The Golden Sparrow on Saturday 11/07/2015

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PUNE, JULY 11, 2015 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

Wari helps these kids go to school

Every year, the youngsters wait for the Warkaris to begin their pilgrimage to Pandharpur. That’s when they take up odd jobs to earn enough money to pay for their education See Spotlight, p08 & 09 Aniruddha Rajandekar

Why are YCMH doctors planning to beg on the streets?

BY YOGESH SADHWANI and RAJIL MENON @yogeshsadhwani @RajilMenon Doctors at civic run Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) are a harried lot. Last month they were not paid their full salaries. This month

too they stand to lose a large chunk of their salaries. This is all thanks to hospital management’s decision to suddenly shift from manual muster to biometric system. The doctors lost out on 5-25 days of salary in May. For June, the situation is not going to be any different. With meagre salaries in hand, the doctors have now decided to

literally beg on the streets, wash cars, among doing other odd jobs, as a mark of protest.

The doctors were in for a rude shock on June 20, when they received their May salaries. Not only was their salary late by 10 days, but a large chunk on their monthly remuneration was missing. When they confronted the administration at the hospital, they were told that biometric system did not show their presence in the hospital for several days, and hence their salaries had been deducted. The shocked doctors tried arguing but in vain.

“For several months now the biometric machines have been in place and we have been asked to punch in everyday. At the same time, musters have also been kept in our departments to mark our attendance. All this while, the management paid us on the basis of attendance in the muster,” said one of the doctors who lost his salary for over 15 days. Another doctor who lost his pay for around 10 days, added, “If somebody forgot to enter in the muster, he would be marked absent by the end of the day. This is how stringent the management has been about muster system. They never cared about biometric system,” he added.

Contd on p4

This man got his son arrested for temple theft

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke On Wednesday, Puneites were shocked to hear about theft at the famous Mandai Ganpati Temple. The thief made good with jewellery worth Rs 50 lakhs adorning Sharada Gajanan idol. The very next day, mystery behind the crime was solved, all thanks to the thief ’s own father. Narayan Kudale, an auto rickshaw driver residing in Sainath Colony, turned up at Kothrud police station with a chunk of the stolen

jewellery. He announced that his son had come home late on Wednesday night wearing the ornaments around his neck. The man pleaded that his son should not be spared at any cost.

Before coming to the police station Narayan, a school dropout, had locked his son inside the house. By the time he went back home with the cops, his son, Tanaji had escaped. But as far as cops were concerned, the mystery was solved. Nabbing Tanaji, a known drug abuser, was an easy task.

Contd on p5

Narayan Kudale, autorickshaw driver

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

MUMBAI No end to FTII imbroglio P4

“Dawood Ibrahim is facing charges in Mumbai serial blasts. With serious charges against him, was it appropriate to get him to India and make five-star arrangements for his stay? Law is same for all.”

— Sharad Pawar, President, NCP

Maharashtra forms panel to revamp scholarship schemes

Maharashtra Government has constituted a committee to review and suggest measures to increase transparency and efficiency in implementation of scholarships to students offered by various departments.

The panel, set up by Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, will be headed by Principal Secretary (Financial Reforms) and have members from other departments.

Government departments like School Education, Higher and Technical Education, Social Justice and Special Assistance and Tribal Development are currently offering a slew of scholarships to students under various schemes.

“With a view to review all such schemes as well to examine feasibility of establishing certain criteria for

eligibility of the students and schools, colleges and course which benefit from such schemes, Mungantiwar has constituted the committee,” an official from the Finance Department said today.

The panel will be headed by

Principal Secretary (Financial Reforms) and have Secretaries of Medical Education, Social Justice, Planning, Higher and Technical Education, School Education as its members.

“The committee has been entrusted

with the task of suggesting measures to determine the criteria for students to be given free scholarships as well as getting information on schools and colleges that will be eligible to implement these schemes,” the official said.

The panel will also recommend steps to bring transparency in funding of these schemes and improving their efficiency, he added.

The Finance Minister had tabled a ‘White Paper’ (a Government report) on financial position of the State in the Budget session of the legislature in March.

In the document, the Government stressed the need to establish a tribunal to bring more efficiency and transparency in determination of college and school fees.

PTI

Urdu poet, lyricist Bashar Nawaz dies Renowned Urdu poet Bashar Nawaz, who penned the popular song ‘Karoge yaad to har baat yaad aayegi’ in the Hindi fi lm ‘Bazaar’, died on Thursday in Aurangabad in Maharashtra after a brief illness.

He was 79 and is survived by four sons and seven daughters.

Nawaz had earned an enviable position in modern Urdu poetry and was regarded as a poet with international fame.

Apart from ‘Bazaar’, he also wrote songs for the fi lms ‘Lori’, ‘Janewafa’ and ‘Tere Shahar Mein’.

Mohammad Rafi, Talat Aziz, melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Gulam Ali and Bhupendra, among others, had lent voice to his lyrics.

Born on August 18, 1935 at Aurangabad, Nawaz’s writings were regularly published in various Urdu literary journals.

Initially he was influenced by the

Leftist movement which reflected in his poems. He also wrote radio dramas and scripted the television serial ‘Amir Khusrau’. He had also been a municipal councillor in Aurangabad in the 1950s.

PTI

Tweet about bomb forces emergency landing of Jet Airways plane

AAP sets up state students wing

A Dubai-bound Jet Airways fl ight from Mumbai with 61 passengers and crew made an emergency landing at Muscat airport following a tweet about presence of a bomb onboard, but was cleared for onward travel after it turned out to be hoax, second such incident in last two days.

Flight No 9W 536 landed under emergency conditions in the Omani capital safely at 2.50 pm IST and was taken to the isolation bay for passengers and crew to disembark.

Omani security agencies scanned the aircraft, passengers and baggage and, after a thorough search, the plane was cleared for take-off, a Jet Airways official said.

He said the fl ight will take off for onward journey anytime now.

The tweet--”Bomb spotted on Jet Airways 9W 536 from Mumbai to Dubai departure at 1225 from CSIA (Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport)-triggered the scare after it was noticed by a Jet Airways staff, who informed Mumbai ATC about it.

The message was relayed to Muscat ATC at 1.55 pm following which the plane was diverted to the airport in the Omani capital.

The tweet was said to have originated from the twitter handle of one Surendra Pratap.

Indian security agencies, including Mumbai police’s cyber cell, have launched a probe.

Th is was the second time in last two days that a plane had to be diverted to another airport due to an alleged bomb threat. On Tuesday, a Turkish Airlines plane had to make an emergency landing

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will expand its students and youth wing across Maharashtra within a month in order to reach out to the young generation, a state party leader said.

The AAP’s state unit had announced the launch of its Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) - a student and youth wing along with ‘Graduate’s Forum’ with the purpose of making a foray into student politics.

“We would be having six regions. Dr Sushant Bolkar has been appointed as head of Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR),” AAP’s Maharashtra unit executive member and CYSS incharge Farooque Ahmed told PTI. “In the other five regions of Konkan, North Maharashtra, Western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Vidarbha, the heads would be

at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport following a similar scare but no explosive was found onboard.

“Jet Airways fl ight 9W 536, which departed from Mumbai at 1246 hrs for Dubai, was diverted

MOBILE TICKETING

Mumbai Mayor Snehal Ambekar, Minister Diwakar Raote and MLA Raj K Purohit after the inauguration of the mobile ticketing system, in Mumbai on Wednesday. PTI

IFC unveils EDGE green bldg certification IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and GBCI have partnered with realtors’ apex body CREDAI to launch EDGE green building certification system in India.

The certification will boost ecofriendly construction and make buildings more resource-efficient, International Finance Corporation (IFC) said in a statement.

GBCI is a third-party agency recognising excellence in the green building industry.

EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is a free, easy-touse software that suggests practical solutions for energy and water savings, improving operational performance at little or no extra cost.

To qualify for certification, a building must achieve a 20 per cent reduction in energy, water, and construction resources compared with a standard building. In India, the programme is being launched in Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. PTI

to Muscat due to a bomb threat. The aircraft with 54 guests and 7 crew on board landed safely in Muscat at 1320 hrs local time (1450 hrs India),” Jet Airways said in a statement earlier in the day.

All guests and crew disembarked without any incident and were taken to the airport terminal, the airline said.

Jet Airways, in another statement, said that the fl ight departed for Dubai at 2115 hours Indian time after Muscat Airport Authorities cleared the plane for take-off.

“After a thorough search by the Omani security agencies, the aircraft was cleared for onward journey.

The fl ight departed Muscat at 1945 hours local time (2115 hours India) for Dubai,” Jet Airways said in the statement.

“We regret the inconvenience caused to the guests and thank them for their patience, calmness and understanding,” it added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police said they are yet to trace Surinder Pratap, who is believed to have tweeted from Ludhiana that a bomb was “spotted” in the Jet Airways fl ight.

“All efforts are being made to trace the antecedents of this Surinder Pratap, but no progress has been made yet.

Efforts are on to nab the culprit,” Ludhiana Police Commissioner Pramod Ban said.

Police, however, did not rule out the possibility of the tweet being fake.

PTI

State sets up village panels to curb Dalit atrocities The Maharashtra Government will involve village-level officials and prominent local residents to check atrocities on Dalits, a move that comes in the backdrop of cases of violence reported against Scheduled Caste members in Ahmednagar district.

Social Justice Department has started an initiative in this regard to maintain harmony and protect Dalit communities which are vulnerable to caste violence.

Social Justice Minister Rajkumar Badole instructed his department officials to form a village level committee in districts to intervene and prevent cases of atrocities on Dalits.

Each committee will comprise talathis (revenue officials), sarpanch (village head) and gram sevaks (village development officers) besides members from all sections of society, he said, adding, the step will help reduce incidents of violence and harassment against Dalits.

The panel will be formed under the Government’s ‘Tanta Mukti’ scheme which seeks to make villages free of disputes.

Badole was presiding over a review meeting at Mantralaya (Secretariat) on cases of Dalit atrocities reported from Ahmednagar district.

PTI

The move is part of the plan to reach out to the young generation, according to a state party leader appointed soon,” he said.

“Youth are the foundation of tomorrow’s India and have a crucial role to play in reforming politics. CYSS is an honest attempt to create leaders and allocate responsible positions to youth,” AAP’s state convener Subhash Ware said.

“AAP has initiated its foray into student politics and going by the enormous support from students and party’s cadre, the CYSS will emerge as a force to reckon with across the state,” he said.

He alleged that traditional political parties haven’t done justice to students’ issues.

“They have merely reduced the students to pawn in the game of petty politics. Th is is exactly what CYSS is attempting to change,” Ware added.

PTI

Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti is a student and youth wing

IT Dept eyes Rs 2.56 lakh cr tax mop up from Mumbai in FY16

The department will try to increase the number of income tax returns, fill up the vacancies at various levels and recover the large amount of tax dues The Income Tax department is looking at collecting tax worth Rs 2,56,000 crore from the Mumbai zone during this fiscal, which is 13 per cent more than the amount mopped up last year.

The department had collected Rs 2,26,000 crore tax from the Mumbai zone during 2014-15.

“We are working on a three-pronged strategy to achieve the higher target at Rs 2,56,000 crore this fiscal year,” newly appointed Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax and Head of Mumbai zone, D S Saxena told PTI. Explaining the strategy further, Saxena said, “To begin with, the department will try to increase the number of income tax returns. Secondly, we will try to fi ll up the vacancies at various levels, so that there is enough manpower, and finally we will try to recover the large amount of tax dues.”

He, however, did not specify how much are the dues under litigation.

Saxena said the New Delhi zone, which he was heading prior to taking over the Mumbai zone a few days back, had collected Rs 1,02,000 crore in 2014-15, which was more than Rs 500 crore from the target for the year.

However, he did not say what is the target for the Delhi zone for this year.

The official said that the Mumbai zone being the largest contributor to the income tax kitty will be under special watch to meet the target.

“Even though we are not watching companies sectorwise, we are closely monitoring their profit on a quarterly

basis. We are also monitoring advance tax payouts,” he said, adding, “In case we find any large variation in profit margins and advance tax payout, we will issue notices to them and ask them to make up the differences.”

The net effective tax being levied on corporates currently stands at 22.6 per cent of the profit.

“As on July 8, the Mumbai zone collected Rs 28,693 crore, up 13.26 per cent from Rs 25,334 crore a year ago,” said Saxena.

TDS collection as on date in Mumbai zone stood at Rs 22,914 crore as against Rs 21,811 crore in the corresponding period last year, a growth of 5.06 per cent.

The zone has collected Rs 13,350 crore in corporate taxes this year so far as against Rs 10,095 crore a year ago.

However, personal income tax collection has been down a notch so far from the Mumbai zone at Rs 13,694 crore so far, down from Rs 13,855 crore in the corresponding period of 2014-15.

PTI

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

“ Fatal accidents are rising on Katraj-Dehu Road bypass. Absence of bays is among the many reasons behind the chaos and increased chances of mishaps. Our association has approached the traffic police seeking their intervention to resolve the problems.”

— Baba Shinde, member, All-India Motor Transport Congress

Black money holders get immunity offer P14

Inter-caste marriage promotion scheme caught in red tape

Wari no longer a tourist attraction

MTDC drops event for lack of participation

Beneficiaries made to wait for several years before being handed out the money

After their marriage in 2011, Girish Jagtap and Ashwini Reddy approached the district social welfare department, to avail of the benefits of the scheme to promote inter-caste marriages in the state. The Salisbury Park residents were asked to produce a number of documents, including their domicile certificates.

It took Girish and Ashwini a year to procure the necessary documents to be eligible for the scheme. Another year after submitting their documents, they received Rs 50,000 under the ambit of the inter-caste marriage scheme.

The state government’s ambitious scheme to promote inter-caste marriages was introduced in 2010, but it carries the usual baggage of red tape and deferrals common to other welfare programmes, which puts its applicants through the rigmarole of making umpteen trips to the district social welfare department, mostly to be given empty assurances and vague replies to their queries.

“I belong to a scheduled caste, while my wife falls into the open category.

Hearing about this scheme, I went to social welfare department after getting married, hoping to avail of the benefits of the scheme,” said Jagtap. He was told by the officials in the department to produce a number of documents before he could apply for the scheme.

“It took me almost a year to get my wife’s name listed on my ration card. Procuring the domicile certificate proved another monumental task. After that, I was able to apply for the scheme in 2012, and eventually received the funds in December 2014,” said Jagtap.

As it happened, he and his wife were in dire need of money just after their marriage, when the government funds would have alleviated their problems, and enabled them to pay back the loan they had taken for their wedding.

Babasaheb Suryawanshi has his

Documents necessary to apply for the scheme

RAHUL RAUT

BY PRIYANKKA DESHPANDE @journopriyankka

• Caste certificates • Marriage certificate • Age proof certificate • Domicile certificate (If either bride or groom is from another district than Pune, a no objection certificate of that district is necessary) • Joint bank account number of the couple

It took Girish Jagtap (left) and Ashwini Reddy one year to procure the necessary documents to be eligible for the scheme on inter-caste marriage

own story of how he was made to wait for a long time before the funds came through, after he had applied for it. “I got married in 2012 and approached the district officials in 2013. I was told to produce my wife’s domicile certificate before I could apply for the scheme.

However, our application for the certificate was rejected thrice over petty issues.

I eventually received the money in March 2015, for which I had applied in March 2014,” said Suryawanshi.

Among the necessary documents, are electricity bills for the last ten years. “Producing these documents involves a lot of time and the consequent delays in the application process,” said Suryawanshi, who lives in Vadgaonsheri.

Akash More of Shivajinagar has a similar tale of woe.

“I had given up hopes of receiving the funds. It is frustrating when we are made to waste time making calls to officials who refuse to answer, and who are not

to be found in their seats when we visit the department. And if they happen to be there, they fail to provide us correct information or answer our queries,” said More. He was more fortunate than the others, as he was made to wait only seven months for what he was due.

A February 2010 Government Resolution (GR) had mentioned an increase to Rs 50,000 from the initial Rs 15,000, to encourage inter-caste marriages, where one partner is from the open category, while the other is from a scheduled caste/tribe. According to official statistics, as many as 356 couples received Rs 50,000 each under this programme in 2014-2015, the total outlay amounting to Rs 1.78 crore. However, this year the department received only 295 applications, so that 61 applicants who received the money this year, had applied for the money previously. In 2013-2014, the department received

The scheme is bogged down by red tape and deferrals

450 applications, and Rs 1.25 crore was allotted to only 250 applicants. In 20122013, the department received only 74 proposals, while Rs. 1.63 crore was allotted to 326 applicants.

Explaining this, district social welfare officer Sanjay Kadam said that earlier the beneficiaries used to get fund amount through cheques. “After adopting the new system of sending the money in the couple’s joint account in 2013, the process is taking time,” Kadam said.

WHO ARE THE BENEFICIARIES? Couples including one person from the open category and another from a scheduled caste/tribe are eligible for these funds. Those married after 2010 are entitled to get Rs 50,000, while couples married before 2010, are entitled to Rs 15,000 only. Those belonging to Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain faiths, wherein the concept of untouchability still exists, can claim these funds.

However, brides or grooms from outside the state are not eligible for the benefits in Maharashtra. The Central Government contributes 50 per cent of the amount. priyankka.deshpande @goldensparrow.com

Wari Darshan organised at a mall in Hadapsar in 2014 drew large crowds

TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly Wari Darshan, an annual initiative started by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in Pune from 2013, was dropped by Mumbai head office for ‘lack of tourist participation’.

The event has received overwhelming response, especially from foreigners and devotees staying outside the state, in its last two editions.

“Last year, we conducted the Wari Darshan event in one of the popular malls in Hadapsar and many people took part. Considering the immense popularity of this event, I forwarded a proposal to our head office for granting permission for this year. I am yet to get a positive reply,” said MTDC Pune division head Vaishali Chavan.

The cultural programme was first organised in 2013 with the motive of boosting wari culture among nonMarathi population and foreign tourists.

It included giving information on wari culture, presentation of folk dances and an opportunity to participate in the procession of Palkhi on its arrival

in the city. People were not allowed to take part in the Palkhi procession last year for security reasons. For those who could not attend the religious pilgrimage, cultural programmes were held at mall which attracted thousands of visitors, she said.

“Wari Darshan was just one of our experiments. It attracted many people but few turned up to participate in the procession. Hence, we decided to skip the idea this year,” MTDC General Manager Kishori Gadre said.

However, for these ‘experiments’ MTDC shelled out Rs 1.5 lakh for the fi rst year’s event and spent Rs 5 lakh next year. NGO Janwani had teamed up with MTDC for the 2014 event.

The department now plans to organise a wari tour package where tourists would be taken to Lonand, 90 km away from Pune.

Pune MTDC officials are disappointed over Mumbai’s decision.

“We wanted to organise Wari Darshan event this year too. We used to feel proud while taking tourists around the city and show them our culture,” Chavan said. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

Army truck hits car, victim told to keep mum Top cop says men in uniform are not above the law in civilian limits

BY GARGI VERMA @writomaniac In a latest case of burking, the police washed its hand off an FIR where an army vehicle had rammed into a civilian’s car at a signal. The policemen along with the army personnel involved reasoned that ‘according to law’ if a vehicle is on army duty, it is exempt from all such charges.

Cops told the victim that filing an FIR would only lead to a long and tiring court procedure.

On July 8, Ranjeeta Army man Deepak Taluja, 42, Kumar who met with an accompanied the Army truck driver accident at Wanow rie.

Her red Honda Mobilio was hit from behind by an army truck and the impact left her nine-year-old daughter Sahiba with a mild neck injury, the vehicle dented and its back glass broken.

