Author Archives: Harshad Oak

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15 Years Of Maitri – Works For Tribals in Melghat and Marathwada

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Korku tribal kids in Melghat, Maharashtra (2)

Korku tribal kids in Melghat, Maharashtra (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Maitri Pune is a volunteer non-governmental organization based in Pune, India whose work includes helping tribals in the Melghat and Marathwada regions. They have helped to lower the infant mortality rate, along with raising agricultural production and increasing AIDS awareness. In recent years they have expanded their reach to include natural disaster relief and a helpline for AIDS awareness which was receiving 1,500 calls a day as of 2009.(Src: Wikipedia) Continue reading “15 Years Of Maitri – Works For Tribals in Melghat and Marathwada” »

DGPS – Swach Garbage Collect & Clean Drive At Kamala Nehru Park (29 Apr, 10am – 2pm)

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The Swach Seva Sahakari Sanstha (SWaCH) and Deccan Gymkhana Parisar Samiti (DGPS) today announced a special drive to collect, reuse and recycle unwanted household items from residents of Deccan Gymkhana ward no. 36 of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The idea is to reduce the amount of garbage generated in the civic ward.

Residents from the ward can dump unwanted items into large bins labeled by category such as old clothes, footwear, old toys and electric gadgets at the back gate of the Kamala Nehru park on April 29 (Sunday) between 9.00 am and 2.00 pm. Continue reading “DGPS – Swach Garbage Collect & Clean Drive At Kamala Nehru Park (29 Apr, 10am – 2pm)” »

Vasant Vyakhyanmala: Great Work But Needs Some Rework

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The Vasant Vyakhyanmala (Spring Lecture Series) is a remarkable tradition that was initiated in Pune in 1875 by Justice M G Ranade, a visionary social reformer of the time. VV Pune is being held regularly since and the 2012 edition (21 April – 20 May) is the 138th Vasant Vyakhyanmala! VV Pune has inspired similar lecture series in other cities. Nashik has a Vasant Vyakhyanmala running for 80+ years. Continue reading “Vasant Vyakhyanmala: Great Work But Needs Some Rework” »

NSCC Meet: Talks on Water & A new GR as regards illegal constructions / encroachments

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Update 21 April: This meeting has been postponed.

PMC NSCCThe monthly meeting of National Society for Clean Cities, Pune will take place on Saturday the 21st of April 2012 at 3:30 pm at Wadke Hall, 3rd floor, PMC [Corporation] Building, Shivajinagar, Pune 411005.

Agenda:

  1. Maharashtra Act II of 2012: MajGen SCN Jatar (Rtd.) & Mr V N Rao
    By this Act the BPMC Act and the MRTP Act have been amended. If a Designated Officer of the PMC fails to take action, without sufficient reason, against illegal construction, he can be punished with imprisonment to the extent of 3 months &/or with fine upto Rs. 20,000 or both. Further, the builder if found guilty of illegal construction, can be imprisoned from 1 to 3 years and/or fined from Rs 10,000 to Rs. 50,000. The proper implementation of this act will be very essential for the city.
  2. Water Supply & Management : Mr. V G Kulkarni, PMC.
  3. Reports from the Mohalla Committees.
  4. Any other Business **(With the permission of the chair).

CEC Quraishi’s Talk On Indian Elections – Bureaucracy & The Electorate

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SY Quraishi, CEC, India.

Dr. S.Y.Quraishi, Chief Election Commissioner, Government of India will deliver the B.G.Deshmukh Memorial Lecture at 5 pm on 09 April 2012 at the Vishwa Bhavan Auditorium, Symbiosis Law School, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune.

The topic for his lecture is “The great Indian election machine – an ode to bureaucracy and the role of the electorate.”

Vitthal Bulbule To Be Awarded Sajag Nagrik Manch’s RTI Award

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Prof Vitthal Bulbule of Ahmednagar will be awarded the Sajag Nagrik Manch Right To Information (RTI) Award at an award function will be held at 5:30 pm on 7th April 2012. The award will be handed over by Dr. Vishwambhar Chowdhary. The event will be presided over by renowned cartoonist, Mr. Mangesh Tendulkar.  The venue is the Tata Hall at BMCC College, Pune 411004.

Citizen’s Participation In Local Governance – Talk By Neelima Kirane (Janwani)

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The talk at the Janwani monthly meet for April 2012 is “Let us choose to Participate” by Ms Neelima Kirane. In this talk, Ms. Kirane would highlight why and how to participate in the local government decision making processes that affect our day to day life and impact our quality of our living. The presentation would be based on her book “Jan Je Vanchill”.

“A short film on Pune Municipal Corporation’s Participatory Budgeting” by Janwani and CEE will also be screened. The film highlights the provisions made by the PMC for citizen participation and shows process documentation Continue reading “Citizen’s Participation In Local Governance – Talk By Neelima Kirane (Janwani)” »

Girish Kulkarni on Deool, Faith & Religion

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At the National Film Awards in March, the Marathi movie Deool won the Best Film award while Girish Kulkarni, the writer and the lead actor of the movie won the Best Actor award. Deool is not only a wonderful entertainer but it also touches on socially relevant topics like blind faith and the commercialization of faith & religion in India.

The Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti had organized a discussion on Deool, Faith & Blind Faith where Girish Kulkarni spoke at length on the topic. Girish talked about why he took up the subject, what faith & religion means to him and why he believes our society needs to align religion with science and reform religion as per the times. Continue reading “Girish Kulkarni on Deool, Faith & Religion” »

Muslim Society: Current State & Progress – Muslim SatyaShodhak Mandal

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Muslim SatyaShodhak Mandal has organized a discussion on “Muslim Society: Current State & Progress” at the S M Joshi Hall, Navi Peth at 10:30am on 1st April 2012. Speakers at the event: Bhai Vaidya, Rubina Patel, Ram Punyani, Suresh Khopde

Muslim SatyaShodhak Mandal is an organization founded by the late reformer Hamid Dalwai and one of the few progressive Muslim organizations in India. If interested in the Muslim reform movement, Sayyad Bhai’s book “दगडावरची पेरणी” is a must read. Sayyad Bhai has been one of the key people driving Muslim SatysShodhak Mandal after Hamid Dalwai passed away in 1977.