Mumbai bus strike enters 6th day, staff attendance negligible

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January 13, 2019

The BEST bus strike in Mumbai entered its sixth day on Sunday with no agreement in sight between agitating workers and the management of the civic-run transport undertaking.

Over 32,000 employees of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) are on strike since Tuesday and 3200-odd buses in its fleet are off the roads.

Only four drivers out of the 2,610 on the rolls, and none of the 2,764 conductors, were present on Sunday which meant that not a single bus plied, an official said.

A meeting between a state government committee, comprising the chief secretary, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner, BEST general manager and transport and urban development secretaries, and union functionaries Saturday had failed to break the impasse.

The meeting was held on the directions of the Bombay High Court.

Striking workers have been demanding the merger of the BMC and BEST budgets as well as higher salaries among other issues.

Meanwhile, Vidyadhar Date, convener of Amchi Mumbai Amchi BEST, a citizens’ forum for public transport, blamed the BMC and the undertaking for the stir.

He alleged that BMC and BEST had failed to invest in the city’s public transport mechanism and had been encouraging an energy-guzzling car-centric system for the metropolis.

He said these moves had led to debilitating traffic congestion, worsening air pollution and life-risking overcrowding on the suburban rail network.

The BMC has been focused on the coastal road instead of bus priority lanes, private contractors instead of commuters, BESTs so-called “inefficiencies” instead of the citys worsening pollution and congestion, and convenience of private motorists instead of safe, affordable and sustainable public transport, he claimed.

He alleged the BEST management looked at its bus service as an essential one under the Essential Services Maintenance Act only when it came to strikes, but on other occasions, like when it wanted to reduce fleet size, manpower, routes and increase privatisation, it saw the system as a “non essential” one.

Thane police commissionerate logs 63% crime detection rate

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January 13, 2019

Thane Police have recorded a crime detection rate at 63 per cent for the year 2018 in the police commissionarate limits, an uptick of five per cent from 2017, as per a report.

Out of the total 12,439 crimes registered under various heads in 2018, a total of 7,833 cases were successfully solved by the police, Thane police commissionarte stated in its annual report.

In 2017, the crime detection percentage for the Thane commissionarate region stood at 58 per cent, it stated.

There are total 35 police stations that fall under five zones in the Thane police commissionarate limits.

Thane Police Commissionerate comprises four Municipal Corporations (Thane, Bhiwandi, Ulhasnagar, and Kalyan-Dombivali) and two Muncipal Councils (Ambarnath and Badlapur) besides a number of small villages.

Out of 108 murder cases, 102 cases have been cracked by the police. Similarly, out of 307 cases of rape registered during the given period (2018), 288 cases have been solved, it stated. The number of successful investigations into the attempt to murder cases stood at 136 out of total 141 cases.

Other crimes included molestation, dacoity, burglary, kidnapping, assault on public servants, abetment to suicide, death due to negligent and rash driving.

However, a close scrutiny of the report reveals that the police have faltered in cracking burglary cases during the period.

The detection percentage recorded for burglaries stood at poor 41 per cent. Out of the total 1,222 such cases, only 497 cases have been detected, as per the report.

Thane, a city with population of over 18 lakh, is part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

Mumbai, the financial capital of India, and Navi Mumbai, another most developed city, lie on the border of Thane.

The Central and Western Railway tracks go through Thane.

Kejriwal not to contest Lok Sabha election from Varanasi

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January 13, 2019

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday said that its convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not be contesting from Varanasi in the coming Lok Sabha elections hence the party will field a strong candidate for the seat.

Kejriwal will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, as he wants to give special focus to his state. The AAP will contest on all the Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Goa. The party will contest on some seats in UP, and final modalities will be worked out by February. Apart from Varanasi, the party will contest from seats in eastern and western UP, where the organisation is strong, AAP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said.

He further added that, in Delhi his party is working on education, health, farmers, power and providing drinking water. If we foray into national politics then our issues will be education for all and free education to all economically weaker sections of the society, ending unemployment and implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

Asking on a recent statement made by Kejriwal which says not vote for the Congress in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Singh said that, Kejriwal was quoted out of context, what he had said that in a meeting in the national capital was that if you want to defeat the BJP, then do not waste your vote by casting it in favour of the Congress. His statement was in the context of Delhi, from where the AAP is contesting on all the seats.

Farmers attack sugar factories in Maha over payment delay

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January 13, 2019

Angry over delay in payments, farmers attacked offices of sugar factories in Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts of Maharashtra and set some of them ablaze, police said on Sunday.

