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TOI : PUNE: As the voters in the city will be exercising their franchise on Tuesday, the health activists in the city have pointed out that none of the election manifestos of political parties envisage concrete plans to revive the city’s limping healthcare system. Even with the threat of pandemics becoming increasingly real, there is hardly any candidate stressing on establishing an effective integrated disease surveillance network.

Stating that health care facilities at government-run and civic hospitals are virtually non-existent, Abhijit Vaidya, who is the national chief of Arogya Sena, said: “Political parties seem to be washing their hands off this responsibility. There is hardly any party whose manifesto envisages concrete plans to address the issues plaguing the public healthcare system.”

Arogya Sena recently released a manifesto to sensitise parties and candidates about public health issues. The declaration demands enactment of the State Health Act and increasing government expenditure on public health from current 1 per cent to 3 per cent of the GDP in five years. The manifesto demands reduction of medicine prices and declaration of respective essential drug list by all state governments.

“There is a need to provide accessible and affordable primary healthcare to the poor and homeless urban population,” Vaidya said. As much as 42 per cent of Pune’s population, an estimated 18.9 lakh people, live in slums. Every year, the number of migrants in the city increases. “None of the political manifestos envisage concrete plans to uplift their standard of living,” said Anant Phadke, co-convener of Jan Arogya Abhiyan.

Abhay Shukla, co-convenor of Jan Swastha Abhiyaan, said that even though 42 per cent of the city’s population live in slums, the PMC’s budgetary allocation for civic hospitals was just Rs 25.7 crore last year. “This is just one per cent of the total budget,” he added.

Political parties, however, claim that their manifestos do have provision for improving the healthcare system….More

TOI : PUNE: The Kothrud police on Monday said that the four suspects arrested for abetting the mass suicide of businessman Chandmal Chunilal Agarwal, his wife and two children, had allegedly threatened Agarwal in order to get him to vacate his shop at Sagar Arcade in Deccan Gymkhana.

Senior police inspector Chandrakant Ghodke, in-charge of the Kothrud police station said, “Agarwal was threatened regularly as two of the arrested suspects, Shabbir Shaikh and Mahendrasingh Devra, were keen on running his cell phone and repair shop in Deccan.”

Ghodke said, “Agarwal’s shop was rented, but the foursome regularly troubled him, warning him to vacate the premises. The suspects had also sought the help of a police constable to pressurise Agarwal to toe their line.”

“We are trying to find out what methods the suspects used to threaten Agarwal. They are in police custody till October 16, but there is not much progress in the interrogation due to the assembly election bandobast,” Ghodke added.

Chandmal Agarwal (46), his wife Rajkumari (40), daughter Karina (13) and son Vishal (11), were found in their rented apartment A/11, B K Avenue, D P road in Kothrud.

Ghodke said, “A suicide note claiming to have been written by Agarwal named four people for threatening him over a dispute involving money and that he and his family members were committing suicide because of constant harassment from them.”

The suspects were identified as Shabbir Shaikh, Mahendrasingh Devra, Suraj Padwalkar and constable Dyaneshwar Ghorpade.

Ghodke said Agarwal’s residence was raided by the income-tax department last year. He owned two shops one in Deccan and another at Karvenagar. Vishal and Karina were studying at Mahesh Vidyalaya in Kothrud, he said.

The incident came to light after foul smell started emanating from the flat on Thursday and neighbours alerted the police.

The residents of the society called the flat owner, Purushottam Ghawalkar, who…More

TOI : PUNE: The southwest monsoon began its withdrawal from the state on Monday. This is much later as compared to earlier years.

“The monsoon has withdrawn from the remaining parts of Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, most parts of Bihar, north Chhattisgarh, some parts of Jharkhand and north Maharashtra,” said Medha Khole, director (weather forecasting) of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According IMD data, the monsoon usually begins its return journey from Rajasthan around September 1. This year, however, the first signs of withdrawal from some parts of Rajasthan took place on September 25. It made further progress on September 28 but after that, the withdrawal of the monsoon was stalled. Further progress came after 14 days, on Monday.

As far as the state is concerned, the withdrawal usually begins on October 1 and it usually completes its return journey on October 15.

“Right now, conditions are favourable for further withdrawal of the monsoon. It is unlikely to exit on time, but even though there is a delay, it will not a big one,” Khole said.

Favourable conditions required for withdrawal of the monsoon include at least five days of dry conditions prevailing in the area. There should be no rains in the area and the moisture levels should go down measurably, she added.

