No Sugar Candy For NCP

Pressure on Pawar before ELections

Just days after writing about the feud between Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), I am writing this post. The Congress seems to have taken a firm stand as to degrade and pressurise NCP so much as concede everything it want from the party. Lastest missive on this front is the letter written by Sonia Gandhi to Sharad Pawar. On the surface, the letter appears to have written out of the concern for poors. In fact, it is a perfect ploy to take the carpet out of Pawar's feet as a run up to the assembly elections.

When Sonia Gandhi deliberately choose to induct Pawar in prime minister Manmohan Singh's second cabinet as agriculture minister, it was evident that she was not doing a favour. It was a nice ploy to take avenge the rebell by Pawar 10 years ago. Pawar's rebel at that time had played spoilsport for Sonia's chances at prime ministership. In fact, Sonia missed the bus for ever for that coveted post. Even in four years that Pawar graced the chair of same post at New Delhi, he was not able to mend forces with Congress leadership, neither in state nor at centre. It was a testimony to the acrimony between two parties that Sonia also inducted staunch Pawar baiters in cabinet in the form of Vilasrao Deshmukh and Prithviraj Chavan. Some like Deshmukh have been given free rein as to throw their diatribe at Pawar.

On this background, it would be foolish to assume that Sonia had written from genuine concern. As the chairman of United Progressive Alliance, Sonia knew very well how the performance of union agriculture ministry is. When everybody was expressing apprehnsion about the shortage of food commodities and rising prices, Pawar was deriding the fact and Congress was nodding in unison. Now, the realisation has dawned over the minister as well as Congress party. Now all the right noises are made just to convince the voters in Maharashtra and Haryana that the party is not deserting them high and dry. Just two days ago, Maharashtra Congress had opposed reported moves to partially decontrol sale of sugar alleging that "atrocious" amendments in the sugar policy could make the sweetener dearer.

MPCC spokesman Kanhaiyalal Gidwani had written a letter to Sonia Gandhi expressing fear that some sugar manufacturers, along with a section in the government, were pressing for the amendments. Hence even if Congress is rejecting that Sonia has written such a letter, it has made it sure that its image is being portrayed more clear than the NCP.

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Rains In Marathwada

After the lull, the storm. There is a slight variation in this saying for Marathwada region as the area has received satisfactory rainfall in the last two days. The rains were absent for most of the monsoon season in Marathwada like other areas in Maharashtra. This started taking different turn in last week. The areas has received good rains in the whole week so much so that water scarcity seems to have taken backseat in major cities.

Just two weeks ago, Marathwada had 47 per cent less rainfall than average annual rainfall. According to met department, the southwest monsoon has been vigorous in Marathwada and interiors of north Karnataka. In Nanded district, the rainfall till now 325.79 mm. Most of the rivers like Asna, Godavari, Sita and Painganga in district are flowing with full vigour. Even doors of the Vishnupuri dam which provide drinking water to Nanded city has been raised up to release the water. Just a month ago, the same dam had to be filled with water from Jaikwadi dam.

In Latur district the rainfall is recorded at 187 mm. The average rainfall in the district is over 50 percent of the annual average. The situation is almost same in Jalna, Beed, Parbhani and Aurangabad. In Aurangabad, till now 410 mm of rain is recorded including 4 mm till 8:30 AM today while in Parbhani it is 420 mm.

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Maharashtra Govt. Opens Vegetable Shops

Price Hike raises the fear of backlash

With rising cost of vegetables and State Assembly elections round the corner, state government is at its toes. In one of the bold attempts to woo the voters, it has come out to the last standing post of appeasement: kitchen. As scarcity of rains has hit vegetable production in the country, prices are going up. In a bid to thwart dissatisfaction among general public over the issue, Maharashtra government started selling vegetables at low prices in some places. One such centre was inaugurated in the Colaba in Mumbai on Tuesday at the hands of chief minister Ashok Chavan.

