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TOI : PUNE: A one-man committee of retired judge Justice J.A. Patil has been formed to go into the report filed following a departmental inquiry into the alleged irregularities at the International Study Centre (ISC) of University of Pune (UoP). This was stated by UoP vice-chancellor Narendra Jadhav at a press conference on Monday.

Justice Patil was appointed on November 16 and the inquiry is currently on, Jadhav said. “The inquiry will take atleast two to three months, depending on the hearing, and accordingly the decision will be taken.”

Shantishree Pandit, the former head of ISC was issued a chargesheet by varsity authorities for alleged irregularities and malpractices in effecting foreign students’ admissions. In April last, the ISC was at the centre of a raging row over alleged irregularities in admissions to People of Indian Origin (PIO) and non-resident Indian (NRI) candidates, that were effected over a five-year period, beginning 2001-02.

On April 30, the UoP management council assigned a four-member panel under senior academician Sunanda Pawar to issue fresh guidelines for smooth implementation of all international admissions for 2008-09 and prima facie examine the alleged irregularities. The panel submitted its report to the UoP on August 8, and based on the findings, the former ISC director was handed out a chargesheet on August 18. Based on this report, Justice Patil will further his inquiry, Jadhav said.

Meanwhile, Jadhav also informed that the city of Stockholm has invited him to speak on Indian education system and experiments at UoP, between December 7 and 10. The lecture will be part of the Nobel week and Jadhav will present the UoP model during this lecture. He will speak on the various innovative courses introduced by the UoP, including courses for senior citizen, and also about initiatives like triple connectivity and the drop out centre.

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TOI : PUNE: A first-of-its-kind weather prediction model, developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, to be used for forecasting rainfall in catchment areas of dams, has so far shown 80 per cent accurate results. Now, the model is all set to be used at all stations in the Koyna dam region, one of the biggest dams in the state, for the next monsoon season. The model will be useful for better management of water discharge and will also help reducing chances of flood-like situations in Western Maharashtra.

The model, called Sysclim, has been developed by two senior scientists of the IITM, S K Jadhav and J R Kulkarni. The model, which is now ready for replication, can provide weather forecast for the next 24 to 48 hours.

“If adequate data is available, the model can predict rainfall of a specific area anywhere in the country for the next 24 or 48 hours,” senior scientist Kulkarni said, adding, “We have used 40 years’ worth of rainfall data from the catchment areas.”

The scientists said the model will also help better flood control measures by enabling the irrigation department to discharge appropriate volume of water well in time.

In the last couple of years, cities in western Maharashtra region have witnessed heavy to very heavy rains and floods. In the wake of these extreme weather conditions, the model can be very useful in controlling the dams, irrigation department officials said.

“This year, we used the model for trial basis at three stations. This has given us good results. Eighty per cent of predictions were correct. These in turn helped us plan water discharge in a better manner,” Vilas Shelake, chief engineer, Koyna irrigation department, told TOI.

He pointed out that officers responsible for water discharge in the dams need to remain very alert. Sometimes, if there is…More

TOI : PUNE: City-based forum Asmita Manch will be holding a 16-day drive Sixteen days of activism of violence against women’, starting November 25.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Lata P M, programme co-ordinator of National Centre for Advocacy Studies, said, “The United Nations have declared November 25 as the day of elimination of violence against women and so we are starting our awareness drive from that day. We will end the drive on December 10, which has been declared as the World Human Rights Day. We plan to conduct seminars, lectures, rallies and talks on issues related to women.

A seminar on Domestic Violence Act 2005 has been organised at the I L S Law College on November 26. “We will take stock of how the law is being accessed and implemented in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa,” said Lata. Flavia Agnes ex-director of Mumbai-based NGO Majlis; Manisha Gupte from Masoom and social activist Lata Bhise are the speakers.

Magsaysay award Aruna Roy will speak on Human Rights and Government transparency’ at the Mahatma Phule Wada at 6 pm.

A public hearing programme on domestic violence has been organised by the Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) on December 5 at Ambedkar Bhavan at 10 am. Speakers for the programme will be Chandrakant Dalvi, collector Pune city and Ashok Kalamkar joint commissioner urban community development.

“A rally from Sarabaug to Shaniwarwada will be held on December 10 starting at 4 pm,” said Archana More, project co-ordinator of Masoom. “All the organisations who are working for a similar cause will join hands in the rally and will perform street plays,” she added.

The drive will conclude with an oath-taking ceremony where organisations will pledge to fight against domestic violence.

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TOI : They will soon get a chance to be at their sportiest and artistic best during the months of December ‘08 and January ‘09 at the International Students’ Centre, University of Pune (UoP).

Foreign students from around 104 countries are looking forward to the annual sports meet and youth festival, that are quite an attraction at the centre. From December 1 to 22, the sports meet will see their participation in basketball, volleyball and football matches.