The shock, however, came a bit later.

Not only did the truck driver behave rudely, she was discouraged by the army men and the police alike to file an FIR. Ranjeeta, a resident of Salisbury Park, immediately took to the social media and voiced her anger, to a general outpour of similar incidences. Instances of army vehicles causing damage to people and getting away from legal action because of their uniform and police

WINNERS OF PREVIOUS HOUSING SOCIETY CONTESTS BY GODREJ PROPERTIES, PUNE The Army truck (left) that rammed into red Honda Mobilio (right) driven by Ranjeeta Taluja

not THIS speaking wereARE accede a bit andOF pay aARMY measly sum ISagainst WHYthem COPS SCARED •June 2011: CME officers beat up policemen of Bund Garden police station after cops went to RSI Club near War Memorial and requested officers to reduce the volume of music being played on loudspeakers.

•August 2011: Chatuhshrungi police booked about 40 CME officers for allegedly beating up residents of the Comfort Zone Housing Society in Balewadi. Captain Abhishekh Pravinkumar Agarwal and others beat up residents and lodged a cross complaint. The army officer had gone to visit his relatives at the society, where he got engaged in a scuffle with a local resident over the issue of parking.

•2012: Two motorcycle-borne army men from College of Military Engineering (CME) allegedly physically abused a woman police constable of city traffic branch after the cop caught them riding on the Ladki Pul, which is reserved for the four wheelers. The officers continued with cops. Later, senior police officers and army personnel reached the spot. Army trucks took control of Alka chowk and abused common citizens and media persons.

cited by her followers online. Police had either turned the victims away or had bridged the gap between the victims and accused by agreeing both parties in a settlement.

It was Ranjeeta’s will to lodge an FIR that made the army men

of Rs 12,000 that doesn’t even take care of half the repairs.

“The army men had no sense of apology. All they cared about was to get away from the spot. My daughter could have been badly injured, but they didn’t care,” she said.

“They ( a r m y personnel) have no sense of traffic rules. They drive rashly even around schools.

Parents are The army man who told to always drove the truck maintain a safe distance from these vehicles as there’s no binding law for the army,” Ranjeeta said. She rues the reality that the army, one of the assets of the country, has been a cause of trouble for many.

JCP Sunil Ramanand said, “We have no information about such an event. If the victim wishes to report, she’s welcome otherwise we will find out and take immediate actions.

The army men in civilian limits are not above law and can be charged. It was wrong to turn the victim away.” gargi.verma@goldensparrow.com

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THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY PUNE

“There are over 17 lakh ration card holders in the city. We have received information of about 50% card holders so far.We want the rest to submit the forms till July 31with a photograph of the family head.”

CPI(M) leader to Centre: Release caste-based data P10

— Jyoti Kadam, District Supply Officer (DSO)

No end to FTII imbroglio Students refuse to back down, to oppose Chauhan’s decisions on appointment of director

by Gargi Verma @writomaniac Gajendra Chauhan’s first move as Chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) will happen on the July 13. He, as the new and highly controversial Chairman, will be a member of the panel involved in interviewing candidates for the post of the institute’s director.

The agitating students have geared up to oppose this appointment, along with the appointments of the committee and chairman. According to students’ representative Rakesh Shukla, “This is what we have been fighting to avoid. Everybody who has given us the argument about the chairman being an ornamental position should see now.” The students, clearly, are very sceptical about the choices Chauhan may make.

According to student Lavanya Ramaiah, “Even if the committee makes legitimate decisions, accepting them would be accepting the chairman and that the students are unwilling to do.”

The ministry has, however, maintained a stoic silence while the student body has repeatedly asked for justification of the appointment. The threats of privatisation and shutting down of the institute, however, loom high on the government’s horizon.

Industry bigwigs have supported the government’s idea of privatisation. Veteran actor Anupam Kher feels

Bollywood as Ranbir Kapoor, Kalki Koechelin, Nawazuddin Siddquie, Kiran Rao and others have voiced their opinions and concerns regarding Chauhan’s and other committee members’ appointments.

that an institute like FTII needs a highly qualified person as chairman, and also feels that the body should be privatised. “Very few of such institutes are funded by the government the world over,” he said, in support of the privatisation plan. Film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, a former chairman of FTII, also shared this view.

Bhatt said, “This is an industry that has produced selftaught stalwarts like Satyajit Ray. Why should the taxpayers’ money be spent on producing film industry professionals when it would be better utilised building primary schools, health care and infrastructure?”

However, more support has come from mainstream

What next?

Students now are currently at the crossroads. While most of them believe in continuing the protests and strike, the idea of approaching the courts have been floated too. “We have thought about approaching the courts, but it still is the last resort. We’d like to keep faith in our government that we could solve this simply by holding a series of dialogues,” said Sakshi Gulati, a third year student. Meanwhile, more and more people are being approached and a letter has been sent to the ministry to cancel the interview on the July 13.

The numbers jumble The students do not wish to play up the media role, with less media involvement in all issues. However, this is not a sudden move. Rajesh Shukla explains, “The media has helped us tremendously, no doubt. But there also are a few who have misrepresented the facts. For instance, this is the 7th strike, not the 40th as proclaimed by a few. Also, our cumulative budget is supposed to be Rs 20 crore, not Rs 40 crore. These errors present a wrong picture about us.” gargi.verma@goldensparrow.com

YCMH doctors planning to beg...

Contd from p1

that despite that, some of us have been marked absent even on days we punched. The management is still not willing to hear us out and we may end up losing a large chunk of our salary even this month,” said a doctor.

Most of the doctors are now finding it difficult to make ends meet. YCM Hospital has doctors working at different posts – Housemen, Registrars, Bonded, Medical Officers and Consultants – in different departments. After the pay cuts, some of the doctors tried protesting but were told that if they create a scene, their attendance of last several months would be checked on biometric system and salaries paid to them, recovered.

“We tried telling them that the muster was proof enough. Moreover, if we were absent from work for so long how is that surgeries took place, patients were taken care of in wards and even checked on

However, while computing the May salary, the management decided to use biometric system instead. “We tried reasoning with the bosses that they should have intimated us and we would have gladly stuck to that system. Moreover, the biometric system has its own flaws. Despite punching, attendance does not get recorded properly. The management, however, did not care to give us a hearing,” added another doctor. Not stopping at that, the management allegedly told the doctors that even their June salaries would be computed using biometric system. “By the time we received our May salary, it was June 20. Essentially we had already lost 20 days’ salary. Post June 20, we diligently punched on biometric machines. But now we have realised

Crorepatis, criminals dot Bihar poll fray

daily basis. The management turned a deaf ear to our request,” said a doctor attached to the hospital.

With no solution in sight, a small group of doctors from the gynaecology and obstetrics departments went on a strike this week for a few hours. “The department takes care of implementation of several national schemes and handles the labour room, which is treated as an essential part of the hospital. The management assured them that they would get full salaries, however doctors from other departments would not,” said a doctor.

Now, a large number of doctors have come together and planned a unique protest. They have decided to go out and wash cars and ask for donations from people to help them make ends meet. They would also wear soiled and crumpled clothes to work to show how

the salary cut has affected their lifestyle.

When The Golden Sparrow team contacted Dr Manoj Deshmukh, medical superintendent of YCM Hospital, he said, “They were all told at the time of joining that they would have to punch in their attendance on biometric machines while entering and leaving the hospital every day. It is binding on them and these are rules set by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. We are well within the rules in taking action against them.” On being asked if the punishment was way too harsh, considering the doctors worked beyond their duty hours and without a break, he said, “It doesn’t matter whether they came to work and put in endless hours. The fact is that they did not mark their attendance on biometric system.” yogesh.sadhwani@goldensparrow.com rajil.menon@goldensparrow.com

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Rusted streetlight keeps them on toes Rusted streetlight pole puts residents of Thergaon housing society in danger of electrocution

By Rajil Menon. @RajilMenon Residents of the A1 block of Samata Society at Nakhate Nagar in Thergaon have been living under a cloak of fear for the last two months. There is a streetlight in front of their building which is in such a rusted state, that they fear it will collapse any moment. To avert such a mishap, they have secured the pole with nylon ropes from the first and ground floors of their building. But the frail nylon ropes are no guarantee, so the residents are taking precautions, and they have stopped using the spot near the grungy pole to wash clothes, as some women have felt electric shocks. Their children are now prohibited from using the building’s front exit when it is raining, to avert the possibility of electric shocks.

“After repeated complaint calls to the Sarthi helpline, the bulbs on the pole have been changed. The PCMC staffer who replaced the fused old bulbs said that we would have to wait for the rusted streetlight pole to be changed,” said Rupali Pimple, 29, a tenant of A1. The PCMC electricity department staffer said that the work of replacing old and rusted poles is underway but that it would take time.

Rupali has stopped washing clothes at the tap next to the streetlight, fearing electric shocks.

Dhanashree, 30, says that the streetlight is in such a bad state, that it tends to move and sway with a gust of wind. “That is why we have tied nylon ropes to keep the pole from coming crashing down,” she said.

The chawl is a ground plus one structure and there are more than ten children among its residents, who are most in danger from the rusted pole and the possibility of electric shocks.

Shalimbai Bansode, 50, said that her daughter-in-law is constantly warning her children about the rusted pole, and has forbidden them to go anywhere near it for fear of electrocution.

Aniruddha Rajandekar

JULY 11, 2015

The base of the streetlight has rusted away and it has been tied with rope to keep it from collapsing

Authority speak Engineer Ashok Development Dhondu Surgude of the electrical department of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) told TGS that he would look into the matter of the rusted streetlight pole.

He also assured to bring the guilty PCMC staff to book if they are guilty of negligence.

Junior Engineer Satish Tayde said that he had not received any complaint about the streetlight poles in his jurisdiction, that Samata Society comes under. Old and rusted streetlights are handled on a priority basis, he said, and assured that he would do the needful at the earliest. rajil.menon@goldensparrow.com

Finally, police chief Teachers launch stir over job postings gets official residence THE GOLDEN SPARRO W ON SATURDAY

Villas

Is the day getting longer?

P11

at dirt ch p rent!has Police Commissioner KKeaPathak moved into his official bungalow at Queens Garden Government looks forwa rd to earn Rs 20 lakh per month by renting out 345 HAL houses

BY ARCHANA DAHIW AL @ArchanaDahiwal

taken voluntar y retirements over time. At present there are 1049 employe es in company, half of whom the left the company houses have and shifted to their own homes.

There are 600 houses of differing sizes, includin g the officers bungalows.

Of these, 345 houses are to be given on lease.

Rahul Raut

PUNE

China wants red carpet, not red tape

P14

Police chief yet to get his official bungalow

Pathak’s predecessor has

not vacated the officia

l bungalow forcing the commissione The BJP-led governm ent is r to live in a guest house, giving out the 345 family lives in a rented while his houses of apartment Hindustan Antibiot ics colony on lease. The HA colony is located near Kharlawadi, BY GITESH Pimpri on the Pune-M SHELKE aniRuddha Rajande kaR umbai @gitesh_shelke highway opposite One of the villas up for grabs at HA its plant.

Colony The government expects to It’s been over two months generate around Rs since KK Pathak 20 took charge as police As per the lease notificaper month from leasing lakh commissioner of Pune. He has been living of the tion, there were vacant property. in State Reserve 32 houses Police guest house, among the 40 houses while The government of secubeen put up in a rented his family has had rity guards marked invited bids for apartment on for lease. leasing of Karve Road. All this The ailing Hindustan These houses are thanks to the former Antibiotics Limited resident ial accomm 318 square odation at Union Minister of State police chief SAtish (HAL), India’s first feet. The monthly rent Mathur not vacating public HA colony through for Chemicals and for these newspaper stance to occupy the Fertilisers, but it is yet the official bungalow. company, has had been sector pharma houses is Rs 5,786 bungalow. to get the final nod ads recently. provided empty which infrom assuranc Repeated calls and On Finance April es galore, cludes Minister 14, Mathur was the open space, service but any Arun Jaitley and text The HA resident ial Mathur, who is currently messages to Prime Minister Narendr out of Pune and promote transferred central ministry towards action by the colony tax etc. is self-contained, with a Modi. d initiating its Marathi (Technical and Legal) posted as DG General of Police. Howeve as Director revival, is still nowhere Hansraj Ahir, Union There are 140 double and English medium Minister of State at Maharashtra room Nursery, police headqua rters for Chemicals and Fertiliser vacate the official bungalo r, he is yet to inaction by the governm in sight. This houses of 236 square in Mumbai, did not Primary ent is likely to s, during his w in Queen’s feet, and Seconda ry evoke any response. visit to HAL in January, Garden area. cost HAL dear, as it monthly rent of Rs 4,371. with may School, a small promised employforfeit the Rs 50 There shopping ees that the company crore worth of orders A similar controve Sources in police revealed are 167 three room would it complex , welfare centre rsy has, had rocked be owing that reviewed houses to after the of Mumbai police last under the PM’s Make-in former commissioner paucity of funds. Workers hall, 346 square feet with year after police and a hospital. The was shunted, he -India plan, in fear that if the Rs 6,269 commiss quarters March. should governm But ioner have ent the government has paid as monthly rent. funds are not forthcom Satyapal Singh opted immediately vacated have electricity and three for ing, the voluntar y retirement months salary dues to premises. According they will lose out on water Four F-type houses of the 1,100 employees, in January. Months to the supply. The environs the revenue, face 1,806 are green after his retirement in May. There has been are two types of residenti rules, there penalties and that they square feet are up for he did not vacate the and free from pollution no progress meanmay be blacklisted al quarters Rs 32,154 for official while . the police – earmark in the market. on the revival package. bungalow at Bandra. rent, while two bungalo ed and common pool.

To counter the He had been ws of occupying the bungalo Police officers, who finance Sunil Pataskar, General Trilochan Das, Manager 1,962.32 square feet stay in crunch, the authorit w (Personnel) Secretary will have Singh had been allotted for 22 years. of the Hindustan ies are pool residential quarters the common of HAL, said, “We Rs 34,850 as rent.

Antibiotics Mazdoo resorting to leasing are expecting Rs , the can bungalo continue w r when he was an addition Sangh, said, “The to occupy their official 670.40 crore for restartin the Interested parties staffers had received property. More than quarters for three al commissioner g the production should of police in Mumbai salaries for three months months after they 50 per of medicines. We had send in their bids before shunted out. The cent of the houses almost Rs 50 crore . Later he was only, and salary July 6. are vacant. transferred to Navi for the remaining nine earmarked residences worth of orders from The company has set Mumbai, Nagpur months is pending.

The company had construc need to be vacated all terms and and Pune as commiss The workers do not on the day the officer But to fulfill these orders over the state. ted conditions for lease, have work in hand at ioner, but continued is transferred out of the colony for employe we had no raw including occupying the bungalo present.” es the city. materials available. no cattle, animals or The management is w. Once he opted setting up the HA plant. after hazardous for following There voluntar HAMS When up The y president Shrirang Barne goods, and that the retirement in to get the funds immedia Golden Sparrow contacte were 4400 employe premises and tely d es before he was allowed to occupy January 2014, other committee members commissioner Pathak, from the government.” will not be used for 1996 after which there he said that he had had organised it free of cost purposes has been for three months. In a meeting at the plant applied for the official According to official other than for which July Mumbai police no new recruitments. recently to review residence. “There HAL sources, they are issued him a notice Most the situation. Barne is a procedure to get a bailout package of leased. to vacate and pay Rs 670.40 crore has the officers and workers of the questioned the up Rs 8 lakhs as management about the according to it I have bungalow and been approved by had archana.dahiwal@goldensparr rent for overstay ing. the cabinet and the delay in receiving applied through ow.com In September, Singh, Rs 185 crore as part of the State Public Works Department the revival package. who went on to become a Member (PWD),” he said. Howeve a Parliament, finally vacated the bungalow. comment on the former r, he did not commissioner’s gitesh.shelke@goldensparr ow.com

No headway in revi

val

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke

City Police Commissioner KK Pathak moved to the official bungalow of Pune Police Commissioner located in Queens Garden area after his predecessor and former Police Commissioner Satish PMC swimthe ming pools are Mathur vacated residence after dr owni unde r catwo overstaying forng more than months. sh de fic it The running of PMC swimming pools is caugh t between rising Mathur was promoted as costsDirector and limited revenue General of Police and transferred to Mumbai in April this year but the senior officer did not vacate the official bungalow. Pathak was left with no option but to put up at the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) guest house located in Hadapsar. His family members stayed at a rented place on Karve Road.

According to rules, there are two types of police residential quarters (rooms or apartments for officers) – earmarked and common pool.

Senior and lower rank police officers, who stay in common pool Rahul Raut

One of the PMC swimmin g pools in the city, fallen on hard times that instead of thriving

business, has

Shekhar Khasnis, who runs Sharad Academy in Shark Aquatics Club at Swargate, said, “It costs eight lakh rupees minimu m to change the flooring, and the pool has to be closed down for a few months.

And damaged flooring may cause injuries or raise other unnecessary issues.”

Khasnis added, “Most of the swimming pools are run by former swimmers and coaches.

We are devoted to grooming talented swimmers, and since not everyone can afford private pools, we somehow manage to make do with these pools.”

A majority of swimmer s who dominate state and national tournaments, such as Yuga Birnale, Swejal Mankar and Anvesh Prasade, train in PMC pools.

The soluT ion The only solution to this problem is to reduce the margin between expenses and income of these Summer is the peak pools. season, when are demanding reductio The owners every swimming pool n in the rent in the city is or alteration relative overcrowded, mainly to the number with kids, who of swimmers per put summer vacation “We have to follow month. s to good use, by Another rules and demand is to reduce regulations set by the learning or just enjoying the light bills and PMC officials. increasing the rate for According to the rules, Their growing numbers swimming. daily passes. we and the fees “An increase in the more for daily or monthly can’t charge they are willing to rate for daily pay marks out passes. The passes won’t matter limit for a daily pass swimming pools as was Rs 10 in 2000. even to the a really lucrative financial ly deprived In the last 15 years, business proposition. , as the rent teach talented swimme we already expenses including mainten and other However, that is rs who can’t far from the ance, light afford to pay the fees bills, office staff and truth, especially for free of life guard salaries those in charge year, I have myself handed cost. This have increased four-fold of the Pune Municip out 60 free , but the limit al Corporation passes to such kids. And has been raised only (PMC) owned swimmi increasing the to Rs 20, which ng fees will also keep the is totally unacceptable. the record, over 40 swimmi pools. For trouble-mongers The malls in ng pools in away,” said Khasnis. the city charge more the city are governed than that just for by the civic body, Even corporators are parking,” he added. and are run by swimmi seeking a ng coaches. It solution should be a profitable The cheap rates also to this issue. business, but with bring along NCP corporator Avinash the additional problem the increasing rents, restrictions on fee of attracting Jadhav had suggested that the unruly and troublestructures and other the owners unite makers. safety norms, it’s and put forward their becoming extremely “Actually the cheap demands in a difficult for the rates were systematic manner. decided on so that coaches to make ends everyone could meet.

