Bukad News

BUKAD NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:34:00 +0000

There is some good news for the suburban residents. The central government has sanctioned funds to some second-tier cities in order to aid their transition into solar cities. The cities to receive financial aid, which include Kalyan-Dombivli from Maharashtra, are among the 43 selected from across India for the ‘solar city’ programme, under which, the cities will have to meet at least 10 percent of the incremental energy needs through renewable sources over the next five years.

The initial amount of Rs 50 lakh, to be handed over to the civic bodies, will be used for activities such as setting up a dedicated ‘solar cell’ in KDMC and for preparing a master plan for meeting targets and promoting this unique programme. It is an initiative by the ministry of new and renewable energy, under a long-term plan to augment solar energy production capacity in India.

The ministry, which is executing an ambitious project to take India’s solar production capacity from around 50 megawatts to 1,300 megawatts (MW) over the next few years, has plans to identify more such city corporations with a “high level of commitment in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy” to serve as examples for the remaining areas. Around 34 cities were identified as of the end of last year and the number will keep rising in the near future, according to information released by the ministry.

The cities, which have population in the range of 5 lakh to 50 lakh, will be identified and funds will be allocated by the year 2013. Maharashtra has five cities approved for inclusion in the project, including Thane, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Nanded apart from these suburbs. The ministry aims to include at least one city from each state.

Meanwhile, Japan has also shown interest in developing these futuristic solar cities of India. Japan wants to promote “Midori no Bunken”, which aims at changing a centralized society into a community based one, in order to enhance self sufficiency within a region through maximizing natural resources (ie forest, sea, food) and energy, besides emphasizing on electricity generated by renewable sources like solar, wind, micro-hydel and biomass energy.

The two countries have also agreed to strengthen cooperation in research and development for promoting renewable energy.

BUKAD NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:26:00 +0000

Aspiring under-19 cricketers left in a lurch at trials

If you were surprised to find a huge rush for the selection trials of Mumbai Cricket Association’s summer vacation coaching nets in the under-19 section over the last two days, then don’t be.

The MCA’s coaching sub-committee has pruned down the number of centres from 16 last year to eight this year to help churn out the best possible cricketers during the vacation.
It may have been a decision to set up a proper structure, but cricketers who participated and were not picked up for the trials were left complaining as they hardly got a couple of deliveries to showcase their skills.

Take the case of MIC CC, Bandra centre for areas between Bandra and Andheri area. Around 200 turned up for the trials. “I hardly got to bowl only two balls to show what I was capable of. This is not done,” said one of them.

One of the coaches at the centre lashed out at the logic behind having just eight centres. “Two centres have been merged into one. You can’t have something like this as around 200-300 cricket enthusiasts turned out and they hardly got to show their skills.

Last year, there were 16 centres. That was better,” said the coach on condition of anonymity. “You might lose some talented youngsters. Also, you can’t blame the coaches for being rude since we hardly have the time. To pick up 25 from 300 is not a joke,” he said.

MCA joint secretary PV Shetty defended the decision of reducing the number of centres by half. “We have created a pyramid. The U-14 and U-16 age groups have 16 centres each, but we have reduced U-19 to eight and U-22 to two. We have a pyramid so that we can get the cream of Mumbai cricket,” he said.
On the aspiring cricketers being given the cold shoulder, Shetty said: “Different coaches have different style. You can’t blame the coach,” he said.

Grounds where trials were held:
Karnataka SA: Churchgate to Elphinstone (WR) & Colaba to Parel (CR)
DPCC, Matunga: Parel to Sion (CR), Sion to GTB Nagar & Worli to Mahim
MIG Bandra: Bandra to Andheri
Payyade SC, Kandivli: Jogeshwari to Dahisar
Virar-Sainath SC: Nala Sopara to Virar
Boisar-Tata SSL: Vaitrana to Dahanu
RCF Chembur: Chunabhatti/Chembur, Kurla to Ghatkopar & Mankhurd to Panvel
Dadoji Konddeo Stadium, Thane: Dombivli to Badlapur, Bhivandi to Khardi, Vikhroli to Mumbra

BADLAPUR NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:22:00 +0000

Mumbai's train trouble: Scorching heat, crawling trains make life hell

Every day, IT professional N Raja takes an hour to travel by train from his Badlapur house to his workplace in Vikhroli.

But, on Wednesday, the same commute ate into five hours of his time.

While most of the 70 lakh Central Railway commuters preferred to stay home or take other modes of transport on learning of the disrupted signal system at Kurla on Wednesday, a few, like Raja, decided to hop on the train.

