Think India Foundation

Table white paper on sewage scheme: CPM

PUDUCHERRY: The local unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), on Wednesday, demanded a white paper from the territorial government on the Comprehensive Sewerage Scheme, initiated under JNNURM, alleging that a blacklisted company had been chosen for execution of works overlooking the lowest bidder during the tender process. Addressing reporters, CPM Tamil Nadu State Council member T Murugan said that the private party was chosen for the `230-crore project over two other firms even though tender quoted by one of them was lower.

He said that mysteriously, the company which was awarded the contract had inserted a “discount” of 29 per cent of the original work cost quoted. This, he alleged, indicated foul play as the original amount for the work by a competitor was `30 crore less than the firm’s. Also the contracted company has been blacklisted by the Pune Municipal Corporation, he added. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Ombudsman's directive to provide parking facilities in Kochi

Kochi : A recent directive of the Ombudsman for local self-government institutions for providing minimum required facilities at the existing Kochi Corporation's parking places has come as a relief to vehicle owners in the city.

   

 

The Ombudsman criticized the corporation for not providing the basic facilities such as roofing at the parking slots. In the order, Ombudsman M.N. Krishnan pointed out that the corporation was bound to provide parking facilities on its three parking places. Unfortunately, all these parking slots did not have any facilities. The order further said that when vehicles were parked in these places, the drivers found it very difficult to take their vehicles out of the places, resulting in total traffic congestion and obstructions. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

 

MMRDA plans to roll out a 26-km road network

The network includes three flyovers, one rail over bridge, one elevated road and the critical Eastern Freeway.

The motorists in Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region can now add a spring or two to their vehicular movement as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has plans ready to roll out a 26-km road network – worth rupees 15.12bn – that will ease congestion on roads. The network includes three flyovers, one rail over bridge, one elevated road and the critical Eastern Freeway. Read more

Source : indiainfoline.com

Ahead of elections, MCD kick-starts two projects

NEW DELHI: With less than a month left for the model code of conduct to come into effect, MCD has decided to start the construction of two important projects - covering of drains between Pushp Vihar and Defence Colony, and from Africa Avenue to Ring Road.

The poll-bound Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) recently floated tenders for both and plans to finish the work within two years. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Kerala govt okays new waste treatment plant for Brahmapuram in Kochi

KOCHI: The state government approved the construction of a new waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram, at a meeting convened by chief minister Oommen Chandy at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.

The meeting was held following a submission of memorandum by Kochi corporation indicating the need for constructing a new plant at Brahmapuram as the existing one does not have the capacity to process the waste generated in the city. The new plant will be constructed with Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission ( JNNURM) fund. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Some bold steps, sharp curves and fast lanes

 Bangalore : KSRTC and BMTC were able to rake in the moolah in 2011

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) continued to remain among the top State Road Transport Corporations which posted profits in March 2011. While KSRTC posted Rs 62.05 crore, BMTC was not far behind with Rs 50.35 crore.
The Corporations’ profits would not have been achieved without the introduction of new initiatives and innovations in public transportation. With the implementation of ethanol-blended bio-diesel buses, the State Corporations moved a step further than their counterparts in other states, towards providing cleaner and greener mass transport. Read more

Source : deccanherald.com

Water supply touches record 644 MLD in Nagpur

NAGPUR: The water supply to the city has touched a record 644 million litres per day (MLD), coming as a relief to areas in East and North Nagpur. However, leaders from opposition have alleged it is an election gimmick.

For the first time in the history of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) water supply touched 644 MLD on December 24. It has since stablilised at around 630-634 MLD. The supply on December 27 and 28 was 634 and 633 MLD respectively. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Creating a roadmap for hassle-free transport in India

BANGALORE: With the exponential growth of private vehicles making commuting a nightmare in most Indian cities, experts have come together to form the Transport Research Group of India (TRG) and draw a roadmap to tackle the ever-increasing problem.

