The Golden Sparrow on Saturday 04/06/2016

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PUNE, JUNE 4, 2016 | www.thegoldensparrow.com

THE INDOMITABLE

HUMAN SPIRIT

Celebrated playwright’s children embroiled in court drama

Children of Asif Currimbhoy, better known as ‘India’s first authentic voice in the theatre’, and Suriaya, granddaughter of a Baronet, fight over their property worth crores

BY BAPU DEEDWANIA @TGSWeekly

Living with disability can be a burden, a cross too heavy to bear, in an age when everyone wants to look and be perfect in every sense. But there are those who have not let the yoke of disability weigh them down, but instead, have risen above their circumstances to attain a life that is both constructive and rewarding See p08-09

Two decades after noted playwright Asif Currimbhoy passed away, his children are at war over property worth Rs 100 crores. The children Tarik, Tabrik and Naheed – all established in their fields – are based out of New York, Delhi and Mumbai respectively. They are fighting it out in Bombay High Court, each claiming a stake to the property left behind by their parents Asif and Suraiya Currimbhoy.

Asif Currimbhoy was born to an aristocratic family in 1928 and went to study in the United States of America.

During his lifetime he wrote over 30 plays, which were performed all in the US, England and India. Because of his plays on subjects like race, class, gender, politics, capitalism, poverty, colonisation and human relationships, the notable Indian English playwright of the post-independence period was called ‘India’s fi rst authentic voice in the theatre’. He married Suraiya in 1951. While the noted playwright passed away in 1995, his wife died in 2015.

Their children – sons Tabrik (63), Tarik (61) and daughter Naheed (53) – are now engaged in a bitter legal battle. Tabrik, a former entrepreneur is author of a political thriller Prisoner, Jailor, Prime Minister. He married Nelofer, daughter of Shahnaz Husain, best known for her beauty products. The couple is settled in Delhi. Tarik is a noted architect based out of New York and runs an architectural design fi rm, which has worked on several projects across the globe. He is married to Nayana, a noted author. The couple are based out of New York. Little is known about Naheed, who lives with her husband Amit Moitra in South Mumbai.

At the heart of the battle between the siblings is property worth crores (actual value is yet to be determined) – which includes real estate in several cities across India, shares in over 100 companies and four bank lockers – all left behind by their mother Suraiya, who passed away in August 2015.

Suriaya Currimbhoy’s wealth came to her from her husband, father and grandfather Sir Currimbhoy Ebrahim, who was awarded the title of Baronet by the British Crown in 1905.

Suraiya and Asif Currimbhoy

Tabrik and Naheed have produced two separate wills left by their mother, while Tarik is claiming that they are both forged. Case papers perused by TGS reveal that soon after Suraiya’s death, the siblings began to stake their claim over her property. Ten days after her death, the eldest son Tabrik claimed that that she left behind a will giving him everything she owned. The will Tabrik has produced was made in May 2015, months before her death. At the time of her death, Suraiya was staying with Tabrik and Nelofar.

Naheed, the youngest sibling, produced another will of her mother, made in February 2014. In this will Suraiya gave away a plush flat worth around Rs 24 crores in Bakhtawar building, South Mumbai to Naheed. Naheed lives with her husband Amit Moitra in the same flat, while her two daughters are abroad. The youngest sibling along with her daughters, who were appointed as executors in Suraiya’s 2014 will, moved for probate through her solicitors Jhangiani, Narula & Associates a month after her mother’s death.

Probate is a mandatory legal process to validate a will left by a deceased person.

Continued on p6

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

MUMBAI

‘‘We asked you about vehicle density. How many vehicles are diesel and petrol?

According to your report, Mumbai has a population of 11 lakh. This is the joke of the first category.’’

- Justice Swatanter Kumar, NGT Chairperson

Teen threaten people with ‘for sex’ tag Accused threatened victim that he will post her image along with tag ‘for sex’ if she did not give him money

BY SANTOSHEE MISHRA @santosheemishra The Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of Thane Police have arrested a minor hailing from Sangola in Solapur district on May 30 for threatening and extorting money from a married woman based in Kalyan. The teenager admitted to have extorted money from three men in the past. As the accused used to demand small amounts of money, the victims did not approach the police to lodge a complaint.

The victim working in a private firm received her photograph and objectionable content in her WhatsApp messenger stating that her picture and message stating that she is available for sex along with her phone number will be put up in her Facebook account tagging her 173 Facebook friends.

The victim told her husband and the couple lodged a complaint with Khadakpada Police Station in Kalyan.

“The victim and her husband are married for over a year. The victim said that she is not very active on social networking sites and claimed to have not known that she has 173 Facebook friends,” said AEC Thane Police Inspector Nasir Kulkarni.

AEC lodged an FIR on May 24 and directed the complainant to keep in touch with the suspect.

“After a few messages in the beginning, the extorter started talking with the victim from another number. We failed to track the number as it was continuously switched off. The accused used to make WhatsApp phone call from another number that also remained switched off. Later, the suspect sent the same content and demanded Rs 2,000 to be sent via phone (on his service provider) through Airtel money app. We were tracking his number and advised the victim to deposit only Rs 200 on the said mobile number,” Kulkarni said.

Soon, the police were able to locate the number and traced the location to be Sangola in Solapur district. A team reached an engineering hostel in Sangola and found the owner of the number only to be told that the number was used by a boy who was the son of a sweeper in the campus. “The boy used to often visit our hostel rooms and used his SIM card in my mobile number,” a senior staffer at the hostel said.

According to AEC officials, the arrested teenager used to choose his victims and threaten to tag the latter’s Facebook friends. He demanded small amounts and used his access to engineering hostel and good relations with students to use their phones for the crime.

On May 30, the teenager was produced before a juvenile court after his parents produced his birth certificate in the court. The court sent him to the children’s remand home. santoshee.mishra@ goldensparrow.com

India tops global slavery index with 18.35 million people enslaved P 13

India’s challenge is to create jobs P 14

Man buys most expensive flat after selling costliest bungalow A year after he sold his family bungalow to Kumar Mangalam Birla for Rs 425 crore, Shyam Jatia buys costliest flat at Rs 1,57,880 per square foot

BY YOGESH SADHWANI @yogeshsadhwani In September last year, the owners of Pudumjee Paper sold their sprawling 30,000 square feet Jatia House to Kumar Mangalam Birla for Rs 425 crore, making it the costliest bungalow in the city. In April this year, when the new owners finally closed the deal and paid up for the bungalow, the Jatia brothers Shyam (63) and Arun (53) split the proceeds. Shyam Jatia has now bought a flat on Carmichael Road for around Rs 100 crore. He has acquired the entire 14th floor in the upcoming project Carmichael Residences.

The deal to acquire the flat in the 20-storey Carmichael Residences was struck on May 9. Papers available with TGS reveal that the base price of the flat spread over 6,320 square feet is Rs 90 crore. With duties, taxes and other charges, the flat cost former chairman of Pudumjee Industries Rs 99.78 crore.

The flat is the costliest ever bought so far in Mumbai, at Rs 1,57,880 per square foot.

The Jatias had sold their bungalow, originally bought by their father MP Jatia way back in 1971. Spread over 30,000 square feet, it was put for sale last year. Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group,

bought it from brothers Shyam and Arun Jatia for Rs 425 crore.

While the deal was struck in September 2015, it was only in April Shyam Jatia this year that it was registered and monies paid to the Jatias.

Shyam Jatia’s younger brother Arun Jatia, who currently heads the MP Jatia Group of Companies, has rented a flat in a South Mumbai building. Sources tell us that he is also on a lookout for a flat on Altamount Road.

PREVIOUS DEALS The record price paid so far for a flat in Mumbai was Rs 1,42,184 per square feet. This was set by 34-year-old actor Ranbir Kapoor, who bought a 2,469.60 square feet apartment for Rs 35 crores in Pali Hill. His deal was registered on April 27 this year. In the past, Mumbai has seen deals ranging between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 1.35 lakh per square foot.

In 2013, a sea-facing flat in Darshan Apartment, Malabar Hill building was sold for Rs 57 crore, at Rs 1.35 lakh per sq ft. In the same year, a duplex in

Worli’s Samudra Mahal was sold for Rs 43 crore, at Rs 1.18 lakh per sq ft.

In 2012, a flat in Tahnee Heights on Napean Sea Road was sold for Rs 39

crore, at Rs 1.2 lakh per sq ft. Ranbir struck his deal for Rs 1.42 lakh per sq ft, the highest so far. yogesh.sadhwani@goldensparrow.com

Builder denies drug link with Mamta’s hubby Magistrate quotes A city-based builder, from whom former Bollywood actor Mamta Kulkarni had bought flats, has denied any link with her husband Vicky Goswami, a drug racket prime accused, or with drug syndicate.

Shabbir Patel, who faced allegations of links with drug mafia, has written a letter to Thane Police Commissioner Parambir Singh rejecting the charge.

“I have no links with anyone by the name of Vicky Goswami. The assertion

made is absolutely false and unfounded and it is an irresponsible statement made with wanton disregard that is both bad in facts and in law,” Patel, of Oscar Builders, stated in his letter.

Admitting he had sold flats to Mamta in 1994, the realtor said she was then not married. “Four flats were purchased by Mamta Kulkarni and her mother through cheques and there are agreements,” he said. In the letter, Patel’s

legal advisors said their client has no criminal antecedents and he was no more active in realty business.

“He has not carried out development of any property for more than past 18 years in Mumbai. In fact, our client is a 64-year-old senior citizen who is leading a retired life. He has no criminal antecedents as well,” the legal advisors said. They said Patel has a long running dispute with his son, Shadaab, who

“habitually files false and frivolous cases” against him to extort money.

Patel stated if the police still need to conduct an investigation into the purchase of the flats, Shadaab’s relationship with Mamta and Vicky should be investigated.

Goswami, whose name figured in the recent drug seizure in Thane, has junked allegations of him being a druglord. He is said to be currently based in Kenya.

This woman keeps her son tied all day PICS BY PRASHANT ANKUSHRAO

Her four-year-old daughter was abducted, raped and murdered just a couple of months ago

BY PRASHANT ANKUSHRAO @TGSWeekly

Two months after her four-year-old daughter was raped and murdered, a vendor in Mankhurd has run into trouble with the law enforcers. The 27-year-old lady has been tying up her younger son with a nylon rope close to where she vends her wares. The local cops have now told her to stop tying her son or leave the spot. Those passing by her puffed rice stall under the Mankhurd flyover on Sion-Panvel Highway can’t stop but noticing the child tied with a nylon rope and mostly wailing.

“What option do I have? I have to earn a livelihood and can’t leave my children at home, all alone. I bring them here with me every day.

My eldest daughter, who is 11, goes to school and then comes to my stall.

She and my older son (five-year-old) sit in one place. But the youngest is too small to understand and keeps running around,” said the mother. The mother of three children added that it’s only been two months since her four-yearold daughter was abducted, raped and murdered.

“It was like any other day here. I was busy selling my wares, when a man walked up and said he would like to take my girl and buy her a chocolate.

I refused to let him do so, since there have been several cases of minor girls going missing. In some time, there were quite a few people at my stall.

The man took advantage of this and took away my little daughter,” said a sobbing mother. A day later, her body was found in the bushes. After a post mortem it was found that she had been raped and later murdered. The accused was arrested a day later.

The mother, who originally hails from Benares and has been in Mumbai for a couple of years now, said, “The accused may have been arrested but the fact remains that a lot of children

have gone missing from Mankhurd in last few months. None of them have been found so far. After my daughter’s incident, I am petrified for my sons,” she said holding her elder son tightly in her arms.

The 27-year-old mother has every reason to worry. This year alone four minor girls have gone missing from Mankhurd. The count was much higher last year. Her husband is a rag picker and leaves home early. “He

suffers from a mental disorder and the children cannot be left with him for long. He cannot keep an eye on them all the time. Moreover, quite a few girls have gone missing from the area where we live in the last few years,” she said.

Last year, her sister’s daughter was among those who went missing. “We are sure that she was abducted. It’s been a year now, but there is no trace of her. After what happened to my niece and my daughter, I am petrified,” added the mother.

The area in Mankhurd where she vends in typically crowded during peak hours. Those wanting to board local trains from Mankhurd station in the vicinity or returning home to several slum pockets in the locality use the route under the flyover, where the 27-year-old mother sets up her stall.

Now that she has been spotted keeping her 19 months old son tied, cops have warned her. She has been told to either free the son or leave the spot.

The mother is aware that some passersby must have alerted the cops assuming it is a case of child abuse. “What people don’t understand is that I am not doing this out of choice. My kids can’t be left at home as there is no one to look after them. In our slum pocket there have been several cases of children going missing in the last few months,” said the mother, who lives in a slum pocket, located not too far from where she vends. She added that she does not keep her son tied all day. “I tie him up only during crowded hours or when I am going to a washroom,” she said.

When TGs contacted Nasir Shaikh, senior police inspector of Mankhurd police station, he said, “What can we do if a mother keeps her son tied? It is technically not a case of child abuse.” tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

from Marathi blockbuster Sairat

BY RAJIL MENON @TGSWeekly

There is no disputing that Marathi movie Sairat is a hit. Heading towards Rs 100 crore collection mark, the movie in its fifth week is being talked about everywhere, even courtrooms.

Recently, a judge in Mumbai used one of the dialogues from the film to reprimand a court clerk. Everybody in the court was in splits when the judge said, “Marathi madhe sangitlela kalat nahi ka, English madhe sangu?” This is the dialogue that the protagonist in the film Archana, played by Rinku Rajguru, frequently uses.

The incident occurred on Wednesday in Andheri Metropolitan Court.

The judge presiding over 66th court, Ms AD Lokhande, was about to end the day. The ladyship started looking at some pending files.

She came across a file and inquired as to who was in-charge of executing a particular task. All the members of her staff vehemently nodded to convey that were not the ones responsible for it. She kept repeatedly asking about a particular notice which was to be served to a police station.

Five minutes later, a policeman seated near her dais, almost half asleep, stood up and took onus for the job. He apologised for not answering earlier.

She asked him about the notice, which was signed by her, and yet not delivered to the police station. The cop gave some lame excuses, which the magistrate refused to accept.

“Did you understand my instructions? Did you serve the notice signed by me to the concerned police?

I had signed this notice and asked it to be sent to the concerned Investigating officer. Why has it not been sent yet?” asked the ladyship. The cop had no plausible excuse for his lapse but kept muttering something, trying his best not to cut a sorry figure.

This is when the magistrate quoted the dialogue from Sairat, “Marathi madhe sangitlela kalt nahi ka ki English madhe sangu? (If you do not understand Marathi, do you want me to tell you in English?)” In the movie

Archana keeps using the dialogue quite often. As soon as the magistrate uttered the words, some of the people present in court cracked up. They knew that the ladyship was quoting from Sairat, a Marathi blockbuster.

The magistrate took a few seconds break, enough for people to get her joke, and resumed scolding the court clerk. The magistrate reminded the cop that while he sat under a fan doing nothing, she had to bear the heat. She literally meant what she said, as over her dais there was no fan.

The magistrate then looked at the police prosecutor and asked if the cop in question should be served a notice for not doing his job. The prosecutor agreed and said that the cop should be reprimanded. By now the cop was shaking with fear and apologised profusely for his folly. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

‘‘We have installed LEDs at Pune, Talegaon and Shivajinagar stations, which has helped in reducing the daily con sumption by 100KW and lead to savings worth Rs 15,000 a day. We are taking elaborate steps to ensure that elec tricity is saved with the use of LEDs.’’ — B K Dadabhoy, divisional railway manager of Pune

Devadasi system continues to exist despite ban: Book P12

Milk is not sold in Saspade

Villagers believe selling milk will attract the wrath of their deity goddess Dongrai

RAHUL RAUT

PMC takes action against bogus doctor at Sahyadri Hospital Quack was also putting Dr before his name

BY TUSHAR RUPANAVAR @tusharrupanavar Even as Modern India has made many advances in dairy farming, for the villagers of Saspade in Kadegaon tehsil of Sangli district it is a curse to sell milk. Instead, the excess milk is given free to those in need. The villagers believe that selling milk will attract the wrath of goddess Dongrai, the main deity of the village, and livestock of the ‘wrongdoer’ farmer will die.

And this belief has benefitted the youngsters and wrestlers of this village as they never run out of their daily milk intake.

Saspade village with a population of 4,000 falls in former forest minister of state and well-known educationist Dr Patangrao Kadam’s constituency.

Seventy per cent of villagers have livestock and the village’s economy is dependent on agriculture. Dairy farming could be a profitable business for farmers but villagers are happy following the tradition. The temple of goddess Dongrai is located at a hilltop and villagers believe that their deity punishes those who sell milk.

Villager Shivaji Pol said, “Our village is known as ‘no milk selling village’. According to the legend, there was once a wrestler in our village who had many cows. His livestock was enough to fulfi l his milk diet.

But suddenly his cows started dying and he prayed to goddess Dongrai.

PUNE

TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly

Villagers of Saspade in Kadegaon tehsil of Sangli district give excess milk to others for free

He promised that he will not sell milk but give it for free to others and miraculously his remaining livestock survived. Since then no villager sells milk in Saspade. Educated people may call it superstition but we follow the tradition and it has helped the youngsters and wrestlers of our village as they get enough milk to drink. Our village has a history of producing ace wrestlers and coaches and some of them had even participated in the revolutionary freedom fighter Nana Patil’s movement during the British era.”

Another villager Mohan Mahapure said that even now if any farmer tries to sell milk then soon his livestock dies

for no reason. “We know that dairy farming is a profitable source of income for farmers but we do not want to make our goddess angry and lose our cows,” he said.

Citing an incident, villager Sanjay Jadhav said, “In 1995, then MLA of our tehsil Sampatrao Deshmukh started a dairy in our village, gave villagers cows for free and counselled us to not believe in superstition. Soon a cow of one of the farmers who sold milk to Deshmukh’s dairy died of disease and villagers called upon Deshmukh to shut the dairy and take back the cows that he gave to them. Deshmukh tried to convince villagers but in vain.”

“It might look unscientific to others

but we have witnessed these incidents.

Farmers love their livestock like their own child and we do not want to lose them,” villager Popat Pol said.

Villager Bashir Bagwan said that women folk gives milk for free to needy people in the village. “Those who have migrated to other locations are free to do dairy farming but they have to follow the tradition once they come to Saspade.”

According to villager Shamrao Pol, the tradition faced stiff opposition with the younger generation calling it superstition but incidents of cows dying for no reason made them accept the age-old custom. tushar.rupanavar@goldensparrow.com

The special panel formed by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Health Department to crack down on quacks have booked Ashok Bhagwan Ghone of Sahyadri Hospital in Deccan for carrying out administrative responsibilities without proper authorisation and putting Dr before his name.

As per the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act 1961, a practitioner must have registration with either Indian Medical Council, Maharashtra Council of Indian Medicine, Maharashtra Dental Council or Maharashtra Council of Homoeopathy. However, Ghone had submitted his Bachelor of Alternative System of Medicine Degree certificate that he obtained from New Delhi Council of Alternative Medicine in February 2015 to the committee.

