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TOI : PUNE: Proposing an additional supply charge (ASC), ranging from 20 paise to 37 paise per unit, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) on Thursday mooted a plan for zero power cuts in Pune. To be implemented in a phased manner, in district headquarters, municipal corporation areas, other areas having national and regional significance and finally, taluka headquarters, the charges will depend on the power shortfall situation.

The proposal was presented to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Merc) at a public hearing on the zero load-shedding model to be implemented at revenue headquarters, including Pune.

MSEDCL executive director Uttam Zalte said that though the model’s implementation period has been shown as September 2009 to August 2010, the power utility should be allowed to implement it for a period of one year after Merc gives its order. Zalte said the quantum of additional power has been calculated on the basis of the load-shedding protocol approved by Merc in June 2009.

As per the protocol, an additional 135 MW will be needed everyday to prevent load-shedding in the city. Thane will need 68 MW, Vashi (81 MW), Nagpur (57 MW), Amravati (12 MW), Nashik (39 MW) and Aurangabad (55 MW). “However, the MSEDCL has also considered different scenarios of power shortfall to get an idea of the exact ASC that will be applicable if power shortfall increases or decreases,” Zalte told the commission.

For example, in Pune, the ASC will range from 20 paise to 37 paise per unit if the additional power required veers from the minimum 113 MW per day to the maximum 223 MW, he said. The ASC will be recovered from all consumers, except high tension (HT) industries on express feeders, railway traction, below poverty line families and agricultural consumers.

The MSEDCL has proposed that in Nagpur, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik, the model will be implemented for a period of nine…More

TOI : PUNE: The Hinjewadi police on Tuesday arrested two suspects, including a woman, for allegedly killing Mahesh Kamble (22) of Thergaon over a petty dispute.

The suspects have been identified as Yusuf Warekari (19) and Fatima Khan (35) of Padwalnagar in Thergaon.

On November 2, the police said, the duo severely beat up Kamble at his house. They then dragged him outside and knocked his head against a concrete slab, the police added. Kamble later succumbed to his injuries. The suspects were arrested based on a complaint registered by the victim’s father Kailash Kamble. More Stories from this section City likely to face 20% water cut H1N1 toll rises to 100, fears of 2nd wave loom Villagers attack security guards; 19 hurt Astra air-to-air missile makes first flight Traffic dept…More

TOI : PUNE: If you live within the PCMC limits, be prepared to receive the water tax bills for the last six months in a week’s time. This is the first time the civic body will send water tax bills to households based on the water meter readings.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) initiated the drive to install water meters under the Union government’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme in November 2006. The contract to supply the meters was given to Chetas Control System Pvt Ltd which fitted the metres as per the European Economic Commission standards.

In all, the PCMC has installed 1.10 lakh meters within the municipal limits.

Speaking to TOI on Thursday, municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma said, “We have to follow volumetric tariff method to implement equitable water distribution system. In volumetric tariff, we charge the consumer for the amount of water he uses. Water meters have been installed to gauge the amount of water being used by an individual household, and charge the tariff accordingly.”

He added that the PCMC is working on increasing the water storage capacity of the reservoirs to enable them to supply water to residents throughout the day. “We are constructing 24 new water reservoirs in the newly-merged villages which will improve water supply facility to these villages. The total storage capacity of the tanks within the PCMC limits will increase by 40 per cent after the new water reservoirs are built,” Sharma said.

Pravin Tupe, joint city engineer, PCMC, said, “The PCMC has installed water meters for at least 95 per cent of the population. Only a few new buildings which are constructed recently or are in the final stages of construction do not have the meters. It is compulsory for all homes to get water meters installed.”

He added: “There are 48 water meter readers who have been deployed to take meter…More

TOI : PUNE: Now, getting a berth on a train to northern India Delhi, Jammu, Patna and Howrah is all set to get easier with the railway administration deciding to introduce additional coaches in the three trains that depart from Pune station Zhelum express, Patna express and Azad Hind express.

The Pune division of the railways has also taken up works to extend platforms at four stations Pune station, Urali, Khadki and Kedgaon in order to facilitate 24-coach trains.

This comes as a welcome news to thousands of people who travel to these destinations regularly.

Prabhat Sahai, divisional railway manager, Pune division, said the proposal to add extra coaches to the three trains is referred to the central railway headquarters. “We hope that the sanction would come by the end of March,” he said.

Harsha Shah, president, Pune Pravasi group, said that the number of waiting list passengers for each of these train touch hundreds each day. The situation becomes all the more critical during peak seasons like winter and summer vacations. Considering the rise in the number of passengers travelling to these destinations, continuous demands were being made to add extra coaches to these trains for a long time.