“We are planning to include an Indian team from this year onwards. For that matter, we will encourage Indian students to participate in cultural activities as well,” Vasudha Garde, director, the International Students’ Centre, UoP, said.

Registrations for the same are already pouring in. “We have 16 countries each participating in basketball and volleyball, and about 23 countries in football,” said Madhav Purang, an MA student at the university and sports coordinator for the event.

The UoP’s diamond jubilee celebrations begin next year, and the cultural meet and the much sought-after youth festival, which will be held late January, are going to be the celebrations with a difference.

Foreign students will not only get to present songs, dance and theatrical performances special to their respective countries, but also partake in putting up a special exhibition. “It’s going to be a country-wise exhibition that will showcase each nation’s culture, climate, basic geography and history, and its socio-economic aspects,” Garde said.

To be held simultaneously is the food festival that will have students cooking speciality dishes typical to their respective countries. Not to forget the annual education fare that will provide information to foreign students at the centre on various courses at colleges and educational institutes affiliated to the UoP. “We will also be providing information on courses at foreign universities that have tie-ups with the UoP,” Garde added.

A special cultural…More

TOI :

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HEAD: World economy will turn around in 18 months: Jadhav

times news network

Pune: The current economic situation is not recession but a slowdown due to low demand, coupled with lack of liquidity and can be tackled with policy measures by the government and the Reserve Bank as well as industry initiatives, such as price cuts, said economist and University of Pune vice-chancellor Narendra Jadhav Monday.

Addressing a seminar on Present economic situation: A threat or an opportunity’ organised by the Pune Urban Banks Association, Jadhav spelled out his vision of the present economic situation world-wide and in India.

Jadhav said unlike in the US and Europe, India is better placed to swing back. “From an eight per cent plus annual growth in the last three years, the Indian economy is expected to muster a 6.5 to 7 per cent growth this year. This is not recession, but a drop in growth which we can deal with policy and industry initiatives,” Jadhav said.

He predicted that the turnaround in the economic situation will happen in about a year or 18 months, as this process of fall and recovery, according to him, is in V-shape, where both the movements are sharp.

The industry’s argument about thin margins is not correct and there is scope to reduce prices to attract demand, Jadhav said, adding that this will avoid job cuts in the industry. He pointed out that industry initiatives will have to be followed up by the government machinery, including the reserve bank, by introducing measures to keep liquidity intact. The RBI has been taking the right steps in this direction and a package of infrastructure programmes is expected to create employment and income that will help move the stagnated demand…More

TOI : This happens to be the second-largest B-school festival in the country. NEEV 2008,’ organised by the Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD) on November 28, 29 and 30, is expected to see participation of more than 30 top B-school across India.

With duality’ as this year’s theme, the festival is meant to give a slice of practical challenges to future managers. Over 7,000 entries have already been received from students studying at the IIMs, JBIMS, MICA, NMIMS and XLRI, to name a few.

Sixteen real-life business games, participation in the exclusive tourism marketing game, Terra Incognita,’ live Forex trading in White Noise and live retail game in Big Bazaars across the country mean a competition reward of more than Rs 17 lakh.

The real-life business games, including case studies related to specific brands that students will be asked to give practical dimensions to, especially in other domains of those brands.

Augustus,’ the flagship event of the NEEV, aims to find that unique individual who is a perfect mix of talent, perseverance and application through a series of tests of mental and physical endurance. All this, for a hefty prize money worth Rs 2 lakh.

The Forex trading game began on November 17 with 15 shortlisted teams from all over the country. They will trade till November 28, when the winning team will be announced.

Last year, the three-day event attracted 4,000 entries across 13 real-life business events running across all specialisations of business, HR, finance, operations, marketing, strategy, economics and retail, to name a few. This year, the event is enjoying total sponsorship worth Rs 54 lakh.

A performance by the Pakistani pop band, Strings, is another attraction that should draw the youth in hordes. For details, visit visit www.neev-scmhrd.com.

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TOI : PUNE: The Lonavla police on Sunday night arrested seven traders from Mumbai for their alleged involvement in betting for the fourth ODI match between India and England. The police have recovered two laptops and 21 mobile handsets from them.

The suspects have been identified as Nilesh Ramesh Khurana (35), Rajeev Ashok Sagar (24), Sunil Vasant Katiya (45) and Ajay Vasantlal Vakhariya (53) from Malad, Praveen Shantaram Adiya (56) and Ketan Jaysukh Chawla (29) from Kandivli and Dinesh Hariram Mehta (52) from Andheri.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by inspector Sudam Darekar raided bungalow no. 12 at New Tungarli Gold Valley area in Lonavla and arrested the suspects.

Inspector Darekar told TOI, “We got a tip-off about the persons who came to Lonavla for betting for the match between India and England which was played on Sunday. Under the guidance of additional superintendent of police Ashok Morale, we raided the bungalow at around 11.50 pm.”

