The Golden Sparrow on Saturday 02/05/2015

PAGES: 16+16 (TGS LIFE) | PRICE: `5

PUNE, MAY 2, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

TGS LIFE

Gujarat’s loss is Pune’s gain

CITY

CITY

Bus attendant sentenced to 10 years for abusing a 4-year-old P6

Not high and dry any more P3

WE WANT THE WORLD

Pravin Gawai

AND WE WANT IT NOW Sheetal Kamble and many others like her are fighting against all odds to change their destiny. TGS takes a closer See Spotlight, p8-9 look at the lives of the youth hailing from remote areas, struggling to make it big in Pune Vikas Kumar Tupsoundar

Pandurang Thorat

Feed the corrupt, use a public toilet

Caretakers fleece citizens using public toilets. Not a single one of them charges `1, per person, as prescribed by Pune Municipal Corporation

BY RAJIL MENON @RajilMenon Pune has been praised multiple times for having enough and more public toilets. Recently, Bombay High Court pulled up civic officials in Mumbai and told them to follow Pune model of public toilets. So what exactly is the Pune model of public toilets – spend crores on building the facilities and then hand them over to contractors or conservancy workers, who con citizens every minute. They overcharge each time you use a public toilet. If you are one of those who

argues over the charge, then you are simply shown the door.

As per documents available with TGS, caretakers at public toilets are supposed to charge mere Re 1 for using latrines, while urinals are free. Registered agreements between contractors and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), in possession of TGS, state that caretakers can charge Rs 2 from a person, if he uses it to take bath as well. For slum dwellers, the attendants are allowed to charge Rs 20 per family per month. At the same time, agreements state that the caretaker has to provide free soap

OPPOSITE PMC HEADQUARTERS In both the toilets located right under the nose of PMC, caretakers openly overcharge. Those who do not shell out Rs 5 are not allowed to use the facilities. Even women wanting to use the urinals were asked to pay up Rs 3, when it’s meant to be free. Women who dared to protest were told to go elsewhere. “I had to pay for water tanker in the morning. You are lucky I don’t force people to pay up Rs 10, which is the case at most other public toilets,” said the rude caretaker.

powder to the latrine users. All this is merely on paper.

TGS team went around several public toilets across 15 PMC wards only to find that the caretakers charge on a whim - anywhere between Rs 5-10. None of these facilities have boards announcing the official rates.

Satish Khot, president of National Society for Clean Cities, Pune, expressed shock after being told that public toilet caretakers were overcharging. “This is absurd.

I will take up the issue with the civic body and ensure that the contractors and caretakers are fined.

I am amused as these caretakers are given free accommodation in these public toilets. There is no reason for them to loot the public.” Advocate Chetan Gandhi, director of PM Shah Foundation blamed it on absence of law governing public toilets for the situation. “It is the responsibility of PMC to issue guidelines and to ensure they are followed. The civic body has not mentioned anything about punishment to contractors who overcharge. What we need is a strict sanitation law.”

When TGS contacted Madhav Jagtap, ward officer of Ghole Road, he said, “The official rate is Re 1. If they are overcharging then they are obviously in the wrong,” he said, refusing to elaborate on action that can be taken against the caretakers.

Assistant municipal commissioner of solid waste management department Sanjay Gawde, too refused to spell out the line of action against the errant contractors. “They should be charging Re 1 and not a penny more.”

Sunil Kesari, deputy commissioner, PMC, assured that he will get the toilets surveyed from his subordinates. “If you spot that they were overcharging, my staff certainly should have kept a vigil on them as well. I will get to the bottom of this and initiate action against errant caretakers,” he said.

See p4

Sheetal Kamble

MUMBAI

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

PUNE

Scientists create the Invisible Man P6

Who cares for NGT order P4

“ Now, schools will be deciding their own RTE admission entry point. We also assure fees reimbursementswithin 15 days to schools, for students from class 1 to 8th admitted under RTE” - Vinod Tawade, State School Education Dept Minister

Life was full of insults and humiliations: Madhupati Singhania The Singhania battle gets murkier with estranged son spilling the beans on how his father pitted him against his younger brother, Gautam Singhania BAPU DEEDWANIA Th ree months after four siblings of Singhania family fi led a case against their own parents, grandfather and Raymond Ltd, in the Bombay High Court, murky details are pouring out from all corners. It all began with Madhupati Singhania’s four children claiming their right in ancestral wealth. Next was Dr Vijaypat Singhnia alleging that children were acting at the behest of their parents, who abandoned Raymond when it was not doing so well and now want a pound of the flourishing business. Latest is Madhupati claiming that his father ill treated him all the time.

The centre of the entire controversy is a document signed between Madhupati, his wife Anuradha and Dr Singhania way back in 1998.

Back then, Madhupati and his family left their ancestral home in Mumbai and settled down in Singapore.

They agreed to what they term as Family Arrangement/ Settlement/ Agreement. It is this very document that the siblings are challenging.

On Monday, Madhupati, who is currently based out of Singapore, filed an affidavit in HC. He states that he left the country mainly due to irreparable differences between him and his father, the main being his mother not being given her due and his father’s decision to make Gautam Singhania the Chairman cum Managing Director of the company in 1998.

In his affidavit, Madhupati states he was appointed as officer on special duty to set up JK Engineers & Files and then appointed as director in Raymond Ltd and MD of the company for eight years since 1990.

‘All these decisions regarding my appointment were taken by Defendant no 3, (Dr Vijaypat Singhania). I obeyed and accepted each every command of his without any questions asked. I worked with utmost dedication and

were getting very hard for me. But I continued and never even thought of separating from family,’ he says.

DR VIJAYPAT SINGHANIA discipline, even at the cost of personal discomfort and discomfort of my wife and kids,’ Madhupati states in his affidavit.

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2015

PUNE

“I refuse to constantly assert my Maharashtrian identity and I know what it means to me and I don’t have to wear it on my sleeves to convince anybody” - Shobha De, Writer, columnist

Dog killer on the loose

CCTv cameras of a building in Bandra have captured a driver running over a dog and cops posted there not doing anything to nab him

BY YOGESH SADHWANI @yogeshsadhwani

applied brakes. At this juncture, a cop from the police chowky approached the driver, gestured him to move ahead. The driver did as told and braked again. The dog got out, while the cop moved away. The driver halted for few more seconds and then left. The footage clearly shows that the cop did not care to nab the driver, when he had ample opportunity to do so, neither did he take down the vehicle’s registration number.

Few seconds later, the stray circled PUNE, MARCH 28, 2015 | www. around for a thego bit and collapsed. The ldensparrow.com cop approached the dog’s motionless body, kicked it to check if it was dead and moved away. It was only the next day when Shaikh, an animal lover, PAGES: 16+16 (TGS spotted the dog’s body outside his LIFE) | PRICE Salim Charania Arbaaz Shaikh : `5 building that he asked around. He got dodgy answers and decided to check to dumping ground to rot. But thanks the CCTv footages. After seeing the to an animal lover, even more alert footage he contacted Charania, who animal activist and CCTv footage, a rushed to Bandra and took the dog’s dog killer has been caught on camera. body to Bombay SPCA veterinary The killer in his Hyundai Verna car ran hospital. over dog sleeping outside the gate of Doctors at BSPCA conducted Beach View building on Carter Road, dog’s post mortem said that the animal Bandra. He halted for a brief moment died due to internal blood veins and then drove away. Surprisingly, cops rupture, multiple fracture and shock posted at the adjoining Chimbai police caused by the car running over it. Next, chowky witnessed the entire episode Charania approached Bandra police but did not care to nab the killer, note station on Monday and registered down his vehicle number, nor did they an FIR under section 279 (rash and Dr Vijaypat Singhania’s file an FIR. negligent driving), 429 (mischief by grandchildren his estranged It was only a day later that 23-yearkilling an animal) of Indian Penal from son Bombay High Madhupati have mov old Arbaaz Bashir Shaikh, a resident Code and section 11A (cruelty to ed Court seeki ng their shar ancestral prop of the same building got to know animals) of The Prevention of Cruelty e in erty. They have about the incident, checked the CCTv against their to Animals Act. Police were yet to filed a suit grandfather, footages and then contacted Salim make any breakthrough in the case.

(Clockwise from top left) The front gate of the residential complex in Bandra from where the culprit drove the car after visiting a family. The block of the complex that has thefather, Raym ond mother and Lim itedcollapsed flat where the car driver visited. CCTv footage of the stray that got stuck under the rear wheel of the car and constable Shinde allowing the driver to go. The stray Charania, an animal activist, who “The most shocking part was near the buildings gate after a few minutes.

CCTv footage of the dog killer near the lift heads Peace for Animals Welfare that the crime took place in front of

BY BAPU DEEDWANIA Association. The footages shows a the cops. They witnessed the entire & YOGES H SADHW the differenc es and disputes @yogeshsadhwanANI him and his visitor getting out of flat no 602 and incident and yet did not do anything to between i father. He also informe them about Indog the d 1998, never went near Shinde that he be brought to book as well,” to get him arrested. The family that the Chimbai police chowky that night and that the then heading towards his car parked get justice for the helpless animal. This told them that existence of the FA and and his elder Dr Vijaypat Singhan he did not ia son over. Moreover, earlierthe disclose this said Charania. killer was visiting is also tight-lipped witnessed the entire episode. “The dog after tobeing in the compound at around 11.30 pm insensitivity of Mumbai Police towards ‘as he ati decided part ways.run Madhup Back then, should attain desired that Raivatha old decided the ri majority (18 to move for 40-yearWhile Bandra cops have made no about his identity. was coming after me, it was going to driverfamily also halted few seconds, on Saturday (April 11). While driving animals clearly gives a sad picture age) and complete years of home in Mumba out of their his educatio disclosing any n before i and Singapo headway in the case, Charania and Constable Shinde, who refused bite me. Moreover the driver just sped enough for Shinde to nab him or note out, he ran over the stray. settle towards animals and animal’s laws in re with in such a disclosu of this’ since ‘he felt that four children his wife Anuradha and – Ananya, all of them.’ re would adversely affect Shaikh have circulated the image of the to give out his full name, on his part away. What could I have done?” said down hisand vehicle number.

Front right wheel of the car first our city. I have also given a written Tarini Rasaalika, Raivathari.

The While parting ways, the couple suit spells yogesh.sadhwani killer (captured from CCTv footage) claimed that he couldn’t have done Shinde. ran over the dog. The stray was caught complaint against the cop on duty at categorically, mere look signed an agreeme with Singhan ‘A at nt ia that though the said FA will show giving up their share in family senior @goldensparrow.com among their friends and acquaintances much. Shinde was the one on duty at However, the footage clearly shows under the rear wheel when the driver the chowky that night and demanded the documen wealth. in t It would have been termed as yet another incident of a stray dog being run over by a vehicle. Like most cases, the animal’s body would have been disposed in a bin and eventually taken

GRANDCHILDREN SU

THE GOLDEN

SPARROW ON SATURDA MARCH 28,

2015

Y PUNE

E THE COMPLETE MA N

A committee headed by retired Justice found that school for mentally deficient children deployed every trick in the book to make a fast buck

‘The Fina ncia is nothing l Agreement but a forc relinquis

BY BAPU DEEDWANIA

Two months after his grandchildren from estranged son and daughter-in-law filed a suit TGS NEWS SERVICE in Bombay High Court, Dr Vijaypat Singhania told the court that the case has been filed with @TGSWeekly a motive to extract more monies and to malign Some educational institutes would go to any extent his image in society at large. In January this to mint money. A school for mentally deficient year Ananya (29), Rasaalika (26), Tarini (20) Students at Bharatiya Manav Vikas Trust with Trustee children in Panvel has been found guilty of Nandkumar Jadhav and Raivathari (18), children of Madhupati adopting almost every trick in the book to make Singhania and Anuradha filed a case against a fast buck. A committee headed by retired Justice their parents, grandfather Dr Singhania, and RG Sindhakar has compiled a report on Bharatiya Raymond Ltd. helpless,” stated the committee report.

Manav Vikas Trust’s special school and workshop The siblings are challenging ‘Family The committee also pointed out that when they for mentally challenged children, New Panvel, Settlement’ that their parents and grandfather sought papers from the trustees pertaining to appointment of teachers and other financial dealings, stating that imparting education was the last thing entered into on December 30, 1998. Back then, they were told that they had been destroyed in 2005 on the minds of trustees and that they used the Madhupati moved out of his family home in floods. “However some papers which would not have institution only to make money.

Mumbai and settled down in Singapore with The entire matter came to light after father landed them in trouble dating back to 2002 surprishis wife Anuradha and four children. While of one of the students from the school approached ingly cropped up. Only the documents which would parting ways, the couple signed an agreement Bombay High Court. GJ Karade’s son was thrown have exposed them were claimed to be destroyed in with Singhania senior giving up their share out of school along with two others. Karade filed the 2005 floods. It is obvious that 2005 flood is being in family wealth. Not stopping at that, the a case in HC alleging that school misused funds used as an excuse. A narco test should be conducted couple also gave up the share of their minor from the government and did not focus on children’s on the chief trustee, Nandkumar Jadhav, to get to the children. Seventeen years later, now that the education. The HC appointed a committee headed bottom of this mess,” the report stated. children have grown up, they want their share by retired Justice Sindhakar and sought a detailed The committee recommended recovery of in ancestral wealth and claim that their parents report regarding the allegations. several lakhs of rupees from the school for the frauds had no right to give up their stake as well.

Karade had alleged in the petition that the committed. “Mere recovery of funds which were On Friday (April 17), Dr Singhania filed school collected fees from disabled students when it taken from the government is not enough. The school a reply in HC court room no 37 before Justice received grant in aid from the government and that is guilty of several heinous crimes like committing Gautam S Patel through his lawyers. Calling the scholarships meant for students never reached financial frauds, creation of false papers, bogus the case filed by the four children replete with them. He also alleged that trustees shifted the appointment of teachers, misguiding this inquiry malafide intentions and an afterthought Dr school to a remote location and claimed rent from committee, among others. Criminal cases should Singhania in his 46-page affidavit said that the the government for another building. The school be filed against the trustees of the school and state suit has been filed with an ulterior motive. He Madhupati Singhan ia (57) and his wife Anurad also allegedly did not have qualified teachers, yet government officials responsible for the mess. This has detailed out the various reasons on which habut (54) with their children claimed their salaries from the government showing would send out a clear message to several others,” the the court must not continue hearing the suit Ananya (29), Rasaali ka (26), Tarini (20) bogus names on their records. report stated. and dismiss it at the outset. and Raivath ari (18) The Sindhakar committee bore out most of the The committee also pointed out that Bharatiya allegations. In their report submitted to HC recently, Manav Vikas Trust is far from serious about FILED AT THE INSTANCE AND IN the committee found that several qualified teachers imparting education to the mentally and physically CONNIVANCE AND COLLUSION were not part of the faculty and yet the school forged challenged. They have recommended that the WITH PARENTS their signatures and even claimed their salaries from management of the school be taken away from them “The suit is actually filed with the blessings and the state Social Welfare Department. and handed over to another trust. at the instance of Def 1 and Def 2 (Madhupati “The social welfare department has not been A division bench of Justice VM Kanade and and Anuradha) to derive undue advantages paying attention to whether teachers mentioned on Justice AR Joshi has now asked state government arising out of increase in the market price of roles of the school are really working there or not… to respond to findings of the Shindakar committee. the assets transferred to me in the said Family This is a fit case of how an institution claiming to The case will be heard on April 28.

Settlement (FS). The suit on this ground alone tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com be a pioneer in education is openly exploiting the ought to be dismissed.

is titled FA, fact there is Not stopping that, the couple no settleme at also gave up Defendant nt and what their minor the share of no 1 and 2 children.

(Madhupati Anuradha) and Seventeen have properties includindone is to gift away children have years later, now that the g shares in which grown up, they plaintiffs (four suit in Bombay the have filed a The four Rude Shock siblings) had interest.’

Singhania the agreeme High Court challenging for them siblings who nt have joined 1998. Ananyasigned on December 30, hands and taken on (29), Rasaalik Ananya their grandfat Tarini (20) a (26), Father struggle her, father and Raivatha amongst the and Rasaalika, who and mother made their ri (18) have uncle owned d to make ends meet, grandfather much earlier, four attained majority yachts and Singhania, Dr after transferr Vijaypat have private jets father Madhup told the court ing everythi for all these Anuradha that the minor years they and Raymon ati, mother plaintiffs’ (all ng, including Claiming were under stated that in the case. d four children properties their father property, Dr their right to ancestra The case will Ltd party to Dr Singhan ) could not have and mother l Singhania’s hearing before come up for consideration, ia. The only grandchildren was valued in favour of in which the given away any property at just `1.31 on Monday Justice Gautam S Patel was that Madhupati, four of them very clearly , March 30. lakhs. ‘This Dr Singhan right by birth. had acquired shows the their share At stake is reasonab ia assured arbitrariness le help and Dr Singhan worth billions are member As per Hindu Law, they ia in deciding of support ‘without in ancestra any economi of rupees s of a Hindu l wealth. the manner everything c interest.’ and, as such, joint family Net in and at price Raymond FA favoura they he chose.’

Limited alone worth of Our parents ble only to ancestral property have a right in the Dr Singhan and grandfa crores in the and Gautam ia infringed our ther financial year was `1680 by birth. Hence, decision taken rights 2012-13.

The battle the between four away their right by their parents to give Singhanias ‘The junior so called The suit and peace, harmony In fact, they is not binding on them. revolves around the three seniors states, ‘Unques prestige was go Madhupati, and only the agreeme tionably, their grandfat on to state that even came to be Anuradha 3 (Dr Singhan meant for defendant her had no Singhan formally known nt, which no and ia) the or give away, and his son ia jeopardi right to sell, impression Dr Arrangement The plaintiff as Family sed and infringe Gautam. that their their legal s grandfather and immova their rights in movable rights… They d Papers perused(FA) signed in 1998. and 2 (Madhu and the defendant no do not get along father and ble mention that and morally were legally 1 pati and Anuradh they live

by TGS show were minors properties while they and hence while their father responsi the FA was treated separate ble to protect a) were with utmost to make ends that and ly. ‘The plaintiff interest of signed on their struggled (children) were hence any discrimination the the plaintiff their father gross injustice behalf by s not aware that amenities to meet and provide basic s (children and Madhupati, and properties, sale, transfer, such ) as them, his younger all their guardian. as a natural of the Singhan against the tradition rights and legacy they were minors Gautamhari or s relinquished any other gift have been (Gautam Singhanbrother, even a single ia family. Till date, not The children in this manner… made at the his family led person from ia) and ’s case is that plaintiffs are during that time a the FA their family has The such a large through utterly shocked of time cars, private luxurious life ‘with fancy been parents not executing manner in should be jets, yachts by the their own only gave up his own family,’ ousted by the head which the declared the said and expensiv holidays.’ share in the of properties been gifted the suit states. void by the deed e property in joint family have It’s not FA, away by their court.

(FA).’ the While Gautam but favour of Dr Intentions parents in They and immova form of shares, movable relinquishment a forcible of Singhania have asked span of 14 ble minority,’ the Singhania during their ‘in a Dr Singhan years as CMD the up the share property, but also gave ia suit states. court to direct Limited has of that belonged reason that It is for this malafide, acted built a personal Raymond them when The four grandch they to four of Dr Singhan of `1.4 billion, they net worth FA and have decided to challenge the arbitrarily ildren ia Madhup of them turned were minors. When their have now appointe case before ati belongin said, in and Raymon the same family all Dr Vijaypat Singhania major, they Aggarwal, d Devkumar g to HC, that the d to ratify their was strugglin nothing but their Limited down in a FA is father’s decisionchose not a as their constitu maternal grandfather, The suit mention new country, g to settle to and, in January deed wherein forcible relinquishment for them ted attorney disclose children and educate his their parents . that the intention s In the suit, the make a new siblings want 2015, moved court. The compelled the four siblings present status life,’ mention the suit. the FA cancelled to give up have been mentioned of Dr Singhan s s Disclosure have they owned that . everything of all the Why did father of Financial ia other than and Raivatha they were very young were assets Agreement and son enter which they a ‘malafide ri was merely on oath into FA retained underfew assets, old when a two-yearand illegal’ that arrangement. the In the suit, such an were with The FA was the four siblings sudden change FA was signed. ‘The initially a motive signed stated that to grab Their parents have in lifestyle in their between Madhup on account of discord till school and the name at home, not aware of October 2014 they were valuable properti were forced to gift share relocating was and eventual for over three ati and Dr Singhan of the ‘status the family, very hard on es in the form Madhupati ia ly of any of their ancestral years before of Raymon which put of shares gifted, or suit states. and or 1998, the d Limited them through lot of emotion Anuradh given The In the same individual properties.’ and reason properti a as well as a immovable al distress for this was away, by difference in es all of which month, Raivatha hardships, and financia grandchildren the their management were also grossly Singhania’s undervalued which cannot l ri, Dr parents under son and father. styles of the only grandson at in words, they be narrated to achieve the and The suit states The main objective , turned forced to give the time. They were also grew up in an the FA. the FA was that at this juncture 18. of sadness he also directedsame atmosphere of The to father Madhup holding in all up each and every share as , their siblings family peace, ‘avoid adverse effect ati informe the family business recovered fromtheir father never really his son and that on have harmony and d them about Our right in daughter-in-law said that the shock,’ es. prestige.’

According the four. another country their state the move to cannot be taken ancestral propert y father informe that Madhup to the case it was decided them that away to stay in India ‘instead of continui ati and his when d ng emigrate and with the family.’ family both their mother the FA was signed, ‘Madhupati lead an indepen would SINGHANIA The siblings and he were sign a number FAMILY was forced dent life say that the made to L TREE LY coerced by facie illegal.