“First I had to wait for 40-45 minutes to catch a train at Badlapur station. Blank indicators added to the woes as no one knew what time a train would arrive. Even though announcements were being made, trains still came in late,” he said.

Train services were running smoothly only between Karjat and Thane stations, he added.

“The actual problem was between Thane station and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST). As trains were crawling ahead, commuters were getting restless. We could see trains lined up between Mulund and Nahur stations. Many people jumped on the tracks and walked to the nearest station,” said a commuter, who did not want to be named.

He refused to blame the Central Railway for the chaos as the services disruption was due to a fire.

But, Dombivli resident Rakesh Shah was not so kind.

Shah, who took five hours to reach his office in Byculla, slammed the railway authorities for not making alternative arrangements.

“It was a minor fire. The problem could have been fixed by Wednesday morning. Lakhs of commuters were troubled because the authorities did not have an alternative plan in place to tackle emergency situations like this,” said Shah, pointing out that if the Central Railway had kept the emergency tracks between Thane and Kurla stations functional, commuters would not have suffered.

Shah said though the BEST did a commendable job by plying extra buses from Mulund, Kurla, Sion and Vashi stations, it was not enough to accommodate the huge number of railway commuters.

Autorickshaws and taxis also came to the rescue of students and office-goers who decided to not take the train on Wednesday.

AMBERNATH NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:49:00 +0000

ITC shuts down two WIMCO plant

"In the present form, WIMCO did not perform well. So, we have already closed down two of the plants. We are restructuring it," ITC chairman and managing director Y.C. Deveshwar told shareholders at its 100th annual general meeting.

Wimco Ltd was acquired by Russell Credit Limited, a 100 percent subsidiary of ITC, July 1, 2005.

Deveshwar attributed the poor performance of WIMCO to the differentials in duties between handmade and non-handmade sectors.

According to the annual report, WIMCO had posted a net loss of around Rs.60 crore during 2011-12 fiscal.

The company has already given voluntary retirement to all the employees of the two factories. The one-time separation has cost the company Rs.37 crore.

However, as the location of the two factories was good, the infrastructure there will be used for manufacturing new products the company has entered into of late. (IANS)

BUKAD NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:46:00 +0000

'Mumbai mega infra-projects to be completed by 2013'

India Gazette
Wednesday 7th March, 2012
(IANS)

Focusing on completing mega-infrastructure projects in and around Mumbai, the state government has allocated Rs.4,825 crore for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for fiscal 2012-13 beginning April 1.

Though no new projects have been announced, the emphasis would be to complete the mega-projects like Monorail, Metro rail, elevated road near the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Sahar and important roads in and around Mumbai, MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana said here Tuesday.

The budget was approved at the MMRDA's 130th meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.

The highlight would be kicking off the crucial 22 km, Rs.8,800 crore Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link, the city's second sea-bridge after the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The ammount is to be spent over four-five years.

The project is expected to be awarded by November, Asthana said.

Another major infrastructure project is the 126-km-long Virar-Alibag Multi-Modal Corridor linking Thane, Mumbai and Raigad districts.

It is being implemented in two phases -- Virar-Chirner (79 km) and Chirner-Alibaug (47 km) at a cost of Rs.9,326 crore with dedicated lanes for traffic, buses, two-wheelers and non-motorized transport.

"We have made significant allocation for strengthening our road network as well as for developing infrastructure. The funds will be used for completion of the ongoing projects," Asthana said.

He said that MMRDA plans to start trial runs of the ambitious Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro railway by year-end and commission it in the next financial year, providing much-needed relief to Mumbai commuters.

An amount of Rs.338 crore has been earmarked for the Metro rail, including Rs.100 crore for the targeted Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar stretch, Rs.138 crore for the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd sector and Rs.100 crore for the underground Colaba-BKC-Andheri Link, Asthana said.

An allocation of Rs.870 crore has been made for the Monorail, while a large chunk - Rs.1,460 crore -- will be utilized on developing the road network in the city and surroundings.

Of the Rs.1,460 crore, Rs.660 crore will be spent for Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project components like Eastern Freeway (by December 2012), Anik-Panjrapole Link Road, Panjrapole-Ghatkopar Link Road, the under-construction Milan Rail Overbridge (tentatively, June 2012), and the elevated road outside the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) (by July 2012).

Mumbai's lifeline, the suburban railway network, will get Rs.290 crore under the Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project-II, for developing various components.

