Pune beat

Bread prices doubledPrices of bread loaves and other bakery products will be hiked by 50 per cent with effect from December 20. This deci...

Bread prices doubled
Prices of bread loaves and other bakery products will be hiked by 50 per cent with effect from December 20. This decision was taken by the Pune District Bakers8217; Association at the general body meeting held here on Tuesday.

In a statement issued here, association president Hussain Gulam Reza stated that they were forced to hike prices because of the steep hike in the prices of maida from Rs 650 per 90 kg to Rs 900 per 90 kg.

Moreover, prices of ghee, edible oil, wood, cost of labour and water charges had also increased making it difficult for the bakers to survive.

CM clears Kanitkar
Former chairman of the Pimpri-Chinchwad New Township Development Authority PCNTDA, Agasti Kanitkar, has been cleared of all charges of irregularities against him by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi.

The Bombay High Court had directed the State Government to take a decision regarding the charges made against Kanitkar in a petition filed by a freedom fighter from Chinchwad Ramchandra Deshmukhe.

Advocate general C J Sawant on Tuesday informed the division bench comprising Chief Justice Ashok Agarwal and justice S S Parkar that the Chief Minister had absolved Kanitkar of all the charges after examining all the documents and hearing Kanitkar8217;s explanations. After hearing Sawant8217;s statement, the judges asked the petitioners to submit their say in the case which will now come up for hearing next Monday. The division bench rejected Kanitkar8217;s plea that he be allowed to take charge as PCNTDA chairman.

Farmers to stage dharna
Project-affected farmers from the five districts under Pune revenue commissionerate and also those from the neighbouring Ahmednagar district will stage a dharna in front of the divisional commissionrate in Pune on December 17 to protest against the State Government8217;s apathy towards their woes.

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The agitation call has been given by Maharashtra Rajya Dharan Va Prakalpgrasta Shetkari Parishad under the leadership of Nagnath Naikwadi, president, and Baba Adhav, general secretary.

The organisation of those affected by construction of dams and other projects has demanded that the affected population first be rehabilitated and then the work on any project be taken up.