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TOI : PUNE: The Maharashtra Krishna Valley Development Corporation, Pune will undertake the first-ever study of silt accumulation at the Khadakwasla dam. The study will help in better management and utilisation of the reservoir and also suggest corrective and safety measures.

The study, which will be conducted using the latest techniques, will provide accurate data about the depth and percentage of siltation at the bottom of the reservoir.

Avinash Surve, superintending engineer, Pune circle said that this will be the first such study at the Khadakwasla dam.

Surve said back-end preparations for the study are in the final stages and the actual procedure is expected to begin next week. “The study will take 10 to 15 days. It will be conducted using the sanding method, wherein a boat carrying equipment will be used for measurements at different places and water levels”.

Technical support and the equipment will be provided by the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute, Nasik.

The dam, built in 1879, supplies water to Pune and other parts of the district. “The dam has a live water storage capacity of 1.97 TMC and the full water level of the reservoir is 582.62 mts,” Surve said.

Surve added that the dam is filled up to 98% of its total water storage capcity at present. “Such a study is possible only when a dam is filled to its full capacity.”

Surve said that siltation was a common phenomemna at all dams. “Silt settles down in the reservoir, reducing the space available for water storage,” he stated.

Surve added that similar studies were conducted last year at the Warasgoan, Panshet and Bhatghar dams in the district. The studies revealed the amount of siltation at these dams to be less than the expected levels. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Various electronic gadgets worth over Rs 13 lakh were stolen from the Dass Electricals showroom on East street in the Pune Cantonment in the intervening night of Friday-Saturday.

Senior police inspector Deepak Humbre of the Cantonment police station said the thieves forced open the shutter of the store and stole 16 laptops, 12 video cameras, 32 digital still cameras and 10 mobile phones together worth Rs 13,14, 620. The burglary occurred sometime between 9 pm on Friday and early Saturday morning.

Humbre said the theft came to light when employees came to work at about 10 am on Saturday. The store did not have security cameras or security guards in the night hours. The police also found that the main lock of the shutter was already faulty, so the burglars could force open the shutter without much difficulty, Humbre added.

He also said that fingerprint experts were able to trace a “chance” print of the thieves. The police and the crime branch, Pune have launched a joint search for historysheeters known to use similar modus operandi.

After the incident came to light, deputy commissioner of police (zone II) Satish Khandare and assistant commissioner of police (Cantonment division) Ashok Gaikwad visited the crime scene.

The police pressed a sniffer dog into service, but it failed to pick up a trail of the suspects.

The store’s manager, Ajay Jacob (32) of Nigdi, registered a theft case against unknown persons under sections 454, 457 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code with the Cantonment police. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: The 16th edition of India’s largest Agriculture exhibition KISAN ‘08 will be held from December 17 to 21 at the International Exhibition Centre, Moshi, near Bhosari.

Addressing a media conference here on Friday, convenor of the exhibition, Niranjan Deshpande, said, “The exhibition arena is spread over 20 acres of land, with over 200 companies displaying their latest products on agriculture.”

He added, “This year, for the first time, several international companies from counties such as the US, China, Israel, France, will participate in the exhibition. They will display their farm machinery with live demonstration. This will be a unique opportunity for Indian farmers to visit and experience live demonstration of irrigation systems and water management.”

The organisers hope to add a new dimension to the exhibition and make it the most effective agricultural business forum. Deshpande said the exhibition will provide an opportunity to farmers to interact with research and development organisations. “Foremost research and development institutions will display their research and new technique, which will help farmers explore full potential of their resources,” he said.

Deshpande added that the exhibition will also install a soil-testing lab for the benefits of the farmers. “Film screenings and discussions with scientists have also been organised. The exhibition will also give inputs in modern technology about dairy farming,” he added.

The exhibition will also have books and CDs as guides for the farmers for getting maximum yield.

“As per the Kisan tradition, the fair will be inaugurated by the first group of farmers who arrive at the venue,” Deshpande said.

The fair has received support and active participation for the Union ministry of agriculture, the state and other agencies. It has been approved by the India trade promotion organisation (ministry of commerce) for international participation. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Judicial magistrate first class S S Budruck on Friday remanded Mahesh Mohite (26) of Mundhwa to police custody till December 18. Mohite was arrested with a woman for allegedly killing the woman’s husband Pundalik Suryavanshi.

The woman suspect, Yojana alias Madhuri Suryavanshi (26) of Yerawada, committed suicide in the female lock-up of the Vishrambaug police station on Friday morning.

The suspects were arrested by the Yerawada police on Thursday.