“I have heard that afford them. But, “The fact is that swimmi several PMC in reality the ng pools pools are facing problem undesirable elements are not a profitabl s and some of society are e business. The have taking advantage of closed down due to crowd remains only this, and making insufficient for three months funds. I believe that our lives miserable. Eventua in summer, and for the the pool owners’ rest of the year, demands are reasonab in a drop in the number lly it results hardly anyone turns le, and if we can up. of genuine reduce the rent or the swimmers, who then we have to pay a monthly Moreover, light turn to private rent to the eventual ly help enthusia bills, it will and costly pools,” said PMC, irrespective sts who can’t Acharek ar. of the number of afford private pools. swimmers. PMC has The issues just don’t I will also raised the put this matter before personal ly Most pools require renovati end there. rent tremendously. In the PMC 2011, the yearly on and the officials,” he said. management has to foot the costs. ashish.phadnis@goldenspa rrow.com

BY ASHISH PHADN IS @phadnis_ashish

rent was Rs 1,80,000 , which has now been raised to Rs 6,25,000. This is a heavy burden,” says Bhupendra Acharek ar, who runs Harmony Club in Kothrud.

residential quarters, can continue to occupy their official quarters for three more months from the date they are transferred to another city. Those occupying earmarked residences need to vacate the place the day they are transferred out of the city.

Mathur continued to stay at the earmarked residential premises, a huge British-era bungalow in Queens Garden area, despite getting the transfer order on April 14. Pathak took charge on April 15 and has been staying at the guest house located on SRPF premises. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

Police Commissioner’s Official Bungalow; Tgs June 27 Edition (Above)

Despite a Masters degree and after clearing CET exam, teachers have been kept on hold by the government regarding postings TGS News Service @TGSWeekly

Maya Kamble has a Masters degree in Education. She cleared the Common Entrance Test (CET) to become a Shikshan Sevak with the government schools back in 2010. Since then, she hasn’t set foot in any school as a teacher. Although the High Courts have intervened and the judgment was in her favour, she along with over 60 other such candidates, launched a hunger strike on July 5 outside the Education Office as a mark of protest.

Candidates who cleared the CET in 2010 have been struggling for legitimate appointments for the past five years. Over 3000 candidates had filed and won a law suit in 2013. Out of the 3000, some 2000 had been granted postings immediately, and the remaining 1000 were put on a waiting list, and were to be employed by mid-2014. “The government was supposed to resolve all our issues and grant us appointments before the start of the 2014-2015 educational term,” said Shambhunath, one of the candidates. “Clearly that deadline doesn’t mean much. We had even filed a contempt petition, but even that has only dates and false hopes, nothing else,” he added.

Most candidates hail from villages are facing social and financial problems. Maya explains, “For the past five years, I have been just sitting and waiting. Many of my colleagues who had got married, are now facing breakups and such. None of us are that well off to survive without working.”

Many have taken up low paying jobs

rahul raut

JUNE 27, 2015

“With the release of treate d sewage water into every right to stake a claim on additional quotathe canal, the PMC has being made for years of water. The demand and additional water is is the city’s right.”

—Vandana Chavan, Rajya Sabha MP

The teachers on their indefinite hunger strike have set up a pandal outside the Education Office and are insisting on job postings

at call centres, or as receptionists in IT companies. Some have gone back to farming. Maya said, “I feel terribly ashamed when I go back home. My younger siblings are disillusioned and losing interest in studies. With my jobless and penniless state, I have no consolation to offer to my parents who spent their hard-earned money on educating me.”

The government had sent them letters, stating that the postings were to happen in Thane. However, the Thane Education department personnel told them that there were no vacancies in the Thane zone. When they were directed to other areas, they were brushed off by the locals, and the government officials did nothing. Back at the Pune office, they were told to

talk to the Thane officials, who denied receiving any official communication.

“We are like refugees who don’t belong anywhere,” said one of the protesting candidates. The candidates had even filed an RTI to find out about the status of the vacant posts for teachers in Thane area. The RTI results, however, clearly showed that there were 284 vacant posts in Thane. But the officers refuse to acknowledge this.

They are determined to continue their protest. “We won’t be fooled by assurances any more. We want our jobs,” said Maya. Maya and a few others sleep in the pandals, unbeknownst to their families. “Nobody has even so much as looked at us, not even the police, to ask what we are doing here,” said Afsha, another candidate.

The candidates, from various categories, age groups and villages, are united in their demand for justice. “Either they need to give a logical justification and cancel our appointments with due compensation, or they need to give us a final appointment,” said Maya. She plans to stay on the road for as long as it takes.

But with the government ignoring them, it might be a long haul.

On the fourth day of the strike, three members have already sick and weak. The education department called for medical aid, but were not able to persuade them to call off the hunger strike. “It’s a difficult time, but the government still doesn’t care,” said one of the candidates. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

“Comparing the old and recent survey, we guess that more than 16,000 toilets will have to be constructed.The work to compile the data collected at the ward office level is underway.”

— Suresh Jagtap, head, PMC’s solid waste department

Summer sun brings signs of danger P11

City colleges rebuff ISKCON de-addiction drive ISKCON team’s de-addiction campaign for students evokes lukewarm response from city colleges

BY PRIYANKKA DESHPANDE @journopriyankka The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) volunteers were in for a rude shock when they approached authorities of Pune colleges with their proposal to conduct deaddiction workshops for the benefit of students. To their great surprise and dismay, a majority of the administrations of the city’s flatly turned down the ISKCON members’ plan to hold deaddiction camps or any such activity for college students. The ISKCON volunteers had been trying to promote their de-addiction drive for college students for the past year, but the refusal of most college administrations to entertain or support their endeavour has proved to be a dampener. The one positive, however, has been the decision of the state social welfare department to support the ISKCON initiative.

“Of the 80 colleges in the city, only 37 colleges have given us permissions to conduct the de-addiction drive,” said Swami Anand Murari, a volunteer from the ISKCON temple at Katraj-Kondhwa Road. He claimed that the authorities of the disinterested colleges turned down their proposal under some flimsy pretext or another. The ISKCON volunteers launched their de-addiction drive in January 2014, in view of the large and growing population of students in the city, who happen to be the most prone to fall prey to substance abuse or addiction.

ISKCON volunteers conducting a workshop on de-addiction at a city college

The ISKCON de-addiction workshops are designed to convey to students the hazardous effects of alcohol, tobacco and drugs, as well as the dangers of falling into the web of vices such as gambling and illicit sex. Students are also urged to inculcate the virtues of an orderly life and a simple yet nutritious diet.

Elaborating on their campaign, Murari said, “Besides outlining the grave and life-threatening consequences of addiction in detail, we also explain relevant aspects such as habit formation and stress management. Our team includes experts who work in the health sector and are well qualified to deal with the problem of addiction among today’s youth.”

Outlining the problems the volunteers face, Murari said that the authorities have not denied them the opportunity to conduct the workshops,

but that the ISKCON team is often made to wait endlessly, under the pretext that the students were attending some classes. “They also make it difficult or even impossible for us to speak to the principals,” Murari said.

“The ISKCON volunteers had approached our institute but unfortunately the management committee did not allow them to meet me,” said Dr Girish Pathade, Principal of HV Desai College of Arts, Science and Commerce. He mentioned that at times people badger students to participate in courses, after meeting them under the pretext of some workshop or drive.

Marathwada Mitramandal College of Commerce principal Dr MD Lawrence said that students involved with the National Service Scheme (NSS) are already spreading awareness

about the consequences of addiction among their college-mates. “That is the reason I turned down the proposal for a de-addiction drive by the ISKCON volunteers,” Lawrence said.

MES Abasaheb Garware College principal Shrikant Gupta said, “I would not have allowed the ISKCON volunteers to conduct their drive at our college, since we do not allow outsiders to conduct any spurious workshop or lectures in our college.”

Even in the face of such attitudes, the ISKCON volunteers are determined to introduce their de-addiction campaign in more city colleges, in the hope that they will be able to persuade more students to keep out of reach of the murky world of vice and addiction.

Helping hand The state social welfare department has decided to help ISKCON volunteers reach out to students with their de-addiction campaign. “Our de-addiction centre has been hampered in its functioning owing to financial constraints. Therefore, the ISKCON de-addiction drive is a welcome initiative, which we aim to support whole-heartedly as it conveys a positive message to college students and could help them from falling prey to addictions,” said Sanjay Kadam, District Social Welfare Officer. He plans to meet college authorities and urge them to support the ISKCON initiative to conduct de-addiction camps in colleges. priyankka.deshpande@goldensparrow.com

PUNE

How Iceland emerged from its deep freeze...

P14

Cops on toes as externed criminals reappear in city

As many as 95 externees have returned to the city streets

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke

The presence of 95 externed persons since January in the city is a clear violation of police orders.

City Police Commissioner KK Pathak was in for a shock when he was told that an externed person is running a tea stall opposite to a police station.

“It shows lack of coordination among police stations. I am focusing on improving the inter-police station communication to avoid such incidents in future,” he said.

According to police records, 82 persons were externed in 2015 and the figure was 152 in 2014. And around 95 externed criminals were found roaming on city streets.

Persons who are regularly involved in body offense, property offenses or are affiliated to any criminal gangs are externed from Pune city and district limits for a period of one or two years.

Pathak is unhappy with externment procedures. “Many criminals who have been externed in the last two years have been found in the city. Instead of externment procedures to deter

City Police Commissioner KK Pathak

criminals from committing crimes, I think they should be punished properly through some other measure,” he said.

Pathak said that he is checking out possibilities to take stern legal actions against regular offenders instead of externing them. “There are other legal remedies like taking prohibitory actions and keeping them behind bars for longer periods,” he said.

The senior police officer had issued orders to Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) on night duty and night round officers to visit residences or hideouts of persons who were externed from the city, which has yielded results. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

82 people were externed in 2015 and 152 in 2014 by the Pune police

Let’s do it: EyeNetra inventor technology which will help in not just computational photography but also to check for eye disorders and to see round the corners. “We are at a very advanced stage of research, with the help of some colleges in Hyderabad and Nashik. Let’s see how we can develop this further,” he said.

Answering a question regarding the shortage of opportunities and funds, he said, “I don’t think funds are an issue in this era. However, you need to use the funds pretty smartly. A Zomato or a Whatsapp succeeded not because they had zillions of dollars but because they had a chalked out plan.”

Answering questions about education in abroad, he said, “Education abroad is a great way of obtaining a new point of view and outlook.”

He reminisced about his days at the institute, saying, “I would have never been able to accomplish what I have if I hadn’t been guided by my faculty here.” gargi.verma@goldensparrow.com

With this issue

This man got his son arrested...

Tanaji Kudale

gold ornaments around his neck. When I asked him where he had got them from, he did not utter a word. I knew that he had stolen them from somewhere.

By then I had no idea that they were from a temple,” said Narayan. The next morning Narayan locked his son inside their 10*10 feet house and left for local police station with the ornaments.

The next day when Narayan was on his way to Kothrud police station he got a call from a kin. “My cousin

e New h T t e Me S A L A W RE he Block T A E H T On T

eing stage is se The city g talent sharing n u yo , h fres with eriences their exp ging audience ra u co en an er. If e than ev now mor yet, it ’s time en’t you hav s to their ed ticket you book ces soon an per form

In the issue &

All they had to do was find him and recover rest of the stolen material. Tanaji had brought home only some of the booty, and hidden the rest.

Over the next few hours, cops had Tanaji in their custody. The 35-year-old accused had gone to Shivajinagar court and was trying to steal a water tap from the premises, when he was spotted by a constable. The cop recognised him from the images that had been circulated and immediately arrested him.

“I am ashamed of what my son has done. He is addicted to alcohol and drugs. I have tried several times in the past to get him out of out but in vain.

What he has done this time is simply unpardonable,” said Narayan, while speaking to The Golden Sparrow.

The 60-year-old rickshaw driver has decided not to bail his son out. “I will not appoint a lawyer to get him out. Let him rot inside and repent for his sins. I have requested the cops to not go easy on him or spare him,” said Narayan.

He recounts how on Wednesday night, Tanaji walked home in an inebriated state. “He must have abused some substance. He was wearing some

called me up and said that he had read the news about the theft in Mandai Temple. He said that the suspect’s sketch matched with Tanaji. I must admit that I got a little nervous thinking about my son’s fate, but I was firm about handing him over for his misdeed,” said Narayan.

An autorickshaw driver for the last 24 years, Narayan takes pride in his honesty and integrity. “I have returned a costly cell phone to its owner, who had forgotten it, last week. Policemen had honoured me when I had returned cash to its owner. I never cheat my passengers. And here my son went and stole from a temple,” said Narayan, who hails from Mulshi and migrated to Kothrud in 1986. The 60-yearold drives a rented autorickshaw for over 12 hours a day just to feed his family of six, which includes four children.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Vishrambaug police recovered rest of the stolen ornaments from a drain pipe near Pune Municipal Corporation’s headquarters.

Tanaji had stashed away part of the booty in the drain and taken some home. The 35-year-old accused has been remanded to police custody till July 15. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

shopp in g

Contd from p1

m rrow.co

denspa

egol www.th 2015 | JULY 11, PUNE,

Maxi-magic!

Best biryani in the city

re isu e l

Lifestyle

“Policies are not enough for the growth of social entrepreneurship. However, doing something is always better than nothing,” said Ramesh Raskar, renowned innovator and faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, on July 10. Raskar heads the Camera Culture group of MIT Media Lab, and he was speaking on, ‘How to think like an MIT Media Lab inventor’, a lecture held at the College of Engineering, Pune where he was a student of Electronic Engineering in 2005.

While speaking about the ‘Make in India’ campaign, Raskar said, “I think entrepreneurship is not enough to spark a change, but it definitely is a start. Right now, the country needs leaders who can inspire and if nothing, at least have and work with the ‘let’s do it’ spirit that can inspire the students. It definitely is a start.” Answering a student’s question

on the need of having a theory heavy curriculum, he said, “Education is what others do to you, learning is something you do to yourself.”

Ramesh Raskar Hailing from a middle class household in Nashik, Raskar believes that for innovating, people need to respect diversities. “Indians like to live in the glory of the past. However, innovators need to achieve and move over to achieve something bigger and better.”

Raskar and his group Camera Culture are involved in many projects, some of which are being funded by the US government. His latest technological project, co-funded by Tata group is the EyeNetra, which is a reverse retina scan

i n d ul ge

bY GargiVerma @writomaniac

Celeb Chat

tECH

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

There are approximately 1.06 billion instant messaging accounts worldwide.

- http://www.wtfdiary.com/

Tobacco industry finds ally in US Chamber

Garbage raising a stink at Pimple Saudagar

P 13

P 15

Study suggests that Google has its thumb on scale in search

BY DINO GRANDONI Google entices people to search by promising links to the best that the Web has to offer. But research released recently, led by top academics but paid for by one of Google’s rivals, suggests that Google sometimes alters results to play up its own content despite people’s preferences.

In the study, researchers from Harvard and Columbia presented 2,690 Web users with two versions of Google. One version showed search results for local businesses as users usually see them, with links to the businesses along with ratings as posted to a Google site.

The other version showed links to businesses along with ratings from rival sites like Yelp, the online review website, which paid for the study.

The people studied were 45 per cent more likely to click on links if Yelp and other competitors were included - a sign, researchers say, that users prefer more diverse search results.

The study could renew calls for government regulators - in particular, the Federal Trade Commission - to reopen an investigation into Google for unfairly promoting its own services. The results may also provide new ammunition to officials in Europe who have accused the company of antitrust

Tina Fineberg/The New York Times

Recent research hints that Google sometimes alters results to play up its own content despite people’s preferences

Tim Wu, professor of law at Columbia University, stands in front of a net neutrality diagram in New York, May 5, 2014. Wu headed the research team comprised researchers from Columbia and Harvard University that found Google sometimes alters search results to play up its own content, despite people’s preferences

violations.

“The idea that you can build a better version of Google search engine pretty easily if you don’t exclude competitors to me was a pretty startling finding,” said Tim Wu, a co-author on the study, who was paid by Yelp to conduct the study.

Yelp has become one of Google’s most vocal competitors, and it promoted the study with an accompanying website and YouTube video to explain the findings. But Yelp’s biggest promotional asset may be Wu, a Columbia law professor known for coining the term “net

Healthcare locator Practo expands to eight cities MUMBAI: Healthcare facility locator start-up Practo has said it has expanded its presence to eight cities to enable consumers to find the nearest diagnostic centres for specific medical tests.

Practo offers a platform to locate the diagnostic centres for curative, preventive, fitness and wellness segments.

The new product will be available in eight cities to begin with — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Nashik and Thiruvananthapuram — and will expand to 35 cities and to some international markets in the coming months, it said in a statement.

Practo said it has nearly 4,000 labs listed on its application, across the eight cities including the largest chains such as Thyrocare, Suburban Diagnostics, SRL Labs, Metropolis among others.

Co-founded by two engineers — Shashank ND (chief executive) and Abhinav Lal (technology chief) — Practo raised USD 30 million in February from Matrix Partners, Sequoia Capital and venture debt provider InnoVen Capital.

PTI

Yelp has become one of Google’s most vocal rivals neutrality,” the phrase widely used to describe Internet service in which all data is treated equally.

Wu has defended Google’s

competitive practices in the past but said he was swayed to do the study after speaking with a Yelp executive last fall and looking at internal data Yelp collected on Google. Yelp also paid his coauthor, Michael Luca, to conduct the study, and the company flew Wu to present the findings at Oxford recently in England.

Google questioned the results.

“This isn’t new,” Google said in a statement. “Yelp’s been making these arguments to regulators, and demanding higher placement in search results, for the past five years.

This latest study is based on a flawed methodology that focuses on results for just a handful of cherry-picked queries. At Google we focus on trying to provide the best results for our users.”

Some outside experts questioned the findings, too.

Lots of clicks can be sign of irritation, they said, rather than satisfaction, like if users keep navigating from Google to Yelp and back again. It is also difficult to discern whether users were more engaged with Google during the test because the results were more relevant, or merely because the page had a different look.

“Overall, it comes across more to me as a public relations exercise rather than precise science,” said Danny Sullivan,

a search engine analyst and the founder of Search Engine Land, a site about the search industry.

“However, I do think Google could easily include links to other review sites which would benefit both its users and competitors.”

In April, European Union officials accused Google of unfairly manipulating search results, the first time the company has faced such charges.

The company has been given until mid-August to review documents and make a defense. A loss could mean billions of dollars in fines for Google.

Google avoided a similar fate in the United States. In 2013, the FTC, the federal agency that regulates unfair business practices, voted not to bring charges against Google after an investigation, finding that the updates to the search engine were made to help users, rather than hurt rivals.

A spokesman for the FTC declined to comment on the study.

While Yelp published the study “for an antitrust audience,” according to Luther Lowe, vice president for public policy at Yelp, the company had no comment on whether the FTC should reopen the case against the company.

“There are antitrust authorities around the world looking into Google,” Lowe said. © 2015 New York Times News Service

Is your smartphone making you dumb?

Year-long study of first-time mobile device users suggests it may be detrimental to users’ ability to learn HOUSTON: Smartphones may be detrimental to the users’ ability to learn, a year-long study of first-time mobile device users suggests.

The research shows the selfrated impact of smartphones among the users.

“Smartphone technology is penetrating world markets and becoming abundant in most college settings,” said Philip Kortum, assistant professor of psychology at Rice University in Houston and the study’s coauthor.

“We were interested to see how students with no prior experience using smartphones thought they impacted their education,” said Kortum.

The research shows that while users initially believed the mobile devices would improve their ability to perform well with homework and tests and ultimately get better grades, the opposite was reported at the end of the study.

The longitudinal study from 2010 to 2011 focused on 24 firsttime smartphone users at a major research university in Texas.

Prior to the study, the participants were given no training on smartphone use and

were asked to answer several questions about how they thought a smartphone would impact their school-related tasks.

The students then received smartphones, and their phone use was monitored during the

following year. At the end of the study, the students answered the same questions.

Kortum noted that the study did not address the structured use of smartphones in an educational setting. He said that the study’s findings have important implications for the use of technology in education.

