The Golden Sparrow on Saturday 26/03/2016

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TGS LIFE

If the crown fits...

MUMBAI

CITY

‘I am the most wanted hacker’ P2

Mere 212 child labourers rescued in last 10 years P6 PICS BY RAHUL RAUT

It’s easy to make a fast buck in the water business

Mineral water companies buy water by the tankerful for Rs 500, package it and sell it for manifold profits

BY TUSHAR RUPANAVAR @tusharrupanavar

Pune distance runners flock to

TGS MoveIt marathon

Fitness and stamina are ideals we all aspire to, and running a marathon puts one’s physical abilities to an ultimate test.

Throw in a worthwhile cause along with a much larger-than-expected, enthusiastic throng of participants, and TGS maiden marathon ticked all the desired boxes and more See Spotlight, p08 & 09

There are 85 mineral water companies in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, who buy water by the tankerful, or 10,000 litres for Rs 500.

They then package the water and make huge profits from the initial investment of Rs 500.

PMC commissioner Kunal Kumar should probe the nexus between PMC officers, water tanker suppliers and mineral water companies, and take stringent action against them, said Dr Siddharth Dhende, Republican Party of India (RPI) leader and corporator.

He has submitted a list of all 85 mineral water companies to the commissioner for immediate action in the matter.

Contd on p6

MUMBAI

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

PUNE

“The number of vehicles plying on the road has grown by a huge number in the past 15 years and the present expressway is unable to cater to this. Hence, we are planning to add one lane on either side.”

— Eknath Shinde, State Public Works Department Minister

‘Pollution in India higher than China’ P 11

‘I am the most wanted hacker’ That’s the password of several fake accounts of a 17-year-old teenager from Chhattisgarh, who hacked into email id of a management student and obtained her personal pictures. He demanded Rs 5 lakhs failing which he threatened to make the photographs public

BY SANTOSHEE MISHRA @santosheemishra Early this month, a 23-year-old management student residing in Thane was in for a rude shock when she received an email from an id very similar to hers. The mail contained some personal photographs she had shared with her boyfriend. They were not meant to be put up on social networking sites, or seen by anybody other than her boyfriend, who is training to become a pilot. The sender of the mail wanted her to cough up Rs 5 lakhs or he would make the photographs public.

With war waging inside her head to pay up and buy her peace, or report the case to the cops and face the wrath of her parents, the management student chose latter. She walked up to her parents, narrated the entire story on how she had shared some personal photographs with her boyfriend, and now was being blackmailed. Her parents backed her and encouraged her to approach the cops.

The victim approached Ashutosh Dumbre, joint commissioner of Thane police on March 14, who comforted her and told her not to worry. Over the next few hours a formal complaint was registered and thus began the hunt for the person who had obtained her personal details and private photographs using phishing. Phishing, according to Wikepedia ‘is the attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details often for malicious reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication’.

Several officials from Thane crime branch, anti extortion cell and Naupada police station got onto the case. The investigators only had the

sender’s email id to go by. They tried tracking down the accused through his Internet Protocol address, but were unsuccessful as his location was showing at several places at once.

Realising that using technology to trace the blackmailer’s location would take time, cops decided to go back to good old ways. The cops told the victim to make the accused believe that she would pay up. She even deposited Rs 15,000 in a bank account opened in Chhattisgarh.

Meanwhile, cops closed in on 600 suspects and decided to question 50 of them as they believed that accused had to be someone known to her. However, the accused got bolder and started contacting the victim on her phone and sent her messages on whatsapp. This got the victim jittery.

With none of the tricks to apprehend the accused working out, cops decided to head to the Chhattisgarh bank where the money had been transferred.

On reaching the bank, the team of

investigators led by inspector Nasir Kulkarni was perplexed as the account holder claimed he had given his debit to a friend. Investigators then reached out to the friend, who said that he had given the card to another friend and that he was based out of Koria district, located 55 kms away. Not wanting to be stumped yet again, the cops took every possible precaution. By now the victim had paid some more money and was getting increasingly desperate to get out of the situation.

They went to Koria district on March 21 and managed to trace the accused with the help of the person who had given him the debit card. The accused turned out to be a minor, who had just appeared for his HSc exams. He had created layers of deceptions while stealing private information from the victim and even while sending her mails and messages demanding money.

Inspector Kulkarni, who cracked the case, said, “He had created fake

Cops closed in on 600 suspects and question 50 of them ‘known’ to victim

Drunk driver assaults cop, traffic police goes easy on him TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly Unable to provide crucial evidence by traffic department helped a history-sheeter and politician from going scot-free despite assaulting a cop.

According to complainant Premnath Shantaram Thotam, Police Sub Inspector from traffic division chowki at LBS Road in Mulund, the incident happened at 1.30 am Mayur Shinde on March 19 when Pranit Vijay Chavan, who was behind the wheel of an Innova (MH-04 GV 9099), hit the barricade put up by the police at the junction near Nirmal Lifestyle on LBS Road in Mulund and sped off. Thotam and his subordinates were on duty at night for drink-and-drive campaign.

After a hot chase by cops, Pranit, who is a Shiv Sena supporter, was caught and taken to the chowki between Bhandup and Mulund. He was tested positive for alcohol but was not ready to pay the fine. Claiming that he did not have any money, Pranit made a call and soon Mayur Shinde barged into the traffic chowky at LBS along with other accused. The group claimed that cops have stolen money from Chavan’s car.

Mayur of Thane apparently heads one of Shiv Sena’s labour wing in Bhandup.

“Mayur called up top politicians residing in Bhandup, manhandled and tore off the shirt of a constable on duty blaming cops for stealing money kept in the Innova car,” said Thotam The Mulund Police Station senior officials claim that the arrested accused assaulted the cops on duty at chowky. Thotam filed an FIR on March 20 against Mayur Shivaji Shinde (32), Kunal Suresh Shelar (24), Pranit Vijay Chavan (20), Sanil Yashwant Kadam (26), Akshay Chandrakant Kadam (21), Tushar Giridhar Madiya (24), Sundar Girish Bagel (22) and Jayesh Balkrishan Tawde (34) under Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 323 (punishment for voluntarily

causing hurt), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (punishment for rioting.) and 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence) of Indian Penal Code and under Motor Vehicles Act. The accused were produced before a holiday court on March 20 but were let off as traffic department failed to provide the crucial Closed Circuit Television Camera (CCTV) footages to the police station as evidence. The complainant claims that the CCTV footage shows cops pushed by the arrested accused and assaulted inside the traffic chowki.

Mulund Police Station Senior Inspector Rajaram Vhanmane said, “Mayur has around eight cases of extortion, attempt to murder, robbery and assaults registered against him. Pranit could have just paid the fine and left, but the accused barged into the traffic chowky and hit police personnel Miraji Pandhari Meshram, who is Assistant Sub Inspector from traffic division of Mulund. The senior police officials from traffic department has not shared CCTV footages with us even after five days. We got a one-day police remand of the arrested accused and later they got bailed out.”

“Mayur is a notorious criminal of Bhandup and Mulund area and the assault on cop on duty is a serious offence. We had a strong case if the CCTV footages were made available. The assault on uniform is a serious offence but the traffic department let us down,” Vhanmane said.

Declining to comment further, Mulund Traffic Division Senior Police Inspector Kailash Chavan said that the CCTV footage is a part of investigation. When asked that Mayur Shinde and others managed to bail out because of lack of crucial CCTV footage evidence, Kailash said, “That is none of my concern.” tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

accounts to steal data from the victim.

All his accounts had password ‘I am the most wanted hacker’. Once he gained access to the victim’s mail and social networking accounts, he shot a mail with one of her private pictures.

Rest was cakewalk for him.”

“The accused learnt hacking and phishing tricks on his own while browsing through the internet. He knew that eventually if the victim reports the case, investigators would try and track down his IP address and location. He had several guards in place to ensure that we would not get to him. He, however, did not expect that we would get to him the old fashioned way,” said inspector Kulkarni.

The minor has been charged for extortion and several provisions of Information Technology Act and sent to a remand home. Interestingly, this is not the first time that he has been booked. Hailing from an educated family in Chhattisgarh, the teenager was booked in December last year for using a similar ruse on a television actor in Mumbai. Back then he had accessed the actor’s ICloud account, Instagram and other social networking sites. He had taken some private photographs kept on ICloud and demanded money to not make them public. He was eventually tracked down by Bangur Nagar police in Mumbai with the help of his cell phone location. He spent a couple of months inside a remand home and was handed over to his parents.

This time around, while trying to blackmail the management student, he took precaution to not give out his location. He even used somebody else’s bank account to make a fast buck.

However, the cops got better of him.

“It was a very challenging case.

The victim is a brave girl who did not cower down and told her parents about the blackmail. She and her parents showed immense faith in us all along, which is why we were able to get to the accused,” concluded inspector Kulkarni. santoshee.mishra@goldensparrow.com

Cadence boys record 286-run win in ODI P 16

New local AC train is unwelcome here TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly

The Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu’s tweet that Central Railway (CR) will now get an air-conditioned train soon has left many officers to state that it is a step on the wrong track. Reason: It will be train of Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL), whose non-air-conditioned trains currently plying on the mainline are known for its breakdowns.

CR officials claim that the AC trains are planned to ply on its Harbour Line (HL).

The 12-car rake was supposed to be dispatched to Mumbai in December 2015 from Integral Coach Factory (ICF) Chennai. “It is expected to be ready by month-end and the test runs will be conducted on the line soon,” said CR Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Narendra Patil.

The passenger association claims that HL is the most neglected line among Mumbai Suburban Railway’s three divisions — Central, Western and Harbour Lines. It is the busiest network of railway but still runs nine-car trains that should have been phased out two years ago.

“Commuters need good service on HL instead of AC trains as majority of passengers are working class and

cannot afford the heavy fare. The upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport at Panvel may have influenced the AC train plan,” said Mumbai Railway Pravasi Sanghatana (MRPS) president Madhu Kotiyan.

Even as Harbour Line has beaten others in bagging the first AC train, CR senior bureaucrats allege that Railway Minister’s tweet gives the impression that AC trains will facilitate CR but it will help BHEL known for breakdowns.

The HL stretch from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) to Panvel is approximately 50 Km. Of the eight BHEL non-AC trains that run on the main line, electrical systems of three have been replaced. “The five trains equipped by BHEL are handled with care. BHEL is the worst performer in the Mumbai Suburban Railway and this fact cannot be denied,” said a CR official.

“BHEL faces many issues like breaking down of the engine, short circuit in the electrical panel at the motorman’s cabin and delay in brake application. Still plying on HL with the fare in the range of Kolkata Metro will be unfair for Mumbai commuters,” Kotiyan said.

The new train is expected to open for commuters by the end of this year. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

Police are trying to wipe out Irani community: HC petition TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly A senior member of motley Irani community settled in pockets of Thane district has sought help from judiciary.

If Afzal Hussain is to be believed, police are trying to wipe out their communit y by booking them under false criminal Afzal Hussain cases. In a petition filed in Bombay High Court, the 70-year-old has alleged that cops barge into their homes, arrest men and youth, and even target women.

He has cited instances of massive combing operations carried out by police on the pretext of looking for chain snatchers and thieves from the community. A youth lost his life in one such operation last year.

Hussain filed a criminal writ petition earlier this in HC. He stated that he is tired of cops implicating members of his community in false cases. He has demanded that an FIR should be registered against cops for targeting his community.

The Irani community hailing from Baloch region settled down in India a century ago. Members of the community have documents dating back to 1930s showing how they were given licences by the then Governor of Bombay to perform on streets. Over the years they have settled down in several pockets of Thane district. Ambivali, a sleepy township located 60 kms from Mumbai is one of the biggest settlements, where over 700 family stay. Some of the families have also

The petitioner Afzal Hussain a 70-year-old man who has filed criminal writ asking for the FIR to be registered against the cops, who have been harassing them under the name of combing operationa

settled down in Mumbra, Kalyan and Pune.

Hussain’s petition stated that plainclothes policemen often barge into the settlements.

“Almost everyday cops come to our homes and threaten us with dire consequences. They book our people under false cases. On paper they try and show how most members of our community are criminals and have multiple cases registered against them. We have evidences of how cops have barged into our homes and ill treated women,” claimed Hussain.

“I admit there are some bad elements in our community. But that does not mean that all the members are criminals. Cops have been filing false cases against our youth and men. There have been instances where in order to show that cases of chain snatching have been solved, cops have forced jewellers to confess that they bought stolen property from youth from our community,” alleged Hussain.

He added that earlier cops would come in uniform. “These days they come in plain clothes and arrive in private vehicles. They just spread

out in our colony and reign terror,” he alleged.

He reminisces one such combing operation last year in which a youth from the community lost his life. “Around 400 cops dressed in plain clothes entered our colony in Ambivali. They assaulted men and ill treated women.

Some of the youngsters from the community got scared and ran from the colony towards a river.

Seven of them went into the water.

Six were rescued while Haiderali Jani Ali died,” said Hussain. The deceased hailed from Gulberga and was visiting his sister’s house in Ambivali when cops entered the colony to nab criminals.

Hussain’s petition stated, ‘During the combing operation the police forcibly entered the houses of Iranis and assaulted men and women. After seeing the inhuman assault, some of the Irani boys including Haiderali ran away towards Ambivali river. While they were running the police also ran after them to catch them. Due to fear seven young boys fell in the river. Out of them, six persons were rescued and later arrested by

the police. However, Haiderali drowned in water and his body is still missing. Due to the negligence of the police the boy lost his life.

Therefore the relatives of the victim went to lodge the complaint but police did not take any complaint.’

Hussain’s petition also pointed out how members of the community are booked under stringent Maharashtra Control Of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

In 2014, he recounted, RAK Marg police from Mumbai arrested few youth, including a girl from Ambivali. They were booked under MCOCA. However, the then Mumbai police chief Rakesh Maria withdrew the MCOCA against the youth. He also had cited a case of father and son being shot by the cops five years ago. The case is still being heard in a court.

The petition stated that the police are ‘using their powers to wipe off the Irani Community’.

Hussain’s petition stated that they have tried to seek help from various authorities but in vain. Earlier this month they also moved the State Human Rights Commission.

Advocate Farhana Shah, who is representing Hussain said, “The petitioner has witnessed the brutal combing operations, carried out by police in the name of tracing criminals. Several innocents from the community have been framed till date. We have prayed to HC for registering an FIR for impartial investigation under the guidance of judiciary.”

The case came up for hearing on March 21 before the division bench of Justice Naresh H Patil and Justice Am Badar. The court sought details and status of the complaint filed by Hussain with the State Human Rights Commission. It is due to be heard next month again. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

‘Ensure disposal of grievances in 60 days’ P12

“There is no law against tie-ups with coaching classes. But they cannot use a school’s premises for teaching and extracting fees from students. If any complaint is received that students are forced to attend such classes, such schools will be served notices.”

— Ramchandra Jadhav, Deputy Director of Education, Pune

Lone guard mans 267 hectares of our forest VISHAL KALE

The forest department can afford to hire just one guard to look after a 267-hectare forest area, with no system to prevent thefts or fires

Madhukar Ghodage clocks many more hours every day than he is supposed to

help of Pune Municipal Corporation, which provided money to appoint security staff called van major. Till last year we had forest guards, but now the money to pay the guards has dried up and all we can afford is one worker.”

A forest department source said that there were 11 security men in 2009. Since then some had retired but they were not replaced, with the result is that now there is only one guard.

Ghodage said, “It is not possible for one person to monitor such a vast area, but I try and visit all the land under my care at least once in a day.”

forest department has just one forest guard for such a sprawling area, is as surprising as it is inexplicable.

All Ghodage is armed with is a lathi. Imagine what he would do when faced with sandalwood thieves

SANDALWOOD THIEVES Curbing sandalwood theft is a priority for the forest department, but with just one guard there is only so much that can be done. What is really needed is regular patrolling of all the forest areas.

BY ASHISH PHADNIS @phadnis_ashish Madhukar Ghodage, 43, is a forest guard, whose day begins early in the morning. After about an hour’s inspection of Vetal Tekdi, he makes the rounds of places like Mhalunge, Bopodi, Karve Nagar, Hingne, Kothrud and Bhamburda. This involves travelling 60-70 km, before reporting to his office at the end of a working day.

Ghodage is the sole guard for 267 hectares of forest land in and around Pune city. That the Pune division

PUNE

who are known to carry home-made firearms or gavathi kattas, besides axes and such.

Pune’s Deputy Conservator of forests, Satyajeet Gujar said, “We have developed the hills in the city with the

“Sandalwood thieves are armed with weapons and even country firearms, while all I have is a lathi.

The thieves are desperate and do not think twice about attacking a guard, and I have been pelted with stones in my encounters with them,” said Ghodage.

Two months ago, Ghodage and his colleagues received a tip off and set up a plan to corner the thieves.

But as soon as the guards approached them, the thieves hit them with a barrage of stones. The guards replied in kind, until the thieves fled, leaving behind some and chopped sandalwood. “There were a number of colleagues with me, but if I was alone I am not sure what I could have done to stop the thieves,” said Ghodage, who is an ex-serviceman.

Ghodage who hails from Solapur, served with the Bombay Sappers for 22 years, and took up the job of forest guard in 2014, after retirement.

Of all the areas under his watch, the Vaiduwadi area in Bhamburda and Kelewadi area in Kothrud are the most dangerous, he feels.

