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Surat Municipal Corporation making artificial ponds for Ganesh immersion

Thursday, 12 September 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Times of India            12.09.2013

Surat Municipal Corporation making artificial ponds for Ganesh immersion

SURAT: Devotees will have to go all the way to Dumas to immerse Ganesha idols made from Plaster of Paris (POP).

Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has started making two artificial ponds in Dumas for the immersion, while Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) is setting up two eco-friendly Visarjan Raths at two places for immersion of these idols on September 18.

Sources in SMC said they have not identified any other locations in the city. "As there is very little time left before the immersion day, it will not be possible to make any more artificial ponds," a top official from SMC said.

One pond will be of 20x10 metre size near Dumas Ovara and the second will be dug up either of 20x30 metre or 50x5 metre size.

GPCB will set up a 5,000 litre capacity tank at Sarita Sagar Sankool and at Umra Ovara. This tank would be placed on a tempo and named Holy Visarjan Rath.

"People would be able to immerse only small idols in this rath. But we appeal to people to take benefit of the facility available and stay away from POP idols from next year," officer, GPCB, G Patel said.

Surat has nearly 34,000 Ganesha idols in different parts of the city and nearly 40 per cent of those idols are made of POP.

 

Gaikwad new Dy Mayor, Kalmadi emerges to prove a point

Wednesday, 11 September 2013 05:32 administrator
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The Hindu              11.09.2013

Gaikwad new Dy Mayor, Kalmadi emerges to prove a point

Congress corporator Bandu Gaikwad on Tuesday won the election for the post of Pune deputy mayor after defeating BJP candidate Madhuri Sahastrabudhe. Springing a surprise on the occasion was city MP Suresh Kalmadi who walked into the civic corridors to congratulate his supporter Gaikwad, indicating he was active in city politics again.

The election for deputy mayor was necessitated after Deepak Mankar resigned from the post as per the party arrangement to give a chance to another corporator.

Gaikwad bagged 83 votes with the support from NCP while Sahastrabudhe managed just 41 votes including those of Shiv Sena corporators. The MNS abstained from voting.

Now, the top two posts of PMC are held by Chanchala Kodre and Gaikwad, who are corporators from the same electoral panel.

Meanwhile, Kalmadi's visit to PMC's general body hall to wish Gaikwad raised many eyebrows. As his supporters and sitting Congress corporators raised slogans in his favour, to counter Kalmadi suppoters, the NCP corporators shouted slogans praising Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

"I have started preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and will keep a track of civic work in the city," he said.

On his role in replacing Gaikwad with Mankar, Kalmadi said, "I have big hands." The Shiv Sena and the BJP criticised the Congress and the NCP for appointing the mayor and deputy mayor from the same electoral panel, saying this will lead to focus in one area only.

 

Teachers feted by Mayor

Tuesday, 10 September 2013 06:28 administrator
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The Indian Express              10.09.2013

Teachers feted by Mayor

"Just as children need motivation and encouragement from teachers, we also need the same," said Sudha Nair, 52, headmistress of Vile Parle Mahila Sangh English Primary School, who on Thursday received the Mayor's award for best municipal school teacher (English medium).

Nair was one of the 50 teachers feted by Mayor Sunil Prabhu on the occasion of Teachers' Day.

"I enjoy teaching children and watching them grow. Every pupil is unique with his or her own talents," said Nair, an Amboli resident who has been teaching at the school for 27 years. The school caters to 675 primary school students in English and Marathi mediums. Nair regularly encourages her students to participate in extra-curricular and recreational activities such as puppet shows, dramatics and elocution competitions.

For instance, ahead of the Ganesh festival, the students of the school were assigned to mould Ganesh idols from clay to inculcate in them the importance of celebrating such festivals in an eco-friendly manner.

Every year, BMC selects teachers from across its 1,296 municipal schools to be presented with the Mayor's award on Teachers' Day. The 50 teachers were chosen this year based on a set of norms prescribed by the civic administration. The candidates were further shortlisted by a board of award-winning teachers headed by Manoj Kotak, chairman of the education committee. The winners were chosen based on experience, school academic record and contribution to social causes.

Instituted in 1971, the award comprises a cash price of

Rs 10,000, a certificate and a gold medal.

This year, apart from the 50 regular awards, the Mayor also gave a special prize to Nitin Yadav, 48, who has helped the Mumbai Police in nabbing many suspects as a sketch artist, including in the recent gang-rape case at Shakti Mills. A graduate of J J School of Arts, Nitin Yadav teaches drawing at Chembur Education Society School.

In the past four months alone, Yadav, a Kurla resident, has helped solve 12 cases.  

 
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