The experts, working in prestigious institutions such as the Bangalore-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc), say better transportation in India is necessary also for increased productivity and to compete effectively in the international market. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Orissa govt demands 12 new trains in railway budget

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has demanded 12 new trains in the 2012-13 Railway Budget.

The new trains are, Bhubaneswar-Mumbai/Pune, Puri-Jeypore/Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar-Bangalore, Puri/Bhubaneswar-Surat (all Duronto express), Rourkela-New Delhi, Keonjhar-Howrah, Barbil-Visakhapatnam via Keonjhar and Bhubaneswar, Titlagarh-Bhubaneswar via Rayagada, Bhubaneswar-Shiridi daily express, passenger train service between Barbil-Puri and passenger service between Bhawanipatna-Bhubaneswar via Sambalpur. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Japan may get 26% stake in DMIC

New Delhi: A quick overhaul of the country's $90-billion urbanisation project to build a Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor is round the corner as the government has readied its plan to allow Japan to be a 26% stakeholder in the ambitious project.

A senior official in the department of industrial policy and promotion told FE, "Japan has not only shown interest but is also ready with their investment plan.” Read more

Source : financialexpress.com

Gaming industry set to touch new heights

New Delhi : It is no idle pastime. Gaming, it turns out, is serious business in India, expected to generate Rs 3,100 crore by 2014.

The gaming industry here is expected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 32 per cent over the next two years, according to a latest report by market research firm, Market Xcel Data Matrix. Read more

Source : thehindubusinessline.com 

Special children will have their own park in Mangalore city

MANGALORE : A park exclusively built for special children will be opened in the city on Friday at 9.30 a.m. It will be a part of the Gandhi Nagar park.

This park for special children has been created by the Gandhi Nagar Park Trust. “The idea to create facilities for special children came when we saw two children with disabilities having difficulty in using our park. We have been working for the special children's park for three years,” according to Venkatesh Achar, secretary of the trust. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

BBMP axing the tax for tech parks, losing cash

Bangalore : Yet again, the BBMP has been blamed of undercalculating and underrecovering property tax. This time, it has been accused of overlooking tech parks. At the council meeting on Wednesday, Yediyur corporator NR Ramesh said the BBMP can collect more than Rs 600 crore-Rs 700 crore as property tax if it includes all the tech parks in its limits.

He said as per the BBMP’s revenue department, there are 13 tech parks in its eight zones whereas the actual number is 22. He said there are 18 of these in Mahadevapura and on Yelahanka Outer Ring Road alone. He added that the BBMP’s records say that 130 buildings have been sanctioned and 89 occupancy certificates have been issued. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Veli-Akkulam project delay draws CAG flak

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) first-ever Performance Audit on Water Pollution in India has found out that despite earmarking Rs 24.56 crore, under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), the project for restoration and conservation of Veli-Akkulam lake had not achieved its objectives as yet. The report said that the activities to be undertaken for restoration of Veli-Akkulam lake included construction of 12 mld and 13 mld Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Ulloor and Valiathura respectively. The dredging includes bioremediation and sewage system for Akkulam catchments, site protection and beautification works.

“The cost of the project, Rs 24.56 crore, was sanctioned in August 2005 with scheduled completion date of August, 2007. The project was entrusted to the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala as the nodal agency and the implementation was assigned to the Kerala State Urban Development Project. The State Government in January 2006 had appointed Theerapadham Urban Development Project as the nodal agency and the Kerala Water Authority and Irrigation Department as implementing agencies. Theerapadham Urban Development Project was later merged with the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project,” the report said. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Muttemwar urges Centre to probe JNNURM 'irregularities'

NAGPUR: The alleged irregularities in the funds sanctioned under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for Nagpur Municipal Corporation have echoed in Parliament. Nagpur MP and general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) Vilas Muttemwar raised the issue during zero hour in the Lok Sabha and demanded inquiry into the works on Wednesday.