“There are slums in Vaiduwadi and Kelewadi, and I have to be on guard. The slum dwellers steal firewood, dump garbage and defecated in the forest areas. Their dogs attack peacocks and other small animals. In case I catch women

stealing wood or for any other offence, there is not much I can do to bring them to our office. All I can do is drive them away from the forest,” he said.

WEAPONS AND WALKIE TALKIES Ghodage believes that six guards are needed to guard the forest areas, and that the guards should be armed and should also have walkie-talkies for emergency communication.

“We have no preventive system in place in the case of a forest fire. All I can do is round up some staff to put out the fire. But considering the locations of the forests, it takes hours to reach a spot during rush hours,” said Ghodage.

Deputy Conservator Gujar said, “Citizens should consider it their duty to protect the hills. We even devised a scheme whereby we would allow entry to protected areas for a one rupee fee, and appointed a joint committee of forest officials and citizens. The plan was to raise Rs 30,000 a month, with which we sold have been able to hire four security guards. But it came to nothing as citizens failed to respond.

People will pay Rs 30 as parking charge for a movie show, but are not willing to pay Rs 30 a month for entry to protected areas.” ashish.phadnis@goldensparrow.com

Don’t let your unused cycles rot Kothrud society residents donate 40 bicycles to poor students of Vinjar village

BY SHAILESH JOSHI @TGSWeekly The 13 members of the four-building Springfield Society, Kothrud have donated 40 bicycles to students of a school in Vinjar village in Velhe tehsil.

The members, Sunandan Lele, Manjiri, Pallavi Jigali, Leenatai Vaidya Kirti Datar, Milind Datar, Vaishali Tulpule, Manjiri Kulkarni, Hemant Kale, Nivedita Gogate, Mihir Gogate, Kaustubh Chate and Ashwin Ambike collected 40 unused bicycles and got them repaired and donated them to

poor students of New English School in Vinjar village. Lele had seen the students walk to school and on his suggestion, the society members put the plan into action.

The women spread the message about the plan to all society members.

But when they got the unused bicycles, they had to raise Rs 30,000 for the repairs. Hatkeshwar Transport owner Aditya Shah provided the truck to transport the bicycles to Vinjar village. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

Crores meant for construction workers’ welfare lying unused

BY TUSHAR RUPANAVAR @tusharrupanavar The Maharashtra government passed the building and other construction workers welfare cess act in 2008. According to the act, a builder of any project worth Rs five lakh or more has to pay one per cent of the construction cost to the labour welfare board as cess, which the board is supposed to spend on the welfare of construction workers. Over the last six years, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has received Rs 252.77 crore in the form of one per cent cess. Pune has 1.2 lakh construction labourers, but only 2,700 are registered with the board. The Rs 252.77 crore has thus been unused, without construction workers getting its benefit.

Despite constant demands from labourers to simplify the registration process, and allow workers from other states to register with welfare board, the government has not taken any such policy decision, so the amount collected through this cess from the entire state has now crossed the Rs 2500 crore mark. Recently Bombay High Court asked the Maharashtra government not to divert labour cess for any other purpose other than for construction workers’ welfare. But countless construction labourers in Maharashtra are deprived of these welfare board schemes.

There are 16 types of welfare schemes for construction workers on the website of the Department of Labour, Government of Maharashtra, under this act. Schemes like educational assistance of Rs 1200 to the children of labourers studying in standards I to VII, Rs 2400 for the children studying in standards VIII to XII, Rs 15,000 to the graduation students, Rs 50,000 for children of workers in Medical and Engineering courses in governmentrecognised colleges, financial assistance of

Rs 25,000 to each of two female children of registered workers, financial assistance of Rs one lakh for workers in case of 75 per cent or more permanent disability, Rs 12,000 per annum up to five years to the widow in case of death of worker during the course of employment, Rs 25,000 for the treatment of serious ailments for worker as well as his family members, and Rs 100 per day to worker’s spouse towards the daily expenses for the period during which worker is admitted in the hospital.

But all these schemes are on paper only and nothing is getting to the beneficiaries.

Tukaram Mane has come from Osmanabad district of Marathwada to Pune, and is working at PMC’s proposed building site, said, “This is the first I have heard about the construction worker welfare board scheme. I do not know where and how to register with that board. I came to Pune in search of work because of the drought in Marathwada. Initially I got work at this construction site. Four of us from our village live in a room in Sangavi area. The government schemes for construction workers will reduce our suffering.”

PMC city engineer Prashant Waghmare said, “PMC has been collecting this one per cent cess from developers since 2009 as per government resolution. As of March 23, 2016, PMC has collected Rs 252,77,60,232 under this cess from builders. Government has given PMC one account number on which PMC has been depositing this cess amount every month. The PMC role is done after depositing the amount.”

Co-ordinator of government schemes for Pune unit and Chairman of Rashtriya Majdur Sangh, Sunil Shinde said, “In 2011, under the UPA government regime, central government advised every state to form construction labour and other workers welfare board for implementation of

various welfare schemes under this act.

Now more than Rs 2.5 thousand crore has been collected in form of cess with state government. Currently more than 1.25 lakh construction labourers are working in Pune city, but of these we have registered only 2700 workers. The main hurdle in the registration process of these construction workers is that they do not have residential proof of state. As majority of workers are from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand, they do not have residential proofs. So we had written to state government to allow out of state workers. But after the change of government, the Devendra Fadanavis led government did not take any stand on this construction worker welfare board. One more problem with registration is that many are seasonal labourers and they usually return to their hometowns after some moths of working in Pune. We wrote about this problem to the state government too.

We are in the dark now and cannot comment on the matter until the state government takes a concrete decision. We have distributed Rs 10 thousand cheques to registered workers two years before under this construction workers welfare scheme.”

Minister of State for Public Works, Transport, Labour and Textiles, Vijay Deshmukh said, “Functioning of construction and other workers welfare board is going well. It’s the labourers’ duty to fulfil norms of registration. For speedy registration we even allowed builders’ letters to be considered valid, but a majority of builders refuses to give such letters to labourers, because they neglect taking responsibility of their workers. Construction workers’ registration is a major concern for us too, so government had allowed corporators’ and gramsevaks’ letters to be considered valid for workers registration with welfare board.” tushar.rupanavar@goldensparrow.com

The women members of the society raised Rs 30,000 for the repairs of unused cycles

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

PUNE

“The election campaign was done against ministers of the water resources department for alleged corruption in irrigation projects, but none of them have been arrested.”

— Udayanraje Bhosale, NCP MP from Satara

‘Smart wallpaper’ that absorbs light, heat to power homes P10

City duo comes up with cost effective way to conserve water They have designed water flow regulator that costs just Rs 300 and reduces water consumption significantly PICS BY TEJAS GAIKWAD

BY EKTA KATTI @Ektaak Suresh Solapurkar, 65, and his nephew Sudhir Kengale, 45, have completed the design of a regulator that reduces the speed/flow of water, a project that they started working on four years ago.

Solapurkar and Kengale, who live in Mayur Colony, Kothrud, felt the need to create a device that would help in the conservation of water.

Elaborating on his motive, Solapurkar said, “Four years ago, the city was hit by acute water shortage, and the corporation had resorted to alternate day water supply at times. That was when we decided to design a regulator.”

Thanks to their engineering backgrounds, designing the regulator took them just six months but the painstaking testing which began in 2014 was completed a month ago.

They tested the regulator in their

With acute water shortage these days in the city, Sudhir Kengale (left) and Suresh Solapurkar feel that the water flow regulator will be a boon to overcome this situation

own three-storey bungalow, measuring the flow of water per minute on each floor. “The flow of water on the top floor of a building is the lowest, as the speed of water increases with the force

of gravity. The speed and wastage of water are directly proportional, and as the speed increases, wastage escalates,” Solapurkar said.

In a seven-storey building, the top

Where regulators have been installed and consequent reduction in water consumption • 2014, Pride Regency, Vimannagar: PMC water, plus 30 tankers per month, was reduced to seven tankers per month • 2014, Mantri Park, Kothrud: 30 per cent decrease in water consumption • 2014, Karve Stree Shikshan Sanstha, Karvenagar: 50 per cent reduction in water consumption • 2015, Nisarg Darshan, Pradhikaran: 20 per cent reduction in water consumption • 2016, Aditya Garden City, Warje: 15-18 per cent reduction in water consumption

floor receives 12 litres per minute, the sixth floor 15 litres per minute, fifth floor 18 litres per minute, while the first floor gets 30 litres per minute, with a total usage of 147 litres per minute.

The regulator causes a significant decrease, as after installation all seven floors received six litres per minute, with a total consumption of 42 litres per minute. The regulator, installed in the front or back, depending on the type of tap, reduces the speed of water and can effect 70 per cent savings.

In early 2014, they installed the regulator at Shirdi Mandir, where consumption was 15 litres per minute.

After the regulator was installed, water consumption was reduced to five litres per minute.

The regulator, which costs Rs 300, reduces water tax, ensures equal distribution of water on all floors, reduces electricity bills of water pumps and boilers, reduces load on water treatment plants, and more importantly, reduces wastage of water.

They applied for a patent for the regulator three years ago.

Former chairman of the Pride Regency Society, Vimannagar, Amol Vaidya, 54, said, “We installed the water flow regulator, and now instead of 30 tankers that we needed earlier, we need only seven tankers a month.”

What is needed now is that more citizens should be aware of the benefits of installing Solapurkar and Kengale’s water flow regulator, which will be a boon in these days of acute water scarcity. ekta.katti@goldensparrow.com

Just one side of the two-way underpass open Ramwadi underpass has turned into an accident-prone zone, with 30 accidents in a year, most of them serious

BY GARGI VERMA @missgverma The Ramwadi two-way underpass has been mired in trouble for over a year.

The one side of the underpass that is functional has become an accident-prone zone. What’s more, the underpass has not been given a no objection certificate by the traffic police. It’s obvious that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is taking liberties with citizens’ lives in a bid to show that the work is complete.

Viraj Shah, 23, of Viman Nagar was riding his scooter from Kalyaninagar to Viman Nagar, when he collided into a motorcyclist who was on the wrong side at the end of the underpass. These kinds

of accidents are a frequent occurrence at the entry and exit of the underpass. The government records show 30 accidents in a year, most of them serious. The question is, why is only one side open of a two-way underpass?

According to an RTI filed by local activist Qaneez Sukhrani, the traffic department has not issued an NOC for the one-way underpass. “They are callous, or the NOC was never issued. If the NOC was not given, how is the underpass functioning?” she said.

Both PMC and traffic authorities refused to comment. Srinivas Bonala, chief engineer of JNNURM planning, PMC said, “We started the underpass in public interest. Since the matter is subjudice, it would not be right for me to comment at this stage.” Sarang Awad, DCP traffic declined to comment.

There are other reasons for accidents at the underpass. “There is sewage water from the slums that leaves the road slippery,” says Sukhrani. “Since the divider is broken

at many points, two-wheeler riders and even cars freely drive on the wrong side, which means a constant state of chaos,” said Anuradha Pandya.

The Ramwadi underpass was to be fully functional by May 5, 2013, a link between Viman Nagar and Kalyaninagar.

But it ran into a legal tangle during construction. A case has been filed in Pune City Civil Court on the grounds that a part of the land on which the underpass is built allegedly belongs to Bharpaidevi Agarwal.

She has challenged the deal between her

India, France to build six nuke reactors

deceased husband and Lunkad Realty, from whom the authorities acquired land to build the underpass. Court has ordered a stay on construction of part of the underpass that was to come on the disputed land. The case is still being heard.

“These problems came up in 2008, but the PMC went ahead with the construction. To show that the PMC had completed its work, one side was opened on October 19, 2014, putting citizens’ lives at risk,” said Sukhrani. gargi.verma@goldensparrow

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State’s transgender welfare plan remains on paper since 2014 Centre’s five-point programme for transgenders endorsed PIC FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE

BY PRIYANKKA DESHPANDE @journopriyankka Maharashtra’s ambitious plan to start a transgender welfare board after Tamil Nadu’s initiative, has remained on paper. After allocating Rs five crore to launch the programme in 2014, the state government has recently decided to shelve the project, as the administration does not plan to start it at all.

State Women and Child Welfare (WCW) department officials said that in a meeting at Mumbai in February, state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar proposed implementation of welfare schemes for transgenders on the basis of the Union Government’s proposed fivepoint programme. The meeting was attended by deputy commissioner of state Women and Child Welfare department Dattatray Desavale. The department officials said that apart from three meetings, there has been no development since the board was formed a couple of years ago.

“State finance minister reportedly wants to pitch various schemes for transgenders instead of the welfare board. Deputy commissioner Desavale attended the meeting and it is quite possible that the welfare boards will be dissolved soon,” said Pramod Nikalaje, Officer on Special Duty. He said that the Union Government has proposed a five-point programme and wants the state government’s opinion on it. The five-point programme consists of financial support to the parents of transgenders, prematric and post-matric scholarships for transgender students, skill development programme and old age pension scheme for transgenders.

The sluggish and apathetic approach towards welfare boards came to light when WCW and Law and Judiciary (LJ) department wasted two years in deciding about the objectives of the board. The administration could not even decide

The community The Supreme Court, in its judgment in April 2014, instructed central and state governments to develop inclusive social welfare schemes, and ensure greater involvement of the transgender community in policy formulation. Accordingly, the board was formed in the same year by the Congress-NCP led government as it was in Tamil Nadu. The welfare board was expected to provide avenues for formal education, employment and self-employment opportunities, run health programmes and provide legal help to the community for free. how many members the board would have.

“As soon as the board was formed, we sent a draft of the nature of the board to LJ department. The department, however, wanted to know about the appointment of treasurer and the parameters of selecting nongovernmental members in the board which was not included in the draft,” said Nikalaje.

The lethargic attitude of the administration did not stop here. The budgetary allocation of Rs five crore for every fiscal year was diverted to some unknown developmental projects which should have been used for the welfare of the transgender.

“The state government did not spend a single penny for the welfare for the community. The boards never functioned so there is no sense in dissolving it,” said Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, transgender activist and the member of the board. She said that the board has remained on paper without any substantial work since it was formed.

The picture in Tamil Nadu is not any different as the state’s transgender welfare board has remained completely inactive seven years after its formation. priyankka.deshpande@goldensparrow.com

Pune cops going all out to promote emergency app Mobile phone app for use in emergencies developed by police, but public awareness is lacking

BY YOGESH WAGH @YogeshWagh1857 Pratisaad (ASK), an innovative application for social emergency was launched on March 8, 2016, International Women’s Day by Pune police.

But just 3900 citizens and 1350 police personnel have downloaded the application. Pune police wants Pratisaad (ASK) to play a crucial role in help during emergencies.

They are now adding new features to the application and spreading awareness about the application among citizens.

Cyber Cell DCP Deepak Sakore said that the Pune police is producing a short film which is

nearly complete. It will be used to increase awareness among citizens about Pratisaad. Wanowrie Police station Senior Police Inspector Sachin Sawant is making the film. The script was jointly written by Sakore, ACP Mandurke, PI Rehana Sheikh and PI Sawant.

Actors from Mumbai and Pune

feature in the film which was shot at Magarpatta city.

“We believe that Pratisaad will boost public confidence and reduce violence by providing timely help.

We want women to see the film especially, which will be screened at schools, colleges, universities, movie theatres, multiplexes, shopping malls, mahila mandals, IT firms, offices and police stations’.

Manish Deshpande, of Unique Guard India, that has developed the application, said that Pratisaad (ASK) had basic features. Changes they are working on include voice and video recorder, mechanisms for daily reporting and linkage with dialling 100 system so that there is better co-ordination and efficiency.

The application is available only for android phones and plans are to design an application for Windows and other types of phones. It will help in police in cases of sexual harassment, chain snatching, domestic violence, and road rage.

How does Pratisaad work?

Citizens have to register using their telephone number, which will be verified by the police. The a personal detail form has to be filled, and the person is directed to the home page, where there is a single button ‘social emergency’. When the button is pressed, an alert is generated and sent to respective service providers (police) and command centre (control room) within three km area from where the incident is taking place. The police can see the victim’s exact location, nearest route and distance and full information of victim on his /her android phone. Because the application positions the exact geo location, time of action can be reduced drastically.

Once the alert is received, among the available police officers, the request is accepted. The police reaches the place of the incident using the location on map (coordinated with Google maps) and provides timely help. All these movements and the intervention by the police are tracked by the control room. Crucially, it can also be applied as an electronic medic alert for the elderly and ill to instantly notify both the family members and EMS of that person’s location.

Pratisaad is a social emergency application that uses android phone

as a tracking device during a rescue, where the location of the victim is traced and connected to the nearest police station within three km jurisdiction. The use of mobile technologies is opening up innovative

ways to improve police efficiency to reach locations where help is needed.

When crime and attacks against women are increasing, Pratisaad is the need of the hour. yogesh.wagh@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

Kakade city residents up in arms over new construction that has deprived them of light, ventilation and even threatens their safety

PICS BY TEJAS GAIKWAD

A dream gone sour

BY TUSHAR RUPANAVAR @tusharrupanavar Over a decade after Kakade City came up in Warje, some of the residents are upset with the developer. Another building is coming up in the complex built by Sanjay Kakade group, owned by Sanjay Kakade, the developer turned politician, and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha).

The new under construction building is coming up barely a foot away from the two old ones, depriving the residents of light and ventilation. The six families who are most affected have taken up the matter with Pune Municipal Corporation and the developer, and are yet to get any respite.