“Previous studies have provided ample evidence that when smartphones are used with specific learning objects in mind, they can significantly enhance the learning experience,” Kortum said.

“However, our research clearly demonstrates that simply providing access to a smartphone, without specific directed learning activities, may actually be detrimental to the overall learning process,” Kortum added.

The research appeared in the British Journal of Educational Technology.

PTI

3D imagery of India likely in Google Earth Terrain of India’s major cities could soon be seen in Google Earth, with government permission NEW DELHI: 3D imagery of buildings and terrain of India’s major cities, including Rashtrapati Bhavan and PMO, could soon be seen in Google Earth with the government contemplating to give permission for uploading pictures of the country’s metropolitan areas.

Home Ministry officials recently held a meeting with

representatives of Google and the issue was discussed threadbare.

“Discussions are on and we are planning to give permission

to Google to put 3D imagery of Indian metropolitan areas in Google Earth,” a Home Ministry official said.

If permission is given, apart from Rashtrapati Bhavan and Prime Minister’s Office, which is located in South Block, 3D imagery of other sensitive buildings like North Block, Prime Minister’s residence, headquarters of Army, Air Force, Navy could also be seen in Google Earth.

United States, the United Kingdom, China and many countries in the world have already given permission to put 3D imagery of their respective metropolitan areas.

Google Earth is a very popular geolocation software.

In Google Earth 7, the latest version, one can see complete 3D

representations of buildings and terrain throughout metropolitan areas.

3D imagery provides an immersive experience as one can explore, just like the view when someone is flying over the city.

As it is zoomed in, buildings and terrain will start to appear in 3D. Once you can see the buildings, pan, zoom, tilt and rotate to explore the 3D environment. Anyone can view 3D imagery by using Google Earth 7 on the devices like Android - any dual core device running Gingerbread (Android version 2.3) or greater iOS - an iPad 2, iPad 3, or iPhone 4S. PTI

APP WORLD

For secure, smooth mobile messaging Threema

Android: Rs 120 Threema is a mobile messaging app that puts security and privacy first. With true end-to-end encryption, you can rest assured that only you and the intended recipient can read your messages. You can use Threema completely anonymously, without giving away personal information such as phone numbers or email addresses. Your messages will be deleted from our servers immediately after being delivered. Therefore, you’re perfectly protected against data abuse. Threema is not only secure but also very user friendly and covers the basic features of a mobile messenger.

Calls Blacklist PRO

Android: Rs 62 This application both blocks unwanted calls and SMS, and helps manage a blacklist. Easy and lightweight, it does not consume any of your device’s battery power. If you are looking for a call blocker or SMS spam filter, this application is what you need. You can either block any number from your contacts list, calls, and messages logs, or add unwanted number manually. Numbers from the blacklist are blocked quietly and without any signs of a call. Whatever you do, you will not be distracted by phone calls or SMS. Calls Blacklist saves all blocked calls and SMS in a journal. This call blocker also boasts some convenient setting options, such as the ability to block private numbers, or to disable notifications.

Chaatz

Android: Free Chaatz is a Social Messaging Platform for everyday users who have more than 1 mobile number, or wishes to have more than one profile. Chaatz is the only platform that allows multiple profiles on a single device. Chaatz also gives the users access to a private profile using a very special Chaatz Connect profile through which interactions, conversations and identities can be private and/ or anonymous. Chaatz Connect is for Chaatz users who like to meet others through the service in a relaxed environment and enjoy being social. You can talk to new friends and expand your circle of friends via Chaatz Connect.

Telegram

Android: Free Telegram is a messaging app with a focus on speed and security. It’s super-fast, simple, secure and free. It seamlessly syncs across all of your devices and can be used on desktops, tablets and phones alike. You can send an unlimited amount of messages, photos, videos and files of any type (.doc, .zip, .pdf, etc.). Telegram groups have up to 200 people and you can send broadcasts to up to 100 contacts at a time. Be sure to check our website for a list of Telegram apps for all platforms. For those interested in maximum privacy, Telegram offers Secret Chats. Secret Chat messages can be programmed to self-destruct automatically from both participating devices. This way you can send all types of disappearing content

Zipt free calls and messages Android: Free Connect anywhere, anytime with Zipt you can call or message any phone on any global network – even in low bandwidth areas. You don’t need 3G or wifi to connect – as long as you have a basic data connection (minimum 8kbps) Zipt users can send free text messages and make free calls to other Zipt users on Android. iOS and Windows Phone platform scheduled for Q3 2015.

You can SMS or call any phone at best possible international rates and they provide lowest data usage without sacrifice

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

“Wearables is a piping hot sector both globally and in India. Juniper Research estimates global shipments in wearables to increase to 150 million units by 2018.”

— Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder and CEO, Paytm

Lybrate gets $10.2mn funding from Tata, Tiger Global & NVP Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata, along with Tiger Global Management and Nexus Venture Partners (NVP) have invested USD 10.2 million (about Rs 64.8 crore) in healthcare start-up Lybrate. The US-based firm offers a mobile and PC-based platform that connects doctors and patients. Founded by former professionals from Facebook (Saurabh Arora) and Snapdeal (Rahul Narang) in 2013, the company raised USD 1.2 million in August last year. “People often consult chemists because of time constraint and inertia to visit a doctor and this often leads to risky selfmedication,” Saurabh Arora, the CEO of Lybrate, told PTI.

IT parks under Information Technology Department in Kerala, extended undue benefits amounting to Rs 156.90 crore to 11 major co-developers T H I RU VA N A N T H A P U R A M : Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has found that due to absence of guidelines, IT parks under Information Technology Department in Kerala, extended undue benefits amounting to Rs 156.90 crore to 11 major co-developers.

CAG in the audit report for the year ended March 2014 of land issues in three IT parks also said nearly 64 per cent of land provided for IT development across the state still remained unutilised since 1990.

The audit was conducted covering the period April 2009 to March 2014 to examine the allotment and utilisation of land in IT parks — Technopark, Th iruvanathapuram, Info Park, Kochi and Cyber Park, Kozhikode.

The audit observed various irregularities such as absence of standardised procedures, dilution of terms of agreement in the allotment of land to co-developers.

In Technopark Phase II, land to two major IT companies were allotted at subsidised rates without any basis, resulting in short recovery of Rs 22.53 crores.

Similarly, neither the rule or criteria to govern fi xation and collection of lease rent were stipulated nor the agreements prescribed a uniform rate of lease rent to be paid by co-developers, resulting in undue benefits to some of them.

Out of the 1,384.12 acres of land provided for IT development from

We want to be the start-up capital of the world: Rama Rao To meet the aspirations of young innovators, Telangana state is creating a platform and ecosystem for innovation by creating incubators, Information Technology and Panchayat Raj Minister KT Rama Rao said. “We want to be the start-up capital of the world. Youth should come out with outstanding work to put India up there in innovations. They should also customise such innovations to suit India’s needs. The new mantra of the Telangana state is innovate, incubate, incorporate,” he said. The minister was speaking at a event here where L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), in collaboration with members of Camera Culture group, MIT Media Lab inaugurated the ReDx: Engineering the Eye Workshop.

PTI

Audit was conducted to examine allotment and utilisation of land in IT parks — Technopark in Thiruvanathapuram (above), Info Park (Kochi) and Cyber Park (Kozhikode)

1990 to 2010, only 505.40 acres (36 per cent) had been utilised so far and the balance of 879.72 acres was still unutilised. “There was no agency in assessing the requirement of land for establishing IT fi rms in the parks,” the report said.

Coming down heavily on the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited (KSITIL), the report said the institution, the apex body set up for the promotion of IT cities in PPP mode, acquired several acres of land in seven places to set up ‘Hub and Spoke’ model IT

The privacy policy for Hulu, a videostreaming service with about 9 million subscribers, opens with a declaration that the company “respects your privacy.”

That respect could lapse, however, if the company is ever sold or goes bankrupt. At that point, according to a clause several screens deep in the policy, the host of details that Hulu can gather about subscribers - names, birth dates, email addresses, videos watched, device locations and more could be transferred to “one or more third parties as part of the transaction.”

The policy does not promise to contact users if their data changes hands.

Provisions like that act as a sort of data fi re sale clause. They are becoming standard among the most popular sites, according to a recent analysis

by The New York Times of the top 100 websites in the United States as ranked

by Alexa, an Internet analytics fi rm.

Of the 99 sites with Englishlanguage terms of service or privacy policies, 85 said they might transfer users’ information if a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, asset sale or other transaction occurred, The Times’ analysis found. The sites with these provisions include prominent

KEVIN HAGEN/THE NEW YORK TIMES

Privacy policies that come with an escape hatch

BY NATASHA SINGER AND JEREMY B MERRILL

“In next few years, we will launch 3-5 new models and variants to our existing models. We will be having a model in entire price range of luxury cars.”

— Tom von Bonsdorff, MD, Volvo

Undue benefits given to IT firms: CAG

Signpost

Elise Frejka (left), a lawyer who served as the consumer privacy ombudsman in the recent RadioShack bankruptcy case, at her home in New York, June 12, 2015. Hal Morris, the assistant attorney general of Texas, in his office in Austin, Texas, June 11, 2015

consumer technology companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and LinkedIn, in addition to Hulu.

“It’s ‘we are never going to sell your data, except if we need to or sell the company,’” Hal F Morris, the assistant attorney general of Texas, said about industry practices.

Hulu declined to comment.

Sites, apps, data brokers and marketing analytics fi rms are gathering more and more details about people’s personal lives - from their social connections and health concerns to the ways they toggle between their devices. The intelligence is often used to help tailor online experiences or marketing pitches.

Such data can also potentially be used to make inferences about people’s financial status, addictions, medical conditions, fitness, politics or religion in ways they may not want or like.

When sites and apps get acquired or go bankrupt, the consumer data

they have amassed may be among the companies’ most valuable assets. And that has created an incentive for some online services to collect vast databases on people without giving them the power to decide which companies, or industries, may end up with their information.

“In effect, there’s a race to the bottom as companies make representations that are weak and provide little actual privacy protection to consumers,” said Marc Rotenberg, the executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a nonprofit research center in Washington.

The potential ramifications of the fi re sale provisions became clear two years ago when True.com, a dating site based in Plano, Texas, that was going through a bankruptcy proceeding, tried to sell its customer database on 43 million members to a dating site based in Canada. The profi les included consumers’ names, birth dates, sexual orientation, race, religion, criminal convictions, photos, videos, contact information and more.

Because the site’s privacy policy had promised never to sell or share members’ personal details without their permission, Texas was able to intervene to stop the sale of customer data, including intimate details on about 2 million Texans. © 2015 New York Times News Service

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development which was not suitable for the purpose due to remoteness of chosen locality.

The total expenditure for acquisition of land and for developing infrastructure facilities in these places came to around Rs 229.88 crore. Built up space of 3.19 lakh out of 3.94 sq ft remained unallotted in these locations so far. The report also criticised the KSITIL for incurring irregular expenses to a tune of Rs 4.17 crore on stone-laying and inauguration of three IT entities.

PTI

Bengaluru ranks 12th in world’s top 20 tech-rich cities

Good economic growth, investments in infrastructure, presence of start-ups are some of the key factors NEW DELHI: Bengaluru has been ranked 12th in the list of top 20 technology-rich cities in the world, according to a survey conducted by global property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).

“Bengaluru has helped India debut on the ‘City Momentum Index’ Top 20 list - an annual survey carried out by JLL globally. Reinforcing the city’s status of being one of India’s premier technology centres, Bengaluru figures at number 12 in the Top 20 technology-rich cities globally,” JLL India Chairman and Country Head Anuj Puri said in a statement.

London, San Jose and Beijing are top three cities on the list.

Good economic growth, investments in infrastructure, presence of start-ups and significant supply of prime office space are some of the factors that contributed in Bengaluru’s strong performance in the survey.

Puri said the economic as well as real estate momentum in Bengaluru has gained pace as tech industry majors line up to enter the market or expand in the city. JLL said that its survey this year included new variables that reflect the importance of innovation to a city’s competitiveness and dynamism.

“Bengaluru performs strongly on these measures, with its capacity for innovation leading to the largest number of international patent applications in India. An increase in the number

of hi-tech start-ups registered in the city over the past year has also helped boost Bengaluru’s score, reflecting its strengths in innovation and depth of venture capital funding,” Puri said.

Infrastructure investments such as Bengaluru metro and a bus rapid transport system on the outer ring road, together with a rise in FDI projects, have contributed to strong economic growth, which is expected to reach 8 per cent this year, JLL said.

The consultant said that the Bengaluru’s strong performance has also been boosted by some of world’s highest levels of prime office space construction, absorption and rental increases.

“Bengaluru pipped other Asia Pacific cities in demand for office spaces. Robust demand for commercial space from the IT sector and associated IT-enabled services is helping boost absorption levels -- highest in the Asia Pacific region,” JLL said.

PTI

Wari

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PICS BY ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

It’s time for Wari. The pilgrimage in which lakhs of people walk to Pandharpur also enables likes of Kiran, Santosh, Shubhangi, among others, to fund their education. As lakhs of devotees start gathering at Alandi and Dehu, kids from poor families put on their working shoes. From selling chai, to applying tilak, and even fishing out coins from the river, the students choose to capitalise on the crowd than attend their schools and colleges.

This is the only time they can earn a decent sum,

Kiran Pawar, 16

T

his 16-year-old doesn’t look a regular chaiwala. Dressed in a school uniform, he goes around holding a kettle and plastic cups. Intermittently, in a shrill voice he announces, “chai”. Not many in the crowd can hear him. Once in a while people spot him, figure that he is selling tea and place an order.

He quickly serves tea, pockets the money and moves on. Unlike other

aggressive chaiwalas in the crowd, it takes Kiran Pawar a while to sell an entire kettle. Once through with his supply, he rushes to a corner, where he has kept a kerosene stove and his wares. Armed with a fresh pot of tea, he once again mingles with the crowd hesitantly.

Kiran is a student of standard X at Raja Shiv Chhatrapati Vidyalaya, Alandi. At a time when

others in his class are worried about their studies in the crucial year, Kiran has several other issues bothering him. His prime concern is funding his education, buying books, uniform and household items to make it through the year.

Originally from a village near Manmad, Kiran becomes a chaiwala when warkaris come into town. A few years ago, his parents,

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H

e came to Alandi five years ago.

Hailing from Kalyan, Santosh’s aim was to become a famous mrudang performer.

His love for the art brought him to Alandi, one of the finest places to learn the instrument.

Hailing from a poor family, he shifted to a school in Alandi and also started taking mrudang lessons.

With the onslaught of Wari festival, Santosh puts on his working shoes. He gets busy selling chai. An extremely confident teenager, he makes the chai on a stove and serves it to Warkaris. He makes anywhere between Rs 3,0004,000 a week from the prolific business. He moves around in the crowd oozing confidence, chats up with the Warkaris and makes sure that almost everyone around him ends up buying at least one cup of tea from him. Over the past four years, since he has been selling tea during Wari festival, Santosh has only honed his skills. The student of Std XII at SP College in Alandi, claims

he is only getting better by the year at the trait.

He explains that he works doubly hard during Wari festival just so that his parents do not have to struggle to pay for his education. “My parents are casual labourers and the money I earn means a lot to them. It means that they do not have to send me money every month to meet

my expenses. From whatever I make during the festival, I use it to buy books, uniform and other things I need to study,” said Santosh.

Once the festival is over, the 18-year-old gets back to his studies. While on one hand he wants to be a famous mrudang performer, he does not want his studies to suffer in anyway.

If anything, he wants to excel

in studies and make his parents proud. “I need to secure good marks in HSC just so that my parents do not have to work hard all their lives. I want to become a big man and ensure that they lead a comfortable life,” said Santosh.

As for his ultimate goal, “I want to do my graduation but I also want to be a famous mrudang player in future. I want to be a good artist.”

Shubhangi Dattatray, 13

T

enough to pay for their education for the rest of the year.

While for several lakh people who converge from all over Maharashtra, Wari is just a pilgrimage. For around 300 students, it’s more than that. It’s an opportunity to make money – not to pay for their hobbies, but for their books and uniforms. Kiran and Santosh bring out their kerosene stoves, kettle, and everything else that they need to become chaiwalas. Satish, Tejas and Shubhangi apply tilak to the devotees, while Sambhaji brings out his magnet to fish out coins from the river. They make anywhere between Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 during Wari. While some of them go back to being students once the Warkaris leave Alandi and Dehu, there are those who travel all the way to Pandharpur to make the most of the pilgrimage. The kids walk on the Ghats of Indrayani river serving tea or applying tilak on the foreheads of the warkaris and other visitors.

This year too, the students have converged at the starting points for the annual 18-day long pilgrimage to Pandharpur on foot, the highlight

BY GITESH SHELKE @gitesh_shelke

JULY 11, 2015

Santosh Dhete, 18

helps these kids go to school

Every year, the youngsters wait for the Warkaris to begin their pilgrimage to Pandharpur. That’s when they take up odd jobs to earn enough money to pay for their education

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY

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who are farm labourers, shipped him to Alandi. They wanted him to get proper education and not get caught in the battle for survival, like they have been for years now. Kiran and a few of his friends have rented a small room at Hanumanwadi on Chakan Road where they stay together.

“My parents are not that well off. They are farm labourers and toil through the day just to make ends meet. I feel really bad that they have to pay for my expenses here just because they want me to make it big someday. I just don’t want to become a burden on them and do this to make some money to ease pressure on them,” said the 16-year-old. Every year as the Wari festival begins and Warkaris start pouring into Alandi, Kiran gets his stove and kettle out and turns into a chaiwala. “I do my bit to make life easier for my parents. I make Rs 200-300 a day by selling tea, which I spend on my uniform and schoolbooks. Thankfully the festival is around the time that school reopens. Th is way I don’t have to be without books for too long,” said Kiran. Last year, he made Rs 3,000 during palkhi season.

The teenager explains that other than toiling on others’ fields, his parents also own a small piece of land. “We grow wheat and corn on it. But the yield from the field is just about enough to feed our family,” said Kiran.

hirteen-year-old Shubhangi Dattatray Akhunde from Kasti village in Ahmednagar district, has also come down all the way to Alandi with her mother for this year’s Palkhi yatra. She lives with her parents along with two siblings. Her mother works as a cook at a food stall, and father does the digging work as a labourer.

She and mother are also among hundreds of Warkaris, but when asked about her reason to come to the Palkhi from so far, Shubhangi said, “We come from a very poor background and my parents don’t have the means to provide for the education of all of us. I have come with my mother so that I can also earn a little to support my family. Though I get free education from the government, I still have to manage the funds for clothes, books and other needs of my siblings as well. And these 18 days are a big opportunity to when I can also earn.”

Shubhangi also applies tilak to the devotees and is hoping to make around Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 from the yatra this year.

“We have come to Alandi with a Dindi which will proceed to Pandharpur with the Palkhi, and while my mother cooks food for these Dindi members, I help her out in arranging the cooking material and other knick knacks,” she adds.

Apart from her undying zeal to succeed in life, Shubhangi also expressed her keenness to learn English to be able to speak confidently when she grows up and also aspires to be a police officer. “I want to be a respected person and able to give my parents and siblings all the happiness which we only dream of right now.”

Watching her undying zeal towards life with so little in hand, one can’t help but just silently pray that she is granted all that she yearns for. Sooner than later.

of the state’s calendar of religious ceremonies.

Some of the kids are accompanied by their parents. Some of these children are regular to the Wari, since their early age, and do same tricks to earn little amount of money.