An amount of Rs.800 crore has been allocated for the satellite towns/cities around Mumbai in Thane and Raigad districts, including Mira Road, Bhayander, Vasai, Virar, Kalyan, Dombivli, Ambernath, Karjat and Badlapur.

Aware of the growing requirements of water in the Mumbai Metrpolitan Region areas, the MMRDA has allocated Rs.390 crore to develop water resources.

BUKAD NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:43:00 +0000

Focus on rail safety; plan for 113 new trains, more suburban services

Increasing the fare for the first time in eight years, the Railway budget for 2012-13 also envisages 113 new trains and promises to focus on safety, for which the Railway Board will be restructured and a separate authority set up.

Railway Budget 2012 - at a glance (PDF)

The budget, presented by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, proposes a steep increase in passenger fares to help the Railways earn an additional Rs.7,000 crore during 2012-13. The lowest fare of Rs. 2 for travel up to 10 km in a non-suburban train has been raised to Rs. 5.

The Railways have planned to increase fares in kilometre terms, starting with 2 paise for the lower classes and increasing it gradually to 30 paise for air-conditioned first class. The general increase is up to 30 per cent in the sleeper classes and air-conditioned classes. Thus, for example, the Delhi-Chennai sleeper class fare will go up from Rs. 488 to Rs. 600, a hike of 23 per cent, and Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi in AC two-tier will rise from Rs. 2,181 to Rs. 2,650, a hike of 21 per cent.

Railway Budget - Key Figures (PDF)

The budget promises to increase the strength of the Railway Board by taking in two more members — one for safety and the other for public-private participation and marketing.

A Railway Safety Authority will be set up as a statutory regulatory body. The conditions of track, bridges and signalling and telecommunication systems will also be improved. To avoid accidents at unmanned level crossings, a rail-road grade separation corporation will be put in place.

The Railway Rupee (PDF)

Mr. Trivedi proposes to recruit at least one lakh persons in the next financial year, clearing the backlog of SC/ST/OBC vacancies and those in other categories, while filling all slots to ensure the safe running of trains and the safety of passengers.

Safety measures, green initiatives

Among the other safety measures announced by Mr. Trivedi in his budget are increasing the number of trains to be escorted by RPF/GRP personnel to 3,500 and integration of the RPF helpline with the All-India Passenger Helpline.

As part of the Railways' green initiative, 2,500 coaches will be equipped with bio-toilets, 200 remote stations will be powered by solar energy, solar-lighting systems will be installed at 1,000 manned level crossing gates, and two bio-diesel plants will be commissioned at Raipur and Tondiarpet.

Indian Railways - the safety report (PDF)

The passenger amenities proposed include 321 escalators, of which 50 will be installed in 2012-13, six mechanised laundries, new Rail Neer plants at Palur in Tamil Nadu and Ambernath in Maharashtra, an alternative train accommodation system for wait-listed passengers and specially designed coaches for differently-abled persons in all mail and express trains.

Patients suffering from Aplastic Anaemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia will be given 50 per cent concession in fare in AC 2, AC 3 and Chair Car and Sleeper classes. The Arjuna awardees will get the facility of travelling by the Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains.

Despite the poor state of the system and the Railways' inability to fulfil the promises made in 2011-12, the budget proposes 75 new express trains, 21 passenger trains, nine DEMU and eight MEMU, besides extension in the service of 39 trains and increase in the frequency of 23.

Mumbai will have 75 additional suburban services, Chennai 18, Kolkata 44, and Kolkata Metro 60.

For resource mobilisation and modernisation, two corporations will be opened: the Indian Railway Station Development Corporation and the Logistics Corporation.

Schemes for private investment in wagon-leasing, siding, private freight terminals, container train operations and rail connectivity projects will be made more attractive to investors. To facilitate this, the Railway Board will have a new member.

A National High Speed Rail Authority will be set up to run high-speed trains in future. A pre-feasibility study will be done for the Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer-Jodhpur corridor, in addition to the six corridors proposed. As for connectivity to neighbouring countries, the project to connect Agartala with Akhaura in Bangladesh will be taken up in 2012-13.

Mr. Trivedi announced the setting up a wagon factory at Sitapali in Odisha's Ganjam district, while two coach factories will be established at Kutch in Gujarat and Kolar in Karnataka. A plant for making traction alternators for high- horse power diesel locomotives will be set up at Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh.

Two projects have been proposed for West Bengal to make next-generation propulsion systems for use in high-power electric locomotives at Shyamnagar, and augmenting the electric loco ancillaries unit of the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works at Dankuni for fabrication of locomotive shells and assembly of three- phase locomotives for manufacture of 9000-HP locomotives.