Kakade City came up in 2004, with A, B, C, C1 and D buildings. The developer is now constructing a 12-storey E1 building without leaving any space between the new and old buildings. In fact, the space between E1 and A, B buildings is so little that residents of six flats in buildings A and B are unable to open their windows. Even the terrace is closed because of wall of building E1 is touching it.

Resident of Kakade city, Rasika Kakade said, “I bought a flat in building A of Kakade City in 2004 and moved here in 2007 after getting possession.

I loved the property because the flat because had a balcony and window on the east side. There was ample light and fresh air coming into my flat. Not so long

A resident of first floor of A wing pointing at the mammoth structure coming up barely a foot away from her flat

ago, the developer started construction work of E building, which we do not object to. But the developer has to follow construction norms of PMC. Due to the use of heavy JCB machines for digging, the foundation of our building has been exposed and there are chances of our building collapsing. They have not left any space between the buildings.

We unable to even open our windows and there is no ventilation for our flats.

Burglars can easily jump on to our balcony and enter our bedroom. In case of an emergency like fire or quake, there is literally no space for services to provide assistance to the trapped persons.”

Another resident, Vijay Gaji said, “The builder has not left even a foot of space between our building and new construction. The wall of the new building is almost touching windows of our house. There is no ventilation and we have to use lights in the day time too. The foundation of our building is exposed and there is threat of collapse.

The developer had assured to leave necessary space between buildings but they have now gone back on their words.

PMC construction department has already issued a stop work order but the work is continuing.”

The residents of A and B had filed

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Regular exercise helps ward off post-heart attack depression

“It has become a practice in the city that the PMC is erecting good roads and footpaths and immediately after that, various mobile companies seek permission to dig same roads. The entire expenses which the PMC has incurred are going waste.”

— Prashant Jagtap, Mayor

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a complaint with the PMC building proposal department. The PMC department personnel visited the spot and issued a stop work order last month, mentioning that due to the lack of space between E1 and A and B buildings, residents were unable to open the windows and balcony. Residents allege that with no space left between their buildings and the new structure, they would be rendered helpless in case of emergencies like fire. The residents also pointed at the foundation of their buildings - A and B – which have been hazardously exposed. Despite a stop work order from PMC, the developer has not stopped construction work.

PMC had sought an explanation from the developer regarding space between A, B and new E1 building.

PMC deputy engineer Amar Shinde said, “Our department received the complaint from residents of Kakade City regarding the construction of the new building. We visited the spot and told the builder to leave 10 feet of space between the two buildings. The exposing of foundations f the old buildings does not pose a threat to the structures as such.” He added that he had heard that residents and the developer had arrived at a settlement.

The residents, however, refused to have accepted any offer from the developer. They stated that in lieu of fresh construction blocking their ventilation and natural light, the developer had offered to give them each a terrace admeasuring 600 square feet, which was unacceptable to them.

When TGs contacted Ashok Yadav, acting director of Sanjay Kakade group, he said, “We are constructing the new building as per plans sanctioned by the PMC. The windows in old buildings

PUNE

The new building being constructed in Kakade City has become a bane for residents of old buildings

were not part of sanctioned plans. We gave them to the owners of the flats as an added facility. The new building is being built exactly where it was sanctioned by the civic body.” He added, “We received a letter from PMC regarding the issue, and our MD Sanjay Kakade promised

to give 600 feet terrace to each person whose windows are closed due to our new construction. But now these residents are demanding 10 feet of space between these buildings, which is technically not possible now.” tushar.rupanavar@goldensparrow.com

Social Forestry to develop fallow hillocks as picnic spots A project that will also be a boon for jobless villagers

SANTOSH SHINDE

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that they should be near a religious place or historical monument. “The reason behind this parameter is to attract people who visit religious places or historical monuments,” said Kulkarni, who said that soil quality was another criterion.

“Our first stage would be beautification of hillocks and plantation will start in June. The preservation of species of birds will also be undertaken.

We plan to start an information centre on the hillocks, to inform farmers about the plantation in available soil,” Kulkarni said. The total budgetary amount allocated for this project from 2015-2020 is Rs 1700 lakh.

“The concept has evoked such interest that the district administration wants us to select more than two hillocks in each circle,” said Kulkarni. Initially the department will develop hillocks under the forest department, and developing the hillocks under district administration will be undertaken later. priyankka.deshpande@goldensparrow.com

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The state Social Forestry ministry’s work is limited to plantation of trees on unused and fallow land in districts. The ministry has always been criticised and a couple of years back it was merged with the Forest Ministry. Even after this merger, the Social Forestry ministry’s role has remained limited and all the major powers remained with the Forest Ministry.

However, the ministry’s recent decision of developing fallow hillocks in the state as picnic spots has come as a surprise. The state Social Forestry department is working on an innovative project of developing roadside deserted hillocks from the six circles of the state to turn them into weekend picnic spots. The 12 hillocks (two hillocks in each circle) are to be developed in Pune, Thane, Nashik, Amravati, Aurangabad and Nagpur circles.

The motive behind this project is multi-fold. As unemployment in the areas of these hillocks is on the rise, this project will come as a relief for villagers looking for work. “The plus point of this project is that villagers won’t have to go to cities in search of jobs. They will be hired for plantation and cleanliness work on the hillocks,” said Shripad Kulkarni, the publicity officer of state Social Forestry department. Another important reason for the project is to control encroachments on the hillocks.

“Infringements and criminal activities on deserted hillocks are on the rise. This project will curb these,” said Kulkarni.

Of the 12 hillocks in six circles, four hillocks have already been selected by the department in Pune and Thane circle.

“The hillocks in Retavadi village in Khed Taluka in Pune district and in Dhondewadi in Karvir Taluka in Kolhapur district have been selected to be developed as picnic spots. The first parameter while selecting the hillocks is

With this issue

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BY PRIYANKKA DESHPANDE @journopriyankka

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Buzzing with creativity

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

PUNE

“Now, it has become the need of the hour to conduct exercises to control drunk driving, as it has hampered road discipline immensely, which leads to road accidents. As a result, the dedicated teams are operating in different areas in the night to curb this menace.”

— Sarang Awad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic)

Mere 212 child labourers rescued in last 10 years This is despite the fact that children are seen working in eateries, hotels and garages across Pune

BY DNYANESHWAR BHONDE @dnyanesh1 The Pune labour commissionerate claims that there are no child labourers in Pune district. But the fact is that child labourers are to be found in scores of hotels, eateries, stalls and companies. In the 2006-2015 decade, the labour commissionerate rescued 212 child labourers, which works out to 21 in a year, or three in two months.

Recently, a child labourer was found at Shree Dutt Vishranti Grih in Kothrud, which is just one of many eateries in Pune employing children.

According to The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, employment of children below 14 years of age is prohibited. It specifically prohibits the employment of all children under the age 14 in specified hazardous occupations and processes. It prohibits employment of children in 18 occupations considered hazardous to the health and psyche of the child, including transport, domestic labour, slaughterhouses, automobile repair, construction work, handling of inflammable substances, eateries etc. According to the law, children under 14 years of age should not be employed. Those between 14 and 18 years of age can be employed at non hazardous workplaces for four hours a day.

Pune labour commissionerate raided 364 various establishments across Pune district and detected 212 cases of child labour in the last decade. Of the 212 cases, 166 involved children below 14 years of age, while 46 involve children of the 14 to 18 age group. In 2007, the department raided 43 establishments and rescued 55 child labourers and 24 teenagers, the highest statistic of the decade. In 2012, the department raided just ten establishments and rescued just one child labourer. In 2013, three and

Russia eyes big share at Goa defence expo P 14

10 years of activism to finally pay off PICS BY RAHUL RAUT

District Collector agrees to raze illegal structures in Karegaon village that have mushroomed over a decade

BY PRIYANKKA DESHPANDE @journopriyankka

A minor barely 10 years of age spotted working as a cleaner on a truck (above); Another minor at work at a local tea shop on Sinhagad Road

in 2014, four children were rescued.

There were 21 child labourers rescued in 2015.

Additional Commissioner of labour department, Ratnadeep Hendre, said that their department is seeking strict action against those who employ children under 14 years of age, and has filed FIRs. “We have taken strict action against those who employ child labourers in Pune district. This has brought down the number of child labourers, and currently there are no child labourers,” he said.

He said that there are several social welfare department schemes for the benefit of rescued child labourers.

There is five per cent reserved quota for child labourers in government schools.

The department is assisted by non governmental organisations (NGO) like Childline, and government departments.

Children are forced to work owing to poverty and lack of parental education. labour department inspector Revannath Bhisale said that any one can file a complaint regarding child labourers. Children under 14 years of age whose parents cannot be traced are sent to child observation homes.

The department has filed 139 cases, where offenders were fined Rs 20,000 each, which moneys go to the child welfare fund.

Childline NGO chief Anuradha Sahastrabuddhe said that the working of the labour commissionerate leaves

Over the last ten years, Karegaon Sarpanch Anil Navale has spared no effort in removing illegal encroachments in his village.

He has made the rounds of Shirur Tehsil and requested local MLA Dilip WalsePatil to look into Anil Navale the matter, but in vain. Fed up with the sluggish pace of governmental procedure, Navale and fellow villagers expressed their grievances to the district collectorate. To their surprise, the collectorate is set to raze illegal encroachments in Karegaon Village.

Karegaon is located on PuneAhmednagar highway, 50 kilometres from Pune. The village with a population of 5257, falls under Shirur Taluka and is known for its literacy rate of 89.59 per cent. It has had illegal encroachments since 2006, involving some villagers who infringed on the preserved water reservoir with hutments for commercial purposes.

“We have already lost about 70 per cent land in MIDC (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation)

Ranjangaon, and for the last ten years we are losing land to illegal encroachments,” said Navale, who said it was a shame that the encroachers were villagers themselves.

“They were born and brought up here, but did not think before encroaching on the only water reservoir of the village. The hutments are used for commercial purposes, with 95 per cent given on rent to outsiders,” Navale sad.

The encroachments are responsible for increasing traffic congestion on PuneAhmednagar Highway, and garbage is alsp an issue.

Two months ago, the Panchayat Samiti decided to remove the encroachments. “We asked Shirur Tehsildar Rajendra Pol to provide the police protection so that action could be taken against the illegal hutments. He provided the police protection, but some villagers stopped our drive and the police did not take any action against them,” Navale said. Walse-Patil has told them to solve the issue amicably.

The issue is now under the control of district collectorate. Tehsildar of Revenue department of District Collectorate, Pralhad Hiramani is looking into the matter. “It is government land and we have already sent the report to CEO of Zilla Parishad and Shirur Tehsil. Action will be taken against illegal encroachments and the process has always started,” said Hiramani priyankka.deshpande@goldensparrow.com

Bibwewadi to get multi-utility sports complex VISHAL KALE

The PMC-funded sports complex will have two badminton courts, kabaddi mat court, langdi court and other facilities

BY EKTA KATTI @Ektaak

Bibwewadi Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) corporator Asmita Shinde thought of a multi-utility sports complex in Bibwewadi in 2012, as there were no sports grounds for players of that area. The 10,000 square feet complex is coming up on the grounds of Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Yashwantrao Chavan School.

“There are many talented players in our ward, who had to go to Sanas ground or Deccan Sports Complex to practise.

This complex will provide them with all sports facilities. The complex will also provide women athletes with a secure place to practise. The work started in late 2013 and the complex will be completed

by May end,” Shinde said.

Funding by PMC in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, a budget of Rs 35 lakh was provided, while Rs 1.5 crore has been spent on the complex. The state-of-theart closed sports complex will have two badminton courts, and a multi-purpose court. It complex will also have an international level removable mat court for kabaddi, a 2,000 sq ft gymnasium,

a yoga hall and a library on the second floor.

Vishal Shinde, Asmita’s husband and vice president of MNS, Parvati ward, said, “India clinched the World Langdi Championship title three months ago. There are several langdi players in the city who represent India and this complex will provide them a place to practise.” International level langdi referee and a resident of Bibwewadi, Sanjay Gite, 45, said, “I have been staying here since the past two decades now. The area was in need of a sports complex as there are plenty of upcoming players. The indoor langdi court will be of a great help for the players. As the complex is closed security won’t be a concern for the girls. The small sports museum is the highlight.” ekta.katti@goldensparrow.com

Vast tracts of land meant for industrialisation have been encroached

It’s easy to make a fast Miscreants in Pune target cars, bikes for arson buck in the water business Thirteen two-wheelers and a car were set ablaze around the city in five days

SANTOSH SHINDE

Contd from p1

PMC has resorted to alternate day water supply since October 1, 2015.

According to the water supply department of PMC, there are 519 water tankers supplying water to fringe areas of the city. PMC has provided water tankers free of cost in areas where there is no water supply. Colonies or societies are provided water tankers for Rs 500.

Dhende said, “Citizens of Pune have been getting water on alternate days for five months. But the 85 mineral water companies are depriving us of precious water. They buy 10,000 litres of water for just Rs 500 rupees, and after UV/ RO processing, they sell packaged water bottles and earn lakhs of rupees. The 20-litre water containers are sold to banks, offices, companies, marriage halls, hotels for Rs 50. I have told commissioner Kunal Kumar

to impose commercial rates for supply of water to private companies. PMC officers are involved in supply of water to the mineral water companies who are making lakhs of rupees in profits. With the water scarcity, there is a big demand for water tankers in fringe areas. The tankers lobby is taking advantage of this situation. Some mineral water companies have illegal water connections which they use for commercial purposes. There should be GPS system and flying squads to monitor water

tankers.”

PMC Commissioner Kunal Kumar said, “Siddharth Dhende has given me a list of 85 mineral water companies using PMC water for commercial purposes. Our officials will check their source of water and if they have illegal water connections, or buy water from tankers. We will take strong action against culprits. We plan to appoint one dedicated flying squad to monitor water tankers.” tushar.rupanavar@ goldensparrow.com

PICS BY RAHUL RAUT

BY YOGESH WAGH AND EKTA KATTI @TGSWeekly

Thirteen two-wheelers and a car were set ablaze around the city in five days, and the Pune police and fire brigade fear that this has become an easy way to take revenge or just cause mischief in the city.

In the wee hours of Friday, March 25, nine two-wheelers were set on fire in the parking lot of Rajmayur Society, Erandwane, and the residents called in the fire brigade.

“We heard a blast and rushed down to see the bikes burning with the flames almost reaching the first floor. This had never happened in our society before and we suspect some malicious intent,” said Sachin Vedpathak, a resident of Rajmayur Society.

The Erandwane Fire Brigade received a call regarding the fire at around 1:45 am, and one fire tender was sent to the society. “It took just 15 minutes to bring the fire under control, but it was difficult to pinpoint the cause of the fire,” said Pravin Randive, fireman.

The Deccan police have registered a case against unknown

persons under IPC 436 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance with

intent to destroy house).

Deccan police station Senior PI P A Chougule said, “The case is under investigation. We recovered a CCTv, but it was charred in the fire.”

Chief Fire Officer, Pune, Prashant Ranpise said, “Taking into consideration this week’s incidents, the trend is alarming.

The cause could be a short circuit or some culprit may have set the twowheelers on fire. Without any leads, it is impossible to state the cause of the fire. All buildings should have a fire extinguisher and we will train citizens in the use of fire extinguishers, which could prevent fires from spreading.”

DCP Zone I Tushar Doshi said that arson cases could be curtailed if citizens were more proactive.

“Societies should fit CCTv cameras and residents should ensure that the CCTv are in working condition.”

Three days ago, four twowheelers caught fire due to a short circuit in the parking lot of Bhaskar Society (DSK Vishwa) F Building, Dhayari, and six other vehicles were also destroyed. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

“Setting up unauthorised religious structures is nothing short of an organised racket to milch money from devotees in the name of God.” — Maj Gen (Retd) SCN Jatar, President, Nagrik Chetna Manch

“Access to quality education is very important and we need public institutions. But there is a perception that only private institutions provide quality education. This has to change.”

— Rahul Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Auto

Change neighbourhood, the young way Initiatives of Kumar Nirman nurture kids to grow up into a responsible person

BY JAMES MATHEW @mathewthejames Two standard VI schoolgirls Kajal and Namrata saw a goat whose legs were bound with cord and left to suffer in front of a house in Vaiduwadi area near Senapati B a p a t Road. The Prafulla Shashikant duo muster courage to enter the front door and urged the owner to release the animal.

Wearing a proud smile, the two girls left the place after the surprised animal keeper agreed to their request.

The children of Wagholi neighbourhood organise a surprise meeting with their parents without telling their convenor.

And the questions they raise at the informal gathering takes the elders into an introspective mode.

A girl asks her mother: ‘Why do you make me do household chores and not my brother?’. Another child demands from his parents to spend more time with him as he has many things to share with them. Almost all the kids agreed that their parents are busy with

A ‘Ubuntu’ team from Wagholi clean a playground near their colony

demands of modern life and have no time for them.

Sensitising teens like these towards society and opening their minds to seek solutions to the issues facing the neighbourhood and beyond is Kumar Nirman, a vibrant project under MKCL Knowledge Foundation and Nirman mentored by social activist and public health expert Dr Abhay Bang and Managing director of MKCL Vivek Sawant.

“We follow out-of-school module. Children are brought face-to-face with issues and given the freedom to seek solutions,” said Kumar Nirman’s Coordinator Prafulla Shashikant.

