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TOI : PUNE: With the new year round the corner, it’s the right time to shop. For shopaholics, Saturday evening was indeed special. The joy of shopping doubled thanks to The Times Big Reward’, Pune’s biggest shopping festival, organised by The Times of India in association with The Mobile Store.

Saturday’s prize distribution ceremony was held at a prominent garments showroom on Laxmi road. The winners were happy to receive their gift vouchers and excited at winning prizes.

Deepa Patil, the first prize winner, had never imagined that she would be among the lucky winners. Sunanda Mungse, Deepa’s sister who accepted the prize on her behalf, said, “My sister bought some jewellery. She was thrilled when she got a call informing her that she had won a prize. This initiative is laudable as it gives us a reason to shop. I will also grab this opportunity.”

Gautami Phadke was the second winner. Her little daughter and father-in-law accepted the prize on her behalf. “My daughter-in-law bought earrings from a jewellery shop and she was fortunate enough to be the prize winner. She was shopping for a wedding and our happiness is two-fold now,” said Arvind Phadke, the in-law.

The Khivesara family was lucky for the second time. Nikhil Khivesara, a family member, said, “First, it was my aunt who won a prize. That inspired me to buy garments from the same outlet and I too bagged a prize.”

Games and songs added zing to the evening. Singer Anjan Ghosh regaled the audience with some popular songs. Nikhila Ranade, who was shopping at the outlet, seized the opportunity and participated in one of the games. “I wasn’t aware of what was happening. I saw a crowd and heard the anchor inviting people to participate. I participated and won. It made my evening memorable. I am now planning to shop and am hoping to win a prize,” said…More

TOI : PUNE: In an effort to preserve the city’s rich heritage, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is planning to work on a proposal, seeking central funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

The Nagpur civic body was the only municipal corporation which had sought central funds for heritage preservation and the Union government approved it’s proposal recently.

The urban heritage committee in Pune had prepared a list of over 100 heritage sites in the city and sent it to the state government for approval. The merger of 23 villages into the city limits had also increased the number of heritage structures, both man-made and natural.

Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi told TOI on Saturday, “The maintenance of the heritage structures in the city is mentioned in the PMC’s City Development Plan (CDP). However, we have not yet prepared the proposal to seek funds for the maintenance and preservation of these structures under JNNURM. But now we want to work on a detailed plan on the lines of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s proposal.”

The civic administration had recently tabled a proposal before the standing committee to appoint Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) to prepare a list of heritage structures. The proposal stated that it is necessary to conduct a survey and prepare the list as 23 villages have been merged into the city limits. “A survey of properties needs to be done to assess the heritage sites, which are the city’s valuable assets,” stated the proposal.

A heritage list was prepared in 1995, classifying structures into three grades I, II and III. The civic body also wants to upgrade this list.

The civic body had held discussed with various institutions to obtain funds for preserving the structures. However, the response was not very enthusiastic. “If we get funds under the JNNURM, it would help in maintaining the rich heritage of…More

TOI : It was the year 1980. The parents of a few mentally-challenged children came together to start a special school, and Meena Inamdar took the initiative to found the Jeevan Jyot Mandal, under which the Tarate Mukta Shala was established on Karve road.

After Kamayani, this was the second school for mentally-challenged children in Pune and today has over 150 special children attending it.

Recently honoured with the prestigious Baya Karve award from the Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Sanstha, Inamdar’s contribution to the field of teaching mentally-challenged children has been enormous. Her grit in sustaining herself and other like-minded parents’ ambitions is evident. “Initially, I had to struggle to acquire land and funds for the school. But the will power and enthusiasm of the other parents involved helped us achieve the objective of providing a facility, which would in turn help in the development of special children,” says Inamdar.

She trained herself as a special educator at Kamayani in order to groom her mentally challenged daughter, Sujata, at home. Initially, the Tarate school started as a series of classes for special children in an open plot of land on Karve Road, which housed a lone mango tree. Later, some cupboards, donated by well-wishers, began to occupy space around the children.

At present, students in the age group of 4 to 18 and above are taught academics and given vocational training at the Tarate school. Ujwala Kulkarni, a former special educator of the school and parent of two mentally-challenged children who have been studying there, actively crusades for the well-being of the students.

“Now, we can impart dance and music training to these children, besides grooming them academically. These creative activities are important to make them happy and sustain the joy they experience on the way,” says Kulkarni.

