Kate, in-charge of the police dog unit, on October 10.

Chavan has made a proposal to increase the number of narcotics detection dogs (German Shepherds) from 1 to 56 for the various police units in Maharashtra. The proposal, prepared under the guidance of CID’s special inspector general of police Meeran Borwankar, is awaiting approval from the state government. If approved, the various police units in the state will purchase the dogs as per requirement and send them to the training centre in Shivajinagar.

Narcotics detection dogs are trained to detect marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines. They are trained on each drug, one at a time, until they are able to successfully zero in on the drugs.

When the dog locates the drugs, it sits quietly and stares at the location (no pawing or digging at the drug’s location is permitted). The dog handler then interprets this passive behaviour as a drug find.

According to CID officials, the dog is rewarded for each find. The dog is trained only in detecting the odour of the drugs and not encouraged to come into physical contact with the narcotics.
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