A group of protesters torched the office of Krishna Sugar Factory at Karad in Satara on Friday, a police official said.

Some important documents, computers and furniture were destroyed in the blaze, he said, adding that offences were registered against unidentified persons by the Karad rural police.

Besides, another office of the sugar factory in neighbouring Sangli was set on fire on Saturday morning, an official at Islampur police station said.

Some workers informed police about the incident at the sugar factory’s office, where computers and several documents were kept, he said.

Protesters also vandalised and tried to torch the office of Kranti Sugar Factory at Walwa in Sangli on Saturday and later fled, the officials said.

Offences were registered against unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code sections for mischief and house-trespass, he said, adding that no arrest was made so far.

In another incident, farmers gathered near the Gurudatt Sugar Factory’s office at Shirol in Kolhapur on Saturday afternoon, seeking fair and remunerative price for their produce, another police official said.

The protesters, belonging to a local farmers’ organisation, then broke the factory office’s lock and vandalised furniture, computers, stationary and other material kept there, he said.

The Shirol police registered offences against nearly 65 people, out of whom 15 were identified. They were under IPC sections for rioting, unlawful assembly, house-trespass and mischief, the official said.

No arrest was made so far, he said, adding that a probe was underway.

Congress’ Street Play on Rafale Scam to soon hit Mumbai streets

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January 13, 2019

Mumbai Congress, under the leadership of Sanjay Nirupam, has tied up with a professional theater group to launch a street play based on the Rafale Scam under the same title. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam states that this play will bring out the truth of the biggest scam of the Narendra Modi-led central government.

Sanjay Nirupam said, “We have roped in a professional theater group to inform the masses about the Rafale scam in an interesting manner. The script of the play is almost ready. The play will hit the streets of Mumbai soon”.

“As the Mumbai Congress President, I’m executing this street play in the city. We have shared the template of the street play with All India Congress Committee (AICC). Apart from Mumbai, if other States want to execute the idea, they can do it. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has already created awareness in the country about the Rafale scam”, added Nirupam.

Nirupam further added that the play will be performed all over the city and will feature theater actors who will portray roles of PM Narendra Modi, Anil Ambani, former President François Hollande, French President Emmanuel Macron, and others who have been involved in the scam.

Balasaheb Thakre Trauma Care Centre launched ‘Audiometry and Speech therapy service’

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January 13, 2019

Because of consistent demand for Audiometry services, Bala Saheb Thakare Trauma Care Centre Jogeshwari has launched ‘Speech therapy ‘and ‘audiometric services’ recently. Minister of state higher education and technical education and MLA Jogeshwari east, Ravindra Waikar has initiated to make it happen.

Many accident victims had lost their lives due to the non-availability of emergency centre in between Boriwali and Bandra on western express highway . So in the year 2013, with the initiative of Ravindra Waikar this trauma care centre was built to cater accident victims. More than 1000 patients are being treated here every day. Many accident victims face audio related problems after accidental injuries. Audio related problems can also be seen in new-borns and in old age persons as well. So it was a prolonged demand by people to start an audiometric centre at the trauma centre. Ravindra Waikar along with Trauma centre Superintendent Ganesh Shinde and hospital management materialised the proposal and launched these services from January 9, 2019.

The services will be available three days a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm. An expert committee of doctors headed by Dr. Ajay Doifode will treat the patients of speech therapy. Audiometry patients will be handled under the expertise of Dr. Mayashankar Vishvakarma and Dr. Anupama Shetty will head the department.

RSS-BJP’s main agenda is to remove quota for SC/ ST: Mewani

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January 13, 2019

Gujarat independent MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani on Sunday said that the Centre’s move to provide 10 per cent quota to upper caste poor is a step towards realizing the RSS-BJP’s agenda to remove caste-based reservations from the system.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday gave his assent to the constitutional provision to provide 10-per cent reservation in government jobs and education to economically backward section in the general category. The bill was passed by the Parliament on January 9.

“I am apprehensive and so are the members of the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class that this is the first step towards putting an end to the reservation on the ground of socio-educational deprivation.

“It has been a long-pending agenda of the RSS-BJP to discard the Constitution and end reservation based on caste system,” Mewani said on the sidelines of a programme in Kolkata.

The Independent MLA also said that the quota system was introduced in the country to give representation to socially and educationally backward people, it wasn’t meant to end poverty.

“We have absolutely no issues with the poor people from the other communities getting any benefit. But reservation is not meant to remove poverty.

“It is meant to give representation to SC/ST/OBC people, who on account of the society’s caste structure, have remained socially and educationally backward,” he said.