A survey and feasibility study will be done for new coach terminals at Nemam, Kottayam, Mau and Dankuni, for the development of the Royapuram station in Chennai, a new coach complex at Panvel and coach maintenance complexes at Khlamboli in Maharashtra and at Naihati, birth place of Rishi Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, in West Bengal.

KALYAN NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:50:00 +0000

The Kalyan GRP has arrested a suspended ticket checker (TC) for allegedly cheating commuters in local trains since the last five years by posing as an on-duty ticket checker (TC). Cops also found Central Railway's original batch and receipt book with the accused which he was allegedly using to cheat commuters.

The accused has been identified as Sudhir Uttekar, 35, who resides in Guru Chhaya Complex in Badlapur (E).

On Tuesday, Chirag Taneja, 40, a resident of Ulhasnagar, was accosted in a local train between Vitthalwadi and Ulhasnagar stations by Uttekar, who-posing as a TC-asked for his ticket. Taneja, who noticed that Uttekar was trying to take bribe from all commuters, asked the ticket collector to show his identity card, but the latter then started making excuses. When the train reached Ulhasnagar station, Taneja called a constable, Anil Jagdale. When Jagdale made enquiries with Uttekar, he showed him a batch number and receipt book.

Jagdale observed that the receipt book Uttekar was carrying was very old. When he asked Uttekar about his senior officer's name, the latter was started fumbling. Jagdale then took him to the Kalyan GRP police station. "When I told Uttekar to come with me to the police station, Uttekar started pleading that he be let off. He claimed that he had taken to cheating people for the sake of his wife and children. "But I took him to the police station, where a complaint was lodged against him," said Jagdale.

The police have booked Uttekar under Section 170 (impersonating a public servant) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC. "We found that Uttekar was working as a junior TC at Chinchpokli station, but in 2006, he was caught by vigilance officers while accepting money from commuters and suspended.," said Arun Jagtap, senior inspector, Kalyan GRP. Uttekar has been remanded in police custody.

BUKAD NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:46:00 +0000

Candidates may no longer have to spend sleepless nights agonizing over election results as the State Election Commission (SEC) wants to declare civic poll results on the same day as the polls. The SEC has written a letter to municipal commissioners asking them for feedback by December 15. The civic polls in Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad , Nagpur and Nashik are scheduled in early 2012.

"At present immediately after the election process, the electronic voting machines (EVM) used for the polls are taken to a secured place. The process requires lot of manpower and security personnel to guard the ballot box. Since the voting is done through EVM, the SEC is of the opinion that counting should be done on the same day," Neela Satyanarayan, State Election Commissioner, said.

"The SEC will decide on the issue after receiving the feeback from the authorities ," Chand Goel, additional chief secretary, State Election Commission told BUKAD.

Meanwhile to encourage more voters to participate in the exercise, the SEC has decided to allow setting up of polling stations at housing societies where voters' population is more than 1000. "The idea is to increase voter turnout . We have asked municipal corporations to give publicity to the plans by giving advertisements in newspapers, television channels and cable networks ," Neela Satyanarayan said. "Those housing societies meeting the eligibility criteria can send their request to the concern municipal commissioners and accordingly the arrangements would be made," she added.

ULHASNAGAR NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:33:00 +0000

Ulhasnagar civic officials want salary as per sixth pay panel

More than 3,000 civic employees staged a dharna in front of the office of the municipal corporation on Monday. Alleging official apathy, the employees of the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation were protesting against the non-payment of salaries in accordance with the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

“The civic authorities have only been making false promises. Whenever we met officials to make them aware of our plight, we were told that the civic body was looking into our demands and will find an amicable solution soon. However, two years have passed but nothing concrete has happened so far,” said Charansingh Tak, president, Akhil Bhartiya Safai Mazdoor Congress.

Tak added that official apathy had escalated this matter and infuriated employees now seek immediate action from municipal corporation to resolve this simmering crisis.

He warned that if the administration failed to offer any solution soon, 3,000 civic employees will go an indefinite strike.

Highlighting the grievances of civic employees, he said the authorities had failed to implement the recommendations of the Lad and Page committee report. There has been no progress in the recruitment of 300 employees, which has been pending for almost a year now. Due to the indifference of the civic officials, more than 200 workers have been forced to work on daily wages for almost 10 to 15 years. Most of them are due to retire soon, but the civic body still doesn’t have any concrete plans to offer them some retirement benefits.

When HT approached municipal commissioner Ashok Rankhamb, he said, “We had formed a committee to look into the matter and we are also seeking guidance from legal and account sections to implement the recommendations of the committee at the earliest. We have also approached the state government to expedite the matter.”