Assistant public prosecutor Kiran Bendhbar told the court that the custodial interrogation of Mohite was required as he had allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy for killing the woman’s husband.

Bendhbar prayed to give sufficient time to the police to recover the sharp weapons and the sticks allegedly used for committing the murder. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: The city police want the state government to provide land for setting up police stations in Chinchwad and Sangvi as the current stations in these areas are operating from rented premises.

Mahesh Patil, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), Zone III, told TOI, “the Chinchwad and Sangvi police stations are operating from rented premises. A number of police offices in PCMC limits like the DCP Zone III office in Chinchwad and Nigdi police station are also operating from rented premises.”

He said that they have to pay a rent of Rs 30,000 per month to the civic body for the DCP office and Rs 40,000 per month to Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority (PCNTDA) for the Nigdi station.

He said, “We have asked the state government to provide suitable land for the police stations in Pimpri-Chinchwad township. For each station, we need open land of around two to three acres as space has to be provided for the office and policemen’s quarters.”

Patil said, “If the PCMC constructs police stations, it would charge high rents. So we want the state government to construct the stations.

The area under the PCMC’s jurisdiction increased substantially in 1997 after the merger of 13 villages fully or partially in the municipal limits. The rapid industrialisation and urbanisation in the past decade has led to a rapid increase in population. The crime rate has also gone up, so more police stations and chowkies are required to maintain law and order.

In January 2008, Chinchwad and Sangvi police stations were created. The Chinchwad police station operates from the Chinchwadgaon police chowkey. The police officials said that the civic body had allotted some shops in the vegetable market-cum-shopping complex near Chapekar Chowk for the police station, but they still have not got possession of the property.

V Sawant, police inspector, Sangvi police station, said that they operate from a…More

TOI : PUNE: The Bund Garden police on Saturday seized the Indica car, which was allegedly used by the four suspects for allegedly kidnapping a 16-year-old student of a leading city-based college on December 10.

Meanwhile, two suspects, identified as Shiva Tyagraj Swamy (20) and Ajay Kisan Bhot (22), both residents of Bopodi, committed suicide by jumping before a local train near Dehu Road railway station on Friday morning, the police said.

Inspector (crime) Suhas Nadgouda of the Bund Garden police station said after the kidnapped victim was released near the Sadalbaba dargah, the suspects abandoned the vehicle near the Parnakuti police chowkey. He added that the car belongs to Sudhakaran Ragini of Kalyaninagar.

The police said four youths had kidnapped the girl from outside her college on December 10 and attempted to murder her between 12.30 and 4.30 pm. She was later dropped at Yerawada. The police are yet to identify the other two accomplishes.

According to the police, investigations have revealed that the suspect, Swamy, a driver by profession, had rented the car on the day the girl was kidnapped.

The police are yet to record the statements of the car owner as well as the family members of the two suspects to find out about their two accomplishes who are still missing. Sub-inspector M B Suryavanshi is investigating further.

Meanwhile, superintendent of police Vitthal Jadhav of the government railway police (GRP), Pune, told TOI over the telephone that the motive behind the youths jumping before a running train was still not known.

Jadhav said inspector Narsinh Bhosale of the Pune railway station, who has registered a case of accidental death, has transferred the case to the Dehu Road police station udner the Pune rural police for further investigations, as the spot where the youths were killed does not come under the jurisdiction of the GRP. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: A photograph of a seven-year-old vocalist performing at the Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav in 1993 flashed on the giant screen on Saturday, the third day of the ongoing edition of the festival.

The audience later got to witness the singing prowess and distinctive voice of the now 22-year-old Arshad Ali Khan, performing here for the first time since his 1993 appearance.

Beginning his performance with the bandish’ Kangan Mudariya Mori Re’ in Raag Multani, it was the robust quality of the young vocalist’s voice that set him apart. Arshad, accompanied by Sudhir Nayak on the harmonium and Bharat Kamat on the tabla, performed a well-paced tarana’ in Raag Des next, the rendition showcasing his sonorous voice modulations. He later served an ace with his final rendition, a composition in Raag Shivkalyan.

Arshad, who trained under Kirana gharana luminary Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan, has learnt to weave improvisations into his performances. “I try to draw influences from other gharanas as well,” he says. Arshad refuses to compare his two performances at the Sawai. “But I want to come back here for sure,” he smiles.

The young singer’s performance was followed by a set of soul-searching renditions by Madhup Mudgal. Pava Main Durase’ in Raga Shree and vilambit ektaal’ set the pace for a lilting, haunting act. Medium-paced and engaging, Mudgal’s recital blended an added air of mystery into his signature artistry. Mudgal ended his engaging performance with Kaise Aae Re Kisan Mhare,’ a bhajan’ presented in Raag Kalyan.