A startling feature is despite doing well at their businesses, they never lose sight of their ultimate goal – to focus on education and break away from shackles of poverty. “This does get me good money. But this is not what I want to do all my life. I want to become a big man and see to it that my parents stop working as farm labourers,” said one of the chaiwalas, before swiftly moving on to a potential customer.

In all this, they do not trivialise the importance of the pilgrimage. They rattle off how the 250-km walk to Pandharpur with Tukaram Maharaj Palkhi and Sant Dnyaneshwar Palkhi is all about paying respect to Lord Vitthal on Ashadi Ekadashi. “Someday I want to go with them, not as a chaiwala, but just another devotee,” concludes 16-year-old Kiran. gitesh.shelke@goldensparrow.com

Sambhaji Bhutekar, 13 For 13-year-old Sambhaji Shivaji Bhutekar who lives in Alandi, Palkhi is the best time to earn some quick bucks. Studying in Indira Gandhi No 2 school, this VII standard boy lost his mother a few years back and has been living with his grandmother ever since. His father who is a laborer in Mumbai comes and gives some money whenever he can, but most of the time, Sambhaji tries to figure his way out on his own.

Every weekend this boy comes down to the ghat of river Indrayani to fish out a few coins, nails and scrap metal which he sells to fulfi l his everyday needs such as buying clothes and books for school.

When asked how he learned the trick, he said, “I used to watch older boys fetching coins and metal using a magnet and thought of giving it a try. So I bought a large magnet from a local scrap vendor, tied a nylon rope around it and fish out whatever I could from the river. Normally I manage about 50-60 bucks during weekends. But as the crowd increases during Palkhi procession, my chance of making extra money also increases. I bring home around Rs 150-200 a day these days, as I find them mostly on the submerged stairs of the ghats.”

Like any other youngster Sambhaji too has big dreams. He wants to become an engineer or a politician, but he is quite petrified with English as a subject. “I failed in the subject this time and I am scared as one needs to have good command over the language to succeed in life. I will work harder now and make everyone proud one day,” he added looking at the passersby.

Tejas Modak, 15

W

hile most of the children his age would love playing cricket or video games if given an option of not going to school, 15-year-old Tejas Modak skips his school for religious activities, and also to earn some money. He has been regularly going on Palkhi yatra from Alandi to Pandharpur for the past two years.

Studying in standard IX of New English School, Phursungi, Tejas earns his pocket money by applying tilak to devotees throughout the yatra. “Th is is my third year of the Wari, and each year, I manage to make about Rs 5,000-6,000 during the span of 18 days,” he said. The money he earns supplements his parents’ income and is used for his education. His mother washes utensils in a hotel, while his father is a plumber but all their earnings put together, they still have to fight to make ends meet.

One look at this young boy and one would figure that he is an extremely sharp boy. He loves to talk a lot so while talking about himself, he also explained how he has already informed his school principal and class teacher about his Wari to ensure that they do not think he is playing truant from school. Tejas also wants to become an engineer and is already working hard towards it. After his school, he works as a part-time waiter in the hotel where his mother works. “I work only during evenings after my school finishes so that I don’t lag behind the schedule as it’s the primary focus in my life. I do this and a few other small-time jobs whenever I have some extra time and feel the need of earning more for my study and other needs.”

Satish Jadhav, 15

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ill a few years ago, Satish used to stay with his parents in Umarga, Osmanabad District. His parents were too poor to afford his education and pay for other expenses. His uncle did not want Satish to be deprived of a chance to make it big someday.

The enthusiastic and zealous kid moved to Phursungi in Pune with his uncle and ever since has been attending a local school. However, his uncle isn’t well off either.

Just to ensure that he does not become a burden on his uncle, Satish dons his working clothes during Wari festival. As soon as warkaris start pouring into Alandi, the 15-year-old puts his business acumen to good use. He dumps his schoolbag aside for a few days.

For the fi rst few days, as crowd keeps growing at Alandi, every morning Satish hops onto a bus from Phursungi. Once in Alandi, he starts applying tilak to the warkaris. “Not everybody pays for the tilak. One out of 10 people give a rupee or two,” said Satish. In the evening he returns home, 35 kms away, only to head back the next day.

Once the warkaris start the pilgrimage, he also joins them.

During the 18-day journey, the 15-year-old nets around Rs 5,000, just about enough to pay for his books, uniform and other education related expenses through

the year. But this enterprise comes at a cost. “I get boils on my soles. It hurts for days to come. But I need to walk nevertheless,” he said. One of those who believes in looking at the brighter side, Satish added, “The best part of the journey is that it passes from two cities and many towns. People in the cities, especially in Pune, pay good money, if I apply tilak on their forehead.”

The 15-year-old hails from Umarga in Osmanabad district, where his parents work as farm labourers.

“My parents are way too poor.

I moved with my uncle to Pune just so that I could study. My uncle is also not a rich man. He toils through the day just to make ends meet. Th is is the best I can do to help my family out. The money that

I earn during Wari is more than enough to pay for my books and clothes,” said Satish.

A student of ninth standard, Satish proudly announces that he secured A grade last year. “I like Mathematics but English is a little tough,” he said.

He hopes that someday he will overcome his handicap and speak proficiently in English.

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

“Language was the key to the development of personality. Language helped connect with strangers in a foreign place and hearing someone speak in one’s native tongue gives happiness.”

— Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

CPI(M) leader to Centre: Release caste-based data

SE Asians influenced

by Tamils for centuries, says book

The data will reveal the real picture of financial status of those belonging to the backward classes The Centre should make public castebased data from the Socio Economic and Caste Census to reveal the real picture of financial status of those belonging to the backward classes, senior CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali said here.

During a session on ‘neo-liberal policies and Dalits’, organised by the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM), to mark the 125th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, the speakers demanded that the Centre offer reservation to Dalits in private sector and Delhi Government make 16.75 per cent “actual” budgetary allocation for Dalits under the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan.

“The government survey says that monthly income of 75 out of 100 families in rural India is less than Rs 5,000. Now, how they must be adjusting in such a small amount?

“This survey is based on caste. But the government said it will not tell which castes the poor ones belong to.

The government said if they reveal so, there will be an explosion.

“Brothers and sisters, this blast should take place. The poor have been looted in such a way over the past 30 years that whatever they had is not left with them,” CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Subhashini Ali said at the meet.

Ali said that neo-liberal economic policies have created inequality across the world over the past three decades.

It is not only between poor and rich, but also women, she said, adding social

inequality has been a big truth in India.

She said perusal of such policies will lead to Government’s minimal role in welfare of poor majority of whom are from backward class.

“Neo-liberalism will rule market.

Those who want to implement the policies they want to slowly slash government’s welfare work for the poor (mostly from backward class).

The relief work will be stopped. And decisions will be left to market,” she said.

Ali claimed Ambedkar was of the

Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas picked momentum during the first three months of 2015 momentum during the first three months of the current financial year.

Under the mission in urban areas, 17,411 community and public toilet seats have been constructed during April-June 2015 as against 1,222 built during October-March of the last financial year. In the first quarter of the current financial year, 1,13,000 individual household toilets have been built under the scheme.

The Urban Development Ministry has been regularly monitoring the programme having held three video-conferences with states and Union Territories last month. .

In respect of Solid Waste Management, 28,908 wards out of the total of 78,003 in all the states and Union Territories have reported 100 per cent door-todoor collection of solid waste. About 21 per cent of municipal solid waste is at present being processed as against the March 2016 target of 44 per cent.

Tamil Nadu is way ahead of others in solid waste management with 9,935 wards out of the total of 13,667 reporting 100 per cent door-to-door collection of waste.

It is followed by Karnataka (3,962 of 5,252 wards), Madhya Pradesh (3024/6855), Andhra Pradesh (2295/3276), and Gujarat (1506/1730).

Overall, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana are in the forefront of implementing Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas, a Ministry official said.

PTI

Delhi has built 5,776 public toilet seats since October last year

view that the market did not have heart and affection for people and did not understand their pain.

“Ambedkar would think of problems of today then. He would speak, write, but most of it went unnoticed. Several of his followers too ignored his thoughts. They claim to follow him, but praise capitalism. You are either his follower or capitalist.

“In today’s world market has caused devaluation of values, relations.

Market is deciding what is religion, relationships, etc. Hence, Ambedkar

‘Tribal festivals help preserve cutural heritage’ Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa has advocated celebrating indigenous tribal festivals, which he said helps in preserving the age-old cultural treasure of the tribes.

Gracing the Dree festival of the Apatani tribe in Itanagar, the Governor said festivals promote amity and people must whole heartedly participate in it.

“Celebration of indigenous festival showcases the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the tribe and helps in preserving the age-old cultural treasure. People must be encouraged to celebrate their festivals and efforts,” he said.

PTI

had said so,” she said.

A professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Gopal Guru, expressed concerns over the government reportedly reducing funds for welfare of poor.

Accusing all the political parties of being “same” when it comes to implementing neo-liberal policies, he said Dalits will have to object to the same and assert themselves politically to address their issues.

SN Rao, co-convener of DSMM, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not doing anything for Dalits.

“There has been no serious discussion on issues relating to Dalits in Parliament,” Rao said.

Amongst other demands made

by DSMM’s Delhi unit are provision of quality education to youngsters from the community, implementation of Constitutional reservation in institutions run by the Centre and Delhi Government, stoppage of discrimination against Dalits and punishment for those involved.

PTI

There has been a close religious and cultural link between Indian Tamils and Southeast Asia over centuries and the economic globalisation is giving it new relevance, former Singapore foreign minister and newlyappointed Nalanda University Chancellor George Yeo said.

“Culturally, India’s influence on Southeast Asia goes back to the earliest days. Much of that influence emanated from South India, the Tamil components being the most important,” Yeo, 60, wrote in his ‘George Yeo on Bonsai, Banyan and the Tao’ which was launched here.

Ethnic business networks become the specialty of Indian groups like the Parsees, Jains, Sindhis and Marwaris, as also Chettiars themselves a caste group within the Tamil community,he said.

Ancient Tamil epic Manimekalai steeped in Hindu-Buddhist-Jain tradition, alluded to the close religious and cultural links between the Tamils of South India and the people of Southeast Asia over centuries, he recapped in the book.

“The early Sangam literature described the trade links between South India and Kadaaram on the Malay Peninsula, now called Kedah.

I-Tsing, a Tang Dynasty Buddhist

monk who spent much time studying Buddhism in Sumatra before going to India, reported regular sailings of ships between Kedah and Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu”.

“The date of the record, AD 1088, corresponded with the reign of the Chola Emperor Kulottunga 1, whose long and prosperous rule lasted nearly half a century.

Under his reign, the Chola Empire extended its influence into large parts of Southeast Asia and conducted trade with Indo-China and China,” writes Yeo of the history.

“Thus, Singaporeans and other Southeast Asians are more influenced by Tamil Nadu than many of us realise.

“Happily, economic globailisation is re-establishing the old links with giving it new relevance,” he penned in the 686-page book.

Talent of Tamils had “persistently disproportionate presentations” in the top universities and the Indian Administration and Foreign Services, Yeo said.

“Of the top three ethnic Indian Noble Prize winners in sciences, two were Tamil. Without Tamil scientists, India might still not be a nuclear power today,” he said.

Noble laureate Professor Amartya Sen was guest of honour at the book launch.

PTI

India’s influence on Southeast Asia came from South India

hazrat ali death anniversary

PTI

Delhi leads in construction of public toilets Delhi has built the highest number of community and public toilets under Swachh Bharat Mission, followed

by Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, while Gujarat topped in the individual household category.

Delhi has completed construction of 5,776 community and public toilet seats since the launch of the mission in October last year, followed Chhattisgarh (3,570), Maharashtra (2,520), Chandigarh (2,424) and Karnataka (1,680).

These five states and Union Territories accounted for 86 per cent of the total number of public toilets constructed so far.

The government aims to build over 5 lakh community and public toilet seats under the mission and the Urban Development Ministry has sanctioned 82,438 so far. On construction of household toilets, Gujarat tops the chart with 2,64,331 such facilities, followed by Madhya Pradesh (99,151).

These two states together account for 94 per cent of the total 3.83 lakh individual household toilets built under the scheme so far, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab and Maharashtra.

Applications have been received from the states and Union Territories for construction of 30,41,097 individual household toilets as against the target of one crore such lavatories by 2019. And the Urban Development Ministry has sanctioned 13,64,814 toilets.

The implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas picked

BY Gurdip Singh

Accusing political parties of being “same” when it comes to implementing neo-liberal policies, he said Dalits will have to assert themselves politically to address their issues

CPI(M) says ineffective policies will lead to Government’s minimal role in welfare of poor majority of whom are from backward class

Russia paranoid of converts to Islam P13

Women pray while having a glimpse of holy relic of Prophet Mohammad at Hazaratbal shrine where they gathered on the death anniversary of Hazrat Ali, in Srinagar on Thursday

For Rotary Club of Poona, eighty is mighty Social service club will plant 15,000 saplings in the defence area close to Lulla Nagar

BY SALONEE MISTRY @Sal0412

around Pune. One cardiac ambulance service and 22 dialysis machines were also launched by the club in collaboration with ThyssenKrup.

As they enter their 80th year, the Rotary Club of Poona has many reasons to pat on their back. With a vision to ‘be a gift to the world’, the social service club is all set to make a difference under its their new president Rtn Wg Cdr T P Magon (Retd).

NEW INITIATIVES With the New Year came in a new president and his team of directors.

Magon brought along with him the motto ‘Be Positive, Be Active, Be a friend’ which he believes all Rotarians already follow. Literacy, medical assistance and reducing environment pollution top the club’s agenda for 2015.

“The ‘service’ motive cherished by our members over the last eight decades would continue to be our commitment and a guiding principle in carrying out initiatives and projects during the year,” said Magon.

Planting close to 15,000 saplings in the defence area close to Lulla Nagar will be completed in three years.

Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)

THE ANN EFFECT Women Rotarians, also known as ‘Ann’, have found their own little way of lending a helping hand. Post a cooking contest organised for the women of Pune, a book covering best 100 recipes has been published this week. The book, priced at Rs 399, shall also contribute to funds collected this year.

Rotarians plant saplings at village Wadebolai school and temple, on the outskirts of Pune, as part of their community service programmes

will providing saplings to be planted across 88 acres. They will also be continuing the watershed management project from last year as well as other social projects. An eye-cataract camp running successfully for 18 years has done the club proud.

“Last month, we got a call from an individual living in Khandala who was blind. He arrived at Pune station and gave us a call in the hope that

we would treat him. After picking him up from the station and paying for his operation, we also kept him seven days post-operation. His happy face while going home will always be memorable for us,” said Rajesh Behl, the programme chairperson under the club services avenue.

Rotary has started two mobile mammography vans for cancer detection for women from rural villages

PAST YEAR With a collection of over 1 million US dollars, the Rotary Club of Poona stood third in South-East Asia and 29th world over from 34,000 clubs. Under its project Wash initiative, the club opened well-equipped toilets for girls in 16 zila parishad schools around Pune and helped check dropouts after grade VII for lack of sanitation resources.

Donating benches to schools, holding road safety programmes and building child improvement centres were also some of their notable achievements of last year. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

ENVIRONMENT

H EALTH

JULY 11, 2015

“There is no conclusive study, data or evidences about the bad health or ecological effects of radiations from mobile phones or towers in India.”

— DP Singh, Chief General Manager, BSNL

body, or in people of different ethnic backgrounds, or even how many of the With summer sun shining brightly mutations would progress to cancer, it across the world (at least on most is not a fi nding to dismiss lightly. days), there is no better time to review Douglas E Brash, a biophysicist the latest sobering fi ndings on the at Yale University School of Medicine damage that ultraviolet radiation can who has studied ultraviolet damage infl ict on one’s skin and then take to cells for more than 40 years and steps to prevent it. wrote a commentary on the British A British research team reported study, described the new fi ndings as “a in May in the journal Science that a canary in a coal mine” and a warning quarter or more of cells in the skin to take the effects of ultraviolet of middle-aged people have suffered radiation, whether from sunlight or sun-induced DNA damage. Although tanning beds, more seriously. the cells were outwardly normal, the It is especially important, he mutations that occurred could be the said, “to be very conscientious about fi rst stages of cancer. protecting young The researchers, led children,” who are

by Peter J Campbell, a more susceptible than cancer geneticist at the teenagers and adults Wellcome Trust Sanger to ultraviolet-induced Institute in England, mutations. examined the eyelid “A lot of damage skin of four middleoccurs when people go aged adults - three were to the beach,” Brash Western European said. “While the body and one was of South does a great job of Asian descent - and repairing the damage found that hundreds and gets 99.9 per cent of ostensibly normal of things right, every - DOUGLAS E BRASH cells had mutations once in a while, you do linked to cancer, a get a mutation that may number “way higher make a cell resistant to than we’d expect,” Campbell said. death, allowing it to form a clone that Clusters of these mutant cells, called can become a cancer.” clones, appeared in every 0.6 square Complicating the matter is that centimetres of skin, with thousands of many people don’t understand the DNA mutations in each cell. meaning of the SPF rating listed Although it is not known if the on modern sunscreens - only 43 same rate of mutations occurs in per cent of 114 people surveyed at sun-exposed skin elsewhere on the a dermatology clinic in Illinois last

“A lot of damage occurs when people go to the beach.”

China spotlights problems in India

China’s advertisements depict the environmental issues in Indian cities like Mumbai

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

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

TGS LIFE

Run for... yourself

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

AUTO,

HAIL A

CAB

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

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

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 saying is true. But what they are not telling us or willing to talent, planners have finally woken up to the plight of citizens. concede is that their enemy lies within. Their enemy number one They have now planned five alternative roads. But the authorities is not private cabs but members of their own ilk – many of whom are in no hurry to complete them. See spotlight on p8 & 9 are rude, refuse to ply short

RITU GOYAL HARISH

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,

said director of the school, who

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

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,”

CHIKHALI

KIWALENIGDI

~ Suit filed by the siblings

What a mess!

Teacher booked for sexually abusing 22 students acquitted

Parents teach them more than exams do P 10

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

~ Suit filed by the siblings

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.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS

CITY

Truly, a tree lady P4

PICS ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

DITCH THE

GAUTAM SINGHANIA

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.’

RAHUL RAUT

An Indian scientist, who suffered from malaria as a child, is among a group of top international scientists which has identified a key protein that if targeted stops the disease, paving the way for new treatments.

Dr Mahmood Alam, from Lohardaga in Jharkhand, is among the authors of the new study published in the journal ‘Nature Communications’ today.

Alam and others at the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) Toxicology Unit based at the University of Leicester and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine identified a key protein, called a protein kinase, that if targeted stops malaria.

“There has been a great deal of excitement among malaria scientists about the outcome of our research since it not only tells us about the biochemical pathways that are essential for the parasite to survive in our bodies but it also allows us to design drugs that can spot these essential pathways and thereby kill the parasite,” said Alam.

“As a kid I had malaria few times and I always wanted to study the malaria parasite so that effective drugs or vaccines could be developed,” said the scientist, who graduated in biotechnology in Ranchi and moved to Pondicherry for his Master’s in the subject from Pondicherry University.

“To study the survival mechanisms of P falciparum, I joined the research group of Prof Andrew Tobin at University of Leicester and then at Medical Research Council, Toxicology Unit. Here I have used the cutting edge technology of phosphoproteomics to further study the biochemical pathways in malaria parasite,” he added.

Co-lead author of the study Professor Tobin said, “Th is is a real breakthrough in our understanding of how malaria survives in the blood stream and invades red blood cells.

PTI

THANK GOD IT’S S AT U R D AY

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

China, the world’s largest carbon emitter, has put up advertisements at public places depicting the environmental issues in Indian cities like Mumbai to warn its people about the impact of climate change and encourage them to plan future around low carbon development.

