News

TOI : PUNE: About 3,000 houses in city slums will be re-constructed and upgraded under the central government’s basic service to urban poor (BSUP) scheme. Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi said on Tuesday that slums which are ineligible for rehabilitation under the slum rehabilitation authority (SRA) will be provided with grants for re-construction and upgradation.

“We have received sanction for construction of 16,000 new houses under the BSUP scheme, but we have been able to begin work only on 7,000 houses. Land availability is a problem to bulid the remaining houses. Hence we have decided to extend the benefit of the scheme to reconstruct/upgrade the houses of slum-dwellers who are not eligible for the SRA scheme and are living in the slum areas,” Pardeshi said.

The civic body recently conducted a survey in Yerawada and Nagpur chawl and identified 1,700 houses in Yerawada and 354 in Nagpur chawl for the scheme.

“We have prepared a detailed project report to provide assistance to these slum-dwellers so that they could convert their houses into pucca construction. Under the BSUP scheme, about Rs 3 lakh grant is provided for construction of minimum 270 sq ft dwelling,” said Pardeshi.

Pardeshi added that the scheme would be implemented only after getting the central government’s nod to the project report. Moreover, the actual mechanism for implementation has not been worked out in detail. “There are two options we could either form a society of people and appoint an engineer to supervise the construction or funds could be provided to the slum-dweller for upgradation of house.”

He said about 2,000 slums that have encroached on riversides, which get submerged during monsoons, and hill tops will be forcefully evicted and rehabilitated under the scheme.

The PMC is also focusing on constructing houses for its class IV staff, Pardeshi said. “At present there are only about 1,500 houses available. We are aiming at constructing houses…More

TOI : PUNE: A 33-year-old sales executive was depressed as his semen analysis report had indicated that he was having a low sperm count. After months of brooding and sulking, he approached an infertility expert for a second opinion and realised that his sperm count was actually normal. It turned out that the first diagnostic centre he approached was using an old criteria for semen analysis.

If you have been diagnosed with a low sperm count, then it’s time to go for a second test. As despite the updated reference range, which was released by the World Health Organisation in 1999, a large number of laboratories in the city are still using the old criteria during analysis. Thus a normal count gets falsely reported as low’, say experts.

“The WHO in its Semen Analysis Laboratory Manual has set the normal sperm count range at 20 million/ml. But 50 per cent of the laboratories even today continue to stick to the old norm of 40 million/ml, which is absolutely wrong,” infertility expert Sanjeev Khurd told TOI.

Highlighting the importance of semen analysis, Khurd said that it gives important information on sperm count, motility and morphology. A normal fluctuation in the count and motility is physiological and natural. But low count and motility are a great cause of worry for people planning to have a child, he said.

“The apparent simplicity of the test can be very misleading because in reality, it requires a lot of skill to perform the analysis accurately. It is very easy to do this test incorrectly (as it is often done by poorly-trained technicians in small laboratories) and the report can be very misleading, leading to confusion and angst for both the patient and his family,” andrologist Rupin Shah told TOI.

“The values reported in the semen analysis should only be a guide to understand where the person stands on the fertility scale….More

TOI : PUNE: Doctors in the city these days speak of many more things than just medicines. Dressed in a white attire, senior orthopaedic surgeon K H Sancheti starts his lecture every day with the chanting of the Gayatri’ mantra followed by meditation of the Siddha Samadhi Yoga. Addressing a bunch of 25 post-graduate medical students, Sancheti shares his belief that the body is governed by mind, and mind in turn is largely influenced by spiritual activities.

Unusual it may seem but with increasing competition, more and more medical practitioners in the city are turning to spirituality in search of peace and also to improve their performance. They now realise that medicines sans spiritual well-being may not be the right prescription.

“Doctors are stressed out. Meditation and spiritual activities offer them peace of mind and help maintain composure,” feels Sancheti.

Senior cardiologist Jagdish Hiremath also follows the Siddha Samadhi Yoga. “There are three principles for living a healthy life good diet, exercise and stress management. Of these, the last one can primarily be managed by following a spiritual way of living. I preach some of these principles to my patients as well,” says Hiremath.

Microbiologist Madhuri Uparikar has started an Art of Living centre on Karve road. “Initially, I approached the centre for self-development. Later I realised that there are number of things which are beyond medical science and need to be explored,” said Uparikar. There is invariably one doctor in each batch. Besides doctors, number of other professionals is also on the rise, she added.

There are around 40 Art of Living centres in the city. “More than 100 doctors are attached to these centres. There are some who prescribe our stress and positive-thinking courses to patients alongwith routine medication. Besides, doctors seeking our help to gain mental peace is constantly on the rise,” said Shridhar Damodaran, teachers’ co-ordinator of the city chapter of Art…More

TOI : PUNE: A solemn ceremony was held at the National War Memorial at Morwada junction on Tuesday morning to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by the armed forces on the occasion of Vijay Diwas on Tuesday.

On Monday, the defence authorities had agreed not to change the name of the war memorial to Southern Command Memorial as per an earlier proposal. TOI spoke with some of those present to find out why they had objected to the name change.