FA and Dr of which wereof documents, the copies In their case, is prima advantage of Singhania taking undue not provided they have his dominan and hence to them; virtue of the t position by they fact that he all their shares are unable to ascertain the compan controlled all ies and the family property and interest in the joint affairs at home too,’ the suit conclusively. mentions. It Settled also states that the FA finally Law resulted in ‘grabbing Dr Singhan their ia The suit also ancestral shares genuine and lawful states that in settled law it is a wellThe siblings the family property.’ that In 1980, of the property the natural guardian Dr Singhan ancestral jewelry allege that even ia was appointed as compulsorily of a Hindu minor must the CEO value, however was of considerable seek the permissi of Raymon Ltd. He has , it was the court d two sons undervalued, on of before disposse grossly Madhupati, Gautam at properties of ssing any hari and FA. They have `34.17 lakhs, in the the minor, a daughte Shephali. asked that Dr which was done in this r Madhupati be directed not Singhania case.

Anuradha, to furnish a married Protect our and list jewelry so rights, we are ried to Nawaaz Gautam got marthat its true of ancestral Singhanias ascertained. value can . too Madhupati be They further has four Dr Singhan Ananya, childrenia acted in allege that The suit states Rasaalika, manner’ an ‘arbitrar that . The suit Tarini and Revathari y son of the founder Dr Singhania was the says that the while Gautam and properti shares daughters es belongin has two founder himself member and not the Niharika and g to them were forcibly purchase of the Nisa. group. d inherited everythi ‘He also 20-acre property at book value and ng by virtue a a Singhania.’ in Madhya Similarly, Madhupof being Pradesh Anuradha too have inheritan ati and in the ancestra ce rights l their children property and thus being as well. ‘The even they have a right The FA was plaintiffs (children entered into also inherited and Madhup ) have because this legacy of the discord ati and the The Singhan it could not damental difference betwee have been takenby birth and ia family purpose started their business manner that of the arrange in their management n Dr Singhania that Madhup journey it was chosen away in the Kamlapat styles. The ment in 1918 ati and his ther-son states. to,’ the suit Singhania by fafunties with family would to which all of them duo of Lala sons- Padmap had Dr Singhan agreed was completely Juggilal and Late Lala ia and other They have ers). With at, Kailashp three Madhupati Kamlapat severe their Laxmipat. sought that family membe the funds and Anurad at and Singhania.

Kamlapat economic no 1 to 4 (Madhu After ‘defenda of JK the Mumba ha decided and their rs.

Singhania lapat Singhan the death of Kamfamily from i branch acquirebankers to comple pati, Anuradh nts created history by setting Singhania tely the ia, mond Singhan a, Dr disasso econom three d ‘Ray and Raymon up the first ‘RayWollen Mill’ became ia in India ciate themse of them in Norther d Limited) instrum cotton mill directed by from Sassons and abroad. ic activities of the wealthy busines proached n India called be the group headed lves strong foundat ental in providin Dr Singhan a by his s family. & Spinnin manner with court to not deal in any g ia agreed

by Dr brothers social position son, provide moral ion to the The three g Mill in 1921. JK Cotton any that busines had property he and family equal may, if apin Singapo s in three During his their share pertaining to share holding in this mill.

Madhupati re, the country social support to or assets as different lifetime viz Kanpur, and Anurad strengthen cities mentioned he acquire several assets FA of 1998.’

Madhupati Kolkatta his ha any moneta In 1925 in the d decided to and Mumba and propert Mumbai the brother ry or econom while accepting Dr the income settle in.

Maternal grandfa was led i. ies from s formed company Singhania’s will transfer ic

by Kailashp of the joint Kolkatta a called ther is their offer declined all their assets help. Madhupati and ness. The family busiby Padmap at, constituted The Raymon Wollen or any family busines and attorney

Singhania siblings with their parents

“I have duly performed, complied with the terms of the said FS including making payments of fair and proper consideration there under to D1 and D2 (Madhupati and Anuradha) and to the Ps (siblings) by virtue of which they were able to immediately upon the execution thereof, migrate to Singapore as desired by them and have been enjoying an independent life of their choice in high standards of living and a high quality life in Singapore.” affidavit stated.

Dr Singhania stated that the siblings were aware that the relationship between him and their parents was less than cordial and for the necessity of preserving the harmony they decided to part ways. “For 17 years D1 and D2 (Madhupati and Anuradha) have not questioned the FS or their decision to separate and settle in Singapore,” he stated.

ible a palatial pare mansion hment deed whe nts have situated in an elite been com rein our pelled to locality in Singaporegive up ever ything’ at 10, Ewart Park and own a yacht and expensive cars,” he said.

Dr Singhania further stated, Whilhas e Gaut Singhania ‘in a span “The Ps am (siblings) of 14 yearsareasonly fronts for CMD of D1 D2 (MadhupatiRaymond Limited has builtand a perso Anuradha) nal tonet worth of `1.4 billion, dishonestly extort a pound of flesh. I state and Madh upat i belon submit that the present proceedings are no moreging to the same famil y than an extortionwas bid andstrug pressurising tactics by gling to D1 D2.” He adds that a substantial part that settle down in a new country,theeduc was retained by D1 D2 under FS andate hencehis child ren and make the Ps claimingaignorance of the existence of new life.’

Gautam and his famil the FS is just false.

luxurious life ‘with

THEY CALLED MY COMPANY A yach

‘Madhupati and Anuradh a were trea ted with utm ost discriminati on and gros s injustice and against the traditions the Singhanof ia family’

y led a fancy cars, private jets,

ts THEN and expensive holid SINKING SHIP BACK GAUTAM SINGHANIA ays.’

Dr Singhania his affidavit stated that “in view

of the increasing family tensions/discord , D1 DR SINGHAN ~ Suit filed by the siblings D2 (Madhupati and Anuradha) decided and & HIS FAM IA ILY informed me that it was in their best interest to abandon (the Inten company)tions what they ofthen Drcalled Singhania were ‘mala the ‘sinking ship’ severe all economic ties fide andandillega l’ with with me. I state and submit that the D1aD2 motive to grab the share carefully appraised the financial troubles of the of Madh upat D4 (Raymond Ltd) and its group companiesi and Anuradha as well asat grand child which were all the relevant time inren financial and to achieve the stress and were not inclined to share any same he direc ted that his son and daug obligation adverse impact resultant there from.”

hter-inlaw move to anot hania filed his affidavit her country ‘inste ad of continuing to stay DR VIJAYPAT SINGH in India with the ANIA family. in response to the suit filed by his grandchildren. Calling the case filed by the four children replete with malafide intentions and Precious man hours are ever y day at Hinjew planners forgot to mak lostThe adi just because was the first break the story on March 28 Sparrow e more entr yGolden an afterthought Dr Singhania injewhis and exit points. Ove after Hin adi was planned to r a decade house country’s best talent, planners hav IT firms and 46-page affidavit said thatTh the suit e finally woken up to the plight of citiz ey have now planned ens. fi ve alte rna tive road are in no hur s. But the authorities ry to complete them has been filed with an ulterior mo. See spotlight on p8 &9 tive. ensure that there is no impediment in I did not disclose the settlement Dr Singhania stated in the affifuture also.’ for a reason davit that though Madhupati does ‘I did not question the Family Madhupati says that his children grew not want to maintain any family ties Agreement not because it fared well on up being aware of the differences bewith him, ‘he has time and again, inme or my family but because of painful tween him and his father. He says that cluding during the year 2014, raised memories full of humiliations, insults, his eldest daughter was very close to Dr additional monetary demands oppressions, day to day mental and Singhania and despite the migration she on me, which he is not entitled to physical abuse and torments, despite of kept in touch with her grandparents. ‘I make.’ Singhania senior went on to knowing fully well what I left behind. never interfered with their decision to state, ‘The present litigation is nothI personally did not want to have anydo so. But I deliberately did not disclose ing but an outcome of the refusal on thing to do with Defendant No 3 (Dr the document named settlement deed my part to meet such unwarranted/ Singhania),’ he said in the affidavit. to them, till my youngest son became a unjustified demands. Madhupati major,’ he says. Madhupati says that he and Anuradha and now the siblings It is a question of share in the felt that such a disclosure would affect cannot expect me (being 77 years ancestral property them adversely and would have affected old) to provide them with their exA sizeable portion of Madhupati’s 30 their studies as well, ‘I do not wish to orbitant demands all through my page affidavit deals with the growth defend my acts and decisions as I took life. I say that at the stage where of the family owned business. He them according to my understanding of Madhupati and Anuradha should explains how the family started as a my situation. And similarly as a father, be supporting me they are trying to partnership fi rm with the name of JK I respect their decision and support it,’ extract more monies out of me at Bankers and rose to its current fame of the affidavit states. the cost of my reputation amongst Raymond Ltd. my other family members and in the Madhupati explains in his I did not want anything to do with society at large, who has all through affidavit that his family business my father his life supported them.’ was governed by the laws of Hindu Madhupati has stated in the affidavit Dr Singhania in his affidavit Undivided family and for this reason that the Family Agreement was ‘illegal stated that ‘in view of the increasthe share of Kailashpat Singhania from the beginning’ and despite having ing family tensions/discord , Mad(his grandfather) devolved on Dr known this, all these years he did not hupati and Anuradha decided and Singhania and his brother Ajaypat seek to impeach the settlement ‘because informed me that it was in their best under the Mumbai division and as I did not want to have anything to do interest to abandon (the company) Kartas of their respective branch after with my father, because of the deep hurt what they then called the sinking the main family business under the he had caused me.’ ship and severe all economic ties name of JK Bankers dissolved for a Further he says, ‘For seventeen long

What a mess!

FINA

NCIAL AGR SUPPRESSED FACTS, MISLED CONNIVANCE EEMENT COURT, ABUSE OF PROCESS Dr. SinghaniaSING also mentions that he finds it IA FAM Dr Singhania said that since the Raymond Ltd hard to believe thatHAN children have appointed ILY L HIST LY is now flourishing, Madhupati and Anuradha Devkumar Aggarwal, their maternal ORY have used their children to reopen and question grandfather as their constituted attorney in a ~ Suit filed by the siblings the FS which should not be allowed by HC. case against him and their own parents. He has “The Ps (siblings) have failed to disclose stated that it is difficult to digest that Aggarwal to court their grandeur lifestyle, quality “would act as a constituted attorney to file a education and world class facilities at their case against his own daughter. This only goes disposal by reason of the FS. To the best of my to show the collusion theatPs person and(siblings) by between Mills properties decided that d s was Laxmipat.

Kanpur in the name carried out in such groups they a few years Limited and within assets includin nominated by him. of ‘Juggila They continu to Dr Singhan The couple from being g some flats l Kamlap which later knowledge the Ps live with the Ds (Madhupati and the Ds (Madhupati and Anuradha),” statedTextile Compan ed with the al visits in decided to ia at” an Indian for themse became tus of the joint staIndia. retain certain the famous y it became lves to take JK business al conglom The assets care of their a globunder a glob nership firm and Anuradha) who appear to be staying ingroup. the affidavit. erate. On owned by partoccasionMarch called the compan their assets Kamlapat Bankers

M/s Juggila l (M/s JK Bank-

31,1995 y change d its name The Raymon to d Ltd.

children were to were also be sold Dr Singhan listed or transfer ia at market red to personsin the FA. These or transfer value and nominated was to be the amount deposited his respect by that came in the bank ive children from such accounts sale . held in the name of

The matter will come up for before Justice Gautam S Patel hearing 30, 2015. on March The suit has been filed advocate Sharmil by a Deshmukh four children for the . to all parties, A copy has been served including the grandfather. parents and The their materna siblings have appointe d l Aggarwal as grandfather Devkum ar their constitu ted attorney bapu.deedwania@ goldensparrow.co .. & yogesh@goldensp m arrow.com

EKAR

Two months after his grandchildren from estranged son and daughterin-law filed a suit in Bombay High Court, Dr Vijaypat Singhania told the court that the case has been filed with a motive to extract more monies and to malign his image in society at large. On April 17, Dr Sing-

afloat and from the side watched my father, brother and their families lead a life, seeped with an unwarranted luxury and ostensity. While my children travelled in autos their cousins flew in private jets, while their cousins lived in mansions, my children lived in a mortgaged house, but it did not bother me, because I gave them values that will outlive the luxuries bought on account of public money.’

He adds, ‘I tried very hard to provide them with everything I could make up for having taken away from them a lifestyle that was theirs by birth, even if what I provided was all on loan.’

Madhupati says that he wanted to leave without entering into any deed of settlement but Dr Singhania forced him and Anuradha to sign the settlement ‘in order to ensure smooth succession of his younger son and to

ANIRUDDHA RAJAND

Dr Vijaypat Singhania retorts

Madhupati Singhania (57) and his wife Anuradha (54) with their children Ananya (29), Rasaalika (26), Tarini (20) and Raivathari (18)

My mother did not receive the love and respect due to her ‘From childhood I was very close to my mother and loved her dearly. I always felt that my mother did not receive the love and respect due to her, from my father and that has always remained the bone of contention between my father and me,’ says Madhupati in his affidavit.

Madhupati says that this issue gave rise to serious differences between the two over a period of time and Dr Singhania started ‘ill-treating and humiliating’ him in private as well as publicly. Madhupati alleges that this humiliation reached a new high when he started opposing Dr Singhania openly regarding certain issues GRANDCHIL arising from his lifestyle.

DREN SUE TH TGS LIFE E COMPLETE CIT Y Run for...

‘To spite me he started MAN No damaged NA TIO N yourself goods please Get your voice heard pitting my younger P3 on NetaG P6 brother against me by constantly belittling me in front of him and This is how schools mint money Abandoned ‘sinking ship’ then and now want other family members.

Dr Vijaypat Singhan to extort a pound of flesh: Dr Singhania ia’s estranged son Madhu grandchildren from his pati have moved Bom Nothing I did was good Court seeking their bay High share in ancestral prop erty. They have filed a suit agai enough for him. Life nst their grandfather, father, mother and Raymon d Limited. Detaile d stor y on p7 was full of insults and humiliations and things

HOW IT ALL STARTED The Golden Sparrow was the first to report that Dr Vijaypat Singhania’s grandchildren had sued him. In January this year Ananya (29), Rasaalika (26), Tarini (20) and Raivathari (18), children of Madhupati Singhania and Anuradha filed a case against their parents, grandfather Dr Singhania, and Raymond Ltd. The siblings challenged ‘Family Settlement’ that their parents and grandfather entered into on December 30, 1998. Back then, Madhupati moved out of his family home in Mumbai and settled down in Singapore with his wife Anuradha and four children. While parting ways, the couple signed an agreement with Singhania senior giving up their share in family wealth. Not stopping at that, the couple also gave up the share of their minor children. Seventeen years later, now that the children have grown up, they want their share in ancestral wealth and claim that their parents had no right to give up their stake as well.

I was not prepared to be humiliated by my younger brother Madhupati says that in 1998 Dr Singhania informed him about making Gautam, his younger brother, the MD of Raymond Ltd which was ‘a serious departure from the family tradition and a direct insult to his ability and achievements’.

‘I bore the humiliation of my father but I was not prepared to bear humiliations from my younger brother by working under him,’ he says in the affidavit. Around the time that Dr Singhania announced Gautam’s elevation as MD of Raymond, Madhupati was heading Raymond Synthetics, which was back then a subsidiary of Raymond Ltd. ‘That time I accepted his decision and decided to leave (for Singapore). But having no resources MUMBAI and stupendous task of migrating Device converts Hadapsar to another country, which involved diesel to Society’s illegal domestic fuel sheds razed many complicated issues, he forced P6 P4 me to sign the settlement. Having no options I signed the deed without considering its legality and its effect on my life and life of my children,’ he says in the affidavit.

years I struggled to keep my family

new name to be incorporated and a

company to be formed.

Madhupati says initially the business was run jointly and all assets acquired during that time were treated as joint assets of JK Bankers because they were purchased from the funds of joint family business. ‘Th is was even including Defendant no 4 (Raymond Ltd) which was acquired by Kailsahpat Singhania in 1944,’ says Madhupati to show that even Raymond Ltd comes under the ancestral property. ‘I have been able to show beyond doubt that Raymond Woollen mills indeed was a part of the dissolution deed and after the dissolution the name was changed to Raymond Ltd,’ he says.

Madhupati has said that whatever Dr Singhania holds today is also joint family property in absence of a partition deed. He says that when the fi rm was dissolved Dr Singhania got equal share in everything because it was part of a joint family business.

My children have vested interest in the shares of Raymond Madhupati says that all the decisions regarding his share being divided/ transferred was handled by Dr Singhania under the Family Agreement. ‘What I received and how it was divided/ transferred by Def No 3 (Dr Singhania) is not known to me, because he did, what he wanted to do, without any questions asked,’ he says.

Madhupati says that from his wealth tax returns which were also managed

by Dr Singhania he learnt that the shares of JK Synthetics devolved on him in two chunks, once when his grandfather passed away and second when JK Bankers was dissolved.

Madhupati says that this made him the largest shareholder of JK Synthetics, which under the dissolution of the fi rm was required to swap its share with the Kanpur group held in the name of Raymond. ‘Th is is how I received two lakhs plus share of Raymonds which I held as Karta of my HUF comprising of my wife and my children who had acquired a vested interest in the said shares,’ he says.

Malafide intentions of Dr Singhania are clear Madhupati says that at a time when the immovable properties of the family were being divided, the matter was referred to arbitration. As per this arbitration Madhupati was shown as one of the heirs and 1/6 share holder in the Mumbai branch of the family headed

by Dr Singhania and was entitled to his claim of 1/6 share. ‘However, even this fact was kept hidden from me and the Defendant no 3 (Dr Singhania) got signed in December 2009 a Power of Attorney (POA) from my father in law,’ he says.

Madhupati says that Dr Singhania used this POA in negotiating deals with regard to his share in the properties, with an intention to usurp them. He adds that when he learnt about this POA and his father’s ‘malafide’ intentions, he cancelled the POA on January 17, 2015. He claims that later he informed Dr Singhania, however was told that the POA is irrevocable and Dr Singhania is entitled to deal with property despite the cancellation of POA. ‘Defendant no 3 (Dr Singhania) continued to illegally negotiate deals

with his other family members to usurp my share. In order to stop Defendant no 3 from misusing the POA, I had to inform each and every member of the Singhania family about the cancellation of the deed,’ he says.

Family Settlement was for Dr Singhania’s benefit Madhupati has denied allegation made by his father that his children have fi led the suit at his behest. ‘Each and everything owned by my children was bought at book value and at grave loss to them. I deny that I and my family are enjoying an independent life due to Family Settlement,’ he says. Madhupati says that it his children’s own decision to fi le this suit and he respects and supports their decision. He says that Dr Singhania in his affidavit has failed to show that how he or his family benefitted from the Family Settlement.

He adds that what he retained was a flat at Sarnath building and a land in Alibaug which were in fact the properties owned by him only.

‘In fact shares, debentures, agricultural land, horses were grossly undervalued and were transferred without any consideration. I deny that

GAUTAM SINGHANIA Defendant no 2 (Anuradha Singhania, his wife) and myself voluntarily decided to separate our family branch. It was decision arising from undue influence on us by Defendant no 3,’ he says.

Madhupati says that it is a baseless allegation that he has through his children tried gaining backdoor entry into the family’s ancestral wealth.

Madhupati on this account has elaborated that there was nothing in the settlement for him and his family except for the fact that they were to migrate to Singapore. ‘There was nothing in it for me or my wife to act upon. The settlement was arrived to facilitate the decision of Defendant No 3 (Dr Singhania) to handover reigns of Defendant no 4 (Raymond Ltd) to his younger son. Despite the fact that family tradition was that the eldest son would be the Chairman MD of the flagship company. And that is how Defendant no 3 became Chairman in 1980 of Defendant no 4,’ he says.

Family Settlement was never executed for the benefit of siblings Madhupati has maintained that Dr Singhania has failed to show how this settlement was for the benefit of his children. He responds very harshly saying, ‘It is vehemently denied that I wanted to stay in Singapore for better facilities and education. It is ludicrous and laughable on part of Defendant no 3 (Dr Singhania) to make such preposterous allegation that migration to Singapore was for participating in Regatta Air Aviation facilities. In fact his younger son is well known for having all these hobbies and is doing all of that living here.’

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

State not serious about compensating rape victims P5

PUNE

Not high and dry any more

PICS BY ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

“The uniformity in the appearance and constuction of MHADA buildings is becoming a trademark. The panel has been instituted to change this.”

- Ravindra Waikar, State Minister for Housing

Hit by water scarcity, residents of Kondethar Village build their own bund that is proving to be a big boon

RAJIL MENON @RajilMenon

with very little water to survive on,” he Most of them are employed in the added. diamond or gold polishing industry.”

Parvati Shekhar Pawar is a 65-yearThese Kondethar residents will all Kondethar, a village (hamlet) about old widow who hurries early every return to the village for the annual fair 100 kilometres from Pune, gets an morning to the well on the outskirts and Kalkai Pooja in the village on May average rainfall of 6000 mm, which is of the village to fetch water. “Even at 12. This is sure to intensify the water ten times that of Pune city. The scenic this age, I have to fetch water every day shortage in the hamlet. waterfalls and lakes that are a common from the well. We have made it a norm Sangita Dhondu Sane, 45, says, sight at Kondethar, near to take only four pots of “About ten to 12 relatives come home Tamhini Ghat, during water from the well in for the pooja and we are forced to monsoons make way one day, to make sure reduce our water consumption from for an arid landscape we are left with enough four pots to three pots by that time, once the summer by the end of summer. and life becomes tougher!” arrives. Villagers are My sons have asked To conserve the precious forced to resort to a me to stay with them commodity, water used for bathing is self imposed rationing in Mumbai, but I don’t reused for sprinkling on the courtyard of water by the month want to leave my house along with cow dung, and this used of October. So severe here in Kondethar,” and impure water is used for other is the water shortage Parvati says. purposes too. that the villagers have Govind Pandurang Vanita Tukaram Sane, 65, has to inform their relatives Sane, a 50-year-old, two sons who are employed in the and friends not to visit working as a diamond diamond polishing business. She says, - SITARAM RAMJI SANE them after March, polishing worker at a “My husband and I are the only two when the dry spell sets factory in Goregaon, members of our family living here in. This has also resulted Mumbai, has returned permanently. I practically fill all our in a mass migration of young people in to Kondethar during his vacations to vessels and utensils with water and use search of a livelihood. help his family cope with the water the older water for washing, bathing However, now situation is crisis. He says, “There are 35 to 40 and other chores.” changing for good. The resourceful houses in our hamlet and about 150 Vanita explained that Kolam villagers, under the leadership of people stay here permanently. The rest variety of rice is cultivated in the Kondethar village chief, Sitaram of the young generation has migrated village. The heavy rainfall makes Ramji Sane, have now built a bund to Mumbai or Surat in search of jobs. it impractical to grow vegetables. (dam). The bund is now a dependable source of water for their cattle, which otherwise would have to trudge for miles on end in search of drinking water. For now, the bund’s water is only good for consumption of cattle. In the long run, the plan is to make it usable for humans as well.