Saurabh Sharma, a frequent traveller on the Pune-Delhi route, said, “Reservation charts are often full even if I try to book my tickets well in advance. Last time, I did not get a ticket even though I tried to book it 40 days in advance. The railway administration must take corrective measures to tackle the additional burden of passengers on this route.”

An official from the railways said the Zhelum express is currently running with 21 coaches, while Azad Hind express and Patna express are running with 19 coaches. Once the proposal is sanctioned, the trains will have three additional coaches each. The Zhelum and Azad Hind are daily trains while Patna express run four…More

TOI : AURANGABAD: The police on Thursday detained six people, including some suspended workers of the Verroc Engineering Pvt Ltd, for questioning in connection with the murder of a security guard of Verroc executive M Sundaram on Wednesday. The police have also released a sketch of one of the suspects.

The early morning murder sent shockwaves among industries in the region, prompting the Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture (CMIA) to demand instant action to check such crimes in future.

The charred body of Santosh Thavare, the bodyguard of M Sundaram, the deputy general manager (operations) of the Verroc Engineering Pvt Ltd, was found in the toilet of the building in Dashmeshnagar where Sundaram lived.

“The suspect whose sketch has been released was among some people who had made enquiries about M Sundaram with the people living in the apartment about three days ago,” said Sarjerao Gaikwad, the Osmanpura police inspector. He said the police are yet to extract any concrete information leading to the incident from the people who have been detained for questioning, but were sure to get clues in the murder case.

Incidentally, in January this year a workers union affiliated to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had allegedly ransacked the Verroc premises and assaulted company staff, following which the company had provided security guards to its executives.

The industry, however, is not impressed by the police action so far. “Any type of violence involving industries affects growth. It is more dangerous than recession,” said Sachin Muley and Ashish Garde, the president and secretary respectively of the CMIA.

“There are certain rumours about the involvement of workers, but we cannot make any comment till their involvement is proved. We will wait for the police action till Sunday. We have decided to make a strong representation to the police commissioner,” Muley said.

“The situation has caused panic among industries, as few days…More

TOI : PUNE: The input and quality control department of the state agriculture commissionerate has decided to collect samples of bio-pesticides at the production units and carry out tests immediately to prevent distribution of substandard pesticides. A special team will carry out the task.

The team will be formed in a month’s time and it will start visiting production units by December. Bio-pesticides are generally made from culture of fungi or bacteria to control specific pests. The government has been promoting bio-pesticides as they are eco-friendly and not as hazardous as chemical pesticides.

A year ago, the agriculture department had set up a team of 72 agriculture officers or class II officers who used to visit production units of mixed fertilisers’ on a regular basis and conduct tests on the samples.

It is easier to produce substandard mixed-fertilisers as compared to chemical fertilisers. Hence, the government has taken up the step to curb such malpractice. Mixed fertilisers contain the basic ingredients of any regular fertiliser Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), but these ingredients are mixed manually, without any chemical reaction. Mixed fertilisers are used for all crops but with varied proportion.

After a year, complaints against substandard mixed-fertilisers have come down to 10 per cent from earlier 30 per cent. With encouraging feedback from farmers as well as local government officials, the department has decided to replicate the same concept in the area bio-pesticides as well.

P N Raut, director, input and quality control, agriculture commissionerate, said, “The initiative is called at source sampling’, which will prevent substandard products from going into the market. It saves farmers from incurring losses due to usage of substandard fertiliser or pesticides. In many parts of the state, where farmers take only one crop in a year, they find themselves in critical situation after losing their crop due to substandard products. To avoid such losses, the department has…More

TOI : PUNE: Supporting the new zero load-shedding model proposed by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL), representatives of industries and consumer bodies on Thursday demanded greater accountability and transparency, ceiling on additional supply charge (ASC) at 42 paise per unit and power purchase cost at Rs 6.75 per unit and exemption for small consumers from paying ASC.

The demands were raised at a public hearing of the MSEDCL’s proposal conducted by the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (Merc) at the Council Hall. The new model seeks to prevent load-shedding in Pune, Nagpur, Amravati, Thane, Nashik, Vashi and Aurangabad.

Ashiwini Chitnis of Prayas energy group said the commission must put a cap on the maximum power purchase cost at Rs 6.75 per unit and also on the ASC at 42 paise per unit. She also sought exemption from ASC for consumers with monthly consumption of 200 units and said that instead of calling it a zero load-shedding model, it should be called reduced load-shedding model, as one had to be realistic while buying costly power.