From candle-making, embroidery and sewing to chalk and garland-making, the students learn it all. “We also house…More

TOI : PUNE: Pioneer of women’s journalism, consumer activism, catering education and the civil society movement in India, Leela Jog, passed away in Pune on December 26. Jog was 89.

Born in Mumbai on June 4, 1919, she was a product of the Huzurpaga school and Fergusson college in Pune and the Elphinstone college in Mumbai. In the 1940s, when there was hardly a woman reporter to be seen, Jog started working for the English news dailies. She also worked for the All India Radio as a production assistant.

After taking a break from the profession in 1960s, Jog threw herself into the civil society movement and was among the founding sisters of the Consumer Guidance Society of India.

Under the aegis of the Women’s Food Council she toured the US to study food and hygiene and implemented the American model at the popular Annapoorna Cafeteria movement for Mumbai’s office-goers. She further went on to establish South-east Asia’s first catering college at Dadar, along with the legendary Thangam Philip. She was also associated with the National Society for Clean Cities, India. In 1994, she penned her memoirs, which were titled Women pioneers of Catering Education and Consumer Movement’. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Eyes of a stranger that speak volumes, wild flowers whose fragrance you can sense and mehendi-clad hands that create a festive aura. These are some of the many visual treats on display at a photography exhibition in the city.

Organised by Photographers @ Pune, a city-based photography club, the exhibition has only display over 100 photographs clicked by 60 amateur photographers. Explaining the genesis of the club, Soumitra Inamdar, a member, said that the club was formed on the internet.

“A friend started uploading pictures on a website and passed on the link to others who joined in. And in three years’ time, over 700 avid photographers became its members,” Soumitra said.

There are only two qualifications necessary to become a member of this club one has to have a connection with the city, and be passionate about photography.

“We organise a photo shoot at least once in a month. The members get together and go to a particular destination and click photos. We then conduct discussions on the technique and detailing and choice of photo objects,” Swati Gavde, another member, said.

Not surprisingly, Sawai Gandharva music festival and Ganeshotsav are among the popular photo opportunities of the club. “The other shoots are done at locations like Mulshi, P L Deshpande park… Tamhini Ghat is the most popular with all of us,” Swati said.

The club has its share of guidelines too on photos that can be uploaded. “Nudes, offensive and violent pictures are not allowed. Since people can upload any photo and it is for free, we have to monitor the website,” Soumitra said.

Similarly, there are guidelines for comments and discussions as well. “Occasionally, there are instances of people making offensive comments or unacceptable language. But most of the times it is quite peaceful,” he added.

For the exhibition, the club had over 300 entries, of which 100…More

TOI : PUNE: The laying of pipelines for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations at six Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) depots have run into a hurdle within the Dehu Road cantonment limits and the College of Military Engineering (CME) area.

Sanctioned almost a year ago, these stations are expected to provide CNG to at least a fleet of 200 PMPML buses.

Speaking to TOI, Aziz Karche, joint managing director, PMPML, said, “The CNG stations are to be set up at the Bhakti Shakti depot in Nigdi, Nehrunagar depot (new Sant Tukaramnagar depot), Na Ta Wadi depot in Shivajinagar, Hadapsar, Kothrud and Katraj. The PMPML has given 8,000 sq ft land to each depot for the CNG stations and the MNGL is laying pipelines to supply the CNG.” Meanwhile, at present, work on the gas stations at the Nehrunagar and Shivajinagar depots is going on, while the remaining four will be taken up later, he added.

He said, “We were given a promise that the CNG supply to the depots would begin before the Commonwealth Youth Games, but this did not happen. And, now, there is further delay since we are facing problems in laying pipelines within the Dehu Road cantonment limits and the CME area,” he said.

“Initially, we will supply CNG to the specified 200 buses and will later increase the number of buses running on CNG as per the requirement,” said Karche.

It may be noted that on November 3, the PMPML started the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) services on an experimental basis on the first route in Pimpri-Chinchwad, ie. the Pune-Nigdi route. The public buses plying on this route are CNG-run and had to go to a filling station at Warje Malwadi for refuelling. This was because some minor work was still pending at the CNG mother sation at Moshi. Karche said, “The work was completed recently and the buses are…More

TOI : PUNE: Following an intelligence report that the Pune police commissionerate could be a possible terror target, the top brass of police have decided to further increase the security arrangements at the commissionerate.

The police have already erected two watch towers and they now plan to increase this number. They may also increase the height of the compound wall to six feet, besides installing CCTV cameras at the rear entrance.

