A Covid-19 vaccination drive underway at a hospital in Pune. (Express Photo by Arul Horizon)Pune news: Pune district has reached the target of vaccinating 100 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, becoming the second district in Maharashtra to do so after Mumbai.
According to district health officials, the first dose has been administered to 83,44,544, or 100 per cent of beneficiaries eligible for the vaccine in the district.
Pune division on Wednesday reported 271 new Covid-19 cases. Maharashtra reported 893 new cases and 10 deaths, but did not record any new Omicron variant case in the last 24 hours, the health department said.
Two days after the Supreme Court stayed 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in local body elections in Maharashtra, political parties have started levelling allegations at each other of working against the OBC community.
To highlight the safety of pedestrians, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to celebrate Pedestrian Day in the city on Saturday with a special initiative titled ‘Open Street Mall’ on Laxmi Road in the heart of the city.
On the occasion, Mayor Murlidhar Mohol will speak on the facilities required for pedestrian safety. The Open Street Mall has been organised to underline the importance that pedestrians must be accorded in the city. Laxmi Road will be closed for traffic from Nagarkar Talim Chowk to Umbrya Ganpati Chowk on Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. Parking will be prohibited.
“Citizens should avoid using private vehicles on the occasion considering the importance of Pedestrian Day. They should rely on public transport buses for long distance travel and if using personal vehicles, they will have to park it at a distance from Laxmi Road,” the mayor said. He has appealed to the citizens to celebrate Pedestrian Day. Read more
A deeply folk music from the heart of Bengal, Baul addresses the call of the soul. Vocalist Uttara Chousalkar will take the audience through this spiritual journey with narrator Annie Arakkal Marwaha at an event titled ‘Moner Manush’. At The Box, Erandwane on December 12, 6.30 pm. Entry: Free
With a combination of ancient and contemporary wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the book The Diamond Cutter by Tibetan Buddhism teacher Geshe Michael Roach presents readers with strategies for success in their work and personal lives. It is the subject of the Book Club Pune’s meeting with presenter Sanjay Phadke. On December 12, 6.30 pm. Zoom meeting ID: 88323071969, Password: BookClub. Read more
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, the Corona Ekal Mahila Punarvasan Samiti and Jan Arogya Abhiyan have announced support to 462 Covid-19 widows and families, who are awaiting news from the Maharashtra government on their complaints of overcharging during Covid-19 treatment.
Timely action on these complaints will be a boost for their human rights, the organisations said, adding that the complainants were struggling with losses, high hospital bills and debt. (Read more here)
The Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre (SUHRC) is organising a conference on the “A to Z of Hernia Surgery” today (December 10) and tomorrow (December 11) at its Lavale premises.
Surgeons who specialise in hernia surgery and abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) will share their experiences through lectures, panel discussions, debates and a live operative workshop.
TWO persons sustained 60 per cent burn injuries in an explosion that took place while they were illegally trying to refill a small Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder from a larger one in Navi Sangvi area of Pune on Wednesday. Police have identified the two injured as Dilip Kumar Sukhram Bishnoi and Banwarilal Madanlal Bishnoi.
Senior inspector Sunil Tonpe, in-charge of Sangvi police station, said, “The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon around 1 pm when the two were illegally refilling cooking gas from a larger cylinder to a smaller one. The explosion caused severe burn injuries to both persons. They were rushed to Sassoon General Hospital and from there to a private facility. We have been told by the doctors that the two have sustained nearly 60 per cent burn injuries and both remain serious.”
Maharashtra recorded 789 new COVID-19 cases and seven fatalities, but no new patient of the recently discovered Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was found in the state in the last 24 hours, the health department said on Thursday. With the fresh COVID-19 cases, the state's overall infection tally reached 66,41,677, while the toll rose to 1,41,211, it said.
A court in Pune has stayed its order directing the police to register a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Mayor Murlidhar Mohol, an advocate representing the mayor said on Thursday.
Judicial Magistrate ( First Class ) Janhavi Kelkar had, on Wednesday, issued an order directing the police to register an FIR under section 156 (3) of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) regarding the alleged offence. Earlier, a man had approached court seeking an FIR under relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act alleging that Mohol and three others, including a contractor, had conspired to raze public toilets in a slum in Bhimnagar in Kothrud, which the latter represents as corporator.
Officials of the sugar industry have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modicomplaining about what they described as “injustice” meted out to them by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMC)s. The letter comes at a time when cane dues in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh are becoming a headache for the ruling BJP.
In the letter, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, Niraj Shirgaonkar, president of India Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) has protested against the decision of the OMCs to prioritize ethanol from maize as feedstock over cane juice in terms of supply of ethanol. The genesis of the problem lies in the Expression of Interest (EOI) floated by the OMCs on August 27 this year which has rattled the industry. The industry has taken up this issue over the last many months but there has been no response from the OMCs. The letter to the Prime Minister follows months of deadlock even as the Ethanol Marketing year (December to November 2021-22) has started. Read more
Pimpri-Chinchwad, the famous industrial city in Maharashtra, is now getting ready to emerge as a prominent sports hub too. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has prepared a plan to overhaul existing sports facilities as well as set up new ones to promote various sports. Though belated, sports enthusiasts have welcomed the move but want the PCMC to speed up the process.
For starters, PCMC has overhauled the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium at Nehrunagar. The stadium, which was set up two decades back, will hold its first national hockey tournament from December 11. The facility has been infamous for its poor facilities and sometimes the turf was seen chewed by rats. Read more
Pune division on Wednesday reported 271 new Covid-19 cases. Maharashtra reported 893 new cases and 10 deaths, but did not record any new Omicron variant case in the last 24 hours, the health department said.
A joint director in the state Health Department has been detained by Pune City Police in connection with the ongoing probe into the question paper leak of the department’s recruitment exam. Police have identified the officer as Mahesh Botle, who is the joint director in a state Health Department office in Mumbai.
An officer from Pune City Police’s Cyber Crime Cell said Botle will be put under arrest in the question paper leak case. Read more
Six branded bicycles were allegedly stolen from a residential society on the NDA–Pashan road in Bavdhan, on Wednesday morning.
Uday Vishnu Bhalerao (49), a businessman residing at Suvarna Park Society on the NDA-Pashan road, complained to the Hinjewadi police station. Read more
The Southern Command, headquartered in Pune, would be an ideal theatre where a joint services command could be set up, General Bipin Rawat had said in 2016, when he led the Southern Command.
General Rawat, who was instrumental in laying down the foundation for joint theatre commands in India as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff, was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Pune-headquartered Southern Command between January 1 and July 31, 2016. At an Idea Exchange with The Indian Express in April 2016, General Rawat had spoken at length about tri-services integration, ties with China, the role of women in the Armed Forces and military-media relations. Read more
The Pune administration has reached the target of administering the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 to 100 per cent of the eligible population in the district on December 8.
According to district health officials, the first dose has been administered to 83,44,544, or 100 per cent of beneficiaries eligible for the vaccine.
Meanwhile, a total of 5,48,2018 (65.7%) residents have got both doses. Read more
Dr Suresh Jadhav, one of the executive directors of Serum Institute of India, passed away late Tuesday night at Sahyadri Hospital due to renal failure and related complications. He was 72.
Dr Cyrus Poonawalla, chairman and managing director of Serum Institute of India, expressed sadness at the loss and said Jadhav was the international face of SII. Jadhav is survived by his wife and two children. Adar Poonawalla, CEO of SII and other officials, visited Jadhav’s residence to pay their last respects. Read more