This year, the monsoon set in over Kerala on May 23, a week before its normal date of June 1. Though it then halted for a couple of days, it advanced rapidly and covered the entire country by July 3, as compared to its normal date of July 15. Topics: Pune Monsoon More Stories from this section Visually-impaired youth to visit jawans at Wagah Border 2 people killed as bus rams stationary truck 7 screening centres to function today 3 held for forcing minor into prostitution City team …More

TOI : PUNE: It was a sight to behold, as over 150 principals and teachers from more than 100 Times NIE member schools all over Pune let their hair down and enjoyed an evening full of fun and games at the Times NIE Teachers’ Day Meet, held in association with Kompkin, an initiative by SumConcepts Technologies, UK Ltd. The meet was held to celebrate the noble profession of being a teacher.

Kompkin is designed by SumConcepts Technologies UK Ltd and has been developed after extensive research by a team of experts that includes psychologists, doctors, IT professionals, teachers and career counsellors. Kompkin is enriched with 300+ applications, which play an instrumental role in developing creative, analytical and intellectual capabilities as well as logical reasoning in the child at the right stage and age of learning.

Hosted by Savita Coelho and Nico Francis, the entire meet had teachers and principals participating in a number of games like ‘passing the parcel’, competing with one another to put the maximum number of straws in their partner’s hair, and even doing the Birdie dance’.

Attractive prizes awaited the winners of every game, and prizes were also given for answering questions related to Kompkin correctly. A game of Tambola ended the evening, with the winners taking away prizes like microwave ovens, sandwich grillers, hand blenders and much more.

The Times NIE Teachers’ Day Celebrations is a popular event organised every year. Topics: Teachers NIE meet More Stories from this section Visually-impaired youth to visit jawans at Wagah Border 2 people killed as bus rams stationary truck 7 screening centres to function today 3 held for forcing minor into prostitution City team …More

TOI : PUNE: The National Society for Clean Cities (NSCC) is creating awareness among people to go to polling booths and exercise their right to vote. If they think none of the candidates is worth voting for, they should use the option None Of The Above (NOTA).

Polling officers and presiding officers, who will be posted at polling booths on October 13, have been instructed on exercising of the 49 (O) option by voters. The option allows a voter not to vote under section 49 (O) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. However, a voter will have to go to the polling booth and, after confirming his/her identity, tell the presiding election officer about his option. The voter will have to enter the electoral roll number in the register of voters (Form 17 A) and put a thumb impression or sign thereon. If a voter decides not to vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry by the presiding officer.

“We have been analysing candidates since the municipal elections two years ago. Even this time around a comprehensive analysis of candidates across 21 constituencies in the district has been done through the affidavits that they submit while filing nomination. The analysis reveals that so many of the candidates have criminal background and have assets running into crores. These are not the kind of representatives that citizens want to vote for,” Khot explained.

He added that the voter turnout is low because people think that the candidates are not worthy of it and until now did not have an option of registering this point across through NOTA.

Member of Model Colony Parisar Samiti Col (retd) Jaywantrao Mohite said that the NOTA option is a welcome move. Topics: NSCC polling booths More Stories from this section Visually-impaired youth to visit jawans at Wagah Border 2 people killed as bus rams stationary truck 7…More

TOI : PUNE: Former president of the Pimpri-Chinchwad unit of the Shiv Sena, Datta Gaikwad, has been expelled from the Shiv Sena for anti-party activities. Gaikwad, who has rebelled against the party, is contesting the election from the Bhosari constituency as an independent candidate.

Speaking to TOI, Anil Desai, secretary, Maharashtra state unit of Shiv Sena from Mumbai, said, “Gaikwad has been expelled from the party for anti-party activities. The decision has been taken by Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and executive president Uddhav Thackeray.”

“The party had earlier expelled other rebel candidates from various districts. It is right that Gaikwad has been expelled just a day before the polling day,” said Desai. Gaikwad was one of the Shiv Sena aspirants from Bhosari constituency. However, the Shiv Sena nominated senior corporator Sulabha Ubale.

Besides Gaikwad, the main contestants in the Bhosari constituency are the Shiv Sena’s Sulabha Ubale, Congress-NCP candidate Mangala Kadam, NCP rebel and independent candidate MLA Vilas Lande, another NCP rebel and independent candidate Vasant Londhe. Topics: Shiv Sena Datta Gaikwad More Stories from this section Visually-impaired youth to visit jawans at Wagah Border 2 people killed as bus rams stationary truck 7 screening centres to function today 3 held for forcing minor into prostitution City team …More

TOI : PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Flour Mills Association (PCFA) has taken a decision to keep all flour mills in the Pimpri-Chinchwad township closed on October 13 from 9 am to 3 pm to enable mill workers to go and exercise their voting rights.

Speaking to TOI on Monday, Suresh Lingayat, president, PCFA, said that the association took the decision in response to the appeal made by the chief election commissioner Navin Chawla.

