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TOI : PUNE: Soon after the assembly poll results the residents of villages nearby Khadakwasla dam have demanded an annual fund of Rs. 5 crore from the Pune Municipal Corporation to carry developmental works in their villages.

The villagers contention is simple: “We gave our lands to build a dam so that the city gets water. Now give us funds so that we develop our villages.” A resolution in this regard was passed at the Pune Zilla Parishad’s (ZP) recently held general body meeting which would be submitted to the PMC next week.

The demand for this developmental fund has been put up by more than 20 villages and 10 vaadi-vastis located near the Khadakwasla dam and are about 30 to 50 kilometers away from Pune city. The ZP representative from Khed-Shivapur, Ramesh Konde said, “The government had acquired the lands of residents of over 20 villages for construction of Khadakwasla dam. Many villagers were relocated during the process. Though, the government gave compensation against land acquisition, it is the government’s duty to provide basic facilities at all the villages.”

Konde said the PMC is liable to pay them since the dam meets the drinking water requirement of the entire Pune city. “It should be remembered that these vilagers have given their lands for a social cause. Hence, the PMC along with the state government should consider this and provide basic facilities and undertake development works.”

The chief executive officer of Pune ZP, Sanjiv Kumar said, “The details of the resolution are being worked out. The final draft of the resolution would be sent to the PMC by next week. We are hopeful the PMC will put efforts in this regard. Once the funds are sanctioned, the ZP will monitor its implementation.”

Konde said the villages and waadis are situated in the interior parts of catchement areas of dams and they lack in basic facilities like…More

TOI : PUNE: City-based Sajag Nagrik Manch (SNM) has demanded that residential consumers with a monthly consumption of 200 units be exempted from paying reliability charge in the new model of zero load-shedding (ZLS) proposed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) for Pune and other revenue division headquarters.

The demand was made in a representation to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Merc) which has scheduled a public hearing on the proposal in Pune on November 5. MSEDCL has proposed a reliability charge of 24 paise per unit to all consumers, except those in the below poverty line (BPL) category, in order that they be free of load-shedding.

SNM has pointed out that Pune has had a ZLS model in place for the last three years and all along residential consumers with a monthly consumption of 300 units were excluded from payment of reliability charge. “Any additional supply charge on commercial and industrial consumers ultimately gets passed on to domestic consumers and hence, if they are also charged additional supply charge then it will be a double burden for them,” said SNM founder Vivek Velankar in his representation.

He further stated that the MSEDCL has agreed to quarterly reconciliation of costs and recovery but the last three year’s experience shows that the power utility failed to do the reconciliation even after the year was over.

“Power purchase is to be done by MSEDCL in the new model so in order to have better control over power purchase and maximum transparency, an independent audit agency should be appointed to monitor power purchase process,” Velankar said.

The SNM representation said that current requirement for Pune was considered as 135 MW for 12 hours (1.62 MUs) and average power purchase rate was considered as Rs. 6.75/unit while drafting the petition by MSEDCL. “But considering the drought-like situation in the entire country, the demand for power may shoot…More

TOI :

cleared by arun

Sawai Gandharva festival postponed

H1N1 Takes A Toll On 56-Year-Old Music Tradition

times news network

Pune: The H1N1 scare has taken its toll on the prestigious and much-awaited Sawai Gandharva music festival. The Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal (ASPM) announced on Saturday that the 57th edition of the festival will be postponed.

The new dates will be announced later.

The festival is usually held early in December and this is the first time in the history of the Sawai Gandharva festival that it has been postponed. Last year it was held amidst unprecedented security after the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai.

A statement issued here on Saturday by Shriniwas Joshi, executive president of ASPM, and executive secretary Shrikant Deshpande said that the decision was taken following consultations with district collector Chandrakant Dalvi and municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade.