“He is not registered with any of the state’s medial council and hence has no right to practice in state and put initial Dr before his name. The degree certificate that he has produced is unacceptable but he has been doing administrative work in Sahyadri Hospital for the past two and a half years,” said PMC ward medical officer

Ashok Ghone

Santosh Mule.

Mule had taken action against Ghone after an RTI activist wrote to PMC Commissioner to lodge an FIR. Ghone is charged under Section 36 (1) of Maharashtra Medical Practioners Act 1961 (Prohibition against addition of any title, description, to name of any person unless authorise to do so).

Deccan Police Station Senior Inspector Sushma Chavan said, “Ashok Ghone was working with the administrative department of Sahyadri Hospital. We will arrest him soon.” tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

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THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

‘‘Laxman Jagtap (BJP) does not have a vision. We are undertaking development works taking inspiration from our leaders and after considering the needs of the next 20 to 25 years. We have undertaken maximum development projects in and around Sangvi.’’

—Mangala Kadam, NCP leader

SpiderG: Weaving a web of financial efficiency

Doctors’ retirement age raised to 65

P10

P12

Trees here are named after freedom fighters

Balawadi village resident has set up Kranti Smrutiwan, a garden where the trees are named after freedom fighters who laid down their lives during India’s struggle for independence

BY TUSHAR RUPANAVAR @tusharrupanavar India gained independence from British rule in 1947, but it was not easily achieved, as the road to freedom was paved with countless freedom fighters making the ultimate sacrifice of their lives, during India’s long and bloody freedom struggle. The tragedy is that a large number of these martyrs, who laid down their lives during the freedom struggle, remain faceless and unknown to the modern generation.

We just know the names and stories of a handful of freedom fighters through our history books, and their memories are revived on Independence Day, August 15, and Republic Day, January 26, but then they are forgotten again till the next Republic or Independence day.

Sampatrao Govindrao Pawar, 75, of Balawadi village in Kadegaon tehsil of Sangli district, has set up ‘Kranti Smrutiwan’, a garden to revive memories of the revolution, on his 4.5 acre farm, in a bid to keep the memories of the Indian martyrs alive in the minds of the countrymen. Sampatrao has planted trees and named each tree after an Indian martyr, in Kranti Smrutiwan.

Sampatrao’s unique gesture of paying homage to India’s martyred freedom fighters, by planting trees, has evoked a positive response among residents of the village and in nearby areas.

RAHUL RAUT

Explaining his motive behind building Kranti Smrutiwan, Sampatrao said, “My parents were freedom fighters, who had to fight against colonial rule. The freedom which we are now enjoying, was not attained easily, as countless brave and patriotic people laid down their lives for the country during our freedom struggle. In 1972, there was drought in Maharashtra, and the government did nothing to help despite all our appeals. To draw the government’s attention to the ongoing drought, I led a morcha of my party workers to the collector’s office in 1972, but the police stopped our morcha, and even fired on the participants of the march, which resulted in the deaths of four school children. This was extremely painful for me, because this happened in free India, for which my parents had fought against the British. It was such a shock for me that I did not recover from the tragedy for a long time, and the faces of the four school children who lost their lives for participating in my march, still haunt me. So I decided to build a permanent monument in memory of those four children and our martyred freedom fighters.

“There were many freedom fighters who laid down their lives during India’s struggle for independence, but we do not see their names in our history books, because our history was written selectively. Now in this globalisation era, everybody is running after money,

The 75-year-old Sampatrao Pawar among his beloved trees he has planted in the Kranti Smrutiwan

so how will our history be passed on to the future generations? I wanted to make a unique monument for these freedom fighters, but I did not have enough money, so I decided to plant trees and name them after the Indian martyrs. I have put up boards with the martyrs’ names near the trees. This will keep memories of the martyred freedom fighters alive in our minds, and benefit our environment too.

“The first section of Kranti

Smrutiwan is dedicated to women martyrs (Kranti Veerangana), where trees have been named after Durga Deshmukh, Sunita Chaudhari, Krishna Chaudhari etc. Then there is a section devoted to men freedom fighters, who were martyrs of the freedom struggle. Here the trees are named after Jagannath Shinde, Bhavani Prasad Bhattachayra, Abdul Kurban Hussain and Vishnu Pagale.

When I decided to build Kranti

Smrutiwan in 1990, I travelled across the country for a year and gathered information about the martyrs from their relatives and from various institutions.

“We built Smrutiwan on riverside land in Balawadi village in 1991.

But the government demolished this Smrutiwan as this land belonged to the government. Then I decided to build Smrutiwan on my own land.

It was not an easy task to rebuild

Smrutiwan, but my son Vaibhav Pawar and my colleagues helped me a lot. While digging a well for water for the new Smrutiwan, I lost my son Vaibhav in an accident, in 1998. It was a devastating shock for me. But somehow I managed to recover. My son Vaibhav would have been alive now, if the government had not demolished the earlier Smrutiwan. Some socalled progressive organisations which earlier supported me, also criticised me when I used the name of Yamunabai Savarkar, the wife of freedom fighter V D Savarkar. It is our responsibility to keep memories of the martyrs alive for future generations. There is free entry to Kranti Smrutiwan for all. Anybody can come here and even can stay here.”

Kranti Smrutiwan has in fact turned into a picnic spot for schools.

Some progressive movements like Yukrand, have conducted their annual meetings at Smrutiwan. Shivaji University had conducted its annual National Social Service (NSS) meet at Smrutiwan.

Sampatrao Pawar has been fighting for equal water distribution for farmers in his area. He was the first to start a cattle camp at Sangli during the drought situation. Now Sampatrao plans to build a memorial at Kranti Smrutiwan to left wing leader Govind Pansare, who was killed two years ago.

He also plans to build a memorial to freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. tushar.rupanavar@goldensparrow.com

Relief for Sassoon Hospital’s out patients Dacoits make hay as RPF is short-staffed

BY DNYANESHWAR BHONDE @dnyanesh1

The 12,000 odd patients who visit Sassoon General Hospital every day, will no longer have to run around in search of the Out Patient Departments (OPDs) scattered around the premises.

The work of bringing all these 34 OPDs under one roof is underway, and will be completed within six months.

With all the OPDs and casualty department on the ground and first floor of the main building, patients will receive all treatments swiftly. The Emergency (casualty) department has been shifted and is to be expanded.

Spread across 22 acres, the 1296bed state run tertiary care hospital has 34 OPDs, but they are scattered around the premises, forcing patients to walk big distances to avail of different treatments.

Patients first take a case paper from

the registration office near the casualty department situated at the entrance of the hospital. After that, patients have to spend 15 to 20 minutes going to the OPDs housed in other buildings, except for Medicine and Orthopaedic which are near the registration office.

“If anyone is advised to visit skin, ophthalmology, paediatric or psychiatric department, he has to go to buildings that are far from the case paper office. It was causing wastage of time with added unnecessary efforts for the patients. If a patient is disabled or old, he has to suffer a lot. So we have decided to bring all OPDs at the ground floor and first floor of the main building,” said Dr Ramesh Bhosale, Professor Obstetrics and Gynaecology, of Sassoon hospital.

“Most children need medicine, skin, ophthalmology care for which all the running around is needed,” he said.

Dean Dr Ajay Chandanwale suggested the idea a couple of months ago, after which a committee was formed to carry out this work. Dr Bhosale is heading it with the help of Dr Ibrahim Ansari of radiology department.

As per the new OPD plan, the current casualty department is being shifted to ward number 35 in 7500 square feet area, adding 20 new beds with existing 20 beds, including 20 ventilators. The casualty section will have three zones as per patients’ condition, green (normal), yellow (below serious) and red (serious). There will be a decontamination room which will cater to chemical borne accidental patients washing the body and a labour room.

There will be a new gate for ambulances carrying emergency patients.

The ground floor of the main building will accommodate OPDs of

medicine, cardiac, psychiatry, neuro, orthopaedic, urology, gynaecology, general medicine, tuberculosis and chest diseases and many more. While the first floor would have anaesthesia, ENT, ophthalmology, skin & VD, paediatrics, plastic surgery, dentistry, Ayurveda and community medicine.

All these newly built OPDs will be interconnected with ramps and with facilities like drinking water, waiting area, and additional compartments.

The vacant places of the previous OPDs will be adjusted with other departments. There is plan to set up an elevator for patients.

Dean Chandanwale said that it is a crucial plan which will serve patients more efficiently. “It is a patient-centric plan that will simplify the process of treating the patients and reduce the burden on patients.” dnyaneshwar.bhonde@goldensparrow.com

Public Prosecutors’ absence draws ire Law and Judiciary Department issues GR making full day attendance must for government appointed lawyer, public prosecutor and assistant public prosecutor

BY GARGI VERMA @missgverma The Law and Judiciary Department under the state ministry has taken a stern stand against public prosecutors’ absence from their respective courts.

In a Government Resolution(GR) passed on May 30, the joint secretary of Law and Judiciary Department declared that full day attendance in their respective courts is a must for any government appointed lawyer, public prosecutor and assistant public prosecutor.

In the GR signed by Joint Secretary Neeraj Dhote, the government has expressed their unhappiness about the court lawyers’ absence. It reads, “We have learnt that public prosecutors are not present in their respective courts, or even the courts where their matter might be going on at many times. Many district and sessions judges themselves

have complained in extreme anger”.

The letter also underlines the fact that this issue has been going on for some time. “The courts have expressed concern over the absence of public prosecutors in the past as well,” reads the GR. The GR then explains how the absence of any lawyer, especially the ones appointed by the government affects the case. “There are unnecessary delays and precious time of the courts is wasted,” it reads. It further continues and enlists that the mere absence can cause economic and mental damage and stress to both the defendants and prosecutors when it can be completely

avoided.

To stop these absences from recurring, the GR explains, that the department is making very clear statements. “Since the time the court sits in the morning, till it gets up later in the evening, the entire time the court is working; the government appointed lawyers need to be present in the court without fail. This is being notified to all the lawyers, public prosecutors and others by the government resolution,” the document reads.

Clearly, the court is taking a stern stand on the absence of public prosecutors from court rooms. While most lawyers have taken it in their

stride, there are certain voices of rebellion too. A public prosecutor from the Pune Sessions Court, without revealing his identity said, “Not all lawyers are always on vacations.

Sometimes, we need to go out for our case related work, to meet our clients and understand their side of the case better. We can’t do that in the court room.”

However, the absence of public prosecutors along with the long vacation period has delayed cases, at least in Pune. The GR has come at the right time, as the vacation period of courts are going to get over in a couple of days and then the lawyers would need to be present at the courts throughout the day. The Shivaji Nagar campus that houses three court complexes has been seeing the least number of footfalls.

“I have been coming here daily for the past two weeks, to discuss my case with the legal aid appointed lawyer assigned to me. However, he hasn’t been coming on any day,” said a distressed man who has a civil case over a piece of land that is being claimed by both him and his uncle. “The court will start functioning from the next week, and my case has not even been discussed once. The vacations have already delayed court proceedings by a month, what am I supposed to do?” he asks. gargi.verma@goldensparrow.com

TEJAS GAIKWAD

BY SUSHANT RANJAN @sushantranjan Railway Protection Force (RPF), entrusted with maintaining law and order at the Pune railway station, is hamstrung by an acute shortage of staff.

Against the required strength of 2300, the RPF in the division has only 540 people, a shortfall of 1760.

Although the RPF was entrusted with the additional responsibility of escorting trains in 2004 after the relevant laws were amended, the manpower has not been increased, say sources.

Personnel serving in various RPF posts and outposts across the division have been re-deployed for escort duties.

The focus is on providing escort only in night trains. Consequently, the RPF today provides escort only in selective trains like Jhelum Express, PuneNizamuddin Duranto Express and some more trains.

Divisional Security Commissioner (DSC), D Vikas admitted that Pune rail division needs more than 2000 RPF jawans to maintain law and order and also escort in trains.

During the recently concluded ‘Humsafar week’, Division Railway Manager B K Dadabhoy was speaking about the achievements of Pune rail division. While speaking on security on Pune station, the DSC admitted the shortage of RPF jawans in Pune rail division. “The division is facing huge shortage of RPF jawans. We need 2300 jawans to maintain law and order and also escort trains. We have only 540 handling 74 stations,” he said.

Due to the absence of RPF at night, anti-social elements are active.

The Pune-Daund rail route is notorious for passengers being robbed. In fact,

the entire Pune-Daund-Kurduwadi is known for thefts and dacoities that the police have been incapable of curbing.

On March 1, three unidentified persons on the Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express assaulted and robbed two women passengers near Daund railway station. The mother and daughter sustained knife cuts on their hands as they resisted the robbers on the Punebound train. There were no RPF jawans on this train. Similarly, Samiksha Sinha, 25, and her mother Chanda Sinha, 54, were assaulted and robbed by three unidentified persons on the HowrahPune Azad Hind Express near Daund railway station.

Earlier, in February, Mahaveer Jain of Chennai, lodged a complaint against unidentified persons for stealing cash and ornaments worth one lakh rupees when he was travelling on the MumbaiChennai Express.

There are more than 150 trains which arrive and depart from here on a daily basis. “With the Railway Protection Force working three shifts daily, there are just 100 persons to monitor the station with seven platforms at any given time,” the source added.

“Each train requires at least four RPF personnel to take care of passenger security, which means that we require more than 600 personnel just to take care of security of 150 trains. We are just not able to meet the requirement” the source said.

Railway Pravasi group president Harsha Shah said, “To meet the increase in the volume of passengers in the last ten years and reduce the burden on RPF and GRP, the government should make provisions for additional manpower on priority basis.” sushant.ranjan@goldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

Cool, green roofs cut energy consumption, save money

‘‘The expansion of Lohegaon airport will happen in two phases. The decision on the second and final phase of expansion will be taken in the next two months. No further expansion is possible because of security reasons.’’

— Manohar Parrikar, Union Defence Minister

Most Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) buses are packed to capacity with passengers.

However, there is one route that has few passengers, which is the Kothrud to Airport route. PMPML has assigned seven buses for this route which are always empty. Therefore, this special air-conditioned bus service for the airport, introduced by the PMPML, is incurring losses, as commuters have shown no interest in this fully automatic bus service.

PMPML launched the airconditioned bus service on September 1, 2015 for two routes. Geo Direct was given the contract to run this bus service. The airport bus service operates on two routes, viz, the Airport to Hinjawadi, and Airport to Kothrud routes. At present, the PMPML runs eight airport buses, five from Hinjawadi and three from Kothrud. While the latter has evoked a lukewarm response, the buses running from Hinjawadi, used by the IT employees, see more than 70 per cent occupancy.

The much publicised bus service from Kothrud and Hinjawadi to Airport did not attract passengers because of its high fares. The ticket fare from Kothrud to airport is Rs 120

TEJAS GAIKWAD

and Rs 180 for Hinjawadi to Airport per passenger. Another reason for poor passenger response was that the buses used to take passengers in between the two stops. Now the number of trips has dropped from eight to two per day on the Kothrud route. Though the buses from Hinjawadi are packed, the return trips are almost empty.

PMPML Public Relation Officer Subhash Gaikwad said that PMPML has given Geo Direct the contract to run the bus service. “The contractor is giving us royalty price every day. We have fi xed the amount at Rs six per day.

As per the contract they have to pay us.

We are not in a loss,” he said.

Senior Manager, Operation and Planning, Prem Kale said, “As per the contract, we are paying a heavy amount to PMPML. We are losing Rs 15 lakh per month. We are maintaining the buses, paying salary to conductor and driver and paying parking charge to airport. We have done so many things to promote the bus. But passengers are not attracted. In March we slashed the ticket price by 50 per cent. We are facing huge loss from the Kothrud route. We are trying to make up from Hinjawadi route, but it is not enough.

We talked to IT companies and we had done surveys also, but passengers still show no interest,” he said.

P13

Army to decide the fate of highrises GARGI VERMA @missgverma

Exorbitant ticket prices keep commuters away with the contractor losing Rs 15 lakh per month

BY SUSHANT RANJAN @sushantranjan

India tops global slavery index with 18.35 million people enslaved

P11

Few takers for PMPML’s air-conditioned buses

PUNE

The armed forces may soon have the authority to decide how high buildings can rise around their establishments.

According the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Army, Lieutenant General Bipin Rawat, the armed forces are working on a dossier that will help the armed forces and the Pune Cantonment Board decide if highrises built or are getting built around the armed forces establishments are a secutity risk.

A recent construction of a highrise building in the vicinity of National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla had caused concern for the armed forces.

Moreover, since the airstrip at the NDA had been broadened, the NDA had asked the district administration to take a No Objection Certificate from the defence board before allowing the construction around the air strip, a demand the Pune Municipal Corporation had shirked.

Senior Manager, Business Development, Vivek Sorot said, “The service is new for Pune. Traffic congestion is a big issue in the city.

Initially the halt time was half an hour at airport. But, considering the rush, we have now increased it to one hour. But we are still facing crunch of passengers.”

PMPML expects these buses to be in demand because they connect the airport to areas that are far away from Lohegaon. Kothrud resident Akshay Natekar said, “Lohegaon is quite far from old areas like Kothrud and people have no option but to travel in their cars or cabs because most of them do not even know about this service.

PMPML needs to publicise it and also increase frequency.”

Pune Pravasi Manch president Jugal Rathi said, “On behalf of the commuters, we have also demanded a revision of the PMPML airport bus fare. The transport body should also take other measures to improve the service. There is a need to publicise the service by displaying prominent boards at the airport entrance and exit gates, all departure and arrival terminals, with exact details of the airport bus terminus location and map, apart from prominently displaying helpline numbers and bus numbers at the terminals and main bus stops.” sushant.ranjan@goldensparrow.com

“We need to work with the Defence sector on this because there are major safety issues. We have asked them to send us detailed data on what can be allowed around which establishment,” said a PMC official on the condition of anonymity.

“The rule that tells us about how high a building can be around our establishments dates back to 1903.

The Works of Defence Act, is a British era rulebook, which we are trying to upgrade. We need to protect our secrets while also protecting the civilians. Thus, we need the buildings to be generated in a manner that we can handle,” Rawat explained.

“The buildings that are already built, we can’t do much about. But we can seriously stop any new construction to go after a certain height,” explained the PMC official.

The GoC also said, “The building mafia has become a big issue and we are slowly and steadily developing strategies.”

Gargi.verma@goldensparrow.com VISHAL KALE

DNA test now being used to determine sex of foetus

Cell free fetal DNA blood test being misused to determine the sex of a foetus, should be brought under purview of PCPNDT Act, government urged

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the sex of their fetus, and if the fetus is of a girl, they are undergoing Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP). The officials also blame such malpractices for the difference in sex ratio.

The sex determination racket is becoming rampant by the day, and it has connections abroad. Sources says that blood samples are sent abroad to know the sex. After this, if the couple want to abort the foetus, they travel to Thailand or Malaysia, and the Indian government does not take any action on such abortions.