Advertisements depicting pictures of Mumbai and Allahabad among others have been put up along the streets and places such as Wangfujing city centre area in downtown prominently to draw people’s attention towards consequences of pollution.

China, which pledges to cut carbon emissions and plan to minimise the adverse impact on its economy, highlighted issues of plastic garbage, sandstorms in Indian cities in its ads and also suggested ways to address the environmental challenges.

One of the ads says the grim situation teenagers faced in Mumbai on not fi nding appropriate place to play is due to heap of plastic garbage.

“The beaches in Mumbai were covered in plastic garbage, teenagers, eager to release energy of youth, had no choice but to play cricket in the garbage heap,” said one of the ads, which prominently highlights a picture showing a boy playing cricket on heap of garbage at a beach.

Another advertisement speaks about Allahabad.

“On July 12, 2015, the city of Allahabad in India was hit by sandstorms, the resulting low visibility made it impossible for pedestrian to see each others in the sand,” describes the billboard under the concept of low carbon development.

The picture put up with the message shows four persons facing sandstorm while walking in front of a written slogan of ‘Ganga Bachao’ campaign.

The board of advertisements, written in English as well as Chinese language, have been erected along the footpath and catches attention of visitors in Wangfujing road area, which has shopping malls and is located within walking distance of noted destinations like Forbidden city and Tiananmen Square.

The message about Indian cities are among advertisements which describe environmental issues and problem in other countries also, which included drought in Australia, and shows approach for low carbon activities.

A recent study had pointed out that India and China suffer over USD 1.89 trillion annually in terms of the value of lives lost and ill health caused from air pollution.

PTI

Indian scientist helps find breakthrough malaria cure

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

BY SANDEEP DAHIYA

protection measured in the laboratory, and few reapply it often enough. A better plan is to stay out of the sun, especially midday, and cover the skin when sun exposure is unavoidable.

Furthermore, a recently published study by Brash’s team at Yale showed that much of the harm to skin cells caused by ultraviolet radiation occurs hours after the exposure has ended.

Even in the dark, substances formed during UV exposure continue to damage melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color, “exciting electrons, the energy from which gets transferred to DNA and can damage it in the same way that UV photons do,” Brash explained.

In a scathing attack, Democratic presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton has accused China of “hacking into everything that doesn’t move” in America and “stealing” huge amounts of government information.

During a Fourth of July campaign organising event at a house party in Glen in northern New Hampshire yesterday, Clinton said she wanted to see China’s peaceful rise but that the US needed to stay “fully vigilant”.

“China’s military is growing very quickly. They’re establishing military installations that again threaten countries we have treaties with like the Philippines because they are building on contested property,” the 67-yearold former secretary of state said in a strongly worded speech.

“They’re also trying to hack into everything that doesn’t move in America. Stealing commercial secrets... from defence contractors, stealing huge amounts of government information, all looking for an advantage,” said Clinton, the frontrunner to win the Democratic nomination for the presidential polls.

Hackers believed to be working for the Chinese military breached US government computers from nearly every agency in recent months, possibly compromising the personal data of 4 million current and former employees.

US officials blamed China for the data breach and multiple media outlets said that investigators believe that it was done by the Chinese military.

China, however, denied any involvement, and called US claims “irresponsible”.

PTI

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Pictures of Mumbai and Allahabad among others have been put up along the streets and places such as Wangfujing city centre area

The British researchers chose eyelid skin for their study because it is readily available from an operation called blepharoplasty to remove drooping upper eyelids. Using a sophisticated technique called ultradeep sequencing, the researchers analysed 234 biopsies from normal skin tissue for 74 cancer genes, and found a level of mutations “similar to that seen in many cancers.” A lot of the genetic changes they found resulted in what is called “driver mutations” that are capable of forming clones, a major step toward forming cancers.

Brash said skin on the hands, arms, cheeks and ears is likely to be even more heavily exposed to UV radiation than eyelid skin, and thus may have even higher levels of mutations, since the eyelids are shaded in part by the eye socket and sometimes sunglasses.

Nearly 25 years ago, Brash and his co-workers reported that UV light induced mutations in the critically important tumour suppressor gene called p53. They examined squamous cell skin cancers from 24 patients in New England and Sweden and found that 58 per cent had mutations in p53, including a particular change in DNA structure “unique to UV.” “You can’t buy a cream to get rid of mutations, so the best approach is to prevent the damage,” Brash said. “The new study presents a graphic picture of what’s going on in our skin, and might convince people to put on sunscreen and stay off the beach between 10 and 2.”

Some consumers erroneously believe that choosing a more expensive sunscreen with a sky-high SPF number like will provide complete protection. © 2015 New York Times News Service

A research team reported that a quarter or more of cells in the skin of middle-aged people have suffered sun-induced DNA damage. Although the cells were outwardly normal, the mutations that occurred could be the first stages of cancer

summer, according to a study in JAMA Dermatology. The rating, which stands for sun protection factor, is meant to reflect how well a product protects against sunburn, which should also reduce the risk of skin cancer and sun-induced skin aging. And less than a third of people use sunscreen regularly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dermatologists have long cautioned people not to rely too heavily on sunscreens, even products with the recommended SPF rating of 30 or higher for summer sun protection.

Few people who do use sunscreen use enough to achieve the level of

China hacks into everything that doesn’t move: Clinton

Supriya Bhoite from Chaturshrungi police station.

Contd on p4

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

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

BY JANE E BRODY

PAUL ROGERS/THE NEW YORK TIMES

Summer sun brings signs of danger The damage that ultraviolet radiation can inflict on one’s skin and what we can do to prevent it

PUNE

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

“Worshipping trees and rivers has been integral to our rich traditions. These traditions are a pure way to express gratitude towards nature and inspire us to protect the environment.”

— K K Paul, Uttarakhand Governor

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Hum

Fourteen years later, there is no sign 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

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THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

“Concerned ministers and party president have made statements (on Vyapam issue). For each silly issue asking the prime minister to answer is not fair. See, the PM need not answer on silly issues.”

— DV Sadananda Gowda, Union Law Minister

I can check out but I can never leave P 15

Crorepatis, criminals dot Bihar poll fray

PATNA: Almost half of the 170 candidates of the July 7 Bihar Legislative Council polls for 24 seats are facing criminal cases or have assets running into several crores, a study of their affidavits has revealed.

At least 74 persons or 44 per cent of the total candidates are facing criminal cases while 77 aspirants or 45 per cent of the total have assets running into several crores, the study

by Bihar Election Watch (BEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) disclosed.

The ADR report, a copy of which is with PTI, reveals that of the 74 candidates facing criminal cases, 41 are facing serious charges including those pertaining to murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery, dacoity and crime against women.

BJP tops the chart with 10 out of its 18 candidates facing criminal cases while JD(U) is at the second place with six out of its 10 candidates facing such cases. Lalu Prasad’s RJD comes third with five out 10 candidates booked for various offences.

Those who have filed their nominations to contest the Council polls as independent candidates are also not far behind. The report shows that 32 per cent of total 104 such candidates are facing criminal cases.

Analysing the data, BEW convenor Rajiv Kumar said, “Overall 20 candidates have declared in their affidavits that murder and attempt to murder cases are pending against them at various stages in the courts.

They are spread across various political parties. A few of them have filed

A record 94 per cent polling was recorded in July 7 election to 24 legislative council seats in Bihar, which has been billed as a semifinal ahead of the crucial assembly polls scheduled later this year

Gujarat is cigarette smuggling hotspot Govt admits high taxes for rise in illegal trade TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 3.21 crore of sticks worth Rs 23.29 crore from Hazira port in Surat in the last week of March this year. In the past three months, DRI Ahmedabad unit has seized 3.39 crore cigarette sticks worth Rs 24.79 crore from smugglers in three different operations. These hauls put Gujarat as the preferred transit point for cigarette smugglers in the country.

LUCRATIVE MARKET Officials cite high customs and excise duties on imported cigarettes and their increasing demand as reasons for making smuggling lucrative. Import duties as high as 90 per cent and excise duty raised by 25 per cent in the 201516 Budget have led to an increase in domestic prices, making smuggling of cigarettes even more attractive.

The demand for foreign cigarettes is catching up fast in small cities.

According to a DRI official, there is a

nexus between exporters and importers in Dubai for the smuggling of foreign cigarettes into India. A stick costing Rs 100 in Dubai is sold at Rs 190 in India. The foreign-made cigarettes are in high demand among youngsters, especially girls in the metros.

According to experts, cigarettes can be imported under open general licence, a permit that does not impose any export obligation on the importer after the payment of the relevant duty.

WHO OBSERVATION The tax increase on tobacco products to curb demand has led to rise in smuggling. “Cigarettes have become more affordable in China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. In these countries, price and taxes have either remained unchanged, or relatively

PTI

chained for six years!

modest increases were more than compensated by relatively higher income growth,” said the WHO report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2015 released in Manila recently.

The international body blamed India’s tiered taxation system for cigarettes, in creating loopholes against reducing the consumption and suggested it to be replaced with a simpler tax structure. “India levies tiered specific excise taxes on cigarettes, with seven brackets of basic excise duty based on cigarette length and whether or not there is a filter. But differential taxes lead to loopholes,” it said.

WHO South-East Asia Regional Director Poonam Khetrapal Singh said that improved tax measures, stronger law enforcement and enhanced cessation efforts are urgently needed in the South-East Asia Region to protect people against the ill-effects of tobacco which continues to be a “major” public health issue.

IN NORTH EAST Assam and Meghalaya are incurring revenue losses to the tune of Rs 700 crore every year due to illegal trade of cigarettes, which are manufactured

locally as well as are smuggled from the neighbouring nations. “Over 200 million illegal cigarettes are supplied to the state every month.

Consequently, the government suffers an annual tax loss of around Rs 600 crore,” a senior official in Assam’s Finance Department told PTI. INDUSTRY CONCERN Industry lobby Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has said that losses arising due to rampant smuggling of cigarettes, that has been on the rise since domestic taxes on cigarettes hit the roof, have touched Rs 13,130 crore in 2014, up from Rs 8,965 crore in 2012.

The resultant loss to the government by way of unpaid taxes was Rs 9,139 crore in the reporting year, up from Rs 6,239 crore in 2012, says the report prepared by ‘Thought Arbitrage Research Institute’ for the industry lobby. The report also warned that as much as 25 per cent of all tobacco sold in the country will be illicit trade over the next few years. The report noted that Maharashtra is fast emerging as a big market for illicit cigarettes. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

their nominations as independent candidates as well.” .

Seventy-seven of 170 candidates are crorepatis and the average assets of each of them comes to around Rs 5.28 crore.

Party-wise, BJP again leads the pack with all its candidates being crorepatis having assets averaging at Rs 29.33 crore each.

The wealthiest candidate Sachchidanand Rai, worth over Rs 407 crore, is contesting as the saffron party candidate from Saran constituency.

JD(U) has grabbed the second spot in this list too with the assets of all its 10 candidates averaging Rs 14.27 crore.

The second wealthiest candidate in the fray, Anil Singh, is from this party and is worth Rs 74 crore. RJD is at

third position with all its 10 candidates having average assets worth Rs 5 crore each.

“Upper House of the Legislature is meant to be of intellectuals and people of eminence who could influence a state’s policies. If people enter it on the basis of money and muscle power, it spells doom for democracy,” Kumar said.

Of the total 170 candidates in fray, 80 or 47 per cent are graduates or have higher degrees. Altogether 129 nominees or 76 per cent are in the age group of 25 to 50 years.

The data also show that the women have again taken a back seat. Just 11 per cent or 19 out of the total 170 candidates in the Council polls are women.

PTI

Punjab promotes eye donations

Every aspirant for a driver’s licence will get a form for eye donation along with the application for a driving licence CHANDIGARH: In a bid to encourage eye donation, the Punjab government has started attaching voluntary eye donation forms with driving licence application forms.

Every aspirant for a driver’s licence will get a form for eye donation along with the application form for a driving licence, Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Punjab said here.

“Lakhs of people in our country suffer from corneal blindness every year and voluntary eye donation would enable these visually impaired people to get vision,” she said.

The biggest area of concern in this regard is finding donors as there is not much awareness about organ/ eye donation in general population, Mahajan said.

She said that this can be taken care of to a large extent by asking

applicants of Driving Licences to pledge their eyesight at the time of application.

She said that this practice is followed in Tamil Nadu and has proved to be very successful.

In Tamil Nadu based on the choice of applicant, his donor status is mentioned on the form and in case of accidental death/natural death; his eyes can be donated to a needy patient.

She said that on request of the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Punjab State Transport Commissioner, and Tikshan Sood, Political Advisor to chief minister has issued a circular to all districts in this regard.

Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar has also issued required guidelines in this regard to all the district level Transport officers.

PTI

The Food Factory of the Indian Railways The automated four-storeyed ‘Food Factory’, set up in February 2012, churns out over 10,000 meals per day

Somnath: 12-year old Iyarn chained in his home in Gir Gadhada village of Somnath district for the past six years. Mentally retarded Iyarn is chained in the home to prevent him from escaping when his family members are out for work

Vol-II* lssue No.: 04 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.

NEW DELHI: Massive chapati makers that roll out uniform-shaped chapatis in less than 80 seconds, steam kettles, which cook up tonnes of well made rice and a cutting machine that chops up about 400 kilogrammes of vegetables in an hour -- the Indian Railway’s mammoth kitchen is a stateof-the art wonder.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) central kitchen in Noida, Uttar Pradesh works round the clock to provide “hygienic, competitively priced and affordable meals” not only to rail passengers but to corporate clients too.

The automated four-storeyed ‘Food Factory’, set up in February 2012 churns out over 10,000 meals per day to be served up on some Rajdhani, Duranto and August Kranti trains.

“The kitchen is fully automated with latest equipments from the best of the manufacturers in India and abroad,” says Sudheer Warrier, AGM IRCTC. Raw materials are stocked in a store room on the ground floor, with pulses, rice, spices, vermicelli, and other “dry” items segregated neatly with indicating labels.

“While all perishable items come in regularly every morning, the dry items are stocked for about three days,” says Warrier.

All perishable food items like vegetables and fruits are washed and sanitised before being moved to be chopped up on the upper floor. “We use chlorine tablets to sanitise vegetables,” Warrier says.

Vegetables are sourced from Mother Dairy and the non-perishable food items come from the Metro Cash

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) central kitchen in Noida, Uttar Pradesh works round the clock

and Carry outlet near Karkardooma Court.

The kitchen has just installed an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) to segregate different forms of waste into reusable air and water.

“Our vegetable cutting machine comes from the Swedish company Hallde. It can chop about 400 kilogrammes of vegetables in a matter of one hour’s time,” says Warrier.

“We are targeting 25,000 meals by the end of this year,” he adds.

Potato peelers and batter makers, particularly for South Indian dishes like idli and vada are also used in the same section. Equipment is sourced from across the world like Hallde from Sweden, Rosinox from France, Hackmann from Finland and Sottriva from Italy besides the Ahmedabadbased Servotech.

PTI

A perfectly cooked round roti in less than 80 seconds Preparation of chapatis is an awe inspiring process where the dry flour is converted into a perfectly round and cooked roti in less than 80 seconds.

“We add water to the flour in dough kneader to prepare the dough. Then it is transfered to the roti-maker, which pulls out round chunks of the dough, presses it to form a chapati and then cooks it properly before it is packed and sent out,” says Warrier.

Breadsticks relished especially by children on train rides, is among the few food items that require manual labour, with the dough being shaped by hand.

“It is then baked in an Italian rotary oven at about 195 degrees.”

Giant steam kettles, brat pans, cold rooms, hot plates, and blast freezer are among other instruments used in the central kitchen.

“The steam kettles cook uniformly and are based on the concept of using the steam generated for cooking rice,” says Warrier.

The mega kitchen also has solar panels set up exclusively for heating water that is used for washing dishes, while for drinking and cooking, there is an RO water treatment plant.

Owing to its swanky appearance, automated appliances, and

the delectable food that rolls out of this behemoth kitchen, it has also been featured on the show “India’s Megakitchens,” on National Geographic Channel.

Hosted by celebrity chef Vikas Khanna, the show, which premiered on June 29 is scheduled for a repeat telecast on July 8.

Corporate clientele in Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon are also customers of IRCTC. The list includes Samsung, Nokia, HCL,Supertech, Oxford University Press, Ameriprise Fianancial and Mcgraw Hill Publications. IRCTC only provides full meals on two Rajdhanis: Ahmedabad and Sealdah Duronto.

PTI

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

“I am the only candidate who has a detailed plan on how to get rid of Obamacare.

Every Republican will talk about it, but it’s just a one-liner in their speech.”

— Bobby Jindal, Presidential candidate, US

Pune is constantly evolving, changing P 15

Tobacco industry finds ally in US Chamber A global treaty, negotiated through the World Health Organisation, mandates anti-smoking measures

by DANNY HAKIM KIEV, Ukraine: A parliamentary hearing was convened here in March to consider an odd remnant of Ukraine’s corrupt, pre-revolutionary government.

Three years ago, Ukraine filed an international legal challenge against Australia, over Australia’s right to enact anti-smoking laws on its own soil. To a number of lawmakers, the case seemed absurd, and they wanted to investigate why it was even being pursued.

When it came time to defend the tobacco industry, a man named Taras Kachka spoke up. He argued that several “fantastic tobacco companies” had bought up Soviet-era factories and modernised them, and now they were exporting tobacco to many other countries.

It was in Ukraine’s national interest, he said, to support investors in the country, even though they do not sell tobacco to Australia.

Kachka was not a tobacco lobbyist or farmer or factory owner. He was the head of a Ukrainian affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce, America’s largest trade group.

From Ukraine to Uruguay, Moldova to the Philippines, the US Chamber of Commerce and its foreign affiliates have become the hammer for the tobacco industry, engaging in a worldwide effort to fight antismoking laws of all kinds, according to interviews with government ministers, lobbyists, lawmakers and public health groups in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States.

The US Chamber’s work in support of the tobacco industry in recent years has emerged as a priority at the same time the industry has faced one of the most serious threats in its history. A global treaty, negotiated through the

World Health Organisation, mandates anti-smoking measures and also seeks to curb the influence of the tobacco industry in policymaking.

The treaty, which took effect in 2005, has been ratified by 179 countries; holdouts include Cuba, Haiti and the United States.

Facing a wave of new legislation around the world, the tobacco lobby has turned for help to the US Chamber of Commerce, with the weight of US business behind it.

Letters, emails and other documents from foreign governments, the chamber’s affiliates and antismoking groups, which were reviewed

by The New York Times, show how the chamber has embraced the challenge, undertaking a three-pronged strategy in its global campaign to advance the interests of the tobacco industry.

In the capitals of far-flung nations, the chamber lobbies alongside its foreign affiliates to beat back antismoking laws.

In trade forums, the chamber pits countries against one another. The Ukrainian prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, recently revealed that his country’s case against Australia was prompted by a complaint from the US Chamber.

And in Washington, Thomas J Donohue, the chief executive of the chamber, has personally taken part in lobbying to defend the ability of the tobacco industry to sue under future international treaties, notably the TransPacific Partnership, a trade agreement being negotiated between the United States and several Pacific Rim nations.

“They represent the interests of the tobacco industry,” said Dr Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, the head of the Secretariat that oversees the

Plain packaged tobacco products with health warnings on the shelves at the Sol Levy tobacconist Sydney, Australia, May 21, 2013. Several years ago, Ukraine filed an international legal challenge against Australia, over Australia’s right to enact antismoking laws on its own soil, part of the US Chamber of Commerce global fight against antismoking laws

WHO treaty, called the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

“They are putting their feet everywhere where there are stronger regulations coming up.”