The 28-year-old mechanical engineer of Aurangabad Government College of Engineering, hailing from Ambajogai in Beed district

came to know about Nirman, sub project of Search, from his college friend. Prafulla devoted full time to Kumar Nirman after joining Nirman. Kumar Nirman is run by ‘MKCL Knowledge Foundation’.

Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL) promotes information technology in teaching, learning and educational management processes and carries out various social initiatives.

“The modern lifestyle has given birth to individualism, selfishness, egoism and affecting the social fabric. Competitiveness and sibling rivalry is common nowadays. Our mission is to sensitise the children and develop balanced views before their mind forms rigid ideas about society.

We are three years old and it is

said that any educational project takes at least 10 years to bear fruit,” said Prafulla, who is also pursuing his post-graduate programme in development management from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research from Mumbai.

Prafulla said children form groups with a convenor and hold activities in their neighbourhood like carrying out plantation drives and cleanliness campaigns.

“The convenor undergoes a two-day training with us before he or she works the kids. In the first year, 11 teams were formed and 130 kids from 4-5 districts of Maharashtra were covered.

The second year saw 700 kids from 21 districts form 70 teams.

This year, we have 530 children from 20 districts form 49 teams,” he said, adding that the initiative is to foster a child’s social and emotional intelligence in a nontraditional manner.

Downplaying the use of media to popularise such social initiatives, Prafulla said that children becomes conscious before the camera and the very purpose of selfless service is lost.

“We are trying to follow the good works carried out by Dr Bang who always stresses that a first-hand experience always lasts its impression. And we have started young,” he said. james.mathew@goldensparrow.com

Pune youth to represent India at global entrepreneur competition Global Student Entrepreneur Award organised by Entrepreneurs’ Organisation will feature participants from 48 countries

BY ROMIL KOTHARI @00romil

Magar’s presentation was judged on the basis of idea, innovation and sustainability of the product.

Pratik Magar, 22, founder of Fizzible President of EO Pune, Atul Goel, Tech, will represent India in the fi nal said, “Student entrepreneurs compete round of Global Student Entrepreneur against their peers from around the Award (GSEA) in Bangkok on May world in a series of local and regional 13, after winning competition to qualify regional and country for the GSEA fi nals. rounds. The GSEA fi nal The participant should will feature participants be a student at the time from 48 countries. of application with a Magar will attend college or university legal and fi nancial and should have been guidance EO Learning operating a ‘for profit’ events on the all business for at least six expenses paid trip months with revenue to Bangkok for the criteria of US $500 or GSEA fi nal. “I am US $1000 investment. proud to represent Th is time nine India at GSEA, which participant took part is a great platform for in GSEA Pune, out of - PRATIK MAGAR young entrepreneurs to which three qualified showcase their products for the Chennai and experience real world scenarios.” regional fi nal. Sixty-one participants The competition will teach him more from South Asia participated in the about entrepreneurship, and offer him Chennai regional fi nals, where Pratik the chance to meet people and analyse Magar stood out amongst his peers.” global market scenarios.

Magar and his college friends

It’s a great platform for young entrepreneurs to showcase their products.”

Pratik Magar (third from left) and his team receiving an award for winning GSEA regionals

launched Fizzible Tech when they were in third year of engineering.

Their focus was on wireless technology and hardware and new products and services. Magar had no knowledge about entrepreneurship but he acquired skills from E-cell through an activity called ‘Educational kit’.

He got to know about GSEA from his senior and decided to enroll.

Magar developed his own product called ‘Indoor Positioning System’, a tracking system which can locate indoor objects using GPS within a 25 cm radius. It can be used at warehouses and hospitals.

“There is a small chip sized tracker which is attached to the object to be traced, a central co-ordinator which sticks around the entire room and a mobile application. The mobile application sends signal to central coordinator and it sends signal to the tracker and the process goes viceversa, locating the object,” he said.

Magar and his team hope to launch their product in the Indian market in two months. romil.kothari@goldensparrow.com

PUNE

The guardian angel of Dengle bridge

A foodstall vendor, Kachi is inexorably drawn to people in distress and has saved lives of over 100 people

BY DNYANESHWAR BHONDE dnyanesh1 People call him god’ angel, and he has been the savior for some, but he just wants to known as the life guard that he is. Rajesh Kachi, 46, has saved more than 100 people involved in road accidents, attempted suicide, drowning and such. He has also retrieved 260 dead bodies from water, some so decomposed that even the police refuse to touch them.

Kachi is a vendor but has been drawn to help people in trouble without expecting anything in return, for 23 years. He even spends his own money to take accident victims to hospital.

“Whenever I come across someone whose life is in danger, I try to save him,” said Kachi.

“The blessing and the joy in the eyes of the survivor and his kin are my reward,” he said.

Kachi lives in Tophkhana, Shivajinagar with his wife Kalpana and sons Ashish, 18, and Aakash, 16. He runs a roadside food stall on Dengle bridge near PMC building. His father’s farm on the Mula-Mutha riverbed was seized by the government without compensation.

Kachi first saved a 19-year-old girl from drowning, and her parents’ heart-felt gratitude moved him. Kachi is now helped by his friends Sachin Kokane, Sunny Shinde, Pandurang Gaikwad, Shivaji Rithe and Kailash Kachi.

Kachi is known in the Shivajinagar area and is called in case of road accidents before the police. “He leaves everything else and helps the accident victim, and at times stays the night in hospital with the victim,” said Kalpana, his wife. “He does not care about our food stall at such times,” she said.

On October 16, 2014, 24-year-old Abhijeet Mande and 19-year-old Yashoda Mhetre ended their lives in a well at agricultural college. The bodies were in the water for 15 days, and when

Rajesh Kachi rescue Mayur Kamble (inset) after an accident in Mangalwar Peth

Kachi retrieved the bodies, they were highly decomposed.

Mayur Kamble, 25, of Mangalwar Peth crashed into a parked PMP bus from on Dengle bridge on December 7. His had severe head injuries and lay in a pool of blood. Kachi reached the spot, and with his friends rushed Kamble to Sassoon Hospital, where his life was saved after emergency surgery. “Kachi is like god to us. He admitted Mayur to hospital and stayed with us till 3:30 am. My son is alive because of him,” said Usha, Kamble’s mother.

Shankar Kale, 43, of Manjari fell in the river from Shivaji bridge on February 17. Kachi saved him from drowning and took him to Sassoon Hospital. A young girl tried to commit suicide by jumping into Mula-Mutha river three months ago. Kachi saved her. Last month he fished out the body of 28-year-old Manoj Supekar of Kasba Peth from the river. dnyaneshwar.bhonde@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY

PUNE

MARCH 26, 2016

PUNE

YOUR RUN HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE

RUN FOR A

CAUSE

K

Fitness and stamina are ideals we all aspire to, and running a marathon puts one’s physical abilities to an ultimate test. Throw in a worthwhile cause along with a much larger-than-expected, enthusiastic throng of participants, and TGS maiden marathon ticked all the desired boxes – and more Running helps me keep healthy and fit

S

neha Suyal, 26, is a Staff Consultant at Oracle, where she has been for over three years. She finished the 5 km run in 35 minutes, and says that running helps her keep healthy and fit.

She makes it a point to participate in events that are staged for a worthy cause.

“I can’t believe that this was TGS’s maiden event. It was managed and organised very professionally, and the pendrive was a bonus,” Sneha said.

A family that runs together…

T

he Khares, Kalpana, 60, Sumeet, 36, Suvarna, 34 and Siddhi, 10, who all participated in the 5 km marathon, like doing things together. Kalpana ran her first marathon on Women’s Day. “The Womanathon was a great experience and if I could do it, I wanted my children to do it too,” she said.

She had been a judo aficionado and her daughter has a yellow belt in taekwando. “It was an amazing feeling to reach the finish line,” said Suvarna.

Her first run in over a year

R

avindra Shanbagh kept watch over his six-monthold son Sharv who was in a stroller, while his wife Priyanka ran the 5 km. Her first event after Sharv’s birth, Priyanka has been largely inf luenced by her better half to take up long distance running. “Ravi insisted that I went along on his morning runs, and before I knew it, I found myself enjoying it more than I expected. I continued and this was my first run after over a year. It’s good to be back on track and as soon as our son is old enough, I will get him come along on our runs too,” she said.

GARGI VERMA, EKTA KATTI AND ROMIL KOTHARI @TGSWeekly The Golden Sparrow MoveIt Marathon held on Sunday, March 20 at the VITS Hotel and The Orchid Hotel, next to the Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex, Balewadi, proved to be a resounding success, with around 1,800 enthusiastic participants for the 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K categories.

Among them were well known marathoners like Ironman Hiren Patel and Anurag Konkar, who both ran the 21 km event. Belgian Romain Knapen, 25, participated in the 5 km. “TGS MoveIt marathon was well organised and it’s even better that it was for a good cause. We need more events like this in Pune,” said Knapen TGS inaugural marathon also had the tagline ‘Run For A Cause’, whereby the proceeds from the marathon would be distributed among six very needy and deserving human beings, such as the malnourished kids Prasad Kolambekar and Pratiksha Madage, homeless Lakshmi, sisters Priyanka and Roshni suffering from Joubter Syndrome, and 78-year-old street singer Keshavlal Mulchand. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

Pune distance runners flock to

TGS MoveIt marathon

PICS BY RAHUL RAUT, VISHAL KALE AND TEJAS GAIKWAD

21 km Their dream is to book an Olympic berth WINNERS

10 km Running beyond adversities WINNERS

J

S

agdish Patel, 19, of Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, won the full marathon. He lives with his brother in Mumbai. “I have been running 16 km daily for several years, even in my village. My ambition is to make it to the Olympic qualifiers, but what I need is professional training, to improve my times and build up my stamina,” he said.

Ramsumit Chauhan, the runner-up, hails from Gazipur, Uttar Pradesh. He had participated in a marathon at Delhi, and fi lled the form for TGS marathon online. Ramsumit has fi nished school and was aiming for a career in the police force but now he has changed his mind and wants to join the army.

“Th is is only my second marathon, in the same month, and I am overjoyed to have claimed the runner-up spot. I know I can do better if I keep practicing,” he said.

Mayur Bhivara fi nished third with a time of 1:20.25. The 18-year-old Mumbaikar said, “I have been working on my stamina and I am glad to say that the hard work I have put in has resulted in my best time so far.” Mayur featured in his fi rst 21km marathon at the Mumbai Mastaran in 2015, where he clocked a time of 1:24. In early 2016, he fi nished the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon in 1:26.

Winner of the 21 km event Jagdish Patel (center), Ramsumit Chauhan (right) and Mayur Bhivarra

eshavlal Mulchand, 78, has been through a rollercoaster of a ride in life, from the peaks of fame and fortune, to the depths of obscurity and despair. But now, living with his wife Sonibai, in their little home in Warje, Keshavlal does not want or expect too much.

The spartan existence is brightened a little by a television set, and his precious harmonium. They make do without a fan or fridge to save on electricity bills.

TGS team delivered three bags of groceries at their fourth floor home, as they were engrossed in watching Crime Patrol, a favourite show. Their faces lit up seeing what we had got for them. “How can we ever thank you in words? All we can do is pray to god to shower you with happiness,” Keshavlal said.

We ensured that the food we got them was suitable for the old couple’s needs.

The funds from the registrations for the TGS MoveIt marathon, will enable us to pay the Mulchands’ bills for the whole year.

Next on cards is street children studying in VAMNICOM , Prasad Kolambekar (suffers from acute malnutrition and degeneration of teeth), sisters Priyanka and Roshni Khandagle (suffer from Joubter syndrome), and Pratiskha Madge (acute malnutrition). We have tied up with a specialist who will examine those suffering from diseases and disorders and tyhen recommend line of treatment. Their nutrition and treatment cost would be borne by the funds collected from the marathon.

Thank you!

achin Kumar emerged as the winner of the 10 km run, finishing the distance in a little over 36 minutes. The 17-yearold resident of Haryana, lives on the Bombay Engineering Group (BEG) campus in Khadki, where his father, Subedar Suresh Kumar, is posted.

“My dad ran alongside me, encouraging me all along the way,” said Sachin. He is an avid footballer and has been part of the India under-19 team, and he is determined to make a career in sports and wants to represent India at the Olympics. “I am lucky to live on the BEG campus, which is a great place for sports. I play football, practise running and there are some top class national athletes and sportsmen who are always willing to guide me,” he said. He has participated in a few marathons and he is putting in all

the work to improve on his times.

“I missed the Olympic qualifiers by just minutes, so I am practicing hard to ensure that I make the grade the next time,” he said.

Manoj Dhurvey, the 10 km runner-up, is an orphan from Vidarbha. The 21-year-old works at IBM, in the housekeeping department and lives in a government hostel. “My mother died when I was very young and since my father passed away a few years ago, the responsibility of looking after my younger siblings has fallen on my shoulders,” he said. Manoj took up long distance running only a year ago. “I won one of the first races I participated in, and received a cash prize. I realised then that this can be another source

of income, and I have been taking part in such events in and around the city regularly,” he said. He is also keen on volleyball and cricket and has the desire to represent India, but he also knows that to make the top grade, constant practice is necessary.

Saurabh Satpute, 19, the second runner-up in the 10km race, had participated in four such events, and he is motivated as his performances have shown an upward trend. “I am fortunate to have a father, who is completely supportive, to the extent that he comes along for every race that I take part in,” he said. Saurabh has completed first year of junior college and he wants to make a name as a sportsman and athlete.

Podium finishers of the 10 km marathon Sachin Kumar (center), Manoj Dhurvey (right) and Saurabh Satpute

Keshavlal Mulchand

Lakshmi

Prasad Kolambekar

Priyanka and Roshni Khandagle

Pratiksha Madage

Trained by American couple, orphans give their best

T

ristan and Mary Joe Muller from California, USA, have been together since they fell in love 19 years ago. For the last two months though, they have been working with the Shikshangram orphanage in Malavali, grooming the young inmates in English, skill development and physical education, a part of which was the physical and mental aspects of running a marathon.

Tristan, a banker, and Mary Joe, a chemical engineer had the desire to visit India for a long time. After backpacking across Europe, they arrived in Pune. Mary Joe teaches the kids English and finds their desire to learn infectious and inspiring. The couple plan to work at Shikshangram till July, and then they leave for Iceland, where will be running a 55km marathon.

With their coach Tristan, Adesh Kamle, Nitin Vitkar, Ranjit S, Varsha Vadhade, Kajal Vitkar, Sonal Dhotre, Ganesh Kale and Uttam K of Shikshangram turned up for TGS MoveIt Marathon on Sunday, March 20. “I wanted the kids to understand what a marathon is, which is why I got them here,” said Tristan, who participated in the 10 km race, finishing in a time of 47 minutes and 10 seconds.

Kajal is 15, is lean and mean 5 feet 2, and she finished the 5 km race in 29 minutes and 30 seconds. “The race turned out to be amazing and the credit goes to Tristan and Mary Joe, who trained and inspired us,” said Kajal. Ranjit, 15, finished the 5km run in 40 minutes. “Tristan not only taught us all the aspects of running a marathon but has inspired me to take this up regularly,” he said.

Satish and Yogita Moon set up Shikshangram at Malavali in 2008, for the welfare of street children and orphans. It is currently home to 150 children. “Satish and I have grown up in orphanages, and we understand what it means to be destitute and orphan, which quite a few of these kids are.

We have found them on railway platforms, bus stations and on the street.

What we do is to ensure that they get education and an upbringing that every child deserves,” said Yogita, 32.

This kid admires both Ronaldo and Messi

T

en-year-old Adil Sheikh, who won the 3 km run, wants to join the army. “I am proud of winning as I had never run a marathon before,” he said. “It seemed difficult but once I started running, I kept going alongside the other runners, and I was lucky to finish ahead of them all,” he said.

His mother Saniya said, “I have never him so excited, and probably the whole environment here was so infectious. He likes watching patriotic movies, and wants to emulate the same by joining the army.” Adil studies at Bishop’s School and he is part of the school football team. “I can play in any position except keeping goal. I admire Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentinean Lionel Messi. I want to focus on both studies and sport. After school, I would focus on my dream of joining the army.”

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

TECH/START-UP

PUNE

“The first call made on a mobile phone was in 1973 on April 3rd by Martin Cooper, a former Motorola inventor. He is affectionately known as the ‘father of the cellphone’.”

— http://www.markitwrite.com/

‘Ensure disposal of grievances in 60 days’ P 12

‘Smart wallpaper’ that absorbs light, heat to power homes Researchers from University of Surrey, UK create ultra-thin graphene sheets designed to capture light more effectively UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

Scientists have developed new moth-inspired, ultra-thin graphene sheets which can be used in ‘smart wallpaper’ that could generate electricity from waste light or heat, and power a host of applications at home.

Using a technique known as nanotexturing, which involves growing graphene around a Ravi Silva textured metallic surface, researchers from the University of Surrey in UK took inspiration from nature to create ultra-thin graphene sheets designed to more effectively capture light.

Just one atom thick, graphene is very strong but traditionally inefficient at light absorption.

To combat this, the team used the nano-patterning to localise light into the narrow spaces between the textured surface, enhancing the amount of light absorbed by the material by about 90 per cent.

“Moths’ eyes have microscopic patterning that allows them to see in the dimmest conditions,” said Ravi Silva, Head of the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute.

Smart wallpaper made from graphene could power homes in the future

“These work by channelling light towards the middle of the eye, with the added benefit of eliminating reflections, which would otherwise alert predators of their location,” he said.