Since the PCPNDT Act is stringently implemented, people are

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A new sex determination racket is going on in city these days. A ‘Cell free fetal DNA’ blood test is used to determine chromosomal disorders like Down Syndrome, and other birth defects in a foetus. But this blood test is being used to determine the sex of a foetus.

Having realised how people are misusing this test, a Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department officer has written to the state health authorities, informing them that unscrupulous elements may be using the test to determine the sex of a foetus, and therefore the test should be brought under the purview of Pre-Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act. Cell free fetal DNA test, commonly known as cff DNA, is a simple blood test of a pregnant mother to analyse bits of fetal DNA that have leaked into her bloodstream.

The sample of the woman’s blood is taken after six weeks of pregnancy, and measures the relative amount of free fetal DNA that have leaked into her bloodstream. According to sources, the test intended to uncover genetically disorders, congenital diseases in brain, kidney and muscles of a foetus, is being misused in advanced laboratories in the city, most of which are associated with corporate hospitals.

The test which costs Rs 30,00040,000, entails doctors inserting a needle into the womb to collect a sample of cells that contain the fetal DNA. It is used to analyse DNA and chromosome of the fetus. But, at the same time, if the mother, her husband or relative wishes, they can come to know of the sex chromosomes, like xx (female) and xy (male) through the test.

Senior health officials allege that upper middle class couples working in IT companies, who want a boy child, are using the method to know

now using cff DNA tests.

An ultrasound sonography test can determinate the sex of a foetus only after 12 weeks of pregnancy, but the cff DNA test can determine it in six weeks.

Sassoon General Hospital gynecology department professor Dr Ramesh Bhosale said that the cff DNA test can be misused, and that it can be done at advanced labs in the city and outside the country, but he was not sure about its misuse.

After PMC health department’s internal advisory committee report regarding the misuse of the test, PMC wrote a letter to the additional director of health services, family welfare, Pune, and asked for his opinion on December 4, 2012. When they didn’t get receive any reply from them, they sent a third and final reminder in February 2015.

The letter states, “Cell free fetal DNA is a new prenatal diagnosis method that is used to study the common chromosomal problems.

This DNA is of fetal origin and is present in maternal blood and can be detected from very early pregnancy, six weeks onward.

With modern genetic technology, this DNA can be used to diagnose chromosomal disorders like Down Syndrome, Edward Syndrome etc. However this technology and investigation is being offered by some laboratories from outside cities and states. As these techniques are not available in our country. and as this investigation has very serious implications in very early sex selection, we wish to have your guidance about the laboratories marketing this technology.”

Additional director of health services of family welfare, Pune, Dr Archana Patil, said, “There was a discussion in the board committee meeting on this point. I will look into the letter sent by PMC health department and seek appropriate action.” dnyaneshwar.bhonde@ goldensparrow.com

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BY DNYANESHWAR BHONDE @dnyanesh1

Go black or white

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

‘‘The stormwater drainage project will help to solve the long-pending problem of flooding in different areas of the city. It will also lead to better management of traffic during rains.’’

— Balasaheb Bodke, chairman of the standing committee

British Indians back anti-Brexit campaign P 13

Celebrated playwright’s children embroiled in court drama Continued from p1

CURRIMBHOY FAMILY

In February this year, Tarik fi led a suit in Bombay High Court claiming that both the wills presented by his siblings are fabricated. He has alleged that to the best of his knowledge his mother never made a will. Moreover, his suit stated that his mother’s property was to be divided and distributed amongst her heirs as per the Shia Muslim Law applicable to Muslim women married under the Shariat.

Tarik’s petition stated that his mother was suffering from Galucoma since her 40s and her condition only deteriorated with passage of time. By 2013 she was nearly blind and her annual ritual of visiting her New York based architect son and his family for three months, took a beating. She was living with Naheed in Mumbai.

In April 2015 Naheed and her husband Amit Moitra decided to visit their daughters Tahzeeb and Tahini, staying abroad. Suraiya was shifted to Tabrik’s Delhi home, the petition stated.

Tarik has stated in the petition that he made several visits to Delhi with his wife Nayana to meet his ailing mother where he noticed that she was extremely delusional.

“She could barely speak for at most few minutes of the day,” he stated in his petition fi led through his solicitors Desai Desai Carrimjee & Mulla.

As for the will produced by his elder brother Tabrik, Tarik has stated that the document suggested to be his mother’s last wish is a forged document. He added that it is also unacceptable and illegal under the law because as a Shia Muslim his mother could only will up to one third of her

Asif Currimbhoy

Tabrik and Nelofar Currimbhoy

Suraiya and Asif Currimbhoy

Amit and Naheed Moitra

ASSETS OWNED BY SURAIYA

Suriaya left behind property worth crores. Some of them are: A flat in Bakhtawar building on Narayan Dabholkar Road Property in Om Chambers, Kemps Corner Flat in Nigtingale, Raheja Woods, Kalyaninagar 1237 shares of Cipla Ltd 1563 shares of Glaxosmithkline Pharmaceuticals Ltd 2050 shares of HDFC Bank Ltd 1500 shares of Indian Oil Corp Ltd 1376 shares of Infosys Ltd 2100 shares of ITC Ltd 405 shares of Nestle India Ltd 960 shares of Pfizer Ltd 1037 shares of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd 300 shares of the Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd 8000 shares of the Tata Power Company Ltd 3000 shares of Titan Company Ltd 450 shares of United Spirits Ltd 1550 shares of Tata Steel Ltd 1370 shares of Larsen and Toubro Ltd 5300 shares of ITC Ltd

Rs 24,00,00,000 Rs 4,50,00,000 Rs 1,00,00,000 Rs 7,61,249.80 Rs 52,33,080.30 Rs 21,87,657.50 Rs 5,78,100 Rs 12,54,465.60 Rs 6,61,815 Rs 25,72,641 Rs 19,37,470 Rs 26,45,335.15 Rs 1,00,215 Rs 5,93,200 Rs 10,98,900 Rs 15,21,472.50 Rs 4,72,130 Rs 24,42,436 Rs 16,70,295

Suraiya Currimbhoy

Tarik and Nayana Currimbhoy

estate and that too only with the prior consent of all surviving heirs. Tarik added that neither his, nor Naheed’s consent was taken before such a bequest in Tabrik’s favour.

He has also alleged that the signatures on the will do not match his mother’s. Moreover, he added that the witnesses attesting the will are her secretary and cook, both of whom were employed by Tabrik.

In addition, Tarik alleged that his mother couldn’t have appointed one Saket Bisani, as an executor of her will. He claimed that he had never heard of any Bisani during his visits to Delhi.

Most importantly, Tarik has claimed that his mother was in no physical or mental condition to make a will.

Life is an uphill struggle for 40-year-old disabled cricketer

BY VICKY PATHARE @Vickypathare2 Raju Mujawar, 40 is all set to leave Pune for his cricket match which will take place at Bengaluru. Mujawar, although he has more than 20 years of experience of disabled cricket, seems worried, It is not the cricket match he is worried about, but he is worried about his children, four-and-a-half-year old Fakid, and fiveand-a-half-year-old Junaid.

Both Fakid and Junaid are to be admitted to school this academic year, and Mujawar will have to pay Rs 25,000 as their fees. This amount is five times his monthly income, from his job at a warehouse. “I can’t even borrow money from anybody as I am already Rs 1,,00,000 in debt, which my family had taken for the marriage of my sister,” said Mujawar.

“We had a 1000 sq ft plot, which was also sold to meet the marriage expenses,” said Mujawar.

“People say that to get a job, I have to get some reference, but what is the need of reference? I am disabled and I have been there to give many proud moments for the state and national team in disabled cricket. I have already dedicated half of my life to the game. Even if I get a job at this time, I would provide a better future to my family,” said Mujawar.

All the odds seemed stacked against Mujawar. A life of poverty, his family struggling to survive and his own physical disability, as he cannot use his left leg. Mujawar was born with the disability and his left leg is more than two inches shorter and thin in comparison to his right leg. His shoes sizes are also different, his left foot being size 6 and right foot, size 10.

His weight and balance is on his right foot and the left foot only supports my movement. “Born with an 82 per cent disability, I can’t even crush an ant with

VISHAL KALE

Disabled cricketer Raju Mujawar struggles to make ends meet after devoting 20 years to the sport

my left leg, and dragging my left foot to a distance of five millimetres is also impossible,” he said.

Mujawar lives with his wife Ruskar, sons Fakid and Junaid, mother, brother and sister-in-law in a 10 x 15 dilapidated room in Khed Shivapur Wada, at Khed Shivapur. He struggles to maintain his family on an income of just Rs 20,000 a month.

Disabled people in our society face a lot of social stigma. Speaking about his marriage he said, “I married late due to many reasons, like my financial problem, my disability, and not getting a match

as most of them rejected me. I suffered a lot of embarrassing moments when my parents were looking for a match for me.

People used to say stand up, walk and show what is the amount of disability I am facing during making movements and many more questions,” he said.

Mujawar completed his graduation in commerce form Savitribai Phule Pune University and had taken many odd jobs over 20 years to make ends meet. His deteriorating financial condition has made him more helpless and disabled than his physical disability.

“I had applied for a Job in the

Raju Mujawar (fourth from left) along with his fellow cricketers from various countries, during an international tournament he was participating in as part of the Indian team

disabled sports quota several years back but I didn’t have any offer from them. It makes me feel that playing cricket for 20 years is the biggest mistake I have ever done. If I would have continued a job for 20 years, definitely at this time I would have been earning a good livelihood and could afford better education for my family and children. I want a job only as a disabled sportsman and not as disabled,” he said.

With the support and backing of family in earlier days and his own grit and determination, Mujawar has achieved many milestones in the sport of cricket for disabled. He has been awarded a number of times as the best wicket-keeper in the state, national level tournaments that even and even in a couple of international tournaments.

Playing cricket in all parts of the country more than a 100 times, he has also represented India in Bangladesh, Thailand playing the sport he loves, cricket. He has played cricket with tennis ball, poly ball and leader ball.

Fan of the Zimbabwean cricketer Dougie Marillier, Mujawar’s passion for cricket has never diminished despite his financial condition. He was the wicket-keeper of Maharashtra Cricket Association for Disabled for more than 13 years, and was also the Vice- captain of the team in 2006.

Talking about the problem of disabled cricketers, he said, “Disabled cricketers struggle a lot for survival. Every time during going for a tournament, I have to think about the expenses which will occur, as most of the tournaments are not sponsored.

During such tournaments, politicians, social workers, media attend the programme. We are there in the news, but finally returning home where the real ground is, where we have to give our best performance,” said Mujawar. vicky.pathare@goldensparrow.com

Tarik, in his petition has also challenged the will produced by his sister Naheed. He has claimed that even this will is forged, as the signatures do not match that of his mother’s on her passport and PAN card. His petition alleged that Naheed has usurped Bakhtawar fl at on Narayan Dabholkar Road, by producing a ‘forged will’ and has also emptied their mother’s bank lockers.

Further, he claimed that this will is meaningless under the Shia law.

Naheed has responded to the allegations by stating that she hasn’t removed anything from her mother’s lockers. She stated in a response that Suraiya held the lockers with her jointly and all she has done is dutifully inform the bank of her mother’s demise.

“The last time I accessed the said lockers was in April 2015 when I was accompanied by the deceased (her mother),” reads her reply. Naheed’s limited response to Tarik’s petition adds that these lockers still exist and nothing has been removed from them, which also includes some articles which belong exclusively to her and her daughters as per her mother’s will of February 2014.

She has rebutted Tarik’s contention of Suraiya’s February 2014 will being illegal by saying that her mother belonged to a sect of Shia Muslims where Hindu Succession Act was applicable to her and as such she was well within her rights to bequeath anything under her will to anyone she so desired.

Tarik in the meantime continues to fi ght that the property be devolved upon the three of them as per Shia law. The matter is now listed at June 16 for next hearing. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

ABOUT ASIF CURRIMBHOY According to indianetzone.com Asif Currimbhoy was born in an aristocratic Bombay Muslim family in 1928. He studied in USA and worked as an executive in a multinational oil company. He had exposure to experimental American theatre and an avid interest in history led him to compose about thirty plays featuring a powerful engagement with life. All of these plays had a compelling quest for truth and equally strong compassion for humanity. At least a dozen deserve close attention in any study of English theatre in India.

His play, The Doldrumrners in 1961, featuring four youths dissatisfied with life, was banned in Bombay for promiscuity. The Dumb Dancer in 1962 innovatively presented a Kathakali play-within-aplay. Goa in 1966 was an allegory on India’s liberation of the Portuguese held enclave, showed that neither side was to blame but neither really won. The mixed parentage heroine, who feigns a ‘pure’ Portuguese descent, is contrasted with her dark skinned daughter. Inquilab in 1971 depicted the contemporary Maoist Naxalite movement in Bengal and Sonar Bangla in 1972 depicted the topical Bangladesh war. Currimbhoy achieved his social purpose without moralizing or compromising his art. Rich in theatrical devices, his work-incorporated monologues, choruses, chants, songs, mime, slide projections, and fi lmed footage.

His plays were ignored by Indian directors, but had successful runs in the USA. Some of the names can be mentioned as The Dumb Dancer at Cafe La Mama, off-offBroadway in 1966, and Goa on Broadway in 1968. Afterwards, Goa was selected to inaugurate the Shri Ram Centre, Delhi in 1970, and Tarun Roy produced Inquilab in Bengali translation in Calcutta in 1973. Currimbhoy also wrote movie scenarios and television scripts. Th is personality died on 1994.

PMC finally gears up for disaster ahead PMC has trained 500 of its workers in advanced disaster management techniques to deal with floods this monsoon

BY TUSHAR RUPANAVAR @tusharrupanavar The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) relies extensively on the fi re brigade during floods and emergencies to prevent loss of life and damage to private property during the monsoons.

But now, the PMC plans to train 500 of its workers to deal not just with flood situations, but in overall disaster management. PMC has also decided to set up a dedicated disaster management cell, which will operate from the PMC main building. The cell will be geared to tackle disasters such as floods, fi res, evacuation of flood affected people and their temporary settlement, and the safety of citizens living by the riversides.

At Kelewadi, Pashan, Bopodi, Hadapsar, Warje, Karvenagar, Tingarenagar, Vishrantwadi, Vitthalwadi and Sinhagad Road, flood water has entered people’s homes during heavy rains during the last 2-3 years.

PMC deputy commissioner of social welfare department Prakash Borase said, “From this year PMC has planned to form 24 x 7 dedicated flood control cell to tackle flood situations in the city. Our social welfare and disaster management departments will work hand in hand for this disaster management cell. For this we have chalked out a standard operating procedure, and we will train 500 of our workers to tackle flood situations in the city. These 500 workers are from every ward office of PMC. We also have planned to take help from the district administration and using their machinery in critical situations.“ Disaster management department’s Ganesh Sonune said, “We had given disaster management training to 500

of our staff. But our real test will be during this monsoon. Experts have given advanced disaster management training to these workers. Our primary work is to inform the anti encroachment department about people living in riverside areas illegally, building flood protection wall along riversides, and prevent encroachment in areas where there is high possibility of loss of life. We have trained these workers to issue warnings to riverside people about release of water from dams into rivers, evacuating flood affected people and organising temporary settlement for them in PMC schools, and giving them fi rst aid kits. Our department has also issued notices to inhabitants to vacate hazardous buildings along riversides. We have also cut down branches of trees likely to cause accidents. Our department had printed 10,000 pamphlets with instructions and dos and don’ts in flood situations. PMC has also started five toll free telephone lines for disaster management, 020-25501269, 2550680/1/3/4, which citizens can call and give us information.” tushar.rupanavargoldensparrow.com

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

‘‘I assure African friends that institutional mechanisms would be put in place to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future.

India will remain a country where they’ll always feel welcome.’’

— Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister

The Akali Dal has been exposed in the way it has used religion to hide its wrong deeds like corruption, vested interests in Sikh bodies like SGPC, goondagardi.

— Sanjay Singh, AAP leader

They raised 35k for a school by selling Mint on the Go

Participants at youth leadership programme Dancing with Tigers raise funds for municipal school Babu Jagjivandas School in Yerawada

BY SALONEE MISTRY @SaloneeMistry After training at a Life School Programme about four years ago, Pune-based Aditya Jhunjhunwala regrets of not joining the inspirational event earlier where he shared his experiences and learnings with others and vice versa. Taking a leaf out from his life-changing experience, the MIT engineer and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus set up Dancing with Tigers, a workshop for young people between the age group of 16 and 22 years. The programme will give participants an opportunity to face fears, fi nd their voice, understand how to nurture relationships and, most importantly, to begin the journey of attaching purpose to their lives.

Going beyond brief and responsibility, one of the batches of this workshop raised funds for a municipal school situated in Yerawada by selling pudina sherbet (mint drink) in their residential camp itself.

Dancing with Tigers is all about young people gaining experience in leadership, pushing towards team work, understanding their own strengths and getting motivated to face challenges. “From preparing Excel worksheets to sourcing the products and even standing at the selling stall, the batch of 20 students managed all by themselves.

They pushed themselves out of their comfort zone and knocked on every door to raise adequate sum,” said Jhunjhunwala. They did all this to raise funds for Babu Jagjivandas School, a school for underprivileged.

Babu Jagjivandas School is one of the 57 English medium government schools in

Participants of Dancing with Tigers sold pudina sherbet (mint drink) to raise funds for a municipal school in Yerawada

Pune that provides free education under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

Young software professional and Teach For India fellow Soumya Jain and his group of 13 teachers had taken up the initiative.

The Dancing with Tigers team chose this

school because it is closely connected to the youth. In Pune, there are 330 PMC Grade schools and only 25 of them provide education till standard X. With the rest of the municipal schools teaching up to only seventh grade, the dropout rate is too high. The entire batch

Inspired by Mother Teresa

By collecting and distributing used clothes, Responsible Charity is benefitting people from the lower strata of society lead a respectable life

BY RASHMEET TALUJA @rashmeet_taluja ‘Clothes 4 help’ initiative in the city is helping collect clothing for distribution in collaboration with Pune’s schools and colleges.

H e m l e y Gonzalez (40), Hemley Gonzalez former real estate broker from the United States, is the founder of NGO ‘Responsible Charity’ that has started the initiative.

Gonzalez’s visit to Mother Teresa’s Home for the Poor in Kolkata as a volunteer in 2009 motivated him to start a social organisation for the needy.

He launched ‘Clothes 4 help’ in Kolkata and Pune in 2012 with the mission to benefit the people from the lower strata of society lead a respectable life.

In June 2013, Responsible Charity leased a property to establish the fi rst secular school in Kolkata for impoverished children and their families.

From the distributed clothes, the

beneficiaries can use them and sell the rest in second-hand markets.

“We have received support from national and international corporations, shopping malls, schools, universities, residential complexes and citizens. Some of our partners are Digicaptions India Private Limited, Modern College, HV Desai College, St. Joseph’s Convent High School and MGM High School in Pune,” Gonzalez said.

It was observed that many people hesitate to donate funds to charity but are willing to give their used clothes.

The dearth of clothes is felt largely by slum dwellers, especially during winters and monsoons. Lack of clothing often leave young ones susceptible to low immunity caused diseases.