She also called for competitive bidding for contracting power for zero load-shedding for at least two to three years and said that the MSEDCL should not divert its low cost power for the model.

Prayas also called for quarterly review of power availability, load-shedding and revenue realisation to determine whether to continue with the model. It also called for quarterly public review of the power utility’s capacity addition efforts, process to contract additional power and the progress made, review of demand side management initiatives and called for strict adherence to the load-shedding protocol. Prayas demanded automatic meter reading on all feeders, periodic audit of feeder load data, tracking progress of schemes like single phasing, feeder separation and evaluation of benefits.

Pradeep Bhargava, who initiated the Pune model of zero load-shedding in 2006, said the industry supported the MSEDCL’s model as…More

TOI : PUNE: The massive tree cutting undertaken by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for widening the Aundh-Ravet road, has impelled Pune Tree Watch, a city-based NGO, to urge the civic authorities to stop further cutting of trees.

According to the PTW, a citizens’ support and action group working to protect the environment, approximately 3,000 trees have already been cut without issuing any public notice and another 550 trees will soon be felled.

The NGO has dashed a letter to PCMC municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma appealing to him to at least try and save the remaining 550 trees.

“We were distraught to know the sheer proportion of the tree felling activity that has been undertaken to facilitate the Aundh Ravet road works. While we understand that trees would have to be felled to service the growing population and their needs, we strongly believe that some checks and balances need to be maintained at the same time,” said the letter issued by PTW member Tasneem Balasinorwala.

The letter states: “There is still one stretch where approximately 550 trees can be saved and be kept where they are. It would be good if that option can still be looked at by you. We wanted to know if the possibility of some design changes are ever looked into to save the trees? Design is a crucial intervention, and the role of an active civil society with technical leaning can be of immense use. Within the PMC, there have been many suggestions incorporated where trees have been saved and design changes made. Could some trees if not completely obstructing the course, stay on the tracks marked for footpaths and cycle tracks for e.g.?”

The PTW has been working with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), where road widening projects have been undertaken after working out a plan to save trees by changing road designs.

The PTW has also raised…More

TOI : PUNE: The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has agreed to transfer, free of cost, reserved land to the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for developmental projects.

Speaking to reporters, PCMC commissioner Ashish Sharma said, “The PCMC has reserved many plots for various public amenities in MIDC areas in the Development Plan. We have been facing hurdles in acquiring these plots. A number of meetings were held with MIDC officials, but they wanted to give the plots to the PCMC at commercial rates. A meeting was held with CEO K Shivaji a few days back and the MIDC has now agreed to transfer the plots without any charges.”

Regarding the complaints from residents about the smoke emanating from the garbage depot at Moshi, Sharma said, “Fires have been breaking out because of the firecrackers that have been dumped there along with the garbage collected during Diwali. We are covering the garbage with murum’ to extinguish the fires.”

Sharma said that the PCMC had begun work on construction of houses under the housing scheme for economically weaker section at Chikhli. Construction of 43 buildings was in progress. The PCMC would start handing over the houses to beneficiaries from March 2011. More Stories from this section City likely to face 20% water cut H1N1 toll rises to 100, fears of 2nd wave loom Villagers attack security guards; 19 hurt Astra air-to-air missile makes first flight Traffic dept…More

TOI : PUNE: Three diploma films from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) have been selected for screening at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), 2009, scheduled to be held at Goa from November 23 to December 3. When This Man Dies’ directed by Arun Sukumar, Swayambhu Sen Foresees His End’ directed by Debashish Medhekar and Ekti Kaktaliyo Golpo’ directed by Tathagata Singha, are selections for IFFI’s Indian Panorama section.

Sukumar weaves a 22-minute tale of monotony of an office worker’s life when it is disrupted after he receives a letter offering him money when a particular person dies. It has been adapted from a story by Lawrence Block.

Swayambhu Sen…’ is an 18-min cinemascope project by Medhekar, based on the fateful rainy day of July 26, 2005 in Mumbai. The film is about three narrators atop a bus on that rainy day entertaining those stranded with an urban legend of a filmmaker who stole everything he needed to make a film, from film stock to cameras.

Singha’s 10-min film in Bengali film, Ekti Kaktaliyo Golpo’ (A Coincidental Tale) sprang from the 2008-2009 dialogue exercise which was a part of curriculum at FTII. It revolves around a 13-year-old boy, Babai, who is given a magic marble by an old man, and how Babai is able to live his dream. More Stories from this section City likely to face 20% water cut H1N1 toll rises to 100, fears of 2nd wave loom Villagers attack security guards; 19 hurt Astra air-to-air missile makes first flight Traffic dept…More