“We have used the same technique to make an amazingly thin, efficient, lightabsorbent material by patterning graphene in a similar fashion,” he said.

Graphene has already been noted for its remarkable electrical conductivity and mechanical strength.

Researchers understood that for graphene’s potential to be realised as material for future applications, it should also harness light and heat effectively.

“Solar cells coated with this material would be able to harvest very dim light,”

Silva said.

“Installed indoors, as part of future ‘smart wallpaper’ or ‘smart windows’, this material could generate electricity from waste light or heat, powering a numerous array of smart applications,” he said.

“New types of sensors and energy harvesters connected through the Internet of Th ings would also benefit from this type of coating,” he said.

Graphene is only able to absorb a small percentage of the light that falls on it making it unsuitable for the kinds of optoelectronic technologies our ‘smart’ future will demand, said lead author Jose Anguita of the University of Surrey.

“Nanotexturing graphene has the effect of channelling the light into the narrow spaces between nanostructures, thereby enhancing the amount of light absorbed by the material,” said Anguita.

Graphene is traditionally an excellent electronic material, but is inefficient for optical applications, absorbs only 2.3 per cent of the light incident on it. The new technique enhances light absorption by 90 per cent across a broad spectrum, from the UV to the infrared.

The study was published in the journal Science Advances.

PTI

Glasses offer virtual keyboard K-Glass 3, allows users to text a message or type in key words by offering a virtual keyboard for text and piano

Scientists have developed smart glasses with stereo-vision that allow users to text a message or type in key words for Internet surfing by offering a virtual keyboard for text and even one for a piano.

K-Glass is an even stronger model of smart glasses reinforced with augmented reality (AR) that were fi rst developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in 2014, with the second version released in 2015.

The latest version, which KAIST researchers are calling K-Glass 3, allows users to text a message or type in key words for internet surfing by offering a virtual keyboard for text and even one for a piano.

Currently, most wearable head-mounted displays (HMDs) suffer from a lack of rich user interfaces, short battery lives, and heavy weight, researchers said.

Some HMDs, such as Google Glass, use a touch panel and voice commands as an interface, but they are considered merely an extension of smartphones and are not optimised for wearable smart glasses.

Recently, gaze recognition was proposed for HMDs including K-Glass 2, but gaze is insufficient to realise a natural user interface (UI) and experience (UX), such as user’s gesture recognition, due to its limited interactivity and lengthy gaze-calibration time, which can be up to several minutes.

As a solution, Professor Hoi-Jun Yoo and his team from the Electrical Engineering

Department developed -Glass 3 with a lowpower natural UI and UX processor to enable convenient typing and screen pointing on HMDs with just bare hands.

Th is processor is composed of a preprocessing core to implement stereo vision, seven deep-learning cores to accelerate real-time scene recognition within 33 milliseconds, and one rendering engine for the display.

The stereo-vision camera, located on the front of K-Glass 3, works in a manner similar to three dimension (3D) sensing in human vision.

The camera’s two lenses, displayed horizontally from one another just like depth perception produced by left and right eyes, take pictures of the same objects or scenes and combine these two different images to extract spatial depth information, which is necessary to reconstruct 3D environments.

The camera’s vision algorithm has an energy efficiency of 20 milliwatts on average, allowing it to operate in the Glass more than 24 hours without interruption.

T h e research team adopted deeplearning-multi

core technology dedicated for mobile devices to recognise user’s gestures based on the depth information.

Th is technology has greatly improved the Glass’s recognition accuracy with images and speech, while shortening the time needed to process and analyse data.

In addition, the Glass’s multi-core processor is advanced enough to become idle when it detects no motion from users.

Instead, it executes complex deep-learning algorithms with a minimal power to achieve high performance.

“We have succeeded in fabricating a lowpower multi-core processor that consumes only 126.1 milliwatts of power with a high efficiency rate,” Yoo said.

PTI

K-Glass 3 is equipped with a stereo camera, dual microphones, a Wi-Fi module, and eight batteries to offer higher recognition accuracy and enhanced augmented reality experiences than previous models

Google launches Street View in Sri Lanka Tech giant Google launched the Street View imagery of Sri Lanka on Google Maps that will allow users to view and experience 360-degree panoramic imagery of the country from their phones, tablets and computers.

With addition of Sri Lanka, Street View is now available in 76 countries, including the US, Japan and South Korea. Street View allows users to see how a city or a place looks like in real.

Using cars and bikes fitted with cameras to collect imagery, Google collects and stitches the photos accumulated together to make the 360-degree panorama.

Street View is not available in India.

The company had launched the service in 2011 in India, but later suspended it following an order from the police.

“Google began driving in Sri Lanka in December 2014 and finished collecting imagery in February this year.

From the bustle of downtown Colombo, to the cool tea plantation hills, Sri Lanka’s landscape is as beautiful as it is diverse,” Google Public Policy Manager Helena Lersch said.

“To capture this imagery, Google drove close to 50,000 km across every state and province so you can virtually explore this beautiful landscape from coast to coast,” she added.

She, however, did not say if and when the service would be launched in India. Google offers a virtual walkthrough across some tourist sites in India like Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Mysore Palace.

PTI

New pilots benefit from experts’ brainwaves Transmitting brain patterns of expert pilots via electrodeembedded head caps can improve learning in novices, according to a new study that suggests brain stimulation may be effective in accelerating practical learning.

“We measured the brain activity patterns of six commercial and military pilots, and then transmitted these patterns into novice subjects as they learned to pilot an airplane in a realistic fl ight simulator,” said Matthew Phillips from the HRL Laboratories in California.

Researchers used transcranial

COURTESY: HRL

Researchers used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in order to improve learning and skill retention

Scientists have discovered they can boost the ability of novice pilots to learn how to land aircraft in simulators (pictured) by recording the brain activity of expert pilots as they perform the same task

direct current stimulation (tDCS) in order to improve learning and

skill retention.

“We measured the average

g-force of the plane during the simulated landing and compared it to control subjects who received a mock brain stimulation,” said Phillips.

While previous research has demonstrated that tDCS can both help patients more quickly recover from a stroke and boost a healthy person’s creativity, HRL’s study is one of the fi rst to show that tDCS is effective in accelerating practical learning.

Phillips speculates that the potential to increase learning with brain stimulation may make this form of accelerated learning

commonplace.

“As we discover more about optimising, personalising, and adapting brain stimulation protocols, we’ll likely see these technologies become routine in training and classroom environments,” Phillips said.

“It’s possible that brain stimulation could be implemented for classes like drivers’ training, SAT prep, and language learning,” he said.

The research was published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

PTI

APP WORLD Learn guitar for free Yousician

IOS/Android: Free Yousician is your personal music tutor for the digital age. Learn at your own pace, whenever and wherever you want. The app listens to you play and gives instant feedback on your accuracy and timing. Our curriculum, designed by expert music teachers, will help musicians of all levels improve, from complete beginners to professionals. Step-by-step video tutorials guide you through each lesson. Fun and addictive game play tracks your progress and keeps you motivated to practice and learn. You’ll be amazed how fast your skills advance. So go grab your guitar or ukulele, or go sit at your piano or keyboard, and start playing now.

Learn Guitar Chords IOS/Android: Free This app shows you how to play the most used chords for the guitar. Suited for beginners and intermediates, you can play back the chords to make sure you’re playing them right. You can even choose between Electric and Acoustic guitar sounds! These guitar chord basics won’t replace proper lessons, but will help you teach yourself the chords you need to play for to get started. These chords are suitable for classical, acoustic and electric guitar playing.

Classic Guitar

IOS/Android: Free Classic Guitar has excellent natural sounds recorded in a professional studio. You can turn your device into a real classic guitar and play everything you want. Classic Guitar is a perfect app for professional and not experienced users (even for kids). Classic Guitar is similar to the real guitar and it is one of the most realistic guitar simulator apps featuring an awesome sound quality. All the notes have been recorded from the live classic guitar. You can learn how to play the guitar with this app.

Guitar Buddy

IOS/Android: Free Guitar Buddy provides you with quick access to essential learning materials, with the option of having a few in-app purchases as well.

These essentials include 30 scales, in excess of 300 guitar licks (movements), 20 free classical tabs and a chord dictionary with over 1,300 chords included.

That’s not quite where the magic ends – Guitar Buddy also plays you the scales, licks, tabs and chords you are trying to learn. This is an important part of judging tempo, timing and above all getting the notes into your head.

Guitar Jam Tracks IOS/Android: Free If you want to learn guitar or just finesse your skills, Guitar Jam Tracks gives you the tools to do it. You’ll learn the most common styles and all of the major and minor scales along with finger placement. The scale charts are available in all keys and are easy to read with a zoom feature. The app comes with 5 styles, but if you need more you can add them in the app itself. A dynamic learning tool, every beginner guitarist should download this one.

ENVIRONMENT

H EALTH

‘Pollution in India higher than China’ India has overtaken China’s air pollution levels in 2015 and the average particulate matter exposure was higher for the fi rst time in the 21st century, a Greenpeace analysis of NASA satellite data has shown.

“For the fi rst time this century, the average particulate matter exposure was higher for Indian citizens than that of Chinese people.

“China’s strong measures to curb pollution have contributed to the biggest year-on-year air quality improvement on record while in contrast, India’s pollution levels continued a decade-long increase to reach the highest level on record,” Greenpeace India said in a statement.

It said as per World Health Organization (WHO), India is home to 13 out of 20 most polluted cities in the world with deteriorating air pollution levels in the past decade, particularly in North India.

Greenpeace, in its National Air Quality Index (NAQI) ranking report, had earlier said that as many as 15 out of 17 Indian cities with NAQI

US Ambassador to India Richard Verma said working group is looking at future potential joint missions to Red Planet

Digital’, at the ORF Kalpana Chawla Annual Space Policy Dialogue.

Noting that space cooperation between the two countries has increased by leaps and bounds, Verma said it was not possible to think of such cooperation a few years ago.

After the nuclear tests conducted

by India in 1974 and 1998, the US and several Western countries imposed sanctions which badly hit the nuclear and space industry in the country.

Listing out ISRO and NASA cooperation on Mars, Verma said the working group is also looking at future potential joint missions to Mars.

“NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

provided navigation and communication support to MoM, showcasing how our nations can work together on complex channels,” Verma said.

He added that the two space agencies have embarked on an ambitious space project NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) project.

India and the US also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in space, including vital security aspects, at different international fora.

A meeting between Indian officials and a US delegation led by Frank Rose, Assistant Secretary of State, State Department held a high-level meeting.

PTI

NASA researchers are working on a technology that could harness the power of light and may be the key to cutting down travel time to Mars from months to as little as three days.

Philip Lubin, from the University of California, Santa Barbara, is developing the ‘photonic propulsion’ system where lasers can propel spacecraft with giant sails to the Red Planet.

The system relies on the momentum of photons - particles of light - to move forward. However, instead of photons from the Sun’s rays, Lubin’s design would be given a push by giant Earth-based lasers.

In a video for NASA 360, Lubin explained that the technology is very much readily available, and that the system could easily be scaled up.

With our current technology, it is estimated it will take humans around five months to reach Mars, ‘ScienceAlert’ reported.

“There are recent advances that take this from science fiction to science reality,” said Lubin.

“There is no known reason why we can not do this,” he said.

The indicators of longevity Certain psychological factors such as quick thinking and feeling healthy may be very strong predictors of how long we will live, a new study has found. Researchers from University of Geneva in Switzerland and University of Oxford in the UK examined 29 years’ worth of data collected from 6,203 adults who ranged in age from 41 to 96 years old when they began the study.

Aggregating data from 15 different tasks, researchers looked at

participants’ cognitive performance across five domains of ability crystallised intelligence, fluid intelligence, verbal memory, visual memory, and processing speed.

The tasks - all well-established measures of cognitive ability - were administered up to four times over a 12-year period, allowing researchers to assess participants’ baseline performance and change in performance over time for each domain.

To gauge participants’ health, researchers used the Cornell Medical Index, a measure that includes detailed checklists of a total of 195 pathological symptoms related to physical and psychological disorders. Finally, the researchers looked at participants’ subjective reports of various lifestyle factors, including perceived health, number of prescribed medicines, sleep patterns, hobbies, leisure activities, and social interactions.

PTI

High levels of intense exercise may be cardiotoxic and may promote permanent structural changes in the heart, which can predispose some people to experience abnormal heart rhythm, a new study has claimed. Relationship whereby benefits diminish at high doses and the risk of adverse events increases, Dr André La Gerche, head of Sports Cardiology at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute said. A commonly held view is that adverse clinical events in athletes are explained by exercise acting as a trigger in individuals who are susceptible because of an underlying abnormality.

La Gerche focused on whether exercise may affect a change in the heart that may serve as a cause of arrhythmias - abnormal heart rhythm. “The answers regarding the healthfulness of ‘extreme’ exercise are not complete and there are valid questions being raised,” said La Gerche. “The lack of large prospective studies in this field represents the biggest deficiency in the literature to date and many questions will remain controversies until such data emerge,” he said.

The study was published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

NATION

CITY

Get your voice heard on NetaG P6

No damaged goods please P3

GRANDCHILDREN SUE THE COMPLETE MAN

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

When hunger strikes past midnight

NATION

CITY

Bakery worker’s daughter gets her wings P 12

Why are traffic cops taking selfies these days?

P3

DITCH THE

AUTO,

HAIL A

CAB

GAUTAM SINGHANIA

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

said director of the school, who

DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL

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,

the FIR and kept in touch with “We are feeling fitheled investigating officer and public prosecutor The director is let down by the PUNE, MARCH 14, 2015throughout. | www.thegoldensparrow.com

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.”

ALANDI

AKURDI

RAVET

Sab golmal hai...

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

RITU GOYAL HARISH

CHIKHALI

KIWALENIGDI

~ Suit filed by the siblings

Precious man hours are lost every day at Hinjewadi just because planners forgot to make more entry and exit points. Over a decade after Hinjewadi was planned to house country’s best IT firms and 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

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

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

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

We believe we were on the right,”

Parents teach them more than exams do P 10

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

~ Suit filed by the siblings

What a mess!

Teacher booked for sexually abusing 22 students acquitted

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS

CITY

Truly, a tree lady P4

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.

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

PICS ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Is intense exercise bad for heart?

TGS LIFE

Run for... yourself

RAHUL RAUT

a heart attack occurs are far less likely to be depressed afterwards.

Researchers from Norwegian

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ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

People who exercise regularly tend to be less depressed after a heart attack, researchers say, adding that it is never too late to start exercising to reap the benefits of training.

Depression is three times more common among people who have experienced a heart attack compared to people who have never been afflicted by one.

The study shows that people who exercise regularly for a long time before

University of Science and Technology (NTNU) used the Nord- Trondelag HUNT studies that collected data from a total of 120,000 people during three periods (1984-86, 1995- 97 and 200608). They studied middle-aged and older individuals who had participated in all three of the HUNT studies, and who experienced their first heart attack after participation in the second HUNT study (1984-86) and before they participated in the third study (200608).

In this way, researchers were able to see how exercise habits over several years affected how people felt after a heart attack.

“Physical activity protects people from depression after a heart attack,” said Linda Ernstsen from NTNU. The study group that was characterised as physically active exercised a minimum of 150 minutes per week with moderate intensity or 75 minutes with high intensity.

On average, 11 per cent of all participants were depressed by the third HUNT study, but this varied greatly depending on previous training habits. Researchers divided the survey participants into four groups. Among people who had never exercised, over 17 per cent were depressed after a heart attack. Participants who exercised consistently throughout fared best, with only 7.5 per cent suffering from depression.

PTI

About 2,800 or nearly 90 per cent of critically polluting industrial units have installed 24x7 monitoring devices to check pollution after the government took a fi rm stand that factories can only function if they adhere to green norms, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said.

“There are 17 critically polluting industries. We asked them to install 24x7 monitoring devices at points where their waste water comes out. Out of the 3,200 big units across the country, 2,800 have already put up those devices. The Narendra Modi-led government has made industries understand that they can only run by undertaking environment friendly policies which will be monitored 24x7. Th is was a big victory,” Javadekar said.

THANK GOD IT’S S AT U R D AY

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Depression is three times more common among people who have experienced a heart attack

Polluting units fall into line

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Regular exercise helps ward off post-heart attack depression

stations showed levels of air pollution that far exceeded the prescribed Indian standards. The report had also revealed that 23 of the 32 stations across India are showing more than 70 per cent exceedance of the national standards, putting public health at risk.

In 2015, India particulate pollution stands higher than that of China, after increasing at an average rate of 2 per cent over the past decade.

PTI

yet to get a copy of the order.

The case dates back to February 2013 when some of the students studying in class five walked up to their class teacher and alleged that their creative writing sir had touched them inappropriately. The class teacher in turn informed the principal and management.

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

The investigation was carried out by 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

COURTESY: NASA

Laser-propelled craft to reach mars in 3 days?

ISRO’s first interplanetary mission, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) studies Martian topography, morphology, mineralogy, and atmosphere. MOM’s orbit also allows several opportunities to observe the Martian moon Phobos

PUNE

“Global economy grew 2 years in a row while emissions declined, thanks to 90% of new electricity coming from renewables.”

— Al Gore, Former US Vice President

Joint India-US missions to Mars on the agenda India and the US discussed the possibilities of collaboration in future Mars exploration projects and other space missions.