“We entered the bungalow and found five persons busy on taking bets and two busy on laptops, which had internet connections. We recovered 21 mobile handsets from them. We also seized the laptops and a car,” Darekar said.

“One of the suspects, Sunil Vasant Katiya, is the owner of the bungalow. All the arrested are traders from Mumbai. They came to Lonavla on Sunday morning. They were taking bets for the match through internet. We are investigating about others who could be involved,” he added.

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TOI : PUNE: It’s election time and Maratha strongman, Sharad Pawar, is again at the centre of political activity in the state. Not only his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) colleagues, but his prot?g?s, who had deserted him and are with the Congress now, want him to play a long political innings in state and national politics.

On Monday Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth (TMV) in its 20th convocation ceremony conferred a DLitt degree on Sharad Pawar along with well known orator Ram Shewalkar. TMV chancellor and Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde was the chief guest at the function attended by political leaders and workers from Congress and NCP and MP Suresh Kalmadi.

In his acceptance speech Pawar said, “I am surprised that now a days universities are honouring me with DLitt degrees. This is the forth and next month I will receive my fifth DLitt in Orissa. Is it a message that I should retire?” asked Pawar in a lighter vein.

Sushilkumar Shinde in his speech categorically admitted that they “all need Pawar”. “Pawar brought me in politics and I am here because he gave me a much needed break. There are some difference here and there, but we all including me and Suresh Kalmadi have learnt a lot from Pawar. He should not ever think of retirement. Leaders like him, who have thorough knowledge of the masses, are need. The state and the nation needs Pawar,” said Shinde.

Pawar in his speech didn’t forget to mention decisions like women’s reservation, re-naming of Marathwada university, formation of MIDC, loan waiver for farmers and other decisions he took in his 40 years of political life. “During all these years people in Pune district have firmly stood by me and I am grateful to them,” said Pawar.

He added that the nation was surging ahead in the second green revolution and there was no need…More

TOI : PUNE: The 56th edition of the prestigious Sawai Gandharva music festival, organised by the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal, will have an added flavour this year with Pt Bhimsen Joshi being selected for the Bharat Ratna. The three-day musical extravaganza is scheduled to begin on December 11 at the New English school grounds in Ramanbaug. Organisers, however, refuse to divulge at present what the special element would be.

The festival, which began 55 years ago, has featured some of the biggest names in Indian classical music over the years. Speaking at a press conference in the city on Monday, executive secretary of the Mandal and Joshi’s son, Shrinivas Joshi, said, “It is a matter of great pride and joy that Pt Joshi has been honoured with the Bharat Ratna. But there is also a sense of sadness and loss because we do not have Pt Feroz Dastur among us any more.” Dastur, who passed away earlier this year after a prolonged illness, was, like the senior Joshi, a disciple of the legendary Sawai Gandharva.

Srinivas said that though Dastur would be missed, an effort would be made to make this year’s festival as successful as ever. When asked if Joshi would perform this year, Srinivas said it was entirely up to his father and nothing was decided yet.

“Everyone has been asking us if this year’s festival is going to be bigger and grander, but it is already both big and grand. How do we make it even more bigger?” said Shrikant Deshpande, also the executive secretary of the organisation and grandson of Sawai Gandharva. But he added that there would definitely be certain elements to watch out for this time around. Upon being questioned further, Shrinivas said with a laugh that these elements would be disclosed gradually so that people can savour them even more.

This year, around ten artistes would…More

TOI : PUNE: In order to accomplish its goal of treating 90 per cent of the sewage generated in the city by 2009, the Pune Municipal Corporation has stepped up work on the incomplete sewage treatment plants (STPs) and has decided to complete them on priority basis.

Speaking to TOI, V G Kulkarni, head of sewage department, said, the new plant near Naidu hospital and the one at Mundhwa would be completed by 2009. “They will help in keeping the rivers clean,” he added.

The aim is to release treated water in the river so that the river navigation project can be taken up in the next financial year and also abide by its commitment of treating every drop of water before it is released in the river.

Nearly 500 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage is generated in the city, but only 300 MLD of it is treated. As a result, a lot of untreated waste is released into the rivers leading to pollution.

Kulkarni said the corporation has received funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for augmenting STPs.

“There are five STPs in operation, and with the JNNURM funds, five more are to be set up. Out of the new five to be built, work on three Naidu with a capacity of 115 MLD; Mundhwa, 40 MLD and Baner with 30 MLD capacity has already begun. We aim to treat a at least 460 MLD sewage by March,” Kulkarni said.

Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi had recently said that the PMC would complete work on STPs at the earliest. A loan of Rs 76 crore from banks, partly to be used for STPs, had also been proposed by the PMC.

“The PMC has a moral responsibility of releasing treated water in the rivers as they are a source for villagers living…More