The monsoons bring such torrential downpours to Kondethar that the villagers are unable to step out of their homes for days. “Our rain wear and temporary shelters are not much help as the rains are very heavy in our area, and by 4 pm during monsoons, we have to close our doors to avoid the rain water coming in,” says 70-year-old Sane, who has been the head of the village for the past 30 years. “But as soon as the rains are over, and by the The water scarcity is such that the villagers have to inform their relatives and friends month of October itself, we are left not to visit them after March, when the dry spell sets in

“By October, we are left with very little water to survive on.”

The villagers of Kondethar, under the guidance of village chief, Sitaram Ramji Sane, have built a bund (dam). For now, the bund’s water is only good for consumption of cattle

This year the Kondethar harvest was reduced significantly owing to a storm, which has compounded the villagers’ problems.

According to the village chief Sane, the five borewells in the village have all run dry. Kondethar also has a ground water well and a stream well. Sane had planned to build a bund, a check dam, 10 years ago, but the site he had selected, happened to be on a private plot. The other spots he had thought of before he became the village head, were under the jurisdiction of the forest department, so Sane’s efforts could not bear fruit.

Recently, Sane’s nephew who works for the Shetbale family, had offered to sell a piece of his land to his employers. But Dhananjay Shetbale, who works for an NGO called Devrai, advised him not to sell his ancestral land. He also suggested that a check dam should be built to counter the water problem, as they would be able to provide drinking water for the village cattle.

The bund project has been supported by Devrai, in collaboration with three other NGOs, including Ecological Society, Nisarg Sevak and Jividha. They have also roped in well known geologist Suresh Khalapurkar and Dr Vishwas Yewle of the Jal Dindi fame.

SC confirms death sentence of ‘butchers’ in Wipro BPO case During the hearing, the judges held up images of the victim smiling with her family and others taken after her post-mortem, to indicate the brutality of the criminals’ act BAPU DEEDWANIA On Tuesday the Supreme Court of India confirmed death sentence of two persons found guilty of raping and brutally murdering a 22-yearold Wipro BPO employee in 2007.

A three judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India HL Dattu, Justice SA Bobde and Justice Arun Mishra called the murderers ‘butchers’ and opined that in their perception the brutality in this case shook their conscience.

It was a packed day for this bench with important matters including the 2G case listed before them. However, the bench decided that matters with death penalty (DP) would be given preference and started hearing the case, often referred to as the Wipro Pune BPO murder case, which shook the entire BPO industry in 2007.

The accused duo Purshottam Borate and Pradeep Kokade were sentenced to death by the trial court and this sentence was confirmed by Bombay High Court in 2012.

The SC bench during the hearing on sentencing and confirming death penalty observed that this was a

case where no sympathy could be shown towards the accused. The court observed that this is one of those rarest of rare cases where death penalty must be inflicted. Not even full life imprisonment would be sufficient. These accused are not just murderers they are ‘Butchers’, who had no remorse and after committing such heinous crime had the audacity to drive the cab and pick another employee of BPO and go about doing things as routine, observed the bench.

Legal aid was provided to the two accused through Supreme Court Legal aid Service Committee.

Speaking to The Golden Sparrow from Delhi Supreme Court Lawyer Dr Charu Mathur said that the Judges were shaken with the facts and the brutality of the case. “They even held out the images where in one the victim was seen smiling with her family and then the ones after post-mortem, which manifested the brutality of the act of these accused,” said Dr Mathur. She added that the

judges while discussing why no leniency should be shown towards these accused, admitted that they are after all humans and in their perception brutality and crime in this case shook their conscience.

“They were particularly worried about safety of women and were shocked that the person in whom confidence was reposed by the victim, were the ones who raped and murdered her in most barbaric manner,” said Dr Mathur.

Justice Dattu in particular was moved after seeing post mortem photographs of victim who murdered in a ghastly manner.

Victim’s wrist was slashed, she was strangulated with her dupatta and her skull was smashed with boulders and rocks. Judges held it was a cold blooded, pre-planned murder.

The murder shook the entire BPO industry, where over 40 per cent of work force is women. The Court appreciated the judgment of the trial court and its reasoning while passing the verdict.

Background The victim was a 22-yearold and a native of Gorkahpur.

She was living with her sister and brother-in-law in Pashan, Pune. An employee of Wipro BPO at Hinjewadi IT Park, on November 1, 2007, she had boarded a cab contracted by her employers to pick up staff on night duty.

The cab was being driven by Purshottam Borate, who was accompanied that day by his painter friend Pradeep Kokade.

Instead of driving her straight to work, the duo took a detour and drove to Gahunje village near Mumbai-Pune Expressway. There they raped her and later brutally murdered her. The victim’s body was recovered a day later, after which the duo was arrested.

The accused were awarded death penalty in March 2012 by a Sessions Court in Pune. The duo were convicted under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 364 (kidnapping), 376 (rape) and 302 (murder) among others of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). In September 2012, a division bench of Bombay High Court confirmed the death sentence.

Prosecution in the High Court also argued that the incident was pre-planned and pre-mediated by the two accused who knew that it was the victim’s last day in Wipro.

“They had prior knowledge. They conspired to abduct, rape and murder her in advance,” argued the prosecutor and following which the death sentence in this case was confirmed by HC.

Shetbale believes that the bund project will prove to be the beginning of the ‘ghar wapsi’, or reverse migration for the youngsters from Kondethar who have had to migrate to earn a livelihood, because they lost their original occupation of farming. These youngsters, who work in Mumbai and Surat, have to live in the slums of the cities, after leaving their homes owing to the water scarcity.

Shetbale said, “We are going to build a filter for the check dam using boulders. We also plan to connect a pipeline from Bhiregar, which is a Tata project, four kilometres away from Kondethar.” The NGOs’ network will help the villagers get the necessary permissions from the Tatas.

Shetbale plans to hold a meeting

with the villagers during the Kalkai Pooja. “The villagers have already pledged a contribution of four lakh rupees. Our check dam was much cheaper as it cost us only `50,000 to ` 60,000. The dam is already proving to be a big help to us,” he said. In contrast, the dams that the government builds cost much more and often don’t serve the intended purpose, Shetbale feels.

“Ours is a long-term plan. We want the younger generation to reverse migrate and farm and not sell their lands to the hotels and weekend resorts, because this area has a lot of medicinal plant varieties that are still undiscovered yet. Otherwise it will be a loss to all of mankind,” Shetbale concluded. rajil.menon@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

PUNE

“Officials haven’t finalised location for the rehabilitation of hawkers plying on main roads.

Categories like vegetable, food and cloth are missing” — Sanjay Shanke, secretary, Janeev Hawkers Union

Indian doctors to Nepal’s rescue

Private cord blood banks are fooling the public, say doctors

P10

P12

Feed the corrupt, use a public toilet

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR & RAHUL RAUT

PUNE STATION BUS STAND The caretaker at the Sulabh toilet demanded `10 for using the facility. This is despite a board there clearly mentioning that the specified rate is `2. “That is an old board. Pay `10 or move on,” he said.

SADASHIV PETH The public toilet located right next to Sadashiv Peth police chowky asks us to take a hike if we do not want to pay `5. This one run by City Clean Foundation was filled with smoke. “There is not much I can do about the smoke. People who come here smoke and even drink inside the toilets. If I tell them to not do so, they pick up a fight. The cops next door won’t help either,” said the caretaker refusing to budge any lower than `5.

NEAR GADGIL (Z) BRIDGE The toilet was filthy and simply unusable. Desperate citizens who somehow braved to enter inside were asked to pay `5. The toilet did not have any board nor did it have soap. The caretaker just didn’t care to entertain any protests.

PUNE AND SHIVAJINAGAR STATIONS Public toilets at railway stations were also overcharging. At Pune station, the enterprising attendant quoted the rate depending on who was asking. Well dressed people were asked to pay `10, while shabbily dressed ones were forced to shell out ` 5. He even quoted `7 from some people. At Shivajinagar station, the attendant asked us to pay `5 or get lost.

GARUD GANAPATHI MANDIR, LAXMI ROAD This one too was not just filthy but the caretaker was openly overcharging. “You have a problem with my rates then go and complain to PMC. Do not waste my time here. Better still, just wait here for a bit and see how others pay up without even complaining once,” said the caretaker.

Who cares for NGT order TGS Quiz Contest

A

No. 46

nswers to the following 10 questions are embedded in the stories featured in this edition. Send us the correct answers at contest. tgs@gmail.com and be one of the two lucky winners to receive gift coupons.

1. Name the shorts film made by Luke Kenny?

2. Who assisted Zoya Akhtar on her latest project, Dil Dhadakne Do? 3. What is Suchitra Pillai’s second music album called?

4. Who is Ajay Thakur?

5. Who is the owner of The Penman Company?

6. How far is Kondethar village from Pune?

7. How many cell phones were recovered from Nagpur jail?

8. Who is the CEO of TimeSaverz?

9. Name the founder of the app Blink?

10. Who is the captain of Maharashtra hockey team?

Contest # 45

winner

Akanksha Gund Sanggeta Padhi

It’s business as usual for wedding parties and processions on DP Road despite a ban by the National Green Tribunal

RAHUL RAUT

IPS officers to take charge of prisons

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke Despite orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banning noisy wedding celebrations in marriage halls located on DP Road, the celebrations are still going on as usual.

Apart from noisy wedding ceremonies, the ban has been extended to large baraats accompanied by bandbaja.

A visit to DP Road on Tuesday revealed that baraats accompanied by band–baja are still being taken out by the wedding parties, and such processions are obstructing the flow of traffic, besides being a source of noise pollution on this busy road.

Police claim that they have held a meeting with owners of the marriage halls and lawns last week and informed them about the ban. Cops tell us that they have not sanctioned any noisy celebrations on the road.

Advocate Asim Sarode, who had fi led a petition on behalf of the local residents, said that the courts had issued the orders, but they are not yet implemented by the local police. “I have received a few calls complaining about the loud noise of loudspeakers and band-baja,” he said.

Earlier this month, the NGT had imposed a ban on DJ music, dancing and other noisy celebrations in wedding halls on the major Development Plan Road in Erandwane. Kothrud police have also put a ban on the noisy baraats on the road.

On April 9, the NGT West Zone bench comprising Justice Vikas R Kingaonkar, Judicial Member and Expert Member Dr Ajay Deshpande had ordered a ban on noisy celebrations, which if flouted, would attract action by the police under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. The NGT was

SHIVAJINAGAR BUS STAND There are no boards to indicate the official rates. The caretaker here demands `10 even before you enter one of the toilet blocks. The caretaker, when questioned about overcharging and missing boards, he flatly said, “I do not need a rate chart here. I can charge as much as I like.”

The baraats accompanied by band–baja are still being taken out by the wedding parties despite the ban by National Green Tribunal (NGT)

acting on an environmental interest litigation (EIL) fi led by Sujal Sahakari Griharachana Sanstha Chairman Ujwala V Ghanekar on behalf of the residents of DP Road near Mhatre Bridge, Pune.

Speaking to The Golden Sparrow on Saturday, Senior Police Inspector Nitin Bhosale-Patil of Kothrud police station, said that the police had held a meeting with representatives of all the marriages halls and lawns located on DP Road, informing them about the ban on noisy celebrations and baraats.

“A small group of people can be allowed in the baraat, but we will not allow large number of people accompanied by bands,” he said.

The representatives of the seven marriage halls and lawns informed the police that all the venues have been booked till June 15 for wedding ceremonies. The marriage parties have started sending applications to the police stations seeking police permission to use loudspeakers and for taking out baraats. The police station receives seven such applications on an

average every day, but the authorities are denying permissions.

“The applications are rejected point blank,” Bhosale-Patil said. He asserted that any baraats accompanied by bandbaja will be booked and prosecuted under the Environment Act. “However, we have issued permission permitting use of loudspeakers in the premises of marriage halls within the stipulated decibel levels. If the sound is heard on the road, the lawn or premises owner will also be booked,” he said.

The police have also installed two CCTV cameras on DP Road that runs along the river, joining Mhatre Bridge and Rajaram Bridge. “The CCTV cameras are monitored at the police commissioner’s office and proper action will be initiated by the senior police officers with the recorded proof,” Bhosale-Patil said.

Sarode said that the copies of the final orders will be sent to the police station for perusal by the police officers.

“This will put a stop to such incidents in the future,” he said. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

After recovering cell phones from various prisons and jails in Maharashtra, and the failure in maintaining discipline in the prisons, the state home department is considering appointing Indian Police Service (IPS) officers as Prison DIGs, instead of jail cadre staff.

Incidents like recovery of 40 cell phones in Nagpur jail, cell phones in Yerawada jail, firing at Taloja prison, murders and other problems, have prompted the state home department to give away the posts of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) prisons to IPS officers.

As of now, officers from within jail cadre are promoted to the post.

Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Meeran Chaddha Borwankar said that a committee has been constituted by the Maharashtra Government to review the lacunae in the prison administration and issues of security in the prisons. The committee is headed by Director General of Police (Anti-Corruption Bureau) Praveen Dixit. The issue will be discussed at the

committee meetings.

A senior prison officer told The Golden Sparrow that this issue is being discussed and soon IPS officers will replace the jail cadre officers as DIGs, for better administration of the prisons and maintenance of law and order.

While jail cadre officers generally tend to be disconnected from society at large, IPS officers are trained to handle intricate law and order situations, and are capable of strict action against their own staff to maintain law and order within prisons.

In 2009, a detailed report on the issue prepared by a committee and submitted to the state home department, stated that the jail cadre was inefficient in maintaining law and order in the prison.

The report stated that the selection of the jail cadre officer is on the basis of an interview, while an IPS officer is trained to deal with and control crisis situations.

The report vehemently opposed DIG posts for jail cadre.

With fresh troubles cropping up, the issue is being discussed at the state level once more. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

‘Belt’ technology offers quick repair post-earthquake

“I asked the LBT department to examine the list of octroi defaulters and based on that list, the PMC can have an idea of how much of LBT dues can be recovered from the defaulters.”

State not serious about compensating rape victims Under the Manodhairya scheme, just about 50 per cent of the victims have been compensated so far

On paper, all female victims of sexual abuse and acid attacks are to be compensated by the state government.

Under the ‘Manodhairya’ scheme flagged off in 2013, post Mumbai Shakti Mills rape case, every victim is to get `2 lakhs (`3 lakhs in special cases).

But a look at records of the government department supervising the scheme, it’s nothing but a sham. Across the state, only a handful of victims have been compensated. Several cases have been rejected, and the ones who have been cleared for compensation are not being given the money for lame reasons.

The idea behind starting the scheme way back in 2013 was to help survivors of horrifying acid attacks and sexual abuse. They were to get a fixed sum as compensation and their medical needs were to be taken care of. Two years later, the compensation figures reveal that only 50 per cent of the victims cleared under the scheme have been compensated in the year 201415. Of the 2,565 applications of rape, child abuse and acid attacks received from across the state, 1959 cases were sanctioned under Manodhairya scheme. Of this only 1,097 have been compensated by the year ending March 2015.

The State’s Women and Child Development department disburses the funds to district level committees

which receive all the applications and scrutinise them. Insiders revealed that almost all the districts have not received adequate funds.

Take the case of Pune district where total of 174 cases of rape and child sexual abuse cases were registered between April 2014 and March 2015.

Out of these 174 registered cases, 122 cases were sanctioned by the District Criminal Injuries and Rehabilitation Board (DCIRB). The sum required to compensate the 122 victims was `3.26 crores, however, they received mere `1.92 crore. As a result, district committee decided to compensate only 73 victims in the financial year, keeping the remaining 49 in the waiting list.

Shockingly, of the 73 shortlisted, only 17 have been compensated so far.

“As many as 56 beneficiaries in

the district are yet to get the fund. The significant reason behind is that we are not able to trace the victims,” said the District Women and Child Welfare officer, Minakshi Birajdar. Another officer went on to claim that victims keep changing their addresses after the occurrence of crime and hence are not easy to trace.

“Many of them (victims) do not have their bank accounts which is another reason for the delay. However, we have now been able to establish contacts with 20 beneficiaries,” added Birajdar. As for the ones in the waiting list, they would be compensated once the district committee receives additional `1.34 crores that they have sought from the state. “I sent a proposal last month, however we are yet to get the amount,” Birajdar said.

Bus attendant sentenced to 10 years for abusing a 4-year-old

The sordid tale of a mini kindergarten student sexually abused by an attendant had sent shivers across Pune, in April last year TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly A year after the case of sexual abuse a four-year-old child by a school bus attendant and driver shocked the entire city, a Special Court has found one of the two accused guilty. The bus attendant has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for committing aggravated sexual assault against the mini KG student. The incident came to light in April last year, when the victim’s mother approached the school. It was only two days later, when an irked mob of parents gathered at the school in Erandwane that the management decided to file a formal complaint with Deccan Police station.

The case that occurred in a moving bus of a reputed school in Erandwane sent shock waves across the city. The child narrated to her mother how the attendant sexually abused her over four days, starting from April 1. She also identified the driver of the bus. The mother immediately approached the school management on April 5, 2014.

However, the school did not file a police complaint the same day. A formal complaint came to be filed only on April 7, when a mob of other parents gathered at the school and ransacked the place.

The headmistress of the school, in her complaint, alleged that attendant Amol Sherker sexually abused the student in a moving bus on multiple occasions, and that the driver of the vehicle, Vinayak Karanje, was aware of the incident and hence should be charged with abetting.

Police immediately registered a case and the very next day arrested the two accused.

A year on, Special Judge Prachi P Kulkarni has found the attendant guilty of the crime, while the driver has been acquitted. “Amol Maruti Sherkar is hereby convicted for the offence punishable under Section 376(2)(i) (rape) and 354 (molestation) of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 5(m) read with 6 and under Section 7 read with 8 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012,” states the order issued by the Judge on March

27. The driver Vinayak Bhikaji Karanje was acquitted on the grounds that he was focusing on driving the vehicle when the attendant abused the child.

The Judge lauded the victim’s parents and at the same time pulled up the school for not reporting the incident on the day they were alerted.

The crime The incident came to light when the four-year-old told her mother about the sexual abuse by the attendant, whom she referred to as Amolkaka. The bus would pick the child and drop her home every day. On April 1, 2014, Sherkar inappropriately touched the child. The abuse went on for next three days. When the child narrated the incident to her mother, she contacted other parents to find out if the same was happening with their children. While none of the parents reported such incidents, the mother approached the school on April 5.

The school management did not initiate action immediately. On April 7, around 500 parents gathered at the school and demanded immediate action. It was only then that the headmistress of the school approached Deccan police station.

School pulled up The court found school’s role far from proactive. The Judge noted in the order that after the mother approached them, the management should have acted immediately. “The school authorities have not reacted properly. When the matter came to the knowledge of school authority on 05-04-2014 at 12 noon, it was the duty of the school authorities to inform

the matter to the police immediately as their own employee is involved in the matter under The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (sic),” the court order states.

Lauds victim’s mother The court praised the victim’s mother. “I found the lonely fight of mother for recording of evidence even though she was not feeling well. Parents should be appreciated for giving the shelter, help and care to the child and fighting for justice. Even if we consider this case with all angles and considering all submissions of other side, we have to say that mother is strong mother and she really fought for justice,” remarked Judge Prachi P Kulkarni.

No mercy for the accused During the trial, Sherkar wanted the court to be lenient with him as he was the only earning member of his family.

However, the court did not consider his plea. “A small girl of 4 years faced aggravated penetrative sexual assault when she was in the custody of accused No. 1 (Sherkar) in the school bus and, therefore, by committing the breach of trust of parents committed sexual assault on such a minor girl who is helpless, unable to know what is going on and small girl faced such trauma and, therefore, such act should not be tolerated. The act of accused No. 1 is heinous and lesson should go to entire society that if the minor girl is sexually assaulted, it will not be tolerated at all (sic),” the order states. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

Banks are fleecing us P14

P11

— Arvind Shinde, Opposition leader, PMC

BY PRIYANKKA DESHPANDE @journopriyankka

PUNE

What is Manodhairya scheme?

Manodhairya Yojana was introduced on October 2, 2013, to provide swift monetary compensation and relief to survivors of rape and acid attacks. District Criminal and Injuries Boards were formed in all the districts to look at all the cases record such cases and then send the information to the WCW department where compensation for the victims is approved, between `2 lakh to `3 lakh. According to the Government Resolution, survivors should get compensation within 15 days after their FIR is lodged.

The state administration claims that they do not have a clear picture of how much money has actually gone out to the victims as district committees are yet to submit their reports. DV Desavale, deputy commissioner of State Women and Child Development department told TGS that the total provision for the scheme in the year 2014-15 was `35 Crore out of which 34.22 Crore has been disbursed to district committees. “We have not yet compiled the records to ascertain how much of the money disbursed to districts has actually gone out to the victims,” said Desavale.

No more traffic jams Pune police chief comes down heavily on officers who cause traffic jams while trying to nab criminals

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke After a spate of chain-snatching incidents last week, the new city police commissioner K K Pathak himself descended on the city roads, and monitored the law and order situation, especially street crimes. However, Pathak was taken aback after seeing how the nakabandi was carried out by his subordinates.