The Mars Working Group of the two countries sought to identify and implement goals that NASA and ISRO share on Mars exploration, particularly coordinated observations and science analysis between MAVEN, the Mars Mission of NASA, and ISRO’s MoM. “Our countries established a Mars Working Group to investigate further cooperation for Mars exploration.

The third face-to-face meeting concluded in Bengaluru.

“The Mars Working Group seeks to identify and implement goals that NASA and ISRO share on Mars exploration, particularly coordinated observations and science analysis between MAVEN and MoM and NASA’s other Mars projects,” Richard Verma, US Ambassador to India, said.

“We can continue exploring Mars together. Our engineers can jointly develop a space craft to study the surface of Mars. Our scientists can work together, study the and ana lyse the data and learn even more about the Red planet. Let’s go further in our solar system. Our nations could build together space craft to reach other planets in our solar system,” he said.

He was delivering a lecture on ‘USIndia Collaboration & Innovation: Exploring the Potential of Satellites for

MARCH 26, 2016

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

“Every citizen has a duty to rededicate themselves to create a clean external and internal environment of self and society to make ‘Swachh Bharat’ possible.”

— Pranab Mukherjee, President

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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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PUNE

Modinomics reforms made ‘little progress’ P 14

“Proud to support Melinda’s efforts to challenge assumptions about the invisible work that women do. #LeanInTogether.”

— Bill Gates, Microsoft Co-founder

‘Ensure disposal of grievances in 60 days’ Modi also calls for integration of all land records with Aadhaar at the earliest

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed top officers to act within one month to ensure that grievances, barring some exceptions, are disposed of within 60 days and noted that grievance redressal is one of the biggest aspects of democracy.

Modi called for integration of all land records with Aadhaar at the earliest.

He was chairing the 11th interaction with officials through PRAGATI - the ICT-based, Multi-modal Platform for ProActive Governance and Timely Implementation.

“The Prime Minister reviewed the progress towards handling and resolution of public grievances.

Urging the officers to further speed up the pace of work in this regard, he emphasized that grievance redressal is one of the biggest aspects of democracy.

“He called for focused action within the next one month, to ensure that barring exceptions, grievances are disposed of within 60 days. He reiterated his directive for top officers to intervene in this

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Home Minister Rajnath Singh after a Cabinet meeting at Parliament house in New Delhi

matter,” a PMO release said.Modi also reviewed the progress of vital

infrastructure projects in the road, railway, power, and oil sectors, spread over several states including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.

Noting that there is now healthy progress among states for investment in terms of ease of doing business, the Prime Minister called for further concerted efforts to build on the momentum, to create a positive perception.

He also enquired about Mission Mode projects under Digital India.

“Examining the progress of Digitisation of Land Records, the Prime Minister called for integration of all land records with Aadhaar at the earliest. He emphasised that this is extremely important to monitor the successful implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana,” the release said.

Reviewing the progress of provision of citizen-centric services electronically, the Prime Minister called for a comprehensive districtwise review across the country of how many services are actually being delivered online.

In the social sector, the Prime Minister assessed the status of the Widow Pension Programme, and the progress towards eradication of leprosy.

PTI

TAKING THE LAW INTO OWN HANDS!

Woman beating police personnel with stick during Lathmaar Holi celebration at Sri Krishna Janamsthan Temple in Mathura

Amendments to obsolete laws NEW DELHI: A law which the government now does not want to scrap and another which has already been repealed are set to be removed from two bills which seek to abrogate obsolete legislations.

The two bills — Appropriation Acts Repeal Bill, 2015 and the Repealing and Amending (Third) Bill, 2015 — are pending in the Rajya Sabha after being approved by the Lok Sabha.

The official amendments to the

two bills to remove the Pensions’ Act and the Punjab Appropriation Act from the list of laws which government wants to repeal was cleared by the Union Cabinet.

A senior functionary said there has been a reconsideration and now the government does not favour repealing the Pension Act, 1871. The Punjab Appropriation Act has already been repealed and “inadvertently” became part of the Appropriation (Acts) Repeal Bill,

2015, he said.

“With the official amendments cleared, we will now push for the passage of the two bills in the Rajya Sabha,” he said.

The two bills will return to the Lok Sabha for fresh approval after the official amendments.

The bills seek to scrap a total of 1,053 Acts which have become redundant and are clogging the statute books.

PTI

Swachh Bharat Mission gets WB $1.5 bn support NEW DELHI: The Cabinet approved USD 1.5 billion (about Rs 9,000 crore) World Bank support for the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in rural areas.

“The project basically provides for incentivising states on the basis of their performance in the existing SBMGramin. Incentivisation of states was approved by the Cabinet while approving the SBM-Gramin on September 24, 2014,” Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad said after the Cabinet meeting here.

The current approval provides for the mechanism of such incentivisation through World Bank credit, he said, adding that under the approved project, the performance of the states will be gauged through certain performance indicators, called the DisbursementLinked Indicators (DLIs).

The states will pass on a substantial portion of more than 95 per cent of the Performance Incentive Grant Funds received from the MOWS, to the appropriate implementing levels of districts, Blocks, GPs etc, he said.

The end-use of the incentive grants will be limited to activities pertaining to the sanitation sector, he added.

“The project will accelerate efforts to achieve sustained outcomes in sanitation by 2019. The incentive framework introduced through the project will reorient efforts of states towards the SBM(G) ‘outcomes’ such as reduction in open defecation, sustainable achievement of open defecation-free (ODF) villages and improvement in solid and liquid waste management (SLWM),” Prasad said.

PTI

Shaktiman’s men get special training

The injured police horse Shaktimaan, whose leg was amputated recently and replaced with an artificial leg, in Dehradun

CHANDIGARH: Even as Uttarakhand Police horse ‘Shaktiman’ recuperates from a fractured leg, a batch of his 20 colleagues are undergoing a gruelling three-month training at the ITBP academy near here to learn special skills of keeping protesters at bay during law and order duties.

A contingent of 20 horses and 30 handlers from Uttarakhand Police came from Dehradun in January this year to the National Equine Training School (NETS) at the forces’ Bhanu camp for learning special skills and techniques of crowd control, mob dispersal and patrolling in mountainous terrain.

The trainers of the border guarding force — Indo-Tibetan Border Police — will be training the animals. Officials said the police horses like ‘Shaktiman’ were sent to the academy here on a request by Uttarakhand government to Union Home Ministry last year.

He said the horses — Akbar, Sultan, Altamas, Naaz, Nawab, Neelam,

Submit sewage data on Ganga in a week NEW DELHI: National Green Tribunal has come down heavily on UP government, its pollution control board and other agencies for delay in informing it about the quantum of domestic and industrial effluents discharged in Ganga and warned of imposing exemplary cost on them if they did not do so within a week.

“By way of last opportunity, we grant one week time for the said purpose. We make it clear that if requisite status report and projected statement is not filed within this week, we will be compelled to impose a cost of Rs 50,000 on each of the concerned respondents, including State of UP,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

During the proceedings, the counsel for UP Jal Nigam told the bench that it was in the process of

collecting segregated data and required some more time.

The bench, after taking note of the submissions, posted the matter for next hearing on April 5.

NGT had on January 15 directed Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand government to identify seriously polluting industries located on the banks of Ganga and apprise it about “quantity and quality” of discharge in the river.

Irked at the lackadaisical approach of officials of the two states for failing to enumerate the causes of pollution and the locations affected, NGT had asked the Ministry of Water Resources and Ganga Rejuvenation, through National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), not to release funds to Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments without its approval.

PTI

People perform worship at the Ganges for the Indian cricket team’s win in Varanasi

Angoori, Raka, Mandakini, Diana and Julie among others are around the same age group as 13-year-old ‘Shaktiman’ and are given special training to render duties in the hill state for effective upkeep of law and order duties as part of the mounted police unit of the state.

‘Shaktiman’ was recently operated upon after he broke his leg in an attack by a BJP MLA during a protest march in Dehradun on March 14.

The horses, unlike ‘Shaktiman’ who was without any body armour, are being trained by providing them partial body cover which is required to keep them safe while rendering duties during protests and other similar policing duties when mounted police is called in to deal with protests.

“The recent incident involving Shaktiman is surely at the back of trainers’ minds but every time they train a police horse, the aim is to make him more stronger and sturdier,” officials said.

PTI

All temples must be opened for women: Farooq JAMMU: Hailing the celebration of Holi by widows in Vrindavan, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said all temples must be opened for women to enter.

“I think this is a great thing that temples are opening up for women.

They are a part of this nation and if you want women’s empowerment, then it is vitally important that all temples must be opened to women,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

More than a thousand widows in Vrindavan broke from tradition to celebrate Holi at an ancient temple in the Uttar Pradesh town.

Describing it as a “wonderful thing”, the National Conference leader and former Union minister said, “I think we all should be proud that this is happening. It is a great thing and India is moving forward in a positive manner.”

Replying to a question on the indication of the end of the deadlock in government formation between BJP and PDP, he said, “There should be a positive outcome. We have been waiting for so many months for them to form the government. We hope they will form the government”.

Asked about the government that would be formed in the state, he said, “They’ll form the government; whether it will be good or bad ask me after one year.” On the statement by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav that cricket was a “slave’s game”, he said that sports should be seen as sports.

PTI

India, France to build six nuke reactors Vol-II* lssue No.: 41 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: 020-41220010.

NEW DELHI: India and France have signed an MoU for the construction of six nuclear reactors at Jaitapur in Maharashtra, two months after the two countries decided to conclude the technocommercial negotiations for the project by the year end.

The pact was inked recently at the end of the two-day visit of a high-level delegation of Electricite de France (EDF - French public utility) to Mumbai for holding discussions with National Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) on the construction of the plants, diplomatic sources said.

French Ambassador to India Francois Richier, who was present on the occasion, reiterated his country’s commitment to working seamlessly with India through a collaborative approach to enable both sides to contribute collectively to the development of nuclear energy in India in the most economical manner.

The EDF visit was a follow-up on the State Visit of French President Francois Hollande to India in January, during which France and India drew up a cooperation roadmap for concluding techno-commercial negotiations for the

Jaitapur project by the end of 2016.

“It may be recalled that, on this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Hollande welcomed the initialising of an updated MoU between EDF and NPCIL for the construction of six EPR units at Jaitapur. This updated MoU was formally signed by EDF and NPCIL on 22nd of March,” the sources said.

Asserting that both industrial parties were working on the “Make in India” aspect of the Jaitapur project, they said this will be carried out through industrial partnerships, and

joint ventures between Indo-French manufacturers for cost- effective and time-bound localisation in India.

It will also include transfer of rights on technology to be mutually agreed on by the parties. EDF is France’s public electricity producer and supplier and has been designated by French government for taking over AREVA NP. The Jaitapur nuclear power project, proposing a nuclear power plant of 9900 MW, consists of 6 European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) of 1650 MW each.

PTI

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Prajkta aims for Asian qualification P 16

PUNE

“As a nation that suffered due to ruthless terrorism for nearly three decades, Sri Lanka is always willing to extend fullest cooperation to any action aimed at eliminating the menace of terrorism from the world.”

— Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lankan President

China accords, boost for Nepal

PTI

Resolution to bring India on par with NATO allies To formalise India’s status for the purpose of congressional notifications as a major partner of equal status NATO

BY LALIT K JHA WASHINGTON: A Congressional resolution aiming to bring India on par with America’s NATO allies in terms of trade and technology transfer besides elevating its status in export of defense articles from the US has been introduced ahead of Defense George Holding Secretary Ashton Carter’s visit to India.

Introduced by Congressman George Holding, Co-Chair of the House India Caucus, the US-India Defense Technology and Partnership Act (HR 4825) proposes to amends the Arms Export Control Action so as to formalise India’s status for the purpose of congressional notifications as a major partner of equal status as America’s treaty allies and closest partners.

“This legislation will cement the process that has already been made and will lay a foundation for future cooperation and growth,” Holding told the US House of Representatives.

“This legislation will elevate India’s status by shortening the time required

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. Carter is likely to visit India next month and the two countries are expected to ink the nearly $2.5 billion deal for 22 Apache and 15 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters

for the notification of sale or export of defense articles from the United States to India. It will encourage more joint contingency planning and require the US government review and assess India’s ability to execute military operations of mutual interest,” Holding said.

Welcoming the resolution, introduced ahead of US Defense Secretary Carter’s visit to India early next month, the US India Business

Council (USIBC) said that it sent an important signal to the Indian defense establishment that today’s political conditions are different from the past.

“This bill not only puts India on par with other NATO allies in terms of the notification period, it sends a clear signal to Washington and Delhi that defence cooperation should be a top priority for both governments,” Holding said.

Defence trade between the US and

Pro-Khalistan Sikh group ban lifted

BY HS RAO LONDON: Britain has lifted a 15-year-old ban on a pro-Khalistan militant group after the House of Commons concluded that “sufficient evidence” does not currently exist to link it to terrorism.

British Home Secretary Theresa May signed the order lifting the ban on International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF). The ISYF, established in the 1980s in militancy-wracked Punjab, was involved in “assassinations, bombings and kidnappings, mainly directed against Indian officials and interests”. However, the debate entitled ‘Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism’ concluded that “there is not sufficient evidence to support a reasonable belief ” that the ISYF is currently concerned with terrorism.

“The decision to de-proscribe

the ISYF was taken after extensive consideration and in the light of a full assessment of all the available information,” UK minister for security John Hayes told the Commons.

The ban on the ISYF in the UK came in force in March 2001, which led to the organisation being banned in India in December that year.

The Sikh Federation (UK) had applied for the ban to be lifted last year, followed by a legal challenge against UK home secretary Theresa May for refusing to lift the ban.

The Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC) had sought further reasons for May’s refusal to lift the ban but the UK government decided instead not to further contest the ban and moved the order for parliamentary approval on February 22 this year.

PTI

India is one of the strongest areas of the bilateral economic relationship and has risen from some USD 300 million to over USD 14 billion over the last 10 years, said Mukesh Aghi, USIBC president.

Noting that together the US and India face a range of shared security challenges, Holding underlined the need to encourage deeper bilateral defense ties and closer cooperation.

“The US-India Defense Technology and Partnership Act will build upon the recent progress made to strengthen our strategic partnership by facilitating closer collaboration, promoting greater defense trade, and by elevating India’s status,” he said.

In his remarks, Holding also questioned the decision of the Obama Administration to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

“What, I ask, is the benefit of the sale to our national security and the security of the region and our partners?

This is one question, but the request to use taxpayer dollars to finance the sale of these F-16s to Pakistan is entirely another question,” he asked.

“What has Pakistan actually done to deserve these fighter jets let alone financing from the United States taxpayers? Certainly not enough, in my view, as I firmly oppose the sale from start to finish,” Holding said.

PTI

KATHMANDU: The 10 key agreements signed with China has lessened Nepal’s excessive dependence on India and provided a “psychological boost” to the land-locked country to become self-reliant, the Nepalese media commented, a day after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli met China’s top leadership.

Nepal and China signed major deals which included a landmark transit treaty that will see the end of Nepal’s near-total dependence on Indian sea ports for trade.

China has also pledged to boost cooperation with Nepal in “key areas”, including connectivity, industrial capacity, oil and gas during the ongoing week-long visit of Oli. The deals made banner headlines in major dailies here.

In a report in Nepalese language daily ‘Nagarik’, senior economist Bishwombhar Pyakurel said the agreements will help Nepal in

expanding international trade, giving it a “psychological boost” to become economically self-reliant.

“This will loosen the landlocked country’s geo-political compulsion,” Pyakurel told the daily.

The daily in its front-page report noted that Nepal “has been freed from the situation to face Indian economic embargo” as the deals provide access to the sea route close to China.

Former commerce secretary Purushottam Ojha said the transit treaty was the “most important event in Nepal’s economic history.”

As per the agreements, China will provide assistance to Nepal for installing solar panels in 32,000 households and 21 billion rupees in aid, 25 per cent of which would be in the form of grant for an airport in the tourist spot of Pokhara.

The ‘Himalayan Times’ in its editorial said the deals were “historic” and would have “far-reaching importance to Nepal.”

PTI

H-1B applications from April 1

BY LALIT K JHA

The Airlander 10 airship, the world’s largest aircraft, is unveiled for the first time since being fully assembled at Cardington hanger in Bedfordshire, England. The UK-built airship-plane hybrid is more than 90 metres long

Denmark takes the top spot as the happiest country in the world, displacing Switzerland

BY YOSHITA SINGH

Students of Presidency University playing holi to celebrate Basant Utsav at their university campus in Kolkata

Norway (4) and Finland (5).

India ranked 118th, down from 117th in 2015.

The report said that India was among the group of 10 countries witnessing the largest happiness declines along with Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and Botswana.

India comes below nations like Somalia (76), China (83), Pakistan (92), Iran (105), Palestinian Territories

BY SHIRISH B PRADHAN

WHEN SIZE MATTERS...

India ranks 118th on happiness index

NEW YORK: India did not make any improvement in its happiness quotient, ranking 118th out of 156 countries in a global list of the happiest nations, down one slot from last year on the index and coming behind China, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Denmark takes the top spot as the happiest country in the world, displacing Switzerland, according to The World Happiness Report 2016, published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a global initiative for the United Nations.

The report takes into account GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support and freedom to make life choices as indicators of happiness.

Switzerland was ranked second on the list, followed by Iceland (3),

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Nepal Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, left, inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China

(108) and Bangladesh (110).

India had ranked 111th in 2013.

The US is ranked 13th, coming behind Australia (9) and Israel (11).

Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi were the least happiest countries, according to the report.

The report, released in advance of UN World Happiness Day on March 20, for the first time gives a special role

to the measurement and consequences of inequality in the distribution of wellbeing among countries and regions.

Leading experts across fields economics, psychology, survey analysis, national statistics, health, public policy and more describe how measurements of well-being can be used effectively to assess the progress of nations.

It reflects a “new worldwide demand for more attention to happiness as a criteria for government policy”.

Previous reports have argued that happiness provides a better indicator of human welfare than do income, poverty, education, health and good government measured separately but now they also point out that the inequality of well-being provides a broader measure of inequality.

“People are happier living in societies where there is less inequality of happiness. They also find that happiness inequality has increased significantly (comparing 2012-2015 to 2005-2011) in most countries, in almost all global regions, and for the population of the world as a whole,” the report said.

PTI

WASHINGTON: The US would start accepting applications for the much sought-after H-1B work visas for highly-skilled workers for the fiscal year 2017 from the beginning of next month, officials said.

H-1B visa, popular among Indian techies, is used by American companies to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialised knowledge in science, engineering and computer programming. There is no change in the congressionally-mandated cap of 65,000 on H-1B visas for the Financial Year 2017, beginning October 1.

The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed for individuals with a US Master’s degree or higher are exempted from the 65,000 cap. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said this year it expects to receive more than 65,000 petitions during the first five business days of the programme.

PTI

Cow’s head dumped at a sanctuary in US

BY YOSHITA SINGH NEW YORK: A severed cow’s head was dumped at the home of a Hindu man, who owns a cow sanctuary, in a town in the US state of Pennsylvania, prompting authorities to launch a probe into what they say is “ethnic intimidation”.

Sankar Shastri owns and manages the Lakshmi Cow Sanctuary near Tannersville and state police are investigating the incident in which a cow’s head was dumped at his home over the weekend, according to a report in the WNEP news website.

While none of the about 20 cows at the sanctuary was hurt, the severed head was left where Shastri could find it.

Shastri is, however, not letting the incident affect his work, the report said.

“If you like cows and show love and compassion then there’s more love and compassion and you don’t need war,” he said.

Shastri expressed shock at the incident but added that he hopes the incident does not “magnify anymore”.

“I don’t want to take it to the next side.

I hope it is just a prank,” he said. He added that he cannot think of anyone who would do something like this on purpose.

The Lakshmi Cow Sanctuary had been a safe haven in the Bangor area for nearly 20 years before moving to the larger piece of land in Monroe County.

PTI

The Lakshmi Cow Sanctuary had been a safe haven for 20 years

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

PUNE

MONEY MATT ER S

“PSUs are working on setting up a venture capital fund to encourage start-ups to develop new business models, marketing plan, technology and innovation into hydrocarbons.”

— Dharmendra Pradhan, Petroleum Minister

Signposts

“InFocus BINGO 10 is our endeavour to cater to the core needs of age group of 15-24 years and it perfectly complements their style quotient with attractive colour frames and superior design quality.”

— Sachin Thapar, Country Head, InFocus India

Modinomics reforms made ‘little progress’ Chinese state media finds India’s growth story as hype and hoopla

BY KJM VARMA

Centre hikes DA by six per cent The government hiked dearness allowance (DA) by 6 per cent, benefiting over 1 crore central government employees and pensioners. The hike, which will cost the exchequer an additional Rs 14,724.74 crore annually, will take effect from January 1, 2016.

Dismissing reports about India becoming the “new growth engine of world economy”, Chinese state media on said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic reforms have achieved “little progress” and asserted that the Chinese economy was five times bigger than the Indian economy.

Speculation that “the Indian economy will surpass that of China” and “India will become a new engine for the world economy” are frequently heard and some analysts even conjecture that the Chinese model is inferior to that of India, an article in state-run Global Times said.

“By hyping the Indian economy’s superiority, Indian officials and the Western media are instigating international investors to direct their capitals from Beijing to New Delhi, giving impetus to Indian growth,” the article said.

“However, such hype has limited effects as profit-oriented investors try to lower their transaction costs as well,” it said.

The article advised against comparing the India model with China model and suggested that the two

INDIAN SHINES

NRI Industrialist and Chancellor of University of Wolverhampton Lord Swraj Paul with Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Layer unveiling the building of new business school named after Lord Swraj Paul in London

Chinese media admits Modi has boosted the morale of Indian economy. However, the reform has achieved little progress, which is known in the international community

countries, should, rather learn from each other’s development experience.

“There is no fi xed model for China’s development, thus it is impossible to make comparisons between Chinese and Indian models,” it said.

Talking about prime minister Modi’s economic reforms, the article said: “Since he came into office as prime minister, Modi has boosted the morale of the Indian economy. However, Modi’s economic reform has achieved little progress, which is known in the international community.”

It contended that India’s economic reforms are impeded by its political institutions and party systems.

“Certain interest groups carry more weight than Indian politicians.

Sophisticated party-to-party competitions have seriously influenced the nation’s executive ability,” it said.

The article, however, praised India’s political institutions for providing stability to the country

Eyeing multi-billion dollar deals, Russia is sending a 500-member delegation to the defence expo scheduled to be held in Goa later this month.

From Kamov helicopters to latest Kalashnikov rifl es, Russia is exhibiting a whopping 800 defencerelated products at the four-day exhibition beginning March 28.

In addition, Rostec State Corporation, an umbrella organisation in Russia of about 700 organisations, intends to discuss creation of joint production of ammunition with the Defence Ministry. United Engine Corporation (UEC) will present models of aircraft and marine engines.

“We are very excited to come to

Move aims at improving India’s investment climate and ranking in World Bank’s report

States will update the progress online and DIPP would validate results

also give feedback on the portal about the improvements made by states on each of those parameters,” he said, adding that the move would help in generating healthy competition among states to boost ease of doing business.

Gujarat led the pack last year while

Assocham projects the figure for financial year 2016-17 Sale of smartphones in the country is likely to touch 160 million units in fi nancial year 2016-17 as compared to last fiscal’s 100 million units, according to Assocham.

Due to affordable prices of the smartphones, the sales have been increasing in the country, the industry body report said adding, in 2012-13 it was 44 million units and by 2015-16 it had more than doubled to 100 million units.

“With in-built camera and other I nter net-enabled features, sales of smart phones in India are set to shoot up to 160 million in FY17 from 100 million in FY16,” the Assocham study said.

It observed that more customers prefer to buy smart phones as the in-built camera helps to capture photos and videos, which can be shared instantly with their friends.

“There has been a rise in the demand of smart phones in India in the last one year and it is largely due to the increase in social networking sites.

Most of the youth in the country share photographs online and upload photographs which has become a new trend in the metros thus giving rise to

the need for smart phones,” it added.

The rise of smart phones is eating into the demand for the digital camera which witnessed a drop in sales by over 35 per cent per cent in the last one year.

“Affordable smartphones includes handsets in the price of Rs 4,00010,000 and this segment accounts for 78 per cent of all smartphone sales equipped with almost similar features which one may get in these sub-Rs 10,000 cameras, and thus need for digital cameras has almost vanished,” it said.

About 93 per cent of the customers prefer smartphones.

The device is becoming the main camera choice by a large number of people who rely on their smart phones instead of compact digital cameras for both still photos and video capture, the study said.

Almost 75 per cent of the sales of mobiles and tablets came from consumers’ residing in tier-I and tier II cities.

With the a faster rate of adoption of smartphone and tablet, the number of users accessing the Internet through PCs is falling, it said.

PTI

Customers prefer to buy a smart phone for its in-built camera to capture photos and videos

Russia eyes big share at Goa defence expo

Ease of doing business: DIPP portal for states on the cards Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will soon have a portal up and running where states will update their progress on a set of 340 development parameters on a real-time basis, in a move aimed at promoting competition to improve ease of doing business.

The ranking will be done based on the report card of the states.

This year, DIPP has circulated the criteria among all the states.

Last year, the World Bank ranked the states on 98 such parameters.

“Work is in progress and by April 1, we should be able to start the portal,” a senior DIPP official said.

States, he said, will regularly update the progress on those parameters and DIPP would validate those improvements.

“Stakeholders, including companies or individuals, can

for seven decades.

“India’s political institutions have helped maintain a stable state structure in the last 70 years. Despite separatist activities, India’s integrity and overall stability have not been challenged,” it said.

“India’s economy is developing slowly but steadily. In comparison with other South Asian nations, India has chosen a relatively more successful development road,” it said.

Still, the article reminded, China’s economy is five times bigger than Indian economy.

“China, in spite of its high efficiency, has made a few wrong decisions in the past 60 years. But, there is no need to compare the Chinese economic development mode with that of India.

Despite mistakes and social problems, China has seen sound economic development since the founding of the People’s Republic of China,” it said.

PTI

Smartphone sales may hit 160 mn units

Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand came in at second and third positions, respectively.

The parameters include time taken in giving power connections to manufacturing units, number of hours power is being supplied, land banks’ availability for industrial use, digitised land records at local municipality offices and provision for e-filing for commercial disputes at district courts, among others.

The whole exercise is aimed at improving India’s investment climate and its ranking in the World Bank ’s report.

India is currently ranked 130th among 189 nations in the World Bank ’s Ease of Doing Business 2016 study.

With the exception of three specifications (getting credit, protecting minority investors and getting electricity), India does not feature in the top 100 in the 10 parameters of the World Bank.

The government is looking to bring India’s ranking within top 50.

PTI

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the Minister of Civil Defence of the Russian Federation Vladimir Puchkov signing a joint Implementation plan in New Delhi

India to be part of Defexpo India 2016. These are exciting times for India’s defence industry as Asia’s

Air India One crew to wear khadi garments Cabin crew aboard the Air India One — the official aircraft of the President, the Prime Minister and the Vice-President — will soon be wearing khadi garments to promote adoption of the indigenous fabric.

The Khadi Gramodyog Bhawan, under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), has already secured an order for the same.

While female crew members will wear a silk saree, their male counterparts will turn up with Jodhpuri bandgala coats, trousers and jackets — all made up of khadi, the order said.

“The idea of introducing khadi garments for crew on Air India One is to promote adoption of the fabric, especially among the youth,” a top KVIC official told PTI, adding that an official announcement is likely next week.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advocated the need for use of khadi products as a homage to Mahatma Gandhi and pitched for efforts to popularise the fabric in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

KVIC falls under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry.

PTI

geo-politics increasingly takes shape around India,” said Sergei Chemezov, CEO of Rostec State Corporation.

He added that Russia is deeply committed to partnering with India in the ‘Make in India’ endeavour and to strengthen partnerships, both from manufacturing and joint development perspectives for military and civil cooperation.

Russian Helicopters will showcase the Mi-38 and Ka-226T during the event.

The delegation will hold talks with state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Pawan Hans Limited, which operates helicopters Mi-172 and other aircraft.

Russian Helicopters also plans to organise a presentation of the Mi-38 and Mi-171A2 for Pawan Hans Limited.

PTI

Indian realty to attract USD1 bn investment

BY GURDIP SINGH Residential property in India is expected to receive USD 1 billion investment this year, given its attractive rate of returns averaging at a high of 20-22 per cent per annum, an industry expert said.

“Private Equity funds in Indian real estate sector has already raised USD 420 million in the first two months of this year, compared to USD 520 million for the whole of last year,” said Rubi Arya, executive vice chairman of the Mumbai-based Milestone Capital Advisors Ltd. Mid-segment housing and affordable housing can take returns to as high as 20-22 per cent per anum through hybrid investing, that is capital security plus equity upside, she said.

“We feel that with the Real Estate Bill mandate, availability of deals for Private Equity firms will certainly go up,” she said, adding that the reforms in the real estate sector will also help further accelerate fund raising and

investment opportunities both for residential and commercial sectors.

“With such positive developments, the India story is growing by leaps and bounds and it is just a matter of time when this sector begins its upward journey once again, albeit after a prolonged period of gloom,” she added.

Costs on real estate construction are seeing stability with fuel prices down, which leaves developers with overall margins for positive growth.

“Investors can look forward to far higher transparency and ease of doing business with developers with the recently passed real estate bill. This has led to a lot of warming up of Non Resident Indians (NRIs) and Foreign Direct Investments towards Indian real estate,” she noted.

The availability of foreign capital will naturally increase with the government permitting NRI investments into domestic Alternate Investment Funds.

PTI

Costs on real estate construction are seeing stability with fuel prices down

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

PUNE

Our voices need to be heard

THE EASTER FEAST

THE BOOK LOVERS’ MEET

The Autobiography of a Goddess will be translated by Priya Sarukkai Chabria.

Andal, one of the 12 saints revered in Tamil Nadu, wrote poetry expressing her devotion to God in a uniquely sensuous way. Priya has translated these poems, making them accessible to an English readership. This book has recently been launched at the Jaipur Literature Festival. Latika Padgaokar senior journalist and cultural curator, will be in conversation with the author.

When: March 28, 6.15 pm onwards Where: US Library, Poona Club

A MUSICAL HOLI BY ‘KALANUBHAV CHARITABLE TRUST

City

based

NGO,

Kalanubhav

ART AND EXPRESSIONS

An exhibition of paintings by three professional artists who paint in different mediums and subjects. In this show, one can enjoy wonderful paintings such as landscapes, still life, figurative and seascapes too. Gaze through landscapes of old wadas, temples, small boats at sea shore and

GYM INSTRUCTOR KILLED IN A ROAD ACCIDENT

EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE

STATE EMERGE RUNNERS UP AT ALL INDIA PRISON DUTY MEET

The Maharashtra prison officials team missed the championship by a whisker, as they won 22 medals at the 5th All India Prison Duty Meet organised by the Andhra Pradesh Police Academy (APPA) in Telangana from March 16-18. Hosts Telangana claimed the championship with seven gold medals, while Maharashtra won six golds, and Tamil Nadu were third with five gold medals.Prison teams from 21 states took part in the event. Eighty prison officials represented Maharashtra, of which ten were from Pune. Maharashtra won six gold medals, one each in kabaddi and basketball, and two each in karate and shot put. The team also won seven silver and nine bronze medals.

NCP MLA FEELS THE HEAT AT FERGUSSON COLLEGE

Fergusson College witnessed high drama Wednesday afternoon as BJP Yuva Morcha party supporters beat up Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad, who was there in support of the Ambedkar group. On Tuesday, Fergusson College Students and leftist student organisations All India Students’ Association, Students Federation of India and All India Students’ Federation disrupted the talk on ‘Truth of JNU - 9th Feb Incident’, organised by the Pune unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Awhad wanted to extend his support to the Ambedkar movement but as he was going towards the main building with NCP supporters, BJP Yuva Morcha and ABVP members chanted slogans, gheraoed and abused him. One of them even hit Awhad on his head, and a NCP supporter protecting Awhad was also roughed up. The police lathi charged the mob but in vain.

A center to help vent

The story about the old man who committed suicide after murdering his grandson is extremely heart-wrenching.

It is sad that the mental torture that he had to deal with was so severe that he had to take such an extreme step. This is not the first time that family disputes have resulted in people ending their or others lives and something has to be done to change this. While there are certain help centers where citizens can go to share their problems, the problem is that most of the people don’t know about these places. These two lives and many others can be saved with this small initiative.

-Sameer Gothe

SWACHH BHARAT: Pedestrians walk past garbage thrown at the foot of a notice board that advises citizens against littering, on Maharshi Shinde Bridge near Balgandharva

The woes of the PMPML The Spotlight about the bus drivers and conductors is a good story, simply because it looks as matters from a different perspective. While we are the first to always criticise and speak ill of the bus drivers and conductors when they demand change from us, we almost never understand their plight and what all they go through the entire day. All their problems are completely understandable and sympathising with them to an extent is also possible. This story might slightly change the attitude of the people that interact with the drivers and conductors on a daily basis and that is a start.

-Pooja Shastri

PIC

OF

In a cruel turn of event, the ride home from workplace for 3 0 -y e a r- o l d gym instructor R e s h m a Dawa lsaheb Golsangi was her last. She was riding home when she came under the wheels of a truck near NCC Canteen on Senapati Bapat Road at 10 am on Tuesday. The deceased lived near Janwadi Police Chowki. A member of Abs Fitness & Wellness Club (where Reshma worked) Sheetal Sathe, was following Reshma’s two-wheeler and rushed her to Joshi Hospital near Kamla Nehru Park where doctors declared her brought dead. Onlookers chased the truck and caught the driver Madappa Kalappa Pujari (36) of Pimple Nilakh and took him to Prabhat Police Chowki.

The Deccan Police have arrested Pujari under Sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of Indian Penal Code and Sections 119/177(red light jumping), 184 (driving dangerously), 132(1) (duty of driver to stall vehicle in case of accident) of Motor Vehicle Act.

Relish the luscious delicacies from the kitchens of Kashmir, Rampur, Hyderabad and Lucknow such as Galaouti Kebab, Murgh Tikka Mirza Hasnu, Nehari Ghosht, Rampuri Murgh Pulao, Hyderabadi Ghosht Biryani, Dal Sultani, Dal Makhani in Spice Kitchen. There are more lipsmacking dishes such as Paneer Surkh Tikka, Changezi Kumbh, Makhmali Gobi, Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Kofta Bagh-e-Hazim, Nawabi Baingan Bharta, Subz Dum Pulao, Mutter ke Tahiri, Hyderabadi Khatti Dal, Rajmah Kashmiri in main course are the part of this grand festival. These dishes served in the festival are handcrafted by three chefs from the famed Chef Mujeeb-urRehman’s team.