“We have prepared a security master plan for the commissionerate,” a senior police official said, adding that around 1,000 police officials and other staff, including commissioner of police, joint commissioner, deputy commissioners and other senior officials, work in the building.

He further said, “We have barred people from entering the building and let them in only after thorough frisking. Security at the rear gate has been tightened. We have also directed the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) to remain present at the commissionerate and check the vehicles entering in the premises,” he said.

“We also plan to photograph each and every person who enters the premises and shift the ATM centre near the back gate,” he said.

The police are planning to train 25 officials to fight terrorists. These guards will be deployed in the premises of the commissionerate. The police will also erect bunkers in the premises, he said. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2009, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray will be on a whirlwind tour of the state.

Talking at a function organised to celebrate the sixth foundation day of Ninad Credit Society on Thursday, Thackeray said, “After the recent Mumbai attacks many were asking, Where is Raj Thackeray?’ I will answer all of them in my state-wide tour in January. The state government has banned me from addressing public rallies, but in January I will come out openly to communicate with the masses.”

Thackeray added that many cases were registered against him in police stations, but he is not afraid of such cases.

Reiterating his stand against North Indians, Thackeray said that the MNS is firm on its stand. He said that as a builder he ensured that 99 per cent flats are sold to Marathi people. “Builders in Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Thane should sell their flats to Marathi people to save the state.”

He alleged that the recent delimitation of assembly constituencies in the state will benefit migrants. “Assembly constituencies in the rural areas are reduced and constituencies in urban areas are on rise due to rising population. With the migrant population rising these urban constituencies will be dominated by outsiders,” said Thackeray. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Corporator Avinash Jadhav tabled a written question in the Pune Municipal Corporation’s general body (GB) meeting in November. The question dealt with the court cases pertaining to the civic body in the last fifteen years and the judgements in these cases.

The answer he received from the civic administration was typical: “We are collecting the information.”

In fact, most corporators who table written questions in the GB receive an identical reply. “Written questions are given months before and the civic administration has enough time to prepare a reply. But each time, the civic administration says that the information is being collected. What is the use of tabling questions in the GB if corporators do not get any answers from the officials?” asked BJP corporator Ujwal Keskar.

The GB meeting of the PMC on Wednesday witnessed an uproar when the civic administration failed to give satisfactory replies to questions asked by corporators.

Now, a group of corporators have joined hands to seek answers to their questions using the Right to Information (RTI) Act. “If we ask questions, the civic administration evades answers. So, we now plan to evoke the RTI Act to get information. We will file the RTI application in our supporters’ names so that the civic administration doesn’t know hide any information,” said a first-time corporator who requested anonymity.

Meanwhile, corporators cutting across party lines feel that after mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale’s strictures on Wednesday, the civic administration would provide answers to questions raised by corporators. “If the civic officials continue to behave in an irresponsible manner, we have to take some decisions in this regard,” Bhosale told municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi.

But as of now, some first-time corporators feel that the RTI Act is the only weapon they can wield to get answers from the civic administration. Print Emai…More

TOI : PUNE: Taking a decisive step towards ridding the rivers of pollutants and sewage waste, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has constructed the first sewage treatment plant (STP) using Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) technology which is energy saving and more efficient.

Vishwas Gaikwad, additional engineer, PCMC said, “The STP can treat 30 million litres of waste per day (MLD). We started the construction work a-year-and-a-half back. The cost incurred per MLD is around Rs 55 lakh and the total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 17 crore.”

Explaining the advantages of the SBR technology, Gaikwad said, “The land needed for setting up an STP using this technology is less than the land needed otherwise. Also, SBR helps save 20 per cent energy and maintenance cost is less.”

An official in the PCMC drainage department added that the SBR technology will also reduce manpower requirement. “Sensors, which check the dissolved oxygen, are connected to a computer, which gives appropriate instructions for filtration. As a result there is less need for manpower,” the official explained.

Explaining the way STP operates, the official said that there are three basins in the plant. The sewage is aerated and allowed to settle. The sludge that settles down is recycled and the water over the sludge is chlorinated and released into the Pavana river.

He said the same contractor will operate and maintain the plant for the first five years. “The trial runs of the plant are in progress and the results are good. The plant is expected to become operational in two to three months. Sewage from some parts of the townships will be treated at the start,” the official said.

Pavana river flows through the Pimpri-Chinchwad township and the nullahs flowing through most of the industrial and residential areas end up in the river. They carry the sewage as well as effluents into the Pavana…More