Pathak has pulled up his policemen for causing serious traffic jams at Kothrud, Satara Road, Shivajinagar and other busy areas of the city. There were long queues of vehicles as late as 10 pm owing to the nakabandi in different parts of the city. Pathak, who drove around the city, was distressed over the inconvenience to the common people.

Earlier this week, Pathak pulled up his staff over the issue. He has urged his men to select ideal locations for the nakabandi, as well as to install barricades in the proper manner.

His diktat is to stop and investigate only those vehicle-users who seem suspicious or area flouting traffic laws instead of a random stop and search method. His order is simple nakabandi should not result in traffic snarls.

Pathak told The Golden Sparrow on Saturday that he has looked into the issue and that Puneites will not be made to suffer henceforth owing to nakabandi. Insiders reveal that the police chief pulled up police station staff and two senior officers over the issue.

Senior officers said that Pathak was

KK Pathak, Pune police commissioner

annoyed with the improper placement of the barricades which was causing the traffic jam-like situations. He was also unhappy over the selection of unsuitable spots for the nakabandi.

“People were returning home after a day’s hard work and faced with traffic jams,” the officer said.

Pathak has assured that he would deal with street crime and organised crime in the city on a priority basis. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

TECH

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

PUNE

Spammer get 1 response to every 12 million emails they send (yet it still makes them a small profit).

— http://didyouknow.org/

History unearthed in a quest to fix a pipe

Roadside food stalls eat up footpath

P 13

P 15

Scientists create the Invisible Man Swedish researchers have created an intuitive illusion of having an invisible body among people in the lab Swedish scientists have created for the fi rst time in the lab a perceptual illusion of having an invisible body among humans.

The experiment involved 125 participants standing up and wearing a set of head-mounted displays.

The participants were then asked to look down at their bodies but instead of their real bodies, they saw empty space.

To evoke the feeling of having an invisible body, scientists touched participants’ body in various locations with a large paintbrush while, with another paintbrush held in the other hand, exactly imitating the movements in mid-air in full view of the participants.

“Within less than a minute, the majority of the participants started to transfer the sensation of touch to the portion of empty space where they saw the paintbrush move and experienced an invisible body in that position,” explained Arvid Guterstam, lead author from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

In a previous study, the same team showed that the same illusion can be created for a single hand.

“The present study demonstrates that the ‘invisible hand illusion’ can, surprisingly, be extended to an entire invisible body,” he noted. To demonstrate that the illusion actually worked, the researchers would make a stabbing motion with a knife toward the empty space that represented the belly of the invisible body.

Sensor to help robots read human expressions A team of researchers here has created a stretchable and transparent sensor that could help robots read human facial expressions -- from smiling and frowning to brow-furrowing and eyerolling.

Nae-Eung Lee from the Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul and colleagues developed the ultrasensitive and wearable sensor by layering a carbon nanotube fi lm on two different kinds of electricallyconductive elastomers.

They found it could tell whether people were laughing or crying and where they were looking.

“In addition to applications in robotics, the sensors could be used to monitor heartbeats, breathing, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and other health-related cues,” Lee said.

The new sensor detect facial movements, including slight changes in gaze.

“One way to make interactions between people and robots more intuitive would be to endow machines with the ability to read their users’ emotions and respond with a computer version of empathy,” Lee added.

The technology, reported in the journal ACS Nano, can help robot developers make their machines more human.

IANS

Scientists for the primary time in lab created a perceptual illusion of getting an invisible physique amongst people

The participants’ sweat response to seeing the knife was elevated while experiencing the illusion but absent when the illusion was broken.

“It suggests that the brain interprets the threat in empty space as a threat directed toward one’s own body,” the authors noted.

In another experiment, the team examined whether the feeling of invisibility affects social anxiety by placing the participants in front of an audience of strangers.

“We found that their heart rate and self-reported stress level during the ‘performance’ was lower when they experienced the invisible body illusion,” Guterstam noted.

The results are interesting because they show that the perceived physical quality of the body can change the way our brain processes social cues.

The results suggest that the feeling of invisibility changes our physical stress response in challenging social situations.

The power of invisibility has long fascinated man and inspired the works of many great authors and philosophers such as renowned science fiction writer H.G. Wells who wrote “The Invisible Man”.

Recent advances in materials science have shown that invisibility cloaking of large-scale objects such as a human body might be possible in the not-so-distant future.

IANS

App to help boozers fight the urge Now an app to daignose your drinking habits and help you reduce your dependence on alcohol Melbourne: A smartphone app has been designed to help people reduce their dependence on alcohol. The app diagnoses your drinking habits and measures how healthy, risky or dangerous they may be.

It then offers a range of challenges to complete instead of drinking such as sober karaoke, drink-free dating and being the designated driver on nights out, Herald Sun reported.

Chris Raine of the Australia-based notfor-profit movement Hello Sunday Morning

said the new app pushed education into the tech space and empowered people to seek simple, fast advice at the touch of their smartphone.

“It’s really exciting. There is a big need for it in Australia and around the world to help people change their drinking habits,” Raine was quoted as saying.

“It’s an easy way to help people,” he added. The app, powered by Vodafone and funded by the Abbott government, also allows users to see how many other people in

See-through displays and ‘smart’ windows Scientists have developed transparent light shutters that may soon pave the way for see-through displays and ‘smart’ windows. The novel liquid crystal technology allows displays to fl ip between transparent and opaque states -- hypothetically letting you switch your view in less than a millisecond from urban decay to the beautiful river across the street.

The idea of transparent displays has been around for a few years, but actually creating them from conventional organic light-emitting diodes has proven difficult. “The transparent part is continuously open to the background. As a result, they exhibit poor visibility,” said Tae-Hoon Yoon, primary investigator from the Pusan National University in South Korea. Light shutters, which use liquid crystals that can be switched between transparent and opaque states by scattering or absorbing the incident

light, are one proposed solution to these obstacles, but they come with their own set of problems. Yoon’s group’s new design remedies these problems by using scattering and absorption simultaneously.

To do this, Yoon’s group fabricated polymer-networked liquid crystals cells doped with dichroic dyes used in the LCD industry.

In their design, the polymer network structure scatters incident, or oncoming light, which is then absorbed by the dichroic dyes. The light shutters use a parallel pattern of electrodes located above and below the vertically aligned liquid crystals. “The incident light is absorbed, but we can still see through the background with reduced light intensity,” Yoon noted.

Yoon’s group is working on to increase and decrease the device’s transmittance at the transparent and opaque states.

IANS

their pub, club or local area are going boozefree and completing the same challenges.

Australasian College for Emergency Medicine chair Diana Egerton-Warburton predicted the app would be a success because it helped build awareness of people’s own habits.

Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash said the app would appeal to tech-savvy Australians, who could use their phone to monitor their health.

IANS

Six-month-olds are using mobile phones: Survey More than one-third of babies are tapping on smartphones and tablets even before they learn to walk or talk, a USbased survey shows. Experts warn, however, that the habit could be harmful for a child’s development, despite the promises of cellphone ‘learning apps.’

By the age of one, one in every seven toddlers is using devices for at least an hour a day, the findings showed.

“We did not expect children were using the devices from the age of six months,” said lead author Hilda Kabali from Einstein Healthcare Network in the US. Even the researchers were stunned by how early the kids had been handed cellphones by their parents.

“Some children were on the screen for as long as 30 minutes,” Kabali noted. The researchers developed a 20-item survey to find out, when young children are fi rst exposed to mobile media and how they use devices.

Parents of children ages six months to four years old, who were at a hospital-based paediatric clinic that serves a low-income, minority community were recruited to fi ll out the survey.

IANS

Why smartphone batteries explode?

Scientists have been able to track the entire process of what happens inside lithium-ion batteries that leads to their overheating and exploding. “Understanding how Liion batteries fail and potentially cause a dangerous chain reaction of events is important for improving their design to making them safer to use and transport,” said the scientists.

“We combined high energy synchrotron X-rays and thermal imaging to map changes to the internal structure and external temperature of two types of Li-ion batteries

as we exposed them to extreme levels of heat,” said fi rst author Donal Finegan from University College London (UCL).

The team looked at the effects of gas pockets forming, venting and increasing temperatures on the layers inside two distinct commercial Li-ion batteries as they exposed the battery shells to temperatures in excess of 250 degrees Celsius.

The battery with an internal support remained largely intact up until the initiation of thermal runaway, at which point the copper material inside the cell

melted indicating temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Celsius.

Th is heat spread from the inside to the outside of the battery causing thermal runaway. In contrast, the battery without an internal support exploded causing the entire cap of the battery to detach and its contents to eject. Prior to thermal runaway, the tightly packed core collapsed,

increasing the risk of severe internal short circuits and damage to neighbouring objects.

“Hopefully from using our method, the design of safety features of batteries can be evaluated and improved,” said corresponding author Paul Shearing, also from UCL. The findings were published in Nature Communications.

IANS

APP WORLD

Impress or annoy your friends online Dubsmash iOS/Android, Free Have you noticed how meme culture is on fire? How many times have you been on Facebook and seen someone respond to a post with a comment that includes a popular meme or a CID joke? You too can be cool/ irritating on social media with the right apps. Dubsmash lets you take this to the next level. The premise is simple: the app comes with a large library of sounds, including one-liners, popular movie dialogues and such.

You use your device’s front-facing camera to lip-sync to that sound and create a short video. It’s unbelievably simple and a surprisingly fun way to communicate. It took me a while to ‘get’ it, but since I did, it’s a quirky, enjoyable way to keep in touch. Especially useful when you need to break the ice.

You can even add text and filters to your dubbed videos, which can then be shared across social media, WhatsApp, whatever, and that’s basically the point. With great power comes great responsibility, so use this app wisely. It has the power to impress or annoy.

Riffsy GIF Keyboard iOS Free (with in-app purchase) If Dubsmash is taking internet communications to the next, ridiculous level, Riffsy is where it’s at today. For the uninitiated, a GIF is basically a moving image, like a short video, and there are an infinite number of them on the web. The idea is to use an image as a response to a comment, social post or some such. For instance, you could post a GIF of a filmi maa with tears in her eyes to a particularly sentimental tweet by a particularly dramatic friend. You get the (moving) picture.

Riffsy is iOS only, though there are many similar keyboards available on Android. It’s a custom keyboard much like SwiftKey or Swype, except that it allows you to browse and post GIFs from the keyboard interface.

You can even search for specific types of GIFs directly from the interface. Depending on where you want to post your poignant or annoying GIF, Riffsy works slightly differently. For instance, you can send a GIF directly via iOS’ iMessage system, but for WhatsApp, the app saves the GIF as a video to your camera roll first, which you can then upload on your super-annoying jokes group. You can even find “trending” GIFs, though expectedly, those images appear to be those that are popular where the app is, which is to say, not here.

I find myself using Riffsy quite often, even though I was born before the Internet existed. You should too. You owe it to your WhatsApp groups.

Hindi transliteration keyboard

by KeyNounce iOS Free (with in-app purchase) Let’s face it, we’re all at least bilingual, and often more. Hinglish, and other mish-mashes of languages that we use are essential to the way we communicate online. With mobile phones in particular, this can be a hassle. For many of us with English-first mobile devices, the operating systems are tuned to auto-correct English language words. This can be painful when typing proper nouns: names, streets, landmarks etc. It’s even more annoying when you want to type words of a regional language using the English alphabet. Enter KeyNounce.

KeyNounce Hindi allows you to type Hindi words using the English alphabet, and it pops up suggestions in Devnagari script. It works a bit like Google Transliterate (which works great, by the way) but it’s integrated into iOS as an add-on keyboard. Type English, output Hindi/ Devnagari, it’s just that simple. KeyNounce even allows you to skip the hindi output altogether if you actually mean to type in English in between your Hindi. For many of us who’ve grown up using English-only mobile devices, being able to communicate in Hindi as simply as this is quite a boon, and particularly useful for those comedic moments and jokes that simply can’t be translated.

There is a downside to KeyNounce, however. Like many iOS add-on keyboards, it can act a bit flaky at times.

Sometimes you want to switch to another/regular keyboard and that can be a bit sluggish. If you have several add-on keyboards installed, it can also be confusing. iOS does include a proper Devnagari keyboard, so if you’re comfortable with that, you’re set. But if you’re an English-medium city rat with a penchant for Hindi one-liners, KeyNounce is for you.

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

“We are committed to partnering in India’s economic growth by enabling the right ecosystem.The Agra B2B e-commerce launch is a step towards the same” — David Cheesewright, Chief executive, Walmart

“We are satisfied with the volume growth considering the current economic environment and our profitability grew on account of our continuous focus on bottomline (profit)” — Sunil Mathur, Managing Director, Siemens

They help you settle down

The next time you shift to a new city, just remember all the services are at your doorstep if you subscribe to these apps

BY GAZAL GUPTA

New to a city and still trying to find your moorings? Fret not, for there’s a slew of smartphone apps that can help you settle down smoothly.

Apps like TimesSaverz, PepperTap and Urbanclap help you seamlessly sift through challenges such as locating an ATM, finding groceries, home fittings, the nearest dry cleaner and the plumber et al.

You can buy fresh fruits, vegetables and groceries while sitting at home with just a click on PepperTap and can be connected to the right trusted service professionals with the help of UrbanClap.

Quality home-based services from cleaning to all sorts of repairs can be availed of through Timessaverz.

Consumers can place their orders PepperTap, launched in November through the mobile app for delivery 2014, is a hyper local grocery delivery within two hours, making it one of the service which provides an exhaustive fastest services list of grocery products of its kind. whenever and wherever The app is you want. available for Currently, the services both Android are available throughout and Apple’s Gurgaon with highly iOS platforms. competitive prices along T h e with no-questions-asked venture has return policy but is set to received Series quickly expand.

A funding of “The daily struggles $10 million ( of grocery shopping used `60 crore) from to kill my family time, SAIF Partners especially during the - RAGHAV CHANDRA, URBANCLAP and Sequoia weekend. I had always Capital. wished for a solution “ T h e wherein a chore like funding will be grocery shopping could be leveraged for expanding the reach of done for me,” PepperTap co-founder PepperTap to 10 more cities by the end Navneet Singh said.

“We plan to scale up the platform across hundreds of services and multiple cities”

of the year,” said Navneet Singh, who wants to take PepperTap from a singlecity operation to a pan-India one.

Then, TimesSaverz, one of India’s fi rst on-demand home-based service, delivers various services to one’s doorstep - from cleaning, repairs, handyman jobs to running errands and doing paperwork.

Debadutta Upadhyaya, CEO and co-founder of TimeSaverz, which was founded in April 2013, said: “It is a combination of personal experience around the struggle for getting the right help for the right price at the right time in the metros, more so if you are a nuclear working couple family, without any support system.”

TimeSaverz provides its services in Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru. It says that each of its agents is taken on only after thorough background checks.

It provides services at market

PUNE

rates or even lower. IT professional Asha Jain, 32, who recently shifted to Bengaluru shared her experience: “I moved to the city with little knowledge of the area and having no friends around made my situation worse. Then I used TimesSaverz and ordered cleaning services and they did a fabulous job.”

UrbanClap, another start-up based in Delhi, helps users get the best professional services in areas like interior decoration, photography, event management and the like.

Whether you are looking to decorate your home, get candid pictures of your wedding, planning your child’s birthday or just get healthier, UrbanClap is the destination for all your service needs. It connects online users with off line businesses.

“Painful memories from the past, finding a guitar teacher, a home designer, tailor, wedding decorator, a house broker motivated us to launch UrbanClap,” Varun Khaitan, who co-founded UrbanClap in October 2014, said.

It’s the simplest way to fi nd and hire trusted professionals, claim the founders.

The venture has raised `10 crore in funding from SAIF Partners, Accel Partners and Snapdeal founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal.

“The platform is already making thousands of successful connections every week and with the backing of our investors, we plan to scale up the platform across hundreds of services and multiple cities,” UrbanClap’s Raghav Chandra said.

IANS

LuvIt to take on chocolate biggies

Chennai: Global Consumer Products, the packaged foods start-up launching its LuvIT chocolate brand on Tuesday, is in talks with some foreign companies for technology to launch new varieties, a top official of the company said.

The move appears to be aimed at taking on chocolate biggies.The company will soon launch beverages and snacks too, the official said.

“We will fi rst focus on the southern markets and later go national with our LuvIt range.

Following an asset-light policy we have outsourced the chocolate production while forming our own sales and distribution network,” A. M a h e n d r a n , chairman and managing director, Global Consumer Products, told reporters here.

The Mumbaibased company, formed a year ago, has secured ` 315 crore funding from Goldman Sachs and Mitsui Global.

According to Anuradha Narasimhan, executive vice president, the company is targeting the youth segment in the 15-30 age group for its chocolates.

Speaking about the overall chocolate industry, Narasimhan said the domestic market size is of around ` 7,000 crore and growing at 25 percent annually.

“There is high scope for differentiation and growth. The

southern markets accounts for around 30 percent of the national market of which Tamil Nadu is the largest,” Narasimhan said.

According to Mahendran, the company has signed up with Tamil/ Telugu movie actor Siddharth as the brand ambassador.

“Th is is perhaps the fi rst time a Tamil actor has been engaged as a brand ambassador for a chocolate brand,” Mahendran said.

Curiously, while the leading chocolate brand conveys the idea of sharing its brand philosophy, Global Consumer Products gives a slight twist to its brand philosophy.

The brand’s philosophy says the product is too good to be shared and if anybody shares the chocolate, beware of the hidden agenda.

The product’s commercial featuring Siddharth also dwells on the theme ‘beware if shared’.

The company has come up with nine variants of LuvIt in different chocolate formats like moulded chocolates, enrobed wafers, panned chocolates and caramel-nougat bars at price points ranging between ` 5 and ` 45.

The other major players in the chocolate segment are Mondelez International, Nestle India, and Mars International India, among others.

IANS

“We will first focus on the southern markets and later go national with our LuvIt range”

Eye test now at home via phone A start-up has launched the world’s fi rst smartphone-assisted eye tools here that can check your eyes in the comfort of your home and nullify the bulky machines visible in an ophthalmologist’s office.

The eye exam tools are part of the app called ‘Blink’. It is administered by a technician who uses a trio of handheld devices that take the place of the autorefractor, lensmeter and phoropter equipment, MIT Technology Review reported.

“The Blink screening process takes about 20 minutes,” said David Schafran, co-founder and chief product officer for Blink.

If the app determines you need an eyeglass prescription, the technician will send results of the screening to an optometrist, who will send you a prescription within 24 hours.

The home visit for eye tests will

cost $75 (Rs.4,700). The Blink’s fi rst eye exam tool includes a black device that looks like a View-Master with a smartphone bolted to it.

It replaces an autorefractor for measuring your level of focusing error.

The device uses a Blink app shown on the smartphone’s display to shine red and green beams of light at your eyes. You line up these beams with a dial and the app figures out your refractive error by measuring the difference between where the beams are on the screen and how much you adjust them.

Another device uses smartphone to do the job of a lensmeter which measures the prescription strength of your existing glasses.

To do this, a smartphone running the Blink app is placed in the device, eyeglasses are slid between the phone and the device and a picture is taken

of a pattern beneath the eyeglass lens with the phone’s camera.

A third device stands in for a phoropter which helps determine the specific strength of the lens prescription you need by letting you try different lenses and settings while looking at an eye chart.

The tools are developed by EyeNetra, a startup that has been working for several years on smartphone-connected eye-exam tools. The Blink tools join a growing number of smartphone-connected diagnostic gadgets that companies hope will make it simpler and cheaper for anyone to diagnose health problems.

Th is could reduce health-care costs and make it easier for people to get medical help even if they do not live near a doctor’s office, the report added.

IANS

THE FASTEST READS ON THE WEB

Mobile startup Tapcibo rebrands to Dazo Bengaluru-based mobile-only startup Dazo (previously called Tapcibo) seems to be riding high on this investor interest as it announced a new round of funding. The startup is serving 150+ orders on a daily basis.

Lunch currently forms 75-80% of those numbers. The startup is seeing high number of repeat orders with the average customer ordering 2-3 times a week. The app has been downloaded over 4000 times and has a rating of 4.4 on the Play store. Dazo is an Android app that can be used to order food ondemand. Previously called Tapcibo, the startup was founded by Shashaank Shekhar Singhal (ex-redBus director of mobile products) and Monica Rastogi (founder of Explore-in-Android).

PiQube secures $500K from The HR Fund

Food delivery startup Grab raises $1 M

Food delivery segment seems to be the hottest zone attracting investors money. Grab.in (formerly Grab a Grub) has raised $1 million from Oliphans Capital and independent investor Haresh Chawla. The funding will enable Grab to expand in new markets like Pune and other cities in the near future. The company plans on deploying 800 riders in Pune enabling it to deliver 7000 orders daily across 700 outlets. Founded by Jignesh Patel, Nishant Vora and Pratish Sanghvi Grab is a food logistics fi rm.

Chennai-based HR startup PiQube has raised $500K from The HR Fund.

Following the round, HR Fund will join the company’s board. PiQube will use investment primarily for expanding its technology and sales team along with aggressive geographic expansion – both within India and the South East Asia. The HR Fund (the company, the Fund) is India’s fi rst human resources focused private investment company with a vision to institutionalise HR entrepreneurship.

The brainchild of Jayadev Mahalingam, PiQube is a hiring intelligence tool that mimics a recruiter’s brain through use of analytics and machine learning.

We have more hooning and sliding action on our YouTube channel. Subscribe and comment.

Four cylinders, four doors, all-wheel drive. The CLA 45 AMG and Evo X misbehaving around the hills.

Wet conditions and the Jaguar V8 R Coupe addup to an impossibly fun afternoon spent mostly sideways.

We went to the top of the world in an insane rally Thar and a Suzuki V-Strom 1000. We came back too.