Muttemwar told TOI that the Central government had approved funds of Rs 1,348.86 crore to NMC under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Funds of Rs 1,106.60 crore have been given for water projects and Rs 242.26 crore for public transportation system. The Central government provides 50% of total amount while 20% by the state government and remaining by the NMC. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Railways puts bullet train project on fast track

NEW DELHI: Railways' ambitious project of running bullet trains in six select corridors has been fast tracked as the state-run transporter is ready with the Cabinet note for setting up of a high speed rail authority.

Railways' top brass are also in intense negotiations with the visiting Japanese delegation, seeking their cooperation for introduction of a high speed train that can run at 300km per hour. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

'Riverfront displacement in Gujarat shows an uncaring govt'

AHMEDABAD: The state government is quick to claim credit for housing 10,000 slum dwellers displaced by the Sabarmati riverfront development project but the reality is that it is not bothered about fair and comprehensive resettlement - this was the view shared by noted academics and activists.

They were speaking at a panel discussion at St Xavier's college on Tuesday after the screening of a documentary film, 'Caught Between Existence and Denial', on the plight of the recently evicted slum dwellers who have been thrown in an open plot at Piplaj, abutting the garbage dump. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delhi’s lifeline completes nine

New Delhi : Delhi Metro, which completes nine years of its operations on December 24, has had a stupendous journey with its network spreading far and wide across the National Capital Region (NCR), providing the people with a safe, clean, fast and affordable mode of transport, living up to the tag of being the ‘lifeline’ of national capital. Metro changed the commuting habits of lakhs of passengers by bringing two more satellite towns- Ghaziabad and Faridabad - closer to the capital in 2011.

While 2011 was a year of transition for the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) - as the organization moved towards the start of work of Phase-3 after the successful completion of Phase-2, during the year, the DMRC added another 34.52 kilometres of Metro lines to its network, taking the total length of the Delhi Metro system to over 190 kilometres. Read more

Source : deccanherald.com

Train to Dahanu is a train to nowhere

Local trains can go till Dahanu today and make the Churchgate-Dahanu suburban connectivity a reality. Tracks have been readied, bridges are being strengthened and platforms set. In anticipation of the local train, builders have bought every inch of plot, jacked up prices and are awaiting the train.

But what is stopping the Western Railway from starting it? There are a few practical problems. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Gurgaon most urbanized zone in Haryana after Faridabad

GURGAON: Being the immediate neighbour of the national capital, Haryana has witnessed large-scale urbanization in the plast decade and this, in turn, has benefited the two neighbouring districts of Faridabad and Gurgaon the most. According to government figures, Haryana has grown at a rate of 44.25% in the past decade and the urban-rural share in the population of the state stands at 34.79% and 65.21% in 2001-2011. Neerja Shekhar, director of Census, said that the urban area with the largest population is the Faridabad Municipal Corporation which constitutes 15.92% of the state's population (14.04 lakh), followed by the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon with a share of 9.94% of the total population (8.76 lakh). The significant increase in people living in urban areas in Gurgaon and Faridabad is attributed to the accelerated residential and commercial development along the two national highways - NH-2 and NH-8. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Old pipelines go bust, leave taps dry in Sec 23 of Gurgaon

Gurgaon : For the past three years, residents of Sector 23 have been denied adequate water supply. Despite repeated appeals, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) has failed to replace old pipelines in the area. The sector was developed by Huda in 1985-86 and the PVC pipelines laid then were of inferior quality compared to the cast iron pipes that are used now.

“Gallons of water go waste as these pipes burst frequently due to the high pressure of supply. I have seen pipelines go bust on more than seven occasions,” said Malkhan Singh, a resident. Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com

Infant mortality rate shows slight decline

NEW DELHI : However, it increased by one point in Kerala, Mizoram and Dadra and Nagar Haveli

The infant mortality rate (IMR) has shown a 3 point decline, dropping from 50 deaths per 1,000 live births to 47 and moving a step closer to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target of 30. However, IMR increased by one point in Kerala, Mizoram and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS), conducted by the Registrar-General of India, the two worst performing States — Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh — have shown an impressive 5 point decline. In the former, the figure dropped from 67 in 2009 to 62 in 2010 and in the latter, it was from 45 to 40 . Read more

