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Diwali fails to bring hope for debt-ridden Amravati farmers
Saturday, 10 November, 2007
Amaravati (Maharashtra), Nov 9 (ANI): While Diwali is being celebrated across the country, the festival of lights failed to bring any hope in some segments of society in Maharashtra. Farmers in Amaravati, caught in a debt trap, find it difficult to earn even their daily bread and butter. Festivities are a distant dream for them. Dozens of farmers have committed suicide owing to the crushing debt burden. In one such pitiable case, just three days before Diwali, Bapurao Mankar, a farmer in Kolhed village in Akola District, committed suicide.
Mankar is survived by his bed-ridden wife and has a debt of Rs. 15,000. "My father was indebted to the tune of Rs 15,000. For the last two to three years, the yield has also not been sufficient, adding to our family's woes," said Vandana Gavande, Mankar's daughter. While there are countless stories and most families have similar tales to narrate, nobody seems to have reached to the root of the problem. "We are not destined to celebrate any festival. There is no money to buy cereals, from where should I get money to buy candles and lamps?," asked a relative of Mankar. "Everyday, some farmer is ending his life. The debt burden is crushing and it is just impossible to survive," he lamented. The spate of suicides in Maharashtra has not abated, despite the publicised efforts by New Delhi to ease the farmers' financial burden. A package announced by the government to ameliorate farmers' condition failed to make an impact, say experts, and farmers in Maharashtra's worst-hit Vidharba region are killing themselves at the rate of three every day. (ANI) -AJ
Labels: Top-Stories
Police in Sangli celebrate Diwali with beggars
Friday, 9 November, 2007
Sangli, Nov 9 (ANI): Miraj Police station that falls under Maharashtra's Sangli District brought a big smile on the faces of many destitute and poor individuals by distributing free clothes and sweets among them ahead of Diwali, the festival of lights.
Several beggars and extremely poor people, who dwell at various places of the town including bus stops, railway station, and the pavements, were given articles as Diwali gifts."We are feeling very good. We got new clothes, got bath and sweets," said Ramesh, a beggar. After arranging a refreshing bath for these individuals, the police personnel distributed new clothes and fed them with sweets. It was done to enable them to enjoy the spirit of the Diwali being celebrated by all. Men and women were taken care of separately with lady constables taking extra care of the female beggars.
Miraj police station is carrying on with the practice of distributing free clothes and sweets for the past three years. Senior police officials at Sangli said that such an endeavour should not be confined merely to Diwali but to other festivals as well. "Beggars wear these clothes round the year. They get another pair of clothes only after a year. I appeal that should be provided with new clothes and good food not only on Diwali but also on every festival. On Diwali there must be happiness in every heart," said Krishna Prakash Yadav, Superintendent of Police, Sangli.Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated all over.-AJ Labels: Top-Stories
BMC truck runs over nine in Mumbai
Thursday, 8 November, 2007
AA: Mumbai, Nov 8 (ANI): At least one person was killed and eight others were injured when a speeding Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) truck fell on them after turning turtle this morning here today.
The accident occurred when the driver of the speeding truck tried to save a person walking on the road.
The victims were asleep on a sidewalk of a road in Mumbai's Chembur area.
"The truck was speeding. It toppled when the driver stopped it suddenly to save a man who was walking on the road. It fell on the people sleeping on the pavement. We are taking the injured to the Rajawadi Hospital," said official.
The driver escaped after the incident.
Mumbai with a population of about 17 million, receives hundreds of migrants from towns and villages everyday, and many of them work as labourers and live illegally on pavements. (ANI) Labels: Top-Stories
Pune residents lit one lakh earthen lamps before historic Shaniwarwada Fort
Pune, Nov. 9 (ANI): Pune residents heralded Diwali, the festival of lights, on Tuesday night here by lighting one lakh earthen lamps in front of the 18th century Shaniwarwada Fort during Deeponka Utsav.
Over a thousand people congregated here following a recently revived Maratha tradition of illuminating lakhs of earthen lamps during the Peshwa rule.
On Tuesday, the purpose was to revisit the traditional fervour of Diwali as a society and spread a message of peace and prosperity. The age-old tradition had nearly gone into oblivion until the member of a local Chaitanya Laughter Club revived it for a social cause seven years ago.