Look our for the alive logo in the magazine to watch the action unfold

Going back to when Toyota’s were cool, we drive a custom Supra with a big turbo and come away scared, and maybe a bit wistful.

w w w. a l iv e a r. c o m

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY

PUNE

WE WANT THE WORLD

MAY 2, 2015

PICS BY RAHUL RAUT

PRIYANKKA DESHPANDE @journopriyankka

AND WE WANT IT NOW Sheetal Kamble and many others like her are fighting against all odds to change their destiny. TGS takes a closer look at the lives of the youth hailing from remote areas, struggling to make it big in Pune

PUNE

Born in extreme poverty, hailing from remote areas, sons and daughters of farm labourers or small farmers, these youngsters barely stood a chance of making it big.

With little or no resources at their disposal, they, like most others around them, had almost surrendered to their fate. But the zeal to fight and break away from the shackles binding their families for generations made them struggle. The end result is for everyone to see.

Slowly and steadily their long and obdurate struggle is paying off. Armed with basic degrees and specialisation diplomas, likes of Pandurang Thorat, Vikas Kumar Tupsoundar, Shankar Gangasagar, Sheetal Kamble and Pravin Gawai are becoming an inspiration for others around them. Coming from remote villages, where even basic amenities like water, electricity and health services are luxury, the youngsters are venturing into BPOs, laboratories, and other arenas, giving their urban counterparts a run for their skills.

Mind you, their journey so far hasn’t been easy.

Starting off with focusing on education when most others around them were toiling on fields, then moving to Pune with a dream of making it big and ultimately

struggling to make ends meet, their journey has been far from comfortable.

In the initial days, they all had to rely on their distant relatives for shelter or sleep on the streets, live off just one meal a day and at times even go hungry, take up menial jobs despite holding graduate and post graduate degrees, face humiliation and rejection just because they hailed from remote areas, the list is endless. The only thing that kept them going is the desire to make it big someday and break away from the shackles of poverty.

Their struggle is finally beginning to pay off. Thorat has taken up a job with a BPO, Tupsoundar is pursuing engineering, Gangasagar works as a surveyor now, Kamble has taken up a job as lab technician, Gawai works as a cashier in a mall. This is not their ultimate goal in life, but just the beginning. Each one of them is striving to make it big in their own way. Theirs is the story of several lakh youngsters who leave their villages every year and move to cities with a hope.

Helping these youngsters realise their dreams is institutes like Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute (BARTI) and All India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG). The two organisations have designed short term professional courses for the youth from Schedule Caste (SC) category.

SHEETAL KAMBLE

VIKAS KUMAR TUPSOUNDAR

Every morning 25-year-old spends a couple of hours cooking and cleaning up her house. Her next chore is to get ready and head to the lab where she works as a technician. Once she is back from wok, she attends to household chores and starts studying for competitive exams. There is not a minute in Sheetal’s life when she can breathe easy.

Her struggle began as a child. When she was barely five years old, her mother and three siblings came to Pune in search of means of livelihood. Their tiny farm in Mohol, Solapur was not enough to feed the family of six. Her father stayed behind to

Hailing from a village where hailstorms are common, Vikas had won half his battle when he stood first in civil engineering diploma course. Growing up years weren’t easy for Vikas. His family owns an acre of land in Karkamb village near Pandharpur. But due to frequent hailstorms, the farm yields crops worth mere ` 25,000 every year.

“Frequent hailstorm in the area has destroyed our farm. However, my parents did not let that affect my studies ever,” said Vikas. He enrolled for a diploma course in civil engineering in a college in Pandharpur.

For the first two years, he had to struggle a lot just to get to his college from his village, 45 kms away. “I would either get onto a bus or hitch a ride from a truck just to get to my college. Public transport was not all the great. In the final year, I moved to a hostel, as my parents did not want my studies to be affected,” said Vikas. In order to pay for his hostel fees, he used to work in college library. After securing first place in Pandharpur college, Vikas decided not to give up on his studies. He is now pursuing a degree in civil engineering from a Pune college.

Couple of years ago, when Vikas came to Pune, he started working part time in his college, just so that he would not become a burden on his parents. In his second year, the 22-year-old now receives a fixed sum from his parents just so that he can stop working part time, and focus entirely on his studies.

“My parents send me a small amount just so that my studies do not take a back seat. My struggle is far from over. I have not yet decided what I want to be, but now my only goal is to successfully complete engineering and make my parents feel proud,” said Vikas. Simultaneously, he has completed three months diploma in BPO and has plans of working would during his summer vacations.

look after the farm. Over the years, her father has been toiling and sending the family meager sum. Her mother and the children put together also are able to earn enough to feed as many mouths.

“The agricultural income from our farm was not fixed and therefore my elder sister and I started working since our school days. I used to work as a data entry operator,” said Sheetal. She somehow completed her bachelor’s degree in arts. Knowing fully well that the degree would not get her too far, she took up a diploma course from AIILSG. “Sometimes I

wish I was born rich. Things would be so much easier for me.

I have to put in a lot of effort to prove myself,” said Sheetal, who work as lab technician in Kothrud.

Couple of years back, Sheetal was detected with sickle-cell disease, which leads to body pain and organ damage. “Every year I have to spend a lot on medicines and blood transfusion,” she said. However, she is far from bogged down by these ‘trivial issues’. The 25-year-old is now preparing for sales tax inspector’s exams scheduled to be held in December this year.

SHANKAR GANGASAGAR The man in his early 20s has no idea what his age is. But standing in scorching heat, Shankar does not err in getting the numbers right while taking measurements of a plot. Hailing from Palsa village, 53 kms from Nanded, Shankar works as a surveyor with a private engineering firm in Pune.

Shankar went to a Zilla Parishad’s school and graduated in political science. His parents work relentlessly on their two acre farm. But since theirs is a drought prone village, they are just able to earn ` 60,000 per annum from groundnut cultivation.

“For years we have been struggling to make ends meet. Ours is a family of five including my parents and two siblings. With meager income, we somehow managed to survive. My parents encouraged all of us to study despite our financial condition,” said Shankar. Not so long ago, Shankar had the dream of joining the Indian Army, which would mean that he would get to serve the country and at the same time help his parents alleviate from poverty. However, things did not quite work out as planned. “My dream was shattered because my height is less than 170 cm, mandatory for recruitment in the Indian Army. But I did not give up. I decided to come to Pune and change my destiny,” said Shankar.

In Pune, he took up an Autocad course, and immediately after completing it, joined the private firm as a surveyor. These days, he earns ` 9,000 per month, all of which he makes it a point to send to his parents. “My company takes care of my food and shelter. With the money I send home every month, my parents ensure that my younger sister who is in HSC these days is able to focus on her studies,” says Shankar. Living in a company rented apartment at Upper Indira Nagar, Shankar is preparing for police sub inspector’s exams these days. “I have failed thrice in these exams, but I am not willing to give as yet. Once I return from work, I sit down to study sincerely. This time I am sure I will clear the exams,” said Shankar.

PANDURANG THORAT a BPO course being offered by AIILSG for scheduled class students free of cost. He enrolled for the three months course.

The vocational course helped him secure a job with a local BPO. His salary now is mere Rs 3,000. He has taken up a small room on BT Kawde Road on rent and ends up shelling out Rs 800 every month for it.

“I work in the BPO for five hours every day from 6 pm to 11 pm. Major portion of my salary goes in paying rent and buying two meals a day. I so wish that I could send some money home very month. But soon I will make that happen,” said dreamy eyed Pandurang, while getting ready for work. These days, the 26 year old is preparing for civil services’ competitive exams.

“After coming back from work at 11 pm, I sit down to study. I have made it a point to put in five to six hours every day on my studies so that I am able to clear my exams. Someday I will be able to go back home and tell my parents to stop working on the fields as labourers,” concluded Pandurang.

Pandurang (26) grew up in extreme poverty. His parents are farm labourers in Anandwadi village, Ahmednagar district. He grew up seeing other children around him joining their parents on the farms and adding to the family income. However, Pandurang’s parents, who even now make mere Rs 320 a month, never wanted him to become like the rest of them. They encouraged him to take up studies. In his growing up days, he took up menial jobs just to pay for his education. He managed to complete post graduation in arts.

Armed with a post graduate degree, Pandurang’s natural choice was to head to a city and make it big. However, things were far from what he thought they would be. Once he reached Pune nine months ago, he realised that the degree had little or no meaning and there were post graduates sitting unemployed across the city. Instead of accepting defeat and heading back home to

join his parents on a farm, Pandurang decided to stick around, no matter how tough it got.

He stayed with his sister, who is also not so financially well off.

“I used to do all the domestic chores around the house just so that I was not a burden on her and her family. Simultaneously I kept looking for jobs, but wasn’t so lucky on that count,” said Pandurang.

Rather than accepting defeat Pandurang started working in a grocery store as a helper.

While working there he got to know about

PRAVIN GAWAI A year ago when Pravin came to know, he was completely lost. With not to show in the name of formal education, the only skill that 25 year old knew was farming. However, that was no good in Pune.

Hailing from, Asa village in Buldhana, Pravin had to give up studies after clearing HSC due to financial crisis in his household. He started working with his parents as a farm labourer. Back then, Pravin had given up hope of doing anything other than work on somebody else’s farm.

Just when he had resigned to his fate, one of his friends told him about short term vocational courses being offered free of cost to those from scheduled caste.

He jumped at the opportunity. His

AUTHORITY SPEAK

parents too encouraged him. A year ago he came to Pune and took admission in three months course in fashion retail management offered by AIILSG. Sharing a small room with five others, Pravin has been able to complete the course and has joined a mall.

Initially his role was that of a floor staff.

“Recently, I have been promoted as a cashier in the mall. I send a chunk of my salary to my parents, who spend it on my younger brother’s studies. My brother is in SSC and my parents want him to pursue studies seriously, unlike me,” said Pravin.

Far from content with his current situation, the restless 25-year-old is all set to pick up his books all over again. He wants to complete his graduation and eventually go abroad to study retail management.

Shivram Chavan, Director of AIILSG The director of All India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG) explained that all the courses offered at the institute are funded by the Prime Minister’s Skill Development Programme Mission for scheduled caste students. “The courses are absolutely free of cost.

Presently there are six courses in IT, retail management, construction, production, BPO and health sector being offered at the centre.

Over thousand students have so far availed facilities of these professional courses since the institute’s inception in the year 2000.

We have been successful in giving placements by tying up with various companies in Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Solapur and Kolhapur. Every batch has 30 students.

Genuine candidates are selected by conducting written exams and interviews. After the completion of the course, students are referred for campus interviews depending on the requirement of companies we have tied up with.”

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

PUNE

Banks are fleecing us P14

“The people of Nepal and Tibetans have been neighbours throughout history and many Tibetan refugees live in Nepal. I offer my condolences to you and to those who have lost members of their families, friends and their homes in this tragedy.”

— Dalai Lama

5,000-yearold astrological tradition thrives in Punjab

BY JAIDEEP SARIN Hoshiarpur, Punjab: Just asking for an address in the Railway Mandi area of this Punjab might elicit blank stares.

But the moment I uttered the word ‘Brighu’, I was not even allowed to say anything more and the directions followed to the T. The ‘Brighuan di gali’ (street of the Brighu astrologers) is a destination for people from all parts of the country and even from abroad as they seek out the Brighu Shastris who, despite facing stiff competition from Internetdriven modern-day astrology, still rely on the Brighu Samhita, a religious book (granth) that, as per legend, was penned by Rishi Brighu over 5,000 years ago. “We continue to get a lot of people from all over the country and from across the world. Many of those coming here include foreigners and NRIs,” Brighu Shastri Ramanuj Sharma said.

“Foreigners are great believers in the Brighu tradition. They are leaning towards traditional concepts like Brighu astrology, meditation and vegetarianism.

Followers of the Brighu tradition come from all religions,” said Sharma, who has a doctorate in Sanskrit.

He said that the Brighu Samhita has been safely kept in the common storehouse of three families here. “The granth lies in a strongroom and weighs tonnes. An index has been devised for the available pages of the granth so that only the required portions are picked up when required,” said Sharma, 43, a third-generation Brighu Shastri in his family.

Once an individual shares with the Brighu Shastri his details like name, date and place of birth, parents’ name and the like, the search begins for his details in the Brighu Samhita. Since it is not physically possible to check all documents, the Brighu families have indexed them.

“If the name is found, the individual is called and told about his past lives and future. It is even mentioned in the documents whether the person has to be physically present to come and see his past and future. Everything is read from the exact document concerning that person and he is supposed to note it down. Sometimes, if the person, living abroad or, for some other reason, is unable to come, then our staff writes down for them and the same is e-mailed to them or sent by post,” Sharma pointed out about the process.

Politicians like former prime minister Indira Gandhi, union minister Maneka Gandhi and former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal and film stars Dharmendra, Hema Malini, among others, have come calling on the Brighu Shastris.

IANS

Indian doctors to Nepal’s rescue IANS

Doctors For You is an organisation that focuses on providing medical care to the vulnerable communities during crisis and non crisis situations

BY MELANIE MANN

A team of around 30 doctors from Doctors For You is on standby, while a smaller team is already in Nepal to Dr Ravikant, Singh assess the situation. The team of doctors from across the country is all set to work there for the next six months. TGS caught up with Dr Ravikant, Singh, founder of DFY. Tell me a bit about yourself and your background? What is Doctors For You, why and how did you start this Organisation?

I started this organisation called Doctors For You in August 2007 together with few of my colleagues and junior medical students. At that time there was a huge shortage of Platelets (one of blood component) in Mumbai because of outbreaks of Malaria, Dengue and Leptospirosis. Our hospital, KEM Hospital, which is the largest public hospital of Maharashtra state run out of Platelets. Due to the fact that I used to be a regular platelet donor at Tata Cancer Hospital I was aware that donating Platelet is a relatively simple process and you can donate platelet 24times in a year (Compare to blood donation which you can do maximum for 4 times in a year) So the idea came: Why not to start a Platelet Donation Drive among the students at KEM Hospital. Shortly after that we started out first platelet

donation and awareness drive. Great response was not only received from KEM Hospital but also from whole Mumbai.

SAARC Youth Award in 2009 for outstanding work done in the aftermath of natural disaster. After this we became involved in response to other disasters as well as like 2011 Orissa floods, 2012 Assam conflict, 2013 Uttarakhand floods, 2014 Assam violence and Jammu & Kashmir floods. Currently we are working in Nepal after recent earthquake.

What work have you and DFY been involved in the past?

In 2008 there was a massive flooding in Bihar state close to Nepal border. At that time we responded with around 45 doctors. Unfortunately, a doctor and close friend of mine died during that response. Despite such terrible event we decided to continue the response and relief work for the next six months. We set up a rural hospital that predominantly focused on maternal and child health, with a 24 hour delivery facility, immunization services and outpatient department.

For our continuous work and outstanding work done in natural disaster we got recognised nationally as well as internationally and received

What is the current status of your team in Nepal? What is the situation out there?

We have sent our four member team to do an initial assessment of the situation.

They have reached on Monday but currently face coordination and response problems. Nevertheless a part of our team is already in Nepal and has started the initial assessment and we are assuming to have a better picture of the current situation soon.

We have around 30 doctors

on stand-by including surgeons, orthopedics, gynecologists, pediatrician, nurses, public health experts as well as disaster response managers. We are ready to respond.

Initial assessment is on its way and collaboration with other organisations such as Mercy Malaysia and NSET is established. We are also coordinating with the Government of Nepal, WHO and UNOCHA. I assume projects that will be established in Nepal will initially be set out for three-six months but might ultimately run for up to two-five years, seeing the extensive need for aid.

How is Nepal response different from your previous work?

This is our first international response.

It is also the first time we are responding to an earthquake. Our previous response was mainly focused around floods and conflicts.

Fergusson College professor Gore awarded by UK, Ireland society for use of environmentally friendly organocatalysts and solvents in place of hazardous catalysts

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke Professor of Chemistry at the reputed Fergusson College, Pune, Dr Rohitkumar Gore and his team recently devised a breakthrough method to replace hazardous catalysts such as concentrated sulphuric acid and volatile and toxic solvents, by environmental friendly organocatalysts and solvents.

Eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals being a major concern worldwide, Gore and his two Irish colleagues, have been conferred with the prestigious Wesley Cocker award in the field of Chemistry, by the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI), UK and Ireland, for this landmark innovation.

They demonstrated the use of ‘Ionic Liquids’ as an efficient medium and solvent for many organic transformations. “The study and experiments proved that some hazardous chemicals can be substituted with organic substances to reduce chemical hazards on the nature. The

jury considered me after series of my articles were published in the Green Chemistry journal in 2013,” Gore said.

Gore, who acquired a PhD in the field of Organic Chemistry from Dublin University, spent four years in Ireland, from 2008 to 2012. He ABOUT PROFESSOR WESLEY COCKER Professor Wesley Cocker (19082007) was instrumental in establishing the Irish Section of the SCI in 1947. The award, named in his honour, is given to the best paper or patent on a topic of relevance to industrial chemistry, where the main author is a PhD or BSc student in Ireland, and is a member of the society.

The winner receives a cash prize of 500 and a year’s SCI membership, paid for by the SCI All Ireland Group. The award is presented at the Group’s AGM or other suitable event.

had previously worked at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune for two years.

Headquartered in London, the SCI was established in 1881. It is an inclusive, inter-disciplinary forum that connects scientists to advance the commercial application of chemistry and related sciences for public benefit.

Its members can access a growing network of member specialists from sectors as diverse as food and bio-renewables, water, waste and environment, energy, materials and manufacturing and health and wellbeing.

The research of Gore’s team was cited in international science journals such as Green Chemistry (Royal Society of Chemistry) and Current Green Chemistry (Bentham Science, 1 paper).

A chapter written by Gore, titled Ionic Liquids - New Aspects for the Future, has also been published in InTech. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

RAHUL RAUT

Pune professor wins UK, Ireland honours

What are the major challenges you are facing?

The major issue right now is that 90 per cent of the hospitals are damaged and many are not operational. The clinics which are functional are overf lowing with patients and are running out of supplies. Manpower is another problem. Not only doctors but paramedics, nurses and support staff are urgently needed.

Moreover, many people are staying out in the open, fearing further aftershocks. This is an issue as it exposes in particular the most vulnerable segment - children and pregnant women. With heavy rains already having started and open defecation being a common practice due to limited sanitation facilities, outbreak of diseases is an urgent concern.

There is furthermore a huge shortage of supplementary foods and breastfeeding support for high risk groups such as infants, pregnant and lactating mothers. It will be important to encourage positive infant and young children feeding practices and avoid powdered milk.

Most importantly, since everyone is focusing on sending clinical teams that deal with trauma and injuries, pregnant women are not getting medical attention. There are currently about 50.000 pregnant women who need reproductive health services.

On top of this, logistical issues have made the delivery of supplies difficult. This has been mainly created by the overwhelming arrival of teams and organisations. Also limited access to roads, particularly in rural areas is another challenge.

What are you hoping to achieve in the next few weeks?

We are hoping to mobilise our logistical supplies from our partner: US based Direct Relief to deploy to hospitals in Nepal during next week.

We are also aiming to support the Nepal government to rebuild the destroyed health facilities.

As malnutrition is another major issue and immunisation services have broken down, it increases the risk of a measles outbreak. We are hoping to support immunisation efforts.

This would include outreaches to rural areas with particular focus on under-five children and pregnant and lactating mothers.

Ultimately, we are hoping to set up a place that provides a safe environment for pregnant women to deliver. This should be linked to nutrition efforts including breastfeeding and micronutrient support. Simultaneously, we are struggling to raise funds for this big project. Our Target is to raise 35,000 USD for first six months period.

ENVIRONMENT

H EALTH

Watching TV makes kids gain weight

Watching television for as little as one hour a day can make your children obese says a new study

Researchers have developed a cheap and simple technology to repair earthquake-damaged buildings and make them safe

but it increases the building’s ability to deform without breaking, making it more able to withstand further earthquake movement,” Pilakoutas added.

The team tested the technique on a full-scale, two-storey building which had inadequate reinforcing to withstand earthquakes.

The building was constructed on

a specially designed ‘shaking table’ which can simulate ground movement caused by earthquakes.

During the fi rst test, the building was very near collapse following a small earthquake similar in scale to a magnitude 4 on the Richter scale having about 10,000 times less energy than the Haiti earthquake.

The building was then repaired

using the post-tensioned metal straps and retested. The researchers were unable to make the building fall during a major earthquake similar in scale to the magnitude of 7.

According to professor Pilakoutas, the new technology will not only speed up the response to major earthquakes but could also prevent the damage happening in the fi rst place.

The cost of the materials for a typical small building column is about 20 pounds and it would take a crew of two people around two hours to complete the strengthening.

“Ideally, governments should not wait until a disaster happens but should be identifying buildings at risk and taking steps to make them strong enough to withstand any future earthquakes,” the team said.

Recently, assistant professor William Barnhart from the University of Iowa in the US showed that GPS and satellite data can be used in a real-time, coordinated effort to fully characterise a fault line within 24 hours of an earthquake, ensuring that aid is delivered faster and more accurately than ever before.

The technique will be most useful in the developing world. On an international scale, it dramatically reduces the time between when an earthquake happens, when buildings start to fall down, and when aid starts to show up, Barnhart wrote.

IANS

Sea of change needed

Long-term exposure to fine particle air pollution may cause subtle structural changes in the brain that increase risks of poor cognitive function and dementia, says a study.

Fine particle air pollution - smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) - may be the most common and hazardous type of air pollution. It comes from burning wood or coal, car exhaust and other sources.

“Long-term exposure to air

pollution showed harmful effects on the brain in this study, even at low levels, particularly with older people and even those who are relatively healthy,” said lead study author Elissa Wilker, instructor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School.

Researchers analysed 943 adults who were healthy and free of dementia and stroke.

The participants lived in the greater Boston area and throughout New

England and New York, regions where air pollution levels are low compared to other parts of the nation and the world.

During 1995-2005, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the effect of long-term exposure to air pollution on markers of brain structure.

They found a two microgram per cubic metre of air increase in particulate matter (PM) 2.5 was associated with a 0.32 percent smaller total cerebral brain volume and a 46 percent higher risk of covert brain infarcts, a type of silent stroke. “The magnitude of association that we observed for brain volume was similar to approximately one year of brain ageing,” Wilker said.