Lingayat said for the convenience of the customers, the flour mills will remain open on Thursday from 9 am to 2 pm though it is a weekly holiday for them.

He said there are 2,000 flour mills in Pimpri-Chinchwad, where 2,000 workers are employed. Topics: Pune Pimpri Chinchwad Flour Mills Association More Stories from this section Visually-impaired youth to visit jawans at Wagah Border 2 people killed as bus rams stationary truck 7 screening centres to function today 3 held for forcing minor into prostitution City team …More

TOI : PUNE: Owners of commercial establishments in the city can keep their establishments open on Tuesday, provided they ensure that all workers who are “voters” are given a “paid 24-hour holiday” so that they can exercise their franchise, Pune collector Chandrakant Dalvi told TOI on Monday.

“There is no compulsion to close any establishment in the district. We have only asked the establishments to give 24 hours holiday to their employees on voting day,” deputy labour commissioner Anil Lakaswar said.

Asked whether employees could work after polling ends at 5 pm, Lakaswar said, “After exercising his or her vote, an employee can work if he or she wishes to do so. But there cannot be any compulsion in this regard.”

“We have asked shops, restaurants, multiplexes and hotels, industrial units, production units and other registered establishments in the city to give a paid holiday to the workers. The owners cannot tell workers to resume the work in shifts,” he said. “If we receive any complaint of compulsion to join the work, a criminal offence will be registered against the owner of the establishment.”

Lakaswar said that special squads comprising labour inspectors, officials of the department of industrial health and safety and officials of the district administration have been formed. Each squad, equipped with a vehicle and a video camera, will tour assigned areas in the district to monitor the 2.70 lakh establishments in the district.

He said that employees from industrial units and factories may contact the department of industrial health and safety in order to lodge a complaint, while workers from shops, hotels, restaurants and theatres may contact the labour department.

They may also contact: Assistant commissioner, M T Janrao (9423066569), assistant commissioner B V Wagh (9822434655), additional director of industrial health and safety B D Chavan (9422423032) and shop inspector S M Gaikwad (9423237806). Topics: shops voters More Stories from this section…More

TOI : PUNE: Two more educational institutions in the district reported cases for H1N1 influenza on Monday. The joint director of state health services, Ashok Mehta said that a three-year old student from Roger Nursery school, Kalewadi, Pimpri-Chinchwad and a third-year student of computer engineering of JSPM college in Hadapsar tested positive for the H1N1 virus.

“Both the students have been quarantined and their condition is improving. Screening of children and staffers was undertaken at both the institutes,” Mehta added.

Meanwhile, 13 people tested positive for H1N1 influenza in the district on Monday, taking the total number of positive cases to 1,439. Over 1,833 people visited various screening centres in the district. Of these, 273 suspected people have been given Tamiflu tablets,” Mehta said. So far, 29,301 patients were administered Tamiflu, while the number of people screened across the district has reached 5,56,266.

Mehta said that 20 critical patients are currently being given treatment for swine flu at various hospitals in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Of this, 11 are on ventilators. “As many as 55 patients were discharged on Monday.”

Meanwhile, a two-year-old girl of Urali-Kanchan died at the Sassoon hospital on Monday. “Her throat swab has been sent to the National Institute of Virology for testing and the report is awaited,” Mehta said. Topics: H1N1 flu educational Institutions More Stories from this section Visually-impaired youth to visit jawans at Wagah Border 2 people killed as bus rams stationary truck 7 screening centres to function today 3 held for forcing minor into prostitution City team …More

TOI : PUNE: A corporator who gets elected to the state assembly can complete his term as a corporator. Speaking to TOI on Monday, Sudhakar Deshmukh, assistant commissioner, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) said that the PCMC has received a fax from the state election commission in this regard.

“The letter states that a member of the legislative assembly (MLA) cannot contest municipal elections, but if a corporator is elected as an MLA, he/she can complete his term as member of municipal corporation,” he said. Earlier, the state election commission through a letter dated October 6 had conveyed the opposite view and the latest letter has corrected the mistake.

About two dozen corporators in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad are contesting the assembly elections. In PCMC, seven corporators are contesting the polls.

Shiv Sena corporator Sulabha Ubale, NCP corporator Mangala Kadam, independent corporator Vasant Londhe, BJP corporator Asha Landge, Republican Party of India(RPI) corporator Chandrakanta Sonkamble, NCP corporator Anna Bansode, Congress corporator Bhausaheb Bhoir are in the fray. Topics: assembly Corporator More Stories from this section Visually-impaired youth to visit jawans at Wagah Border 2 people killed as bus rams stationary truck 7 screening centres to function today 3 held for forcing minor into prostitution City team …More