Source : thehindu.com

West Bengal state govt. to rename Indira Bhavan

KOLKATA: For years, Indira Bhavan was associated with the name of Bengal's former chief minister Jyoti Basu. Not any longer. Indira Bhavan, the sprawling Salt Lake bungalow where former chief minister Jyoti Basu lived for two decades till his death, will now be called Nazrul Bhavan.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced at Writers' Buildings that Basu's belongings had been cleared from the building (by his party, the CPM), and that it would be turned into a museum and research centre on poet, museum and revolutionary Kazi Nazrul Islam. The building will house primarily the poet's memorabilia, his books and research on the poet's works. The project on Kazi Nazrul was announced earlier, but it was not known where the research centre and museum on Kazi Nazrul Islam would be housed. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delay ups water scheme costs

Warangal : The delay in execution of Rs.178 crore centrally-funded drinking water scheme taken under Urban Integrated Development Scheme for Small Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) in the city has escalated the project cost by an additional Rs.50 crores.

Sanctioned in 2007, the UIDSSMT project envisages construction of fifteen 1,000 kilo litre capacity elevated level service reservoir (ESLR) for supply of drinking water through distribution pipelines connected to a new filter bed at Waddepally. Read more

Source : deccanchronicle.com

Drive against filaria in January in Nagpur

NAGPUR: Nagpur Zilla Parishad would be organizing its annual drive against filaria in January in its bid to contribute to the national target of eliminating the disease by 2015. On the occasion of National Filaria Day on January 16 this year, the civic body would be organizing a mass drug administration (MDA) in both urban and rural areas of the district.

The government of India had launched the mass drug administration programme in 2004. Every year, health workers go door-to-door as well as construct booths to administer medicines for the disease during the MDA campaign. Read more

Source : articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Delhi Metro chief asks State to pursue Chennai Metro Phase-II

CHENNAI : Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Managing Director E.Sreedharan has urged the State government to pursue the Phase-II expansion of the Chennai Metro Rail network. Opining that there has been a “violent shift” in policy ever since the new government came to power in the State, he said the plan to cover the entire city with a monorail system is “misguided”.

In a letter to the Chief Secretary Debendranath Sarangi, Mr. Sreedharan said that though three possible corridors have already been identified by DMRC, principal consultant for the Chennai Metro project, the official go-ahead for starting the detailed project report for the next phase is still awaited. Read more

Source : thehindu.com

‘Legal or illegal, yours is not to deny power supply’

It is the BBMP’s job to deal with violation of construction norms, Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission tells Bescom

“Don’t bother about illegal multi-storied buildings that are denied occupancy certificate by BBMP; your job is just to process the applications and sanction power supply.” This is the latest diktat of Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) to Bescom. Which means, illegal high rises can get power connection with no questions asked.

As per rules, BBMP refuses to issue occupancy certificate/completion certificate to buildings with violations. Other utility agencies also toe the line — water supply and fire services department clearance. Even the power supply company followed this rule till recently. But now, irrespective of whether the BBMP has given a clean chit to the multi-storied construction or not, the Bescom is mandated to provide the power supply. Read more

 

Source : bangaloremirror.com

Tata loses land for West Bengal hospital

The Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government has cancelled the allotment of a two-acre plot intended for the expansion of a Tata group-run cancer hospital near Kolkata, citing violation of ethics in the allotment by the erstwhile Left Front government.

The annulment of the allotment of the plot is the second such move against the Tata group after the Mamata Banerjee-led government seized the land allotted to the nation’s largest conglomerate in Singur for a car factory. Read more

Source : livemint.com

Odisha CM seeks Rs 2,345-cr rly package

BHUBANESWAR : Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for provision of Rs  2,345-crore package in the 2012-13 Railway Budget for the development of railways in the State.