At the function, Chavan told the public that state government is doling out a subsidy of Rs 150 crores to make the essential commodities available through reasonable rate shops across the state. However, his other claim that government has provided 9 metric tonnes of Toor pulses in market stands to be tested. Local media is running full of stories how the pulses and other commodities are lying in waste in the state godowns. According to him, onion which is being sold in the market at Rs 14 per kilo will be sold in government shops at Rs 9 per kg. Potato which is being sold at Rs 20 per kilo will be available at Rs 15 per kg.

On the other hand, opposition parties are grinding their axes for election with same issue in mind. Main opposition parties, Shiv Sena and BJP have decided to raise issue of price rise for assembly elections. Shiv Senaexecutive president Uddhav Thackeray recently told mediamen about the plan.

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It is Deshmukh vs Pawar in Maharashtra

As the state assembly elections are nearing in Maharashtra, the political situation is taking very interesting turns. For a journalist, watching political developments unfolding is always a feast to the eyes. This time also the situation is no different. Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, who have shared the power for almost 10 years now are at loggerheads and opposition parties are also not in a better position. NCP has just completed 10 years of its existence and it has evolved from the Congress itself. In the last assembly elections, it managed to wrestle more seats than Congress and eventually claimed Chief Ministership. It was last moments at New Delhi deals that ensured five years rule of a Congressman at the helm.

That man being Vilasrao Deshmukh, he managed the state for four full years and could have continued had that fateful attack on Indian soil did not take in November 08. Deshmukh had to go from the political power from he is still an important man in the affairs of Congress party. He has a long rivalry with Sharad Pawar, who heads NCP starting from 1990 when Pawar was chief minister (then in Congress party) and Deshmukh was state industries minister. Deshmukh had rebelled (alongwith) Sushilkumar Shinde, currently union power minister and Ramrao Adik, who is nowhere in picture now. With his political acumen, Pawar survived that revolt but it created a permanent acrimony between two leaders. In the ensuing elections in 1995, Pawar was instrumental in the defeat of Deshmukh from the Latur constituency. It was so articulate a masterstroke that Deshmuk had to leave the Congress party only to return in 1997.

By 1999 assembly elections, things had changed so much. Shiv Sena & Bharatiya Janata Party alliance was in power and Congress was in the opposition benches. Just before the assembly elections, Pawar had left Congress and formed NCP. The two parties fought the elections separately and were surprised themselves when alliance was thrown out of power. The arithmetic of the seats forced two parties to come together, fulfilling Deshmukh's dream of becoming CM one day. But for him, his tenure from 1999 to 2004 was like 'Sleeping With the Enemy.' NCP tried every trick in the book to minimise Congress' reach and influence while strengthening its position manifold. Constant games and ploys by NCP reaped benefits in 2004 elections when NCP managed 71 seats while Congress could get 69 seats.

Surely Deshmukh did not forget this history when he, fresh from the victory in recently held Lok Sabha election, demanded that Congress should go alone in assembly elections. With NCP's influence fast eroding, Congressmen are toeing his line. Western Maharashtra is NCP's stronghold and when it could not get more than three seats (two of which are that of Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule), Congressman do not see any reward in forging an alliance with the party. Pawar's image being a coy politician, few leaders in the state are comfortable with working with him. Leaders like Digvijay Singh are putting pressure on the leader with almost a statement a day asking to merge NCP in Congress. Chief minister Ashok Chavan seems to play no role in either joining hands or dissociating. He has given himself to the dictate from New Delhi and will move as per so called High Command's orders.

That brings the wrestling to Deshmukh and Pawar only. These two leaders are face to face even though Pawar is largely low profile owing to recent dribble in elections. Pawar had turned the side owing to caste equations. He had played Maratha card so cunningly to take NCP ahead of all parties. This time, Maratha organisations are already enraged over non-fulfilment of their demands. These organisations were an important aid in Pawar's political calculations, always providing a solid voter base the strongman. Also, Pawar's excessive reliance on these organisations have delineated other castes resulting in the unification of these castes. This was the primary reason why Gopinath Munde won with thumping majority in Beed and this is the reason why NCP could get only 8 Lok Sabha seats from among 48 seats. Pawar is also experiencing a deficit of support from Dalits and Muslims. The new mega alliance of splinter Dalit groups has added salt to the injury. Ramdas Athavale's defeat in Shirdi constituency was seen as renewed expression of Pawar's back-stab politics.