“Since our launch, we have collected over 5,000 bags of donated clothes and delivered them to over 1,500 needy individuals. We organise regular collection drives at residential communities, schools, corporations, churches, temples and individual donations also,” said Dhanashree Made, Social Enterprise Director of Responsible Charity.

The initiative’s cloth collection and distribution drive is their attention to detail in packaging and maintaining a

Responsible Charity have collected over 5,000 bags of donated clothes and delivered them to over 1,500 needy individuals since their launch in 2009

set standard of donations. Many young students come forward to assort clothes but they often face cringe situations when people recklessly dump all their worn and torn clothes as charity.

“One of the most frustrating issues we face is the quality of some of the donated items, torn T-shirts, socks with holes, faded dresses, ripped bed-sheets and yes, even stained undergarments. Such items are not only embarrassing, but also useless and demeaning to those who receive them,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez wrote an article called ‘Th ink before giving’ on an online platform highlighting what people should keep in mind before making donations. “Whether in India, Africa or even in neighbourhoods across the US, Europe and other developed nations, always ask yourself the following question before handing over a bag of stuff to charity: Would I or my family wear what’s in the bag? If the answer is no, then send it to the garbage dumpster because no other human being deserves it either,” Gonzalez.

Techie and professional dancer Panchali Kar, one of the volunteers said, “Donating used clothes in good condition for those who can’t afford to buy new ones is a welcome move. Not only the used products get recycled in this process, but there is also a personal touch when you give kind-donation instead of monetary help. Giving away something that you loved is more emotionally connected. Also, I make sure that the cloths donated are in perfectly usable condition.”

Priya Vatter (48) a slum dweller in Kharadi said, “I am immensely grateful to them for the good work they do. My family and neighbours have all benefited from the clothes that come to us. We sell the clothes that we don’t need and the money comes handy to meet the family’s expenses. Children feel thrilled to be receiving gifts from youngsters who dot upon them. Our kids reserve certain clothes for special occasions like Diwali and birthdays.” tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

PUNE

that visited the public school were inspired by the students’ energy and dedication. The atmosphere in the school was infectious.

The way the classrooms were laid out, each room dedicated to a subject, while the children move around only pushed the students to work harder for raising the fund. “We were informed that arranging for the books was not a big problem as was providing for expensive sports equipment and that is what these funds will be used for. It will be a great way to challenge the students outdoors too,” Jhunjhunwala said.

The youngsters raised about Rs 35,000 by selling the refreshing mint drink called MoGo (Mint on the Go!). Each bottle that served about 20 to 22 glasses was sold for Rs 250. Their cost of making each bottle was Rs 70 and so the profit on each bottle was Rs180.

Every batch of Dancing with Tigers raises funds at different levels. Participants of previous batches have sold lemonade and fruit salads at joggers’ parks around the city and have even conducted a selfconfidence workshop for underprivileged kids. After his course at IIM Ahmedabad, Jhunjhunwala worked for a while at a regular corporate job with IBM and gave that up to start business with his mother Ruby who is an artist.

They set up a ceramic products business called ADIPA, which is presently run by his mother and wife. “The objective of mentoring programme Dancing with Tigers is to empower the youth with selfbelief,” he said. salonee.mistry@goldensparrow.com

Innovative ways to give back to nature TGS NEWS SERVICE @TGSWeekly Nitesh HUB, formerly known as Koregaon Park Plaza and Kreativ Angles, will be holding “Green The Blue” on World Environment Day on June 5.

The shopping mall will be organising various learning activities from morning to evening to spread the message about nature protection and preservation.

Speaking to TGS, Nitesh HUB Assistant General Manager (Marketing) Neha Mishra said, Neha Mishra “We have lined up four activities for the day. Beginning 11 am, we will make a vertical garden of 100 saplings using recycled good under our ‘The Sapling Project’ in the central atrium lobby of Nitesh HUB with the help of volunteers.

The sculpture is made of recycled goods collected from corporates, malls, hypermarkets. Radio City RJ Apurva, an avid composter, will hold a composting workshop at 12.30 pm. We will also hold city’s fi rst-of-its-kind “Recycled Art Gallery” where innovative articles made from recycled materials will be on display. We already have 16 confi rmed participants for the exhibition.”

The most attractive event will be held at 6 pm when models wearing garments made from recycled materials will walk the ramp in ‘The Green Walk’. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

Nitesh HUB will make a vertical garden of 100 saplings using recycled goods in its central atrium lobby

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

THE INDOMITA

Living with disability can be a burden, a cross too heavy to bear, in an age when everyone wants to look and be perfect in every sense.

But there are those who have not let the yoke of disability weigh them down, but instead, have risen above their circumstances to attain a life that is both constructive and rewarding

BY VICKY PATHARE AND GARGI VERMA @TGSweekly

T

he human body is one of the most underrated miracles in the living world. It is a perfect machine that helps one to experience the physical world while also sustaining one. But people neglect and sometimes even abuse their own bodies. Th is is so because the perfect functioning is an inherent fact, until it isn’t. Diseases, accidents and sometimes being born without an organ, forces one to identify oneself as

a d the the is t ma iso Te dis em no to to

‘I would have made something out of myself if it were no

T

The amazing world of a deaf and dumb receptionist

U

day Gaikwad, 40, walks to his seat at the front desk of the Aundh ward offices of the Pune Municipal Corporation.

He signals to visitors and asks how he may be of help and gives directions. He, however, does all this by writing. One only realises his disability when the phone rings and he talks on the video call by making actions. Sometimes he walks to the back and signals one of his workmates to come and help.

“The phone emits a red light, and that is how I know that someone is calling. When people come to our office, I welcome them with a smile, and gesture to them to have a seat. When they sit down, I gesture that I cannot hear. At times some of them do

“I have had a hearing problem since birth, but I am very happy that my daughter is fine” - Uday Gaikwad

not understand what I am trying to communicate. In such cases, if my interpreters happens to be around, they help. But when they are away, I will communicate with the person

Gaikwad at the front desk interacting with visitors in sign language

through writing. I always have a paper and pen which come in handy during such moments,” he says.

Gaikwad has been working at the office as a peon and receptionist for four years, but he has never experienced any kind of negative attitude from workmates or visitors.

Instead people are amazed by the fact that a deaf and dumb person like him is a receptionist. “Most of the people who come here, initially have problems communicating with me. But when I communicate with them in writing, some of them understand and read the basic movements of my hand,” he says.

Gaikwad says the only challenge he faced was his limited education, as he has studied only till class IV. “But while working here for more than four years, I have become equipped with the necessary knowledge which helps make my work easier. My bosses are happy with the work I am doing and that’s why they have entrusted me with the front desk,” he said.

“I think I was the fi rst deaf and dumb employee they have seen.

Besides the unnecessary attention I was getting from them, I had a hard time understanding what the seniors were saying. While communicating with them, I had a problem as they did not know any sign language and neither did any of the office visitors. So I only depended on lip reading, which I was not good at. I then started using pen and paper to communicate to them by writing, but it is not possible to write down everything,” he says.

“I have had a hearing problem since birth, but I am very happy that my daughter is fine,” he said.

ulsidas Yemgul, 47, hasn’t had it easy. He was only three years old when his family realised that he would never run about like normal kids. “I do not know how or why, but I had contracted polio,” he says. His right leg is stunted due to the disease, and affects his posture and walking. However, the tough times have not wiped the smile off his face.

A senior grade clerk at the Bandhkam Record room at Nanawada in Kasba Peth, Yemgul has been working for the Pune Municipal Corporation for 17 years. “I started off as the junior clerk at Shivajinagar ITI building. Then I shifted to two other offi ces before being promoted in 2010 and shifting here,” he explains with a smile. Even though understaffed and dilapidated, his offi ce room is neatly organised. Clearly, here is a man who loves what he does.

“We have all the old records of sale deeds and other documents of any construction of this division. Nearly 40-50 people come here daily enquiring about their old documents. My work is to fi nd the documents, give them for a certain time period and then, once they are

“I have been lucky that I have been treated on par with the other employees” - Tulsidas Yemgul

Tulsidas Yemgul sits at his bench all

returned, to replace the documents in the right fi le at the right spot,” he explains. Not a cushy arm-chair job, it is a dual job of handling people who are generally harrowed and frustrated and moving around in two rooms, trying to locate age old fi les. “Sometimes, we don’t fi nd some fi les. Sometimes the pages have been damaged over the years. People don’t take to that kindly,” he says, patiently.

“However, our job is to sift from whatever document we have here and guide people onward. We try our best to remain calm,” he says, speaking also for his assistant.

He believes that he has met good people more often than not. “No one has ever taunted or made fun of my disability. I have been lucky that I have been treated on par with the other employees,” he says in a serious tone. “When I was to join, I was very sceptical about everything. I was worried if I would be made fun of, or if people would shun me. However, that hasn’t happened till date,” he says. Sure, he has his bad days, but they are few and far in between.

“Once or twice in a month someone comes up and behaves rudely. Their frustration at not being able to fi nd their documents angers them, and sometimes even I am slow. So some people do lose their tempers,” he says. He, however, never lets bad temper take its toll on him. “They almost always never mean to hurt. It’s because they are worried or frustrated. It is work,” he says.

The two-room offi ce in the heritage structure of Nanawada, is not a disabled-friendly offi ce at all. Two sets of stairs lead one from the main gate to the Bandhkam offi ce. These stairs, however, do nothing to diminish the indomitable spirit of Yemgul. “Work starts sharp at 9 am and I leave around 5 pm,” he says. The renovation work

going office doesn here K some he ha gradu becau and g a sma sourc famil office and s “I My e with young son is about curre of the a cert stude “I askin grow been myse crib a

HOW MANY OF US CAN L

H

The two best friends have been together since school, have done almost everything together and are inseparable. Even their families have now become closely intertwined

ai apna dil to awaara, Narayan Chinchavade croons in a carefree style. But when he performs the same in front of hundreds of people, whose faces he can’t even see, it is not easy. He has performed in nearly all districts across Maharashtra, and music is not even his profession. Narayan is one of the few people who have learned to live carefree despite his blindness.

A history teacher at the Kasturba Gandhi Municipal School at Koregaon Park, he has been teaching children for 12 years.

Originally hired to teach the blind students who attended the school, he started teaching ‘visually normal’ children in 2009. “I teach them all subjects, as it is a primary school and the course work is not difficult. It is perhaps, one of the most satisfying aspects of my life,” he says. “Children are the best any human can aspire to be. They don’t have the dogmas that we carry around all the time. In fact, all they do is reciprocate. I treat them with affection, dedication and respect and they love me back,” he explains, with a smile. “I have never had a bad day, not one in the past 12 years, on account of my students. The same cannot be said about the grown-ups however,” he says ruefully.

Narayan always wanted to become a teacher, but he realised his dreams only when he crossed the threshold of 40. “I had been through two jobs, a business and I was fi nally looking for a semblance of stability,” he says

with a smile. He had worked operator at the Taleras office sin junior college. “I shifted to a pri in 1995 and shortly after that, operator was consumed by tec says. Since handling telephones vocational skill he had learnt a stuck to it and started a phone b that he ran for nearly ten years. “I working alone, as I did not know would react to me,” he says.

It was his best friend Gautam pushed him to do a Diploma i “Gautam and I have been best frie fi rst day at school. We went thr college together, even got marrie time and our children were also the same time,” he laughs. Kam teacher in the government’s bli Kolhapur, has been a teacher fo years. “When we had done every why not our jobs too,” he says.

Both Gautam and Naraya born blind. “I contracted small was three. The disease affected m lost my eyesight,” explains Nara lost his sister to the disease. G similar story. “I lost my eyesight It thankfully, did not affect anyo family,” he adds. However, both turned this into a plus point, t guidance they got early on in l school, we were taught music from

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

ABLE HUMAN SPIRIT

disabled human. Disability forces people to modify eir lives and finding multiple alternatives for even e simplest tasks becomes the norm. Adding to that the social stigma around being disabled which makes atters worse, pushing disabled people to the verge of olation and despair. But this is not always the case. eam TGS spoke to people who are not only living with sabilities, fighting a new war every day, but are also merging as winners. They are the exceptions who have ot let their handicaps shackle them, but have managed make their lives a boon to others. They are testimony the indomitable human spirit.

l day, handling people with different temperaments

g on at the site makes it one of the less ergonomic es. “It has been on for some time now. But it n’t bother us. It might bother the people who come though,” he laughs.

Known to his other friends and colleagues as eone who helps others by going out of his way, as not had a lavish lifestyle. “I have done my uation in Arts from University of Pune. However, use of my leg I did not wish to continue education getting a job was also not an easy feat. So, I started all Xerox shop at Padmavati and that was my only ce of income for many years. However, one day a ly friend told me about the openings in government es. I applied, since government jobs are way better secure than a Xerox shop,” he explains.

I have two elder sisters, both of whom are married. elder brother works at a bank. Our parents stay me, my wife and our two sons,” he says. His ger son is awaiting his matric results and his elder s pursuing Bachelor in Microbiology. Talking t his son’s career, he says, “It is great that the ent generation has so many new options in front em. When we were studying, it was all about tain course. These days, degrees also cater to a ent’s interest and not only the herd mentality.”

I wish I had never contracted polio, but that is like ng for time to move back. So, now, I have sort of wn accustomed to it. Obviously, my life would have different, I would have also made something of elf. However, what’s done is done, and one can’t about one’s entire life,” he says with a faint smile.

PICS BY RAHUL RAUT, AND VISHAL KALE

ot for Polio’

“They know that I do my work as per the protocols of our office and follow the norms” Kalbande attending a Phone Call a part of his daily routine work

Getting over the handicap of blindness and leading a constructive life

T

he real problem of blindness is not the blindness itself, but what the members of the general public think about it. The blind, too, are part of our society. The blind are not psychologically or mentally different from people with normal eyesight. They are neither especially blessed nor especially cursed. They need jobs, opportunity, social acceptance, and equal treatment, not pity and custody.

Sadanand Kalbande, 31, is an example of how a visually impaired person has overcome his disability and now is an ideal for society and his co-workers. Kalbande was blind in his left eye since birth, and owing to glaucoma, he lost sight in his right eye at the age of 14.

“I belong to a poor family. After conducting primary tests, the doctors told my parents that I was suffering from glaucoma, and would have to undergo a surgery. My parents, after a long struggle, somehow managed to raise the Rs 60,000 needed for the surgery, by borrowing from friends and relatives. Rs 60,000 was a very big amount for us, 17 years ago,” said Kalbande.

“But when the final tests were done prior to the surgery, the doctors from Ganpati Netralay, Jalna, said that it was too late, that the surgery would be of no use, and that I had lost my sight forever,” he said.

Kalbande has been working at the Food Distribution Office (FDO), Pune, for two years, and is pursuing his second year in MA. Because of his disability, his duties have been altered by his seniors, who have allotted him other work. His work profi le includes duties of telephone operator, receptionist and sometimes he even works as secretary to the FDO. He interacts with People and provides guidance to more than 200 people on an average in an eight-hour working day.

Kalbande guides and informs people who visit the FDO, about which officer is available in the office, and when she/he will be coming to office. About 50 people on average visit the office daily, and he attends to more than 150 phone calls a day. He also conveys messages of all the officers and subordinates. He also always knows his boss’s

LAUGH OVER OUR SHORTCOMINGS?

as a telecom nce he was in ivate company the job of an chnology,” he was the only ll his life, he ooth at Nigdi was confident w how people

“It is due to our love for music and empathy towards our blind brethren, who despite qualifications don’t get jobs”

m Kamble who in Education. ends since our rough school, ed at the same o born around mble, a music ind school at or the past 25 thing similar,

an were not l pox when I my eyes and I ayan. He even Gautam has a t to a disease. one else in my of them have thanks to the ife. “In blind m the fi rst day

- Sadanand Kalbande

- Gautam Kamble

of school. I loved those classes, they helped me to soothe myself over everything,” Narayan recounts. “I also had a teacher, Vijay Doke. He was blind too and he is the biggest inspiration in my life. So, whenever I feel hesitant about facing a new bunch of people, I think if Vijay

sir could, even I can,” he adds with a grin, Narayan’s wife suffers from a retinal condition that has reduced her visibility to zero. “She was partially blind when we were married, but now she can’t see anything,” he explained. Did it affect their daughters that

whereabouts.

Kalbande is always busy, attending to visitors or answering phone calls. “I have a lot of responsibility as we receive phone calls from important people like corporaters, Members of Legislative Assembly and even Members of Parliament. I have to calm them down as such dignitaries are often upset if I tell them that Madam (the Food Distribution Officer) is not in office. At times they are also abusive,” he said.

In August 2015, a caller had registered a complaint against him on baseless allegations. Kalbande said, “The person had complained against me, saying that I ask a lot of questions, and ask for details about the reason for the call. People here are assigned different work, and how can I guide him or transfer the call of a person without knowing their actual work? If I don’t know the exact problem, how can I transfer the call to the respective person?

“The office staff, my seniors and Madam Nilima Dhaygude, the FDO, have always stood by my side and supported me. They know that I do my work as per the protocols of our office and follow the norms,” said Kalbande. His senior Laxman Bagade helped him find a writer for the Services Selection Board exam last year, which he passed, scoring more than 65 per cent marks.

both of their parents couldn’t see? “It did, but it made them good humans. They have been very understanding. They have seen people helping us through our lives so they have grown up with the sense of giving back to society. They have also seen us struggle, so they respect us for that. Yes, there have been good, bad and ugly moments, but then all parents face that,” he answers.

Narayan and Gautam, in a bid to help other blind people who do not manage to secure a job, have started Swarangan Drishtiheen Sanstha. “We do full, three-hour orchestra shows, where 25 blind men perform the songs. We also run classes for all, and charge a nominal fee for that,” explains Gautam.

“We don’t do it for profit.

In fact, we don’t get any profit out of this and keep spending money from our salaries. It is due to our love for music and empathy towards our blind brethren, - Narayan Chinchavade who despite qualifications don’t get jobs,” he adds.

“I have been teaching able children for years now. My students have grown up and made something of their lives. I think that is the biggest take-away for me. They come and tell me that it is because of me, because of my guidance that they have succeeded and I feel a wave of gratitude washing over all my wounds that being blind has caused me,” he says with obvious emotion. “We can all crib about the shortcomings, how many of us can laugh over them?” he says.

Bagali never falls short of the target he is expected to achieve

‘People often express pity and consider the disabled a burden to society, which is wrong’

M

anoj Bagali, 45, does not let disability hold him back when it comes to pursuing his goals. He was affected by polio at the young age of eight, after being deprived of vaccination. He works as a sorting assistant at the business post centre at Vishrambaugwada, Pune.

His window of opportunity came when he was selected at the Regional Post office (RMSB Division) Pune in 1994. In spite of his 75 per cent disability, he has never looked back. In quite an achievement, he completed his Masters degree in Computer Management (MCM) while working at the division office.

“I was working at the division office and had a graduate degree.

But I always wanted to complete a master’s degree in computers.