Patnaik, in a letter to the Prime Minister, has given a long list of proposals on development of railways in the State which had been neglected by successive Union Governments. He urged the Prime Minister to ask the Railways Minster to take necessary steps for allocating required funds for new as well as ongoing projects. Besides, he urged the Prime Minister to advise Ministry of Railways for strengthening of railway infrastructure in Odisha. Read more

Source : dailypioneer.com

PRIs, ULBs in Orissa to lose performance grants

BHUBANESWAR: The panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) are likely to lose Rs 125 crore of performance grants from the 13th Finance Commission as the State Government has failed to appoint an ombudsman for grievance redressal against their functioning. Because of this, Odisha will be debarred from getting such a huge grant.

The State Government had proposed to empower the Lokpal to investigate any complaint against these elected leaders. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Police gear up to handle massive crowd on New Year's Eve in Kolkata

KOLKATA: While the unprecedented crowd on Park Street translated into better business for restaurants on Christmas, it has also many made in central Kolkata wary ahead of the New Year eve. Several have asked for more security from the police and even beefed up their own safety arrangements for December 31, which happens to be a Saturday. To ensure quicker traffic movement on Park Street which came to a virtual halt last Sunday, a few adjacent roads have been earmarked for parking.

The crowd on Park Street and in parts central Kolkata is expected to be at least 30% more than what it had been on Christmas. "As it is, we had a bigger crowd this Christmas. We expect it to be substantially more on New Year eve and a law and order problem can't be ruled out. We are in a precarious position, being surrounded by a number of dance bars which usually attract a rowdy crowd. We fear that trouble might spill on to the streets from these joints, as it had happened three years ago. So, we have sought protection from the local police station and have also strengthened our own arrangements that we had put in place after the Mumbai terror attack in 2008," said SK Khullar, owner of Amber and vice-president of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Owners' Association, Eastern India. The restaurant will have two surveillance cameras and six security guards keeping vigil at the entrance. There will be two additional guards inside the 440-seater restaurant with four floors. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Using ITS to make bus travel reliable

Bangalore : KSRTC is in the process of implementing an Intelligent Transport System to track its vehicles in real time.

"I never board KSRTC buses for city travel when I go to Mysore during weekends," said Shamseer Kareem, a software engineer. Read more

Source : business-standard.com

Bihar turns corrupt officials' homes into schools

This Jan. 28, 2005 photo shows schoolgirls from India's eastern Bihar state demonstrating in front of the Governor's house in Patna. REUTERS/Ravi S. Sahani

Bihar state last week opened its second school in the seized two-storey, 16-room residence of a former treasury official who was found guilty of amassing assets worth over five million rupees ($95,000) disproportionate to his income. Read more

Source : trust.org

Fashion can only move ahead

Bangalore : Anu Nagappa and Susan Fernandes of Astara have been dressing up Bangalore’s women for a while now. In fact, they even have clients, who have moved out of the city, coming back to buy their clothes by the label...

Quality and technical superiority is must
With increased globalisation, the fashion industry in India is at the cusp of great change as the economy continues to be liberalised. Everyone has access to global fashion trends with multi-chain brands and online shopping. The technical superiority of the garment in terms of fabric, cut and finish is the order of the day. The Indian shopper has become savvy. Not willing to settle as a dumping ground for last year’s fashions from the west; Indians want the latest in contemporary styles. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Will A $35 Product Change Multi-billion-dollar Indian Education System?

Education has always been a high priority for the Indian government. Although the percentage of GDP (gross domestic product) spent by India on education lags behind the developed countries, it has increased over the past years. The Right to Education Act was a big step by the government to ensure a policy-based approach to inclusive education across the country. And the government seems to have scored another major victory recently by demonstrating a $35 education Tablet, appropriately named Aakash, to symbolise India’s limitless aspiration. But is this really a victory? What impact, if any, will this much-publicised Tablet have on the Indian education system? Does this also open a new world of opportunities for entrepreneurs?