Expressing concern about employees’ welfare, he said, “They are our employees and we will be happy to address their grievances. We are looking into their demands and will see to it that this issue is resolved.”

KALYAN NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Six cities in state to get solar tag be developed as solar cities

To promote renewable energy and reduce green house gas emissions, the ministry of new and renewable energy proposes to develop 60 cities as solar cities, including six in Maharashtra - Nagpur, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, Aurangabad, Nanded and Shirdi.

'In-principle' approval has been given to 48 cities to be developed as solar cities in the country, based on proposals received by the government from various sates. Out of these 48 cities, sanctions have been given to 37 cities which include Nagpur, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli and Shirdi, to engage consultants for preparation of Master Plans.
Commercially viable technology, like solar thermal heating systems and green buildings will play a key role to meet the target.

So far, the master plans for 7 cities - Thane and Kalyan-Dombivli from Maharashtra, Agra, Moradabad from Uttar Pradesh, Indore from Madhya Pradesh, Kohima from Nagaland and Aizawl from Mizoram have been finalised and the development is in progress, said minister of new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
The criteria set by the ministry for the identification of cities include a city population between 50,000 to 50 lakh (with relaxation given to special category states including north-east states), initiatives and regulatory measures already taken along with a high level of commitment in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, he said.
So far, Rs17.23 crore has been sanctioned for 37 cities, of which Rs 2.75 crore has been released for utilisation by the concerned state nodal agencies or municipal corporations.

AMBERNATH NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:25:00 +0000

8,000 ditch vehicles to celebrate car-free SoBo

An initiative to reclaim south Mumbai for pedestrians and cyclists got off to a great start on Sunday morning, with around 800 Mumbaikars ditching their vehicles to participate in a walkathon and a bike-a-thon.

Organizers, who flagged off the events at 8am, managed to keep vehicles off the 20-km stretch for the first few hours, after which a trickle of BEST buses and taxis began plying on the roads again.

While some turned up to show their support for the green cause, for others, it was a chance to get some exercise and fresh air. For a city always on the run, the prospect of biking 20 km on a Sunday morning seemed an ideal way to unwind after a hectic week at work. The event had its share of dazzle with big-ticket names such as actor Rahul Bose, industrialist Siddharth Mallya and director Abhinav Kashyap pledging their support.

However, the turnout was lower than expected. "We had almost 800 people participating in both the rallies, so it was a pretty good turnout, though we expected more than 1,500 people to show up," said Kalpesh Parekh, founder of the Greenmile Foundation, which along with the Baramati Welfare Organization, conducted the event. "The traffic police cooperated with us 100%. But since it's the first year, it was a learning curve for all of us involved. I am confident that we'll be able to spread the word much better next year and the event will be much better coordinated next year," he said.

The event ended at Bombay Gymkhana where the top 10 winners of the bike-a-thon and the first six of the walkathon were felicitated.

The second runner-up of the walkathon, Premkant Negi, who had travelled all the way from Ambernath to participate in Sunday's event, was thrilled with his win. "I won vouchers worth Rs 30,000. I think I am going to buy a top-gear bicycle with the prize money. What better way to spend the money than to use it to make a permanent lifestyle change?"

AMBERNATH NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:26:00 +0000

Two killed in an attempt on life of Shiv Sena leader

Two persons were killed during an attempt on the life of a local Shiv Sena leader at Ambernath town on Wednesday night.

Four unidentified persons, armed with sten-guns, entered Shiv Sena's office in Ambernath and opened fire at the party's local unit chief Arvind Walekar injuring him, they said.

Walekar's bodyguards quickly surrounded him and one of them was fatally hit by a bullet, police said.

The bodyguards too fired killing one of the assailants, they said.

The two deceased are yet to be identified.

Walekar has been admitted to a local hospital, police said.

It is suspected that the firing is a result of previous enmity, they said, adding police have launched a manhunt for the attackers.

Walekar, a former president of the Ambernath Municipal Council, was named as an accused in a criminal case but was subsequently acquitted by the Sessions Court.

Security has been stepped up at Ambernath, located on the outskirts of Mumbai, following the incident, police said.

ULHASNAGAR NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:23:00 +0000

MNS poll aspirants see merit in Hindi

The upcoming civic polls seem to have convinced the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray about about the virtues of multiculturalism.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray may refuse to speak any language other than Marathi, however, party leaders hand-picked by him in Ulhasnagar do not seem to share their party chief's xenophobia. The sizeable Sindhi population has forced MNS poll aspirants to campaign in Hindi.