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Ganeshotsav Off to Good Start

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi got off to a well start today. The swine flu seemed to have little impact on the morale of the people in Pune. People were seen thronging temples and Modak, the special type of sweet which is said to be favourite of Lord Ganesh, was in full demand. Even rain graced the city on the occasion.

Roadside vendors made most of the business as the sale of big idols were hit this time around. Ganesh idols in Pune come mainly from Pen in Raigad district. But because of scarcity of water and then H1N1 scare, the number of idols coming to Pune were much lesser. Last fortnight, major Ganesh mandals decided to keep the festivities subdued because of H1N1 Flu scare.

Five main Ganpati mandals (Ganesh Mandals) have special place in the city. First of them all is Kasba Ganpati in Kasba Peth which is city deity. The festival of Kasba Ganpati started with pranpratishtha of Ganesh idol at 11 AM. A procession of the idol was brought out before the main ceremony. The procession was bereft of any kind of musical troupes because all prestigious mandals decided to refrain from musical troupes on account of H1N1 Flu.

In Mumbai also, chief minister Ashok Chavan installed a Ganesh idol at his official residence 'Varsha'. Speaking to mediapersons, he said he prayed to lord for good rains in the state. “I also prayed to god for controlling the inflation, to solve drinking water problem and to make the state wealthier,” he said.

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FLight to Popularity

Maharashtra Govt Tries to Make Hay While Sun Shines

Ahead of assembly elections, the Maharashtra government seems to be in a hurry. Barely a day after announcing some major decisions, the state cabinet yesterday decided to open its coffer for more spending. Prominent among these decisions was to privatise five airports in the state. The government might have thought that people will fail to notice the significance of choice of these airports. Three of these airports fall in the assembly segments of three prominent leaders of ruling party.

According to cabinet decision, privatisation of airports at Latur, Baramati, Osmanabad, Nanded, and Yavatmal, which are currently operated by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) will be done by Reliance Airports Developer Ltd. (RAD) For airports at Yavatmal, Nanded and Latur, RAD had quoted Rs 27 Crores while for other two airports it was Rs 36 Crores. In lieu of this amount, RAD will get custody of land measuring 601.56 hectares with additional properties for 95 years.

"Reliance Airport Developer bid of Rs 27 crore for Nanded and Latur and Rs 36 crore for Baramati and Osmanabad airports were highest and MIDC was granted permission to accept it," an official release said.

It is to be noted here that Nanded is home constituency of chief minister Ashok Chavan. Likewise Latur is home to former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Baramati is home to union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar. While Chavan and Deshmukh belong to Congress party, Pawar heads Nationalist Congress Party. That these airports were chosen for the privatisation points to the ploy of the state leadership as much as possible to appease their vote bank. The announcement for state assembly elections is expected any day. Once it is done, no leader will be able to make new announcement. Hence everybody is in hurry to declare sops.

As regards Nanded, barely two months ago, Chavan had organised a meeting with the farmers near Nanded city who were protesting against the acquisition of their lands. When Deshmukh was chief minister, government had tried to acquire the lands but failed in doing so. Farmers were demanding a much higher price and had even resorted to pelting stones at the MIDC officers went for the discussions. Facing a stiff opposition, Deshmukh had discarded the move but Chavan, being from Nanded himself, was confident of resolving the issue.

At present, the air service from Nanded reaches to Latur and Mumbai. But reportedly the service attracts not much response.

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Ganeshotsav Under H1N1 Shadow

First time in its history of 115 years, the Ganesh Utsav in Pune is set to be subdued. The festival, which even British rulers could not prevent from being celebrated with enthusiasm, has come under the shadow of H1N1 Flu which has taken more than 17 lives in Pune. Even though mandals and authorities have decided to celebrate the festival simply, it is to be seen how it can be a low key affair.

Interestingly, organisers of the biggest festival in Maharashtra and probably India are planning to take Swine Flu in their stride. Ganesh Chaturthi. They pkan to make H1N1 Flu as as festival theme to spread awareness among the people. The highlights of the festival will be fibre mannequins wearing swine flu masks erected by artists from the city.