No sooner was he winding up than Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s car pulled up at the venue, leaving the audience awestruck. Joshi’s unannounced arrival was greeted by thunderous claps, lending a rare energy to the proceedings. “I am not keeping well, yet I decided to come today to see the performing artistes and the Sawai fans,” the maestro said.

Joshi sat in his car as he…More

TOI : PUNE: The civic administration is seeking an immediate green signal from the state government to expedite its fund raising options for ambitious projects under the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

The SPV is a Pune Municipal Corporation-undertaking company called the Pune Municipal Infrastructure Development Corporation’. The general body of the PMC has already passed the proposal for its formation and forwarded the same to the state government for approval.

Civic officials fear that if the SPV is caught in the election code of conduct, the entire process would be delayed and in turn affect development projects.

In fact, in a major boost to the civic body’s initiative to form the SPV to raise Rs 24,000 crore and also execute ambitious projects like the metro and mono rail, the World Bank has agreed to work with the PMC and assess the projects.

“If the PMC gets a green signal from the state government for the official formation of the SPV, it could expedite fund raising options,” said a PMC official.

The PMC is also looking at major resource mobilisation through modes like floating of bonds, attracting investments from citizens through stocks, loans from financial institutes, capital investments from private industries which benefit by the infrastructure projects and, most importantly, by allowing private investors of a company to operate certain services for a stipulated period only till they recover their investments. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: In order to facilitate reconstruction of old buildings within its limits, the Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) on Friday approved granting of additional floor space index (FSI) for the structures.

The decision was taken during a meeting held to review FSI restrictions imposed in 1984. A draft proposal for revision of the FSI norms was tabled at the meeting. According to the proposal, an FSI of one will be allowed inside notified civil/ bazaar area, while 0.5 FSI will allowed outside notified civil/ bazaar area as per the existing norms. Ground plus two floors are permissible. The maximum height of the building has to be 18 metres and there should be 4.5 metre open space along the periphery outside notified civil/ bazaar area.

The proposal said an FSI of two per cent will be permitted for free-hold; lease and old properties inside notified civil/ bazaar area. The maximum permissible floor space for old sites will be equivalent to sanctioned floor space or permissible floor space, whichever is less. An FSI of two percent will be permitted on free hold; one on lease and 0.5 for old properties outside notified civil/ bazaar area. The number of floors permitted will be ground plus four floors or stilt parking plus five floors. Public utilities will be considered for relaxation in FSI.

Brig Sanjiv Talwar, president, KCB, said the proposal will be sent to the Southern Command for its final approval. Suggestions and objections on the proposal will be sought from residents.

Meanwhile, the KCB has extended the deadline for submitting applications for hawker licences till January 15. Talwar drew the attention of cantonment members to the request made by a delegation led by Parshuram Wadekar, of the Republican Party of India, to stop the drive against hawkers.

Manish Anand, vice-president, KCB, said the board had stopped issuing hawker licences for the past few years. He demanded that…More

TOI : PUNE: Although the city often faces power failures resulting in traffic indiscipline at major city chowks, there are just four signals out of 165 junctions in the city which are equipped with inverters.

This has resulted in traffic police manually manning the junctions most of the times as chaotic situation prevails whenever there is a power failure.

While there were around 15 signals with inverter backup 11 of them are not in working condition due to lack of maintenance.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Manoj Patil said a lot of manpower was used at traffic junctions since there was no power back-up. “We have however been promised by the city mayor that more signals will get backup. We are expecting that to happen soon,” Patil said.

Speaking to TOI, PMC development engineer Shrinivas Bonala said proposing more inverters was not an issue, but safeguarding them was more important. “There are incidents of theft in the past and hence, it is important to ensure that the inverters are safe,” Bonala said.

He pointed out that three signals on Ganeshkhind road were installed with solar panels. However, they too are not functioning currently. “It has been observed that dust accumulates on these panels due to which battery recharging becomes difficult. These signals were connected to solar panel and also to electricity supply. Now, now they are being operated on electricity,” Bonala said.

Meanwhile, the traffic police on Thursday synchronised all the signals on Law College road and Senapati Bapat road (between Nal stop chowk and Ganeshkhind road). Patil said the travel time of motorists travelling towards either of the direction will reduce considerably due to the synchronisation. “In the first phase, we have implemented the system on this one route. We have been monitoring it and it is showing good results. Motorists will notice the difference. We plan to implement similar system on more routes…More