Dinesh Ahuja, an MNS leader who may contest the civic polls from Ulhasnagar 2, is using signboards in Hindi appealing voters to join the party. He has also put up signboards in Marathi, however, he feels use of Hindi will give him "visibility". "I have installed signboards in Hindi and Marathi so that my voters clearly understand the party's message," said Ahuja. Sachin Kadam, chief of the party's Ulhasnagar unit, said, "Ahuja has not taken the party's approval before using signboards in Hindi. We will remove them.".

AMBERNATH NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:20:00 +0000

16-year-old athlete falls off running train, loses leg

Looking for an electric point to charge his mobile phone on train, cost a 16-year-old hammerthrow player from Ambernath in Thane district lost his leg, and career.

Neeraj Singh, a hammerthrow player, was in Ranchi to represent the state at the Junior Athletics Meet on Friday. As the state made no arrangements for their tour, the players had to make do with the seats they managed to get at the last minute. Neeraj booked a seat on Shalimar Express.

On his return journey, as the train neared Wardha, Neeraj’s phone battery got discharged. He found an electric point close to the door. Leaning on the door, he tried to put his charging pin into it. But, the door gave way and Neeraj got hurt on his head. Owing to the injury, Neeraj lost his balance and fell on the

tracks between Nagpur and Wardha.

Vilas Gaikar, Singh’s coach and family friend, said: “According to the rules, the junior athletes team must be accompanied by an official for an outstation sports meet. But, no official from the state was with the team.”

Admitted to Kasturba hospital at Wardha, Singh underwent a surgery wherein his left leg was amputated knee down on Saturday.

So far, no official from the Maharashtra Athletic Association or the Thane District Association has inquired about his condition or offered help, Neeraj’s family claimed.

“An official from Wardha District Association visited Neeraj once, but offered no help,” Gaikar said.

RANDOM NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:17:00 +0000

Rupee hits all-time low of 52.73 vs dollar; looks vulnerable

The rupee skidded to an all-time low on Tuesday as oil refiners and other companies scrambled to buy dollars, with the currency looking increasingly vulnerable to a swelling current account deficit.

Exposure to short-term portfolio flows, a rising oil import bill and slowing export growth have heightened the risk on the rupee and the outlook remains bearish.

There is also the increasing likelihood the US super committee will fail to reach a deal on debt restructuring, which could trigger another major round of selling of in emerging market and risky assets.

At 10:40 a.m. (0510 GMT), the rupee was at 52.58/59 per dollar, after touching an all-time low of 52.73, and 0.8 percent weaker than its previous close of 52.1550/1650.

At its record low, the rupee has slumped 16.8 percent from its 2011 high reached in late July.

"The outlook for the rupee continues to look weak at this point. The next technical level on the chart shows 55.11," said Ashtosh Raina, head of foreign exchange trading at HDFC Bank in Mumbai.

"There is all-round demand coming in from all quarters and there are unlikely to be any ranges for the market now."

Describing the sharp depreciation of the rupee as "disruptive", the Reserve Bank said any action to arrest the fall will be guided by medium-term considerations.

"We don't really have a target or a rate in mind. It's moving as per market dynamics. It (fall in the value of the rupee) is disruptive, there is no question. There (will be) impact on our import bill, particularly for energy. It's having an impact on companies and it is a problem," Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn told reporters here.

On the possibility of action by the central bank to arrest the fall of the rupee, Gokarn said, "Any action we take now (will) have to take into account the fact that these actions might have consequences a little further down the road. So we have got to balance out actions with risks or a potential increase in vulnerability later on..."

"Actions have to be weighed in terms of their medium-term risks," he added.

The immediate impact of the fall in the value of rupee, he said, will be on the inflation rate, which has been hovering near the double-digit mark for several months.

"We should not be looking at only the short-term when we make these judgements. Every action that has been suggested... that has been debated, also has potentially adverse consequences down the road. So we have got to balance out those too."

Although the RBI has been maintaining that the exchange rate should be market-determined, it is volatility that has been worrying the central bank.

"... Volatility is another thing. This is the sharpness and speed of the movement that is obviously creating some disruptions. We don't know where it is going to go, but it is something we need to watch out for," Gokarn said.

DOMBIVLI NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:03:00 +0000

Collegians arrested for robbing three

The police on Thursday arrested three youths, including two collegians, for robbing people in Dombivli (W). They took to crime to finance their "lavish lifestyle", the police added. The police also seized a bike used by the youths to commit the crime.