I requested my department to provide me a convenient shift time. Normally there are three shifts, but the night shift was the most comfortable and convenient for me. The officers agreed to provide me the convenient timing to help me complete the degree.

And he made the most of the opportunity by completing the master’s degree with a high percentage. The credit also goes to my subordinates who gave me invaluable help and support while pursuing the degree,” he said.

Bagali holds a key position in his office and his comprehensive computer knowledge and skills have made his work easier. He deals with customers and clients on a regular basis. Bagali looks after the revenue transactions of the postal department, and never falls short of the target collection, and he has received much appreciation from his department. His work involves preparing confidential reports, presentations, collection of revenue on behalf of the postal department from government, semi-government and private fi rms.

“In regular day-to-day work, I have never had any bad experience. My co-workers are

“We can all crib about the shortcomings, how many of us can laugh over them?”

“In regular day-to-day work, I have never had any bad experience” - Manoj Bagli

always helpful in my work which involves physical movement and power,” he said.

“People often express pity and consider the disabled a burden to society, which is wrong,” he said.

He urges all parents to vaccinate their children against polio, to save them from the disability and unending torment.

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

TECH/START-UP

‘‘A researcher at Cornell University has created a robot that “evolves”. Through a clever algorithm, it spends its days creating better versions of itself.’’

— http://crazyfacts.com/

The enemy within Shut the door and shut out the world and its problems. Used to work once, when your home was your castle, with a moat (preferably populated by a croc or two) surrounding it.Sorry folks, that’s all history and myth. The world comes creeping in today -- or if it is polluted air, seeping in, through every crack and crevice.

Two days ago, the Central Pollution Board submitted a report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the air quality status in 15 Indian cities -- specifically about Particulate Matter (PM) -- the term experts use for what you and I call dust, dirt, smoke and soot. The Usual Suspects are always there in any Indian name-andshame list, with top honours of the dubious kind for metros like Delhi, Hyderabad, Bangalore. But the latest CPB list will jolt places like Pune out of any complacency: yes PM may be falling here, but please hold back the taalis: When it comes to Nitrogen Dioxide, Pune is in the company of a small group including Patna, Amritsar and Kolkata, where things are actually getting worse.

N2O pollution is mainly due to road traffic and vehicular exhausts -- now we can see why Pune is racing to the future, backwards.

It decreases lung function and increases the risk of respiratory symptoms such as acute bronchitis, cough and phlegm, particularly in children. And you don’t have to be a traffic cop to be vulnerable. Like PM, it comes uninvited inside your home, along with PM in all its avatars.

For a year or two, indoor air purifiers have been available in India, but it is only this year

that they have been marketed aggressively, especially in the more polluted cities. They come in home models, in a wide price band from Rs 9000 to Rs 50,000 and lay citizens have been asking if they need them, if they make a difference and for whom. Here’s our sober take: Yes air quality even indoors is degrading alarmingly in many cities, so the argument that “my grand parents lived to be 90 in this same home, without such fancy stuff”, may no longer be valid. We are more prone than ever to respiratory ailments and by ‘we’ one means especially the very young and the old who are more vulnerable. If you happen to live in an apartment or house that is right on a busy road, or near a smoke emitting industry, chances are you are more in danger of the effects of air pollution, even if you stay indoors. For children and the aged, an air purifier under such circumstances will provide definite relief and may prevent frequent visits to the clinic.

All air purifiers improve the air quality, some better than others. The basic function of the air purifier is to filter out the particulate matter for which they use what is known as a HEPA --High Energy Particulate Arrester -- filter.

This is usually classified as a PM 2.5 filter which means it can remove particles of dust, soot and smoke up to and larger than 2.5 micrometres in size. Just to give you an idea, a human hair is 100 micrometres in thickness or 40 dust particles in a row. Truly dust is the unseen enemy!

All particles smaller than PM10 or ten micrometres pose a health concern because inspite of the human body’ own filtering mechanisms, they are

Indians top score on well-being at workplace P 12

Air pollution is not all outdoors. The poison is creeping into your home. Is an indoor Air Purifier the high-tech answer? On the eve of World Environment Day, June 5, we look at some of the issues and options

small enough to be inhaled, The smaller particles up to PM 2.5 can go straight to the lung and do maximum damage.

Indoor Air Purifiers depending on the make, also come with some other filtering mechanisms: courser filters to take off visible dust; ultra violet ray generators to kill some ( not all) germs; special filters to address fungal spores and pollen which many people find allergic; active carbon to absorb bad odours -- even a bit of Vitamin C to deodorize the air.

We looked at some leading models of indoor air purifiers and here are their key features and prices: Philips was one of the first to bring air purifiers to India and its products are backed by strong medical and engineering teams. Last week the company added to its portfolio with a new home air purifier, the Series 3000, with its proprietary Aerasense technology which addresses PM2.5 as well as common allergy-sources like pet dander and dust mites and unlike many other models, provides a real time digital LED feedback of how well the purification is working. It is good for up to 760 square feet of space and costs Rs 32,995.

According to a market survey by 6Wresearch in January 2016, the market leader for air purifiers in India is Sharp with a 23% share. The company’s FPF40E-W model, has a plasma ion generator in addition to HEPA and active carbon filters to specifically take on moulds and fungi. In sleep mode it emits less noise. Good for a 300 sq. ft room, it costs Rs 24,990.

Eureka Forbes best

known for vacuum cleaners and water filters, have multiple models of their Dr Aerogard air purifier for rooms from 100 sq.ft to1040 sq.ft. The entry level SCPR100 has the usual HEPA, anti allergen, carbon and large dust filters. It also boasts a therapeutic filter that fills the air with Vitamin C! It is one of the least priced models at Rs 8990 -- but remember it is for a small room. The SCPOR 700 model for 650 sq ft costs Rs 24,990.

Kent whose RO Filter is a flagship product, have launched two models of air purifier -- Aura and Eternal, for 270 sq. ft. ( Rs 15,950 and 377 sq. ft. ( Rs 22,000) respectively. Like their water filters these are 3-stahe filtering systems and Aura usefully has a child lock feature.

Atlanta Healthcare has recently launched two models. Beta 350 ( Rs 14,950) and Universal 450 ( Rs 26,950) for 350 and 450 sq. ft rooms respectively.

They use Atlanta’s multi stage filtration technology called iCluster.

Honeywell’s AirTouch is meant for a 270 sq.ft room. Like all air purifiers its HEPA filter claims to remove 99% of PM2.5 particles. It boasts a patented HiSiv filter with a honeycomb design and its USP is that you can replace the filter yourself. ( Rs 29,990).

The only air purifier we found that was wall mountable was Panasonic’s F-PXL 45 for Rs 31,995.

It features a touch panel remote control.

Somewhere in this, you may find a model that fits your purse and your needs. Here’s to clean and pure living!

IndiaTechOnline

High Five to G5!

SpiderG: Weaving a web of financial efficiency

It’s raining smart phones these days! With a new device being launched every week by different manufacturers, buyers are spoilt for choice. So what does a smart phone maker do to capture attention? Maybe LG, the Korean manufacturer has got the answer with its newly launched G5. We got to experience the device at its launch event in Delhi earlier in the week and here are our first impressions.

The LG G5 packs some innovative features like modular design, which allows you to plug different hardware to the phone. Depending on what you wish to use it for.

If you love to accessorize and do different things with your phone then this phone might catch your attention. LG has released a set of modules to go with the G5. One of them is the LG Cam Plus, a camera module that converts the phone into a digital camera with dedicated buttons for power, shutter, record, zoom, LED indicator. This needs to be attached by removing the bottom bezel of the G5, which also connects the removable battery. The swapping of these attachments can be quite a task, as one need to turn off the device and switch the battery. The other modules include a VR goggle, wide angle camera and HD audio player, which can be attached to the device without removing the bezel.

In terms of the form factor, the LG 5 features a thin, metal uni-body that feels light and easy to hold. The 5.3-inch screen is neat with 2560 x 1440 resolution and 554ppi quad HD IPS quantum display.

One more interesting feature of this smart phone is the two cameras at the rear, one with 8 megapixels resolution and a standard 78-degree lens and another with 16 megapixels resolution and a 135-degree wide angle lens. This feature might be more helpful to the photography enthusiasts, who want some wide angle shots from their smart phone. The front camera comes with 8 megapixels resolution with some standard editing features. The G5 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and is powered by the Snapdragon 820 processor with 4GB RAM. The device comes with a good 32 GB internal storage, and we like that it also offers 2 TB storage via micro SD. Power packed features require a powerful battery, but LG has only 2,800mAh to offer. This we feel is a downside.

The LG G5 is now available in India and is priced at Rs. 52,990, which does not include the LG modules. We feel that it in the higher price range, considering the accessories are sold and priced separately. But you may consider it worth the asking price, if you are looking for a device that comes with some cool innovations and stands out in the crowded smart phone market.

IndiaTechOnline

alumnus and CEO, Ashwani Rathore and Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune graduate and CTO, Harshal Ingale, Gladiris began by offering services in Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP) -- but soon realised, to use economics guru CK Prahalad’s famous phrase, that there was a ‘fortune at the bottom of the pyramid’: thousands of small companies, including

BY ANAND micro outfits operating from home who may not even use PARTHASARATHY an ERP and may just depend on an accounting package like Tally or just do their own accounting.

What’s the biggest pain for any enterprise? It’s not-For such users, the team at Gladiris, created SpiderG as you might think -- finding and retaining clients.

-- an Android app which allows one to do all invoicing, It’s the hassle of handling invoices, purchase orders, bill tracking, maintaining a record of expenses from invitations for quotes, keeping track of tax obligations, travel to material purchase, chat with customers and making timely returns, internally with other staff and and reminding creditors. maintain an activity tracker “This Android app allows one to do all Large enterprises have for all such transactions entire departments to do with one difference: it’s all invoicing, bill tracking, maintaining these tasks. What happens electronic! a record of expenses from travel to when you are a small outfit If one does use an ERP and have maybe just one material purchase, chat with customers tool like SAP or Oracle, or an accounts person? accounting package like Tally, and internally with other staff and From Koregaon Park SpiderG meshes seamlessly Pune, comes a Godfather with the tool. maintain an activity tracker for all like ‘offer you can’t this comes free with such transactions with one difference:s the All refuse’: a free Android app, explains Harshal, it’s all electronic” app that promises to help but the company does charge you automate the whole modestly -- Rs 250 per month process; to electronically per user for some premium transact and communicate with vendors, suppliers and services like Cash-Cal, a consolidated calendar view customers in form of e-invoices, quotations and purchase of all money payable or receivable and Dashboard orders. The people behind it is a 12-member company -- a digital and visual summary of all transactions and called Gladiris Technologies, better known by the name financial operations. of its f lagship product: SpiderG. They also provide some paid services to banks and Co-founded three years ago by NIT Allahabad other financial institutions. Some 350 plus such corporate clients and over 150 paying customers, ensure that SpiderG is still free to use for the bulk of small businesses.

In its own understated way, the Digital Dozen at SpiderG has crafted a truly Indian solution which will be the answer to the prayers of thousands of modestly funded businesses. And not just in India: the product is piloting in the Philippines and the Middle East.

Harshal, the technology brains behind Gladiris, is a hardcore semiconductor engineer who has half a dozen patents pending. It was happenstance that brought him in touch with Ashwani and spurred the duo to make Pune the headquarters of their joint venture and attract a small but motivated team of developers.

One day perhaps, someone with deep pockets will take Harshal’s IP and turn it into the next big semicon chip. Meanwhile large numbers of small enterprises can only be thankful for his course correction from hardware -- to meaningful software.

IndiaTechOnline

BY V. SUDHAKSHINA

This Pune start-up has a compelling proposition for Indian micro and mini enterprises: We’ll smoothen out your billing hassles!

APP WORLD

APPSOLUTE ZERO! Free apps for you Bus kab ayegi!

An award winning global public transport apps goes live in Pune next week

When lakhs of visitors descend on Rio de Janeiro later this year for the Olympic Games, they will offered free a public transportation app for their mobile phone, that will help them navigate the city and all the Games venues, even without knowledge of the local language. It’s called TRAFI. It’s one of the world’s top rated travel apps for iPhone and Android -- and you can used it to get around Pune from next week.

TRAFI comes from a company based in Lithuania who work with local transport operators in hundreds of cities world-wide to localize their software and its proprietary algorithm to help people find the next bus, tram or train to where ever they want to go. Harnessing the GPS capability of your phone the app allows you to see a dynamic map of the city and its transport, showing you how to couple multiple rides to get from here to there, how long it will take, when you can expect the next ride and what stops you can expect enroute --- all very comforting info both of regular users and visitors.

We are used to taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola -nowTRAFI brings the same experience to the rest of us who may look for more affordable public transportation.

It has been introduced in India in two cities: Bangalore and Mumbai. We tried it in Bangalore and it integrates very well with the city’s BMTC service. We’re guessing they have done a similar job with PMT but it’s not live as we went to press.

You can try it out next week.

The app downloadable for iOS and Android or from the web page http://trafi.com

One tap for a taxi-even without Internet! ixigo app links you to the nearest available cab,, even if your phone doesn’t have Net connection or data plan

We are used to calling up a cab from our phones these days. Great -- except that you need an Internet connection or a data pack. Just when you need a taxi fast, you find your data quota for the month has run out or there is no WiFi nearby!

Then what?

The travel search leader, ixigo, has come to the rescue with an app that does two things: It aggregates multiple cab providers and it works even if you don’t have Internet access and your phone doesn’t fix your location with GPS. How? It uses your past history of SMS messages and earlier travel PNRs on your phone to figure out where you are, with a bit of guess work based on triangulation using mobile towers.

The ixigo cab app needs a single tap to initiate the cab search and works for many other taxi sevices like day long travel or intercity journeys. It also intelligently prompts the users prior to their journey to the station or airport and also when they have just landed or are about to reach their destination.

Find Android and iOS apps here: https://www.ixigo. com/1-tap-booking.

An inbox for your SMS Ubox, helps phone users break through their text message clutter

Say hello to Ubox, an app that makes it easier to manage SMS conversations with your banks, internet or Cable TV company or other service providers in an environment of information overdose.

With Ubox, one can separate an important message and a promotional SMS. The app auto sorts text messages into Banking, Bills, Bookings, Chats, Promo & Updates. Users can switch notifications on or off according to the type of SMS -- you can eliminate purely promotional notifications , which waste your time and storage.

The app also makes it easier to follow and manage one’s multiple accounts using SMS: requesting your bank balance, switching data packs or subscribing to new channels is now only a tap away now. Ubox also lets you block spam and with each block, the spam filter refines itself. Ubox is now available for download on Android App store.

IndiaTechOnline

ENVIRONMENT

H EALTH

Huge body size may have led to extinction of mammoths

CREDIT: WIKIPEDIA

Cooling down hot roofs by using reflective surfaces may be a viable solution, researchers say

Concordia University.

“Our research shows that any improvement to a roof that limits the summertime solar heat gain actually results in energy-cost savings for the building owner, as well as a reduction in the building’s overall environmental impact,” said Akbari.

For the study, researchers used

Tiger Temple to shut down soon

Authorities of Thailand’s famous have been accused of being involved in illegal wildlife trade and animal mistreatment

toothed cats.

Moreover, the largest animals likely did not have to worry too much about being attacked by predators, thus, it appears likely that their large size and appetite led to their downfall, researchers said.

To get an idea of how things might have been, the researchers noted that modern animals, like elephants require 165 to 330 pounds of food every day, and they live in a warm environment.

Mammoths would likely have required more to keep warm, as would others, such as the large sabre-toothed cats.

On the other hand, the largest animals likely did not have to worry too much about being attacked by predators, thus, it appears likely that their large size and appetite led to their downfall—as climate conditions led to less and less range for such beasts, they found it more and more difficult to fulfill their nutritional requirements—those that could not adept, went extinct.

PTI

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TGS LIFE

Run for... yourself

NATION

CITY

Get your voice heard on NetaG P6

No damaged goods please P3

GRANDCHILDREN SUE THE COMPLETE MAN

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

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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

AUTO,

HAIL A

CAB

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

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

Five members of the team tried hiring rickshaws for distances

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

DEHU

6

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

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

See Spotlight on p8&9

Precious man hours are lost every day at Hinjewadi just because planners forgot to make more entry and exit points. Over a decade after Hinjewadi was planned to house country’s best IT firms and saying is true. But what they are not telling us or willing to talent, planners have finally woken up to the plight of citizens. concede is that their enemy lies within. Their enemy number one They have now planned five alternative roads. But the authorities is not private cabs but members of their own ilk – many of whom are in no hurry to complete them. See spotlight on p8 & 9 are rude, refuse to ply short

RITU GOYAL HARISH

CHINCHWAD BHOSARI

4 THERGAON HINJEWADI VILLAGE

KALEWADI FATA

WAKAD

DIGHI

NASHIK PHATA

5

LOHEGAON

DAPODI 50

PIMPLE GURAV

WAGHOLI

3 4 BANER

VISHRANT VIMAN WADI NAGAR YERWADA

AUNDH

2

SANGAMWADI PASHAN

AH47

WADGAON SHERI

MUNDHWA

SHIVAJI NAGAR

GHORPADI

9

BAVDHAN

CAMP

HADAPSAR

KOTHRUD

SWARGATE PARVATI

WANOWRIE

1

NANDED AMBEGAON BUDRUK

KONDHWA

UNDRI

KATRAJ

4

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

said director of the school, who

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 yet to get a copy of the order. prosecution The case dates back to February when some of the students and the system. 2013 studying in class five walked up to their class teacher and alleged that It is upsetting their creative writing sir had touched because we do them inappropriately. The class teacher turn informed the principal and not how to face inmanagement.

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

The investigation was carried out by statements.”

DIRECTOR OF THE SCHOOL

ALANDI

AKURDI

RAVET

Sab golmal hai...

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

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

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

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

We believe we were on the right,”

CHIKHALI

KIWALENIGDI

~ Suit filed by the siblings

What a mess!

Teacher booked for sexually abusing 22 students acquitted

Parents teach them more than exams do P 10

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

~ Suit filed by the siblings

And yet no respite for commuters

DR VIJAYPAT SINGHANIA

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

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

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

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS

CITY

Truly, a tree lady P4

PICS ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

DITCH THE

GAUTAM SINGHANIA

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

RAHUL RAUT

The National Green Tribunal has asked the Centre to respond to the plea of an environment enthusiast alleging that largescale burning of municipal solid waste in Agra was turning the Taj Mahal yellow.

The green panel also restrained civic authorities from burning municipal solid waste and other waste in open in Agra and the areas around the ecosensitive Taj Trapezium Zone.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued notices to Ministry of Environment & Forests, Ministry of Urban Development, Uttar Pradesh government, Central Pollution Control Board and others while seeking their reply in two weeks.

The order came on a plea filed

by Agra resident and green activist DK Joshi, who claimed a joint study

by IIT-Kanpur, Georgia Institute of Technology and University of Wisconsin had revealed that “brown and black carbons along with dust” were responsible for giving yellow tinge to the 17th century white marble monument.