Fundamental changes in the structure of the cerebral brain volume and smaller brain size are markers of age-associated brain atrophy.

The small infarcts, typically located in deep regions of the brain, have been associated with neurological abnormalities, poorer cognitive function, dementia, and are thought to reflect small vessel disease, she concluded.

IANS

NATION

CITY

Get your voice heard on NetaG P6

No damaged goods please P3

GRANDCHILDREN SUE THE COMPLETE MAN

PAGES: 16+16 (TGS LIFE) | PRICE: `5

PUNE, MARCH 21, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

PAGES: 16+16 (TGS LIFE) | PRICE: `5

PUNE, MARCH 14, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

Dr Vijaypat Singhania’s grandchildren from his estranged son Madhupati have moved Bombay High Court seeking their share in ancestral property. They have filed a suit against their grandfather, father, mother and Raymond Limited. Detailed story on p7 TGS LIFE

When hunger strikes past midnight

NATION

CITY

Bakery worker’s daughter gets her wings P 12

Why are traffic cops taking selfies these days?

P3

DITCH THE

AUTO,

HAIL A

CAB

GAUTAM SINGHANIA

Truly, a tree lady P4

or long distances (depending on their mood), overcharge or ask for obnoxious fares, often refuse to ply by meter – the list is endless.

TGS Team members decided to give the ‘victimised’ autorickshaw drivers a chance.

Five members of the team tried hiring rickshaws for distances ranging between 1.5 and 20 kms. All the members came

Intentions of Dr Singhania were ‘malafide and illegal’ with a motive to grab the share of Madhupati and Anuradha as well as grandchildren and to achieve the same he directed that his son and daughter-inlaw move to another country ‘instead of Collectively Pune Municipal continuing to stay in India with the family.

DEHU

6

Corporation, PimpriChinchwad Municipal Corporation and Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited have spent `1,816 crores on constructing dedicated corridors and flyovers along major routes, erecting bus shelters, and buying buses.

Despite this not a single route is operational or has succeeded in years. Citizens residing in twin cities continue to cry foul over pathetic public transport system. And from the looks of it nothing is going to change in near future.

See Spotlight on p8&9

said director of the school, who

Supriya Bhoite from Chaturshrungi police station.

Contd on p4

CHINCHWAD BHOSARI

4 THERGAON HINJEWADI VILLAGE

KALEWADI FATA

WAKAD

DIGHI

NASHIK PHATA

5

LOHEGAON

DAPODI 50

PIMPLE GURAV

WAGHOLI

3 4 BANER

VISHRANT VIMAN WADI NAGAR YERWADA

AUNDH

2

SANGAMWADI PASHAN

AH47

WADGAON SHERI

MUNDHWA

SHIVAJI NAGAR

GHORPADI

9

BAVDHAN

CAMP

HADAPSAR

KOTHRUD

SWARGATE PARVATI

WANOWRIE

1

NANDED AMBEGAON BUDRUK

KONDHWA

UNDRI

KATRAJ

4

Had it not been for a Pune-based activist everybody had forgotten about a film on Lokmanya Tilak commissioned in 2001 by Central Government at the cost of 2.5 crores. Three years after Vishnu Kamalapurkar raised questions about the film,

fi led the FIR and kept in touch with “We are feeling the investigating officer and public prosecutor The director is let down by the PUNE, MARCH 14, 2015throughout. | www.thegoldensparrow.com yet to get a copy of the order. prosecution The case dates back to February 2013 when some of the students and the system. studying in class five walked up to their class teacher and alleged that It is upsetting their creative writing sir had touched because we do them inappropriately. The class teacher in turn informed the principal and not how to face management.

School authorities spoke to several other students and the parents and found that 22 girls in all had levelled similar allegations. Director of the students who school approached Chaturshrungi came forward police station and lodged an FIR under the Protection of Children from to give their Sexual Offences Act (POCSOA).

The investigation was carried out by statements.”

DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL

ALANDI

AKURDI

RAVET

Sab golmal hai...

The creative writing teacher from a reputed school in Baner was booked and arrested in February 2013. A special court acquitted him on the grounds that police bungled up in collecting evidence

RITU GOYAL HARISH

CHIKHALI

KIWALENIGDI

~ Suit filed by the siblings

Precious man hours are lost every day at Hinjewadi just because planners forgot to make more entry and exit points. Over a decade after Hinjewadi was planned to house country’s best IT firms and talent, planners have finally woken up to the plight of citizens.

They have now planned five alternative roads. But the authorities are in no hurry to complete them. See spotlight on p8 & 9

The case created ripples across the city. A teacher was accused of sexually abusing 22 students all from fi fth standard of a reputed school in Baner.

In February 2013, Chaturshrungi police registered a case of sexual abuse against the creative writing teacher and arrested him immediately. Two years after the cops went all out to claim that they had a watertight case, the teacher has been acquitted by a Special Court. The court ruled that the prosecution made out a weak case. The management of the school and parents of students are not only disappointed but also irked with the outcome.

“We are feeling let down by the prosecution and the system. It is upsetting because we do not how to face the parents and students who came forward to give their statements.

We believe we were on the right,”

Parents teach them more than exams do P 10

`1,816 1,816 crores spent on BRTS,

~ Suit filed by the siblings

What a mess!

Teacher booked for sexually abusing 22 students acquitted

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS

CITY

TGS LIFE

Hum Saath Saath Hain

And yet no respite for commuters

DR VIJAYPAT SINGHANIA

Madhupati Singhania (57) and his wife Anuradha (54) with their children Ananya (29), Rasaalika (26), Tarini (20) and Raivathari (18)

Rickshaw unions across the city want us to believe that private cab service providers or radio cab operators, as they are popularly known as, are villains.

Around 12,000 radio cabs have made their lives miserable for 50,000-odd autorickshaw drivers in twin cities of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The auto drivers want us to believe that corporate houses with deep pockets behind the cab services are eating into their share. Essentially poor rickshaw drivers are getting poorer because of stiff competition from private cab operators.

All that the auto drivers are saying is true. But what they are not telling us or willing to concede is that their enemy lies within. Their enemy number one is not private cabs but members of their own ilk – many of whom are rude, refuse to ply short

While Gautam Singhania ‘in a span of 14 years as CMD of Raymond Limited has built a personal net worth of `1.4 billion, Madhupati belonging to the same family was struggling to settle down in a new country, educate his children and make a new life.’ Gautam and his family led a luxurious life ‘with fancy cars, private jets, yachts and expensive holidays.’

PICS ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Pollution doesn’t just hurt the environment, it could affect cognitive functions too

TGS LIFE

Run for... yourself

RAHUL RAUT

Air pollution bad for brain too

PAGES: 16+16 (TGS LIFE) | PRICE: `5

PUNE, MARCH 28, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

to repair,” the report said. Overexploitation is another major cause of the deterioration of the oceans, with 90 percent of globally monitored fish stocks either over-exploited or fully exploited. By way of example, the report mentions a 96 percent decrease in the Pacific bluefin tuna population from previous levels.

Among urgent measures proposed by the report are steps to combat climate change, the incorporation of ocean recovery within the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the establishment of strong commitments to protect coastal and marine areas. “The oceans are our global savings account from which we keep making only withdrawals,” Ack said.

IANS

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

trillion annually, Efe news agency reported citing the report.

“Our oceans are the planet’s natural capital, a ‘factory’ producing an incredible array of goods and services that we all want and need,” said Brad Ack, senior vice-president for oceans at WWF. “But everyday we are degrading, over-consuming, and polluting this productive asset to a point of ever diminishing returns.”

The study titled “Reviving the Ocean Economy: The Case for Action” said that at the current rate of ocean warming, coral reefs will disappear completely by 2050.

“More than just warming waters, climate change is inducing increased ocean acidity that, if unchecked, will take thousands of years for the ocean

lower its recommended TV viewing allowances,” DeBoer noted.

For this study, researchers analysed data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey of 11,113 children who were in kindergarten between the 2011 and 2012 school year.

Lifestyle factors that could affect a child’s educational performance were collected from parents, including the number of hours of television children watched on weekdays and weekends.

In addition, children’s weight and height were measured.

A year later, 10,853 of the children’s height and weight were measured, and parents were again asked about their child’s TV viewing habits. The findings were presented at the Paediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in San Diego. IANS

THANK GOD IT’S S AT U R D AY

Oceans are worth at least $24 trillion, but their economic value is threatened by pollution

Oceans are worth at least $24 trillion, but their economic value is threatened by pollution, climate change and overexploitation, according to a report published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Working with the Boston Consulting Group and the University of Queensland’s Global Change Institute, WWF appraised the oceans’ value based on the goods and services they provide, from fishing to the protection against coastal storms, reaching an overall asset value and an annual dividend output (comparable to a nation’s gross domestic product).

Compared with the world’s 10 biggest economies, oceans would occupy seventh place with output of goods and services estimated at $2.5

The researchers found that children who watched TV for one hour or more daily were 39 percent more likely to become overweight and 86 percent more likely to become obese between kindergarten and fi rst grade.

“Given overwhelming evidence connecting the amount of time TV viewing and unhealthy weight, paediatricians and parents should attempt to restrict childhood TV viewing,” said study author Mark DeBoer, associate professor of paediatrics at the University of Virginia.

The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends limiting children and teens to less than two hours of screen time each day. The new study suggests that even that might be too much.

“Given the data presented in this study, the AAP may wish to

advance, and second instalment was to be released after completion of certain formalities. The very next year second instalment was also disbursed.

Cut to October 2012 – Kamalapurkar fi led an RTI with chief public information officer (CPIO) of Ministry of Culture seeking information about the fi lm on Tilak.

The CPIO was clueless about the project and sought information from his colleagues in other department in the same ministry. But none of

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

This method not only makes the building stable again very quickly, but it increases the building’s ability to deform without breaking

PUNE

“When we first assumed responsibility, there was one polio case in Panchla. India is polio free and that is due to West Bengal because for 3 years we did not let it happen.”

— Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister

‘Belt’ technology offers quick repair post-earthquake Researchers from the University of Sheffield in south Yorkshire have developed a cheap and simple technology to repair earthquakedamaged buildings and make them safe and habitable.

Recent tests showed that a damaged building repaired using the technique could withstand a major earthquake. The technology involves wrapping metal straps around each floor of the building which are then tensioned either by hand or using compressed air tools.

It is designed for use on reinforced concrete frame buildings -- a common construction technique around the world. Unlike other repair methods, it does not require expensive materials or a high-level of technical knowledge, making it ideal for use in the developing world.

“The strapping works very much like a weightlifter’s belt, by keeping everything tightly compressed to reduce tension on the concrete columns of the structure,” said lead researcher professor Kypros Pilakoutas.

Concrete works well under compression but not when pulled under tension and this is why it has to be reinforced for use in construction.

When the reinforcement is faulty or damaged, it can be very expensive to repair.

“Our method not only makes the building stable again very quickly,

MAY 2, 2015

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

“There is a protocol for user agencies carrying out experiments on animals. This reflects a sensitivity to ensure that animals are not subjected to unnecessary pains or suffering at any experiments.”

— Prakash Javadekar, Environment Minister

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY

PUNE, MARCH 21, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

PUNE, MARCH 28, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

Hum

of the fi lm. Vishnu Kamalapurkar, Pune-based activist, sought details of the project in 2012 from the Central Government only to be told that they had no records left, the concerned ministry had been wound up, and that fi lm-maker could not be traced.

Essentially, the government acceded that it had been duped of `2.5 crores, the sum that was transferred to the fi lm-maker.

It has taken Kamalapurkar three years since he sought details about the fi lm under Right to Information Act to get the government to launch a fullfledged investigation. Dhumale has

receiving his RTI finally been traced by the government with the help of police and claims that the fi lm will be released in “next two to four months”. He still hasn’t answered several questions raised by the government about the script and the star cast.

It all started in December 2001, when Commemoration Bureau under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture commissioned a fi lm on Lokmanya Tilak. A sum of Rs 1.25 crores was paid to Dhumale immediately as an

Saath Saath

When

HUNGER STRIKES past midnight

A family that prays together stays together. Pune’s joint families on why they agree to disagree

TGS takes a night trail around the city to look for places that will silence a grumbling tummy in the dark of night

The Kamdars

Run for…

yourself

Puneites are running to fight depression, lethargy, even physical disadvantage. Marathoners are taking over the street and making the city fitter than it has ever been

PUNE’S FIRST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY Invitation Price

`5

Annual Subscription

`199

TO SUBSCRIBE

Contact : 02024450705 (during office hours only)  tgs@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

PUNE

“The Central Pollution Control Board is monitoring the water quality at 56 locations along the main stream of Ganga. Also National Commission for Clean Ganga is getting water quality monitored through identified academic institutions.”

— Uma Bharti, Water Resource Minister

Private cord blood banks are fooling the public, say doctors Cord blood banking (CBB) with dubious benefits has become a money-making scam in India

BY K S JAYARAMAN Bengaluru: Cord blood banking (CBB) needs tighter control to protect gullible parents from being exploited, top medical researchers say.

Blood collected from umbilical chord after child birth is a rich source of stem cells similar to those in bone marrow. These cells could some day be used as treatment if the child ever falls ill with certain diseases.

The business of harvesting and storage of cord blood for future use has surged in the past decade into big business with 15 private banks offering this service. They target expectant mothers by touting cord blood as a form of ‘insurance’ in case their children ever get sick.

The storage does not come cheaply. It costs between `50,000 and `100,000, and some banks charge an annual fee. With India reporting 25 million or more child births a year, CBB is viewed by the industry as a cash cow.

LifeCell, which set up shop in Chennai in 2004, claims it had over 100,000 subscribers and Cryo Stemcell in Bengaluru says it has 30,000. Others are not behind.

However, unethical marketing tactics and inflated promises by these largely unregulated banks have alarmed top stem cell researchers and professional bodies of gynaecologists.

“It is time to restrict the rampant commercialisation of CBB,” Jyothsna Rao, Secretary of the Bengaluru-based

Monkeys behaved peculiarly ahead of quake Agra: An animal lover on Sunday said monkeys in the Taj city displayed peculiar behaviour ahead of Saturday’s earthquake.

“Around 50 monkeys came down from the trees around 8 a.m. on Saturday and sat in a pensive and grim manner near our house. We tried to chase them away but they didn’t react.

We didn’t realise what was coming.

But once the earthquake was over, the monkeys left,” said Padmini, a resident of Belanganj.

Meanwhile, District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar on Sunday appealed to citizens to move out of old and dilapidated homes to safer places.

The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions for the next two days, April 27 and 28, as a disaster preparedness measure. IANS

The business of harvesting and storage of cord blood for future use has surged in the past decade into big business with 15 private banks offering this service.

Society of Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering, said.

“The government needs to establish a high powered committee to look at this menace at the earliest,” says Satish Totey, a leading stem cell researcher and CEO of Kasiak Research in Mumbai.

The original idea for CBB was for overcoming the difficulty of finding a right bone marrow donor for regeneration of blood cells, Rao said. “But this very useful adjunct to bone marrow transplantation has been reduced by some companies to the status of a cosmetic product.”

LifeCell, for instance, uses a

prominent film star for endorsement and one bank in Bengaluru offers ‘attractive prizes’ to mothers who bank with them.

“Several nasty marketing methods including bribing the doctors and nursing staff are used for recruiting donors,” says Rao. Hospitals too are part of the scam, adds Totey.

Last year, the Competition Commission of India fined a Mumbai hospital that was getting `20,000 from a cord blood bank as commission for every patient referred to it. Totey said families in India were fooled by claims that it was a cure for all. “Stem cell therapy for other than blood-related

diseases and metabolic disorders are in the early phase of trials and remain only speculative,” he said.

In fact, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of cord blood “only” for treatment of blood-related illnesses. It asks patients to “be skeptical if cord blood is being promoted for uses other than blood stem cell regeneration”.

There are other hard facts these banks do not reveal to their subscribers.

For instance, the cord blood of a newborn may not contain stem cells in sufficient numbers to be useful in adulthood, says Deepa Bhartiya, head of stem cell biology at the National Institute of Research in Reproduction in Mumbai.

Also, one’s own stem cells are not useful to treat genetic disorders as they will have the same genetic flaws that caused the disease in the first place.

“And no one really knows for how many years the banked cord blood will be usable,” adds Totey. “Our operators in India do not check the viability before releasing the stem cells for transplant and nobody bothers to discard contaminated samples.”

LifeCell spokesperson Krithika Narayanan denies this. “Prior to release, the samples are tested for potency and viability through tests prescribed by the American Association of Blood Bank standards,” she said. LifeCell admits that in ten years it released just 34 cord bloold units of which only five wer for autologus transplants for treating cerebral palsy.

IANS

A city that gave me a lifeline P 15

Worm-infested pulses in the market Himachal Pradesh has supplied inferior and worminfested pulses worth `14.48 crore to consumers

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has supplied inferior and worm-infested pulses worth `14.48 crore to consumers in the past four years, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said.

It has also extended undue favours to 11 ration suppliers despite samples of pulses supplied by them earlier failing quality control tests.

During 2010-14 samples of pulses (22,296 quintals), mustard and refined oil (250,213 litres) and iodised salt (12,568 quintals) valued at `14.48 crore failed the tests. This, said the CAG, included the supply of 3,309 quintals of worm-infested pulses valued at `1.77 crore.

The test reports of the samples were received after a delay of three to four months, resulting in the supply of eatables to consumers without replacement through the public distribution system.

Himachal Pradesh has its own food subsidy scheme under which three pulses, edible oil and salt are provided at subsidised rates to 1,699,255

Operation Khoj: Lifesaver for children This unique programme educates underpriviledged kids and provides them a chance to come out of bad habits

BY RAJNISH SINGH New Delhi: Just four years ago, Aslam was found lying in a semi-conscious state on a platform at Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station due to a drug overdose. Today, the 15-year-old dreams of becoming a choreographer and has already started attending dance classes to achieve this.

The route to this dramatic transformation in his life wasn’t easy as Aslam had fallen into bad company.

He initially began stealing food from pantry cars and gradually started taking drugs to forget the tensions of his life. These exacerbated over time and made him a drug. That is how Khoj a group of the Delhi Police and NGO Chetna found him in that state.

“I don’t want to recall those days. I had fallen into bad company. I would say I was lucky that Khoj found me and invested time and efforts in my wellbeing,” Aslam said.

“They put me into a rehabilitation centre and started teaching me dance to divert my mind from drugs. Initially I resisted, but then I started liking these classes. Now I want to be a famous choreographer and go to Mumbai,” he said, adding that now, the thought of drugs don’t even cross his mind.

It just isn’t dance that Aslam has

learnt - he is now studying in class 10 and is eager to complete his studies.

This is not just the story of Aslam; there are around 40 children like him who have been rehabilitated and educated by Khoj, an operation which was launched in June 2012.

According to Delhi Police Inspector Pradeep Kumar, the education facility is available only at Hazrat Nizamuddin. “Within this police station we organise dance, music and teaching classes, including computer education. We plan to extend

this facility to the Old Delhi Railway Station with the help of Chetna who provide the basic infrastructure, equipment and teachers,” Kumar said.

Khoj also re-unites with their parents lost children on railway platforms. Operation Khoj has been started at five railway stations of the national capital - New Delhi, Old Delhi, Sarai Rohilla, Hazrat Nizamuddin and Anand Vihar.

As per Delhi Police data, 2,961 children have been rescued and rehabilitated between June 2012 and

March 2015.

Till March 31, 2015, the police have rescued 63 children found at these railway stations against 755 in 2014. A total of 1,113 children were rescued in 2013 while the number was 1,030 in 2012.

According to the data, the rescued children were in the one-six age group.

Rehabilitating children from railway stations is what Chetna has been doing since 2006 under its ‘Dreams on Wheels’ programme.

These children are then reunited with their families.

However, under Operation Khoj they also educate these children to help them sustain their livelihood.

“We don’t want these children some of them are homeless - to pick up any bad habits. This is why we focus on education so that other job options are open for them,” Sanjay Gupta, founder and director of Chetna, said.

“This is a unique programme in which we not only educate them but provide to them a chance to make their lives and come out of bad habits and the neglected strata of society,” he added.

“We hope to reach out to many such children to make this world a better place for them through education,” he said.

IANS

ration card holders. In this fiscal, the government has a provision of `210 crore for the food subsidy scheme.

From April 1, the government has also allowed Tibetans settled in the state to avail of subsidised ration at par with other ration card holders.

The CAG said 11 suppliers from 2011 to 2014 had supplied 11,198 quintals of pulses worth `5.59 crore.

These suppliers were given repeated supply orders despite their previous supplies failing quality control tests.

The government has no mechanism to identify the erring suppliers so as to blacklist them, it said.

The government in its reply to the auditor said in case of non-replacement of substandard edibles, a penalty equal to 20 percent of the value of the consignment was recovered from the erring suppliers. On blacklisting the suppliers, the government said it was not a good option as it restricts competition in future tenders. The CAG observed that the reply of the government justified repeated supplies of substandard items.

IANS

Goa gears up for medical tourism Panaji: If you thought Goa was only for tourists looking for fun, think again. With a strong hospitality industry-oriented lineage and sound infrastructure in place, especially for a tier-II town, Goa is being aggressively positioned by public and private players as a haven for medical procedures with a dash of fun and relaxation - for domestic and foreign patients.

“We want to bring medical tourism to Goa because we believe that infrastructure here is good. We want to bring international patients here because they should not have to go to polluted and crowded cities,” Ajay Bakshi, chief executive officer and managing director of Manipal Health Enterprises said.

“Medical tourism is 50 percent about medical facilities. We are putting in place a coalition of partners to boost medical tourism, of which the hospitality industry is a major partner.

They are already taking care of one factor, we will take care of the medical part,” Bakshi said.

Medical tourism is an emerging concept in which people, especially from the West or from countries with a poor health infrastructure, travel overseas for cheaper and cost-effective healthcare. Goa is in the best position to tap in on this trend - a fact which has been acknowledged and endorsed by the Goa Investment Policy unveiled last year.