Let us start with some stark facts about the Indian education system, which includes both urban and rural schools. A 2010 report of the District Information System of Education said that 29 per cent of elementary schools operated without school buildings in 2009-10 and only 59 per cent of schools had a separate toilet for girls. Pratham, an NGO that has been 'regularly testing students’ progress in rural areas, revealed in its 2010 report that only 53 per cent of fifth-grade students could read basic text and only 36 per cent of children could do simple division. The report also stated that the net enrolment ratio dropped from about 98 per cent in fifth grade to 58 per cent in eighth grade. Read more

Source : techcircle.vccircle.com

Price of populism

While the states have failed to act responsibly in the power sector, the Centre’s hands-off policy has really been ruinous.

We have a very large and complex Central government. Among its earliest agencies after independence was the Planning Commission. Its authority has waxed and waned over the years. Read more

Source : deccanherald.com

Slow down, India!

We are too wound up, at work and home. The state of the nation adds to the stress. Take it easy and have a healthy 2012!

The year 2011 is wrapped up. All wrapped up on a cold December morning. Ready to be buried. It's time to take stock of what went into it in marketing terms. What, then, were the trends that defined the calendar year 2011 in marketing and brand terms?

Here goes. Read more

Source : thehindubusinessline.com

Sanitation plan for Shimla by German-based agency

Shimla (PTI) : A German-based agency has made a sanitation plan for state capital Shimla to improve its sewerage system and disposal of bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste.

Under the plan, improvement of sewerage system of the capital town would be covered in the first phase while the water supply management and disposal of bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste would be taken up in the next phase, a spokesperson of the Shimla Municipal Corporation said. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Ahmedabad's urban projects not for poor

Ahmedabad : -A Rs 1,500 crore Sabarmati Riverfront Development project omits resettlement issues of the poor

-Close to 1600 families live in makeshift shanties in Piplaj, constantly under threat from snakes, stench, contaminated water and cold waves

Many such issues were discussed at Behavioural Science Centre, Navrangpura, on Tuesday by an expert panel that opined that the city's urban development projects were meant only for the elite and not the poor. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Food security Bill: Instead of subsidies to food grains, policy should aim to increase purchasing power

While some may view the food security Bill as the instrument of combating poverty, this distinction belongs to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the flagship anti-poverty programme of the United Progressive Alliance government. The proponents of the food security Bill at the National Advisory Council have promoted it as the instrument of fighting widespread and rising hunger, instead.

But what is the empirical basis of the claims of widespread and rising hunger in India? Surely, we cannot go bythe claims of the Food and Agricultural Organization, World Bank and many NGOs who themselves prosper from propagating the view that India and Africa suffer from ever-rising hunger and poverty. Read more

Source : articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Innovative application shows the way to prevent female foeticide

An initiative taken by the district administration in Kolhapur to protect the girl child has succeeded in arresting the rising incidents of female foeticide

India is facing a severe problem of declining percentage of the girl child in the 0-6 age group. In many rural and even urban parts of India, extensive misuse of the technology such as sonography machines to easily identify the sex of the foetus has become a common technique and also an unethical practice for the doctors and radiologists to earn easy money. While sex determination and sex selection is a criminal offence in India, it has not stopped doctors and even parents from indulging in this horrific practice. The reason — if no one complains, no one can detect, as the crime is done with mutual consent from both the parties — the doctor and the patient.

As per the PCPNDT Act, every pregnant Ultrasound Sonography (USG) test needs to be recorded and reported to appropriate government authorities in the ‘F’ form as prescribed in the law. But the responsibility of such record generation lies with doctors and radiologists. In the case of sex selection, such records were either not generated or falsely reported. Read more

Source : informationweek.in

MMRDA shuts door on Chinese firms

Mumbai : Chinese companies may be itching to invest in India's infrastructure but the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is clear that it wants to keep them away from building the Mumbai-Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) due to security concerns.

Interestingly, Chinese companies have plenty of experience in constructing mid-sea bridges such as the MTHL. The Chinese have to their credit the HangZhou bridge which is the largest sea bridge in the world, covering a distance of 42km. Read more

Source : hindustantimes.com

Lokpal law clears its first hurdle

The legislation now moves to the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling coalition is in a minority

New Delhi/ Mumbai: The country moved a step closer on Tuesday to getting a new anti-corrpution law after the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) blinked and accepted key amendments to the legislation, clearing the way for its passage in the Lok Sabha.