“Subsequent to the report, the parliamentary standing committee on environment passed several directions to the Agra administration to curb pollution in the city. According to a study carried out by Ajay Nagpure, the burning of municipal solid waste (MSW) releases a high amount of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), which is responsible for damaging the aesthetics of a culturally important monument, like the Taj Mahal,” the plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary, said.

It said one of the major threats to Taj Mahal was high level of particulate matter (PM) which was released into air due to large scale burning of (MSW).

The plea contends that civic bodies in Agra were blatantly violating Solid Waste Management Rules as more than 2000 metric tonnes of solid waste per day was being dumped in various part of the city besides plastic waste which was being consumed by stray animals.

“It is submitted that respondents are not segregating industrial, hazardous and bio-medical waste from Municipal Solid Waste and the same is being dumped in various parts of Agra for the last several years.

PTI

Model at the Royal BC Museum

THANK GOD IT’S S AT U R D AY

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Thailand may close down its famed Tiger Temple, popular among Indian and foreign tourists, as wildlife officials have started relocating its 137 tigers, mostly Bengal tigers, amid allegations of illegal trafficking and animal mistreatment by temple authorities.

In the first batch, more than 100 tigers will be taken away from Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno, popularly known as the Tiger Temple, said the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

The popular Buddist temple at Kanchanaburi, 140 kilometres from Bangkok, where visitors can pet and take selfies with tigers, started keeping and breeding tigers 15 years ago and has promoted itself as a spiritual sanctuary where wild animals and humans can peacefully coexist.

The temple authorities have been accused of being involved in illegal wildlife trade and animal mistreatment for almost a decade by government officials and animal rights activists.

However, the monks who live in the temple grounds deny abusing the tigers or trafficking any animals and refuse to handover animals to authorities as the

place earns thousands of dollars a month from tourism.

Suphitphong Phakcharung, vicepresident of the Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua Foundation, said the group opposed to the action because the temple had raised the tigers for more than 10 years without a problem.

The Wildlife department’s deputy director Adisorn Noochdumrong led the relocation operation himself armed with a search warrant from a provincial court.

“We are trying to solve problems step by step,” he said.

The department hopes to relocate all 137 tigers in seven days. Most of the tigers will be sent to the Khaoson and Khao Prathap Chang breeding centers in Ratchaburi province.

However, due to the temple’s attitude, Adisorn admitted that the operation may take longer than seven days.

Tensions were running high at the temple on May 30 as officials and temple representatives met. Officials have also found dozens of dead cubs at the temple site.

The temple monks plan to take legal action against the department and ask the court to revoke the search warrant.

PTI

Pollution turning Taj Mahal yellow: Notice to Centre

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

BY JAISHREE BALASUBHRAMANIAN

municipalities.

A cool roof on a new, mediumsized office building would save USD 4 per 100 square metres in Montreal, USD 10 per 100 square metres in Toronto and USD 14 per 100 square metres in Milwaukee and Anchorage.

The research also showed that cool roofs can reduce the peak electric demand of the retail buildings by up to five watts per square metre.

“Our study proves that cool roofs for commercial buildings are a net saver of energy in all climates that use air conditioning during the summer,” said Akbari.

“In cooler climates, installing cool roofs may even prevent buying an air conditioner altogether. Even in nonair-conditioned buildings, cool roofs improve comfort during hot summer days, he said.

“In extreme cases, these roofs may even save lives by reducing the risk of heat stroke,” he added.

Many municipalities already prescribe cool roofs in the construction of new buildings and for re-roofing existing buildings. Th is study proves that those rules should also apply in colder climates.

“On a large scale, cool roofs can moderate the air temperature surrounding a building, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the urban heat island effect,” he said.

PTI

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

Officials said attempts to seize the animals were always rebuffed by the temple

modelling software to simulate energy consumption for several prototype office and retail buildings in four cold-climate cities in North America: Anchorage, Milwaukee, Montreal and Toronto.

They found that cool roofs for the simulated buildings resulted in annual energy expenditure savings in all

Huge body size of some giant animals such as mammoths may have been one of the contributing factors to their extinction, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Universidad de la Republica in Uruguay analysed the major food webs during the Pleistocene - a period from about 2 million years ago to 10,000 years ago - in the Americas and its possible impact on megafauna.

Several types of large animals roamed the plains of the Americas during the Pleistocene, but most of them went extinct for still unknown reasons.

Some researchers have concluded that humans wiped them out, others have suggested that it might have been due to disease or because of a comet or asteroid striking.

Others yet have suggested it might have been due to climate change.

In the new study, researchers focused on two main features: Trophic relating to food and/or nutritional needs - and how vulnerable animals were to predation, ‘Phys.org’ reported.

In mapping a wide variety of animals of all sizes on a chart using data from the two features, the team found a bell shape forming, where the large sized animals existed on the hump, suggesting they were much more vulnerable to changes in their food supply. The researchers noted that modern animals, like elephants require 75kg to 150kg of food every day, and they live in a warm environment.

Mammoths would likely have required more food to keep warm, as would others such as the large sabre-

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

On a large scale, cool roofs can moderate the air temperature surrounding a building, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the urban heat island effect

PUNE

“Tobacco is the only legally available consumer product that causes disease, disability and death. The only officially known good use of tobacco is reported as a pesticide.”

— Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Surgeon, Tata Memorial Hospital

Cool, green roofs cut energy consumption, save money Cooling down hot roofs by using reflective surfaces can not only beat the summer heat, but also help save money by cutting down your electricity bills, even in cities with colder climates, a new study has found.

Hashem Akbari As the summer heats up, so do cities. Regardless of latitude, urban temperatures are typically several degrees higher than those of nearby suburban and rural areas.

The resulting “heat islands” mean increased discomfort, higher airconditioning bills and denser smog.

Cooling down hot roofs by using reflective surfaces may be a viable solution, researchers said.

Scientists from Concordia University in Canada confi rm that, contrary to the belief that cool roofs would not work in colder climates, they actually provide net energy and monetary savings.

“Using a cool roof on a commercial building in cold climates is typically not suggested based on the presumption that the heating penalties may be higher than the cooling savings,” said Hashem Akbari, professor at

JUNE 4, 2016

ANIRUDDHA RAJANDEKAR

“Opening the collection points will have multiple benefits. The administration will be able to get segregated garbage and citizens will get dedicated place to dispose of their waste.”

— Suresh Jagtap, Head, PMC Solid Waste Management Department

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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

light only after 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

‘‘Poverty (in the eastern region) is increasing. People from here go to western states for jobs.

Why? You have every resource to be self-sufficient. Eastern India needs more development.

And that is why all our developmental plans have preferred eastern states including Odisha.’’

— Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Foreign investors welcome, but no place for tainted money: Sebi P 14

Indians top score on well-being at workplace The survey further revealed that well-being at work strongly impacts motivation

MUMBAI: Indian employees are the most positive about their well-being among their peers globally, according to a survey.

“The country holds the record for satisfaction with almost 9 in 10 Indian employees positive about their well-being (88 per cent),” according to the 11th Edenred-Ipsos Barometer on employee well-being.

It said for India, Mexico, Brazil and Chile, the scores are the highest for all items linked to well-being at work, specifically about emotion (enjoying coming to work in the morning, interest in the job, its stimulating nature and confidence in their own professional future).

India, along with China, Mexico, US, Germany, Italy and Spain, pay less attention to diversity and integration of young people, but they also have active policies when it comes to skills development and the management of seniors, it said.

The 11th Edenred-Ipsos Barometer

ASI finds around 3,000 ancient artefacts in village SIVAGANGA (TN): A signet made of clay with ornamental design was among the about 3,000 ancient artefacts found at the Keezhadi Pallai Sandhaipudur village in this district during an excavation conducted by the team of experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). According to ASI officials, the ancient settlement at the village, which was on the highway travelled by traders all over the world once, had an underground drainage system which was on par with the Harappan system. The sewage drains had been

laid with “baked clay pipe lines”.

A team of ASI experts, including Superintendent K Amarnath Ramakrishna, Rajesh and Veeraraghavan were involved in the excavation work, which began on January 18 and is likely to continue till September this year. “The drainage system is similar to what was found in Harappan civilisation site” they said. They claimed that the settlement was more than 2,500 years old, belonging to the ancient Pandiya era.

Apart from signets, arrows, iron

and copper weapons, rare ornaments and scribbling nail, had been found, Amarnath Ramakrishna said.

“It is very rare to find the constructions intact. The findings threw more light on the Sankakala Tamil civilisation”, he said.

“The signs of urban civilisation were more in Keezhadi village. In fact it was much more than Kaveri Poompattinam”, he said.

The signets could have been used by the traders who sent their products with their seal, he said.

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on employee well-being was conducted in January 2016 on 14,400 employees in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Turkey, UK, and for the first time this year in Brazil, Chile, China, India, Japan, Mexico and US. “In a sometimes difficult economic context, employee engagement is central to the sustainable performance of organisations. In its capacity of observer of the job market, we listen closely to companies to improve their efficiency, in particular in terms of human resources.

“To that end, the Edenred-Ipsos Barometer is a preferred tool for determining the needs of employees and allows us to

think about developing specific HR actions,” Edenred Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jeanne Renard said.

The survey further revealed that wellbeing at work strongly impacts motivation.

Amongst a workforce of 15 major economies, the survey found that 71 per cent of employees are positive about their well-being at work.

The survey shows that all countries combined, employees are more satisfied with items related to environment while scores related to appreciation and emotion are lower.

PTI

DOWN TO THE WATERLINE

A herd of sheep quench their thirst in a canal as a woman washes her clothes, on the outskirts of New Delhi

Stories in matchboxes Doctors’ retirement age raised to 65 NEW DELHI: Collecting matchboxes is a hobby for many people, but for the 50-something-year-old Gautam Hemmady who is engaged in building an archive of sorts using matchbox labels, it means much more.

Hemmady, who has been fascinated with matchboxes ever since he was a child took to serious collecting from the year 2012 and has been engaged in accumulating an assortment of matchboxes, matchbox labels, wrapping packets, bags and carton labels as well.

“It is a cheap hobby but not an easy one,” says the collector who has put up an exhibition ‘Matchbox Labels and the Stories they Tell’ at the India International Centre here.

“I don’t know what actually inspired me to do so. As far as I can think of, this was fascinating for me even as a boy.

“Important information is fading away because no one is preserving them. No one wants to study the stories in these matchboxes. I have so much data that I can even analyse how the package of the matchbox of a particular company changed with time,” says Hemmady.

While he is unsure of the exact

number of the matchboxes in his possession, he says it can be estimated to be some 25,000, much of which has been displayed.

E a c h matchbox, he Gautam Hemmady says, has a unique story to tell and “not everyone maybe able to understand them.” The design and pattern of the various matchboxes are fascinating to serious hobbyists like Hemmady, whose collection of matchbox labels from the 1890s till the present date.

The city-based collector says he did a lot of research into piecing together the trends in the design and packaging of matchboxes.

For the last 200 years the basic design of a standard sized matchbox has not changed.

“It is however, very difficult to collect information on the subject because manufacturers and dealers are not very forthcoming,” says Hemmady.

PTI

NEW DELHI: Superannuation age of all doctors in Central Health Service has been enhanced to 65 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said about the decision that will benefit about 4,000 doctors. “Central Government has decided to enhance superannuation age of all doctors in Central Health Service to 65 years with effect 31st May 2016,” he tweeted.

“With this step, we retain our experienced doctors for a longer period & provide quality health services to citizens, particularly the poor,” Modi added in another tweet.

There are about 4,000 doctors under the Central Health Service, according to the Health Ministry website.

Modi had announced at a rally in Saharanpur on May 26 that the Union Cabinet will take a decision within a week to raise the retirement age for doctors to 65 years “whether in states or

government of India”.

Health Minister JP Nadda said the step will empower the government to strengthen the healthcare sector in the country. “This will enable the government to retain experienced doctors for a longer period, and to provide better services in its public health facilities, particularly to the

poorest, who are entirely dependent on public facilities,” he said.

Modi had said at the May 26 rally that there is a need for more doctors across the country but it was not possible to fill the gap in two years.

“There is a shortage of doctors. In government hospitals, their retirement is 60 years in some states, 62 in some others. If adequate numbers of medical institutes were there, then we would have more doctors and would not feel the shortage. It is difficult to make doctors in two years but poor families cannot be forced to live without doctors.

“Therefore from Uttar Pradesh, I want to announce this to my countrymen that this week our government’s Cabinet will take a decision and the retirement age of our doctors, whether in states or government of India, would be made 65 years instead of 60 or 62,” he said.

PTI

IAS officer gets show cause for FB comment BHOPAL: IAS officer Ajay Singh Gangwar, shunted out as district collector after he praised Jawaharlal Nehru on Facebook, has been issued a show cause notice by Madhya Pradesh government for allegedly advocating a ‘jankranti’ (people’s revolution) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi through another post.

The state government slapped the notice on Gangwar through an e-mail to him for allegedly ‘liking’ a post against the Prime Minister in January and commenting, “Modi ke khilaf jankranti honi chaia (sic)”, a charge refuted by the 55-year-old IAS officer.

Gangwar contested the charge stating he had neither posted nor ‘liked’ anything against Modi on his Facebook account on January 23, 2016, for which he was issued the notice.

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Devadasi system continues to exist despite ban: Book Malayalam book says many of the ‘devadasis’ are forced into flesh trade to earn their daily bread

Vol-II* lssue No.: 51 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.

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The banned ‘devadasi’ system, in which women are dedicated in local temples for the service of the deity and later allegedly forced into sex trade, still exists in many parts of India, according to a new book.

“Visudha Papangalude India” (India: The Land of Holy Sins), a Malayalam book which will hit the bookstores soon, says many of the ‘devadasis’ are forced into flesh trade to earn their daily bread as they are denied a normal family life.

Journalist-turned-writer Arun Ezhuthachan unveils in the book, the plight and painful struggle of marginalised women, including ‘devadasis’, who are subjected to various kinds of exploitation in the name of rituals and religious practices.

“We talk about various kinds of exploitation and harassment against women. But the problems of marginalised groups like devadasis are different,” Arun said.

“It is really shocking to know that women are exploited in the name of centuries-old rituals and religious customs even now, in this 21st century. The painful saga of widows of Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, who are destined to live as Lord Krishna’s beloved Radha, is also not different,” he said.

The book, published by DC books, also throws light into the life and problems faced by sex workers in redlight areas in the country, including Kamathipura and Sonagachi.

The interview with some of the widows of Vrindavan, who reach the temple town after being ostracised by their families and society, gives a grim picture about the life of marginalised women in the modern India.

“As per law books, the devadasi system is not in practice anywhere in the country and it was banned by law in all states in different periods.

But I met a number of young women who had been dedicated to deities in

recent times in rural villages of states like Karnataka,” Arun, a reporter with Malayala Manorama daily, said.

As they were not allowed to marry anybody or led a normal family life, many of them were forced to turn to flesh trade either in their own villages or in red light areas in cities, he said.

According to the book, as per official figures, as many as 46,000 former devadasis have been identified in Karnataka alone, adding, they are getting a meagre pension of Rs 500 per month.

The book claims that a section of forward class communities wanted the continuation of the devadasi system.

According to the book, there are some groups who help the victims with an eye on religious conversion.

“The book is an outcome of seven years of my research and frequent travels which I undertook in seven states of the country. It is expected to help readers get the realistic picture of marginalised women and their sufferings,” the writer said.

PTI

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

‘Paltan must win the title this time’ P 16

‘‘India has a substantial economic relationship with Morocco on account of the large quantity of phosphate which is imported by India and is critical for agriculture. Apart from this, the cooperation is also deepening in the sectors of automobile, pharmaceuticals, and information and technology.’’

— M Hamid Ansari, Vice President

British Indians back anti-Brexit campaign 81 signatories of the open letter warned that a vote to leave the EU would create “significant uncertainty” and put jobs and business investment at risk

BY ADITI KHANNA LONDON: Ahead of this month’s key referendum, more than 80 British Indian business leaders have supported Britain’s membership in the European Union, saying Brexit will have the “double whammy effect” by hitting UK businesses as well as impacting inward investment from countries like India.

In an open letter, 81 signatories who represent companies which range from multi-million-pound businesses to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and employ thousands of people across the UK, warned that a vote to leave the EU would create “significant uncertainty” and put jobs and business investment at risk. They operate across a range of sectors including financial and legal services, hospitality, consultancy, real estate, care services, retail, media, technology, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, construction and manufacturing.

British Indian MP Alok Sharma, who is coordinating the cross-party anti-Brexit campaign group ‘British Indians for IN’ in the lead up to the June 23 referendum, claimed the views of the Indian-origin businessmen formed an important majority view of the country.

“As the Prime Minister’s Infrastructure Envoy to India I speak very regularly with business leaders in

1.2 mn Afghans internally displaced in war KABUL: Amnesty International said that more than 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to flee their homes due to violence in the past three years and urged the Kabul government and the international community to tackle the country’s growing crisis of refugees internally displaced by war.

In a report released in Kabul, the rights group said those numbers are growing as the war, now in its 15th year, intensifies, adding that many of the internally displaced “live in horrific conditions on the brink of survival.”

The Taliban have been waging war on the Afghan government since their regime was toppled in the 2001 US invasion. With the withdrawal of most international combat troops in 2014, the insurgency has stepped up.

AP

Britain Prime Minister David Cameron, centre right, along with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in London Campaigning is intensifying ahead of the June 23 in-out referendum with Cameron’s Conservatives badly split over the issue of Europe

the UK and India. Their overwhelming view echoes that of the signatories to this letter, that a vote for the UK to leave the EU will be bad for British businesses, jobs and investment,” Sharma said.

“Indian companies have informed me that some decisions on future investments into the UK have been deferred until the outcome of the referendum is known and, if we vote to leave the EU, there is a big risk that Indian companies will think twice before investing in the UK,” he said in a statement.

The signatories said they believe the UK’s membership of the EU helps “strengthen the British economy”.

Their letter reads: “Some of those who want Britain to leave the EU suggest that doing so will somehow help to increase our trade with high growth economies like that of India.

We disagree with this assessment.

“Britain is a stronger economic partner with countries like India because we are part of the European Union.”

Some of the prominent Indianorigin businessmen who have signed the letter include Cobra Beer chief Lord Karan Bilimoria, Vitabiotics chairman Kartar Lalvani and hotelier Girish Sanger, among others.

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Indian firms to pay more as H-1B visa fee

BY LALIT K JHA WASHINGTON: Flagship Indian IT companies would have to pay at least an additional USD 4,000 for every H-1B visa application under the new regulations that came into effect last December, according to details published by a federal US agency.

And those applying for L-1 visa petitions would have to pay USD 4,500 more than other US companies under the new law, which would be in effect till September 30, 2025.

The H-1B visa is designed to allow US employers to recruit and employ foreign professionals in speciality occupations within the US while L-1 visas are available to employees of an international company with offices in both the US and abroad.

Indian IT firms - which have to incur an additional burden of about USD 400 million annually - have called it “discriminatory”, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself raising this at the highest level.