IANS

Meghalaya varsity sells fake certificates Meghalaya varsity staff has been booked for their alleged involvement in fraud and selling fake degree certificates Vol-1* lssue No.: 46 Editor: Yogesh Sadhwani (Responsible for the selection of news under the PRB Act, 1867) Printed and Published by: Shrikant Honnavarkar on behalf of Golden Sparrow Publishing Pvt. Ltd. CIN:U22200PN2014PTC151382 and printed at PRI – Media Services Private Limited CIN: U22222MH2012PTC232006 at Plot No. EL-201, TTC Industrial Area, MIDC, Mahape, Navi Mumbai.

Golden Sparrow Publishing Pvt. Ltd. 1641, Madhav Heritage, Tilak Road, Pune-411 030, Tel: 020-2432 4332/33.

Shillong: A chargesheet has been filed against 11 officials of the now dissolved CMJ University in Meghalaya for their alleged involvement in fraud, forgery and selling fake degree certificates to students. “We have filed a chargesheet against 11 people who were officials of the now dissolved CMJ University on charges of fraud, forgery and selling fake degree certificates to students from various parts of the country,” Spill Thamar, the investigating officer in the varsity scam, said.

The chargesheet was filed on Friday by the state Criminal Investigation Department before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

Chandra Mohan Jha, the chancellor of the private varsity, his wife I.R. Jha and his two sons Govind Jha and Gopal Jha, who were the secretary and treasurer of the CMJ Foundation, the sponsoring body of the CMJ university, are among those booked.

The others named in the chargesheet are Registrar Mrinal

Kanti Deb, Deputy Registrar Premlal Rai, former registrar Tilok Das Gupta, University Director Manjit Kaur Kaushal, University Human Resource Manager Juban Kharpuri, Chairman Apex e-Learning (Bangalore) Dhanwant Singh Matharoo, and CMJ University employee (examination department) Asifa Nongrum.

CMJ University, the first private university in Shillong, created a record of sorts by awarding PhD degrees

to 434 candidates in the 2012-13 academic year, and enrolled 490 students for the PhD programme for 2012-2013, even though only 10 of its faculty members have doctorates.

Each student desiring to pursue a PhD programme was asked to pay ` 1.27 lakh.

Former governor R.S. Mooshahary in his capacity as visitor to the varsity had exposed irregularities in its functioning and had asked the state government to dissolve it.

IANS

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

High hopes from Maharashtra in future P 16

PUNE

“Pakistan and China’s struggles have brought their hearts and minds together. ”Pakistan is the first foreign country that I visited this year and (it is my) first visit to your country, but Pakistan is not at all unfamiliar to me” — Xi Jinping, Chinese President

History unearthed in a quest to fi x a pipe Luciano Faggiano discovered a trove of archaeological treasures while trying to repair a sewage pipe under his property

BY JIM YARDLEY LECCE, Italy - All Luciano Faggiano wanted when he purchased the seemingly unremarkable building at 56 Via Ascanio Grandi was to open a trattoria, a kind of restaurant. He could run the trattoria on the ground floor and live upstairs with his wife and youngest son.

The only problem was the toilet.

Sewage kept backing up. So Faggiano enlisted his two older sons to help him dig a trench and investigate the underground sewage pipe. He predicted the job would take about a week, and soon after he would open his trattoria.

“We found underground corridors and other rooms, so we kept digging,” said Faggiano, 60. “Instead of a week, the excavation lasted seven years.”

Faggiano’s search for a sewage pipe, which began in 2000, became one family’s tale of obsession and discovery, of Italian bureaucracy and dirty laundry.

He found a subterranean world tracing back to before the birth of Christ: a Messapian tomb, a Roman granary, a Franciscan chapel and even etchings from the Knights Templar. His trattoria instead became a museum, where relics still turn up today.

Italy is a slag heap of history, with empires and ancient civilizations built atop one another like layers in a cake.

Farmers still unearth Etruscan pottery while plowing their fields. Excavation sites are common in ancient cities such as Rome, where protected underground relics have for years impeded plans to expand the subway system.

Located in the heel of the Italian boot, Lecce was once a critical crossroads in the Mediterranean, coveted by

region centuries before the birth of Giangreco, a cultural heritage official, Christ. Soon, the family discovered now retired, involved in overseeing the a chamber used to store grain by the excavation. ancient Romans, as well as the basement City officials, sensing a major of a Franciscan convent where nuns had find, brought in an archaeologist, even once prepared the bodies of the dead. as the Faggianos were left to do the If this history only later became excavation work and bear the costs. clear, what was immediately obvious Faggiano also engaged in another sort was that locating the pipe would be of excavation - extensive research into a much bigger project than Faggiano the eras tiered below him. The two older had anticipated. He did not initially sons, Marco and Andrea, found their tell his wife about the lives interrupted by their extent of the work, father’s quest. possibly because he was “We were kind tying a rope around the of forced to do it,” chest of his youngest said Andrea, now 34, son, Davide, then 12, laughing. Faggiano still and lowering him to dreamed of a trattoria, dig in small, darkened even if the project had openings. become his white whale.

“I made sure to He supported his family tell him not to tell his by renting an upstairs mama,” he said. floor in the building His wife, Anna and from income on Maria Sano, soon other properties. “I was - LUCIANO FAGGIANO became suspicious. still digging to find my “We had all these dirty pipe,” he said. “Everyday clothes, every day,” she we would find new said. “I didn’t understand what was artifacts.” His sons managed to escape, going on.” with Andrea moving to London. City After watching the Faggiano men archaeologists pushed Faggiano to keep haul away debris in the back seat of going. His own architect advised that the family car, neighbors also became digging deeper would help clear out suspicious and notified the authorities. sludge below the planned bathroom, Investigators arrived and shut down the should he still hope to open his trattoria. excavations, warning Faggiano against He admits he also became obsessed. operating an unapproved archaeological “I bought cinder blocks and was work site. Faggiano responded that he going to cover it up and pretend it had was just looking for a sewage pipe. never happened. Today, the building A year passed. Finally, Faggiano is Museum Faggiano, an independent was allowed to resume his pursuit of archaeological museum authorised by the sewage pipe on condition that the Lecce government. Spiral metal cultural heritage officials observed the stairwells allow visitors to descend work. Soon, an underground treasure through the underground chambers, house emerged, as the family uncovered while sections of glass flooring ancient vases, Roman devotional bottles, underscore the building’s different an ancient ring with Christian symbols, historical layers. While taking an medieval artifacts, hidden frescoes and outdoor bathroom break, the husband more. “The Faggiano house has layers had noticed holes in the ground that led that are representative of almost all of to the underground grotto. “We were the city’s history, from the Messapians brought together by sewage systems,” to the Romans, from the medieval to Faggiano joked. the Byzantine time,” said Giovanni © 2015 New York Times News Service

“I bought blocks and was going to cover it up and pretend it had never happened.”

Luciano Faggiano, centre, in red, and his family dig in a new section of what is now called the Museum Faggiano, in Lecce, Italy.

While trying to repair a sewage pipe, Faggiano discovered archaeological treasures tracing back to before the birth of Christ

invaders from Greeks to Romans to Ottomans to Normans to Lombards.

For centuries, a marble column bearing a statue of Lecce’s patron saint, Orontius, dominated the city’s central piazza until historians, in 1901, discovered a Roman amphitheater below, leading to the relocation of the column so that the amphitheater could be excavated.

“The very first layers of Lecce date to the time of Homer, or at least according to legend,” said Mario De Marco, a local historian and author, noting that

invaders were enticed by the city’s strategic location and the prospects for looting. “Each one of these populations came and left a trace.”

Severo Martini, a member of the City Council, said archaeological relics turn up on a regular basis - and can present a headache for urban planning.

An ongoing project to build a shopping mall had to be redesigned after the discovery of an ancient Roman temple beneath the site of a planned parking lot.

Ask the Faggiano family. Before

they started digging, Faggiano’s oldest son, Marco, was studying film in Rome.

His second son, Andrea, had left home to attend college. The building was seemingly modernised, with clean white walls and a new heating system. “I said, ‘Come, I need your help, and it will only be a week,’” Faggiano recalled.

But one week quickly passed, as father and sons discovered a false floor that led down to another floor of medieval stone, which led to a tomb of the Messapians, who lived in the

Stripes pop up everywhere but a flagpole Gay supporter mayor of Tokyo district As diplomatic relations between US and Cuba thaw, an unexpected outburst of American flag waving has followed RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD

Havana: The diplomatic thaw between the United States and Cuba has been accompanied by an unexpected outburst of flag-waving here - of the American flag.

The Stars and Stripes has been spotted on apartment buildings and bicycle taxis. It splays across T-shirts and bandannas. On tight spandex pants, its pattern swirls around many a leg. Even a few car air fresheners bear its likeness (with a vanilla scent).

“I am seeing things in Cuba I thought I would never see,” said one middle-age man, ogling a young woman’s nearly painted-on flag pants.

The woman, who declined to give her name, wary of talking about the symbol of a nation still at odds with Cuba on many issues, said the pants were a gift from a friend who knew how much she enjoyed American pop culture.

“It’s just fashion,” she said, rushing to make something clear in a country where any overt opposition to the government can bring scrutiny, or worse: “It isn’t a statement.”

Of course, there is one place the flag is not yet popping up: in front of the U.S. diplomatic outpost here, known as the “interests section,” which used to be the embassy until relations between the countries broke off in 1961.

After announcing in December that they intended to move toward restoring diplomatic ties, officials in Washington and Havana are still talking about when and how to reopen embassies.

At a regional summit meeting recently in Panama, President Barack Obama and President Raúl Castro held the fi rst sit-down meeting between leaders of the countries since the Cuban Revolution.

Diplomats on both sides have said that when the time comes, they expect to fly their flags at their diplomatic missions. Workers in recent weeks have

A bicycle taxi is adorned with the American flag in the Old Havana area of Havana

refurbished the U.S. flagpole outside the interests section, on the main seafront boulevard, in anticipation of Old Glory’s waving there for the fi rst time in more than five decades.

Yet no matter what the diplomats are doing, the fact that so many people are wearing their feelings literally on their sleeves shows how Cubans never lost their love for Americana, despite a contentious trade embargo and years of political hostility.

In recent years, Cuba has gone through other waves of foreign flagmania; the Union Jack seemed to gain favor in fashion around the 2012 London Olympics, and items decorated with the American flag had sprouted now and then over the years. But trend watchers here contend that American flag clothing has been proliferating, to the consternation of some in the government.

An article last year on Cubadebate. com, a government news site, spoke disapprovingly of the displays as a form of cultural imperialism.

“It pains me to see a Cuban wrapped in an American flag,” a commenter

on the article said. “My mind doesn’t accept it.”

Though considered by many a symbol of freedom, the flag-themed attire may also carry a whiff of contraband. Customers say that a lot of the garments are imported on the sly from Florida or Panama and that such clothing is not allowed to be resold, even under Cuba’s accelerated visitors and closely follow American pop culture and sports. Many are quick to discuss their shared love of baseball and to pass around the latest American television shows and movies on USB and hard drives.

“Many Cubans are excited about the potential economic and social benefits that renewed U.S.-Cuban relations could bring,” said Marc D. Perry, an anthropologist at Tulane University who studies Cuban social trends. “Th is is Cuba’s current popular zeitgeist, if you will, and these cultural expressions reflect this.”

The burst of flag sightings, a fleeting fashion statement or not, would probably have been less extensive while

Fidel Castro, 88, was in charge. From the 1950s revolution to a recent letter deploring U.S. sanctions on several Venezuelan officials, he has had a far more antagonistic relationship with the United States, and the only kind of flag-waving the U.S. inspired during his rule was masses of Cuban flags brandished at protest marches against “the empire.”

But those demonstrations have faded since Raúl took over when Fidel fell ill in 2006, and a stand of flagpoles that Cuba put up years ago next to the interests section to block U.S. government propaganda on the building is now only occasionally emblazoned with Cuban flags.

As for the clothing, its origins are murky, like many things that materialize and disappear here with little explanation.

A number of people wearing flag apparel said it had become more widespread in the past year. The choosy head to private “shops” hidden in houses and apartments, where many of the latest fashions - or knockoffs are readily obtainable.

Prices vary widely, with some flag items costing more than $15, which is steep in a country where the average monthly state salary is $20. Many people receive financial support from relatives abroad, and the sprouting entrepreneurship has given others a source of disposable income.

The popularity of American flags appears to be, at least partly, a nod toward what many Cubans see as a welcome warming of relations and even a mutual embrace.

“It is the way our countries are now,” said Elisabet, a shopkeeper wearing American-flag-themed pants in Trinidad, which like many cities and towns on the tourist circuit has had a significant increase in visitors from the United States under relaxed travel restrictions. © 2015 New York Times News Service

Hasebe, a politician who proposed recognition of same-sex unions in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, became its new mayor on Monday, Efe news agency reported.

The fi nal results of Sunday’s district office elections revealed that Hasebe, who ran as an independent candidate, garnered more than 25,000 votes, around 40 percent of the total and around 3,000 more votes than the next candidate.

Hasebe, a married 43-year-old former advertising agency head, was elected to the Shibuya City Council in 2003 and is known for

his successful proposal to recognise same-sex unions at the local level.

The City Council passed an ordinance on March 31 making Shibuya, a central district known for its eclectic and artistic atmosphere, Japan’s fi rst municipality to move toward equal recognition to homosexual and heterosexual unions.

Though certificates issued by Shibuya consider same-sex unions as different from marriage and are not legally binding, they do guarantee a status similar to that of marriage in regards to tax benefits and social services, among others.

IANS

‘I’m Sorry’ written across Brisbane sky Brisbane: An unidentified person left a message across the skies of Australia’s Brisbane city saying, ‘I’m Sorry’.

Pictures of the airborne apology splashed across social media within minutes, the Brisbane Times reported. The fee for the message was A$4,000 ($3,000) but the operator of the service, Skywriting Services

Australia, said they had no idea who the message was meant for.

The operator said that for now he could only confi rm the person behind the apology was a man and an “interesting guy”. But the man who requested for it did not appear to be frantically lovelorn, he said.

The author and recipient of Monday’s message remains a mystery.

IANS

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

PUNE

MONEY MATT ER S

“We are entering a phase of high growth and Bharti Infratel is aligned to the operator’s requirement of increased network rollouts.”

— Akhil Gupta, chairman, Bharti Infratel

Signpost Vivo plans manufacturing plant in India Hyderabad: Chinese phone-maker Vivo plans to set up a manufacturing plant in India, a top company official said. Vivo, which is China’s third largest smartphone manufacturer, is looking to set up the manufacturing facility at Gurgaon in three-to-four years.

The Shenzhen-headquartered company, entered India in December last year, opened its first exclusive brand store in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Tracy Chen, general manager, Vivo India, told reporters on the occasion that India is a key market for the company.

“Vivo has shipped 40 million smartphones from China last year.

We hope to sell a similar number of phones in India in the next few years,” he said.

MAIT constitutes action group for Digital India New Delhi: To enhance and enrich the Digital India programme rollout across the country, IT hardware body Manufacturers’ Association of Information Technology (MAIT) launched the Digital India Action Group (DIAG).

With its members from major ICT companies and the government, DIAG will strive to ensure the success of the Digital India Programme by providing strategic inputs to various committees and teams that would be constituted under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Electronics and IT and other government departments and ministries, a statement by the industry body said. To start with, DIAG will focus on e-Governance, e-Kranti, Broadband Highways and Electronics Manufacturing.

IANS

Banks are fleecing us

Nestle helps Punjab farmers break new ground

Banks are picking our pockets with unreasonable charges to cover up for their inefficiencies in business lending

BY SUCHETA DALAL @suchetadalal

It required a sharp prod by the governor Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Dr Raghuram Rajan, for Indian banks to cut their base lending rates by a token 15 to 25 basis points on 8th April. But things are rather grim at public sector banks (PSBs) and it remains to be seen how many borrowers will really get a lower rate. The government will have to pump in a massive `2.4 lakh crore of taxpayers’ money into recapitalising PSBs to ensure that they meet the Basel-III norms by 2018.

Of this, provision for only `7,900 crore has been made in the Union Budget and the finance minister has said that PSBs may also be allowed to divest government holding down to 52%. Can this happen when some of the biggest PSBs have remained headless for nearly a year after the BJP-led government took charge?

The government is crowing about the success of the Rural Electrification Corporation issue on 8th April, but will sensible retail investors put money into badly managed PSBs groaning under the burden of bad loans? At best, there could be a pseudo-divestment where a government insurer is forced to acquire poor quality PSB equity, creating another problem for the future.

There is silent anger and great demoralisation among senior bankers over recent changes in the eligibility criteria and flexi-pay packages that are being offered to direct recruits the government is planning to induct at the top. The need for such hiring, too, has come about because of a governmentcreated crisis with a ban on recruitment imposed in 1987. A whole swathe of

senior bankers (chief general managers and executive directors) is set to retire shortly. However, thanks to the change in eligibility criteria, which requires three years of board-level experience, bankers with over three decades of PSB experience, are likely to be disqualified from the top jobs of executive directors and managing directors.

Another point of anger is the vast disparity in salaries at the top level, between PSBs and private banks. While all PSB heads have been badly tarnished by the arrest of the Syndicate Bank chairman, senior bankers openly say that if the government wants to end corruption, it will have to do something about salaries. One banker had a lot of admiration for State Bank of India’s (SBI’s) chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya, who reportedly raised the compensation issue quite bluntly at Narendra Modi’s Gyan Sangam. It is hard to believe that there will be a significant push to reduce bad loans if this level of discontent among bankers, and apathy in the finance ministry, continues.

Does this affect ordinary

One is a guaranteed return product and another is market-linked. Even well-educated people don’t understand the distinction between the two MONEYLIFE DIGITAL TEAM

They are as different as chalk and cheese. We have noticed that even the urban, educated people who have attended dozens of financial literacy seminars of Moneylife Foundation, do not know the difference between fixed income products, where capital is guaranteed and so-called fixed income products that are marketlinked and therefore, volatile.

Another study published in Nudge, a book written by University of Chicago economist Richard H. Thaler and Harvard Law School Professor Cass R. Sunstein, found that when investors were provided two investment choices, one of stocks and the other of bonds, they invested 50% in each. The experiment was repeated, but this time the participants were provided the choice of stocks and a balanced fund (50:50, stocks and bonds). Here again, they invested 50% in each. Going by the first allocation, they should have ideally chosen the balanced fund, but they chose to split the investment evenly between the two options, increasing their allocation to

consumers? Yes; in multiple ways. First, most of us, as taxpayers, bear the brunt of repeated recapitalisation of banks by the exchequer. Secondly, banks have discovered that it is extremely easy to pick the pockets of depositors and make them pay for a variety of basic services, because they are too disorganised to pose a challenge.

Consider this. Even after the recent reduction, the base lending rate remains above 9.9%, while savings bank interest in most banks (barring two) is 4%.

This spread of 5% is probably the highest in the world. Yet, the cartel of banks, led by the Indian Banks Association (IBA) will have us believe that they have no option but to charge consumers for a variety of services that will be more than amply covered by this huge spread that banks earn on our savings accounts. We have now become accustomed to paying for mobile alerts which were originally introduced as a free security measure.

The two challenges to the decision to charge for ATM transactions beyond a

We have to pay for mobile alerts which were a free security measure

EPF or NPS? Why giving workers a choice is a bad idea Employees may soon have an option to choose between the employee provident fund (EPF) scheme run by retirement fund body EPFO and National Pension System (NPS). A proposal in this regard is expected to be discussed by the Cabinet next week. The proposal is part of the bill to make comprehensive amendments to the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952.

We all love choice but exercising choice in which colour of shirt or dress to choose is different from making choices in financial products. Choices are at the heart of many bad decisions because people either adopt the default choices or choose at random.

Jason Zweig, author of the classical book ‘Your Money and Your Brain’, reports the study of hundreds of 401(k) plans (defined contribution plans for retirement in the US) which found that the more funds a plan offers, the more reluctant people are to sign up and save for their retirement. “The harder the choice feels, the less people want to choose,” explains Zweig. Adding even more choices will lower one’s odds of making a good decision and increase their chances of regretting whatever decision they make.

While in the current scenario, the employee will have to choose between EPF or NPS, though it may seem fairly simple, the employee will know little of the pros and cons of investing in each. The government may end up creating confusion among workers and employees by offering them a choice. EPF is a guaranteed scheme run by the government. NPS will invest in market-linked products.

“Mr. Tata is one of the most well-respected business leaders in the world. An investment by him is an affirmation of the strategy we have undertaken in India so far.”

— Lei Jun, founder and chief executive of Xiaomi

stocks. This shows that the average person finds it difficult to weigh even the simplest of investment choices.

“Most employees have difficulty understanding how numbers like savings rate, expected rate of return, and volatility translate into changes in lifestyle when they are old. Most people would need some help,” the authors write.

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation will be the regulatory body for monitoring the implementation of the scheme as there could be cases, where worker neither go to EPF nor NPS. This is in line with finance minister Arun Jaitley’s Budget 2015 speech. “With respect to the EPF, the employee needs to be provided two options. Firstly, the employee may opt for EPF or the New Pension Scheme (NPS)...For employees below a certain threshold of monthly income, contribution to EPF should be optional, without affecting or reducing the employer’s contribution,” Jaitley had said in Parliament.

Moneylife.in

Government to launch two insurance schemes The central government is expected to launch in May or June the two insurance schemes announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, said a senior official in Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

He said IRDAI will soon come out with regulations governing the commission payable by the insurers and their management expenses.

The two schemes -- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (life insurance policy) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (personal accident policy) which are not government-subsidised programmes are expected to increase the insurance penetration in the country.

Speaking at an event organised by the Madras Management Association (MMA) here late Monday D.D.Singh, member (distribution) IRDAI said: “The two schemes are likely to be launched in May or June. Already some banks have started collecting enrolment forms.”

Under the life insurance policy, a person will be covered for Rs.200,000 for an annual premium of Rs.330.