Now, the legislation—the Lokpal and the Lokayuktas Bill, 2011—will have to be approved by the Rajya Sabha—where the ruling coalition is in a minority. Expectations are that the legislation would be struck down or require fresh amendments, which will need a joint session of both Houses to forge a consensus. Read more

Checkmate: A doctor examines Anna Hazare

Source : livemint.com

Centre for pvt participation in rail connectivity

Mumbai : Here's some good news for state governments. The Ministry of Railways has prepared a draft policy for private participation in rail connectivity. The policy also aims at enabling state governments in playing a proactive role in development and implementation of rail projects in their respective states.

Explaining the policy, a senior official said that Indian Railways (IR) have been operating in the core sector of the economy. To strengthen, modernise and expand the IR network, the investment requirement is huge. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Japanese PM assures Jharkhand CM of help in development

Japan's Prime Minister Yushihiko Noda Tuesday assured Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda of help in developing infrastructure in the state, a statement said.

"Munda was part of a meeting held in connection with the India Japan Global Partnership Summit 2011 in New Delhi on Tuesday," said a press statement issued here. Read more

Source : smetimes.in

IIM-Ahmedabad students work out tetra pak collection model

AHMEDABAD: A team of students from Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has proposed a waste collection model that brings monetary benefits to every constituent in the chain.

The collection-at-source model was developed for Swedish food packager Tetra Pak after a pilot project carried out at Kalupur Railway Station in Ahmedabad. Read more

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com

Parties use Lokpal debate to kick off poll campaign

It was poll campaign time in the Lok Sabha. With ensuing elections for five states in mind all speakers participating in the Lokpal debate, delivered their punch lines with a focus on the electorate.

Leading the pack was leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj and the mood was so infectious that even the usually apolitical prime minister Manmohan Singh also could not resist the opportunity. He recounted all major legislative initiatives of the UPA government. Read more

Source : dnaindia.com

Shackled in concrete slabs, Dev Nadi gasps for breath

Pune : Unbridled lust for concretisation, or rather channelisation, has near smothered another water body of the city. Shackled in iron bars and concrete slabs, the mighty Dev Nadi, one of the main tributaries to Mutha, has been reduced to a trickle and is gasping for breath, thanks to "random concretisation and reckless development planning by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) of the rivulet" whose width has shrunk to 1 m from 60 m in one year's time.

 

       

Reduced to a trickle: An expert team from the Ministry of Environment and Forests recently visited the Dev Nadi, whose width has shrunk from 60 m to 1 m in the past one year. File pic

 

According to environmentalists, the 20 km-long rivulet, which met the water needs of around 15,000 people residing in the Baner-Pashan area and also served as a roosting ground for the migratory birds such as Black Ibis, has become near stagnant. Read more

 

Source : mid-day.com

 

Ruling party in Nagpur ready to hand over service to MSRTC

NAGPUR: In what could be termed as a major setback to Starbus operator Vansh Nimay Infra Projects Private Ltd, the BJP-led ruling alliance has expressed its readiness to hand over the city bus service to MSRTC, subject to a proposal from the latter.

Deputy leader of ruling party Prakash Totwani told reporters on Tuesday, MSRTC had requested NMC to take over the city bus service. "The process started from MSRTC's side in 1994. NMC had started the service from 2007. If MSRTC is interested in taking back the service, let it give a proposal," he said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Not a class act, dream falls flat

JAIPUR: The state government and civic authorities continue to sell the dream of developing Jaipur as a 'World Class City', but 2011 has elapsed without much being done to realise the dream. Jaipur and Jaipurities continue to wait for the civic authorities to pay some much-needed heed to the long list of pending projects and launching a few tailor-made projects meeting the requirements of the city.

Tall claims of government to boost the resident's standard of living in the city fell flat as the civic body failed to provide even basic infrastructure and sanitation. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com