People lit the earthen lamps and placed them according to various attractive designs marked in the open compound in front of the Shaniwarwada Fort.
"The arrangements made to host this event are simply up to the mark. It looks so nice with thousands lighted earthen lamps placed all around in different shapes and designs," said Kejal, member of the Chaitanya Laughter Club.
It took about one hour's time to lit so many earthen lamps in the ground.
"I am so happy to be here. I visit this festival every year to help the organisers. Every year thousands throng this place and we enjoy together," said Sukanya, a visitor.
Shaniwarwada is a palace fort in the heart of Pune. It was the seat of Peshwa rulers until 1818 when the Peshwas surrendered to the British.
In 1828 A.D, a mysterious fire gutted the buildings in this palace complex. All that remains now are their stone plinths and the perimeter fortification wall. (ANI)
- AY Labels: Pune, Top-Stories
Mumbai Police on alert ahead of Diwali
Wednesday, 7 November, 2007
AA: Mumbai, Nov 6 (ANI): Police in Mumbai have been placed on alert ahead of
Diwali to prevent any untoward incidents, including terror strikes."Diwali is approaching and so will New Year and Christmas. Our force is on
alert. They are seeking the support of civilians so that better security
arrangements can be made for the public," said P.S. Pasricha, Director
General of Police, Maharashtra. The Mumbai police has beefed up the security following the recent bomb
blasts at Hyderabad, Ajmer and Ludhiana. Last year in July, a series of seven bomb blasts took place over a period of
11 minutes on the Suburban Railway in Mumbai in which over 173 train
passengers were killed. According to the police, the bombings were carried out by Lashkar-e-Toiba
(LeT) and Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). (ANI) Labels: Mumbai, Top-Stories
Virus strikes Maharashtra vineyards
Monday, 5 November, 2007
AY: The booming Indian wine industry is facing a crisis with two deadly viruses affecting farms across Maharashtra, which accounts for 94 per cent of country's wine production. The viruses, detected as leafroll and rugose wood complex, have infected varieties like Chardonnay, Ugni Blanc, Pinot Noir and Vermentino as also Merlot, Zinfandel and Roussance imported from France and Italy. With the Pune-based National Research Centre for Grapes (NRC) confirming the presence of the disease, the state government has decided to stop import of plant material and sought expert opinion. Last year, Maharashtra produced 9.4 million litres of wine and this year the production is expected to cross 13 million litres from 51 wineries. The total investment in wineries in the state stands at Rs 247.71 crore and the state exported 0.45 million litres of wine last year. The domestic wine consumption in 2006-07 went up up to 11.30 million litres, from 7.50 million litres a year ago. Wine production especially got a boost after 2003 when the state announced sops for farmers. Labels: Top-Stories
L&T bags Mumbai airport contract
Saturday, 3 November, 2007
AY: Engineering and construction company Larsen and Toubro has been awarded a Rs 5,550-crore contract to build the new integrated airport passenger terminal at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Mumbai International Airport Ltd, which awarded the contract, said the order was for modernisation and expansion of the existing airside facilities such as construction of taxiways, aprons, aircraft maintenance, utility services and primary infrastructure support facilities. Landside facilities comprising a new multi-storey car park and access roads up to the terminal are also part of the contract. The new terminal, to be set up in four years, would be able to cater to both domestic and international operations. It would also double the passenger handling capacity to 40 million per annum. The entire airport modernisation programme would roll out in three phases – 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Labels: Mumbai, Top-Stories
Eminent poet, actor Shail Chaturvedi dead
Tuesday, 30 October, 2007
Mumbai, Oct 29 (ANI): Eminent humorist Shail Chaturvedi died here on Monday morning after prolong illness. He was 71. He is survived by his wife and three sons. Chaturvedi, well-known for his humours Hindi poems and lyrics, had been suffering from various ailments. He died at his residence in Malad. Chaturvedi had started his career as a lecturer at Allahabad University. He also played some character roles in television serials and Hindi movies.Some of his popular Bollywood films include Chitchor, Hum Do Hamaare Do, and Chameli Ki Shaadi. (ANI)Labels: Top-Stories
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