The accused are identified as Ajay Sakpal (20), Mayur Bane (18) and Prakash More (18). According to the police, Sakpal and Bane are FYJC students, while More works in a factory. On November 2, the accused targeted Pramod Badge around 12.30am in Manpada and robbed him of Rs 7,500. Later around 1.30am, they offered another passerby, Subhas Singh, a lift and took him to a deserted place where they beat him up and snatched his cellphone and jewellry worth Rs 24,000.

At 2.30am, they stopped auto driver Santosh Yadav near Lodha Heaven and robbed him of Rs 1,500. The Manpada police formed a special team headed by inspector Dattatray Pandharey and on Thursday arrested accused from Dawdi, based on a tip-off. "We will check if they are involved in other robberies," Prakash Nilewad, inspector, Manpada police station.

DOMBIVLI NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:58:00 +0000

Governor lessons for CM on file disposal

It's time for chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and his cabinet colleagues to take lessons from governor K Sankaranarayanan on the quick disposal of files.

Sankaranarayanan, disclosing the secret on Sunday, said, "when I was the junior-most cabinet minister in Kerala, and whenever there was difficulty in understanding a subject or there was confusion, I never hesitated in consulting senior cabinet colleagues, so decision-making was faster."

Sankaranarayanan told a function largely attended by Keralites settled in Dombivli that now files were pending as there were no consultations. "There is nothing wrong if a cabinet member consults his senior. One should not feel shy about it. In the absence of consultations, pendency is bound to increase,'' he said.

ULHASNAGAR NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:39:00 +0000

Muslims fight for burial ground in Ulhasnagar

MUMBAI: Fed up with the alleged apathy of the state government and the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) towards their three-decade-old demand for a burial ground, some Muslims of Ulhasnagar have threatened to try and bury their dead near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside Mantralaya.

With 1.5 lakh Muslims, the town of Ulhasnagar badly needs a Muslim graveyard as the community has to take their dead to Kalyan and Ambernath, several kilometres away, for burial.

On Tuesday a group of around 100 Muslim residents of Ulhasnagar sat on a dharna at Azad Maidan, demanding at least two acres of land for the burial ground. Some of the protesters' representatives at a press conference threatened that if the government didn't give them a burial place within 15 days, they would take their dead to the gates of Mantralaya and, on the way the ambulances carrying the bodies would also stop at Matoshree, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's residence at Bandra.

ULHASNAGAR NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:35:00 +0000

7L gold, cash looted from bizman's home

Ulhasnagar: Five robbers threatened a businessman's family at gunpoint and escaped with Rs 5 lakh cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 1.68 lakh at Ulhasnagar on Sunday. One of the robbers had kept a security guard confined to the building gate at gunpoint so that he could not raise an alarm.
The incident took place around 3.45 am. Of the gang of five, four entered the first floor flat ofPremchand Narwani at Sai Charan apartment of Gol Maidan. Premchand's wife and son were in the house at the time. The valuables in the house were meant for Premchand's son's wedding in February 2012.

AMBERNATH NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:24:00 +0000

Kshamata Gaikwad

She is the first Indian woman to co-author a description of a new species of lizard. Kshamata Gaikwad (24) from Ambernath has made a universal discovery of new species of lizard in Kolhapur, under the guidance of Dr Varad Giri, the curator of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

After completing her post graduation in environmental science from Mumbai University in September 2007, she volunteered in BNHS, learning the basics of taxonomy on caecilians and reptiles. In September 2008, she was given the post of research fellow when she began working on this gecko.

"I always had a liking towards wildlife. I observed that a lot of research was being done on larger group of animals whereas little creatures like reptiles and caecilians were unexplored. Thus, I plunged in and took the opportunity to explore their world under my microscope," quips Kshamata.

Her mentor Dr Giri is full of praise for the young scientist. "Kshamata has been patient and persistent throughout these years. She volunteered for a year with BNHS and travelled all the way from Ambernath to Fort everyday even when she wasn't paid a penny. We need thousands of Kshamatas to come forward and popularise the beauty of reptiles," he says.

For her part, Kshamata is thankful to her mentor. "Giri sir always cleared my doubts but never spoon-fed me; instead, he nudged me to think on my own," she avers.

Kshamata is proud of her work and yet believes in staying simple and working hard. "I am happy that at this point of my career I have received a co-authorship for a universal discovery but will be content when I will become the first author," she confesses.

The determined girl is now working in the Western Ghats looking for new species of reptiles and amphibians. She will also check their breeding season while finding out if they are facing any problems related to survival and ensuring that the species is preserved. We wish her all the very best!