The National War Memorial is the first memorial in the country dedicated to martyrs and built using the contributions of civilians.

Most of those associated with the erection of the edifice were of the opinion that the concept of the memorial would be lost if the name were changed. “There was no need to change the name. The memorial has national appeal, said Shashikant Mehendale, former member of the war memorial committee. “When building it we kept in mind that it would represent all the martyrs of the country,” he added. “If the name had been changed to Southern Command War Memorial, it would have confined the ambit of the memorial.”

The memorial was built in memory of those who lost their lives fighting for the country in various wars and the names of martyrs are inscribed on it. It was opened to the public on August 15, 1998, and was built at a cost of Rs 23 lakh. It was renovated recently.

Mehandale was one of many who objected to the proposed change in name. “Though the issue has been resolved, in future too the name should be retained,” Mehendale stressed.

Major Gen S C N Jathar (retd), former member of the committee, also echoed similar sentiments. He pointed out that from the time the memorial was conceptualised, it had been thought of as a national memorial. “The question of changing the name…More

TOI : PUNE: For the first time in 25 years, the K V Kelkar geological museum of the department of geology at the Fergusson College will remain open for general public on December 19 and 20, as part of the department’s centenary year celebrations. The museum has a collection of rare fossils and minerals, with some dating back to 600 million years.

The department has organised a two-day festival, to begin on December 19, the day the department will complete its 100 years. The festivities include a get-together for its former students.

The museum boasts of over a thousand specimens collected and donated from across the country and a few from Australia, Russia among other countries. R N Mache, head of department (HOD) of geology, said on Friday, “We will use this opportunity to spread an awareness on geology as a subject. This is probably one of the best such museums in western Maharashtra.”

Meanwhile, the museum was last opened to public viewing in 1985, when the Fergusson College celebrated its centenary year. Since then, only schoolchildren and interested groups could visit the establishment on special request.

The museum houses many precious stones found about 600 years ago in the Himalayas. It also has minerals about 80 million years old, collected from a place called Ariayal in Tamil Nadu. Besides, the museum has a varied collection of gem stones, models of different stone structures, rocks, fossils and also building stones.

Ravindrasinh Pardeshi, council member of the Deccan Education Society, said, “The museum was established by K V Kelkar, the then head of the department, with a just few hundred specimens. Today, it has grown to be one of the best in the region. Naturally, the museum is named after him. Our former students have been generously donating some priceless collections and findings from across the country and abroad.”

Sandhya Joshi, former HOD who retired in…More

TOI : PUNE: A section of autorickshaw drivers in Pimpri-Chinchwad called a bandh on Tuesday to protest against a fresh drive by the traffic police against drivers not charging fares by meter in the township. On Monday, the authorities took action against 25 drivers.

Some autorickshaw unions took out a morcha to the traffic branch in Pimpri on Tuesday demanding the drive be withdrawn. However, the traffic authorities have said action would continue since not charging fares as per meter is unacceptable.

Speaking to TOI, deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Manoj Patil said autorickshaw drivers have been given sufficient time to start implementing the system. “There are several autorickshaw drivers who want to charge by meter, but then there are some unions which are opposed to it,” he said. “But, the drive will continue unabated.”

President of the Pimpri unit of the Maharashtra Rickshaw Panchayat, Baba Kamble said that since the area under the twin township is scattered, it would be impractical to implement the meter fare system. When told that the traffic authorities had made it clear that the drivers should start implementing the meter fare system at least in the central areas of the city, Kamble said the area of implementation is yet to be finalised. “We have to discuss these issues. But, the traffic authorities initiated the drive suddenly,” he added.

It may be noted that the traffic authorities had set October 5 as the deadline for starting the meter fare system in Pimpri-Chinchwad. The issue had been discussed at a meeting on September 22, when DCP Patil had urged the drivers to start charging fares by meter in the central areas of the township. Although the unions had opposed this move, Patil had insisted that the drive against autorickshaws failing to abide by the decision would begin beyond the last date given. The drive began in the first week of October, but was…More

TOI : PUNE: Highlighting the need for safe transport of school children, city-based activist group Pedestrians First has urged the state government to fix norms related to the road-worthiness of vehicles as well as introduce a permit system for school transport.

In a memorandum sent to state transport commissioner Deepak Kapoor, Prashant Inamdar, convenor of the group, stressed the need for categorising school transport as a separate mode of transport.

The memorandum highlights the fact that most school children commute to school in vehicles other than buses. “Unscrupulous operators use old and overused vehicles which are not road-worthy. Very often the drivers lack experience. This school transport functions as per the whims and fancies of the vehicle-operators, making it unreliable and unsafe. No specific permission is required to operate a school transport service. The RTO does not even have a record of vehicles plying as school transport,” the note states.

Observing that very few schools have their own transport for children and that the requirements for transportation of school children are different from those for normal passenger traffic, Pedestrians First has suggested that a person wanting to ferry school children should first be required to apply to the Regional Transport Office (RTO), with the relevant details. After checking various aspects, the RTO should grant permission and endorse vehicle permits.