The personal accident insurance provides cover for Rs.200,000 for accidental death and full disability and Rs.100,000 for partial disability for an annual premium of Rs.12.

On the issue of IRDAI coming out with new regulations which are in line with the amended insurance law passed by the parliament recently, Singh said, “We will soon come out with the regulations governing payment of commissions and expenses of management.”

The old law had stipulated the ceiling on commissions paid to agents and management expenses of insurers.

The new law has empowered IRDAI to prescribe the limits. “Our regulations will be for industry as a whole and the limits may not be for insurer wise,” Singh said.

IANS

base level are languishing in the Delhi and Madurai high courts.

Meanwhile, banks are eliminating the convenience of their massive investment in core banking solutions (which promised anytime, anywhere banking) by dreaming up new charges.

A senior citizen says he was levied an ‘intercity charge’ of `50 for depositing cash in his own bank account in Bengaluru (not his home branch). A Moneylife reader was charged a fee to deposit cash in his own account.

Reversing these charges requires a sustained battle, so most depositors simply give up.

If this is part of RBI’s avowed policy to discourage cash transactions, surely it must explain why it is silent about ‘convenience charges’ claimed from consumers on online purchase of movie tickets, airline tickets, etc? Questions from consumer organisations also fall on deaf ears. Our surmise is that the government and RBI are fully aware that customers are being fleeced; but, since they consider the 350 million Indians who own a bank account as part of a ‘creamy layer’ (a central bankers’ term) of society, their complaints are irrelevant when faulty government policies have landed bankers in a far bigger mess.

Moneylife.in

Moga, Punjab: Devinder Singh, a farmer, stands proudly at the entrance of a milk collection centre at Kaonke Kalan village near this dusty Punjab town as officials of the global food, nutrition and wellness giant Nestle arrive to inspect it.

For Devinder Singh, 62, and scores of other farmers in the area near the famous Sikh shrine, Nanaksar Gurudwara, the association with Nestle ranges from a few years to decades.

These farmers no longer depend only on agriculture for their livelihood.

Thanks to the ongoing encouragements of Nestle, a household name in India with brands such as Maggi, Cerelac and Lactogen for products like noodles, ketchups, milk supplements and chocolates more farmers are taking to dairy farming in Punjab. “I got associated with Nestle precisely on Aug 22, 1970, and it’s been like this ever since. Some 75 farmers from the village and nearby areas sell around 1,000 litres of milk to this collection centre,” Singh said.

His son, Hardeep Singh, is a secondgeneration farmer to be associated with the multinational company. The family has a medium-size dairy with more than 15 cows and buffaloes. Hardeep, who is qualified in dairy farming, even helps other farmers set up dairy farm units.

“Nestle started manufacturing operations in India in 1961. Moga was the first unir. We started with 511 litres milk from 180 farmers. Now, we collect nearly 1.4 million litres of milk from over 71,000 farmers daily,” Nestle’s Moga unit factory manager Satish Srinivasan said.

The company, which has eight manufacturing units in India, encourages farmers also look at cowrearing. “The level of trust between farmers and our company has been built over the years through direct interactions. Most farmers have years and decades of association with us. We deal with those who have 2-3 animals, 15-20 animals and 50-100 animals,” said Kamalbir Singh Deol, regional manager for fresh milk procurement and dairy development.

IANS

The best time for property investment

Over the last few years, the realty market’s momentum has weakened significantly

BY ANUJ PURI In India, real estate has traditionally been considered a favourable investment option. Poor economic growth coupled with high property prices have made people more sceptical about investing in real estate. It is one of the most severely-hit industries due to these reasons. Piling inventory and escalating prices led to decrease in demand across all real estate asset classes.

Weakening residential rationale As home buyers move up in life, they generally upgrade to a larger and/ or betterlocated home for their own use. They may want to move into a new house and sell out the first one in order to secure an appreciation on their capital value. Alternatively, they may decide to hold on to their selling decision and rather rent out one of the two houses for a steady rental income.

The yield rates have always been low but home buyers got a good capital value appreciation on their property.

Until the last few years, the yearon-year rate of growth in prices was greater than the corresponding inflation rate. That is hardly the case now. In a best-case scenario, an investor may still make money though not at a good growth rate as the values of residential properties have already reached their peak. In the worst-case scenario, investors may even lose money as the residential property market in many parts of the country see stagnation and

declining capital values.

Office spaces firm up Given the oversupply in commercial real estate, prices are currently relatively low as compared to prices of residential real estate. Also, this segment holds scope for both capital appreciation and regular income through monthly rentals, in case of shops.

Investing in commercial spaces requires much larger investments than residential spaces, and this is why commercial real estate has been perceived as an asset class where only heavyweight high net-worth individuals (HNIs) or institutional investors can participate. Also, developers of offices and malls have always preferred to sell or lease bigger spaces and avoided catering to retail investors.

However, that could change soon with the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) coming in play.

Many retail investors would be able to get into the commercial real estate game through REITs. REITs – A Game-Changer REITs are expected to be opened up shortly by the government. For the very first time, there exists a tool to channel small savings into the Indian real estate sector. REITs are pooled investment entities wherein the corpus is invested in completed, incomeyielding real estate assets. The major part of the revenue/income generated is then distributed among their investors.

The author is the Chairman and Country Head, JLL India

Given the oversupply in commercial real estate, prices are low

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

“According to section 188 of the Motor Vehicle Act, person or persons accompanying the one driving under the influence of alcohol can be booked for abetting the crime” — Sarang Awad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic)

PUNE

“Allowing private cabs with tourist permits to operate as public transport vehicle will have a severe impact on the business of autorickshaw and buses” — Nitin Pawar, Convenor of Rickshaw Panchayat

Roadside food stalls eat up footpath

Food stalls and vendors are back in business on the streets of Viman Nagar as Town Vending Committee has been unsuccessful in relocating them All streets and footpaths in Viman Nagar are in a complete mess with vendors and hawkers back in business.Th is is on the very same spot on the main exit/entry in Viman Nagar where the authorities had an anti-encroachment drive just ten days ago.

The problem area is opposite Nx Neco, Viman Nagar and the one outside Ganga Puram and SBI. PMC spent about ` 2 crores of public funds in budget of 2014-15 just to execute new footpaths and road at this very spot.

But now PMC is letting it be used by vendors and hawkers for flourishing business activity at the cost of safety of pedestrian and smooth vehicle movement.

Town Vending Committee set up 18 months ago has been completely unsuccessful in re-locating vendors and hawkers. State Government holding a workshop for other civic bodies in Maharashtra on vendors and hawkers registration process at YASHADA is useless if the end purpose is not achieved.

PMC has let this two per cent

Qaneez Sukhrani

population of vendors and hawkers become so strong that they are not worried about rules, regulations and penal action.

They are taking over and misusing the footpaths and streets.PMC spent about ` 2 crores of public funds in budget of 2014-15 just to execute new footpaths and roads at this spot for pedestrians and movement of vehicles which is being denied right now.

The funding was approved under a heading of roads which is misleading to tax-paying citizens. I have been very patient with PMC regarding this issue for the past 18 months. I sent five different citizens’ applications for TVC but these were not even considered.

Thereafter, time and again I have surveyed the area in Prabhag 03 and given suggestions of about 7 spots where an average of 7-10 vendors can be re-located. But again there is complete lethargy on this important aspect by PMC. I hope PMC realises that the registration process is of no use at all, if it is not followed up with the intended action. Because during the past 18 months, vendors & hawkers in every area have increased threefold. I hope PMC’s GB takes some pro-active decision, rather than being continuously lethargic about approving important issues that affect tax – paying citizen’s comfort.

CITIZEN JOURNALIST

My love story with Pune

Embracing good and accepting bad about the city is enough to make you fall in love with it

Rodali Hazarika

My fi rst trip to Pune was in December 2006. I was on a short visit of three days. My family friend resides here.

As compared to Delhi the weather here was pleasant. The very next year I got married and shifted base to Pune as my husband was working in an IT company in Magarpatta City.

Initially, I found the pace of the

city very slow and the laid back attitude of people here bothered me. I pestered my husband to fi nd a job in Delhi. I couldn’t think of spending the rest of my life here. The only thing which I loved about the city was the climate. I love all the seasons except for monsoon.

But after spending eight years of my life here, I have become one with the city. I must confess, Pune is great city to live in, work wise and education wise. It is much cleaner, greener and a safe city compared to any other place across the country. As cosmopolitan city it is rich in its culture. We can learn about different counties, states and their cultures.

If one is looking for a decent job, Pune is the place to be. Being home to a lot of multinational companies,

Pune is one of the main IT hubs of India. During my corporate days when I started interacting with colleagues, I found them to be very simple and easy to mix up. They believe in simplicity rather than show off. In the last 8 years the city has made a tremendous change where it has became easy for people to self sustain.

Pune is also considered the best when it comes to education. The city has a good number of reputed educational institutions.

Pune was never my dream destination, but now if anyone asks me where I want to settle down I would proudly say Pune.

At the end I would like to say that every city has it pros and cons but essence of loving it comes when live in it within your heart.

NON-NATIVE

PAROLE

A city that gave me a lifeline

Pune welcomes people with open arms and provide them with opportunities to fulfil their dreams

Born and brought up in Sudan, I never thought that I will venture out of the country ever. After completing my boards, I planned to join my father’s business. He insisted that I complete my graduation as it would give me a better perspective of life.

There are 19 universities in my country and the medium of teaching is Arabic. Due to the disturbances in the country, many students leave their studies midway to join the forces. So, pursuing higher studies in my country was out of question. I applied in many universities across the world, but I chose India as it is peaceful. I received a scholarship to pursue my education in Pune.

FROM FOREIGN

SHORES

Coming from a hot and humid country, Pune was a blessing to me.

The undulating hills, the huge trees on the road side, the people... I love everything.

My fi rst day in college was fi lled with excitement and trepidation. The classroom was big and fi lled with students. I sat at the end, as I didn’t know anyone. In the course of the day, I met my classmates and I was

LETTERS TO THE

EDITOR

The story on ‘Pune a rising hub for sports education’ was a nice read. Sports have always interested me, and I was not aware of so many career options we have today.

The distance sports courses are also available these day. In a cricket driven country, it is good to know youngsters today are taking interest in other sports too. Also so many international institutes are coming up in Pune and are encouraging the youths to take up sports as a full time career. I hope this

Misake Enock

overwhelmed by their friendly nature.

My biggest issue was communicating with them as I was not very fluent in English. I had trouble understanding the course.

Many a times my professors and classmates have helped me understand the syllabus in a better way. I started reading the newspapers and magazine, so that I can have a better understanding of the language. My friends inducted

me into the ways of Maharashtrian culture, the fl avour and social fabric.

It’s been four years since then! Today, I consider myself an integral part of the institute and the city.

Pune is growing out of its of its much coveted neighbour Mumbai. It has entrenched itself on the globe as the city which is vibrant, hosts a strong contingent of knowledge workers and is potentially poised to become a world class city. However, it has to address with a lot of seriousness the issues of pollution. Also the trees have been cut down and monstrous hoardings have been put in their place. The IT boom usurped land for gardens and parks.

The city has become big and messy.

I wonder why we can’t keep the good old things in life while embracing a new lifestyle and technology. Why can’t we share the city’s wealth, poetry, theatre, cinema, trees, and flowers more evenly and subtly? To regain Pune’s past glory, it’s high time we take a decision as conscious citizens.

The sporting spirit of Puneities is on high rise inspires people to persuade their children to take up sports. The city is not far from becoming a hub for sports, as it provides a platform for aspiring sportsmen.

Also sport management courses are really

picking up these days.

— Hemanshi Goyal

Art of the matter The story on the vegetable vendor at Mahatma Phule Mandai and his love for sculpting was an interesting read. Sunil Pate’s love for his art is really inspiring.

I being an artist myself can understand how important his passion must be for him. Money is not something that an

All for a cause

artist lives for, it’s the art that drives him. This is why he so oblivious to the commotion he is surrounded with. All the noise and chaos doesn’t matter to him. However it is sad that he was not able to pursue his interest because of the financial crisis. But he did not give up on his dreams. Sculpting helped him fight the depression. I hope his dream to showcase his art is fulfilled. So all the best to him.

— Lovepreet Chadda

The article on coaching the deficient kids was really an inspiring and thought provoking read. I can only image the hard work, patience and dedication that go in to this. Hats off to the coaches Suresh Joshi, Vilas Majumdar and Sourabh Deshpande for their work. It must be really a challenging task to teach special kids, as one need to be extra careful.

Also I would like to congratulate the Deccan Gymkhana Club for the good work that they are doing. They have been successful in making them stand out at various competitions. I salute them.

— Akash Agarwal

case. It is very clear that it is a murder.

The cops are answerable to parents as they have lost their young son. Instead they are just trying to wrap up the case without coming to a proper conclusion. In order to get justice they should write to National Human Right commission and also take support of judiciary. It’s good that they have taken the matter to social media, atleast people will get know about it. And the autorities will feel the pressure. Court may direct police to lodge the FIR. The hapless condition of the father saddens me more. I hope they get justice.

— Nitin Patil

We demand justice The story on Abhishekh Roy disturbed me the most. What are the cops doing?

This shows their inefficiency in solving the case. Where are the human rights people now? For any parents this incident is heart wrenching. My sympathy goes out to the family! If all the belongings were in place then certainly this is not a burglary

Write to Us Letters to the Editor may be emailed to editor_tgs@goldensparrow.com, editor_tgs@gmail.com or mailed to The Editor, Golden Sparrow Publishing Pvt Ltd, 1641 Madhav Heritage, Tilak Road, Pune-411030.

SPORTS

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MAY 2, 2015

PUNE

“We know we have not performed well. But nothing’s over yet. In 2014 we were in the same situation losing earlier matches and then qualified for play-offs.”

— Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma

Signposts Bhandari Cup tennis tourney from May 4 Deccan Gymkhana will conduct Bhandari Cup MSLTA – Yonex Sunrise All India Ranking 50K Tennis Tournament, a men’s event that will take place from May 4. Few top performers in the tournament are Jayesh Pungliya and Bruhad Mankad along with Nitten Kirrtane who won many titles recently. The qualification rounds will be played on May 2-3.

Double crown for Nitten Kirrtane City’s top veteran tennis player Nitten Kirrtane won double crown in the AISTA Senior National Ranking Tournament held at Bowring Institute, Bangalore recently. In the men’s 35 plus single’s category, he defeated C Venkatraman 6-0, 6-0. Later, he paired with Sunil Harry and went on to beat CD Ajay and Suraj Sachidananad 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) in tie-breaker.

Ladhhar, Patil steer DVCA to victory Taking advantage of home ground, Taranjeetsingh Laddhar (58) and Vinay Patil (66) produced an unbeaten opening partnership in Dilip Vengsarkar Cricket Academy’s (DVCA) 10-wicket win over DY Patil team in the Maharashtra Cricket Association organised senior invitational cricket league at Thergaon. In another match, a 59-run innings by Uday Patil helped Sangli to register a threewicket win over Osmanabad.

High hopes from Maharashtra in future State finishes in the eighth spot in national hockey; goalkeeper Akash Chikte receives most promising player of state award

six months before the tournament, which help the players get accustomed with the synthetic surface.”

RAILWAYS WIN TITLE Amit Rohidas fi red three goals in a space of 20 minutes to steer Railways to a fighting 5-3 title win over Uttar Pradesh in final. Rohidas opened the scoring for Railways in the ninth minute and then just let loose on Uttar Pradesh’s defensive lapses as Railways rightfully etched their name on the National Hockey Championship—a reward for beating the defending champion Air India in the semi-finals.

Talwinder Singh (17th minute) and Affan Yusuf (27th) also scored for Railways, whose all the goals came in the fi rst half.

BY ASHISH PHADNIS @phadnis_ashish Maharashtra Hockey Association now has a reason to cheer. The state has improved considerably in the recently held 5th Hockey India Senior Men’s National Hockey championship.

The team climbed up at the top-8 position for ‘A’ Division match held at Balewadi. The team that finished runner-up in the B division last year, got qualified for A division this year.

Making the most of home advantage, the team entered quarterfinals beating the top teams.

In the fi rst match they gave a healthy fight to hold Services to a draw after going down by one goal in the fourth minute of the match. Captain Vishal Pillay struck the equaliser much to the relief of home fans. Recently the team gave a tough fight to Haryana when they defeated them with the score of 4-1.

Coached by Olympian Ajit Lakra, the Maharashtra team performed beyond their potential to outsmart Haryana, who had back to back wins over a resilient Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Captain Vishal Pillay led by example when he put Maharashtra 1-0 up by converting a penalty corner in the 20th minute. Ashish Chetty, Basant Tirkey, Ruben Kedari and Vinod Nair

A lone Maharashtra player making his way from Haryana defenders during their league match in the tournament

supported the captain Vishal Pillay to lead the team towards a win. The team played their heart out to give Haryana a rude awakening.

With boosted confidence, Maharashtra went on to beat Tamil Nadu. Pillay once again played a key role by scoring two goals in a space of three minutes.

However, after two days of incredible hockey, the host team failed to match the strength and agility of Uttar Pradesh in the last league match and missed out semi-final berth.

However, Manoj Bhore, general secretary of Hockey Maharashtra is satisfied with team’s performance.

“Last year we played in ‘B’ division and finished as runner-up. But now

Aditya, Rutuja win tennis titles TGS NEWS NETWORK @TGSWeekly Aditya Sriram and Rutuja Jadhav won the boys and girls titles respectively after registering contrasting results in the finals of the Solaris Club All India Ranking (Under-14) Championship Series tennis tournament held at Mayur Colony this week.

The 13-year-old Aditya, a standard VIII student of Delhi Public School, Wanowrie, was second seeded in this tournament and he stunned top seed Kyle Cummings 6-4, 6-3 in the final.

Aditya, who trains at the Deccan Gymkhana Club, broke Kyle in the

Rutuja Jadhav

Aditya Sriram

second, fourth and 10th games in the fi rst set. Kyle also kept the pressure on Aditya by taking on the fi rst and third game, but Adtiya had the last laugh.

In the second set, Aditya broke Kyle

in the fourth and sixth games, while lost his serve only once as he won his maiden title in the under-14 category.

In the girls final, top seeded Rutuja was up against Naishi Shah. Naishi won the fi rst set 6-4, but Rutuja, a seventh standard student of Sahayadri International School, rallied brilliantly to take the second 6-4 and then went about leading in the third when Naishi conceded the match. Rutuja led 3-1 in the third set, that handed her fi rst title of her career. The winners received 25 AITA points, while the runnersup will get 20 points and the semifinalists 15 points. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

City teams keep sliding down Suffer second consecutive defeat in I-league Football TGS NEWS NETWORK @TGSWeekly It was a disappointing week for the fans of Pune FC and Bharat FC as both the city teams failed to deliver in front of home crowd. Pune FC

“We are definitely not boring and if we do go on to win EPL, nobody’s going to remember the performances when perhaps it’s not been that exciting.”

— Chelsea skipper John Terry

went down to Mohun Bagan 0-2 while Bharat FC suffered their second consecutive defeat at the hands of Bengaluru FC at Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex in Balewadi.

Pune FC succumbed to their fi fth loss of the season and the third at home when striker Jeje Lalpekhlua and winger Katsumi Yusa scored a goal in the fi fth minute of the game.

Having dropped points, Pune FC (23 pts) stayed in the fi fth place while

Bharat FC’s Omar Jarun (red-white) tries to send the ball goal-wards off a Steven Dias corner

Mohun Bagan (31 pts) increased their lead at the top. With this game, Pune FC ended their home campaign in the league with four wins, three draws and three losses.

On the other hand, two goals in either half from Eugeneson Lyngdoh and CK Vineeth were enough to give Bengaluru FC three points and even though Bharat FC pushed hard, the Lions were unable to unlock the opposing defence. Bharat FC remained in 10th position with 12 points from 14 games. Bengaluru FC climbs up to second spot with 28 points from 15 matches.

Down by two goals, Pune FC tried hard in the final quarter but fell short in the final third. In the 81st minute, Pune FC had another chance when Luciano Sabrosa took a crack on a second ball from range, but his effort was saved by the keeper.

Bharat FC read similar story.

Though they tried to control the game by stringing a number of sublime passes, they were let down by a lack of attacking potency in the final third.

Steven Dias was presented with a chance to level matters in the 41st minute as a perfectly weighted chip from G Vignesh found the winger on the top of the 18-yard box. Dias seemed to hesitate before striking a half-volley and the moment of confusion saw his scuffed strike go straight to Ralte in the Bengaluru FC goal. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

camps; and match the team has played practice sessions remarkably well. We for our players. We finished in top-8 in invited top teams A division. I believe like Central Railway, it’s the outcome of Food Corporation of players’ and coaches India along with some hard work. For the local teams. This last two months helped our players before tournament to build the match we have been giving temperament,” Bhore the best of facilities to - MANOJ BHORE, GEN SECRETARY, added. our players and they HOCKEY MAHARASHTRA About the future have justified it with plans, he said, “We their performance. I have now found the am sure our couple key to success and of players can surely would stick to our strategy. We would be part of Indian team in near future,” avoid conducting trials at the last Bhore said.

“We have been conducting coaching minute. Instead we will hold these trials

“We have now found the key to success and would stick to our strategy.”

AIR INDIA WINS BRONZE MEDAL Air India made amends to losing their grip of the title they had won in 2014 by winning the play-off for the third place. Up against Gangpur, Odisha, Air India let known their intentions right from the start when seasoned Sameer Dad drew the fi rst blood in the fi fth minute of the match.

The player-of-the-match, Sameer Dad created abundant chances for Air India, whose coach Dhanraj Pillay was still seething from the semi-final loss against Railways.

Seasoned former Indian player Vikram Pillay then made it 2-0 in favour of Air India, but Gangpur shot back through Roshan Minz in the 15th minute. Pratap Lakra then scored a consolation goal two minutes from the regulation time, but that was all Gangpur could do against Air India. ashish.phadnis@goldensparrow.com