When: Ongoing, 7 pm onwards Where: Spice Kitchen & Shakahari, JW Marriott, SB Road

I

live in a co operative housing society at Anand Nagar, I must say that the state of the roads in my area is a real bother which residents of this place have to deal and cope with every day. Both sides of the narrow road have been dug up for over a month now, citing the repair work and maintenance. We have been told to park our vehicles two kilometers away from our residence.

We all agreed thinking that it would all be done in a day or two, but it’s been really long and this doesn’t seem to end. My grandfather, who used to go for evening walks, is forced to stay confined in the house, as he is not able walk on the uneven Abhijit Salvi stretch. The elderly people and children in the area have been facing a lot of problems too. The dug up road is also causing a hold-up for the traffic and I wonder how long this situation is going to last.

Shopkeepers too are facing a lot of trouble, as there is no place to even park their vehicles. There is no space left for pedestrians as all the mud from the digging is scattered everywhere.

The apathy of the civic workers is quite deplorable as they do not care what hardships citizens have to undergo because of their attitude towards their work. The least the people who dig up the road can do is complete their work as soon as possible and avoid creating an obstacle for the countless number of people who use the road on a daily basis. All the talk of smart city means nothing when we have to face such basic issues as roads every day of our lives.

RAHUL RAUT

WEEK THAT WAS

ROYAL KITCHEN OF INDIA FOOD FESTIVAL

THE PLUS ONES LIVE

This Saturday, enjoy an unparalleled beer experience with pop rock band The Plus Ones. It was formed in 2014

by Aayushi Jagda and Roy Kulkarni.

The band performs acoustic sets of pop, world music and crowd favorites from 80s and 90s. Aayushi Jagda the lead vocalist of the band has performed on several platforms. Roy Kulkarni backs vocals and leads with the guitar, his tasteful improvisation and dynamics on the guitar are truly moving and a joy to listen to.

When: March 26, 9 pm onwards Where: Ground Floor, Kapila Matrix, Koregaon Park Annexe

E WE K

Under the patronage of Yann–Arthus Bertrand, the exhibition “Climate: state of emergency” presents 43 photos of photographers from all over the world.

Taken in all continents, each photo is a way to illustrate the real or perceived evolution of the photographer country’s climate issues, the resulting effects on people’s lives, and the solutions that are taken or envisaged to fight against the negative effects. French documentary films related to environment will also be screened in the auditorium of the Indradhanushya Centre from 6 pm onwards.

When: April 5 to June 24 Where: Alliance Française de Pune library, SB Road

Charitable Trust are organising a musical program on the occasion of Holi. Titled as Holi Ke Rang, Thumri Ke Sang’ this program is being organised today. This program will feature renowned vocalists Pt Kaivalyakumar, a leading exponent of Kirana Gharana with a rich multigenerational lineage.

He will be accompanied by Rohit Marathe on Harmonium and Prashant Pandav on Tabla. This theme based music concert will present classical as well as semi classical vocal music based on the theme of Holi.

When: March 26, 5.30 pm onwards Where: Tilak Smarak Ranga Mandir, Tilak Road

Come and enjoy your Happiness Thali at Khandani Rajdhani with unlimited food at a price that’s unmatchable. This delectable menu includes a variety of Farsans, Vegetables dishes, Roti, Rotla, Dal, Kadhi, Rice, Khichdi, sweets and various other accompaniments.

When: March 29, 30 and 31, 12 noon to 3.30 pm & 7 pm to 11 pm Where: Khandani Rajdhani, JM Road, Phoenix Marketcity Mall, Amanora Town Centre

THE

OUR ENVIRONMENT IN PICTURES

This Easter, hop in to the Le Meridien to relish a brunch with a hearty and delectable spread. Feast offers a multicuisine experience to entice the taste buds.

For Easter, Feast is offering a speciallycurated buffet offering a variety of savouries, sweet treats and much more.

When: March 27, 12 noon to 3.30 pm Where: Feast, Le Meridien, Sangamwadi

A KHANDANI FOOD AFFAIR

RAHUL RAUT

few other pieces from Konkan painted

by Sachin Naik and Mohan Charya.

When: March 26, 9 am to 6 pm Where: Bliss Art Gallery, Vimal Kunj Society, North Main Road, Koregaon Park

Dug up narrow road causes problems

What are schools teaching their students?

The article on the young girl who was molested by her bus attendant and is now being mentally troubled by her school is extremely disturbing. The fact that the school did not take any action against the bus attendant and simply asked the girl to take a transfer is a serious cause for concern. Imagine the kind of education imparted to the children of these schools if this is the mentality that their principal and authorities have. Is this the kind of education and environment that we want the young generation to grow up in? This matter must be treated at the earliest and extremely strictly.

-Shailaja Joshi

All work and no play A noble man and his noble deed For the past few years the farmers are facing a terrible condition and the fact that there is an organization that has taken the responsibility to educate their children is great. Roopesh who is helping out in his little way is also someone who needs a pat on his back. The story correctly points that his actions even though small most definitely help the children and give them not only the nourishment that they need but also spread a little joy to them, even if it is just for a few minutes. Kudos to his efforts and though.

-Ravi Korepa

The story on quirky offices was a good read, and an example for all those corporate offices that have strict set of laws for their employees.

Some even have rules for what time to eat lunch and when should they take their tea break. These offices with all the funky interiors and beach chairs instead of the regular ones have proved that work can be fun too. Employees should be given a free hand in offices if the employer wants them to perform well, they should not be treated as machines.

-Rohini Khot

Write to Us

Letters to the Editor may be emailed to editor_tgs@goldensparrow.com, yogesh.sadhwani@goldensparrow.com or mail it to The Editor, Golden Sparrow Publishing Pvt Ltd, 1641 Madhav Heritage, Tilak Road, Pune-411030.

SPORTS

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY MARCH 26, 2016

PUNE

“These are the games that really make you better players because it pushes you to think in a different way, it pushes you to have that confidence in your strength at the time when it’s really needed.”

— MS Dhoni, India Captain

“ It is not about a game or two. If you look at the Pakistan performance in the World T20 and compare with other teams, you will see that all the matches have been fought closely.”

— Shoaib Malik , Pakistan All-rounder RAHUL RAUT

Prajkta aims for Asian qualification The junior national athlete from the city requires f inancial support in her quest to get international exposure

BY ASHISH PHADNIS @phadnis_ashish Prajkta Bhosale, 19, of the city has been making her mark in discus and hammer throw events. She was part of Junior U-20 National held at Ranchi last year, and has also qualified to represent the state in the Federation Cup National Junior Athletics Championship to be held in Guwahati, Assam in May. If she attains a podium finish, she will automatically qualify for the Junior Asian Championship to be held in Vietnam later this year.

“It will be a great achievement if I qualify for the Asian. This is my last year in the junior category, so I don’t want to miss this golden opportunity. and I have left no stone unturned while preparing for the event,” said Prajkta, who was recently felicitated by

Signposts

Symbiosis Arts and Commerce College, as the best player of the year.

The first year BCom student has won two gold medals in the City Zonal tournaments, and two gold medals at the West Zone tournament in Ajmer.

“I have been doing well but that’s not enough. I need to improve a lot to prepare for the international level. But at this stage, it takes more than just training and practice.

To achieve success at the national and international levels, you need cumulative

Prajkta’s performance in 2015-16 • • • • • •

Hammer Th row: Two gold medals at Pune City Zone Two gold medals in West Zone in Ajmer, Rajasthan Winner in Junior State meet in Pune Participation in Junior under-20 national, Ranchi, Jharkhand Discus Th row: 4th place in state meet at Nanded 2nd place in Junior State meet in Pune.

efforts, which include a proper diet, a physician, psychologists and an advanced training centre. In our country only a handful of athletes have such facilities. The rest of us have to struggle to get minimum basic infrastructure,” said Prajkta.

The youngster, who hails from Chakan, lost her father at the age of five. She completed her basic education in Dnyan Prabodhini, Nigdi and was a national level kabaddi player. However, when she moved to Pune and got admission in Symbiosis, she found it difficult to form a kabaddi team, and so shifted her focus to individual games. Initially, she started with shot put and discus throw. She soon got better and was placed second in the junior state (U-20) championship held in Pune.

“My coach Rohit Tambe, who is also a national-level hammer thrower, pointed out that my physique and style were more suited for hammer throw and convinced me to change my discipline. Luckily it was a throwing event only, so it wasn’t difficult to get familiar with the new sport and I justified his decision by doing well,” said Prajkta, who trains at Sanas ground.

About her challenges she said, “Right

Peshwas eye their missing UBA title

Infosys wins Regreen Last year’s runner-up and South Corporate League Division toppers to face stiff challenge Infosys registered a 30-run win over hosts Regreen to emerge winners at the Regreen Pratham Corporate League held by the Pratham sports management at Vedant sports Academy, Parandwadi. Batting first, Infosys put up 183 runs, thanks to Premal Jain who scored 65 runs. In reply, Regreen managed 153 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Rahul Lohar fought a lone battle while contributing 76 runs. Nadim Ahmad (218 runs) of Tikona Digital was awarded best batsman award while Sanjay Desai (12 Wickets) of Regreen was declared best bowler of the tournament.

Football selection trials for girls The Rajesh Wadhawan Group and Hrithik Roshan co-owned Indian Super League team FC Pune City will be conducting trials for their Girls Under-14 and Under-17 youth teams on Saturday (March 26) at St Vincent’s High School Ground, Camp. Registration time will be from 8.00 am. Interested players should report on time of their respective age groups and carry a photo copy of their age proof which indicates their date of birth.

For further details and registration contact 020-41226447.

Deccan Gymkhana enter semis Deccan Gymkhana team C finished top after a three-way tie to join PYC A , PYC B and Deccan Gymkhana A in the semi-finals of the 5th edition of the Shashi Vaidya Memorial Interclub Tennis Championships being at PYC Hindu Gymkhana tennis courts. In the matches played over the weekend, the matches ended in a three-way tie.

Deccan C scored a big 23-8 win over Law College Lions, and in the second match Deccan B edged out Deccan C 22-21, while in the third match Law College Lions scraped past Deccan B 23-22. With all team winning a match each, Deccan C emerged winners because of a higher games ratio.

now my personal best is 44m and I have a vast gap to fill as my target is to reach the 60m mark. I have given my personal best in the practice session but haven’t reached that mark in the tournaments.

It’s not easy, and as I mentioned, it requires lot of other supporting stuff apart from hard work and training. Currently it’s my mother, who is bearing the costs of my education and sport. But I can’t rely on her forever. I need someone who can fulfill the financial needs, so that I can focus on my game entirely.”

Prajkta feels that the performance in the junior national may help her in getting things done and if she qualifies for the Asian, she will have something to show to the sponsors.

“Next year I will be playing in the seniors, and it takes years to get into ranking at that level. It’s all together a different task. So, this is my last chance to prove my mettle at the junior level and I don’t want to miss at any cost,” said Prajkta. ashish.phadnis@ goldensparrow.com

was on fire throughout the contest crashing the boards, creating second chance opportunities and draining shots around the basket.

Coach Nandu Mehta will be expecting similar performance from his players in the remaining section of the tournament.

Team: Ravi Kumar, Ajinkya Mehta, Ajinkya Mane, Siddhanth Shinde, Karne Mehta, Arjun Mehta, Edwin Irwin, Yogesh Bahirame, Gaurav Ohlan, Parvesh R, Deepak P, Narendar Grewal.

in second leg in Hyderabad

TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly Last year’s finalists Pune Peshwas ended their home campaign on a positive note. The team maintained their good form and after beating Haryana Gold in the last league match, they were table toppers in the South Division in the UBA Pro Basketball League.

Pune holds a 3-2 win-loss record in the tournament so far and are leading with 438 points. They are followed by defending champions Chennai Slams with 395 points. Last year, Slams had beaten Pune Peshwas with a 81-49 margin in the final at Hyderabad.

It seems Peshwas will look for revenge when they take on Slams at the same venue on March 26. This last league match of the tournament will be crucial for both teams, for their prospects in booking a place in the semi-finals.

Bengaluru Beasts are close behind the leaders with 400 points, while Hyderabad Sky, who managed to pull out just two wins are at the bottom with 371 points.

In the north division, Delhi Capitals are leading the group with four wins and 408 points, and are followed by Mumbai Challengers who have three wins in their kitty and 444 points.

Punjab Stealers have pulled out two wins and lost three and are at the third place with 369 points, while Haryana Gold displayed a poor performance and haven’t been able to register a single win in five matches.

Peshwas’ hopes will be on India international player Narender Grewal.

The lanky player showcases a full package, whether it is driving to the basket, finishing in transition or shooting 3-pointers, and the opponent teams have no answer for his offensive game.

Tejaswini Muley makes a cut into Indian squad

Edwin of Hyderabad Sky rises up for the jumper against Gaurav Ohlan of the Pune Peshwas

Ajinkya Mane and Siddhanth Shinde have also contributed well for the team while Pune players Ajinkya Mehta and Arjun Mehta have turned out to be backbone of the team. In the match against Haryana, Ajinkya provided an offensive spark off the bench using his size and speed to score on drive-ins. Junior India player Gaurav Ohlan

PUNE LOSE BAT TLE OF GUARDS With the UBA Pro League Season 2 shifting to Hyderabad for its second and final leg, the Pune Peshwas played in front of an away crowd for the first time this tournament. They were facing the home team Hyderabad Sky. With both teams sporting strong backcourts, it was a battle of the guards. In the first quarter, international guard Narender Grewal was aggressive for the Peshwas looking for his shot driving to the basket. Sky ended up outscoring the Peshwas 48-38 at the halftime. It was only international point guard Siddhanth Shinde (33 points) who kept the scoreboard ticking for Pune, being able to penetrate and score.

Shaken up at halftime, Pune Peshwas came out assertive in the third quarter. Narender powered his way to the basket on multiple occasions to either finish in the paint or get to the freethrow line. Pune managed to regain the lead, outscoring Hyderabad 26-13 in the third period. The fourth quarter saw both teams trading buckets and the scores remaining neck-and-neck. With one second left on the clock, Pune’s alley-oop attempt faltered and the game went to its first overtime.

In the first OT, both teams were exchanging buckets for the first four minutes. Pune managed to gain a 2-point lead with under a minute left in the game. The final possessions produced nothing for both teams, leading to a second overtime.

This OT belonged to Mahesh Padmanabhan (28 points). Sky managed to close out the thrilling game with a 101-97 finish to take their first game in front of their home crowd this season. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly Shooter Tejaswini Muley has been selected in the Indian squad for the seventh time ina-row. The 23-year-old Shiv Chhatrapati awardee got the berth on basis of her fine performance 16th Kumar Surendra Singh National Shooting Championship held in Kerla in February. In this tournament, she won team gold and individual silver medal. She continued her fine form and produced good results in the two selection trials by scoring 570 and 572 out of 600.

She was placed fourth and third place respectively. As per the current ranking announced by National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), Tejaswini is ranked fifth in the women’s 50m rifle 3 position category. Anjum Moudgil is top ranked while Elizabeth Susan Koshy, Lajja Gauswami are placed second and third respectively. Getting a place in the top8, Tejaswini has qualified to represent India in the upcoming international tournaments.

Tejaswini, who hails from Phulambri village in Aurangabad district shifted her base to Pune to train at Olympian Gagan Narang’s academy Gun for Glory in Balewadi. She is being supported by Pune-based sports NGO Lakshya. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

Cadence boys record massive 286-run win in ODI Star studded team thrash Raigad district in Senior One-day league in Pune TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly In a one-sided affair, Cadence Cricket Academy registered biggest win over Raigad District Cricket Association in the Maharashtra Cricket Association’s

Senior One-day league at PYC ground this week.

The Raigad players were no match for a Cadence team studded with Ranji players and surrendered tamely to their mighty opponents. Cadence won the toss and elected to bat fi rst. Opener Paras Ratnaparkhi, who played a key role for the Cadence under-19 team earlier, was in full form and displayed fine batting skills during his century innings (117 off 124). He was well supported by Jay Pande who chipped

in with an aggressive 64 off 64 balls.

Later, seasoned cricketer Ganesh Gaikwad, who was part of Pune Sahara Warriors in the Indian Premier League, added another half century (53 off 34). In the middle order, Saurabh Jagadale and Akshay Waikar helped the team cross triple century mark, as Cadence posted 362.

In reply, Raigad’s innings crumbled under pressure and except for a couple of batsmen, no one managed to reach double digits. They were bundled out

in just 76 runs. Asad Khan was the highest scorer with 21 off 34, while Siddhant Mhatre added 15 to the total.

From Cadence, Ranji player Dominic Muthuswami, Nitish Salekar and Omkar Akhade did the job of wiping out Rajgad’s batting order.

They claimed three wickets each, and Salekar was impressive with 23 runs in just five overs.

Meanwhile, in another match, President’s XI defeated Deccan Gymkhana by 97 runs. Star cricketer

Vijay Zol failed to impress as he returned with just one run. However, other batsmen like Pritam Patil (85 off 86) and Sunil Jadhav (42 off 45) contributed for President’s XI and posted 226.

Swapnil Gugale gave a good start to Deccan, but there was a huge disappointment from Ranji players like Ameya Shrikhande (12) and Rahul Tripathi (0). Shubham Kothari picked four wickets for President’s XI. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com