About the lizard

This gecko has been termed scientifically as cnemaspis kolhapurensis, after the locality where it was discovered. It belongs to the group of dwarf gecko (cnemaspis genus) and is smaller in size, has a strange snout and a long neck. As this lizard moves on the ground, it has circular pupil and smooth scales. It also has slender digits and a shiny tail. The under side of the tail has black and yellow dots. These characteristics mark it from other specimens of this family

Fast facts

• The first sample of this dwarf gecko was picked by Dr Giri back in 2005

• It took four years for the finding to be published as the scientists had to compare this gecko with every individual species in the group to guarantee that the specimen was first of its kind

• This species is registered in Zootaxa, a scientific journal from New Zealand

REAL ESTATE IN BUKAD

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:10:00 +0000

“One can find plenty of 1BHK homes costing Rs 10-15 lakh here, which is perfect for government employees,” says Mohan Tharwani, from Tharwani infrastructure. Tharwani’s ongoing projects include Rosalie, Rosalie LX at Kalyan and Ritu World- Wind of Change at Barrage Road, Badlapur (West). “Ritu World is the first of its kind luxury project in Badlapur with all modern amenities at affordable prices,” informs Mohan Tharwani.

Ambernath is faring well with its new projects like Wadhwa constructions. “Ambernath is a blend of old-world charm, culture and modern times. People keep getting attracted to its ambience,” says Prakash Wadhwa, from Wadha group. He adds, “We have slashed 100 rupees from the booking price for Gudi Padwa to boost sales in Ambernath,” adds Wadhwa.

In Dombivli, premium lifestyle projects such as Lodha’s Casa Bella and Regency Estate have altered the perception of the city. “These flats offer high-end amenities at reasonable prices, moreover Dombivli is really well connected, has good education options, a mall nearby,” says Kishore Pishori, a CA and a resident of Regency Estates.

Interestingly, Government policy has a role to play in the emergence of these areas as realty hotspots. Avers Bhavin from Raj Group, “The home loans are more attractive. Most of these projects are backed by banks; these factors are responsible for a huge spurt in realty demand.”

There are positive signs of development in the far flung suburbs too. Neptune builders and Nirmal Lifestyle are coming up with projects in Ambivli and Shahad, which are all set to revolutionise the face of these towns. “The main advantages of these suburbs are low pollution level and affordable rates,” says Raja Rochlani of Madhav constructions.

"Badlapur has become a haven for professionals from the public sector. One can find plenty of 1BHK homes costing Rs 10-15 lakh here, which is perfect for government employees”

KALYAN NEWS

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:03:00 +0000

The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has started resurfacing roads following criticism from citizens and Opposition members. In the first phase, the KDMC has started pothole-filling work in Dombivli. On Tuesday, the work started from the Rajendra Prasad Road in Dombivli.

On October 23, a woman died after falling from a bike on the Badlapur-Dombivli Pipeline road.

Standing panel chairman Janardan Mahatre said, "Nine contractors are trying to complete the work as soon as possible."

IS IT REPO RATE OR RAPE RATE?

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 18:49:00 +0000

With our individual budget is tearing into our savings the Reserve Bank Of India have increased the interest rate by 25 basis points. This is the twelfth increase in the last 18 months.

The RBI’s aim is to control inflation, at what cost? People who have taken loans, now have increased their liability, while the others planning to invest, find their budget going haywire. Unfortunately the common man is left in the lurch.

The international price of crude oil is now 110$ a barrel. Add to this the falling rupee vis-à-vis the dollar. Obviously we are paying increased prices and likewise the govt. earns more in taxes because the basic cost is more in Indian Rupees. The govt. should fix custom tariff, excise and sales tax on a fixed price of basic crude for three years and not on their actual value. This seems to be the only way the prices of fuel can be controlled.

IS THE GOVT INTERESTED?

Will Be Back Soon

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Sorry followers, bukad has some technical problems and therefore it will take some time for further posts. Till then keep checking us out and please check our new blog http://www.factbank.blogspot.com/. Sorry for the inconvenience. BUKAD

GREAT RIP OFF BY AUTO DRIVERS ALL OVER

noreply@blogger.com (bukad) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 06:37:00 +0000

Today is the day to rip off pious citizens all over. If you happen to be carrying a Ganesh Idol and board an auto the driver would demand Rs. 111/-.

They are aware that people will not refuse lest they invite the wrath of Lord Ganesh.

I wonder how the Auto drivers are spared by the Lord. ?