US federal Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posted the details of the increased fee on its website. For H-1B petitioners, one “must pay the additional USD 4,000 fee” if the company employs 50 or more employees in the US and more than half of those are in H-1B, L-1A, or L-1B nonimmigrant status.

The figure increases to USD 4,500 for those applying for L-1 visas.

The USCIS said the additional fees needs to be a paid in a separate cheque payable to the Department of Homeland Security.

PTI

Waiting for India to identify location for new NPP: Russia

BY SATHISH ANAND

MOSCOW: Russia is waiting for India to identify the location of a new nuclear power plant where six power units of 1,200 mw each will be constructed under an Indo-Russian agreement, a senior Russian official said.

“We are waiting for the Indian party to identify the location for the new NPP. These six units will be 1,200 mw each of VVER (Water-Water Energetic Reactor) type,” Vladimir A Angelov, Director for Projects in India, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM, said.

Addressing a select media conference of Indian journalists at the ongoing nuclear conference

ATOMEXPO 2016 here, Angelov referred to the 2014 Strategic Vision for Strengthening Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy

between India and Russia wherein they had decided on setting up of 12 units over the next two decades.

According to the agreement, “both sides will strive to complete the construction and commissioning of not less than 12 units in the next two decades... towards this objective, the Indian side agrees to expeditiously identify a second site, in addition to Kudankulam (six units), for the construction of the Russian-designed nuclear power units in India.”

Responding to a question on the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu, Angelov said that it generated 1,006 mw of power as against the capacity of 995 mw.

PTI

India tops global slavery index with 18.35 million people enslaved

Around 45.8 million people are subject to some form of slavery in the world

BY NATASHA CHAKU

MELBOURNE: India has the dubious distinction of having the highest number of people in the world trapped in modern slavery with 18.35 million victims of forced labour, ranging from prostitution and begging, according to a new report, which estimated that nearly 46 million people are enslaved globally.

According to the 2016 Global Slavery Index released by Australiabased human rights group Walk Free Foundation, an estimated 45.8 million people, including women and children, are subject to some form of modern slavery in the world, compared to 35.8 million in 2014.

The report said India has the highest absolute numbers of people trapped in slavery with 18.35 million slaves among its 1.3 billion population while North Korea has the highest incidence (4.37 per cent of the population) and the

Modern slavery refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot leave because of threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power or deception

weakest government response to deal with it. In the last report in 2014, India had nearly 14.3 million people enslaved.

Incidences of slavery were found in all 167 countries in the index, with Asian countries occupy the top five for people trapped in slavery.

Behind India was China (3.39 million), Pakistan (2.13 million), Bangladesh (1.53 million) and Uzbekistan (1.23 million).

The index said that these five

PUNE

countries combined accounted for almost 58 per cent of the world is enslaved, or 26.6 million people.

The Index presents a ranking of 167 countries based on the proportion of the population that is estimated to be in modern slavery.

Modern slavery refers to situations of exploitation that a person cannot leave because of threats, violence, coercion, abuse of power or deception.

The research included over 42,000

interviews conducted in 53 languages across 25 countries, including 15 state-level surveys in India. These representative surveys covered 44 per cent of the global population.

The countries with the highest estimated prevalence of modern slavery by the proportion of their population are North Korea, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Cambodia, India, and Qatar. The countries with the lowest estimated prevalence of modern slavery by the proportion of their population are Luxembourg, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden and Belgium, the United States and Canada, and Australia and New Zealand.

The study also tracked the government actions and responses to the modern slavery and of the 161 assessed, 124 nations had criminalised human trafficking in line with the UN trafficking Protocol and 96 nations had developed national action plans to coordinate government response. While India had more people enslaved than any other country, it had made significant progress in tackling the problem.

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President Pranab Mukherjee with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his ceremonial welcome at Great Hall of the People in Beijing

China’s graying society under focus

Latest figures show that the population above 60 years has crossed 220 million, or 16 per cent of the total population

BY KJM VARMA BEIJING: Grappling with the world’s biggest senior citizen population, China’s President Xi Jinping held a high-level meeting with officials after the number of people above 60 years in the world’s most populous country crossed 220 million, 16 per cent of the total population.

Xi, who heads the Communist Party of China (CPC) along with the members of the powerful Politburo of the party, attended a group study on the “state and future of a graying society”, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

CPC leaders hold such group studies to hold in-depth discussions on critical issues to work out appropriate policies.

The meeting was held as the latest figures showed that the population above 60 years has crossed 220 million people constituting 16 per cent of the total population, far sooner than expected.

Chinese capital is already feeling the heat with numbers of pensioners climbing up to 23.4 per cent of the total 22 million population.

The Beijing local government expects 30 per cent of the city’s population to be aged 60 or above by 2030.

By 2020, the city will pay out 200 billion yuan (USD 30.7 billion) in old-age pensions and the amount is expected to surge to 670 billion (about USD 111 billion) in 2030, Li Hongbing, deputy head of the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau, has been quoted as saying by the official media recently.

The number of those aged between

16 and 59 will decrease to 896 million in 2020 and 824 million in 2030, while those aged 60 and over will grow to 253 million in 2020 and 365 million in 2030, new data provided by the Population and Development Studies Centre at the Renmin University of China said.

China has already scrapped over three-decades-old one child policy, allowing couples to have two children but the policy change has not drawn positive response from the public as many fear second child will be a burden due to heavy costs of education and health care.

Addressing the study group, Xi while calling for stepping up efforts to improve health care and social benefits to old age population, also pointed to the bright prospects of the old-age business, given the huge demand for products and services.

He said government support should foster new growth points.

With the world’s largest number of senior citizens, China has improved elder care, Xi said.

However, much remains to be done and there is a quite big gap between reality and elderly people’s expectation of happy twilight years, he said.

China has the largest number of ageing population, thus careful handling of the issue holds a stake over the overall development of the nation and people’s well-being, Xi said.

Respecting and caring for the elderly is a Chinese traditional virtue, and it should be carried out in modern times.

PTI

China has the world’s largest number of senior citizens

SON DOFFS HAT FOR FALLEN DAD

Christian Jacobs, 5, of Hertford, N.C., dressed as a Marine, pauses at his father’s gravestone on Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

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MONEY MATT ER S

‘‘Privacy Knight, India’s first free app-lock is set to change the way people protect their privacy. It is the next big thing after fingerprint lock. The age of face lock is here.’’

— Ebrahim Popat, Country Manager, 9Apps

Signpost AIIB to have 100 members by year-end China-sponsored Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in which India and 56 other countries joined as founding members said it will expand its membership to nearly 100 countries and regions by year-end as it prepares to announce its first round of investment projects this month. Some 30 countries are waiting to join the AIIB and 20 of them have expressed “firm commitment”, AIIB President Jin Liqun was quoted as saying by state-run China Daily. While the US and Japan have declined to join the bank, Jin said all countries would work together, regardless of the bank membership. “The door will remain open,” Jin said, adding that US and Japanese firms will be treated equally and fairly by the AIIB.

Foreign investors welcome, but no place for tainted money: Sebi Markets regulator wants to encourage and promote long-term investments and would prefer foreign investors to come directly Allaying concerns about any further misuse of Participatory Notes, market watchdog Sebi’s Chairman UK Sinha has said Indians can no longer use these offshore instruments, even indirectly, and a strong safety net has been put in place to check any routing of black money. He also said that foreign investors have been taken “completely on board” for changes in the regulations governing Offshore Derivative Instruments (ODIs) — commonly known as P-Notes — and they have been consulted even for design of the reporting formats about investments through this route.

Sebi will soon finalise reporting formats as also the revised guidelines and new circulars, for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) dealing in ODIs, after incorporating the changes approved by its board earlier this month.

While foreign investors can register themselves as FPIs to invest directly in India, ODIs are typically market-access instruments preferred by those looking to save on time and operational costs involved with a direct registration.

Sebi rules allow certain classes of FPIs to issue ODIs after a proper duediligence process that has been further tightened now to address the concerns raised by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Black Money. In an interaction, Sebi Chairman said India

India’s challenge is to create jobs India’s consumer story is likely to be one of the world’s “most compelling” over the next 20 years, but the challenge before the country is to create jobs to “unleash productivity” of its youth, says a report.

Thanks to 440 million millennials and 390 million Gen Z (teens and children), “the sheer size of India’s youth combined with improved education pave the way for sustained growth in purchasing power and makes India’s consumer story one of the world s most compelling for the next 20 years,” Goldman Sachs said in a research note.

“However, creating enough jobs for the rising number of young people is one of India’s biggest challenges and opportunities. It is the most fundamental underpinning of India’s consumption story,” it added.

According to the report, the ‘Educated Urban Mass’ and ‘Urban Blue Collar’ segment are expected to grow fastest over the next five years largely owing to a slew of service sector jobs in retail, food and logistics.

Goldman Sachs expects fastest job addition in the Educated Urban Mass (10 million new jobs by 2020) and the Urban Blue Collar segments (27 million new jobs), with fastest income growth also likely in the same categories due to a shortage of trained labor.

As per the report, two sectors that

‘‘With G5, we have come up with a very unique concept of a modular smartphone. This phone will amaze users with its ability to be transformed into multiple devices like digital camera, Hi-Fi player and more.”

— Kim Ki Wan, Managing Director, LG Electronics India

are likely to “leapfrog” the most are Mobile connectivity and Ecommerce.

“Improved mobile connectivity will also challenge the domination of TV as a primary source of household entertainment over time, creating a bigger profit pool for content providers and mobile gaming,” the report said.

However, growth of luxury and high-end products will be limited as culturally India’s affluent consumers tend to shy away from ostentatious display of wealth.

The number of weddings and household formations will increase over the next 5 years, given India’s demographics (peak birth reached 2223 yrs ago), the report said.

Best categories positioned for profit pool expansion are: packaged snacks, baby products, premium personal care, scooters, SUVs and jewelry. But restaurants may grow faster than all.

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Sebi will soon finalise reporting formats as also the revised guidelines and new circulars, for FPIs dealing in ODIs, after incorporating the changes approved by its board earlier this month

wants to encourage and promote longterm investments and would prefer foreign investors to come directly, but there will be no roadblocks for genuine investments even through PNs. Ruling out any special concession for the investors using this route, including for hedge funds, Sinha said if some investors have a genuine reason such as ‘testing the Indian waters’ they can use ODIs after complying with

Krishi Kalyan cess comes into effect Eating out, mobile phone usage and air and rail travel will become expensive with the new Krishi Kalyan Cess (KKC) of 0.5 per cent on taxable services coming into force from June.

With imposition of Krishi Kalyan Cess the total incidence of Service Tax will go up to 15 per cent.

KCC to be levied on all taxable services is aimed at financing and promoting initiatives to improve agriculture.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has notified that the Cess will come into force from June 1.

The service tax is levied on all services, expect a small negative list.

“The levy of KKC will add extra burden on the pockets of service recipient. The levy has already been raised from 12.36 per cent to 15 per cent within a span of one year only and will contribute to inflationary pressures,” said Amit Maheshwari, Partner, Ashok Maheshwary & Associates. Last year, the government had imposed Swachh Bharat Cess of 0.5 per cent on Service Tax. HDFC Bank through SMS has already informed its cardholders about increased rate of Service Tax from June 1.

Prashant Deshpande, Senior Director, Deloitte in India said the input credit of KKC is not permitted to be used other than for payment output of KKC on taxable services.

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the due KYC and other regulatory requirements. “In the past, this route was misused by some Indian nationals and Indian corporates for getting their ill-gotten money rerouted to the Indian markets. “The intention was also to put money into their own firms so as to manipulate the share prices. As late as 2007-2008, we found some such cases and took action,” Sinha said.

“Now, Sebi has got the information

and a guarantee from the foreign investors issuing ODIs that not a single Indian has been issued such instruments and they would not be allowed to subscribe to these instruments, directly or indirectly.

Earlier, there were also cases about some hedge funds camouflaging their identity and come through this route, but that is also not possible now and Sebi has got full details till the last possible end beneficial owner,” he added.

ODIs now account for investments worth Rs 2.12 lakh crore in Indian markets, which is 9.3 per cent of the overall FPI investments — down from a peak of over 55 per cent in 2007. Sinha said he sees this percentage falling even further, as foreign investors are preferring the direct route and hundreds of new FPIs are getting registered every quarter. Even among FPIs, broad-based funds with low-risk profile account for well over 95 per cent of investments into the Indian markets at about Rs 22 lakh crore, while presence of high-risk investors such as hedge funds is very small — both in terms of their number as well as the investments.

Sebi classifies FPIs into three categories based on their risk profile and they are subjected to the KYC requirements accordingly.

The Category-I FPIs mostly include central banks and sovereign funds, while the Category-II comprises of

broad- based investors such as mutual funds, insurers, pension funds and banks. The Category III is the highestrisk category and includes hedge funds and other smaller investors. The thirdcategory of investors are not allowed to deal in ODIs, while only some in the second category are permitted to issue or subscribe to these instruments.

Sharing further details, Sinha said investments by Category-III FPIs currently stand at only about Rs 77,000 crore while their count is just about 600.

In comparison, there are over 7,000 Category-II FPIs and they have invested over Rs 18,74,000 crore. There are about 300 Category I FPIs that have invested close to Rs 3,30,000 crore in India.

ODIs are issued abroad by FPIs as market access products against securities held by it that are listed or are proposed to be listed on a stock exchange in India, as its underlying.

These underlying securities can be equity, debt, derivatives, index, a basket of securities from different jurisdictions, or a basket of all Indian securities. The ODIs include overthe-counter derivatives documented through a bilateral contract, as also the securitised instruments such as notes, certificates or warrants. Sinha said there have been two extreme sets of worries in the public’s mind.

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BRICS bank to issue first yuan-denominated bonds The New Development Bank of the BRICS countries is set to issue its fi rst yuan-denominated bonds with plans to release more bonds in local currencies including in Indian Rupee, a top official of the bank has said.

The Shanghai-based bank founded

by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and headed by eminent Indian banker MV Kamath plans to finance sustainable development projects in the emerging markets and developing countries.

The bank’s fi rst five-year yuandenominated bonds, also referred as green bonds, will be issued after receiving a rating from international ratings agencies as well as getting authorities’ approval, said Paolu Nogueira Batista, the bank’s vice president for economic research, strategy and partnerships and chief risk officer. More bonds denominated in local currencies of the BRICS countries, including the rupees in India, will be issued if the bank’s board and local authorities endorse the project plans, he said while outlining bank’s plans at the closing ceremony of the Shanghai Forum, an annual meeting of officials, academics, business chiefs and world opinion leaders, staterun ‘China Daily’ reported.

The New Development Bank (NDB) is established with initial subscribed capital of USD 50 billion with total paid-in capital of USD 10 billion. The founding members of the

Presidents of Russia Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff, President of China Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma walk for a plenary session during the summit in Ufa, Russia

NDB have already brought in capital of USD one billion as initial contribution.

The bank announced its fi rst batch of loans on April 16, providing USD 300 million to Brazil, USD 81 million to China, USD 250 million to India and USD 180 million to South Africa.

Together with the China-backed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the NDB was expected to contribute to infrastructure development, specially in the Asian region along with IMF, World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Studies have found that the Asian region needed over USD 1 trillion investment in infrastructure development.

Batista said local investors will be

more engaged in projects financing sustainable development because they will be exposed to less currency exchange volatility as bonds are issued in local currencies. These would benefit the projects as well as sustainability in these markets in the long run.

The bank has been working with efficiency and neutrality, and aims to become a global lender that helps the developing countries to grow in a sustainable manner, Batista said.

India is the only country among the BRICS countries whose GDP continues to grow above seven per cent while other economies including that of China reported sharp slowdown.

PTI

Patanjali riding on Ramdev’s image, not products: Adi Godrej There has been a lot of concern in the FMCG industry after Patanjali’s revenues crossed Rs 5,000 crore, on the back of an increased focus on health Patanjali is doing well by leveraging its founder Ramdev’s image and selling “simple products like ghee and honey”, but is still small in the value-added segment, Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej said.

“They seem to be leveraging Baba Ramdev’s image in yoga and ayurveda quite well, but most of their sales are in simple products like ghee and honey.

Their sales in value-added products are still relatively small,” Godrej said during an interactive session organised by industry lobby IMC here.

He said Godrej Consumer Products competes with Patanjali only in the toilet soap segment and the Uttarakhand-based company’s presence in that category is still relatively small.

There has been a lot of concern in the FMCG industry after Patanjali’s revenues crossed Rs 5,000 crore, on the back of an increased focus on health following the ban on Maggi noodles.

Some brokerages like IIFL have projected Rs 20,000 crore revenue for Patanjali by 2020, warning established FMCG players of stiff competition.

However, another brokerage JM Financial has opined that Patanjali’s brands are still an urban phenomenon among the low income groups and that it is yet to make its presence felt in the hinterlands, which still go with the established brands.

Meanwhile, Godrej also spoke out against the ban on diesel vehicles, saying we should instead work on technology to reduce pollution and arrest global warming.

“I feel we must pay a lot of attention to technology for containing climate change impacts. Improve technology, rather than just say ‘not doing this’ or ‘not doing that’,” he added.

Godrej further said that a lot of our problems are coming from climate change incidents like flash floods in the Himalayas and we need to use technology better to check them.

PTI

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

VOX POPULI

Come witness a unique fusion of music, as DJ Antoo and DJ Akshay entertain with a jugalbandi of EDM and Bollywood DM. Enjoy a fantastic view of the city, as you warm up for the weekend and unwind after a hectic week with an array of cocktails and a wide range of flavoured Arabic smoke.

When: June 4 Where: Atmosphere 6, Skymax Vimanagar

SPIRITED SATURDAYS

SOAK SUNDOW NERS

This Sunday, jump in the pool

This Saturday, enjoy a vibrant celebration of live music, food and beer at The Beer Café. Pune’s very

EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE

SUNDAY FAMILY BRUNCH

This Sunday, bring your entire family for a fun filled afternoon, where food, family and fabulous music come together. Enjoy a relaxing brunch with complimentary spa treatments, without having to worry about entertaining the kids. Blue Frog has in store fun activities for children, keeping them engaged.

When: June 5 – 11:30 am – 5:00 pm Where: blueFROG, Ishanya Mall, Yerawada

Abdul Ahad Naushad Student He isn’t the only person to imitate any of the legends in our country. Kapil Sharma does it on a regular basis in an unfunny way and everyone’s completely okay with it. But God forbid someone who isn’t as rich or famous like Tanmay do the same. I’m not saying everyone should like the video or that it’s tasteful, but if you can let Kapil Sharma do the same you have no right to stop Tanmay. This country will always be full of hypocrites.

Shivani Chavan Engineer Everyone has a different idea of what humour is to them, which should be respected. But I think there is a certain ‘way’ of doing slapstick or observational comedy. It shouldn’t be done in an unnecessarily demeaning way. With Tanmay Bhat’s sketch I felt like he was over the top, perhaps just to attract eye balls on social media.

Legends like Lataji and Sachin may have their own quirks but they should be given the due respect they deserve.