Congratulating BSP supremo Mayawati and SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav for stitching an alliance in Uttar Pradesh against the BJP, Mewani said the other opposition parties should also take cue from the coalition and make efforts for maximum polarisation of anti-BJP votes.

Rs 46,000 crore loan waiver commitment to be met ‘completely’ in budget: K’taka CM

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January 13, 2019

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has announced that he will fulfill his Rs 46,000 crore loan waiver commitment made to farmers “completely” in the Congress-JDS coalition government’s second budget that he is scheduled to present on February 8.

The farm loan waiver scheme would be implemented in one stroke with required allocation in the budget instead of completing the process in four stages as was planned earlier, he said, as he took on the state and national BJP leadership for their relentless attack on him on the issue.

Kumaraswamy has come in the line of fire of BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been mocking the scheme, saying it had only offered a “lollipop” for an insignificant number of farmers.

The JDS leader was also critical of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for his reported comment at the BJP National Convention meet in New Delhi on Friday that the state government had promised waiver but was issuing notice to farmers for loan recovery.

Kumaraswamy said that notices were being issued by nationalised banks that come under the central government.

“This shows the mean mentality of BJP leaders. This shows how lightly they have taken the issue of solving farmers’ worries.”

“…February 8. I will present a new budget of 2019-20. We have announced as a cabinet decision that loan waiver will be in four stages, we will not take it to four stages,” Kumaraswamy told agencies in an interview.

“We are working out on that. In the coming budget I will be clearing the complete loan waiver. I will not take four years. I want to bring it to the notice of central BJP leaders — it is not lollipop,” he said.

Kumaraswamy asserted that it would be done without violating the fiscal responsibility.

Seeking to implement a key poll promise of the JDS, the Kumaraswamy government had announced over Rs 46,000-crore loan waiver scheme in July. But it has been bogged down by several issues, particularly relating to nationalised banks.

While defending the time taken in implementing loan waiver, the Chief Minister said, the state’s scheme would become a model for other states in the days to come.

He said guidelines for implementation of farm loan waiver scheme by his government would become a model for any government in future that decides to waive loans.

Noting that till January 11, loan waiver has reached 1,70,000 farmers for which about Rs 900 crore money has been released, he highlighted that in the budget presented in July after coming to power, Rs 9,000 crore was already allocated for loan waiver in the first year.

Only 73 women judges in HCs: Govt tells par panel

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January 13, 2019

Only 73 judges out of the 670 judges serving in various high courts are women, the government has informed a parliamentary committee.

The government also pointed out that against the sanctioned strength of 1,079 judges as on March 23, 2018, only 670 judges are working in 24 high courts of the country, leaving 409 vacancies.

“There are 73 women judges working in different high courts as on March 23, 2018, which in percentage terms is 10.89 per cent of the working strength,” the Department of Justice in the Law Ministry informed the department-related Standing Committee on Law and Personnel.

Responding to the concerns of the parliamentary panel on inadequate representation of women and people from marginalised communities, the ministry said that the Centre had been requesting chief justices of high courts that while sending proposals for appointment of judges, “due consideration” be given to “suitable candidates” belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, minorities and women.

It, however, made it clear that there was no proposal to amend Articles 124 and 217 of the Constitution to allow reservation in the higher judiciary.

As of now, Governors and Chief Ministers are given six weeks to recommend proposal received from the chief justice of the high court to appoint a candidate as a judge.

There were 24 high courts when the committee had prepared its report.

From January 1, the number of high courts have gone up to 25 with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana getting separate high courts.

Youth Leadership Meet to kick off on Jan 19-20 in Telangana

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January 13, 2019

Telangana Jagruti, an organisation formed by TRS MP K. Kavitha which works for heralding cultural renaissance in Telangana is to host an International Youth Leadership Conference on January 19-20, which will focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The conference will start on January 19 with the chief guest and anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare who will address the delegates on the ‘Gandhian Path to Sustainability and India’s unique role in sustainable development, and why youth is the only key who can attain sustainable development goals, a release said.

The two-day conference’s “cross-cutting” theme will be ‘Mahatma Gandhi’s Path to Sustainability and Innovation?’ After the keynote address, journalist Shekhar Gupta will moderate a panel discussion on ‘What Have Policymakers Done for Youth Development in India?, it added.

The two-day TJIYLC 2019 is expected to have over 500 delegates from 110 countries discussing 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) with emphasis on poverty, gender rights, education, health, sanitation, worker safety and wages among others, the release informed.