“For the last few months the H1N1 pandemic has put many restrictions on public life and functions in Pune. The pandemic reached serious proportions at a time when preparations and planning for the Sawai Gandharva fest usually begins. In view of the possible obstacles that the organisers would face while holding the festival, the ASPM decided to postpone it,” the statement said.

In view of the extraordinary circumstances as far as H1N1 spread was concerned, there was no other alternative but to postpone the festival, the statement added.

Over 10,000 music lovers from all over the country and abroad attend the annual festival that is conducted in five sessions spread over four days. The only changes the festival has seen over the last 56 years, has been changes in venue and timings, following a Supreme Court directive banning the use of loudspeakers after 10 pm.

The Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav is the one of the most prominent and sought-after Indian classical music festivals in India that was started…More

TOI : PUNE: The gangrape-cum-murder case of software engineer Nayana Phatak-Pujari has taken a fresh turn with the three suspects, arrested in the case, “confessing to have kidnapped and raped three more women”.

The Yerawada police on Saturday told a magistrate’s court that they were trying to find out the identities of the women and the places from where they were kidnapped and raped by the suspects — Yogesh Raut, Rajesh Chaudhary and Mahesh Thakur. Another suspect, Vishwas Kadam, is still absconding.

“The police are yet to ascertain whether the other three rape victims were women from the IT or any other sector or housewives. The suspects have confessed that they had kidnapped and raped three more women, but the victims have not yet approached the police,” inspector Vishwanath Ghanwat (crime) of the Yerawada police station told TOI.

“We don’t know who the women are, but we are trying to identify them. We are collecting information about them from the suspects. We are also trying to identify the places from where they were kidnapped,” Ghanwat said.

Investigations have revealed that the suspects were operating at Yerawada, Kharadi, Bhosari and Chakan areas, he said.

Though the police made the fresh disclosure before judicial magistrate first class Siddharth Salve, they did not elaborate on the issue as the probe in the rape-murder case was at a crucial stage and needed to be given “top priority”.

The court extended the police custody of the suspects still October 26. They had been previously remanded to police custody for seven days.

On the progress in the investigations, Ghanwat told the court that the trio along with absconding suspect Vishwas Kadam had allegedly gangraped Nayana at knife-point in a car at Wagholi and Tulapur road.
Ghanwat, in the report filed before the court, said the suspects had taken the victim to lonely places and allegedly strangled her before smashing…More

TOI : PUNE: The mother of the 10-year-old who was allegedly raped and murdered in a bungalow at Narayan Peth on October 14, claimed on Saturday that she knew the suspect and had had a physical relationship with him.

Addressing a news conference organised by Maratha outfit the Sambhaji Brigade here, the mother also claimed that she had given a false statement to the police as the suspect had pressurised her.

Senior inspector of the Vishrambaug police station, Motichand Rathod, who is investigating the case said, “The mother of the victim, who is also a complainant in the case, has given several statements to the police and every time she has changed her statement. However, now we are taking a fresh statement and after that, we will decide on the future course of action.”

Rathod said, “On October 14, she said that the girl was found under mysterious circumstances on the terrace of the bungalow, where she was working as a maid. Later, in another statement, she said that the girl was found hanging from the iron staircase in the bungalow.”

Earlier, addressing the news conference, the mother of the victim again narrated the story of what happened on the afternoon of October 14.

“The suspect told me that my girl was raped. I did not understand the meaning of the word rape’ at that time. He also told me that he would give me Rs 50,000 to hush up everything. I took my daughter to a nearby private hospital, where she was declared dead. Later, after the post-mortem at Sassoon hospital, the police explained to me the meaning of rape’,” she said.

She also claimed, “I have had a physical relationship with the suspect since the last one year. He killed my daughter because he was not happy with me. He is responsible for the rape and murder of my daughter.”

Meanwhile Santosh…More

TOI : PUNE: The train service between Pune and Mumbai remained affected for the second consecutive day on Saturday after an accident between Thane and Mulund stations killed two and injured 11 on Friday.