MANGO MAGIC AT MOD

The summers bring with them the king of fruits. Everyone’s favourite treat, there can never be too many ways to enjoy a mango. Mad Over Donuts brings three new flavours of donuts, highlighting the delicious fruit. Paired with different types of chocolate, this month definitely calls for a trip to MOD. When: All day till June 12 Where: All Mad Over Donuts outlets

Kartikeya Bajpai Writer To begin with, we are a democratic nation and not just comedians; every citizen has the right to express their opinion freely. We may not all agree with each other but that is where tolerance is needed to coexist in a peaceful environment. Personally, I think Tanmay’s sketch was just alright, nothing super hilarious. But we must allow him and everyone around us to have the room to voice and share their views. Good, bad or ugly whatever it may be.

MUMBAI-PUNE SHIVNERI BUS FARE TO GO UP BY RS 25-30

Passengers on the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) air-conditioned Volvo buses will have to pay Rs 25 to Rs 30 more in fares. The MSRTC will now be levying an additional service tax on the existing ticket rates of AC buses. A MSRTC Pune division official informed that a service tax of 15 per cent will be levied on 40 per cent of the existing ticket amount, excluding passenger tax. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has introduced service tax of six per cent for transportation of passengers by air-conditioned carriages. The Union ministry, however, has exempted non-AC buses from the service tax. “The hike is necessary because the union finance ministry imposes six per cent service tax on AC buses,” a senior official of a state-run transport corporation

PIC

OF

The citizens of Warje Malwadi area were shocked to find the body of a spotted dear (chital) near a garbage pit on June 2 evening.

The body was handed over to the forest department for post-mortem. “We got a call from citizens about the dead animal found in a garbage pit. We rushed to the spot and found flesh tore loose from the deer’s stomach.

So, there is a possibility of the animal being chased and bitten by stray dogs. The body has been taken to Aundh Veterinary Hospital by the forest department,” said Hawaldar Girish Dhapare of Warje Malwadi. Denying the possibility of poaching, Assistant Conservator of Forest Mahesh Bhavsar said, “We will be able to say anything about the exact cause of death only after receiving the post-mortem report. Normally poachers don’t work near human settlements so, it might be stray dogs’ attack or an accident.

Witness a mesmerising magic show

by Joshua Raj, a 12 year old trained and talented magician. He will wow you with the sleight of his hand, leaving you awestruck! This young boy performs tricks and illusions way beyond his years and experience.

Come prepared to be spellbound!

When: June 5 - 7:00-9:00 pm Where: The HomeSukh, Ishanya Mall

If you are working towards a gluten free lifestyle, don’t compromise on your sweet tooth cravings. Whether you have an intolerance or simply want to take better care of your health, this an excellent way to make healthier choices that satisfy taste buds and dietary restrictions. Learn to make chocolate orange cake, matcha cake and red velvet roulade in this hands-on workshop.

When: June 10 – 2:00-6:00 pm Where: Wisdom solutions, Near Ursula School

said. The state government is unable to pay service tax from its coffers and the government has no option other than a fare hike, a senior transport department official said.

The hiked fare will be applicable only to AC Volvo buses, including sleeper and semi-sleeper, the official stated.

SPORTSPERSONS TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT EYE DONATION

India is home to 1.5 crore visually impaired people, of which 20 lakh suffer from corneal disorders, and most of them are children. As per the Union Health Ministry’s analysis, India needs at least one lakh eyes to be donated annually, whereas in Maharashtra alone the requirement is for about 30,000 to 40,000 lakh eyes. Unfortunately, there is a huge shortage of eye donors in the state, as only 3000 people are willing to donate their eyes after death every year, out of which only 30 to 40 per cent are usable. To overcome this shortage, sports organiser Uday Bhalchandra, in association with the Poona Ophthalmological Society (POS), has decided to spread the awareness through the programme, ‘Awareness Through Sports’ (ATS).

“Sports has potential to reach persons from every agegroup, culture and socio-economic background. So our

Shantabai’s hairdressing skills

Reading about Shantabai’s barber shop was refreshing. It’s a stirring story of a strong and determined woman unafraid to face the world. Being a barber is a rather unusual profession for a woman. Shantabai was forced by her circumstances to take up the unusual profession, in face of the ostracism of the village folk. That she has made such a success of her trade is a tribute to her skill and perseverance, which has enabled her to earn her living and also make a name for herself. The queues of customers outside her shop are the perfect reward for a woman who has made her mark in a male dominated profession.

-Prachand Cheryl

plan is to reach the mass through sportspersons,” said Bhalchandra.

“Pune hosts several national, international tournaments every year. So our plan is to appeal to them to extend their response by taking an oath and the decision to donate eyes,” he said. Former Ranji player of Maharashtra, Shantanu Sugwekar, Asian bronze medalist Ashish Agarwal and international water polo player Kedar Dixit and Shiv Chhatrapati awardee Satyajit Shinde (mallakhamb) are some of the sportspersons who have joined the drive.

TGS lensman’s eye was caught by the sight of this bicycle parked against a twowheeler lane sign at a toll naka on Satara Road, making for a perfect portrait

The one and only Deccan Queen

I was thrilled and absolutely delighted to read a two-page spread on Pune’s most iconic train, the Deccan Queen.

TGS did a brilliant job of taking the readers through the pages of the train’s history, including when the train suffered at the hands of fanatics who set fire to the dining car, but it has never lost its elegance. Reading about the train’s dining car with its age old menu, lifelong passengers and staff, was heartwarming. It was like embarking on a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, as travelling by the Deccan Queen is an experience every Puneite must be familiar with.

-Dimple Wagh

The night school achievers

The divide between the upper and lower classes is very pronounced in our country. While the upper class enjoys premium access to the best education, there are young students who are forced work during the day and attend night school in their quest to be educated. The night schools are a boon for such individuals, as they offer them a means to rise above their circumstances. Former autorickshaw driver Ashish Agarwal is also an outstanding example of grit and determination, and a desire to study, which he still possesses at the age of 33, and the support of his family is commendable.

-Sumedh Chordia

Plight of senior citizens at PF office Pune Cantonment Board’s negligence and delay in repairing the lift at the Employees Provident Fund Organisation office (EPFO) shows its insensitivity towards the elderly. How do they expect senior citizens to climb three floors to get to the PF office, as many of them suffer from arthritis and back pain? PCB is at fault, as despite numerous complaints from senior citizens and the PF office employees as well, it has still not done anything to restore the broken down lift. The PCB should get the lift working immediately and stop making senior citizens suffer any longer.

-Gagan Utkal

A new age mentalist

Amit Kalantri’s story of teaching himself to read people’s minds and his persistence in mastering high-end illusions like clairvoyance, telepathy, telekinesis and divination is fascinating. Here is a man who admits that what he does isn’t supernatural, unlike many who con people with claims of possessing special powers. There aren’t any mentalists in the city and it was very interesting to read about his journey, his learning and the kind of unique shows he does. His shows with all the elements of drama, humour, astonishment and mentalism are certainly a crowd-puller.

-Kalpak Bhandari

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.

RAHUL RAUT

WEEK THAT WAS SPOTTED DEER FOUND DEAD NEAR GARBAGE PIT IN WARJE

GLUTEN FREE CAKE MAKING

MAGIC SHOW AT THE HOMESUKH

EDM + BDM AT ATMOSPHERE 6

Mayur Ahuja Entrepreneur Honestly, the video did not make me laugh one bit.

It is disrespectful when you make fun of people who are deeply respected across the nation and possess unprecedented talent like Lataji and Sachin do. I understand that you want to be funny but its lame and if it isn’t even making people laugh- then it is redundant to indulge in such tactics.

E WE K

On the eve of World Environment Day, Gyaan Adab in Kalyani Nagar is hosting a celebration aimed at making us more caring towards the planet by caring for each other. The event is directed towards celebrating the healing of differences through a fun-filled family extravaganza.

Gyaan Adab will also be launching AfterLight, a musical ensemble which combines the sounds of acoustic and electric music across genres. The program for the evening also features a community visual art experience in which people will use art materials provided to create around the theme of ‘coming together’. This will be followed by a screening of the national award-winning animated short film Fisherwoman and Tuk Tuk directed by Suresh Eriyat.

When: June 4 Where: Gyaan Adab, Kalyani Nagar

to beat the heat as DJ Ayesha and DJ Abhishek Mantri play their energizing music. Dress in your funkiest shorts and classiest sunglasses, as you head out to sip and swim while swaying to the beat.

When: June 5 Where: Novotel Hotels and Resorts

own blues rock band Rhapsody will play diverse and unique covers of popular songs from a wide range of genres. The uniqueness of Rhapsody is the fusion of saxophone and violin as the key ingredient which adds on to make it different from contemporary live gigs.

When: June 4 Where: The Beer Cafe, Kapila Matrix, Koregaon Park

THE

COME TOGETHER FOR ENVIRONMENT DAY

AIB comedian Tanmay Bhat recently released a Snapchat video in which he presented a conversation between Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar using the application’s face swap feature. While some found it funny and to some it was tasteless and uncalled for. We caught up with some Punekars to get their take on their entire controversy.

THE GOLDEN SPARROW ON SATURDAY JUNE 4, 2016

PUNE

SPORTS

“ It’s exciting times for Manchester United, and for myself and the other players. Jose Mourinho is one of the best managers in the world and very successful, so I’m looking forward to it.”

— Wayne Rooney, Footballer

Signposts Martand, Neha clinch titles Martand Biniwale and Neha Mahangade emerged winners in the recently held 1st District Ranking Table tennis tournament at Deccan Gymkhana. In the men’s category, Martand defeated top seed Anurag Gote 11-9, 15-13, 8-11, 14-12, 11-9. In the women’s segment, fifth seeded Neha prevailed over Ankita Bhusari (2nd seed) 13-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-1. Meanwhile, in the youth boys final, Shounak Shinde defeated Shriyash Bhosale 11-5, 10-12, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9.

Aryans XI win Damle Trophy Aryans XI team defeated Kharadi Gymkhana by eight wickets in the Damle Trophy inter-club cricket tournament recently. In the final, Aryans XI restricted their opponents for 120 and then attained the target with 12 balls and eight wickets to spare. Mahesh Mhaske (43 off 36) and Shahrukh Sayyed (3-17) played key roles for the winning team. Yash Kshirsagar of Parag Cricket Academy (174 runs) and Vaibhav Vibhute (10 wickets) were adjudged as the best batsman and best bowler of the tournament.

Prutha gets top billing in state TT Pune’s Prutha Vartikar has been given top seeding in the cadet girls’ category in the season’s first Maharashtra State Ranking Table Tennis Tournament to be held at Symbiosis Sports Centre, Prabhat Road, from June 3. The total amount of prize money will be Rs 90,000. Indian Bank, Deccan Gymkhana Branch and Suhana have sponsored this prestigious event. As many as a record-breaking 1071 entries have been received for the event.

Aakanksha win rapid chess tourney National Sub Junior Champion and Asian gold Medalist Aakanksha Hagawane proved that she is back in the game by winning the 10th edition of MJ’s Trophy Sunday Rapid Chess Championship. There was a lean patch in Aakanksha’s form after her board exams and she hadn’t finished in top five as well in earlier editions of MJ’s Trophy as well as other Open Rapid championships.

But this week, she won the tournament by a margin of 1.5 points.

‘Paltan must win the title this time’

The former Jaipur coach K Bhaskaran joins Pune ahead of the fourth season of Pro Kabaddi League

BY ASHISH PHADNIS @phadnis_ashish

Kasinathan Baskaran was the man responsible for the success of the Jaipur Pink Panthers in the fi rst season of the Pro Kabaddi League. The former Asian gold medallist in kabaddi, has been roped in by Puneri Paltan to shape up their preparations for Season 4 starting this month.

Baskaran, who will be assisting chief coach Ashok Shinde, says that the Paltan team has improved tremendously in the last season.

Despite a good performance, they missed out on a title in Season 3, but considering the early preparations and current squad selection, the Paltan must win the title this time, he says.

“I have seen Paltan as a rival team when I was coaching Jaipur Pink Panthers. We had noticed some weaknesses and we tried to take advantage of them. However, with the inclusion of Manjeet Chillar and Ajay Thakur, along with some other quality players, the Pune team has overcome their weak elements. The way they came back strongly in the last season was quite impressive,” said Baskaran.

The coach who had to quit his job in Jaipur due to personal reasons, says there won’t be much of a difference in working with a new team.

“There won’t be a major challenge, as I have been associated with the

Puneri Paltan players in action in season 3. (Above) Assistant coach K Bhaskaran (c) along with Manjeet Chillar (R) and Ajay Thakur unveiling the team jersy

league for the past three years. I have seen these players in action up close, I know their strengths, their weaknesses.

Some of the players like Sonu Narwal, were in the Jaipur team with me. Most importantly, coach Ashok Shinde is a good friend of mine. We have played together in the Indian team and for Air India. And now we will be working together as coaches. We have a good understanding and that will come in handy,” he said.

Baskaran was also impressed with the preparatory camp of Paltan.

“I must say that Pune’s team management is excellent. The players are concentrating on fitness, diet and discipline. Whenever they have any

City girl Gargi wins Asian tennis title TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly

Pune’s upcoming talent Gargi Pawar was given a wild card entrance in the Icon group- Arun Wakankar memorial 10th ATF Asian under-14 tournament held at Balewadi last week. The 13-year-old justified the organisers’ faith when she remained unstoppable and claimed the title.

In the final, she defeated Mushrath Shaik, of the Sania Mirza Academy in Hyderabad, 6-3 6-2 in just over an hour. Gargi, who trains with Hemant Bendrey Tennis Academy, varied her pace intelligently to outwit her opponent.

She also had a good run in the ‘Road to Wimbledon’ final qualifying round.

Gargi started well in the Asian tournament with 6-1, 6-2 win over Renee Sharma, followed by a 6-2, 6-0 win over Sneha Ranade and a hard-fought win over Adithi Are. She created the biggest upset by knocking out top- seeded Indonesian girl Riya Uboveja in the semifinals.

Gargi was in line for a double crown, as she and another city player Bela Tamhankar reached final in the double’s too. However, this time Mushrath had an upper hand. She she combined forces with her sister Mubashira to deny Gargi a double. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

I couldn’t control emotions: Khatri The Greco-Roman wrestlers qualifies for Rio Olympics; says it’s the biggest opportunity for him TGS NEWS SERVICES @TGSWeekly Havildar Ravinder Khatri missed the qualification mark for the 2012 Olympics by just two points. Without losing hope, he started preparing for the next event.

However, despite winning eight bouts and losing two, he again missed the bus by a whisker.

But it seems that lady luck has favoured the 24-year-old, as he received an unexpected ticket to Rio after Kenzheev Zhanarbek of Kyrgyzstan tested positive at the Asian Olympic qualifier, and his quota was carried forward to Khatri.

“My father Jayprakash is a farmer and he always wanted a wrestler from the family. We all were disappointed when I failed to reach the mark for the second time. But when I heard the news that I have been awarded quota, I wasn’t able to control my emotions. I was talking on a

“The number one team in the world has to be the favourites, but that’s the thing, I don’t think we were favourites in India at the T20 World Cup so you play the game as you see it.”

— Phil Simmons, West Indies Head Coach

phone and I just collapsed. I have finally fulfilled my father’s dream by reaching the Olympics,” he said.

However, the journey wasn’t an easy one for him, as he has gone through several difficult periods.

“There was time in 2005, when I was asked to stop training by my family, as they were finding it difficult to bear the expenses. Fortunately, my coach Hawa Singh supported my financially and just because of his dedication, I have managed to come so far,” he said.

Sensing the need of the talented wrestler, Pune-based sports NGO Lakshya along with Netsurf Communications Pvt Ltd, have come forward to support him.

“We are happy that Sujit Jain, the founder of Netsurf has also joined hands with Lakshya to support the cause of sports and extend support to Khatri,” said Vishal Chordia, president of Lakshya.

With the signing of Khatri, Lakshya is now supporting a total of 23 elite athletes in the disciplines of shooting,

boxing, wrestling, tennis, badminton, athletics, chess and table tennis.

“We are confident that Ravinder Khatri will make us all proud and will give his best to win a gold medal at Rio,” said Jain.

Interestingly, he has also agreed to pay the expenses for Khatri’s father Jayprakash, so that he can accompany his son to Rio and motivate him to do his best.

Khatri was selected during the talent scouting by the wrestling coaches of Army Sports Institute (ASI), Pune in 2006, at a young age of 14. He was enrolled in Boys Sports Company, and his career as a free style wrestler, but later shifted to Greco Roman as his body structure was more suited for this category. Within no time he not only got accustomed to the nuances of the Greco Roman style, but also mastered them. In 2007, he participated in the Sub-junior National Wrestling Championship for the first time, and won a gold medal, and went on to win two more gold medals in 2008 and 2009.

In 2015, he participated in the 6th World Military Games held in Korea. tgs.feedback@goldensparrow.com

issues, they sit and discuss them with the management. It’s a very positive sign for any team,” he said.

Puneri Paltan created waves in Season 3 by reaching the third position in the league, scoring 48 points under the leadership of Manjeet Chillar.

The team is now looking forward to a roaring participation in Season 4, starting June 26. Chillar, Deepak Hooda and Ajay Thakur were the star players of the previous season, and will continue to be so for the team this season too. The new players that have joined the Puneri Paltan are Ravinder Pahal (right corner, defender), Sonu Narwal (raider), Preetam Chhillar (allrounder), Joginder Narwal (left corner,

defender), Anil Nimbolkar (raider), Jay Bahadur Bohara (raider), Ketut Ariana (defender), Khomson Thongkham (raider), Parmod Narwal (allrounder), and Gurpreet Singh (defender).

Amongst them, Sonu Narwal is a big catch for the Pune team. The DSP in Haryana Police, was part of Indian team that won an Asian gold medal in 2010, defeating Iran.

For the defence, Paltan has former Dabang Delhi captain Ravinder Pahal. The Haryana defender was the one of the best defenders in Season 2, after he made 53 successful tackles.

Though, he wasn’t very impressive in the last season, he is likely to find his form again under the guidance of K Baskaran.

“We are very happy with our performance last season and we are delighted to have some of our old players back. We are glad to have such

experienced and talented players in our team. The players are overwhelmed with joy as the opening leg of the league for Season 4 is scheduled to start in Pune, our home ground, where we feel we will get a lot of positivity in our performance and delivery. We are confident that the team will put up a stellar performance this season,” said Kailash Kandpal, team manager of Puneri Paltan.

Captain Chillar said, “Our boys are excited to play in front of the home crowd. Puneri Paltan fans always come out in huge numbers to support us and my team won’t let the Puneites down.”

Team: Manjeet Chhillar, Deepak Niwas Hooda, Preetam Chhillar, Parmod Narwal, Joginder Narwal, Somvir Shekhar, Ravinder Pahal, Gurpreet Singh, Ajay Thakur, Sonu Narwal, Anil Nimbolkar, I Ketut Ariana, Khomsan Thongkham, Jay Bahadur Bohara, Virender Chhillar, Dalbir, Akshay Jadhav. ashish.phadnis@goldensparrow.com