These special mannequins will also have audio-visual aids, a speciality of Ganeshotsav in Pune, to convey the message of preventing swine flu infections. These mannequins will come in the form of school going kids, teachers, doctors wearing masks. The festival is one of the prominent occasion for advertisers and mandals to reach to public. Total turnover during these ten days of festival touch up to several crores. Many big mandals have expressed fear that they will lose about Rs 60 to 70 lakh if the festival is kept simple.

Pune Festival, a cultural event initiated by Suresh Kalmadi, member of parliament was deferred till December on account of rising cases of H1N1 Flu. The festival is normally organised for three days during the Ganeshotsav each year. The organisers of Pune Festival have already clarified that the event will take place around 15 December since not many tourists are expected to come during the onslaught of H1N1.

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Water cuts in cities across Maharashtra

With the situation of rain worsening in the state of Maharashtra, cities across the state are bracing for the cut in water supply. Following the example of Pune, now Aurangabad is also set to face a 30 percent reduction in the daily water supply. As the rain god has chosen to remain away, the dams have failed to fill. This has forced the administration to enforce stricter measures.

Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporations announced on Monday to impose 30 and 20 per cent water cutsrespectively. State Water Resources Minister and guardian minister of city Ajit Pawar had ordered the cut in view of the water scarcity. "Last year by August 15, four dams that supply drinking water to Pune were filled up completely. As there is no sufficient rainfall this year, water storage is only 70 per cent of dams' capacity," Pawar informed after holding meeting with officials here today.
In Pimpri-Chinchwad where the dams suppling water to city were filled only up to 80 per cent, Pawar said.
A day after that, municipal corporation of Aurangabad also decided to reduce the water supply by 10 percent. The announcement was made by the guardian minister of the district Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Jaikwadi Dam, which is responsible for the water supply of the district has just 15 percent of water storage now. Minister also warned that the situation does not improve, meaning that if there are no rains in the return of monsoon, then the water cut can go higher. The situation is so severe that even supply to National Thermal Power Plant at Parli is also on the brink of severance. Local bodies in Gangapur, Vaijapur, Sillod, Khulatabad, Paithan and Kannad are also told to lessen their water use.

For the last ten days, I was in Nanded, the city of present chief minister of Maharashtra, Ashok Chavan. Ahead of the state legislative assembly elections, Chavan is on a promising spree in his home town. But he can not the assure the residents of Nanded a better water supply. It was in the month of June that extra money was pumped in the Godavari river flowing through Nanded so that the need of drinking water be fulfilled. There are no rains in the reason and state government has already declared 140 villages as drought affected. The residents are getting only one time water supply.

According to Ajit Pawar, all the reservoirs in Maharashtra together hold 15,252 million cubic meters (MCM) of water as on Monday, which is down from 19,206 MCM in the corresponding period previous year. The total installed reservoir capacity for the state is 33,085 MCM. Water availability remains only 12 percent of the installed capacity in the Marathwada region. Koyna dam has only 83 per cent water stored, while Jayakwadi and Ujani have 13 per cent and 33 per cent respectively.

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Swine Flu: Today's Developments

As many as 105 persons, including 78 para medical staff of a hospital where the 14-year-old school girl died of swine flu, have been put on preventive medication for H1N1 virus.

However, many of the family members of Rida Shaikh, a Class Nine Pune student who succumbed to the deadly influenza virus yesterday, including her mother and cousin sister have tested negative for the infection, they said.

Preventive medication would be given for ten days to all those who came in contact with the flu victim, the officials said.

Meanwhile, civic health officials have started screening students of Anne's school where Rida studied. The school has put up a notice saying it will remain closed for two days till tomorrow.

Government today issued fresh guidelines to contain the spread of swine flu in the country a day after one patient succumbed to the disease in Pune.

According to the new guidelines, patients, whose swab test are pending but have mild flu symptoms, will now have the option of being treated at home.

The Centre while issuing the guidelines considered the fact that the fear of isolation at stipulated hospitals was making less people with swine flu symptoms to report.