On Saturday, three Mumbai-Pune express trainsIndrayani, Inter-city express and Deccan expresswere cancelled while three Pune-Mumbai express trainsSinhagad, Deccan Queen and Pragati were cancelled. “All other inter-city trains between Pune-Mumbai ran as per the schedule on Saturday. There was no cancellation of long-distance trains passing via Pune,” said the railway administration.

Meanwhile, the railway administration claimed that the rail traffic, which was badly affected on Friday, was restored on Saturday morning around 10.30. However, the morning traffic remained disrupted.

The rail track was completely blocked since Friday morning after an over-head water pipeline fell on a local train between Thane and Mulund stations. The traffic was suspended from 10.45 am onwards and various trains were cancelled/short terminated or rescheduled on Friday.

An official from Pune railway division said that the administration had decided to run special trains from Pune to Mumbai. However, the trains were cancelled as the restoration work was not completed.

Meanwhile, the administration has said that (6382) Kanyakumari-CSTM express leaving Kanyakumari on October 26 and (2164) Chennai-Dadar express leaving Chennai on October 26 will be cancelled.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) continued to run extra buses on Pune-Mumbai route to clear the extra rush of passengers. An official at the Pune Station bus depot said that the passenger traffic has gone up by 20 per cent on Saturday. The arrangements were made to clear extra rush of passengers at all three bus depotsPune station, Swargate and Shivajinagar.

Third 12-coach rake for Pune-Lonavla from October 26.

The railway administration will introduce one more 12 rake coach on Pune- Lonavla local train route from October 26. The additional rake would ease the passenger load on this route….More

TOI : PUNE: Only three motor driving schools out of the 88 in Pimpri Chinchwad have secured an A grade in a gradation exercise conducted by the deputy Regional Transport Office (RTO) of Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Speaking to TOI, Harishchandra Gadsingh, assistant RTO, Pimpri-Chinchwad said, “We conducted the gradation of motor driving schools in our limits over a period of two months. We checked the infrastructure of the school, the condition of the vehicles, the instructors’ knowledge, training equipment and other things. The inspection team comprised seven inspectors of the RTO and myself.”

Motor driving schools that secured 50 marks or less were categorised as grade D, those securing marks between 50 and 60 were given grade C while those securing between 60 and 75 marks were given grade B. Schools that got above 75 marks bagged grade A status, said Gadsingh.

“People who want to learn driving and get a licence go to driving schools. But they have no way of knowing whether they will get good returns for their money,” said Gadsingh, explaining why he had carried out the gradation programme.

Now, because of the gradation process, the applicant will be able to assess whether the driving school he or she goes to offers good quality training, he explained.

“Many motor driving schools have promised to upgrade their set-ups within a few months in a bid to improve their grades. If they improve their infrastructure and training methods, they can then reapply for assessment. The RTO will again check the infrastructure, trainers and equipment of the school and give it new grade,” added Gadsingh.

Speaking to TOI, Anant Kumbhar, Pimpri-Chinchwad Motor Driving School Association, said welcomed the move to grade the driving schools.

The Pimpri Chinchwad RTO covers the areas of Junnar, Khed, Ambegaon and Maval talukas, as well as the Pimpri-Chinchwad township.

Total number of motor driving schools: 88

Grade A:…More

TOI : PUNE: The H1N1 flu toll in the city went up to 90 with a patient who was admitted in Sassoon hospital’s intensive care unit succumbing to the virus at 10.15 pm on Friday night.

Deputy director of state health services Ashok Mehta said, “Sahindra Dattatray Karale (60), a resident of Sadavat in Maval tehsil in Pune district died on Friday night at the Sassoon general hospital. Earlier, he was admitted to the Aditya Birla hospital in Pimpri-Chichwad area on October 20. He tested positive and was kept under observation. On October 23, he was shifted to the Sassoon hospital in a critical condition.”