The US Chamber issued brief statements in response to inquiries.

“The Chamber regularly reaches out to governments around the world

organizations at home and abroad to defend these principles.”

The chamber declined to say if it supported any measures to curb smoking.

The chamber, a private nonprofit that has more than 3 million members and annual revenue of $165 million, spends more on lobbying than any other interest group in America. For decades, it has taken positions aimed The US Chamber of Commerce at bolstering its members’ fortunes. has become the hammer for the While the chamber has tobacco industry, engaging in local outposts across the United States, it also has a worldwide fight to fight antimore than 100 affiliates smoking laws of all kinds around the world. Foreign branches pay dues and typically hew to the US to urge them to avoid measures Chamber’s strategy, often advancing it that discriminate against particular on the ground. companies or industries, undermine For foreign companies, their trademarks or brands, or membership comes with “access to destroy their intellectual property,” the US Embassy” according to the the statement said, adding, “we’ve Cambodian branch, and entree to “the worked with a broad array of business US government,” according to the

Azerbaijan branch.

The chamber’s tobacco lobbying has led to confusion for many countries, da Costa e Silva said, adding that “there is a misconception that the American chamber of commerce represents the government of the US” More than 4,828 kilometres away, in Nepal, the health ministry proposed a law last year to increase the size of graphic warning labels from covering three-fourths of a cigarette pack to 90 per cent. Countries like Nepal that have ratified the WHO treaty are supposed to take steps to make cigarette packs less appealing.

Not long afterward, one of Nepal’s top officials, Lilamani Poudel, said he received an email from a representative of the chamber’s local affiliate in the country, warning that the proposal “would negate foreign investment” and “invite instability.”

In January, the US Chamber itself weighed in. In a letter to Nepal’s deputy prime minister, a senior vice president at the chamber, Tami Overby, wrote that she was “not aware of any sciencebased evidence” that larger warning labels “will have any discernible impact on reducing or discouraging tobacco use.”

A 2013 Harvard study found that graphic warning labels “play a lifesaving role in highlighting the dangers of smoking and encouraging smokers to quit.”

While Nepal eventually mandated the change in warning labels, cigarette companies filed for an extension and compliance has stalled.

The episode reflects the chamber’s country-by-country lobbying strategy.

A pattern emerged in letters to seven nations: Written by either the chamber’s top international executive, Myron Brilliant, or his deputies, they introduced the chamber as “the world’s largest business federation.”

Then the letters mention a matter “of concern.” In Jamaica and Nepal, it was graphic health warnings on packages. In Uruguay, it was a plan to

Thomas Donohue, the head of the US Chamber of Commerce, in Washington

bar cigarettes from being displayed by retailers. The Moldovan president was warned against “extreme measures” in his country, though they included common steps like restricting smoking in public places and banning advertising where cigarettes are sold.

In Ukraine, it was Valeriy Pyatnytskiy who signed off on the complaint against Australia in 2012, which was filed with the World Trade Organisation. He was Ukraine’s chief negotiator to the WTO. In a recent interview, he said that for Ukraine, the case was a matter of principle. It was about respecting the rules. He offered a hypothetical: If Ukraine allowed Australia to use plain packaging on cigarettes, what would stop Ukraine from introducing plain packaging for wine? Then Ukrainian winemakers could better compete with French wines, because they would all be in plain bags marked red or white.

Shortly after The Times discussed the case with Ukrainian government officials, there were new protests from activists. Yatsenyuk called for a review of the matter. Ukraine has since suspended its involvement, but other countries including Cuba and Honduras are continuing to pursue the case against Australia.

Andy Hunder, who took over as president of the US Chamber of Commerce in Kiev in April, said the organisation was moving on, adding, “We are looking forward now.” © 2015 New York Times News Service

Russia paranoid of converts to Islam Maiden names are making a comeback Slavic, ethnic Russian converts to Islam pose an especially subversive threat

Muslims attend the Friday prayer in a mosque in Stavropol, Russia, March 1, 2013. Russia has long lived in fear of a jihadist uprising within its own borders, particularly in the Caucasus where it fought two brutal wars to suppress Muslim separatists

subversive threat, not only by stoking Russia’s deep paranoia over separatist extremism, but also by challenging the Orthodox Christian national identity that Putin has used to unite the country in place of Soviet communism.

The government also worries that ethnic Russian Muslims have shown a willingness to link up with an array of other anti-Kremlin forces, including nationalists, pro-democracy

Russia has long lived in fear of a jihadi uprising within its borders

groups and even gay rights organizations.

“I worked with the LGBT society; it’s unbelievable for Muslims, yeah?” Baidak said, describing a group, Islamic Civil Charter, now banned in Russia.

“I don’t support this orientation of men and women, but I cannot change them,” he said in an interview. “If they are agents of freedom and we fight for freedom also, we fight for our common values. Let’s fight together, not be divided.” Russia’s security services, however, were not about to let that happen.

An aggressive crackdown that began before last year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi never ended, leading to widespread arrests not just in the predominantly Muslim Caucasus but throughout European Russia and as far north as Novy Urengoi, just below the Arctic Circle, where the authorities this year demolished a building that had housed a mosque and an Islamic preschool.

The pressure by the security

services, in the name of combating extremism, has set off a wave of refugees seeking safety and religious freedom, especially in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Muslim leaders and human rights advocates say that Russia’s often brutal approach has also added to the appeal of the Islamic State, with the Russian authorities saying recently that hundreds of Russian Muslims have gone to Syria.

The aggressive scrutiny by the Russian security services on converts to Islam is based partly on a belief, shared by some experts on religious fundamentalism, that they are more likely to embrace extremism.

Still, human rights advocates say the Russian security services take a heavy-handed approach that often persecutes innocent people, including native-born Muslims and converts alike.

Vyacheslav Ali Polosin, a former Russian Orthodox priest who converted to Islam in 1999, said that Christian Russians became Muslims for many reasons. Some women adopt the religion after marrying a Muslim man, and others are hoping to find a Muslim husband because of the religious prohibition on drinking alcohol.

Others, he said, are drawn for political or financial reasons, preferring Islam’s approach to money matters. And still others, he said, are drawn purely as a matter of faith.

Estimates of Russia’s Muslim population now range from 16 million to 20 million, including more than 2 million in Moscow, where there are just four mosques. © 2015 New York Times News Service

by CLAIRE CAIN MILLER and DEREK WILLIS When Donna Suh married in September, wearing a short white dress at San Francisco City Hall, she decided to keep her last name. Her reasons were practical, not political.

“It’s not necessarily a feminist reason, but it’s just my name for 33 years of my life,” Suh said.

“Plus, I’m Asian and he’s not, so it’s less confusing for me to not have a white name. And on social media I thought it might be harder to find me.”

The practice of keeping one’s maiden name after marriage - which appears to have declined sometime in the 1980s or 1990s - has begun rising again, according to a New York Times Upshot analysis of data from multiple sources.

The share has surpassed that of the 1970s. Yet unlike in that Ms Decade, the decision now tends to be less political. For many women, sociologists say, keeping their maiden names has lost its significance in defining their independence and its symbolism as a feminist act.

Roughly 20 per cent of women married in recent years have kept their names, according to a Google Consumer Survey conducted by The Upshot. (An additional 10 percent or so chose a

third option, such as hyphenating their name or legally changing it while continuing to use their birth name professionally.)

By comparison, about 17 percent of women who married for the first time in the 1970s kept their names, a number that fell to 14 percent in the more conservative 1980s before rising to 18 percent in the 1990s, the Google survey shows.

These numbers should be viewed as estimates, not precise counts, but the overall trend is apparent across several data sources.

A separate analysis of The New York Times wedding announcements - which cover a select, less representative share of women - showed similar patterns. Last year, 29.5 per cent of women in the wedding pages kept their name, up from 26 per cent in 2000 and a recent low of 16.2 per cent in 1990.

From the time that the equal rights activist Lucy Stone became famous for keeping her name when she married in 1855, maiden names have been politically charged. In the 1970s - when state laws still required a woman to use her husband’s name to vote, do banking or get a passport - keeping one’s maiden name became a tenet of the women’s movement. © 2015 New York Times News Service Lili Holzer-Glier/The New York Times

ERZURUM, Turkey: As a teenager in St Petersburg, Maksim Baidak hung out with neo-Nazis and right-wing nationalists, but the Russian security services mostly left him alone.

It was not until he abandoned white-Slavic supremacy and instead found God - as a convert to Islam and leader of a group of ethnic Russian Muslims - that he came under near-constant surveillance and was often forced into cars at gunpoint by security agents.

Then, one morning in 2013, masked commandos from a special counter-extremism unit burst into his apartment and arrested him. For two days, he was interrogated, at times with a black hood over his head “tortured,” he said, by choking, electric shock and death threats.

“I was arrested like a terrorist,” said Baidak, 28, who now lives in Erzurum, a university town in northeast Turkey, where he fled after a judge released him for lack of criminal charges. “Look at me, I am a journalist. I am a blogger,” he said. “I am a political activist, pro-democratic-oriented, Sufioriented, but I was arrested like - I don’t know - bin Laden.”

While nations across Europe are grappling with the relatively recent peril of homegrown Islamic terrorists, Russia has long lived in fear of a jihadi uprising within its own borders, particularly in the Caucasus, where it fought two brutal wars to suppress Muslim separatists.

For President Vladimir Putin’s Russia, Slavic, ethnic Russian converts to Islam like Baidak pose an especially

Sergey Ponomarev/The New York Times

by DAVID M HERSZENHORN

Sarah Alexis Lewis with her father at her wedding to Jason Marino at the Foundry in Killington, Vt, June 20, 2015. The practice among women of keeping one’s maiden name after marriage is on the rise

MONEY MATT ER S

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

“Our plan is to focus on boosting our exports. In the coming three-four years, we hope to increase our market share in India from less than two per cent to nearly five per cent.”

— Arun Malhotra, MD, Nissan Motor India

“We will leverage our domain expertise in financial services and other industry verticals to support digital transformation and strategic growth plans of the Irish bank.”

— Mohit Joshi, Infosys global head

Black money holders get immunity offer Persons using special window to declare assets abroad will be given immunity from prosecution under Foreign Exchange Management Act Holding out an olive branch, the government has said persons using special window to declare assets abroad will be given immunity from prosecution under FEMA, Prevention of Money Laundering Act and four other laws.

Also, persons not being informed of prior information with government on their assets abroad will be dealt under the Income Tax Act and not under the stringent Black Money law.

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) issued by Finance Ministry said the 90-day compliance window till September 30 provided to foreign asset holders to come clean will, however, not guarantee immunity for wealth generated from corruption.

The window will not be available to those against whom notices have been issued on or before June 30, searches carried out or information received from foreign states.

The Finance Ministry said if an NRI acquires a property abroad using the income accrued or received in India without paying tax, then the asset would be treated as undisclosed foreign asset.

On foreign bank accounts, the FAQ said the taxable value would be the sum of all deposits made in the account since its opening and “not on the balance as on date”.

Non-disclosure of assets even if acquired from taxed and legitimate income, will attract a penalty of Rs 10 lakh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union ministers launching the policy documents at the launch of Digital India Week in New Delhi

However, any asset acquired out of income not chargeable to tax in India will not be defined as undisclosed asset.

In a breather to students, the Finance Ministry said foreign bank accounts having less than Rs 5 lakh deposit at any time during previous year would not attract any penalty.

However, all foreign assets have to be necessarily disclosed even if their fair market value is nil.

With regard to applicability of the capital gains tax on foreign assets declared by assessee, the Ministry said that “the declarant will be liable for capital gains under the Income-Tax Act on sale of such asset in future”.

The clause, tax experts say, will leave almost nothing with the assessee who would have paid 60 per cent of the fair market value of the property under the compliance window and would again pay capital gains tax when property is sold.

Also, any asset bought but disposed of before the date of declaration under the compliance window will have to be disclosed, said the FAQ , which came in the form a Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) circular.

The offence of wilful attempt to evade tax will also not be an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

PTI

Financial planning is a must Most important point is to start investing early

BY SARANSH DEY @TGSWeekly It has become tough for the common man to know where to invest his hard-earned money and information overload has further complicated the decision-making process.

Unlike our parents who invested in simple options like post office saving, fi xed deposits, recurring deposits and, for the enthusiastic investor, shares of a public company with no hassle of transacting in Demat, we have a wide range of financial instruments like shares, mutual funds, SIPs, ELSS, pension schemes and real estate.

Investment’s one and only objective is making profits.

No investment strategy can succeed with any objective other than making money. Investment gurus quote profits as the only truth. Security, minimised risks and liquidity are all terms that impact your decision of picking an investment route. However, a person should remember that if an investment is not making profit then no other attribute can compensate for it.

I have met people who want to keep money in their lockers as they believe cash is the only true form of investment and profit. I have always maintained that if your money is not making money then you are actually losing it. Th is wisdom is not only passed on to us by financial stalwarts but is based on common sense. Th is author urges prospective investors to come back to basics and take profit as primary criterion for investment.

If you are a fi rst-time investor, this is how you should commence your selection of investment avenue — Don’t invest after you spend, Spend after you invest.

Investing is a habit. You need to cultivate it. Just like going to gym occasionally does not give you six-pack abs similarly investing sporadically will give you no returns. Make sure that no matter how small the amount but invest it in regular intervals Evaluate your risk aversion: Risk and profit have a direct relation. High risk means high returns. Many investors do not understand the concept of risk. High risk investment opportunities does not always mean that they would earn exceptional profits if they succeed. High risk also does not mean the chance of losing all your money. High risk to a sensible investor should mean the chance of seeing some loss in principal amount invested. An investor should understand his capability of accepting a loss in principal.

Split your investment amount: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Going super secure with fi xed deposits or super aggressive with all investment in risky ventures is not

BY JENNY ANDERSON

When the financial crisis hit Iceland seven years ago, Gudmundur Kristjansson, a 55-year-old fisherman with a wide smile, weathered face and mischievous eyes, almost lost his business.

Interest payments on his loans soared 300 per cent. He had to sell his two fish factories and two of his five fishing boats. “We didn’t invest for many years,” he said, “because we were only paying interest.”

His tribulations were shared by the whole country. After Iceland’s three largest banks fell in the space of three days, the currency collapsed, the stock market fell 95 per cent, and nearly every business on the island was bankrupt.

Short-term suffering followed, but today, Iceland is buzzing: Unemployment is 4 per cent, the International Monetary Fund is predicting 4.1 per cent gross domestic product growth for 2015, and tourism is booming.

Kristjansson has just bought Nanoq, a used boat from Russia that recently was being prepared for a fishing trip to Greenland.

But just as Iceland returns to the fold, Europe is again bracing for a financial catastrophe in a renegade nation. Greece, having missed crucial debt payments, has in recent days moved closer than ever to an exit from the euro. Leaving the common currency - and having to create its own new money could plunge Greece into an even deeper economic downturn.

Iceland is not Greece. As a tiny island with a population of 320,000, it was able to muster political will more easily than most countries.

(Meeting the prime minister is no big deal to locals.) Greece has a population of 11 million, a gross domestic product that is $242 billion,

or 16 times Iceland’s, and a history of political antagonism and government corruption. The two countries blew themselves up, although in different ways. Greece, as a nation, spent too much; in Iceland, the private banks went on a bender that ended badly.

But Iceland came out the other side of disaster in part because it had its own currency, which it devalued, and it imposed draconian capital controls. If Greece ends up with its own currency, it would most likely descend into an economic Hades in the months after dumping the euro before even having a chance to emerge on the other side.

Yet, even as Iceland is in the bloom of health, its comeback is about to be tested again. The government recently announced it would start to lift capital controls imposed at the peak of the crisis. Meant to last a few months, the controls have been in place for seven years, creating a shelter under which Iceland has mostly thrived.

Their success, paradoxically, has made their removal all the more precarious.

“They worked better than anyone expected them to work,” said Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, the prime minister. “But they, of course, are not a sustainable situation for an economy.”

THE AFTERMATH OF THE COLLAPSE To say the case for capital controls was strong in 2008 would be a huge understatement. If the United States and Europe got drunk on easy money, Iceland was the guy at the party who was unconscious in the corner.

When the Icelandic krona crashed in 2008, the country’s three largest banks had assets worth 10 times the country’s GDP. Eighty-five

Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson of Iceland, in Reykjavik, July 1, 2015. Iceland’s robust economic comeback is about to be tested by the lifting of capital controls

per cent of the financial system collapsed.

Iceland’s banks got into the international banking business in a big way, despite having very little international banking - or regulatory - experience.

“Iceland wanted to be a big financial player, which was crazy for a population of 320,000,” said Bogi Thor Siguroddsson, chairman of Johan Ronning, an electrical wholesaler.

At the same time, Iceland became a target for hot money. Because Iceland had high interest rates, international traders - and plenty of ordinary people - would borrow dollars at, say, 5 per cent, convert them to Icelandic krona and buy Icelandic bonds paying 9 percent.

They would profit from the difference between the 5 per cent and the 9 per cent.

At the time of the collapse, the carry traders’ positions were estimated to be 41 percent of GDP. Without capital controls, that money would flee, further depressing the krona.

As an investor, if you have disposable income of Rs 50,000 and want to know where to invest, I would suggest the following Investment Avenue

Age 24-30

30-50

50 and above

Fixed Deposit

0

5,000

15,000

Shares

25,000

15,000

10,000

Term Insurance

15,000

18,000

0

Medical Insurance

10,000

12,000

25,000

Shares is a high-risk, high-return game. It has been shown that investors who directly invest in shares making informed choices are able to reap a minimum of 25 per cent return per annum. Share investment is an activity that every investor must do. Not only for profit purposes but also for getting a sense of the economy. An investor can learn very quickly how to invest sensibly.

Term insurance is something that should be taken up in early days itself. Premiums then are low and you can get a high cover. Term insurance is a must for every individual. It secures your family for any untoward scenarios. Only a pure term insurance is recommended. Any payback plan, pension scheme etc have high premiums and low cover which usually defeat the purpose of taking such an insurance.

Medical insurance in today’s world in quintessential.

Regular health checkup packs with family cover and cashless claims are a great investment and can take care of any contingency. Averaging and breaking your amount available for investment is very important. Every investor must learn two fundamental rules — Only money makes money. And idle money is lost opportunity; If your funds are not earning at least 15 per cent of increment then you are losing out on multiple opportunities. saransh@goldensparrow.com BARA KRISTINSDOTTIR/THE NEW YORK TIMES

How Iceland emerged from its deep freeze...

advised to a normal investor. Th is is because in a growing economy, secure investments with less than or equal to inflation rate of return means you are not making money on investment but actually losing money by wasting investment opportunities. Too aggressive investments will only lead to higher vulnerability to loss. Money will make money and idle money will make you losses.

The break-up above just shows how an average portfolio should be managed. Investing in fi xed deposits (FDs) by a young professional makes no financial sense as FDs earn fi xed rate of return which is less or equal to inflation in an economy. A young professional has high risk capabilities hence FD investment is pointless for them. For others, it’s just a mean for immediate liquidity and fi xed return.

Reykjavik, Iceland

There was no chance Iceland could bail out its banks, so it let them fail. But fi rst it saved local depositors by moving them to new “good” banks.

The Icelandic government, with the support of the IMF, imposed strict capital controls, barring capital from leaving the country and prohibiting individuals from buying foreign currency or foreign stocks.