Regarding autorickshaws as a means of transport, the group has stated that simply reducing the number of children travelling in the vehicle will not ensure their safety. Inamdar said that most autorickshaws are unsafe because there is no distinctive marking to identify the vehicle in the midst of traffic. The exit openings are not covered and there is a possibility of small children stepping out inadvertently or falling out at turnings or in the case of sudden braking. The vehicles are cramped with children and there is no space for the schoolbags. In order to maximise earnings, the…More

TOI : PUNE: The Maharashtra State Ambulance Association (MSAA) has called for a statewide agitation on December 22 in protest against the ban imposed on parking ambulances on the hospitals premises.

“We have been asked to park our vehicles outside. This is causing inconvenience to patients and their relatives. Besides, it resulted in loss of bread and butter to the ambulance owners and their families,” said Nana Kshirsagar, president of MSAA. There are around 1,500 ambulances in the state of which 700 are in Pune district alone, he added.

Earlier citing security reasons, all government, semi-government and private hospitals in the city banned ambulances from parking on their premises. “All hospitals have pre-demarcated parking slots for ambulances and hence parking in such areas causes no security threat whatsoever,” argued Kshirsagar.

Besides, Khsirsagar contended that ambulances come under essential services provision of the Motor Vehicles Act. Banishing them from hospitals is in violation of this norm, he added.

“There are some hospitals who have threatened us with confiscating our vehicles,” said Mahammad Rafiq Mulla, an ambulance owner and member of the association.

Pandurang Pawar, medical superintendent of Sassoon General Hospital said, “We allow two private ambulances inside the hospital premises at any given time. The rest can park outside and come inside as per their turn. The move was initiated to discipline entire ambulance service.”

eom/umesh

Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: It cannot get better than this, considering the booming art scenario in the city. City-based Indiaart gallery is currently hosting an exhibition in association with the famous Kala Bhavana, the art school founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1919. The exhibition, showcasing the works of the master artists of West Bengal, including the revered names of Indian art like Nandalal Bose, who was given the responsibility of the Kala Bhavana by Tagore himself, is on till December 31.

“This is the first time we have organised an exhibition in the Western India, Mumbai included. Some of the works displayed here are priceless in terms of their artistic value,” says Susobhan Adhikary, the curator of Kala Bhavana. The artists, whose works are including in the exhibition, are marked into three categories, Adhikary explains master artists, who are well-known, senior artists, who are or were part of the faculty at Kala Bhavana and young contemporaries, who are the alumni from the prestigious school. The master artists include Nandalal Bose, Binode Behari Mukherjee, Ramkinkar Baij, Sudhir Khastagir and Somnath Hore, among others. While Bose’s works carry the traditional aspects of Indian art, Mukherjee’s work has the influence of far-eastern art.

“What is important in all kinds of art but more so with Indian art, is the use of line, colour and form. These make up for the basic structure of a painting and is what older and senior artists gave importance to. These days, artists give more importance to texture and colour,” Adhikary says. These artists are influenced by globalisation, the international art scenario and modern art, hence, according to Adhikary, the use of bold colours and forms.

Artists Atanu Mukherjee and Pushpal Sarkar are perfect examples of this kind of art. Both are Kala Bhavana alumni. Mukherjee completed his course in 2005 and Sarkar in 2003. “My own though processes are reflected in my work. So, a small…More

TOI : PUNE: Irritated by the sounds and garbage coming out from the neighbouring flour mill, ex-serviceman Raosaheb Dada Bhalekar (40), a resident of Sant Tukaramnagar, allegedly fired two rounds from his licensed gun at the mill walls on Monday night.

The Bhosari police arrested Bhalekar in this connection, and the gun and eight live cartridges were seized from his house. His neighbour and flour-mill owner, Rohini Rajan Garade (35), filed the complaint in this regard.

Speaking to TOI, sub-inspector P M Pawar said, “Garade runs a flour mill at her residence. A few months ago, a minor altercation had happened between the two families. Bhalekar was mainly annoyed by the sounds coming from the mill, as also the flour which would be floating around in the vicinity.”

He added, “For the last few days, there was some construction work happening at the Garade residence. The cement and debris would settle on Bhalekar’s car, which angered him. On Sunday morning, he went over and warned his neighbours, but, on Monday, he again found some trash on his vehicle.”

“At 9.30 pm on Monday, he fired two rounds from his 12-bore gun pointing towards the Garade residence. The complainant was alone at her house and came out on hearing the sounds. She saw two bullet marks in the wall of her house and immediately called her husband, who had gone to a medical store. He returned and went to Bhalekar’s house, but was threatened by the ex-serviceman with the gun,” Pawar added.

The sub-inspector said, “After that the Garades filed a complaint. A police team reached the spot and detained Bhalekar. During the inquiry, Bhalekar said the gun misfired while he was cleaning it. He said it was unintentional. However, we arrested him and seized his gun.”

eom/mt

Print Emai…More