Meanwhile, a 10-year-old student from the Zilla Parishad school in Malkhed village in Maval tehsil was one among 10 people in the district who tested positive for H1N1 flu on Saturday. A medical team visited the school and is screening the students.

The total number of positive cases now stands at 1,526. As many as 22 patients are being treated for H1N1 flu at ICUs of designated hospitals in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, of which five patients are on ventilators.

Mehta said, “5,678 people visited screening centres across the district on Saturday. More than 10.11 lakh people so far have visited screening centres in district. Around 344 suspected patients were administered Tamiflu on Saturday. More than 32,900 people have been given Tamiflu doses so far. Fifty patients were admitted to various designated hospitals in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad for H1N1 flu treatment on Saturday. As many as 49 patients have been discharged from different hospitals. More Stories from this section ‘Techie murder suspects raped 3 more women’ Villages near Khadakwasla demand aid from PMC SNM seeks reliability charge exemption for residential consumers Sawai Gandharva festival postponed Rape victim’s…More

TOI : PUNE: The rape and murder case of a 10-year-old in a bungalow at Narayan Peth has taken a new twist with the Vishrambaug police arresting bungalow owner Mohiniraj Kulkarni (79) and the victim’s mother Rekha Randive (28) of Ambilodha colony late on Saturday night.

Senior inspector of the Vishrambaug police station, Motichand Rathod, who is investigating the case, said the suspects had been arrested as investigations revealed their involvement in the case.

Rathod said, “In a new statement given to the police, Randive said she suspected the involvement of Kulkarni, but subsequent investigations have revealed that both of them were involved in the case.”

Kulkarni was arrested on charges of rape and murder and Randive for abetting the crime, Rathod said. The duo were sent for a medical examination to the Sassoon general hospital, Rathod added.

Earlier on Saturday, the mother of the victim claimed that she knew the suspect in the case and had had a physical relationship with him.

Addressing a news conference organised by Maratha outfit, the Sambhaji Brigade, Randive also claimed that she had given a false statement to the police as the suspect had pressurised her.

At the conference Rathod said, “The mother of the victim, who is also a complainant in the case, has given several statements to the police and every time she has changed her statement. On October 14, she said that the girl was found under mysterious circumstances on the terrace of the bungalow, where she was working as a maid. Later, in another statement, she said that the girl was found hanging from the iron staircase in the bungalow.”

Randive narrated the story of what happened on the afternoon of October 14.

“The suspect told me that my girl was raped. I did not understand the meaning of the word rape’ at that time. He also told me that he would…More

TOI : PUNE: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MLA from Khadakwasla, Ramesh Wanjale, who flaunted two kg of gold chains, bracelets and rings soon after being elected to the assembly, announced here on Saturday that he would shed all the gold worn by him, as per orders by party leader Raj Thackeray.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday, Wanjale said that he would remove the gold jewellery after the swearing-in ceremony at the assembly.

Wanjale had made headlines after his surprise win from the Khadakwasla constituency, particularly because of his trademark appearance of wearing heavy gold chains and rings worth more than Rs 30 lakh.

Soon after being elected, Wanjale said he preferred flaunting his gold rather than keeping it in bank lockers, the way other leaders did.

However, on Saturday, Wanjale said he would use the gold for higher purposes.

Asked why the change of mind, Wanjale said that he had promised Thackeray before the elections that he would stop wearing the gold after he was elected.

“Rajsaheb had told me, even before the election, to remove all this (jewellery), but I convinced him that I would do so after the elections. I had then explained to him that at this point if I took it off, my opponents would spread rumours that I had sold the jewellery to bribe the voters with cash. Rajsaheb agreed with my argument but ordered me to act after getting elected,” Wanjale said.

On a lighter note, he added that he had permission from the leader to wear heavy gold on his birthday and festivals.

“I am a true follower of Rajsaheb. I have decided to dedicate my life to him now. I agree with what he says, that if I go around my constituency and meet less privileged people wearing so much gold, it would not be a right thing to do. Instead, I will put…More