As real wages fell 11 per cent from 2007 to 2010, the government did not take a hacksaw to social services but instead raised taxes and also offered debt relief to the country’s mortgage holders.

And Iceland did what no other developed country has seemed particularly eager to do: It jailed a bunch of bankers.

When the banks collapsed - combined, the third largest corporate bankruptcy in world history in one of the smallest countries shareholders were wiped out. Foreign creditors lost billions but hoped to recover some assets.

International hedge funds spotted opportunity and bought some of those claims, reportedly for cents on the dollar.

As the economy improved, the claims - including positions in two of the country’s “good” banks - increased in value. That meant that the hedge funds effectively owned a significant part of Iceland’s financial system.

“We are the only country to let crazy hedge funds own our banks for seven years,” Kristjansson, the fisherman, said.

The capital controls caused a lot of other weird things to happen. Overnight, the central bank gained enormous powers over how money could be spent. Siguroddsson, the chairman of the electrical wholesaler, was in Japan with his family when his credit card was rejected because he hit his foreign currency limit. He

had to call a special number in the middle of the night.

“You have the feeling that there’s a system watching you and telling you what you can do with your money,” he said.

Iceland’s pension funds, which are nearly fully funded, were suddenly prevented from investing in new foreign assets; today a whopping 75 per cent of pension fund assets are in krona-based investments. Overnight, homegrown private equity and real estate funds were born as a place to invest the rapidly expanding pot of local money.

When Magnus Arni Skulason’s son had a confi rmation celebration five years ago, his son asked to invest his savings of $2,000 in Apple stock (the price was $32.50). “It’s illegal, Jonatan. We have capital controls,” his father recalled telling him. (The stock is now at $127.)

There were, however, salutary effects to capital controls and currency devaluation.

Devaluation made exports cheaper and imports more expensive. It became cheaper to travel to Iceland. And, if wages fell, Iceland did not face the crippling unemployment of many European countries.

“In my opinion the last six to seven years have been an open class on the discussion of whether or not to have your own currency and what it means to be a member of a common currency that is not taking your economic situation under consideration,” said Bjarni Benediktsson, Iceland’s finance minister.

The prime minister and finance minister who are from different parties - say having its own currency allowed Iceland to save itself and stage a remarkable comeback. Greece, Spain and Italy, which use the euro, have not been so lucky, they note. © 2015 New York Times News Service

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JULY 11, 2015

“The Indian Meteorological Department forecasted poor rainfall between July and August. We will do a comparative analysis of water storage in dams and plan water supply to the city accordingly.” — Dattatraya Dhankawade, Mayor

PUNE

“There is little we can do since the stops for intercity buses have been informally allotted many years ago by the traffic police itself. We take action when the buses are seen parked illegally.”

— Sarang Awad, Deputy Commissioner of police (traffic)

Garbage raising a stink at Pimple Saudagar PCMC garbage collectors dump garbage from societies into the nearest open place they find, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes

I live in Pimple Saudagar, also known as Aundh Annexe is developing rapidly. Many residential societies are coming up in this area. But along with the growth, sanitation issues have cropped up recently. The Sai Orchards Society, near Ganesham, is a case in point. A drainage hole was dug up seven months ago and it is still open.

The stagnant drainage water and garbage dumped on the side of the narrow lane has now raised a health hazard for the residents, with the prevalence of mosquitoes and other bugs. In fact, there is such an onslaught of mosquitoes that we have to keep our windows closed all the time, to keep them

Vardan Pandhare

out.

There is also a potential problem of water logging during heavy rain. The unplanned construction and the carelessness shown by the authorities is to be blamed for the situation thatwe are facing today. And this doesn’t end here. The garbage bin near Planet Millennium Society is always overf lowing, and with the rains, the stink is unbearable. And of course, the garbage bin also lures stray dogs.

Despite repeated requests to not do so,

CITIZEN JOURNALIST

the garbage collectors dump garbage they collect from the f lats into the open space between the Ganesham and Sai Vastu housing societies. This garbage is another eyesore and it has also given rise to a mosquito menace, which has the potential to spread dreaded diseases like dengue.

The concerned authorities of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) seem to be unaware of such an unhygienic state of affairs in their jurisdiction, and do not seem to care if it is putting citizens’ lives at risk. What is needed is an efficient and streamlined system for the timely collection of garbage, which, if left lying uncleared is a black mark against the civic administration.

If we are to enjoy the fruits of development, we also need to have an infrastructure in place to deal with the issues that crop up as a matter of course. The administration cannot afford to tick to their age-old, careless approach in the execution of their duties and responsibilities. Hope that they are paying heed to citizens’ woes and are willing to go the extra mile to put things right on the sanitation and hygiene front.

I can check out, but I can never leave Pune is constantly evolving, changing In five years, I have come to like living in Pune much more than in my home town of Bagalpur

Pune needs a civic administration that has a vision for the future and can deal with its rapid pace of growth

Shambhu Singh

I moved to Pune from Bagalpur, Patna, in 2008, and managed to get admission to the Suryadutta institute. My fi rst day in Pune was an overload of sensations and experiences as Pune is a far bigger city than my home town.

Though it was intimidating, I was also struck by the civilized demeanour of the people I met which made me feel a bit more relaxed.

As I settled in, I also came to know my whereabouts and got used to the pace of the city. After my studies wee complete, I started looking for a job, as I did not wish to leave.

I even turned down an offer for a job in the US owing to my father’s disapproval. I eventually settled for a job in the marketing and sales department of the First Flight Courier company. My father would have liked me to be back in Patna but I was determined to stay on in Pune.

Now it has been five years and I know that my decision to live in Pune was the right one. I would go so far as to say that I think I like living here much more than my home

LETTERS TO THE

EDITOR

town where I had lived all my life previously.

That is because Pune is the kind of place that can grow on you, and it allows people to settle in and find their space. I have lived for a few months in Delhi and Mumbai, and I can say that though they are much bigger and offer a higher standard level of life, they do not provide the comfort level that I have been able to achieve in Pune. The climate in Pune is far more temperature and easier to live in than in Delhi and Mumbai. Of course, Pune has its downsides, like the chaotic traffic and ever congested roads, but

I can deal with those. We need far better infrastructure and public transport system but the pace of development is rather slow.

Obviously, the civic authorities will have to wake up and speed up their working style to keep pace with growth in Pune.

I live in a 1BHK apartment at Bavdhan, which is not exorbitantly expensive. I do like going out when I can, and MG Road and the Cantonment area are where I hang out most often. It looks like I am here to stay in Pune, and that I will get married and raise my family here too. Pune has cast its spell on me for good.

NON-NATIVE

PAROLE

Shireen Jamooji, London

Now that I have lived here so long, I am also eligible to point out the shortfalls of Pune. Pune is a city that is growing so fast that it seems to be splitting at the seams, in terms of infrastructure and public transport, aside from the issues of pollution and hygiene. The chaotic and lawless attitudes of so any road-users, the woeful state of some roads are issues that the civic administration will do well to fi nd solutions to. Carelessly dumped garbage at some spots is a defi nite eyesore and health hazard. What is needed are far-sighted administrators who have a vision for the future and who can implement measures that will stand the city in good stead in the years to come.

But Pune is still one of the better cities to live in, compared to the other metros in the country.

FROM FOREIGN

SHORES

Finding a new way of life Birthday blast Parmanand Jhamtani is an amazing man. In these busy times, when you tend to forget your best friend’s, your mother’s or even your own birthday, this man sends birthday greetings to over 10,000 people a year. He even maintains a record of everyone he has met in his diary, and never fails to wish them on their birthdays. He even sends gifts and cakes. In today’s world where social media has taken over, you wish a person virtually and then forget about it. Jhamtani is a man who follows his own path and brings happiness to all those who he knows.

—Hiren Chauhan

The story on sex workers who were once lost in the murky lanes of Budhwar Peth, and are now earning a living by doing respectable jobs was inspiring. It has given me an insight into the lives of women who have struggled to leave behind the shackles of prostitution. Hats off to Anita, Pratibha and Salma for having the courage and determination to make it

My parents moved to Pune when I was 10 and I despised the change. There were so many things about this city that I did not quite understand.

One might think that because I was young the change was probably easier, but there were too many things I did not like about the city.

There was so much dust everywhere, weird smells and my biggest problem then was the language. There were many people I knew who spoke English, but when I went to play with the neighbourhood children, I did not speak their language and they did not speak mine.

My accent was big obstacle and I could not understand Hindi or Marathi.

All these things changed for the better as time passed. Today I can say that I love the city and cannot think of a better place to live in. I still have difficulty conversing in Marathi, but I have managed to grasp the Hindi language.

If I had to mention the highlights of living in Pune city, the climate would be at the top of the list. Next would come the generally civilised and hospitable nature of the locals.

I have studied at St Mary’s, Bishop’s and the Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, which all have made me accept and appreciate the diversity of the student population here. I am forever hanging out with friends at the scores of cafes, bistros and restaurants strewn across the city. Not only are they fun places, but they are affordable and dish out the yummiest of food.

happen. They will inspire many more women who have been forced into the flesh trade, or fell into it because of extreme poverty. Salma’s story touched me the most. I am happy that now she is educating her children, so that they can live respectable lives. The people from NGOs also deserve credit for helping them escape.

—Surabhi Pradhan

Batmobile in town

The Batmobile on the roads of Pune mystified every one who saw it. No one knew who it belonged to or anything else. TGS solved the mystery by giving us all the relevant details, such as it being a Mercedes S-Class that was modified into a Batmobile. The designer must have put all his skills to use in the making of such a fantastic

help them earn a decent living. Taking time out from a busy college schedule to guide and teach these women is really a selfless and benevolent act. It is so encouraging that the youngsters of today are not just involved with their own lives and concerns, but also have the ability to look beyond the personal and perceive the needs of the less privileged sections of society and they also have the will and energy to go and do something about it.

What we need is more such youngsters who will devote themselves to selfless causes, and I am sure that the world will be a different place, where goodness and kindness are not things that we read in history books or see only in the movies.

—Chirayush Agarwal

vehicle. In today’s world it has become possible to make anything, like a super hero’s car, if you have the means to do it.

—Shailaja Bevalkar

Out of the box

The story of innovative start-ups was enough to set my mind buzzing with new ideas and fresh perspectives.

There is no limit to what you can do if you have the skills and wherewithal to start something on your own.

Sugar Box is a most innovative concept. Every girl loves surprises, and what better than getting a gift hamper every month. Lakshana Jha’s car sharing app is also a novel phenomenon. It will help reduce vehicle pollution, and requires minimal investment. That there are so many people coming up with such cool business ideas at such a young age is indeed inspiring.

—Roshni George

Making a difference The initiative by students of Symbiosis

Write to Us is laudable. Students devising innovative ways to help the underprivileged is a positive sign for the youth of India.

It could indeed make a big difference.

The furniture is quirky and cool, and will attract youth. These women will not only learn a skill, but this will also

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 JULY 11, 2015

PUNE

“It is unfortunate that people who shout are getting all the attention, which is unjust. It is high time we put it to rest, people need to concentrate on the job at hand.”

India’s chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand

“ Like BCCI supports IPL and it is the body that runs the national team. Similarly AIFF should play the pivotal role for Indian Super League.”

Former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly

Puneites get their RAAM moment Veteran city rider and organiser Divya Tate believes that more Indians will take to competitive endurance cycling events in the near future

BY ASHISH PHADNIS @phadnis_ashish Hitendra and Mahendra Mahajan, the siblings from Nashik who recently won Race Across America (RAAM), one of the toughest events in the world, have put the spotlight on long distance cycling. The Mahajan brothers topped the two-man race, covering the 4800km distance in eight days, and claimed the honour of being the fi rst Indians to achieve the feat. But Indians have been associated with RAAM before the Mahajans’ exploits, Pune’s veteran cyclist Divya Tate being one.

Divya has been involved with touring and ultra distance endurance cycling for several years. She was the fi rst Indian woman to take part in the Super Randonneusse in 2011, and the only Indian woman to qualify for the 1200km Paris-Brecht-Paris race in France, in the same year.

Divya was a crew member for an Indian cyclist in the 2012 edition of RAAM. Th is year Divya was part of Team Sorella, who finished second in the four-member women’s under-50 category.

“I am very thankful for the opportunity to work as a crew member for the Sorella women’s team. The team was also espousing a cause by participating in the prestigious race.

Signposts Sankarsha, Tanya claim chess titles Top rated Sankarsha Shelke of Ahmednagar and Tanya Pandey of Nagpur emerged champions in the Maharashtra State Under-13 FIDE Rating Selection Chess Tournament, organised by Buddhibal Krida Trust at Manohar Mangal Karyalay, Pune.

Twelve-year-old Sankarsha emerged winner with 7.5 points at the end of the 9th round. In the girls’ section, Tanya garnered eight points. Top seeded Prachiti Chandratreya of Nashik had to remain content with second place, with 7.5 points.

Lions, Striking Jaguars score contrasting wins Pune Open Striking Jaguars and Roaring Lions notched up their first wins in contrasting styles in the league stages at the Dial-a-Meal Junior Tennis League, organised at PYC Hindu Gymkhana. Jaguars scraped past Club English Growling Tigers by a margin of just three games. The Jaguars, playing their second match in the league, won 26-23 after their players Anshul Satav and Gargi Pawar notched up a 6-0 win in their respective matches. In the second match, Lions thrashed ODMT Tennis Grizzly Bears 28-20.

NIO Vision Marathon on July 26 National Institute of Ophthalmology along with city-based Run Buddies Club will organise the first ever Vision Half Marathon in the city on July 26. The race will see visually impaired runners participate with enthusiasts from the city. The event will be organised in a novel way where one can run as a guide for the blind runners or run blindfolded with your buddy. Those interested in joining the run should log on to NIO Vision Marathon website www. visionmarathon.com or contact 9370015930, 9595344500.

Divya Tate (front sitting) with other crew members of Team Sorella. (inset) Divya poses with Mahajan brothers of Nashik after completion of their race

They are on a mission to help women and girls realise their potential, and bring about lasting change in their lives in an emotional, physical, and productive way,” said Divya.

MAHAJAN BROTHERS About the Mahajan brothers, Divya said, “I was overjoyed to see an Indian team come fi rst to the finishing line. I wasn’t part of their crew, but I had played an advisory role in their setup for the event.”

Divya is on the organising committee of Deccan Cliff hanger, which serves as a qualifier event for RAAM. She urged Hitendra and Mahendra Mahajan to take part in RAAM as a two-member team.

“I also facilitated a support crew position for the Mahajan brothers, trained their crew training and gave a presentation to their team in Nashik,” said Divya.

MOTIVATION Long distance cycling is in its embryonic stage in India, Divya.

Indians stepped into the ultra cycling arena in 2010, and though the sport is catching on, there is still a long way to go.

“I accompanied a solo rider from India in 2012 on his third attempt at RAAM, which failed due to inadequate management and logistics support.

I was motivated to gain experience, and understand the management and logistical requirements of participating in an event like RAAM. Th is will help me groom Indian riders who wish to participate, as the event is not only demanding for the riders but for the crew as well,” Divya said.

PUNE ROLE Pune has taken the lead in the endurance cycling by staging India’s fi rst 400km and 600km rides. Pune Ran-

High hopes from Pune swimmers

Fourteen swimmers from the city are to take part in the national aquatic championship beginning on July 13 TGS NEWS NETWORK @TGSWeekly Yuga Birnale, Siddhi Karkhanis along with Swejal Mankar and Sahil Joshi will be the flagbearers of Pune city in the Swimming Federation of India’s (SFI) 32nd Sub Junior and 42nd Junior Glenmark National Aquatic Championships to be held at Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex in Balewadi from July 13.

In all, 14 swimmers from city will be participating in this 7-day national event. Swejal and Sahil will take part in boys’ under-17 age group, while Yuga, Girija Kulkarni, Akanksha Buchade and Sadhwi Dhuri will participate in girls’ under-17 category. In the boys’ under-14 segment, Prasad Kandul, Rohit Gaikwad and Soham Gosavi have been qualified for the national while in the girls’, Yukta Wakharia, Siddhi, Nandini Pethkar and Mitali Darda will take up the challenge.

“Pune swimmers have always dominated the state-level championships. Even in the recently held state championship at the same venue, our swimmers performed impressively. So we have high hopes from them, as they have favorable home conditions,” said city-based coach Jitendra Khasnis.

Yuga, who trains with coach Bhupendra Achrekar at Harmony

Club, won a triple crown, including a new meet record in the state tournament last month. In the boys’ category, Swejal Mankar won two golds, a silver and a bronze and also set a new meet record in the 50m breaststroke event.

Over 1400 participants representing 28 states from across India are expected to take part in swimming, diving and water polo in the subjunior and junior age groups. These championships will also serve as the selection trials for the 8th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships.

“The infrastructure is all set for the national tournament. We have checked all instruments and technical support during the state tournament held last month. We have rectified some issues and took necessary measures and hoping for a smooth function during the nationals,” said Tapan Panigrahi, local SFI co-ordinator.

Th is is the fi rst time that sub-junior and junior tournaments are being held together. Maharashtra State Amateur Aquatic Association (MSAAA) president Abhay Dadhe said, “We have got best infrastructure in Pune and it’s possible to have both tournaments at the same venue. However, we have made sure that swimmers will get adequate time to rest between the championships.” feedback.tgs@goldensparrow.com

Yuga Birnale during state-level aquatic meet held last month. The Pune girl won triple gold in the event and similar performance is expected from her in the nationals.

donneurs is the oldest Randonneuring Club in India, as Divya started organising brevets in 2010.

“Pune has the highest percentage of women Randonneurs. I am India’s first woman Super Randonneur and also the first woman to complete it twice. I hope to inspire and more men and women to get into this most challenging of sports.

I have started a sports management company called Inspire India, and like the name says, I want to inspire my fellow Indians,” said Divya.

Shilpa Phadke is another Punekar who was part of RAAM’s support staff.

The city-based entrepreneur has been a crew member for United Kingdom’s Shusanah Pillinger for the last two years. Shusanah was unable to finish the race last year due to an accident,

but finished third in the female solo category this year.

“I met Shusanah when she participated in the Deccan Cliff hanger.

She was having difficulties managing the support staff so I helped her out.

She was so impressed with my work that she urged me to join her in RAAM last year. She was unable to finish, so she was determined to do it this time. We share a good rapport and have decided to continue as a team,” said Shilpa, who was also one of the sponsors for Shusanah.

Shilpa switched to the nutritional diet arena, and set up ‘On The Run’, a company that makes energy bars, after almost 20 years in the telecom industry.

“I undertook intensive research in athletes’ diets and elements essential for long distance events in the creation of our product. We devised an accurate calorie structure for Shusanah which has proved crucial for her performance,” said Shilpa.

Besides diet and nutrition, Shilpa was also responsible for developing

WHAT IS RAAM Race Across America, or RAAM, is an ultra-marathon bicycle race across the United States, that started in 1982 as the Great American Bike Race. It is one of the longest annual endurance events in the world. Participants qualify for the event by competing in any of several events. In RAAM, participating cyclists ride from the west coast to the east coast of the United States, covering approximately 3,000 miles (4,800 km), making it the equivalent of a transcontinental event. It runs non-stop from start to finish, with the fastest competitors taking just over a week to complete the course.

Shusanah’s mental strength.

“In the latter stages of the race, Shusanah started hallucinating while riding alone on an empty road at night.

She said that she was scared as she saw goblins sitting by the road. Our job was to keep her morale up, and we calmed her down by saying that those goblins are friendly and won’t harm you,” Shilpa said. ashish.phadnis@goldensparrow. com

Shilpa (2nd right front row) with other crew members of Shusanah Pillinger