"After the clinical examination by a doctor at the identified health facility, a person can be treated at home or at the hospitals pending results of the swine flu test," Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Health Vineet Choudhary told reporters here.

He, however, added that the decision of the doctors at the identified health facility would be final regarding hospitalisation of the patient.

According to the guidelines, if a person is being isolated and treated at home, then the care givers and family members would be given measures on how to protect themselves as well as take care of the patient.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has said that there was total negligence on part of the hospital which treated the 14-year-old girl, who died of swine flu in Pune.

Terming the incident as "unfortunate", Chavan said: "This incident is really unfortunate. I feel there was total negligence on part of those who admitted her to the hospital and negligence on part of the hospital."

He said that health authorities would find out the reasons as to why proper treatment was not given to her.

Chavan, who met senior health officials, said he asked officials to take every possible step to deal with such cases.

Meanwhile, the girl's family members have blamed the doctors for failing to detect the disease in time.

The hospital authorities who had carried the tests following the directions of government and health officials did not report that she was infected by swine flu.

The officials at Jehangir Hospital where she was admitted however said that they have kept everyone in the family informed about her condition .

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First Swine Flu casualty in India

I am writing this to give this information. The first casualty of Swine Flu has taken place in India. A 14 year old girl has died in Jehangir Hospital today. The girl was admitted in the hospital since last one week and was put on the ventilator since July 29. The girl is named Riya Shaikh and resided in Ganesh Peth.

Pune is leading the country in terms of H1N1 cases with more than 125 cases registered till Monday in the district. The number of cases in India stands at 551 while there are 149 patients affected in Maharashtra. Just yesterday, the city has seen 100th patient suffering from H1N1 Flu. Most of the patient in Pune are students from convents. More than a dozen students in Panchgani, where the children of celebrities in India study have also confirmed to be suffering from the disease.

Some schools with high number of students like Abhinav School, New India School were closed for a week on account of H1N1 fear. But the authorities have not confirmed how long they will remain closed.

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Co-operation between Indian and Israeli Versities

The unthinkable is happening. Even Islamic universities in India are thinking about starting courses in Judaism? Is this a mark of India's openness and tolerance or interest generated by Israel's strides? One does not know. But the newsletter by Israel embassy in New Delhi informs this startling and welcome development.

According the information given in Shalom Namaste, July issue, heads of several leading Indian universities visited recently Israel for a four-day intensive academic tour in order to develop formal co-operations with Israeli institutions. The Indian delegation comprised of Professor Suranjan Das, University of Calcutta; Prof. Mushirul Hasan, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi; Prof. Pramod Tandon, North Eastern Hill University, Shilong and Prof. B. B. Bhattacharya, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

The delegates met academic Presidents and Deans from the IDC Herzliya, Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University, Volcani Institute and Hebrew University to identify areas of cooperation in various fields. The delegates also met President Shimon Peres and the Minister of Education, Mr. Yuli Tamir.

Consequent to their visit, Jamia Milia Islamia University has evinced keen interest in introducing courses on Judaism while three other premier varsities have sought cooperation with Israeli institutions in areas like agriculture, water management and biotechnology.

Jamia’s Vice Chancellor Mr. Mushirul Hasan, during a meeting with Hebrew University President Menachem Magido, expressed his desire to introduce courses on Judaism in his university's curriculum and talked about the possibility of Israeli professors teaching there. Hasan also discussed the possibility of an exchange programme between the universities of the two countries.

Jawaharlal Nehru University's Vice Chancellor Mr. B. B. Bhattacharya sought a MoU with Hebrew University in the field of water management and conservation. Bhattacharya has also explored opportunities of cooperation in the field of biotechnology, nanotechnology and economics, besides seeking exchange programme for teachers.

North Eastern Hill University’s Vice Chancellor Mr. Pramod Tandon expressed his interest in cooperation in the fields of nanotechnology, biotechnology, plant biology, and agriculture and water sciences. Tandon showed particular interest in Hebrew University's faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Quality Sciences Division for External studies.

If this is true, then it will be a great development. I hope it comes true.

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